Song Han, overwhelmed by shame and anger, hunched over and clutching his chest, tried to enter the city but was stopped by the guards: “Second Young Master Song, it’s not that we don’t want to give you face, but the Eastern Depot has issued orders that you’re no longer allowed to enter the city. Anyone who shows you even the slightest kindness will be considered a traitor. Please don’t make things difficult for us!”
How could this be happening?
He stood there, dumbfounded.
How was he supposed to survive from now on?
Song Han panicked and tried to force his way in, heedless of the consequences.
The guards, who had been polite to him earlier, now kicked him without mercy: “You have no shame! Do you still think you’re the Second Young Master of Duke Ying’s household? You dare to ignore our words! If we don’t teach you a lesson, you won’t know your place!”
Song Han stumbled and fell to the ground.
Laughter erupted from all around.
Someone said, “This young master looks so delicate. I wonder what crime he committed. You people are too rough!” The person went to help Song Han up. “Poor thing, even your clothes have been stripped away. My shop happens to need someone to serve tea. Why don’t you come with me? Although it won’t be silk and satin, you’ll have enough to eat and wear…”
Before he could finish speaking, someone else called out maliciously, “Old Lai, doesn’t everyone who serves tea for you end up becoming your cash cow?”
The crowd burst into lewd laughter.
Song Han fled in panic.
In the Western Warm Chamber of the Qianqing Palace study.
The Crown Prince was reviewing memorials.
Cui Yijun entered quietly, replacing the tea.
The Crown Prince suddenly put down his brush and asked, “I heard Duke Ying is ill?”
“Yes,” Cui Yijun replied with a smile. “Song Han had an affair with Duke Ying’s concubine. The Duke was going to expel Song Han from the household and convened the ancestral hall to punish him. Unexpectedly, Song Han, driven to desperation, grabbed Duke Ying by the throat and wouldn’t let go…” He recounted the whole incident.
“So, Song Han has been expelled from the family, and Duke Ying is still unconscious?” the Crown Prince mused.
“That’s correct,” Cui Yijun replied, bowing even lower than usual, showing even more respect.
The Crown Prince pondered for a long while.
In the past, Cui Yijun would have spoken up to inquire, but ever since the Crown Prince had started reviewing memorials independently, he no longer interjected casually.
He stood there silently, eyes lowered respectfully.
The Crown Prince suddenly asked, “How is your investigation into the matter I asked you about last time?”
Cui Yijun thought for a moment and said, “You mean the matter concerning Lord Song and Lord Ji?”
The Crown Prince nodded and said, “Although it’s not appropriate to publicize Prince Liao’s affair, we can’t dishearten those loyal to the country. Currently, there’s no Commander of the Imperial Guard. I’m considering appointing Song Yantang, but the Imperial Bodyguard also needs him. There’s never been anyone who held both positions simultaneously. Then there’s Ma Youming from the Divine Machine Battalion. If not for his disregard for personal danger, the outcome that day would have been uncertain. Since Wang Xu, the current Commander of the Divine Machine Battalion is in poor health and has requested to retire, I think we could appoint Ma Youming as the new Commander…”
In other words, the Crown Prince intended to rely heavily on Song Mo.
And Song Mo was at odds with Ji Yong!
Cui Yijun’s heart skipped a beat.
Was the Crown Prince trying to play a balancing act?
Cui Yijun bowed even lower.
He respectfully said, “Lord Ji and Lord Song have a grudge over a stolen wife!”
“Oh!” The Crown Prince’s interest was immediately piqued, his eyes shining brightly. “Tell me, what exactly happened?”
Cui Yijun explained, “Although all families involved tried to keep it secret, both the Dou and Ji families are prominent clans with many in-laws. Especially Lord Ji, who remains unmarried to this day. Whenever anyone proposes marriage, they’re turned away in humiliation. Some things gradually became impossible to hide. It’s said that Madam Dou and Lord Ji were childhood sweethearts. Lord Ji had his heart set on marrying Madam Dou, and the Dou family was in favor of the match. Unexpectedly, when Lord Dou was serving in the capital, he was unaware of the Ji family’s intentions to propose. The Ji family thought it was enough to have spoken with the Grand Secretary Dou. Through this misunderstanding, Lord Dou arranged for Madam Dou to marry into Duke Ying’s household…”
“I can’t believe such a thing happened!” The Crown Prince listened with delight, unable to hold back his laughter. “I heard Ji Jianming and Madam Dou are cousins. Do the two families still interact?”
“They do!” Cui Yijun smiled. “Not only do they interact, but Madam Dou is very open about it. When Lord Ji visits the Song family, Madam Dou always greets him personally!”
The Crown Prince nodded approvingly and later shared this story with the Crown Princess as an amusing anecdote.
The Crown Princess, surprised by this revelation, commented, “I always thought that Madam Dou was no ordinary woman. No wonder Lord Ji looks down on everyone else now.”
The Crown Prince joked, “Should we play matchmaker for Ji Jianming?”
The Crown Princess smiled and replied, “That depends on how you intend to use Lord Ji. If you simply want to win over the Ji family, arranging a marriage for Lord Ji would be the most honorable and glorious approach. However, if you intend to employ Lord Ji’s talents, I suggest we stay out of this matter. Given his stubbornness, he’s unlikely to be easily persuaded. If you hastily arrange a marriage for him, he might feel resentful.”
The Crown Prince had only mentioned it in passing. Since the Crown Princess was very knowledgeable about handling relationships with relatives, and she deemed it inappropriate, he didn’t insist. Instead, he brought up Song Mo and Ji Yong: “I’m thinking of appointing Song Mo as the concurrent Commander of the Imperial Guard, and Ji Yong as the Scholar of the Secretariat of the Heir Apparent and the Director of the Court of State Ceremonial.”
This way, with their separate paths in civil and military affairs, they could keep each other in check…
The Crown Princess smiled and asked, “Has Your Highness considered appointing Song Mo as the concurrent Commander of the Divine Machine Battalion?”
The Crown Prince was momentarily stunned, then clapped his hands in approval: “That’s an excellent idea. Let Song Mo serve as the Commander of both the Divine Machine Battalion and the Imperial Guard, Ma Youming as the Commander of the Imperial Bodyguard, and Dong Qi as the Commander of the Five Cities Military Command.”
It was well known that the relationship between Dong Qi and Song Mo was also very tense within the Imperial Bodyguard.
The Crown Princess smiled slightly.
The Crown Prince then inquired about the Empress’s condition: “How is she now?”
He had heard that the Empress had fallen ill recently, but the prescriptions submitted by the Imperial Hospital were all for calming nerves and settling the spirit, which made the Crown Prince suspicious.
The Crown Princess whispered in his ear, “The Empress Dowager said that the Empress fell ill due to Prince Liao’s actions. How could the Imperial physicians dare to prescribe anything else?”
The Crown Prince understood and changed the subject, saying, “The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching. In addition to the usual mooncakes and such, let’s send some delicacies and fragrant oils to Duke Ying’s household. It will show our warmth towards them.”
The Crown Princess smiled and agreed.
The next day, the Crown Prince summoned Song Mo to the Western Warm Chamber for a conversation: “How is the Duke’s health now?”
Song Mo smiled bitterly and replied, “He has regained consciousness, but his throat is damaged, and he can’t speak. He also experiences frequent high fevers. The Imperial physicians say it will take at least two years of rest for his body to gradually recover.”
“He can’t speak at all?” The Crown Prince frowned. “Not a single word?”
“He can only make inarticulate sounds, like a confused child,” Song Mo said, looking very troubled. “If he doesn’t write, we have no idea what he’s trying to say. My father gets agitated as he tries to communicate, either throwing things or overturning tables. The physicians say he mustn’t get excited, so I’ve had to assign a long-time attendant to serve him closely…”
“There’s nothing else that can be done,” the Crown Prince consoled Song Mo. “Fortunately, the Duke Ying’s household has hereditary servants. Given time, the Duke will gradually adapt.”
“That’s what I thought as well,” Song Mo agreed.
After discussing Song Yichun’s condition at length, the Crown Prince offered tea.
Song Mo was puzzled.
But when he saw Cui Yijun personally lifting the curtain for him, he had a vague guess. That night, he whispered to Dou Zhao, “His Majesty might put me in charge of the Imperial Guard.”
Dou Zhao was shocked.
In his previous life, Song Mo had indeed commanded the Imperial Guard.
“Did His Highness hint at this?” she asked Song Mo.
“His Highness inquired about my father’s condition,” Song Mo smiled. “He must be worried about me observing mourning—currently, the Imperial Guard has no commander, and it’s as if the palace has been blindfolded and its ears plugged. I can’t think of any other reason why His Highness would specifically summon me to the palace.”
“Is there no way to avoid joining the Imperial Guard?” Dou Zhao hesitated. “The Imperial Guard has such a bad reputation.”
“Reputation, good or bad, depends on one’s actions,” Song Mo said dismissively with a smile. “There’s one good thing about joining the Imperial Guard,” he whispered in her ear, “At least I won’t have to serve in the palace anymore…” His hand covered her breast, which had become fuller due to pregnancy.
“What are you thinking?” Dou Zhao was both amused and exasperated, swatting his hand away. “This concerns your future career!”
“Even at my worst, I could still be a mediocre Seal-holding Commander in the Five Military Commands like my father,” Song Mo simply embraced Dou Zhao. “No matter how capable I am, His Highness wouldn’t put both the Imperial Bodyguard and the Imperial Guard under my command. I originally wanted to clear my uncle’s false charges and find out why my father wanted to kill my mother. Now that my wishes have been fulfilled, I just want to be with you and our child, to be a good husband and father. I don’t want my child to experience what I did as a child. Those external things aren’t worth fighting for anymore.”
Song Mo had suffered greatly over the years.
If this was what he wanted, she would let him have his way.
Dou Zhao tenderly stroked Song Mo’s face and said gently, “It’s up to you. As long as you’re happy.”
“What good is it if only I’m happy?” Song Mo was delighted to see Dou Zhao being so considerate of him. He wanted to lift her onto his lap, but as he reached out, he remembered her current condition. Instead, he planted several kisses on her face. “What matters is that you’re happy. Don’t you like having me by your side?”
The couple exchanged sweet nothings for most of the night. The next morning, when they saw Gao Sheng from Jing’an Temple Alley come to deliver farewell gifts to Jiang Bosun, they remembered that Jiang Bosun was set to depart for Haozhou the following day.
Song Mo urgently asked, “Ayan hasn’t come to pay respects to Fifth Uncle yet?”
Previously, when Jiang Bosun was covered in wounds, he didn’t want Jiang Yan, who was pregnant, to be frightened, so he didn’t allow Song Mo to tell her that he was staying at Yizhi Hall. Now that Jiang Bosun’s external injuries had healed and he was about to leave for distant Liaodong, how could Jiang Yan not come to pay her respects to him, especially when they didn’t know when they would see each other again?
Dou Zhao smiled and said, “Look at you, is Yuqiao Alley so far from here?” She then added with a suppressed smile, “I’ve already had a servant deliver a note to Chen Zanzhi—Yan-mei is timid, it’s better to have Chen Zanzhi relay the message than to tell her directly!”
“What’s there to relay?” Song Mo was displeased. “Fifth Uncle is her uncle, he wouldn’t harm her!”
Dou Zhao smiled without saying a word.
Song Mo sighed helplessly.
Dou Zhao, however, thought to herself, if this was the extent of her life’s displeasure, she would gladly accept it!