Blossom

The girl before him was no more than fourteen or fifteen years old, her fair, snow-like complexion accentuated by two striking long eyebrows that arched gracefully toward her temples. The muted elegance of her plain, right-crossing, bean-green lined jacket exuded steadiness and grace, while the yellow-green floral embroidery along the edges added a touch of liveliness. Her jet-black hair was simply coiled into a bun, adorned with delicate silver magnolia earrings dangling pink pearls—small yet exquisitely refined. At first glance, she appeared to be nothing more than a well-bred young lady from a noble household. Yet the calm composure and unconstrained confidence radiating from her brow were qualities rarely found in ordinary women of the inner chambers. In all his years, Song Mo had only witnessed such traits in the current Empress Wan Shi and his own mother, Jiang Shi. But how could she possibly compare to the Empress, who embodied the dignity of the realm, or his mother, who stood with the entire Duke of Dingguo's Mansion behind her?

As Song Mo recalled the formidable guards surrounding her, the strategist rivaling the legendary Zhang Yi, and even the maidservant who had snatched the child right under his nose, he began to grasp a faint understanding.

Dou Zhao allowed him to study her with a composed smile, all the while assessing the two men he had brought along.

She had brought Chen Qushui and Duan Gongyi—the former her trusted adviser, the latter her most skilled fighter. As for Song Mo’s companions, Yan Chaoqing was self-explanatory, but was this slender man his best fighter? She had initially assumed it was the so-called "sword hidden in its sheath" that Duan Gongyi had mentioned.

It seemed she would need to reassess Song Mo’s strength.

She wondered—who was more skilled, this wiry man or Duan Gongyi?

If he were to charge, how many moves could Duan Gongyi hold him off?

With these thoughts, Dou Zhao cast a sidelong glance and spotted Su Lan standing protectively beside her, holding a tray with vigilant readiness. A quiet reassurance settled in her heart.

Just then, Song Mo remarked with a smile, "This lily incense is rich without being cloying. If I’m not mistaken, it must be the secret Tianfu Xuanbao blend from the Great Xiangguo Temple in the Capital?"

Since this was a negotiation, a warm and amicable atmosphere was essential—and beginning with flattery was always a sound strategy.

When seeking a favor from a stranger, starting with a commendable detail about their surroundings and steering the conversation toward a pleasant topic could easily bridge the distance, paving the way for the request to come. Dou Zhao had mastered this skill long ago, during her days as a noblewoman.

Summoning her focus, she returned his pleasantries with a smile. "Young Master Mei is truly knowledgeable. Indeed, this is the Tianfu Xuanbao from the Great Xiangguo Temple, specially brought back from the Capital by my father. These past few days have been damp—osmanthus and jasmine fragrances are light and elegant, while lily incense is heavier. Normally, osmanthus or jasmine would be preferable. But as I reside in the city year-round and only occasionally accompany my elders for brief stays at the farmstead, we only had half a box of lily incense left from last New Year’s visit. We had to make do. Please forgive the humble accommodations, Young Master Mei."

So, the subtle admonishment had already begun.

This woman was indeed exceedingly clever.

Song Mo’s gaze involuntarily lingered on Dou Zhao’s face once more."Miss Dou the Fourth is so modest, it makes me feel utterly ashamed," he said with a laugh. "To be honest, this is all a misunderstanding—Mr. Chen, your family's accountant, once served as an adviser under Zhang Kai, the former governor of Fujian who abandoned his city and fled. Later, Duke Ding, considering he was not the main culprit, allowed him to leave freely. Mr. Chen was the first to depart Fujian, and afterward, he revealed our whereabouts to you. We didn’t understand his intentions and felt uneasy, but we never intended to harm you. We merely wanted to conceal our tracks and planned to leave you at the farmstead for a while after we departed. I’m well aware that the martial world is full of hidden talents, far beyond what my guards can match. However, we carried military crossbows with us, and several of my guards are skilled in their use. At the very least, we could gain some advantage. Otherwise, those arrows earlier wouldn’t have landed so precisely at the feet of your guards, and I wouldn’t have ordered them to shoot." His words were earnest.

Duan Gongyi nodded repeatedly.

Dou Zhao, however, inwardly scoffed.

No wonder you rose so quickly in Prince Liao’s Residence after being expelled from the Duke of England's Mansion. With your ability to lie through your teeth and twist the truth, no one could match you.

"It truly is a misunderstanding," she said, her expression unreadable as she nodded seriously. She gently patted the sleeping child in her arms and continued, "Since Mr. Chen leaked your whereabouts, it’s only natural you’d rather kill the innocent than let the guilty escape. But once the rain stops and the villagers come out to enjoy the sunshine, your limited manpower would make slaughtering the entire village quite a challenge. Moreover, such a major incident would not only alert the county and prefectural offices but also the Administration Commission, the Surveillance Commission, and even the Court of Judicial Review. That would be highly unfavorable for you. It’d be far simpler and cleaner to silence us now while it’s still raining. Still, your words reminded me—why not just detain us at the farmstead for a while and release us once you’re far away? Traveling south from the Capital usually passes through Zhen Ding. By the time we report to the authorities, you’d already be like a dragon soaring in the sky or a fish returning to the sea. By the time officials track you down, you’d have everything arranged so meticulously that even the Imperial Bodyguard wouldn’t find a trace."

Song Mo had been smiling leisurely, but as she spoke, his smile gradually faded, and a sharp edge crept into his expression.

Dou Zhao, unsatisfied, widened her eyes and feigned shock, exclaiming, "Oh my! Could it be that the person entrusted with your orphan is nearby in Zhen Ding?" A cold glint flashed in her eyes as she added, "Even the Emperor deliberates carefully when selecting regents. Hiding the son of a fugitive is no small matter—it’s not something just anyone would dare to do. Since this guardian can’t be easily replaced, the only option left is to eliminate us all, isn’t it?"

Even seasoned and unflappable men like Chen Qushui and Yan Chaoqing couldn’t hide their shock at her words, let alone Duan Gongyi and Lu Ming—who stood frozen, staring at her in stunned silence.

The room fell deathly quiet.

Song Mo, like a glazed surface struck by a fist, finally cracked with a fine fissure.His face was livid as he glared at Dou Zhao, his gaze as sharp and chilling as a blade, making her scalp tingle. Yet she had no retreat left—only to burn her boats and fight for survival.

"Let me think," she said with feigned nonchalance, smiling. "You brought an accountant—Master Yan is already here; two stewards—one with a simple, honest face who was by your side earlier, and the other must be the one standing next to Master Yan; four guards—the ones who threatened me with crossbows; a wet nurse, likely silently weeping in the heated room behind your inner chamber; and an infant in swaddling clothes, now sleeping in my arms. Everyone’s accounted for. But you arrived in two carriages... Though carriage drivers are the lowliest, usually sleeping in the stables, they’re still your people. So where are those two now?"

Song Mo’s temples bulged with veins, his glare at Dou Zhao now openly razor-sharp.

Dou Zhao acted oblivious, calling out loudly, "Su Lan! When you went to fetch the young master earlier, did you see his carriage drivers?"

"I don’t know if they were drivers," Su Lan replied, playing along with exaggerated casualness. "They didn’t realize the back window of the heated room could be opened from outside. When I climbed in, some big oaf was standing guard at the door with his back to me. I knocked out the wet nurse with a chop to the neck, then quietly used that Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle Uncle Duan gave me—dipped in anesthetic—and shot the guy full of needles. He glared at me twice before collapsing." She then turned to Duan Gongyi and complained, "Uncle Duan, you said even an ox would drop silently if hit by those needles! That guy’s eyes were wide open when he fell, and he even groaned twice when he saw me leap out the window with the young master. Your needles aren’t very reliable!"

All eyes turned to Duan Gongyi.

Duan Gongyi suddenly felt as if a thousand spotlights were on him. Beads of sweat erupted on his forehead, and remembering he’d just acted against Duke Ding’s orphaned heir, he couldn’t hide his guilt. Flustered, he wiped his sweat with his sleeve and mumbled, "It’s a family heirloom, passed down for self-defense... hasn’t been used in decades. Maybe it’s lost its potency..."

Su Lan scolded, "Uncle Duan, how could you give me something so unreliable? If it had failed, that oaf might’ve caught me! Me getting caught is one thing, but if I’d ruined Miss’s plans, we’d all be in mortal danger!"

"Right, right!" Duan Gongyi sweated even more profusely.

Yan Chaoqing, however, studied Dou Zhao with a deep gaze—she sat there, smiling serenely, utterly at ease.

So this scheme was her idea!

He’d assumed it was Chen Qushui’s doing.

Su Lan’s antics must have infuriated Song Mo.

Dou Zhao was certainly pleased to see it.

But she couldn’t let Su Lan ramble on too long.She continued at the right moment, "Su Lan, the one you saw must have been one of the two coachmen... So where did the other one go?" Dou Zhao speculated, "Could he have gone to inform the guardian of the orphan?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she immediately exclaimed in alarm, "Guardian Duan, where have all our people gone? Young Master Mei didn’t act despite having the upper hand during the day—he must have felt his numbers were insufficient and it was too risky. He probably sent that coachman to seek reinforcements from the guardian. They might have even agreed on a time to strike... This is trouble!"

Chen Qushui, Duan Gongyi, and Yan Chaoqing all paled in shock.

Only Song Mo remained composed, lifting his teacup and quietly taking a few sips with his head slightly lowered.

Yet the slight tremble in his hand as he held the cup betrayed his fury.

Dou Zhao’s only leverage was the infant in her arms.

Having once been a mother herself, how could she truly harm this child?

Her advantage was nothing more than a reflection of the moon in water—illusory.

To force Song Mo to take her seriously, she had no choice but to keep provoking him.

"Ah!" Dou Zhao sighed. "This is the downside of you being in the open while I’m hidden—I know how many men you’ve brought, but you have no idea how many we have. I wonder where my other maidservant has gone? If a large group storms the farmstead to kill and plunder, will she make it back in time from Zhen Ding Prefecture?"

Song Mo lifted his head, his expression solemn and composed, his gaze calm and rational.