Blossom

Dou Zhao watched as Song Mo, who had been trembling with anger just moments ago, quickly regained control of his emotions. Her heart was a tumult of mixed feelings, indescribable in words.

Those who achieve great things possess great perseverance. Only such individuals can remain steadfast amidst prosperity and endure solitude without faltering.

Song Mo was only thirteen this year—an age where youthful courage defies fear, where lofty ambitions scorn the world. Not only had she made him retreat in defeat, humiliated and disgraced, but she had also deliberately mocked him with a show of arrogance. Even a composed and mature middle-aged man might struggle to bear such treatment, yet Song Mo had managed to cast aside pride and loss within the span of a single cup of tea, reassessing the situation and facing his circumstances anew.

Faced with such a terrifying person, could she truly emerge unscathed after opposing him?

This child was Song Mo’s weakness.

The reason Song Mo had resolved to kill them was to ensure the child’s whereabouts remained secret.

If she exposed their identities, what restraint would Song Mo have left?

A fight to the death—what chance did Duan Gongyi and the others stand, given their mindset?

Moreover, in her past life, although the Duke of Dingguo’s Mansion had been raided, its members executed, and its title stripped, the Duke of Yingguo’s Mansion had remained as prosperous as ever, never losing imperial favor.

Unless she could silently eliminate Song Mo and erase all evidence, the principle of "a life for a life" would prevail. She had no doubt the Duke of Yingguo would eagerly avenge Song Mo.

Did she possess such capability?

Her threat of having Su Xin report to the authorities was merely a means to intimidate Song Mo, not a sharp blade she could wield against him.

She knew this—and she believed he knew it too.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have calmed down so quickly.

Yet precisely because of this, Dou Zhao felt more confident in persuading him. Given his rationality, he ought to recognize that cooperation would benefit them both, while division would lead to mutual ruin.

Now, she had already demonstrated her ability and strength to him, and he had begun to take her seriously. It was time for them to sit down and talk properly.

Dou Zhao’s mind raced. Before Song Mo could speak, she solemnly declared, “Young Master Mei, I have something to discuss with you in private!”

Song Mo was slightly taken aback.

There were only eight people in the hall.

All were individuals they trusted the most. Yet she still wanted to speak with him alone—what exactly did she intend to say?

Before he could ponder further, Dou Zhao stood up, holding the child, and walked toward the study in the western chamber. As she did, she instructed Duan Gongyi, “Guardian Duan, please stand guard at the door with Su Lan. No one is to approach the study, no matter who they are.”

What she was about to say and do next was of great importance—the fewer who knew, the better.

Moreover, this was a risky endeavor. Though she appeared confident on the surface...

Chen Qushui and Yan Chaoqing had both served as advisers to high-ranking regional officials. Yan Chaoqing, in particular, had once been a trusted confidant of the Duke of Dingguo and had accompanied Song Mo in escorting the child, earning the trust of both the Jiang and Song families. Clearly, he was no ordinary man.

No matter how well she planned, it was still just theory. No matter how formidable Song Mo was, he still lacked experience. With the assistance of these two men, their chances of success would be far greater.

Without hesitation, Song Mo stood and ordered Zhao Ming, “Stay here and help Guardian Duan guard the door.”

Confronting Dou Zhao head-on was not in his best interest.When he left home, his mother had repeatedly warned him that the martial world was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and he must not be careless. She advised him to consult Master Yan on all matters. However, as he had been flawless in his journey so far, he gradually dismissed his mother's words, leading to this careless mistake. Not only was he trapped in this small farmstead in Zhen Ding County by a seemingly ordinary noble lady, but he had also put the child and the brave men following him in danger.

More importantly, he had already sent Shi An to seek reinforcements.

According to the original plan, they would act together at the hour of Hai.

If the other side failed to notice the anomaly at the farmstead and took action, this Miss Dou the Fourth would surely drag the authorities into it to save her own life. If, by chance, they noticed the anomaly and chose to wait and observe, and the rain stopped, the villagers would start visiting each other, making it even harder to conceal their presence.

Could he really order the massacre of the entire village?

How would that make him any different from those Japanese pirates?

Moreover, this Fourth Miss Dou clearly knew who he was but still addressed him as Young Master Mei, leaving room for negotiation and avoiding outright confrontation.

Perhaps he should take this opportunity to have a proper talk with Miss Dou the Fourth—there might be a way to untie the knot.

Chen Qushui and Yan Chaoqing entered the study one after another.

The four of them sat facing each other, each occupying a corner.

Su Lan served tea and quietly withdrew, closing the study door behind her.

Dou Zhao got straight to the point: "I have always admired the Duke of Dingguo. My father and two uncles serve in the Capital, yet I’ve heard no news of the Duke’s misfortune. How is he now?" Her tone was sincere and straightforward.

Song Mo was once again impressed by Dou Zhao.

The child’s whereabouts were not the main concern—what mattered was the future of the Duke of Dingguo's Mansion. If the Duke’s household escaped this calamity, the child would naturally be safe. But if disaster befell them, as the sole heir of the Duke’s lineage, the child’s location would determine life or death.

This Miss Dou the Fourth was indeed remarkable, immediately grasping the crux of the matter.

But could she be trusted?

Song Mo couldn’t help but look into Dou Zhao’s eyes.

Only then did he notice how beautiful they were.

Clear and bright, like the most dazzling stars in the night sky, unclouded by any haze, their radiance inspiring courage in those who beheld them.

He lowered his eyelids and lifted his teacup, blowing lightly at the leaves floating on the surface.

Yan Chaoqing glanced at Song Mo and, seeing no objection, said, "An imperial censor has impeached the Duke of Dingguo for falsely claiming civilian deaths as military achievements and nurturing bandits to strengthen his own position. We received word that the Emperor was furious and ordered the Imperial Bodyguards to escort the Duke back to the Capital for interrogation by the Court of Judicial Review. Yet we cannot identify the mastermind behind this. Our Madam sensed something amiss. Coincidentally, Master Jiang Wu had secretly taken in a concubine without informing the Dowager Lady Jiang, and she was nearing childbirth. Madam decided to hide her. Three days ago, an imperial decree arrived—the Duke of Dingguo, General Jiang, and Assistant Prefect Jiang were all charged, while Master Jiang Wu was interrogated by the Imperial Bodyguards. When Madam entered the palace, she could uncover nothing and feared the situation would worsen. She ordered me to accompany the Young Lord in delivering this child to a close friend of Master Jiang Wu for safekeeping."

Song Mo’s third uncle served as a general, and his fourth uncle as an assistant prefect.

No wonder they had heard no rumors.

Dou Zhao said, "So the imperial decree has just been issued. The Duke of Yingguo is still in Fujian—this is merely a precaution, then?"It sounded as if they were worrying unnecessarily.

Yan Chaoqing pondered and said, "The Emperor is the kind of person who, the more polite he is to you, the angrier he is inside; the more casual his words, the less he cares." Fearing Dou Zhao might not understand, he tactfully explained, "Our Madam has always maintained good relations with the Empress and the Empress Dowager. This time, Madam went to the palace to plead with the Empress. Yet the Empress knew nothing about the matter and even specially inquired with the Emperor. The Emperor said that Duke Ding had been in Fujian for too long and held too much power, inevitably arousing envy. The sea winds in Fujian are harsh, so recalling Duke Ding would allow him to rest and recuperate for a few years..."

Among all the noble and prestigious families, the Duke of Yingguo's mansion was somewhat unique.

His ancestor, Song Wu, was sworn brothers with the founding emperor and later followed him in rebellion, dying on the battlefield. Song Wu's posthumous son, Song Gong, was adopted by the founding emperor and granted the imperial surname. After the dynasty was established, the emperor rewarded merits and enfeoffed Song Gong as the Duke of Yingguo. Remembering that Song Wu had only this one son, the emperor specially decreed the restoration of his original surname.

Thus, the Duke of Yingguo's mansion enjoyed an exceptionally close relationship with the imperial family.

When Emperor Taizong wanted to depose the Crown Prince, it was the Duke of Yingguo who persuaded him to preserve the heir.

When Emperor Renzong sought to depose the Empress and elevate his favored consort Wang Shi, it was the Duke of Yingguo who convinced the Empress Dowager.

When Emperor Wuzong exhausted both the national treasury and his personal coffers through relentless military campaigns, it was again the Duke of Yingguo who bore the blame, remaining in the position of Salt Transport Commissioner in Huaian for ten years, allowing Emperor Wuzong to finally begin constructing his mausoleum.

It could be said that before Liao Wang ascended the throne, successive Dukes of Yingguo had been the Emperor's confidants and favored ministers, even more trusted than imperial relatives. If even the Duchess of Yingguo could learn nothing from her visit to the palace, the severity of the situation was evident. The previous life had also proven that the Duchess's concerns were entirely justified.

But recalling Song Mo's words in her past life that the Jiang Family would have no more descendants, Dou Zhao couldn't help but ask, "Can the Tan Family be relied upon?"

Everyone stared at Dou Zhao in shock, and Song Mo's previously relaxed expression vanished.

"How did you know?" Yan Chaoqing couldn't help but ask, his voice tense.

Dou Zhao gave an awkward smile.

Though she had long resolved not to involve herself too deeply, she had still spoken out.

She was simply too worried about the infant in her arms!

In her past life, Song Mo had told Liao Wang, "The Jiang Family will have no more descendants."

"I am, after all, a native of Zhen Ding," Dou Zhao had no choice but to press on. "Upon careful consideration, the only ones with the means to adopt this child would be the Tan Family Manor. Since Duke Ding is currently only being questioned, I couldn't help but worry and ask."

"Miss Dou the Fourth is not only brilliant but also far-sighted," Yan Chaoqing sighed sincerely. "The person entrusted with the orphan was personally chosen by Master Jiang Wu..." His implication was that he didn't know much about this person either and shared some concerns.

"If even the Tan Family can't be trusted, then there's no one left to trust!" Song Mo, who had remained silent until now, interjected lightly but decisively, cutting off Yan Chaoqing's words.

Yan Chaoqing lowered his head slightly.Dou Zhao could say no more. Noticing that Yan Chaoqing's words revolved entirely around Madam Jiang, the Duchess of Yingguo, without a single mention of the Duke himself, she steered the conversation back to Duke Ding: "What does the Duke of Yingguo say about Duke Ding's situation?"

Yan Chaoqing replied tactfully, "The situation remains unclear. Even if the Duke of Yingguo were to intervene on his behalf, he would need substantial grounds to do so."

He intended to have his wife sound out the imperial family first, then act accordingly.

Had Dou Zhao not known what transpired in her past life, she would have found Duke Song Yichun's approach perfectly reasonable and appropriate. Yet, judging by subsequent events, it was clear the Duke of Yingguo lacked something crucial.

Suspicions from both lifetimes churned within her, but she couldn't voice a single word of it.

Those events had not occurred in this life, and compared to her past life, everything had changed dramatically. For instance, in her previous life at this time, though Song Mo had been in Zhen Ding, she had been in the Capital, their paths never crossing. In this life, she had taken the initiative, preserved her grandmother's life, and thus remained in Zhen Ding, where she encountered Song Mo. Then, after hiring Chen Sishui as an adviser, she had been besieged by Song Mo at the farmstead... Who could predict what would happen next?

Her expression grew solemn as she said earnestly, "I believe entrusting the orphan is only part of your mother's plan. The key lies in how to secure Duke Ding's safety. Do you know what plans she has in mind?"

Yan Chaoqing glanced at Song Mo, who remained tight-lipped, before replying, "Does Miss Dou the Fourth have any suggestions?" His gaze held a hint of amusement, clearly finding her question somewhat presumptuous.