Blossom

Madam Jiang, the wife of the Duke of Yingguo and mother of Song Mo, had passed away from illness!

In the previous life, all of Song Mo's transformations began with his mother's death.

At that time, the Jiang Family had been exterminated, and Jiang Shi, who had desperately tried to save her mother and brothers, was consumed by self-blame and regret, her thoughts tangled, her heart heavy, and she became bedridden—a reaction that was entirely understandable. But in this life, the women and children of the Jiang Family had survived, while the men were exiled. Although Jiang Lansun had died, and the Jiang Family might have lost their chance to rise again and return to the court, their descendants still remained. Madam Jiang had endured the deaths of Jiang Meisun, the pillar of the Jiang Family, and Jiang Songsun, their warrior, and had remained strong afterward. Now, she had become the Jiang Family's greatest support. Logically, she should have been even more resilient at this time—how could she have suddenly passed away?

Could there have been earlier signs?

Perhaps they just hadn’t had the chance to notice.

But Song Mo couldn’t have missed it!

Since Jiang Shi had entrusted such an important matter as guardianship to Song Mo, it was clear how much she valued her eldest son in daily life. Song Mo was also the type of person who was meticulous and thorough—he couldn’t have failed to notice.

If Jiang Shi had shown any abnormalities, how could Song Mo have come to deliver gifts of gratitude to her?

Moreover, in the previous life, Song Mo had been impeached by the imperial censors for impregnating a maid during his mourning period for his mother.

A fourteen-year-old child, still naive and ignorant, raised in indulgence, might indeed have made such a mistake. Dou Zhao was merely a bit puzzled by the Duke of Yingguo's reaction to the incident. But with Duke Ding being convicted, the Duke of Yingguo might have done such a thing to curry favor with the royal family. No parents are ever truly in the wrong—even if the Duke of Yingguo had made mistakes, during the years Song Mo was the heir, he had doted on him. Yet in the end, Song Mo had killed his father and younger brother, and in such a brutal manner. This was the reason Dou Zhao was deeply wary of him.

Imagine—a person who couldn’t even forgive his own parents' mistakes—how extreme and narrow-minded must he be?

But in this life, she had befriended Song Mo and come to know him anew.

A young man who, at thirteen, had forced her to resort to trickery just to snatch the child and finally sit down to talk—even if he had impregnated a maid during his mourning period, how could Song Mo, who had full control of the Jiang Family’s intelligence network in the Capital, have allowed things to escalate to the point of impeachment by the censors?

Dou Zhao had once been a marchioness.

Noble families valued their eldest sons even more than official families did.

In official families, success in the imperial examinations brought glory to the family. The eldest son wasn’t necessarily the best scholar, but once any of the sons passed the exams and entered officialdom, he gained influence within the family. Some even branched out to establish their own lineage, separating from the ancestral clan. The rise and fall of families often hinged on this.

Noble families were different. There was only one hereditary title, and as long as you were the legitimate eldest son or grandson of the main branch, you were entitled to inherit it—even if you were as dull and foolish as Zhang Yuanming, whom even his own mother disliked. As long as you didn’t make mistakes, your parents couldn’t arbitrarily strip you of your inheritance. If you were capable, you could seek an official post; if not, you could just coast on your title, living off your stipend until death. The amount might vary, but it was guaranteed.

Thus, the eldest legitimate son—

They weren’t just bearing children; they were ensuring the continuation of the family’s legacy.Men tie their hair at fifteen. Song Mo was thirteen this year. As the eldest son and an officially appointed heir, he held a significant position.

After Dou Zhao gave birth to Wei Wei, Tian Shi, fearing her ignorance, repeatedly reminded her that early exposure to intimate relations could deplete a young man’s vital essence prematurely, harming his future fertility. Before Wei Wei turned fifteen, it was best to assign mature and steady maids to serve him, ensuring he wouldn’t be led astray. Every time a new maid was assigned to Wei Wei’s quarters, Tian Shi would summon her, alternating between threats and promises—warning that any maid who seduced Wei Wei would be branded a temptress, with no chance of elevating her status through childbirth. Instead, both mother and child would be beaten to death and discarded in unmarked graves. But if they behaved, once Wei Wei turned fifteen, arrangements would be made for them.

If even the Marquis of Jining’s household understood this principle, how could the Duke of Yingguo’s mansion not know? Moreover, Jiang Shi was a sensible woman who placed great hopes on Song Mo—she would surely keep the maids in his quarters under strict control… So how could Song Mo have ended up in such a situation?

The more Dou Zhao thought about it, the more inconsistencies and suspicious details emerged!

A sense of impending storm overwhelmed her, leaving her unprepared and flustered.

What exactly had happened back then?

Would it all repeat itself in this life?

Where was Song Mo now?

Unable to contain her urgency, Dou Zhao pressed Duan Gongyi: “Has Young Master Mei returned?”

Out of habit, they still referred to Song Mo as Young Master Mei during their conversations.

She had a vague intuition—given Song Mo’s character, since he had bid her farewell before leaving, he would surely send word upon his return.

Sure enough, Duan Gongyi replied, “Young Master Mei hasn’t returned yet, but I heard someone has already been sent to deliver the news.”

For some inexplicable reason, Dou Zhao’s heart clenched, her nerves taut with tension.

“Then how did the Duke of Yingguo’s Madam die?” she asked urgently.

Both Duan Gongyi and Su Xin sensed Dou Zhao’s unusual agitation. Upon hearing of the Duke of Yingguo’s Madam’s death, she seemed particularly tense, even slightly fearful—much like her reaction when she first met Song Mo.

Su Xin recalled how, if she hadn’t acted quickly to steady the Fourth Miss, Dou Zhao might have stumbled, her legs nearly giving way.

Duan Gongyi, however, was puzzled. He had already explained clearly that the Duke of Yingguo’s Madam had died of illness—why was the Fourth Miss asking again? What other manner of death could there be?

But since she asked, he had to answer.

After a moment’s thought, he shared all he knew: “I don’t know the specifics. When I arrived at Young Master Mei’s residence, the entrance was already draped in white, crowded with mourners. I slipped inside and overheard Mr. Chen saying that when news of Jiang Lansun’s death reached the mansion, Madam began feeling unwell. A few days after Young Master Mei left, she fell ill. Imperial Physicians came and went, but her condition showed no improvement. The Duke and the Second Young Master attended to her bedside, and even the Empress Dowager and the Empress were alarmed. The Empress even visited in person, yet the illness persisted. After dragging on for over a month, she passed.”

Nothing seemed amiss. Yet why did Dou Zhao feel an increasing unease?

After seeing Duan Gongyi off and dismissing Su Xin, Dou Zhao pushed open the window of her study.

The crimson lanterns bathed the courtyard in a red glow as a biting chill swept in.Dou Zhao, however, felt a surge of energy.

When had Song Mo been driven out of his home?

She couldn’t help but regret it inwardly.

Why hadn’t she paid more attention back then?

Now she wouldn’t have to be so anxious.

Dou Zhao sighed.

Just then, she saw Su Lan hurrying across the courtyard toward her, carrying a red silk lantern.

“What’s the matter?” Dou Zhao greeted her from the window before she could get close.

Su Lan gave a quick curtsy but didn’t respond, lifting the curtain and entering instead.

Dou Zhao’s heart sank. She dismissed all the attendants in the room.

Su Lan waited until the two maids had left before approaching Dou Zhao and whispering, “Lu Ming wants to see you! Now!”

At this hour, the Second Gate was already locked, and Dou Zhao usually didn’t receive outsiders. Lu Ming had never requested to see her at such a time either.

Dou Zhao’s heart pounded wildly. “Bring him in quickly!” she urged.

Su Lan gave a solemn nod and left. Soon after, she returned with Lu Ming.

After paying his respects, Lu Ming stood silently in the hall.

Su Lan immediately dismissed the remaining attendants, closed the partition doors, and stood guard outside.

Lu Ming stepped forward and said in a hushed voice, “Third Master Jiang has passed away. Master Yan was sent by the young master to visit Madam Mei in Haozhou. Worried that the young master would lack capable hands, Madam Mei had Xu Qing accompany Master Yan back to the capital. On the way, they were ambushed. Xu Qing was severely injured, and Master Yan was shot in the shoulder, yet they couldn’t shake off their pursuers. Master Yan devised a diversionary tactic and hid with Xu Qing at your farmstead. They’re asking for your help in sending word to the Duke of England’s Mansion to arrange for reinforcements.”

Dou Zhao had a bad feeling about this.

First, Jiang Shi’s death, and now Master Yan and Xu Qing being hunted down.

Was there any connection between these events?

“Do we know who’s after them?” she asked, her expression darkening.

“No idea,” Lu Ming replied grimly. “The attackers are like maggots clinging to bones—impossible to shake off. Even when Xu Qing captured one alive, they bit down on poison and died instantly. They’re Martial Retainers. Master Yan suspects the enemy has laid heavy ambushes along the route to the capital and dares not proceed further. He has no choice but to ask for help from the mansion.”

Dou Zhao didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she sat there, tapping the table lightly with her fingertips.

Lu Ming didn’t dare breathe too loudly.

Truth be told, Fourth Miss Dou had no ties to the Duke of England’s Mansion. There was even friction between her and the young master. As a woman, it would be perfectly reasonable for her to stay out of this. Their request was indeed excessive.

But if the enemy dared to attack Master Yan and Xu Qing, and managed to injure Xu Qing while leaving Master Yan clueless about their origins, it showed how formidable they were. They had likely already uncovered all the details about their group.

As the young master’s attendant, Lu Ming wouldn’t be hard to recognize if someone was looking.

Master Yan feared he might be identified, hence the desperate plea for help from Miss Dou the Fourth.

As he pondered this, Dou Zhao suddenly paled and called out loudly, “Su Lan! Fetch Guardian Duan immediately!”

Duan Gongyi was the most skilled guard in the Dou family.

Lu Ming’s expression also changed drastically. “Fourth Miss, what’s the matter?” he asked urgently.

Ignoring him, Dou Zhao paced the room restlessly, her hands clenched tightly.

Duan Gongyi was summoned quickly.

His hair was still disheveled, clearly having been roused from bed.Dou Zhao didn't bother with these details and asked Duan Gongyi, "Tell me, you said you sneaked into the Duke's residence. While the outer courtyard might be easier, Young Master Mei's quarters should be heavily guarded, and Mr. Chen's status is special. How did you manage to meet Mr. Chen without trouble?"

Duan Gongyi looked somewhat bewildered and replied, "The Duke's residence is enormous. I originally planned to disguise myself as a servant delivering vegetables or coal through the back gate and then adapt to the situation, so I wore clothes identical to those of the Duke's servants. When I saw people delivering sacrificial offerings, I pretended to be a household servant and stepped forward to help. There were many visitors paying respects, and the gatekeepers couldn't keep track of everyone. The guards also seemed to have been called away to assist. The few I encountered were just ordinary patrols, though the old women at the Hanging Flower Gate gave me some trouble. Fortunately, Mr. Chen was tending to flowers and plants in the courtyard, so I found him quickly..."

"Impossible!" Before Duan Gongyi could finish, Lu Ming exclaimed sharply. "The accountant, the Affairs Office, the stables... each has its own duties in the residence. They wouldn't call the guards away to help! If personnel could be reassigned so freely, the household would have fallen into chaos long ago..."

At this point, everyone in the room except Duan Gongyi turned pale.