Blossom

After being caned by his father, he lay alone on the tiled floor of his mother's inner chamber, where the underfloor heating burned. His heart was numb with despair, wishing only that upon opening his eyes, everything would turn out to be just a dream—that his father would still be the same slightly nagging yet stern man, and his younger brother would remain the somewhat timid but obedient sibling... At that moment, he felt that death could be no worse.

But Dou Zhao saved him.

His wet nurse’s son, Chen Tao, was beaten to death for refusing to betray him. His advisers and personal guards were hunted down... He had no choice but to stand up, numb and resolute, confronting his father... At that time, he thought life could hold no greater misery.

Yet the guards sent by Dou Zhao helped deliver his letter in time.

Not only did he reaffirm his position, but he also secured control over his mother’s dowry—the Hall of Cultivating Will. Even beneath the heavy guise of "filial piety," he found ways to challenge his father.

Whenever he felt trapped in a dead end, a new path would always emerge, like willows shading bright flowers.

Song Mo recalled the expression on Dou Zhao’s face when she had spoken these words to him.

The smile slowly faded from her eyes, replaced by a flicker of sorrow, melancholy, resignation, and wistfulness... But just as quickly, she reined it all in, her spirit reigniting, her gaze lively and spirited—like a weary traveler on a long journey, who, after endless lonely nights, finally succumbs to exhaustion, revealing traces of fatigue she could no longer conceal.

Resilient yet fragile.

It made his heart ache unbearably.

She was so wonderful, yet life had been so unfair to her!

Suddenly, he longed to see Wei Tingyu.

"Chen He," Song Mo ordered, "we’re returning to the Capital immediately."

"Ah!" Chen He was stunned. "You... aren’t going back to the farmstead in Daxing?"

"I’ve been away for seven or eight days already. It’s time to return," Song Mo said calmly. "Once we’re back in the Capital, take my name card to the Marquis of Jining's Mansion—I have matters to discuss with the Marquis."

Chen He acknowledged the order, exchanging a glance with Xia Lian.

The Young Lord had originally planned to stay in Zhen Ding for three days, yet here he was, cutting it short on the second day, eager to return to the Capital—and right after meeting Fourth Miss Dou... The Marquis of Jining was none other than Fourth Miss Dou’s future husband!

Xia Lian grew deeply uneasy.

As soon as they returned to the Hall of Cultivating Will, he sought out Yan Chaoqing, who had remained behind, and shared his concerns: "...If the Duke catches wind of anything unusual, the consequences could be dire! Miss Dou the Fourth is Grand Secretary Dou’s niece!"

Yan Chaoqing hadn’t known beforehand that Song Mo intended to visit Dou Zhao in Zhen Ding. By the time he found out, Song Mo had already been gone for two or three days. He, too, felt that Song Mo shouldn’t have too much contact with Dou Zhao at this time, lest the Duke of Yingguo's Mansion seize any leverage. Hearing Xia Lian’s account now, he grew even more alarmed.

After a moment’s thought, he said, "Miss Dou the Fourth saved the Young Lord’s life. His personal visit to express gratitude is a sign of respect toward her. Don’t overreact—just be more vigilant from now on. If the Young Lord visits too frequently, we can remind him then. It’s not too late."

Somewhat reassured, Xia Lian chatted with Yan Chaoqing about their trip to Zhen Ding before retiring to his quarters.

Yan Chaoqing paced his room for a long while before heading to Song Mo’s chambers.Song Mo had just finished washing up and was sitting by the heated brick bed near the window, listening to Wuyi report on the recent events in the Hall of Cultivating Will.

Since Wuyi and Song Luo had recovered from their injuries, Song Mo had appointed them as his personal attendants.

When Yan Chaoqing entered, Wuyi quickly nodded at him with a smile and finished his report before stepping forward to bow respectfully.

Song Mo invited Yan Chaoqing to sit on the heated bed and said with a smile, "I was just about to visit you later, Master Yan. I didn’t expect you to come first." He then instructed Wuyi to brew a pot of Biluochun tea. "This season is perfect for drinking Biluochun."

Yan Chaoqing thanked him with a smile and sat down opposite Song Mo.

Wuyi served the tea and quietly withdrew.

Only then did Yan Chaoqing speak. "So, the Young Lord already knows?"

He had caught the tail end of the conversation upon entering.

Song Mo nodded. "I heard it from Wuyi... Father has hired two elderly scholars from the Imperial Academy to serve as private tutors for Tianen at home, personally overseeing his studies."

In the past, Song Han would have rushed over eagerly the moment Song Mo returned to the estate. Yet today, there was still no sign of him.

Yan Chaoqing hesitated. "Then, what do you intend to do...?"

Song Mo smiled. "Given my current situation, if Tianen can earn Father’s favor, it might not be a bad thing."

"But..." If this continued, Song Han would inevitably grow distant from Song Mo. If the Duke of Yingguo further incited discord between them, the brothers might soon turn against each other.

"No matter," Song Mo said. "Tianen is only ten this year. As for Father, whatever influence he holds before the Emperor is largely due to the legacy of Grandfather. There’s no need to worry."

The Old Duke of England had been resourceful and adept at interpreting the Emperor’s will, earning his trust as a right-hand man. It was why he had secured the hereditary title of Vice Commander for Song Mo shortly after his birth. Song Yichun paled in comparison to his father, and with Song Mo already established, any attempt to elevate Song Han would require capabilities he simply didn’t possess.

Yan Chaoqing quickly grasped the reasoning.

"Indeed, I overthought it," he admitted with a smile, then revealed the purpose of his visit. "I’m concerned about what might happen after your mourning period ends—by then, you’ll be sixteen. I fear the Duke might meddle with your marriage arrangements..."

With Jiang Shi deceased, Jiang Meisun and others either dead or exiled, and Old Mrs. Mei far away in Haozhou, if Song Yichun arranged an unsuitable match for Song Mo, no one would be able to intervene in time.

Song Mo scoffed. "She’d just be a woman of the inner household. If she’s obedient, so be it. If not, she can fend for herself."

The hostility between father and son had reached such a point that this was the only leverage Song Yichun had left. He wouldn’t easily relinquish it. Song Mo had long prepared himself—his future wife would hardly be an ideal match.

Yan Chaoqing gazed at Song Mo’s strikingly handsome face and sighed inwardly.

Seeing that Song Mo was already resolved on the matter and further discussion would be pointless, he changed the subject. "Have there been any new discoveries regarding your father?"

Since the situation had stabilized, Song Mo had reviewed everything meticulously, yet he still couldn’t uncover the reason behind his father’s plot against him.Although he occasionally entertained the thought, "If only Dou Zhao could see something with an outsider's clarity," he didn't place all his hopes on her—Zhuge Liang knew the affairs of the world without leaving his thatched cottage, but that was because he associated with learned scholars and understood both past and present. The domestic affairs of the Duke of Yingguo's mansion were hardly likely to become common gossip, and Dou Zhao had never even been to the Capital—how could she possibly know?

Song Mo went to see Dou Zhao primarily to express his gratitude and to belatedly congratulate her on her coming-of-age ceremony.

Yan Chaoqing gave a bitter smile: "When the Duke Ding incident occurred, the Duke spared no effort in making arrangements, leaving nothing to chance..."

After much deliberation, Song Mo concluded that the cause of his parents' quarrels could only be the deaths of his uncles.

Hearing this, he felt both relieved and somewhat disappointed, murmuring, "Could it be some past incident... something Mother didn’t know about before, but which resurfaced because of Eldest Uncle’s death..."

In Song Mo’s memory, his eldest uncle seemed to look down on his father deep down, as if afraid his father would spoil him. Despite his busy schedule, his uncle often wrote him personal letters, involving himself in his studies—a level of intimacy even his own son didn’t enjoy. This naturally made his father resentful toward his eldest uncle.

Lost in thought, he spoke before Yan Chaoqing could respond: "If it really is an old matter... perhaps we’ll have to ask Grandmother..."

Song Mo’s rash actions had alarmed Song Yichun, who then eliminated all those who had played a part in framing Song Mo, especially the former servants who had attended Jiang Shi. Even third-tier maids barely survived.

After a pause, he consulted Yan Chaoqing: "This matter involves the Duke of Yingguo’s secrets. I’m afraid I must ask you to personally make a trip to Haozhou."

"Young Lord, rest assured. I’ll return to pack my belongings immediately," Yan Chaoqing, ever decisive, replied. "I’ll set off for Haozhou tonight."

Song Mo didn’t dare tell his grandmother about the events at the Duke of Yingguo’s mansion.

His grandmother was already advanced in years, having lost her sons, daughter, grandsons, and granddaughters one after another. How could he bear to make her worry over his troubles?

Yet his grandmother was sharp and capable. To prevent her from growing suspicious, only Yan Chaoqing was suitable for this task!

He summoned Xia Lian and instructed him to arrange for highly skilled guards to escort Yan Chaoqing.

Xia Lian respectfully complied. Chen He returned to report: "Young Lord, the Marquis of Jining says he’s observing mourning at home and cannot receive guests!"

Everyone in the room darkened their expressions.

Even during the Wei-Jin period, few observed the full twenty-seven months of mourning as prescribed by the Rites of Zhou—as long as one avoided outright debauchery, it was enough. Wei Tingyu’s behavior clearly signaled his intent to sever ties with Song Mo.

All for nothing—Song Mo had treated him like a brother, even gifting him the prized Crimson Jade from the mansion when he saw how much Wei Tingyu enjoyed riding and archery.

Song Mo’s expression also turned grim.

It seemed news of the Duke of Yingguo’s affairs had quietly spread.

Wei Tingyu was so spineless and lacking in judgment—if Dou Zhao married him, wouldn’t she suffer alongside him?

He worried silently for Dou Zhao, considering whether to find an opportunity to confront Wei Tingyu.

Though it was for Dou Zhao’s sake, the thought of Wei Tingyu’s hopeless incompetence filled him with frustration.

Suppressing his displeasure, Song Mo instructed Chen He: "We’ll revisit this matter later. Just keep an eye on Wei Tingyu’s movements for now."

What? Was the Young Lord still planning to associate with that worthless marquis?Chen He and the others all had slight changes in their expressions, except for Yan Chaoqing, who gazed at the teacup in his hand with a thoughtful look.

Meanwhile, not far from the Duke of Yingguo's Mansion at the Marquis of Jining's Mansion, Wei Tingyu was being scolded by his sister Wei Tingzhen, who had returned to visit their mother Tian Shi: "...Why should you meddle in the Song family's affairs? Even if Song Mo were killed by Song Yichun, would Song Yichun then rush to kill you next? What are you so afraid of? Who is Song Mo? Even his own father couldn't outmaneuver him—what makes you think you're so special that you dare to show him attitude? Have you lost your mind? If I hadn't accidentally found out, were you planning to cut ties with Song Mo completely?"

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Dear sisters and brothers, I'm finally free.

Extra updates tomorrow!

But the house is in such a mess that I can't even sleep without cleaning it up. Tonight I'll be working hard to tidy up so I can write tomorrow. Everyone can look forward to the new chapter tomorrow afternoon!

( ^__^ ) Hehe...

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