Blossom

Song Mo sat at the large purple calamander wood desk adorned with cloud scroll patterns in his study, gazing solemnly at the Chinese flowering crabapple outside the window, its blossoms like three feet of accumulated snow.

After calming down, he carefully pondered Dou Zhao's words.

Was she telling him they had no fate together?

Her words always carried profound truth.

Just six days ago, he learned that his father had formally proposed marriage on his behalf to the youngest daughter of the Marquis of Yan'an.

The Marquis neither agreed nor refused.

He received news that after returning to his residence, the Marquis consulted his eldest son, Wang Qinghuai, who strongly approved of the match. This left the Marquis somewhat inclined to accept.

Song Mo pushed open the window.

Outside, verdant bamboo stood tall and spirited, ancient plum trees displayed their rugged strength, Yunnan flowers exuded charm, and beneath the passion flower vine-entwined flower shed, Wuyi was proudly boasting to a few pages.

Song Mo's lips curled slightly.

He could marry anyone, but he wouldn't let his father dictate his life!

The next day, he began appearing before Ning Fei, who had always held him in high regard during this trip to the Emperor's summer retreat.

Ning Fei was the birth mother of Jingfu Princess.

Jingfu Princess had her hair-pinning ceremony this spring.

Three days ago, just before he took leave to attend Dou Zhao's wedding, after receiving imperial summons at the summer retreat, Wang Yuan congratulated him with a smile and whispered, "Ning Fei has been praising you to the Emperor these past few days."

Connecting this with the Emperor's earlier questions, understanding dawned. Smiling, he slipped a silver note to Wang Yuan.

If his predictions held, the Marquis of Yan'an would respond to his father within days.

The palace would likely summon his father for questioning soon.

Did he and Dou Zhao truly have no fate?

Pausing briefly beneath the Chinese flowering crabapple, Song Mo went to Yan Chaoqing's residence.

There was nothing in this world he couldn't accomplish once he set his mind to it!

Yan Chaoqing personally brewed Da Hong Pao tea for Song Mo. As he poured from the purple clay pot into small tea cups, he asked with a smile, "When does the Young Lord depart?"

Song Mo had only taken two days' leave.

"I'll leave after lunch," Song Mo replied leisurely, sipping his tea. "I wish to marry Dou Zhao. There are matters I need to instruct you about."

Yan Chaoqing was so shocked his hand trembled, spilling hot tea onto his thigh.

With a startled cry, he jumped up. The scalding liquid quickly soaked through his silk straight robe to his trousers. He frantically tried removing the robe but, remembering Song Mo's presence, hesitated at the impropriety. Instead, he clutched at his robe while rushing to the inner chamber, loudly calling for pages to assist. This commotion brought Chen He and others guarding outside rushing in, creating chaos in the room.

Song Mo laughed heartily.

Merely mentioning his intention to marry Dou Zhao had thrown Yan Chaoqing into such disarray. If he actually married her, how many jaws would drop in astonishment?

Dou Zhao always had this remarkable ability to leave unforgettable, stunning impressions.

After some time, Yan Chaoqing emerged from the inner chamber wearing fresh clothes.

"Are you badly scalded?" Song Mo asked. "Should we call a physician?"

"It's nothing," Yan Chaoqing replied. "Just some reddened skin." His thoughts still reeled from the shock, leaving him somewhat dazed. Only after the pages cleaned the seating area did he regain composure. Sitting down again, he asked solemnly, "What happened to the Fourth Miss?"

Today was the fifth day of the eighth month—supposedly Dou Zhao's double morning celebration red day."The bride has been swapped," Song Mo informed Yan Chaoqing, omitting any details about his nocturnal visit to Jing'an Temple Alley or his conversation with Dou Zhao. Yan Chaoqing didn't ask, but the news set his mind racing with excitement.

He had long been concerned about Song Mo's marriage prospects.

Currently, Song Mo controlled the Hall of Cultivating Will, while Song Yichun, as the rightful Duke of Yingguo, held sway over The Duke of England's Mansion. Though Song Mo was the heir apparent, his assertive demeanor had created a stalemate between father and son. With Song Yichun's marital troubles leaving the mansion without a proper manager of household affairs, if Song Mo's wife could take charge, she could represent the Duke's household in public, oversee the daily life of the underage Song Han, and break Song Yichun's control over him. While this wouldn't necessarily restore the brothers' closeness, it could at least reduce the likelihood of Song Han opposing Song Mo, thereby strengthening Song Mo's position. Moreover, she could gain access to the imperial palace and the inner quarters of noble households, leveraging connections with consorts and noblewomen to bolster Song Mo's influence and deter Song Yichun from reckless actions.

Conversely, if Song Yichun's wife managed the household, she might spread rumors among the consorts and noblewomen, tarnishing Song Mo's reputation. This would further strain the already tenuous relationship between the brothers. Should Song Han, emboldened by his father, aspire to the heirship, the situation would grow complicated. At worst, Song Mo could be branded as unfilial, placing him at a severe disadvantage. And if Song Yichun's wife bore a son, backed by her family, fraternal strife could erupt. Even if Song Mo prevailed, the damage to the Duke's household could be irreparable, potentially leading to its decline.

Yan Chaoqing was different from other advisers like Liao Bifeng.

Not only had he received the Jiang Family's patronage, but he had also watched Song Mo grow up. Beyond duty, he harbored paternal affection for the young man. He didn't just hope for Song Mo's wife to manage the household—he wished for her to share a harmonious and loving bond with him.

Upon hearing that Dou Zhao's sister had taken her place in marrying into the Marquis of Jining's Mansion, his eyes lit up.

He had always admired Dou Zhao's sharp wit and decisive nature.

The usually mature Song Mo became almost childlike around her, chatting endlessly.

More than once, Yan Chaoqing had lamented Dou Zhao's early betrothal to another.

If Song Mo married Dou Zhao, wouldn't he thrive?

With her by his side, the Duke of England's Mansion would surely flourish!

Unable to contain his delight, Yan Chaoqing's mind raced even faster."Whether it's the Dou family's Fifth Madam or Seventh Madam, they're all women of the inner quarters who might act out of momentary grievances. But switching brides is a serious matter—Dou Yuanji couldn't possibly be unaware," he spoke rapidly, perhaps due to agitation. "Even if he didn't know beforehand, he could have remedied it afterward. Judging by his usual conduct, he wouldn't tolerate his wife damaging the Dou family's reputation over trivial matters. This suggests he knew about the sister-switch marriage. That seems rather unreasonable. If the heir wants to marry the Fourth Miss, we must first understand why Dou Yuanji did this before we can address the issue effectively. Secondly, regarding the Marquis of Jining's Mansion—if they acknowledge this marriage, it's manageable. If not, we must find a way to assist the Dou family and immediately dispatch people to monitor the situation closely. Then there's the matter of Fourth Miss's marriage—who actually holds the decision-making power? After Fourth Miss was humiliated, what was Aunt Zhao's attitude? Could we influence Fourth Miss's marriage through Madam Zhao's stance..." Here, he paused slightly before continuing, "Most crucially, how can we get the Duke to agree to help you propose marriage..." He tapped his forehead, considering several reasons but dismissing them one by one. Recalling that the Marquis of Yan'an might soon agree to Song Mo's marriage proposal and that the imperial court could issue an edict for the marriage at any moment, he felt overwhelmed. "No matter what, we must act quickly! My fear is that the Dou family might have other plans for Fourth Miss to cover up this incident..." He added, "I suspect there's more to this bride-switching affair..." Suddenly remembering Dou Zhao's request to him, he said, "There's another matter. Since Fourth Miss didn't specify, I haven't mentioned it to you yet..." He recounted Dou Zhao's request to arrange for a family's emancipation from servitude. "As it was Fourth Miss's personal matter, I didn't investigate the family's background. Now it seems this might be connected to her broken engagement..."

Song Mo's eyes brimmed with amusement.

Choosing to forgo an imperial marriage and take a more challenging path was his decision, but not necessarily that of those whose lives and fates were tied to his.

He had expected to spend considerable effort persuading Yan Chaoqing and others, possibly even using the Dou family's life-saving grace to pressure Yan Chaoqing. Hence, he had adopted a commanding rather than consultative tone when broaching the subject.

Unexpectedly, Yan Chaoqing held such a favorable impression of Dou Zhao.

For no particular reason, warmth filled Song Mo's heart.

It felt like returning to the days when his mother was alive—when everyone was united and harmonious.

Leaning forward on his elbow, he said quietly, "You and I think alike, sir. However, there are a few more urgent matters I'd like you to handle."

Yan Chaoqing straightened solemnly. "Your orders, heir!"

Song Mo pondered before speaking. "Fourth Miss's broken engagement is a scandal, isn't it?"

Yan Chaoqing was taken aback."My father is bound to hear about it," Song Mo said in a tone laden with implication. "The fourth young lady is the legitimate eldest daughter, orphaned of her mother since childhood. Her only maternal uncle, though a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations, has been serving as an official in the northwest all along. Her father married the daughter of Yunnan's Provincial Governor Wang Yousheng, yet she grew up in Zhen Ding under the care of a grandmother who was originally a concubine. Though she has an uncle who holds the prestigious position of Grand Secretary, not only are they almost beyond the fifth degree of kinship, but her betrothal was also swapped... My father would surely find this intriguing, especially with the news that Ning Fei is currently selecting a consort for Jingfu Princess."

"Exactly!" Yan Chaoqing couldn't help but clap his hands. "We just need to find out what plans the Dou family has for the fourth young lady!"

At this moment, Song Mo felt grateful for the eavesdropping he had unintentionally done that day.

"Whatever Dou Yuanji's intentions for the fourth young lady may be—whether it's marriage or taking in a son-in-law—given the mild temperament of the Dou family's Seventh Master, as long as my father approaches him sincerely, he certainly won't refuse," he mused leisurely. Recalling his father's words and actions before his mother's passing, a faint sorrow welled up in his heart.

※※※※※

Meanwhile, Wei Tingyu sat numbly on the heated brick bed by the window in the Resting Chamber. The sounds echoing in his ears were either the wailing cries of the Dou family's matrons and maids or his sister's shrill accusations and the furious rebukes of the Dou family's eldest cousin.

How had things come to this?

He had merely heard that his sister was quarreling with the Dou family and wanted to think carefully about how to handle the matter. After drinking a cup of tea in the study, Dou Ming had attempted to hang herself.

Fortunately, a perceptive matron from the Dou family sensed something amiss and pushed open the door in time...

Wei Tingyu felt as though his head was splitting with pain!