Blossom

Dou Zhao followed Dou Shiying into the study in the western annex.

Dou Shiying handed her a deed and said, "A friend invited me to invest in a silver house in the Capital. I contributed fifty thousand taels of silver under Gaoxing's name. Keep this quietly and don't tell anyone." He spoke with a hint of pride, "If the silver house doesn't turn a profit, you can withdraw your shares and still recover thirty to forty thousand taels to buy yourself some clothes and jewelry."

It seemed Father intended to assign Gaoxing to her!

But was this really necessary?

Just to launder this money, only to lose ten to twenty thousand taels in the process?

Thinking of how her father had never known the value of money, Dou Zhao bit back any disrespectful words.

"Which friend invited you to invest in the silver house?" She decisively tucked the deed into her sleeve and asked, "Aside from you, who are the other shareholders? What do they do? What percentage of the total capital do you hold? Who manages the silver house?" She fired off seven or eight questions in rapid succession, leaving Dou Shiying momentarily stunned. After a long pause, he replied, "Guo Yan approached me. Besides me, there are two colleagues from the Imperial Academy, Zhao Peijie and Chen Songming, as well as Zhang Zhiqi, the owner of Risheng Silver House—five of us in total. My fifty thousand taels account for one-third, Zhang Zhiqi holds another third, and Guo Yan and the other two share the remaining third. Zhang Zhiqi manages the silver house, and we just collect dividends annually."

Dou Zhao was horrified.

Her father was actually going into business with Zhang Zhiqi of Risheng Silver House!

Was this fate's original arrangement? Or had her own efforts to change her destiny inadvertently led her father to meet Zhang Zhiqi?

In her past life, she had barely spoken to her father and had no idea what businesses the family owned, so she couldn't judge.

But in that previous life, Risheng Silver House had been an obscure shop in Datong. After Zhang Zhiqi took over, he married his sister to a battalion commander in the Datong Garrison Command as a second wife, securing military supply contracts. Within a few years, he became Datong's wealthiest man and opened a small branch in the Capital. After Liao Wang ascended the throne, Zhang Zhiqi became a favored guest of Shi Juncui, the Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet. He soon monopolized military pay for the Nine Garrisons, rising to unparalleled prominence. He expanded his business to Baoding, Jinan, Wuchang, Hangzhou, and Songjiang, becoming a tycoon renowned across the land. One of his sons became a minor official in the Office of Transmission through the Donation Student system, while the other earned the title of Successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations and became an Attending Official of the Ministry of Personnel.

Rumors in the Capital claimed Zhang Zhiqi's success stemmed from donating his entire fortune of two hundred thousand taels to support Liao Wang's rebellion. Shi Juncui, they said, had merely acted on orders...

Dou Zhao asked Dou Shiying, "When will Gaoxing arrive?"

"I've already sent word for him to come," Dou Shiying replied, walking to the large desk nearby. From a hidden compartment, he retrieved a red-lacquered, gold-trimmed box adorned with jade hairpin flowers and handed it to Dou Zhao. "These are the indentures for Gaoxing and his family. Keep them safe."

Dou Zhao accepted without hesitation, storing them with the deed.

Back in her room, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep.In her past life, during the palace upheaval, the Emperor's Imperial Guards had reacted sluggishly. By the time Liao Wang shot the Crown Prince dead and forced the Emperor to write the Abdication Edict, emerging at the Meridian Gate surrounded by the Golden Guard, the Five Armies Battalion and Divine Machine Battalion—who had received the Crown Prince's plea for help—only then arrived at Chaoyang Gate, where they were blocked outside by the Five Cities Garrison...

All signs indicated that Liao Wang's uprising was not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Now, only four years remained before the palace coup. Logically, Liao Wang should have already begun his preparations.

Was Zhang Zhiqi's choice to open a branch in the Capital at this time a coincidence? Or had he already pledged allegiance to Liao Wang and come to the Capital as his advance scout?

Dou Zhao thought of the other shareholders of Risheng Silver House.

Guo Yan was the son-in-law of the late Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet, Zeng Yifen. He had previously served as a Lecturing Academician in the Imperial Academy. Before Zeng Yifen's death, he was appointed as the Shaanxi Investigating Censor. Three years later, he rose to become the Shaanxi Pacification Commissioner, overseeing seventy-six military garrisons under the Shaanxi Regional Military Commission and Itinerant Regional Military Commission, commanding an army of 210,000. After Liao Wang ascended the throne, he became the Minister of War and Grand Scholar of Yingwu Hall.

Zhao Peijie was currently serving in the Imperial Academy while also holding the position of Junior Supervisor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, an official of the Eastern Palace. After the Crown Prince's death, he committed suicide by hanging at home.

Chen Songming, Director of the Court of State Ceremonial, was a close confidant of the Emperor. During Liao Wang's coup, he was the one who drafted the Abdication Edict. After Liao Wang's ascension, he was promoted to Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, only to drown himself in a river a few months later.

Could this all be mere coincidence?

The more she thought about it, the colder her heart grew.

What about Father?

If this was premeditated, what had they seen in him?

In her past life, she had been too busy contending with Wei Tingzhen to notice any of this!

When she heard about her uncles' and father's promotions, she had only cursed the heavens for their blindness, sneered inwardly, and sent a steward with a congratulatory gift.

Had the Dou family been involved in Liao Wang's rebellion?

Dou Zhao grew restless.

She desperately wanted to discuss this with someone.

Mr. Chen and Song Mo would both be good choices.

But how could she tell them that Liao Wang would rebel in four years?

Dou Zhao leaned against the headboard, rubbing her temples.

※※※※※

Song Mo also leaned against the headboard, rubbing his temples.

"It's so late—you barged into the Hall of Cultivating Will to wake me up. What exactly is the matter?" He looked helplessly at Gu Yu, who was pacing back and forth like a caged beast at his bedside. "Can't you just say it directly? I've been on duty at the palace these past few days and finally got a break. I was hoping to get some proper sleep. How about you go rest in the guest room first, and we can talk tomorrow?"

Song Mo yawned as he spoke.

The Emperor's headaches had flared up again. After taking medicine from the Imperial Hospital, not only did he not improve, but he began raving and nearly strangled Consort Liu, who was attending him. The Empress, fearing damage to the Emperor's dignity if word got out, replaced all the attendants in the palace with those the Emperor trusted more. The Imperial Hospital's physicians were also confined to the Palace of Heavenly Purity until the Emperor regained his senses this morning, after which the Golden Guard resumed normal rotations.

He hadn't slept for two days and a night.

"And you can still sleep!" Gu Yu fumed as he plopped into the Grand Preceptor's Chair by the bed. He took a sip of the tea a page had just served, then spat it out with a "pah!" and bellowed, "Which useless dog brewed this tea? It's lost all its flavor! Is this how you usually serve people? Get me someone who's still breathing and bring me a fresh cup!"

Song Luo rushed in, flustered.It was said that Young Master Gu was difficult to serve, but after several interactions with him, he found Young Master Gu to be quite amiable. Who would have thought that today, Young Master Gu would suddenly turn hostile, scolding him mercilessly. If the Young Lord took this to heart, he would have to make way for someone else immediately!

With a pale face, he carried the teacup out of the inner chamber and couldn’t help but take a sip.

The finest Biluochun tea, Young Master Gu’s favorite, was served at the perfect temperature, its clear and elegant hue exuding a rich aroma.

It was no different from usual!

Song Luo stood there, bewildered, when he heard the Young Lord say gently with a laugh, “What’s gotten into you? If you have something to say, say it properly. Why take it out on the servants? It’s hardly a fair fight!”

Upon hearing this, Gu Yu’s expression darkened further. “Brother Tianci, you’re too lenient. That’s why these servants have grown so insolent, forgetting their place.” He then abruptly changed the subject. “Let me ask you—did Uncle Song really arrange a marriage for you with the Dou family?”

“Yes,” Song Mo nodded.

Gu Yu sprang to his feet, agitated. “Brother Tianci, do you know that the Dou family’s Fourth Miss was originally Wei Peijin’s fiancée? She was—” He wanted to say she was someone Wei Tingyu had discarded, but remembering that Miss Dou the Fourth was now Song Mo’s betrothed, he swallowed those words. Instead, he said, “The sisters switched places in marriage. Who knows what’s really going on here? Uncle acted recklessly, and you just went along with it!” He stepped forward to pull Song Mo up. “Brother Tianci, come with me to the palace to see the Empress. Let’s tell Her Majesty everything and have her intervene on your behalf.” He grumbled, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Had I known, I would’ve done everything to stop this! You might as well have married Jingyi. At least with me around, no matter how spoiled she is, she wouldn’t dare mistreat you…” He looked utterly regretful.

Song Mo gave a bitter smile.

He had wanted to tell Gu Yu about his marriage sooner, but he hadn’t known whether the arrangement would go through. How could he have mentioned it?

With just nine days left until the wedding, there was still no movement from Jing'an Temple Alley.

Could he dare to hope—that although Dou Zhao didn’t want to marry, his proposal had made her hesitate?

The thought filled Song Mo with exhilaration, as if his spirits had been lifted by a gust of wind.

He shook off Gu Yu’s grip and smiled. “Have you ever met Miss Dou the Fourth?”

Gu Yu was taken aback. “No.”

“You’ve been spending time with Wei Peijin lately. Before the wedding, did you ever hear him speak ill of Miss Dou the Fourth or mention breaking off the engagement?” Song Mo asked.

Gu Yu was stunned. “No, I haven’t.”

“You see? Don’t jump to conclusions based on hearsay,” Song Mo said with a laugh. “Switching sisters in marriage isn’t child’s play—marrying the elder sister one day and the younger the next.” His expression suddenly turned stern. “The matter is far more complicated than you think.”

Gu Yu fell into thought.

But Song Mo smiled again. “Enough about this. My marriage is my own affair. What about you—how are things in Kaifeng? I have a business opportunity here. Would you be interested?”Gu Yu quickly gathered his thoughts and said enthusiastically, "Since Brother Tianci thinks it's good, it must be promising! What kind of business is it?"

In the inner chamber of the Hall of Cultivating Will, Song Mo and Gu Yu conversed under the lamplight, while in a small courtyard to the west of the hall, Liao Bifeng wrote by the light of his lamp.

Miss Dou the Fourth... Adviser Chen Qushui... the farmstead in Daxing... the residence of the Third Princess... the betrothal...

His brush paused at the final stroke.

He chuckled wryly and set down the brush.

Though he had only been in the household for less than two years, he believed he had a clear understanding of the Young Lord's character.

If the Young Lord disapproved of this marriage, how could he remain so composed?

They had known each other before the wedding, and on the very day Miss Dou the Fourth was to be married, the sisters had switched places... This marriage was likely far from simple.

The Duke had probably fallen for the Young Lord's scheme once again.

But the Young Lord was indeed formidable. Despite the enormity of the matter, he had remained calm and composed, keeping everyone completely in the dark.

With this in mind, Liao Bifeng picked up the rice paper he had been writing on and examined it carefully.

Yan Chaoqing must have known, right?

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have brushed me off so casually back then.

Since the Young Lord had gone to such lengths for Miss Dou the Fourth, his affection for her must be profound.

It seemed he would have to carefully consider how to interact with this new Madam.