Blossom

Song Han hadn't expected to accompany his elder brother to offer incense for their mother. His pale face flushed slightly as he timidly called out "Brother," unable to conceal the excitement between his brows.

Song Mo felt a pang in his heart and gently patted his shoulder.

Song Han winced in pain.

A cold glint flashed in Song Mo's eyes as he demanded sharply, "What's wrong?"

Hanging his head, Song Han muttered, "It's nothing."

With a cold laugh, Song Mo abruptly pulled down his collar.

Two vicious purple welts stretched across Song Han's shoulders.

"He hit you!" Veins bulged on Song Mo's forehead, his bright eyes gleaming with frost.

"N-no," Song Han stammered. "I... I bumped into something." His expression turned panicked. "Really, it was an accident." As if afraid Song Mo would confront their father, he tightly grasped Song Mo's hand, his eyes pleading.

A glimmer of moisture flashed in Song Mo's eyes.

After a long silence, he said quietly, "If he hits you again, run away while crying for mercy—he cares most about face and won't want others to know. Don't just stand there and take it."

He seemed to feel again the excruciating pain of their father's whip lashing his back that day... He pulled his younger brother into a tight embrace.

"I understand!" Song Han smiled at Song Mo, though his smile was pale and weak. Dou Zhao couldn't help but wonder whether, if Song Yichun really hit him again, he would have the courage to resist as Song Mo had said.

Song Mo instructed Chen He to fetch two bottles of the best wound medicine, then pointed at Dou Zhao and said, "Your sister-in-law!" signaling him to greet her.

Blushing shyly, Song Han stepped forward and bowed respectfully, calling out "Sister-in-law."

Dou Zhao rewarded him with a scented sachet containing twenty taels in silver notes, smiling as she said, "Buy yourself some snacks."

Song Han immediately realized the sachet contained money and hastily declined, "I can't accept this!"

Song Mo laughed. "If your sister-in-law gives it to you, take it. If you can't find me in the future, go to her."

Song Han gave a soft "Mm" and accepted the sachet, though his gaze at Dou Zhao was full of curiosity.

Dou Zhao gave him a friendly smile before being helped into the carriage by Song Mo.

Song Han and Song Mo mounted their horses, flanking Dou Zhao's carriage on either side as they left the Duke of England's Mansion alley.

The Song family ancestral graves were located in a feng shui treasure spot in Daxing County, nestled against mountains and facing water. Loyal retainers who had followed the Song ancestors in their southern and northern campaigns had settled there as tomb guardians. Over a century, the original two or three households had grown into a small village known as Song Family Village.

When Dou Zhao and the others arrived, the Manor Head of Song Family Village, having received advance notice, led all the villagers in welcoming them at the entrance.

Song Mo and Song Han dismounted and exchanged a few warm words with the Manor Head before proceeding up the hill with several elders, carrying whole pigs and sheep as offerings.

Dou Zhao, wearing a veil hat, followed behind Song Mo with the support of Su Lan and Su Xin.

The white marble graves were clean and tidy, clearly well-maintained year-round.

After Song Mo and the others offered incense to Jiang Shi, Song Mo stood alone by her grave, murmuring softly for a long while before they descended the hill.

The Manor Head invited them to stay for lunch.

Song Mo politely declined. "I have duties at the palace this afternoon. I'll return to offer incense for Mother during the Winter Solstice."The Manor Head repeatedly praised Song Mo's filial piety and saw them off from the Song family farmstead with great enthusiasm.

Song Mo then asked Song Han with a smile, "Is there anywhere you particularly want to visit? I'll give you half a day off today, with Chen He accompanying you."

Song Han's eyes lit up, but after hesitating for a while, he finally said, "I'll stay with brother!"

Song Mo chuckled. "There'll be plenty of time later—opportunities like this don't come often. Think carefully: do you want to stay with me, or would you rather visit East Street, Baiyun Temple, or Great Xiangguo Temple?" Without waiting for Song Han to respond, he continued, "Go ahead, let Chen He take you around. If you see anything you like, I'll cover the cost." He tempted him further, "Didn't you want a cloisonné paperweight like Gu Yu's? Take this chance to check if Jade Treasure Pavilion has anything suitable." Then he joked, "I suspect Accumulated Fragrance Pavilion definitely has some, but I’m afraid people might say that since your sister-in-law just married into our family, we brothers are already trying to sponge off the Dou family. So let’s skip Accumulated Fragrance Pavilion for now."

Song Han still tried to decline.

Song Mo sighed. "The most I can do for you right now is this. We’ll wait for you at Drunken Immortal Tower. Once you’ve picked out what you want, come straight there."

Seeing Song Mo’s sincerity, Song Han’s eyes reddened. Shyly and somewhat ingratiatingly, he asked Dou Zhao, "Sister-in-law, is there anything you’d like me to bring back for you?"

"I already squeezed my father dry before the wedding," Dou Zhao joked. "I can’t think of anything I need right now. But when I do, you can’t refuse me later!"

"Of course not, of course not!" Song Han quickly assured, his expression so earnest that Dou Zhao couldn’t tease him further.

Song Mo gave his horse to Chen He and climbed into Dou Zhao’s carriage instead.

The group parted ways on the main road.

Song Han, accompanied by Chen He, headed into the city, while the rest went to the farmstead the Emperor had bestowed upon Song Mo.

Yan Chaoqing had already arrived and was waiting in the courtyard with a group of people.

Aside from familiar faces like Lu Ming and Xia Lian, Dou Zhao also noticed a tall, slender man who resembled a heron—Liao Bifeng, another of Song Mo’s advisers—and a handsome middle-aged man named Zhong Bingxiang, who had just arrived from Guangdong. He was Song Mo’s chief manager for the Thirteen Hongs in Guangdong...

After exchanging master-servant greetings, Song Mo kept Zhong Bingxiang behind and instructed him, "From now on, the profits from the shop in Quanzhou will go directly to Madam."

The Quanzhou shop was the most profitable of all.

Zhong Bingxiang respectfully acknowledged the order with a "Yes," stealing a few extra glances at Dou Zhao before withdrawing.

Now that they were married, the household’s internal and external finances needed clear separation.

Dou Zhao accepted this arrangement gladly.

Song Mo then took her to the rear courtyard.

A short, fair-skinned, and unremarkable young man emerged from the woods.

"This is Du Wei," Song Mo introduced discreetly. "He used to serve the Duke of Dingguo’s Mansion. My uncle handed him over to me, and now he manages a few shops in the Capital for me."

Dou Zhao understood immediately.

This man was one of Song Mo’s intelligence operatives, a hidden asset, part of his covert network.

"Young Master!" Her eyes stung, and her chest swelled like a dam filled to the brim, threatening to overflow at any moment.

Song Mo gestured for her not to dwell on it. "Since we’re husband and wife, there are things I shouldn’t keep from you."Dou Zhao feared her tears would fall, so she turned her face away.

This side of Dou Zhao was unfamiliar to Song Mo, yet it stirred an inexplicable palpitation in him—like the joy he felt as a child when his mother praised him generously for doing well in his studies. This indescribable feeling came so swiftly that he didn’t know how to react. To mask his emotions, he joked, “If you have any matters to attend to, you can also instruct Du Wei. That way, you won’t be like a blind man groping an elephant, risking getting yourself into trouble and forcing me to rescue you. I’m just looking out for myself…”

This beautiful youth before her treated her so kindly, yet he always seemed afraid she might refuse his help, as if worried she’d feel her pride was wounded. He downplayed his goodwill at every turn… Had she been so incompetent that he had no confidence in her?

Suddenly, Dou Zhao realized that the restraint she had carried with her all this time was unnecessary in the Duke of England's Mansion. The thought flashed through her mind, and her mood instantly lightened, filling her chest with overwhelming joy. Unable to hold back, she burst into laughter and said, “Don’t worry, I’m quite timid. When it comes to groping elephants, I’ll definitely push you to the front. The chances of me getting tangled up are slim, so you probably won’t have much to do!”

Song Mo recalled how she had once saved his life and even cornered him with no way out. His face flushed slightly, but he didn’t refute her words.

Though Du Wei was responsible for gathering intelligence for Song Mo, some personal matters were not for others to see. Du Wei didn’t know why Song Mo tacitly agreed with her statement, but he could sense Song Mo’s trust in Dou Zhao—a trust so profound that it was the kind where one could turn their back without fear.

He couldn’t help but glance at Dou Zhao in surprise before lowering his head deeply.

As they left the farmstead, Dou Zhao smiled and said, “It’s getting late. We should hurry to the Drunken Immortal Tower. If Second Master arrives first, it’ll be troublesome!”

“What ‘Second Master’? Just call him by his childhood name,” Song Mo said with a laugh. “If anything happens, Chen He will handle it. There won’t be any issues.”

Dou Zhao knew addressing Song Han so formally created distance, but whenever she thought about the possibility of Song Mo and Song Han falling out one day, she found it impossible to grow close to him.

Perhaps once she uncovered why Song Yichun treated Song Mo this way, her opinion of Song Han might change?

Lost in thought, Dou Zhao accompanied Song Mo to the Drunken Immortal Tower.

Song Mo told her, “I reserved a private room at the Drunken Immortal Tower. We’ll have lunch before heading back.”

“Is that alright?” Dou Zhao was taken aback.

Song Mo grinned mischievously. “We rarely get out. If we can’t have fun, we should at least eat and drink well, shouldn’t we?”

Just like when he took her through Jiangmi Alley, where she could see the Six Ministries.

Today, he was taking her to dine at the Drunken Immortal Tower.

Dou Zhao smiled and said, “Alright.” She turned away, discreetly wiping the corners of her eyes and adjusting her appearance before stepping out of the carriage with Song Mo.

In her past life, she had only heard of the Drunken Immortal Tower but had never set foot inside.

Song Han hadn’t arrived yet.

The private room Song Mo reserved was called the Vast Sea Pavilion, located on the top floor of the Drunken Immortal Tower. It was furnished entirely with rosewood furniture, adorned with Ru and Ding kiln porcelain, authentic calligraphy and paintings by renowned masters of previous dynasties, and sheer silk curtains from the Jiangnan Imperial Weaving House. When the windows were opened, half of the Capital sprawled before their eyes.The excellent location and the priceless furnishings made it clear to Dou Zhao, even on her first visit, just how extravagant a meal here would be.

Song Mo pointed to a barely visible street in the distance. "Whenever the Emperor moves from the Forbidden City to the West Garden to escape the summer heat, his procession passes through there. Many people book seats at the Canghai Pavilion just to catch a glimpse of the imperial carriage..."

"Can they even see clearly from there?" Dou Zhao laughed, though her gaze drifted to a crowded snack shop across from the Drunken Immortal Tower.