Blossom

Although the imperial court was on New Year's holiday, Song Mo still had to report for duty at the Golden Guard. So after breakfast the next day, he left for the yamen.

Dou Dechang and Dou Junqi arrived together.

Instead of visiting Dou Zhao first, they headed straight for Cassia Fragrance Courtyard.

Song Yichun had been so angered by Dou Zhao on Little New Year's Eve that he still felt a stabbing pain in his chest. Leaning weakly against the pillows on the heated brick bed by the window, he was worrying over this year's harvest yields for the Duke of England's Mansion—compared to last year, the income had decreased by one-third, but no matter how he looked at the accounts, he couldn't spot anything amiss.

When Madam Jiang was alive, although he didn't handle daily affairs, he was always aware of the estate's annual income. While yields varied each year due to weather, they had never fluctuated so drastically before. The income had been declining year after year, now almost half of what it was during Madam Jiang's time.

Even a fool could tell something was wrong.

Yet he couldn't pinpoint the cause.

All the manor heads and shop managers had perfectly reasonable explanations.

He summoned Tao Qizhong for consultation.

As a scholar unaccustomed to farming, Tao Qizhong excelled at strategizing but knew even less about estate management than Song Yichun. After poring over the account books for hours without finding any clues, he could only suggest: "Perhaps we should hire a grain accounting advisor to examine these?"

Song Yichun sighed.

Since the situation was already like this, even if they brought in an advisor now, they couldn't recall the manor heads and shop managers who had already returned to their farmsteads and stores. Next year it would have to be—as long as they could uncover the reason eventually.

Tao Qizhong thought for a moment and recommended several fellow townsmen who worked as grain accounting advisors.

Song Yichun couldn't help feeling resentful. When he heard that a Dou family uncle had arrived with a nephew requesting an audience, he was startled. Remembering Dou Zhao's words from that day, an uneasy feeling crept into his heart. After hesitating for quite some time, he asked: "Do you know why the Dou uncle has come?"

"No idea!" The page shook his head, then thinking of potential rewards, added: "The Dou uncle and nephew are both in their early twenties. Very refined—clearly educated gentlemen."

Of course members of the Dou family would appear refined.

Hadn't his daughter-in-law also seemed virtuous and gentle when she first married into the family? Who would have guessed she'd turn out to be such a shrew!

Song Yichun grumbled inwardly, wavered for a long moment, then finally instructed the page to receive the Dou uncle and nephew in the reception hall with tea. Changing his clothes, he brought Tao Qizhong along to meet them.

Tao Qizhong wanted to remind Song Yichun: As the elder, if the Dou family came with ill intentions, why lower yourself by meeting them in the reception hall? He could have summoned them to the study instead, gaining psychological advantage. But seeing Song Yichun's anxious expression, he realized the duke had grown up in aristocratic circles where few people spoke sharply to him. Facing the young madam was like a scholar encountering soldiers—reason became useless. Having been thoroughly intimidated by the young madam's outbursts, Song Yichun now instinctively lost confidence whenever matters related to her arose. Finding these words difficult to voice, Tao Qizhong silently followed Song Yichun to the reception hall.The Dou family had many male members. Song Yichun, being a senior, couldn’t possibly recognize them all! Dou Qijun was a young Recommended Man who had traveled extensively in recent years, tempering his once impetuous nature. Unlike Dou Dechang, who spent his days confined at home studying, Dou Qijun bore the typical Dou family features—delicate and fair-skinned, looking no older than fifteen or sixteen. Seeing one Dou appear composed and the other youthful, Song Yichun immediately mistook Dou Qijun for the Dou family’s uncle and Dou Dechang for a nephew. Upon entering the Reception Hall, he smiled at Dou Qijun and said, "What urgent matter brings the Dou family’s uncle to seek me out during the New Year?"

Dou Qijun was dressed that day in a sapphire-blue Hangzhou silk brocade robe with bamboo-patterned roundels, wielding a grand vermilion lacquered Sichuan fan. Though his complexion wasn’t as fair as Dou Dechang’s, his sharp brows and bright eyes exuded the refined elegance of a noble scion.

At Song Yichun’s words, he flicked open his fan with a snap and sneered, "Truly blind—mistaking a junior for a senior and showing no respect to an elder! Without the blessings of your ancestors, you wouldn’t even qualify as a page in our Accumulated Fragrance Pavilion!"

His cutting words struck Song Yichun like a blade. Had Tao Qizhong not steadied him from behind, he might have stumbled and fallen right at the doorway.

Dou Dechang stepped forward leisurely, offering Song Yichun a courteous bow with a smile. "Esteemed in-law, I am actually the brother of your household’s Madam. That young man is my nephew. As a young Recommended Man, he’s a bit too proud and speaks rashly at times. But with your magnanimity, I hope you’ll forgive him."

With that, he smoothly brushed past the misunderstanding and got to the point.

"During this festive season, our family’s matriarch is staying with our Fifth Uncle in the Capital. Yet, the personal maid of our paternal aunt from the fourth branch came weeping to Locust Tree Alley, claiming the Song family intends to divorce her! Upon hearing this, our matriarch fainted in fury. When she came to, she slammed the kang’s edge and berated Fifth Uncle and his wife, demanding to know who arranged this marriage. For five generations, the Dou family has had no men convicted of crimes, no remarried women, and certainly no paternal aunt ever cast out by her husband’s family!"

Dou Dechang spoke with aggrieved indignation. "Most of our Dou family resides in Zhen Ding. Those in the Capital are elders, advanced in age and already grandfathers. The younger generation, like myself, are still too young—I’m currently studying at the Imperial College. Coincidentally, my nephew came to the Capital for the examinations, so the matriarch sent him to accompany me here. We simply wish to understand the situation. If the Song family truly holds our Dou family in such low regard, we certainly won’t cling shamelessly. We’ll inventory our aunt’s dowry and bring her home. The matriarch would then have another beloved at her side, allowing her to celebrate the New Year in peace!" By the end, his tone turned sharp, his expression stern, radiating solemn resolve. "My Fifth Uncle is still kneeling before the matriarch, awaiting my report before she decides his fate!"

Song Yichun trembled with rage, blood rushing to his head.

No wonder that Dou Shi was so domineering—it ran in the family!

He had long wanted to be rid of this daughter-in-law. If the Dou family was willing to take her back, did they expect him to plead for her to stay?Song Yichun loudly called for "Zeng Wu" and declared without backing down, "Escort Dou family's uncle and young master to inventory the Young Lord's wife's dowry!"

However, Tao Qizhong stepped forward, blocking Song Yichun's path. He courteously bowed to Dou Dechang and Dou Qijun, who looked as if their noses were pointed skyward. Introducing himself, he smiled and said, "A hundred years of cultivation bring one to share the same boat. The Young Lord and his wife are fated—otherwise, how could two families so distant become in-laws? As the saying goes, it's better to tear down a temple than to break a marriage. Both of you are still young and may not understand how large households operate. Even tongues and teeth sometimes clash—how can one demand a wife's return over minor quarrels? Seeing you both arrive in anger, I suggest cooling off first and meeting with our Young Lord's wife before anything else."

With that, he gestured politely with a "please," but quickly whispered to Song Yichun, "Widowed old ladies who’ve lived decades alone are never reasonable. I suspect even Grand Secretary Dou couldn’t defy his mother’s orders—otherwise, the Dou family wouldn’t have sent these two. Best not to stoop to their level."

Was he supposed to just let this go?

Song Yichun clenched his fists, his face pale with fury.

Yet, the other party paid no heed to Tao Qizhong’s words.

Dou Dechang shook his head with a smile. "No need. My seventh uncle had no sons, so to ensure his daughter could stand firm in her husband’s home, he gave half of Western Dou’s assets to our fourth paternal aunt. Our family matriarch has ordered us to bring her back today at all costs—we’ve even brought wagons for her dowry. Please summon the Young Lord to write a letter of divorce so we can return home for some warm tea."

Half of Western Dou’s wealth?

So that was it!

Song Yichun and Tao Qizhong exchanged glances, their expressions revealing sudden understanding.

So they weren’t just putting on a show!

Song Yichun grew excited.

Why should they return money that had already come into their hands?

But then he remembered—all of it had fallen into Song Mo’s possession. His enthusiasm deflated, replaced by resentment. If Dou Shi were sent back to her family, what leverage would Song Mo have left?

If he could clip Song Mo’s wings, what did reputation matter?

"Men!" he barked. "Take Dou family’s uncle and young master to the Hall of Cultivating Will to inventory Madam’s dowry!"

There was no hint of reluctance in his tone.

Dou Dechang and Dou Qijun tensed.

Anyone else would have tried to keep a daughter-in-law with such a substantial dowry, yet Song Yichun was doing the opposite.

Something was wrong with the Song family!

Having pulled off countless such schemes since childhood, the two needed no silent communication to play their roles—one stern, the other placating.

"I’ll go see our fourth aunt," Dou Dechang calmly instructed Dou Qijun. "You stay here for the divorce letter." With that, he strode out of the Reception Hall with Zeng Wu.

Dou Qijun sprawled arrogantly in the Grand Preceptor’s Chair and sneered, "Please have the Duke summon the Young Lord to write me a divorce letter—since our fourth aunt is Returning to her parents' home, we can’t just take her back without clarity."

Song Mo would never agree to divorce his wife!Song Yichun said, "The Young Lord has gone to the palace for his duties. When he returns, I'll have him write the letter of divorce and send it to your esteemed residence."

Dou Qijun snorted coldly, "Do you take me for a fool? Not writing the divorce letter but having Fourth Paternal Aunt return with us while keeping the dowry... Your Song family is going too far! If the Young Lord writes the divorce letter today, that's one thing. If not, I'll go straight to Shuntian Prefecture and see if there's ever been such a precedent since the founding of this dynasty!"

After all, it was about stirring up trouble for Song Mo, which Song Yichun was more than willing to do.

"Rest assured, I wouldn't want such a daughter-in-law even if she were given to me! You can take her back right away, and I'll have the divorce letter sent over afterward."

"Fine!" Dou Qijun agreed readily but didn't trust him in the slightest. "Even merchants insist on payment upon delivery. What if we take her back and you refuse to release Fourth Paternal Aunt's dowry? Here's what I propose: Your Lordship, first write me a certificate stating that the two families will have no further dealings, then stamp it with your personal seal. I'll take it back for the family elder to keep, so when we come to collect the dowry later, it'll be perfectly justified."

Have him write something for the Dou family to hold over him?

Song Yichun instinctively sensed danger and refused. "Since when does a father-in-law need to write a document for his son's divorce?"