Blossom

Song Mo sighed.

There was a rift between him and Song Yichun, which made him particularly vigilant about his own safety. That was how he discovered Jiang Yi had been following him.

He pointed to the armchair below, signaling for him to sit and speak.

After a moment’s hesitation, Jiang Yi respectfully took a seat.

Only then did Song Mo speak gently, “You were doing well in the Divine Machine Battalion. Why did you suddenly request a transfer to the Five Cities Garrison? And don’t try to fool me with excuses about the hardship in the Divine Machine Battalion. I’ve already spoken to your superior in the Five Cities Garrison. He told me you still wake up at the hour of Yin every day, run two laps around the moat, and only then head to the office. That’s not something a man afraid of hardship would do.”

Jiang Yi lowered his gaze and remained silent for a long while, his hands clenched tightly into fists.

Ma Youming was irritated by his evasiveness. Considering him a sworn friend while being treated like a stranger, he angrily kicked the leg of Jiang Yi’s chair and said displeasedly, “Others might think that placing third in the Autumn Hunt puts you on equal footing with the Young Lord, but that’s only because the Young Lord is humble and doesn’t hold it against you. Don’t mistake kindness for weakness or take his generosity for granted!”

Jiang Yi gave a bitter smile. “Brother Ma, if I wanted to hide this from the Young Lord, I wouldn’t have been following him these past days, hoping for a chance encounter. I just didn’t know how to bring it up…”

Ma Youming suddenly understood.

So Song Mo had known all along that Jiang Yi was following him—that was why he had Chen He summon him inside.

Song Mo smiled faintly.

Ma Youming said gravely, “There’s no one else here. The Young Lord and I don’t see you as an outsider. What is it you can’t say?”

Jiang Yi’s expression grew even more pained.

Suddenly, he grabbed the wine jug he had just used to pour wine for Song Mo and took several large gulps straight from the spout.

Ma Youming couldn’t help but glance at Song Mo.

He saw Song Mo watching Jiang Yi with a gentle, understanding smile.

Ma Youming’s heart stirred.

Song Yantang’s composure was truly unshakable!

Faced with such a grave crisis, he remained as steady as a mountain.

If the day ever came, he would surely meet his fate with courage!

The thought filled Ma Youming with fervor.

Every man must die—what matters is whether it’s weightier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather.

To follow a man like Song Yantang, even for a short while, would be no disgrace to his name!

It was as if the dark clouds that had weighed on his heart these past days had parted, letting sunlight scatter his fears and brighten his spirit.

Song Yantang aside, he himself was one of the youngest generals in the court. With Jiang Yi, who had placed third in the Autumn Hunt, by their side, he refused to believe they couldn’t carve out a path to survival!

And if they met their end, it would be fate, destiny—no one to blame.

Filled with heroic resolve, he unconsciously straightened his posture.

Meanwhile, after downing most of the jug—a mellow yet potent vintage—Jiang Yi finally found the courage to speak. “On the sixth day of the sixth month last year, I went to help Lord Wang air his books. By chance, I discovered a military manual by Prince Wumu. I couldn’t put it down, but fearing it would be improper if someone from Lord Wang’s household saw me, I hid on the rafters of the study to read it. Halfway through, Lord Wang entered with a middle-aged scholar dressed in blue. I dared not move. But then they dismissed their pages and stationed guards around the study before speaking in hushed tones…”The study was spacious and well-lit. I was hiding on the beams of the eastern book storage room while they were in the western Resting Chamber, quite far apart. I couldn’t clearly hear the specifics of what Lord Wang and that scholar discussed. However, Lord Wang seemed agitated, pacing the room with a dark expression before raising his voice to demand of the scholar, "What proof do you have?"

The scholar then presented a jade pendant, saying, "This was personally bestowed by the Emperor when the prince shot and killed a tiger during the Autumn Hunt at fifteen. There is only one like it in the world—utterly unique."

Lord Wang hesitated for a moment before accepting the pendant.

The scholar added, "Once this matter succeeds, entry into the Grand Secretariat and appointment as chancellor will be assured."

Lord Wang remained silent, and the scholar took his leave.

I was so terrified my body froze.

As soon as Lord Wang left the study, I slipped out through the back door and then re-entered through the front, pretending I had just arrived from outside.

Later, I noticed that the gifts Liao Wang gave Lord Wang were far more lavish than those given to other Metropolitan Commanders of the Military garrisons. Moreover, I overheard the Wang Family’s servants mocking Lord Wang’s newly acquired, exceptionally beautiful bedroom servant—how she marveled at a simple slice of pork belly and enjoyed eating it with pickled spicy cabbage...

Lord Wang showed me great kindness and recognition, so I should stand by him through thick and thin. But I still have grandparents, uncles, brothers—an entire family. How could I drag them into this?"

As he spoke, he cast an apologetic glance at Ma Youming. "I truly didn’t know what to do. After much deliberation, I had no choice but to seek Brother Ma’s help... I never expected the Young Lord to treat me with such consideration—not only immediately transferring me to the Five Cities Garrison but also securing me a position as a squad leader there. I..." His face showed guilt. "Seeing how close the Young Lord was with Gu Yu, and how frequently Gu Yu moved between the imperial palace and Liaodong, I wanted to warn the Young Lord. But I feared being seen as meddlesome, so I hesitated. I could only follow the Young Lord whenever possible, hoping for a chance to speak..."

Goryeo, near Liaodong.

A fondness for pork belly and spicy pickled cabbage—this meant Wang Xu’s new bedroom servant was a Goryeo woman.

Could Liao Wang have formed some connection with Goryeo?

Ma Youming’s expression shifted slightly as he looked toward Song Mo.

Song Mo was leisurely skimming the tea leaves in his cup with the lid.

His demeanor was calm and composed as he smiled warmly at Jiang Yi. "Thank you for your concern. I only just learned of this matter myself. I had hoped to speak with you privately and sent people to find you several times, but you were nowhere to be found—that’s when I noticed something was amiss. Now that everything is out in the open, we should naturally understand each other without words. Still, I must ask you the same question Lord Ma posed to me—what are your thoughts on Liao Wang and the Crown Prince?"

Jiang Yi abruptly stood, nearly knocking over the round-backed chair behind him.

"Young Lord," he clasped his hands in salute, "the Jiang family has been loyal for generations—there are no traitors among us!"

Song Mo nodded with a smile, motioning for him to sit again. He then personally poured wine for both Jiang Yi and Ma Youming before raising his own cup and declaring solemnly, "Lord Ma, Jiang Yi, let us drink this cup together. From this day forth, we share fortune and misfortune, entrusting our lives to one another!"

Ma Youming and Jiang Yi stood eagerly, clinking their cups lightly with Song Mo’s before draining them in one go.

Song Mo smiled in satisfaction.The three men took their seats once more.

Song Mo reiterated to Ma Youming and Jiang Yi the importance of the Divine Machine Battalion, just as he had explained to Dou Zhao.

No longer like blind men trying to describe an elephant, their eyes lit up with understanding.

Ma Youming cut straight to the point: "Young Lord, since you already have everything well thought out, you must also have a plan of action." As he spoke, he glanced at Jiang Yi, who nodded in agreement, signaling his willingness to follow their lead. Feeling reassured, Ma Youming continued, "We’re just rough men. Whatever orders you have, just say the word. We can’t promise much else, but when the Young Lord points, we’ll strike—no hesitation, no second thoughts."

If Song Mo wanted to avoid this storm, he would indeed need Ma Youming and Jiang Yi’s help.

"Since we’re sitting here talking, we’re no strangers to each other," he said bluntly, without pretense. "As I mentioned earlier, if Liao Wang wants to succeed, he’ll need eunuchs, the Golden Guard, the Divine Machine Battalion, the Court of State Ceremonial, Grand Secretariat ministers, and high-ranking regional officials—all indispensable. The Court of State Ceremonial, Grand Secretariat ministers, and high-ranking officials can wait—those are concerns after the palace is seized. The immediate priorities are the eunuchs, the Golden Guard, and the Divine Machine Battalion. I’ll handle the eunuchs and the Golden Guard. Lord Ma, you’re in the Divine Machine Battalion—keep an eye on Wang Xu. Through his movements, we can track Liao Wang’s plans. There’s no faster or more convenient way. Jiang Yi, you’ll monitor the Five Cities Garrison and take every opportunity to mingle with the Five Armies Battalion. They’ll surely try to win over one of the two. We’re in the shadows; they’re in the light. The chances of spotting something unusual are high, and once we do, their entire strategy will be laid bare before us."

Ma Youming and Jiang Yi nodded repeatedly. Ma Youming asked, "If they press me further, how should I respond?"

"Just say the Divine Machine Battalion has always followed Lord Wang’s lead," Song Mo mused. "But remember—small gifts are fine, but never put anything in writing. If Liao Wang succeeds, it’s one thing. But if he fails, even if you survive this round, you could still face eternal ruin!"

"Young Lord, don’t worry," Ma Youming assured him. "I’ll be careful."

Jiang Yi seemed hesitant to speak.

But Song Mo, as if reading his mind, smiled and said, "The three of us drinking at the Drunken Immortal Tower won’t escape notice. If anyone asks, just say you begged Lord Ma to invite me as thanks for transferring you to the Five Cities Garrison. In a few days, I’ll gradually promote you to South City Commander—maybe even Vice Commissioner or Assistant Prefect of the Five Cities Garrison—to make things easier for you."

This way, Jiang Yi would have the status to socialize with the Five Armies Battalion. It would also create the illusion that Jiang Yi had climbed the ranks by currying favor with Song Mo through Ma Youming’s connections, making their association appear natural.

Jiang Yi’s jaw dropped in astonishment.

After a brief moment of surprise, Ma Youming laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "Hurry up and thank the Young Lord!"

Jiang Yi’s face flushed red as he hastily stood and bowed to Song Mo in gratitude.

Song Mo chuckled. "Who knows how long you’ll last as Commander, but even a short stint is better than never having held the position."

Jiang Yi had initially been hesitant about exposing Wang Xu’s affairs, but now he was nothing but wholeheartedly convinced.He rose solemnly and bowed respectfully to Song Mo, saying earnestly, "I will not fail the Young Lord's efforts and will thoroughly investigate matters concerning the Five Cities Garrison and the Five Armies Battalion."

Song Mo nodded with a smile.

The three of them discussed further details until the lanterns were lit before each returned to their respective residences.

Song Mo first went to the study and spoke with Yan Chaoqing for a long while before returning to his inner chambers.

Dou Zhao was flipping through a thick ledger under the lamplight.

Song Mo glanced at it and realized it was the roster of maidservants who had served in the outer courtyard over the years.

Surprised, he smiled and said, "Lu Ming got this done so quickly?"

"Yes!" Dou Zhao stood up with a smile and fetched a casual Taoist robe for Song Mo. "He was very meticulous—he dusted the ledger and cleaned it before sending it over."

Assisted by a young maid in changing his clothes, Song Mo sat on the kang and took a comfortable sip of hot tea. "Let's credit him for this!"

Dou Zhao smiled faintly and instructed Gan Lu to put the ledger away safely, planning to continue reviewing it the next day.

Song Mo then told Dou Zhao about the incident at the Drunken Immortal Tower.