Blossom

On the first day of the sixth month, Jiang Lizhu accompanied Dou Zhao to the temporary residence where Jiang Yan was staying.

Jiang Yan wore a lake-blue Hangzhou silk jacket with a snow-white embroidered skirt beneath it. Her jet-black hair was pinned up with a silver plum blossom hairpin, giving her a fresh and elegant appearance, like a delicate little narcissus flower. Dou Zhao couldn’t help but nod approvingly to herself.

Jiang Lizhu, however, took a long moment to regain her composure, murmuring, “She looks—she really looks just like the portrait of our aunt when she came of age! If it weren’t broad daylight, I’d think Aunt had come back to visit me.”

Hearing this, Dou Zhao had an idea and said to Jiang Yan, “Since you’re meeting elders, this outfit is a bit too plain. Why not change into that stone-blue one embroidered with pink plum blossoms? It’s more formal. You can change back into this one after the meeting.”

Stone-blue in such sweltering heat?

Jiang Lizhu was surprised.

But Jiang Yan obediently replied, “Oh,” and let her maidservant help her change inside.

Dou Zhao explained to Jiang Lizhu, “I remember that in the family portrait of Mother-in-law, she was wearing a stone-blue jacket embroidered with silver-white plum blossoms.”

Jiang Lizhu suddenly understood. “So Sister-in-law had already prepared for this!”

“Not exactly,” Dou Zhao said. “Since we told outsiders that Sister Yan had returned to her parents' home after being widowed, I picked out some darker bolts of cloth to suit the occasion. It just happened that we had this particular fabric.”

Jiang Lizhu sighed. “Perhaps this is fate!”

As they spoke, Jiang Yan emerged, supported by her maid.

Dou Zhao recalled that in the portrait, Madam Jiang also wore a peony-shaped gold brooch the size of a wine cup at her collar. After a moment’s thought, she took out a yellow agate osmanthus hairpin from her jewelry box and fastened it on Jiang Yan. After giving her a thorough once-over, Dou Zhao finally boarded the sedan chair with Jiang Yan.

Throughout the journey, Jiang Yan clutched her handkerchief tightly.

Dou Zhao spoke to her in gentle, soothing tones.

Gradually, Jiang Yan relaxed, but as soon as the sedan chair passed through the gates of The Duke of England's Mansion, her tension returned.

Dou Zhao had no choice but to pat her hand lightly and lead her out of the sedan chair.

Song Mo had specially ordered the mansion’s main gates opened to welcome Jiang Yan. All the influential stewards and matrons stood in rows inside and outside the Hanging Flower Gate to greet her.

Jiang Yan trembled with fear, her eyes darting around like a frightened deer, yet she bravely held her head high and followed Dou Zhao through the gate.

Dou Zhao silently praised her and gave her an encouraging look.

Jiang Yan managed a faint smile and followed Dou Zhao to Cassia Fragrance Courtyard.

Today, both Song Yichun and Song Mo were on leave. Early in the morning, Song Mo had cornered Song Yichun in his room, claiming he wanted to discuss the farmstead in Daxing owned by The Duke of England's Mansion. Song Yichun listened absentmindedly until Song Han came to pay his respects. By then, Song Mo was still circling back to the topic of the farmstead’s annual profits.

Finally losing patience, Song Yichun snapped, “What exactly are you trying to say?”

Song Mo smiled. “I noticed that the farmstead is only two or three li away from the one the Emperor bestowed upon me. Why don’t you just give it to me, Father? That way, we wouldn’t need two stewards managing a mere two thousand mu of land.”

Song Yichun was so furious he stomped his feet.

The farmstead the Emperor had granted Song Mo was only fifty mu, while The Duke of England's Mansion’s farmstead spanned twenty-two hundred mu and had been bestowed by the founding Emperor. Even if they were to be merged, it should be Song Mo’s farmstead being absorbed into the mansion’s, not the other way around! Song Mo was clearly trying to seize his property!His face darkened as he called out to Song Han, "Tianen, your brother wants me to hand over that 2,200-acre farmstead in Daxing to him for free. What do you have to say about that?"

Song Han looked utterly bewildered. "Isn't the entire Duke of England's Mansion going to belong to Brother eventually? What's wrong with giving him the Daxing farmstead?"

Song Yichun nearly choked on his anger.

He had seen fools before, but never one as dense as this.

Irritated, he snapped, "According to imperial law, while titles cannot be divided, family property can be evenly distributed."

Song Han let out an "Oh," then asked foolishly, "So Father plans to split the Daxing farmstead between Brother and me?"

Song Yichun clutched his chest, speechless for a long moment.

Song Mo watched coldly from the sidelines, leisurely sipping his tea.

Song Han sidled up to him like a puppy. "Brother, is that tea really good? Can I try some too?"

"This is Father's tea," Song Mo replied indifferently, then instructed the serving maid to pour a cup for Song Han. "If you like it, you can ask Father for some."

Song Han happily agreed.

Song Yichun muttered under his breath, "Idiot," and stood to leave for his study.

But Song Mo pressed him for an answer. "What about the farmstead? Should I just issue the orders directly?"

Song Yichun was puzzled.

His son, though formidable, had never been particularly concerned with money. What was going on today? Was he scheming something again?

Uneasy, Song Yichun returned to his seat in the hall and said, "The Daxing farmstead was explicitly granted to you as private property by the Emperor. The Duke of England's Mansion's farmsteads, however, are part of the shared estate. It's best not to conflate the two."

Song Mo pressed aggressively, "I recall Mother once mentioned that when Grandfather passed, he also allocated a portion of the shared estate to Father as private property. So it seems the shared estate isn't entirely untouchable."

A surge of frustration rose in Song Yichun's chest. "I'm not dead yet! You can help yourself to the shared estate after I'm gone!"

"I don't care for that kind of talk, Father," Song Mo said flatly. "How is it 'helping myself' when it's my own family's property? So Father enjoys slapping labels on people—first 'unfilial,' now 'embezzler.' Seems in your eyes, that's all I am..."

As father and son sparred, Song Han stood awkwardly to the side.

A page rushed in and announced, "My Lord, Young Lord, Second Master, Madam and the Jiang Family's Twelfth Paternal Aunt have brought their Cousin to pay their respects."

Song Yichun was startled. "Which Cousin from the Jiang Family has come to the Capital?"

Song Mo said nothing, only replying, "You'll see soon enough."

Song Yichun frowned.

Song Han, however, paled.

Song Mo simply smiled and moved to the entrance to greet them.

Song Yichun couldn't very well shove past him and leave, so he remained seated in the Grand Preceptor's Chair to wait.

Soon, Dou Zhao and Jiang Lizhu escorted Jiang Yan to the door.

Noticing how frail Jiang Yan looked—as if she might collapse at any moment—Song Mo gently supported her into the hall.

Song Yichun, who had been about to take a sip of tea, froze at the sight. His teacup slipped from his fingers and shattered on the floor with a loud clatter."Huisun," he stared fixedly at Jiang Yan, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, "you... how are you here? Didn't you die?" He muttered to himself, then suddenly jumped up, backing away rapidly. "Separated by the realms of yin and yang, you're a ghost, I'm a human—don't you dare do anything reckless, or you'll risk your soul scattering to the winds..."

Behind him was the incense table in the central hall. With no further room to retreat, he knocked over the tea set and ceremonial vessels arranged on it, sending them crashing to the ground in a cacophony.

Dou Zhao and Song Mo exchanged a glance.

Song Yichun and Madam Jiang were husband and wife—even if separated by life and death, why would he be so terrified?

Jiang Yan's lips turned pale.

Although her sister-in-law hadn't stated it outright, the implications in her words suggested that her current circumstances were entirely her father's fault. She had initially found it hard to believe, but now her father was avoiding her as if she were a ghost... Her sister-in-law hadn't lied to her!

Though she understood, her eyes still reddened with sorrow, and she lowered her head.

Jiang Lizhu, who had been watching her closely, quickly stepped forward to take Jiang Yan's hand, sighing quietly to herself.

As her cousin's wife had said, her uncle was only superficially warm to the Jiang family—in truth, he held no real regard for them.

Perhaps it was for the best.

The Duke of Yingguo's Mansion could continue down its own broad and prosperous path, maintaining its status as the foremost noble household, while the Jiang family would walk their own narrow bridge, content to live as unassuming country gentry.

She whispered comfortingly to Jiang Yan, "It's alright. You look so much like our aunt that the Duke must have been startled."

Jiang Yan nodded numbly.

Song Han, however, sprang forward.

He grabbed Song Yichun's arm, calling out urgently, "Father! What's wrong with you? Cousin Jiang is still waiting to pay her respects—don't frighten her like this!"

Song Yichun froze, then snapped back to his senses.

His gaze swept past Song Mo's impassive face before settling on Jiang Yan's.

Madam Jiang had always been confident and proud—never cowering like the girl before him.

And the age didn't match either.

She had painted that portrait shortly after giving birth to Song Mo, while this young girl couldn't be more than just past her coming-of-age ceremony.

Song Yichun exhaled deeply in relief.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he seated himself in the Grand Preceptor's Chair, adopting an air of haughty authority befitting a formidable duke. He snapped at Song Mo, "If it's a matter concerning female relatives, let Dou Shi handle it. What impropriety is this, bringing her before me? Escort her out at once!"

Song Mo signaled to Chen He with a glance.

Chen He promptly led Jiang Lizhu and Jiang Yan out.

The servants in the room, seeing this, hastily followed suit, leaving the vast hall empty save for Song Yichun, Song Mo, Dou Zhao, and Song Han.

Song Mo then said with a smile, "Father, you should know—this young lady doesn't bear the surname Jiang. Originally, she was surnamed Li, with the given name Yi Gui. She is the daughter of Li Tiaoniang..."

Before he could finish, Song Yichun's face twisted in horror.

"A while ago, Li Liang came to me, claiming Yi Gui was my sister and insisting I bring her home. I knew Li Tiaoniang had once been your mistress, but you severed ties with her seventeen years ago—how could I suddenly have another sister? When I met Yi Gui, I was even more baffled: why would the child of Li Tiaoniang look exactly like my mother, as if cast from the same mold...""What kind of scum is this Li Liang?" Song Yichun exploded, cutting off Song Mo mid-sentence. "You'd recognize some random girl who vaguely resembles your mother as your sister? Have you lost all sense? And you actually brought her into our home! If you're not afraid of becoming a laughingstock, I certainly am! Send that girl away immediately!" He continued furiously, "Where is Li Liang? Hand him over to me—the charge of 'falsely claiming kinship with officials' is unavoidable! Back when he tried to extort me, I let him off out of consideration for Li Tiaoniang. Who would have thought he'd be so brazen as to approach you now? Don't bother with him—just have him beaten to death! I'll handle the officials myself!"

Though she had anticipated this reaction, Dou Zhao couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow upon hearing Song Yichun's words.

Fortunately, she had instructed Jiang Lizhu to take Jiang Yan away beforehand. Otherwise, if Jiang Yan had heard Song Yichun's outburst, she might have preferred to leave with Li Liang rather than set foot in the Song household.