Blossom

Jiang Yan recalled the expression on Song Mo's face when he had beaten Li Liang that day and realized Dou Zhao was telling the truth. She turned pale with fright, not daring to mention Li Liang again—not in front of Song Mo, nor even in front of Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao couldn’t help but regret her words.

After spending these past few days with Jiang Yan, she knew the girl was gentle and sensitive. The fact that Jiang Yan avoided mentioning Li Liang didn’t mean she had truly forgotten him. On the contrary, the more she suppressed it, the more likely she was to dwell on it.

Dou Zhao discussed with Song Mo: "Regarding Li Tiaoniang’s matter, I think we should say she acted improperly, driven by personal grievances, and in a moment of despair, took her own life by hanging. That way, we avoid dragging her into the family’s darker affairs. As for Li Liang—he has a wife and children. If we deal with him rashly and word somehow reaches Yan’s ears, it would only make things worse. It’s better to send him far away and confine him to a farmstead. We can revisit the matter once things have settled."

Song Mo bristled at her words.

Dou Zhao’s expression darkened. "You must listen to me on this. Yan is a living person, not some object you can move around as you please! No matter how much you hate him, she lived with him for over a decade. Without Li Liang’s protection, she might not have survived. If she showed no regard for him at all—cold and heartless—then even if she were your own sister, I’d keep my distance. It’s precisely because she thinks of others and doesn’t dwell on their wrongs that I can open my heart to her. Don’t just focus on her flaws—remember her virtues too."

Song Mo stormed off to the study in a huff.

Dou Zhao ignored him. After dinner, she went to Green Water Residence.

Jiang Yan was sitting by the lamplight, doing needlework.

The soft glow illuminated her slender figure, casting a serene, almost ethereal beauty.

Dou Zhao sighed inwardly.

Why was it that the gentlest, kindest girls often found the least happiness?

Seeing Dou Zhao arrive, Jiang Yan hurriedly helped her sit on the kang.

Dou Zhao asked, "What are you working on? There are five or six seamstresses in the household. If you need something urgently, just hand it to them. Don’t strain your eyes."

Jiang Yan smiled softly, her expression docile. "I was just passing the time. I won’t do it again."

Dou Zhao then told her about Li Tiaoniang’s case: "…The government office will close the case in a few days. When the time comes, I’ll have Su Xin accompany you to pay your respects—it’ll fulfill your filial duty. As for Li Liang, your brother injured his hand. He’ll need at least a year to recover, so he won’t be able to keep his job at the goods firm. But out of consideration for you, your brother plans to send him to a farmstead in Tianjinwei to recuperate. When he leaves, you should see him off and say a few words. Who knows when you’ll meet again?"

Jiang Yan’s eyes brightened.

She wanted to thank Dou Zhao but feared displeasing her. Her lips parted hesitantly, unsure what to say.

Dou Zhao patted her hand with a smile, though inwardly, she marveled at the girl’s guilelessness—she believed every word without question. How different she was from Song Mo! Had he taken all the cunning for himself, leaving none for Jiang Yan? Nothing escaped his sharp eyes, no matter how convoluted the situation.

After chatting a while longer, Dou Zhao noticed the late hour and returned to the main residence.

Song Mo was sprawled on the kang, reading. When Dou Zhao entered, he rolled over, turning his back to her.Dou Zhao couldn't help but laugh as she asked Wuyi, "Has the Young Lord had his evening meal yet?"

After Chen He and Su Lan got married, although Dou Zhao had bought Su Lan a dowry house next to Su Xin's residence, Chen He found it inconvenient and chose to live in the eastern side houses instead. He would arrive at mao hour (5-7 am) and leave at xu hour (7-9 pm), becoming Song Mo's personal attendant. Wuyi then took over his previous duties, serving Song Mo closely.

Wuyi replied meekly, "The Young Lord only ate one bowl of cold noodles and drank half a bowl of chicken soup."

Dou Zhao said, "The kitchen made lotus leaf rice cakes, rose-flavored lotus root, and lotus seed soup for late-night snacks tonight. Have someone bring them up."

Ever since Dou Zhao became pregnant, Song Mo, fearing she might get hungry at night, had ordered the kitchen to be staffed around the clock.

Wuyi quietly exited the main chamber.

Dou Zhao sat alone on the heated kang, enjoying her late-night snack.

The room was filled with the refreshing fragrance of lotus leaves.

Song Mo threw down his book in annoyance, glaring at Dou Zhao.

Unable to suppress her laughter, Dou Zhao fed him the remaining half spoonful of lotus seed soup from her bowl. "Try it," she said. "It's made with fresh lotus seeds—sweet and refreshing, different from the usual lotus seed soup."

Looking at Dou Zhao's smiling face, Song Mo resentfully swallowed the soup in one gulp but ended up biting the spoon.

Dou Zhao wanted to laugh but feared embarrassing him further, which would only make him more awkward. She turned her head away, silently laughing for a moment before instructing Ruo Zhu, "Go and fetch another bowl of lotus seed soup for the Young Lord."

Song Mo was usually courteous to others, so Ruo Zhu and Wuyi were utterly stunned. After a brief pause, Ruo Zhu finally responded and hurriedly left the Resting Chamber.

"It's all your fault!" Song Mo complained to Dou Zhao, his expression sour.

Dou Zhao coaxed him like a child. "Yes, yes, it's all my fault."

Song Mo nitpicked further. "You're not even sincere about it."

Dou Zhao fixed her gaze on him. "Then tell me, how can I show sincerity?"

Still displeased, Song Mo muttered, "You're just humoring me."

"No, I'm not," Dou Zhao naturally denied.

Fortunately, the lotus seed soup arrived, putting an end to the topic.

But Song Mo found a new target for his complaints. "This lotus seed soup isn't good at all. Why is it salty?"

It only had a pinch of salt to enhance the lotus seeds' flavor.

"I like it!" Dou Zhao laughed.

"Well, I don't!" Song Mo grumbled, even as he continued eating.

"Then should I have them make you a sweet one?"

"If it's no good, why bother making it sweet?"

He was being difficult in every way.

When they finally retired for the night, he snuggled up to Dou Zhao.

The weather was sweltering, and despite the ice placed in the corners, Dou Zhao was soon drenched in sweat.

She shifted inward.

Song Mo followed, wrapping his arms around her waist, which had long lost its curves, and stubbornly held her close.

"It's too hot!" Dou Zhao tried to wriggle free.

"I don't feel hot at all," Song Mo retorted flatly.

That was true.

Song Mo's skin was as fair as jade, and even in the hottest weather, he barely sweated, always remaining clean and free of any unpleasant odor.

Just as Dou Zhao was about to tease him, he suddenly sat up and pulled out a fan from somewhere, fanning her gently.

"Don't bother!" Dou Zhao said, concerned about him having to attend court duties early the next morning. "Let's just have them bring in more ice.""No," said Song Mo. "You're pregnant, and the room is too cold. You might catch a chill." He insisted on fanning her himself.

Dou Zhao was too exhausted to argue with him, thinking he would stop when he got tired. Soon, she fell asleep to the gentle breeze of the fan.

When she woke the next morning, Song Mo had already left for the palace, leaving the fan beside her pillow.

She asked Ruo Tong, who was on duty, "When did the Young Lord rest?"

"Not until nearly dawn," replied Ruo Tong, her eyes barely open since she couldn’t rest until Song Mo did.

Dou Zhao picked up the round fan and lightly waved it a couple of times.

During breakfast, Wuyi came in to report, "The Young Lord left word that Li Liang will be sent to the farmstead in Tianjin tomorrow."

After Song Shize pledged allegiance to Song Mo, he recommended several former servants of the late Duke of Yingguo. These old retainers had retired to farmsteads after Madam Jiang took over the household, most of them in Tianjin. Sending Li Liang there would ensure his safety.

Dou Zhao nodded and asked, "When will the people recommended by Song Shize arrive?"

Those who had served the late Duke were too old to work in the Hall of Cultivating Will, but having seen the world, many of their descendants were outstanding. Song Mo planned to select a few for his own use.

Wuyi smiled. "They should arrive in the next couple of days. Would Madam like to see them and pick a few she favors?"

She decided not to interfere in such matters.

Madam Jiang had overstepped her authority, making the Song family’s long-time servants uneasy, which led to the isolation of the Duke of England's Mansion’s heir.

Once she gave birth, she would naturally integrate into the Song family.

Dou Zhao found the vegetable buns made by the kitchen that morning quite tasty and instructed Wuyi, "Send some to Miss Jiang Yan." Then she took a sip of the thick, comforting white porridge.

※※※※※

If the morning at the Hall of Cultivating Will in the Duke of England's Mansion in the Capital was serene, the distant He residence in Linqing was in utter chaos.

When He Qingyuan returned home, the beauty was nowhere to be found.

Naturally, the pages informed him of what had happened.

He was stunned and rushed to the inn.

The merchant, seeing Jiang Yan, immediately recognized her as a girl from a respectable family. When Chen Jia claimed she had been abducted, the merchant, terrified at the thought of being exiled for trafficking, wanted nothing more than to rid himself of the hot potato and left no trace behind.

He Qingyuan found no leads and had no choice but to return home and placate his shrewish wife.

Despite a day of sweet talk and groveling, she refused to reveal whom she had sold the girl to.

He Qingyuan’s expression darkened with fury.

With five brothers in her family, one of whom served as a county clerk, Madam He had no fear of her husband.

Their argument escalated into hair-pulling and face-scratching.

The maids and old women scattered to avoid the fray.

The First Madam, unwilling to see her mother-in-law at a disadvantage, urged He Hao to intervene.

But He Hao, resentful that his father had taken the beauty for himself, had hoped his mother would drag him home, leaving the girl to him. Upon hearing she had been sold, he was filled with regret and strained to catch any details, too afraid to step in.

The First Madam was so angry her chest ached, and she quickly sent word to Madam He’s family.

Wasn’t it just keeping a woman outside?His elder brothers-in-law all had their mistresses—why couldn't he have one too?

He Qingyuan refused to take this lying down. Rolling up his sleeves, he began arguing with his mother-in-law's family.

Seeing the situation, He Hao thought that if even his father lost this fight, he'd have no choice but to watch helplessly even if he found the beauty he desired later. He quickly called his personal page to fetch Wei Quan for backup.

Wei Quan had regretted his affair with the courtesan after just two days.

He had married hoping for a warm home-cooked meal when he returned, but the courtesan, raised in a brothel, was hardly the domestic type. He began considering whether he could take his wife back and gradually lost interest in the courtesan.

When he heard the He Family was in trouble, he slipped on his shoes and rushed out.

The courtesan, trained in the art of pleasing men, could easily read Wei Quan's thoughts.

But if she let Wei Quan slip away, she might never find another man of such good standing. Using all her charms, she clung to him. Seeing him run off to the He Family, she refused to let him go alone and hurriedly followed him there.