Blossom

Song Mo noticed the bump on Song Luo's head. Though he didn't praise him, he rewarded him with two taels of silver.

Song Luo withdrew happily.

Liao Bifeng reported to Song Mo one by one about the various matters concerning the inventory of the upper courtyard.

Song Mo was very satisfied and said, "First, seal off the upper courtyard and have experienced maidservants take care of it there. Prepare yourself, as in a couple of days, I will reclaim the properties under Song Han's name. You will continue to lead the accountants in auditing the accounts."

Liao Bifeng respectfully replied, "Yes."

Song Mo returned to the inner chamber.

The ginseng chicken soup that Dou Zhao had ordered the kitchen to prepare for Song Mo was ready, and she was ladling it into a small bowl. Seeing Song Mo's furrowed brows, she gently advised, "Food must be eaten bite by bite, and matters must be handled one by one. You didn't sleep at all last night—what good does that do except harm your health? Drink the soup and then go to the office. Mr. Liao is handling the household affairs and won't make any mistakes. Even if he falls short, there's still Master Yan, isn't there?"

Liao Bifeng's skillful handling of the fake accounts last night had impressed not only Song Mo but also Dou Zhao.

Song Mo couldn't help but smile.

He playfully pinched Dou Zhao's nose and teased, "I almost forgot, we have you, our lady expert, at home."

Dou Zhao raised her eyebrows and laughed, "If Master Yan can't handle it, then I'll step in."

Song Mo burst into laughter.

His mood improved significantly.

After drinking the chicken soup, he discussed with Dou Zhao, "Father won't tell us why he turned against Mother. I was wondering if you could find an opportunity to sound out Old Madam Lu and Ningde Princess? Among the elders still alive who know about our family matters, only these two remain."

"I was thinking the same," Dou Zhao said, instructing Gan Lu to bring in Song Mo's court attire. "We can also ask Eldest Aunt, Third Aunt, and Fourth Aunt. Different perspectives might reveal different aspects—perhaps they know something we don't."

"I'll leave this to you," Song Mo sighed. "I just can't understand it. Mother was a reasonable person, and between husband and wife, nothing should be closer. What couldn't Father discuss with Mother that he had to inexplicably exchange the legitimate eldest daughter for an illegitimate child outside and then poison Mother to cover it up... What kind of mind does he have?! And how did Mother wrong him that he would harm her like this?!"

As he spoke, his anger flared up again.

Dou Zhao quickly stepped forward and patted his chest, soothing him, "Don't be angry, don't be angry!"

Song Mo took a deep breath and said, "I'm fine," with a hint of apology on his face. "I'm making you restless even as you're about to give birth."

Dou Zhao smiled, "After I give birth, I'll punish you by making you change the baby's diapers every night."

"Absolutely, absolutely," Song Mo said, gently stroking Dou Zhao's belly and softly instructing her, "I'm going to the office now. Be careful. I've left word with the guards at the palace gate—if our pages come looking for me, they are to report to me immediately. If you feel unwell, just send a page to fetch me."

He was worried that Dou Zhao might go into labor while he was on duty at the palace.

"I know. Just go to the office with peace of mind!" Dou Zhao saw him off.

Two days later, when she went into labor, she quietly ate half a black chicken before having Gan Lu summon the midwife.Gan Lu was so frightened that her face turned pale. She stammered, "I’ll send someone to inform the Young Lord right away."

Dou Zhao laughed. "What good would informing the Young Lord do? Can he give birth for me? Just go and notify Master Yan and Mr. Chen."

Song Mo was at the palace.

The Hall of Cultivating Will was entirely filled with Song Mo’s people. With Yan Chaoqing and Chen Qushui guarding outside, even if Song Yichun came in person, they could hold him off. What did she have to worry about?

Gan Lu hurried off in a fluster.

The news of Dou Zhao’s labor quickly spread throughout the Hall of Cultivating Will.

Although Dou Zhao had said there was no need to summon Song Mo back, Yan Chaoqing still sent Song Luo to inform him.

Jiang Yan rushed over, her face pale.

"Sister-in-law, Sister-in-law, how are you?" She tightly grasped Dou Zhao’s hands. Seeing Dou Zhao grit her teeth in pain and unable to speak, tears streamed down her face. "Shall I fetch a basin of hot water for you? And the swaddling clothes for the baby—I’ll go get them now."

The midwife by Dou Zhao’s side couldn’t help but say, "These matters are already taken care of. Cousin, please just wait outside."

While others would comfort the nervous mother during childbirth, here she was, having to reassure the cousin instead.

Jiang Yan’s face turned as red as a boiled shrimp.

Dou Zhao, having passed the contraction, gently comforted her, "I’m fine. Your brother has arranged everything. The midwife was recommended by the Crown Princess; the birthing assistant was found by my Sixth Aunt from my maternal family and once delivered my Eleventh Cousin-in-law’s baby; two physicians from the Imperial Hospital are waiting outside; Happy’s wife has experience with two children… There’s no need to worry. Listen to the midwife and wait in the outer hall. Later, my Sixth Aunt and Eleventh Cousin-in-law will arrive—please help me receive them."

Jiang Yan nodded and was ushered out by Gan Lu.

Sixth Aunt and Han Shi hurried over.

"Wasn’t it supposed to be at the end of the sixth month? It’s only the twenty-fifth today—why has it started early?" Sixth Aunt asked anxiously.

"Madam is having her first child. It’s common for it to be a few days early or late," the midwife said. Both she and Dou Zhao remained calm, while Sixth Aunt and Han Shi grew more nervous.

"Where’s the ginseng? The midwife? Who’s in charge of the kitchen?" Sixth Aunt sternly asked Happy’s wife.

Ginseng was used to sustain energy; the midwife was responsible for diagnosis to relay to the physicians outside; the kitchen needed to boil water and prepare food.

Happy’s wife quickly pointed out the prepared herbs and personnel to Sixth Aunt.

Gan Lu reported from behind the curtain, "Fifth Madam from Huai Tree Alley, along with the Sixth and Tenth Young Madams, have arrived."

Sixth Aunt gave Dou Zhao a few more instructions before heading to the outer hall.

Han Shi took the bowl of brown sugar water from Happy’s wife and fed Dou Zhao a few sips. "If the pain is unbearable, just cry out—it’ll help. Go easy on the liquids for now. Later, I’ll have someone boil eggs for you." She then wiped the sweat from Dou Zhao’s forehead with a handkerchief.

Dou Zhao smiled at her.

Han Shi said, "We’re all family here. Save your smiles and conserve your strength for the birth."

Dou Zhao couldn’t help but chuckle.

Meanwhile, Fifth Aunt hadn’t just brought her two daughters-in-law—Gaosheng’s wife was also with her.

Following behind Fifth Aunt, Guo Shi, and Cai Shi, she stepped forward to greet Sixth Aunt and said softly, "Our master had instructed earlier that if Fourth Paternal Aunt showed signs of labor, I should come and check."

Sixth Aunt nodded in acknowledgment.Fifth Aunt complained to Sixth Aunt, "Why didn’t you wait for me after getting the news? I rushed over in such a hurry and only brought a thirty-year-old ginseng. I don’t even know if it’ll be enough."

"We already prepared two century-old ginseng roots here, so we have enough medicinal herbs," Sixth Aunt replied. "Shou Gu doesn’t have any elder in the inner courtyard, so I was feeling quite anxious."

Fifth Aunt’s gaze then fell on Jiang Yan, who was accompanying Sixth Aunt.

Jiang Yan quickly said, "Sister-in-law asked me to help entertain the guests," and invited the Dou family’s female relatives to sit down.

Noticing Fifth Aunt’s displeased look at Jiang Yan, Sixth Aunt understood it was because Jiang Yan was a widow, which was considered inauspicious in such a situation. She quietly explained Jiang Yan’s identity to Fifth Aunt.

Fifth Aunt was astonished.

Although Dou Zhao had taken Jiang Yan to Huai Shu Alley before, she had never discussed Jiang Yan’s background in detail. Now, hearing the truth, Fifth Aunt couldn’t help but scrutinize Jiang Yan from head to toe. She thought about how Dou Zhao confided everything to Ji Shi and felt a pang of bitterness.

Feeling uncomfortable under Fifth Aunt’s gaze, Jiang Yan pretended to check if the tea was ready and left the hall.

Outside, she saw Song Mo rushing back, drenched in sweat.

"How is your sister-in-law?" he called out to Jiang Yan from afar.

"Sister-in-law’s aunts and sisters-in-law from her maternal family have arrived," Jiang Yan replied, quickening her steps to meet him. "The midwife and the physician are also in the birthing room."

Song Mo nodded and said, "You should return to your own quarters. I’ll handle things here."

Jiang Yan had heard that childbirth was a perilous ordeal, with one foot in the grave and the other outside. But being naturally meek, she never contradicted others. Though worried about Dou Zhao, she didn’t dare protest. Pressing her lips together, she silently followed Song Mo back into the hall.

Song Mo’s mind was entirely preoccupied with Dou Zhao and barely spared a thought for anyone else. As soon as he entered, he asked, "How is Shou Gu?" before greeting Fifth Aunt, Sixth Aunt, and the others.

Sixth Aunt shooed him away. "This is women’s business. Men shouldn’t interfere. It’s her first child, so it’ll take a while. Go wait in the study. Take a nap, and the baby will be born by the time you wake up."

Song Mo broke into a sweat and insisted, "Then I’ll wait in the side room."

"Go to the study as you’re told," Sixth Aunt said firmly. "Don’t make us worry about both ends."

From inside, Dou Zhao also chimed in, "Young Lord, go read in the study for a while. I’m well taken care of by my aunts and sisters-in-law. Nothing will go wrong."

Helpless, Song Mo retreated to the study.

However, he kept sending Wuyi over to ask for updates.

As a page, Wuyi could only stand at the door and inquire briefly.

The responses from inside were perfunctory at best—"Everything’s fine"—and no further details were shared, as it wasn’t appropriate for him to ask or for them to elaborate.

Growing increasingly anxious, Song Mo thought of Jiang Yan and summoned her. "Go check on your sister-in-law," he said.

Since Jiang Yan had been married before, Fifth Aunt and Sixth Aunt didn’t avoid her presence too strictly.

Seeing her brother so restless, Jiang Yan gently reassured him, "Sister-in-law is fine. The midwife says the baby won’t come until midnight. The kitchen is preparing sweetened eggs for her to eat."

Finally, Song Mo got some concrete information and sighed in relief. Puzzled, he asked, "Your sister-in-law can still eat?"

"Yes!" Jiang Yan replied. "The midwife said eating will give her strength for the delivery."

"Oh," Song Mo murmured blankly in response.Jiang Yan looked at her brother's silly expression and felt much closer to him. She said, "Then I'll go in now."

Song Mo urged her, "Go quickly, go quickly. If anything happens to your sister-in-law, come tell me immediately."

Jiang Yan entered the delivery room.

Within a quarter of an hour, she was called out by Wuyi.

"Young Lord is asking how Madam is doing?" Wuyi said awkwardly.

"Sister-in-law is doing fine!" Jiang Yan replied.

Wuyi bowed to Jiang Yan. "Cousin, if I report back like this, I'm afraid I'll get slapped out of the room. Please go and give Young Lord a detailed update—how many sweetened eggs has Madam eaten? How is her complexion? Is the pain severe? The more details you provide, the more at ease Young Lord will be."

Jiang Yan went to the study and relayed everything to Song Mo as Wuyi had instructed.

Song Mo was quite pleased and told Jiang Yan to return to the delivery room quickly. "If anything happens, come and inform me immediately."

But the midwife said sister-in-law was doing well—better than most women in labor...

Jiang Yan muttered to herself but didn't dare say such things in front of Song Mo, so she returned to the delivery room.

Soon after, Wuyi came to ask again.

Jiang Yan kept going back and forth until even Dou Zhao noticed.

She couldn't help but ask Jiang Yan, "What's going on with you?"

Jiang Yan blushed and said sheepishly, "It's my brother. He insists I report every little detail about what's happening in the delivery room."

Dou Zhao was surprised.

In her past life, when she gave birth to Wei Ge'er, Wei Tingyu was out drinking with friends. Tian Shi had to drag him back, and he even complained that she was taking too long. When she had Rui Ge'er, she didn't even bother telling him. By the time Yin Jie'er was born, he did show some concern, but he just waited in the study until the baby arrived.

She had thought she could face this life alone with strength, but when she heard Jiang Yan's words, tears welled up in her eyes despite herself.

"Sister-in-law, what's wrong?" Jiang Yan panicked. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"I'm fine," Dou Zhao said, wiping her eyes. "I'm just worried you'll tell your brother about how messy I look during childbirth."

"No, no," Jiang Yan waved her hands repeatedly, assuring her. "I definitely won't tell Brother." She added, "Sister-in-law's complexion is rosy—you look beautiful! Even if I wanted to tell Brother, there's nothing bad to say."

These siblings.

Dou Zhao burst into laughter.

At the beginning of the hour of Si the next morning, she gave birth to a son weighing six jin and seven liang.