Blossom

She performed a proper curtsy and said calmly with a smile, "Madam, I'll go out and take a look."

Dou Zhao nodded.

Fuye stepped lightly out of the inner chamber.

Within moments, she returned.

"Madam," she whispered into Dou Zhao's ear, softly recounting how Miao Ansu had bound Qi Xia.

Dou Zhao frowned as she listened.

What on earth was Miao Ansu up to?

Even if Qi Xia had committed some mistake, there was no need to make such a public spectacle of it.

The thought flashed through her mind, and she had a sudden realization.

Could it be that Miao Ansu's real intention was to create a situation where no one could save face?

She instructed Fuye, "Dismiss the onlookers and have the Second Madam bring Qi Xia in."

Fuye acknowledged and left.

Gan Lu entered to help Dou Zhao change clothes.

Yuan Ge'er waved his arms excitedly, wanting his mother to hold him.

Dou Zhao was both amused and exasperated. She tapped her son's forehead and said, "With your father's reserved temperament, how is it that you're so eager to join in the excitement at the sight of any commotion? I wonder who you take after?"

The servants in the room stifled their laughter.

Dou Zhao handed Yuan Ge'er to the wet nurse and went to the main hall.

Miao Ansu stood in the center of the room, looking furious and humiliated, while several old women forced Qi Xia to kneel at Miao Ansu's feet with her head bowed.

Dou Zhao noticed that Qi Xia's hair was damp, as if freshly washed.

It was already the tenth month, and fearing the cold, people had long stopped washing their hair.

She sat composedly in the Grand Preceptor's chair in the hall and, without waiting for Miao Ansu to speak, reprimanded Gan Lu, "The Second Madam is new here and may not know that the main hall isn't a place to enter casually. But you, having served by my side for so many years—how could you not know?"

Gan Lu hurriedly knelt to beg forgiveness.

Miao Ansu's face turned crimson with embarrassment.

She quickly said, "This isn't Gan Lu's fault. I didn't know the rules." As she spoke, she signaled to the old women, "Why haven't you withdrawn yet?"

The old women hastily retreated.

Only then did Dou Zhao ask, "What happened that you couldn't keep your composure and made such a scene?" She did not invite Miao Ansu to sit.

Miao Ansu shifted uncomfortably and glanced at Gan Lu.

Gan Lu tactfully withdrew with the maids and old women.

Miao Ansu then indignantly recounted the incident to Dou Zhao, adding, "What kind of behavior is this? She's an old servant by Second Master's side. If there was something, she could have just told me. Instead, she insists on pushing herself toward the master. Where does that leave me, the mistress? In my anger, I couldn't think clearly and had her bound, bringing her before you to judge. Hearing you speak, I realize now how rash I was..."

Dou Zhao was shocked but couldn't believe Qi Xia would try to seduce Song Han.

If Qi Xia had such intentions, why would she have spent her hard-saved private funds to seek Ruo Zhu's help earlier?

Her sharp gaze fixed on Qi Xia, searching for any telltale signs in her expression.

But Qi Xia remained motionless, head bowed, like a clay statue.

Dou Zhao sighed inwardly and said sternly, "Qi Xia, lift your head."

Qi Xia raised her head.

Her jade-like face was streaked with tears.

Miao Ansu was taken aback.

Dou Zhao asked Qi Xia, "Do you admit your fault?"

Qi Xia was filled with resentment, but she knew better. Any defense would only worsen her situation and might even implicate her family.She respectfully kowtowed three times to Dou Zhao and said in a low voice, "This servant knows her mistake!"

Dou Zhao nodded and replied, "Since that's the case, it's no longer appropriate for you to stay in the mansion. I'll have Gan Lu accompany you to gather your belongings. This afternoon, you'll leave the mansion with the slave dealer."

"Yes!" Qi Xia responded, continuing to kowtow while tears streamed down her face like rain.

Hearing the commotion, Gan Lu entered and helped her out.

Miao Ansu stood dumbfounded.

Had the matter been resolved so swiftly and decisively? Just like that?

She still had so much to say, so many questions left unasked!

Miao Ansu turned her gaze toward Dou Zhao.

She saw Dou Zhao calmly sipping her tea.

Miao Ansu hesitated, words stuck in her throat.

Dou Zhao, without addressing her unspoken thoughts, smiled and said, "Since you've entrusted this matter to me, rest assured—I'll give you a proper resolution. I heard the Duke has gifted you a house. Between decorating it, organizing your belongings, and hiring new maids and old women, you must be quite busy. I won't keep you any longer." With that, she lifted her teacup.

Miao Ansu left awkwardly.

Dou Zhao watched her retreating figure with a faint smile before returning to her inner chambers.

By the time Song Han learned that Qi Xia had been handed over to Dou Zhao by Miao Ansu, Qi Xia had already been taken away by the slave trader.

Song Han's face turned livid with rage, and he nearly struck Miao Ansu.

He grabbed her by the collar and demanded, "What was the slave trader's name? Which agency was he from? When did he arrive? When did he leave? What did Qi Xia take with her besides her clothes and jewelry?"

His demeanor suggested he intended to chase after them.

Miao Ansu, seething with resentment, brushed him off: "I don't know. The slave trader was summoned by the Madam, and Qi Xia was taken from the Hall of Cultivating Will..."

Song Han shoved Miao Ansu aside and stormed out of the inner chamber.

Miao Ansu staggered, nearly falling to the ground.

She spat in the direction Song Han had gone, her heart heavy with bitterness.

Meanwhile, Qi Xia, her expression numb, suddenly noticed the carriage coming to a halt.

She lifted the curtain to look outside.

Dusk had settled over the wilderness, and dense forests surrounded them, making the place seem desolate.

Was she about to be silenced?

Her heart felt like ashes.

The carriage curtain was lifted, revealing the slave trader's honest face: "Miss Qi Xia, this is Manager Cui Da, who serves the Madam. The Madam knows you've been wronged, but rules are rules—without punishing you, it would be hard to maintain order. So, the Madam has sold you to Manager Cui Da. From now on, you'll follow him."

Tears welled up in Qi Xia's eyes like a spring.

Without even getting a clear look at Manager Cui Da's face, she clutched her bundle and followed him.

※※※※※

Song Han exhausted great effort but failed to uncover Qi Xia's whereabouts.

Growing increasingly uneasy, he paced around the house in agitation for two days before heading to the Hall of Cultivating Will.

To his surprise, Dou Zhao wasn't home.

Neither were Yuan Ge'er and the people from Zhen Ding.

Puzzled, he asked the servants, "Where has my sister-in-law gone?"

The servants smiled and replied, "The Madam and the Young Lord have gone out together. How would we know where they've gone?"

The term "Young Lord" pricked him like a needle.With a cold expression, he returned to his room, but his mind kept turning over the question: Where had Song Mo taken Dou Zhao and Yuan Ge'er? Since they were about to divide the family property, could they have gone to the Lu Family? Or perhaps the Dou family?

These two families—one represented the elder uncle, the other the younger—were both required to serve as witnesses during the division.

Unable to sit still, Song Han first went to the Lu Family.

Song Mo and Dou Zhao were not there.

He then went to the Dou family.

Even Dou Shiying was not at home.

Where had they gone?

Standing at the entrance of Jing'an Temple, Song Han watched the stream of pilgrims coming and going, feeling lost and bewildered.

Meanwhile, Song Mo, Dou Shiying, and the others were actually in the back alley behind Jing'an Temple—Hou Temple Alley.

Song Mo had purchased a small two-courtyard house there and had brought Consort Cui from Zhen Ding to live in it.

Dou Zhao and Consort Cui were currently embracing each other, weeping bitterly.

In the main hall, Song Mo and Dou Shiying shook their heads helplessly, while Yuan Ge'er, seeing his mother cry, also began wailing loudly.

Consort Cui quickly pushed Dou Zhao away, wiping her tears. "Look at you—you've made our precious Yuan Ge'er cry too."

Dou Zhao's eyes were red, but she smiled faintly, though tears continued to fall uncontrollably.

Consort Cui picked up Yuan Ge'er to soothe him while speaking to Dou Zhao, "The Young Lord often sent people to deliver letters, telling me all about you. I knew about your pregnancy and childbirth. I wanted to come see you as soon as Yuan Ge'er was born, but the Young Lord insisted I wait until after his hundred-day celebration. I understand—he was worried that with all the guests during the full-month and hundred-day ceremonies, I might be neglected. That boy is truly thoughtful. Shou Gu, you've married a good man. You must treat him well."

Dou Zhao nodded tearfully and asked, "Now that you're here, will you stay?"

"I will," Consort Cui replied with a smile. "The Young Lord is right—as long as family is reunited, any place can be home. I'll live here from now on. If you miss me, just bring the child to visit."

Moreover, this place was very close to Jing'an Temple Alley. If Father wanted to visit Grandmother, he could come anytime.

Dou Zhao nodded repeatedly.

Consort Cui then praised Yuan Ge'er, "This child is so sturdy—just like you when you were little."

Was I really that sturdy as a child?

Dou Zhao laughed through her tears.

Hearing this, Dou Shiying sighed and said to Song Mo, "You've been very thoughtful... I noticed there’s a vegetable patch in the backyard..."

Song Mo replied modestly, "It was nothing. Originally, it was a flower bed, but since nothing special was planted there, I took the liberty of turning it into a vegetable patch."

Dou Shiying was deeply moved.

Just then, Wuyi, who had followed them, hurried in and whispered, "Young Lord, Commander Shi Chuan has invited you to Drunken Immortal Tower for a drink." He presented a name card.

Song Mo was about to decline when Dou Shiying interjected, "If you have business, go ahead. I’ll stay here with Shou Gu and Consort Cui—nothing will go wrong." He then reminded him, "Shi Chuan is the Metropolitan Commander of the Imperial Bodyguard. The Emperor is most wary of him socializing with others. If he’s inviting you for a drink, it must be something important."

Most likely, it was about Shao Wenji’s death.

Song Mo knew the matter of the chopsticks couldn’t be hidden from Shao Wenji.

Still, the fact that Shao Wenji had handed Chen Jia—who was clearly his subordinate—a small blade showed just how little regard he had for Song Mo.

After a moment’s thought, Song Mo said, "I’ll go see what he wants. Please tell Shou Gu to wait for me—I’ll come back later to take her and our son home."This gave Dou Zhao and Consort Cui time to talk.

Dou Shiying saw Song Mo out.

Song Mo went to the Drunken Immortal Tower.

Shi Chuan was in his forties, of average height, with slightly dark skin—the kind of person who would easily blend into a crowd.

When Song Mo saw him, he couldn’t help but think of Chen Jia.

Did all those who excelled in the Imperial Bodyguard have to look like this?

It wasn’t as if they hadn’t met before.

Song Mo exchanged pleasantries with Shi Chuan with a smile, and they took their seats as host and guest.

The dishes were soon served.

Shi Chuan started with the topic of cuisine but eventually shifted to Chen Jia, saying, “He’s extremely capable. With him in the Pacification Office, everything runs much smoother—truly someone the Young Lord values. That’s why I’d like to give him more responsibility by transferring him to the Imperial Bodyguard headquarters as Assistant Prefect, overseeing internal affairs.”