Blossom

Because the matter was of great importance, Song Mo had Lu Ming personally make a trip to Liaodong.

Lu Ming was stunned by the news and took a long moment to regain his composure before silently departing.

Song Mo stood alone in his study for a long while before summoning Wuyi. "Open the storeroom. I need to pick a few items to give as gifts."

The storeroom was immediately illuminated with bright lights.

After carefully selecting for some time, Song Mo had Wuyi carry several items to Dou Zhao.

Dou Zhao saw that what was brought over was a box of gilded fans, a throwing-pot vessel, and several sets of tangram puzzles. Puzzled, she asked, "What is this?"

Song Mo replied calmly, "Take some time in the next couple of days to enter the palace and deliver these to the Crown Princess."

If they were meant for the Crown Princess, then they were quite fitting.

Dou Zhao hesitated. "Are you planning to ally with the Crown Prince?"

"No!" Song Mo grinned, revealing his teeth. "I'm trying to stir the grass and startle the snake!"

Dou Zhao was confused.

Song Mo lowered his voice. "Originally, I intended to play both sides between Liao Wang and the Crown Prince—whoever ascends the throne, would they dare to withhold the Duke of Yingguo's stipend? But now, unless the Empress and Liao Wang are utterly destroyed, I cannot quell the hatred in my heart!"

"If we pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince now, we won’t have made any significant contributions, making it difficult to become his trusted confidants. It would be better to wait until Liao Wang makes his move, and then assist the Crown Prince in capturing the traitor. That would be a great merit worthy of titles and honors for our descendants."

"Fifth Uncle and the Jiang Family cousins are still in Liao Wang’s hands. We can’t openly oppose the Empress now. Moreover, I believe that once Fifth Uncle learns who framed the Jiang Family, he might still help Liao Wang succeed. Rather than forcing Fifth Uncle to turn against Liao Wang, it’s better to let him feign cooperation and act as an insider at the critical moment. When the Crown Prince ascends the throne, it will not only clear the Jiang Family’s name but also allow us to achieve great deeds and restore the family’s reputation."

"I’ve thought it through carefully. The Emperor is still alive, and the Crown Prince is the rightful heir. Liao Wang cannot openly attack the Capital—even if he succeeds, without the support of the realm, it would be difficult for him to secure the throne. If he wants to achieve his goal, he can only do so through a palace coup. But to stage a coup, he cannot bypass the Golden Guard."

"If we grow closer to the Crown Prince but refuse to submit to Liao Wang, how could the Empress tolerate my control over the Golden Guard? The Emperor has always trusted me deeply, but if the Empress decides to act against us, we’d be hard-pressed to defend ourselves. In that case, it’s better to strike first and force the Empress to make the first move. The Emperor has been weakened by illness these past years and lacks energy—those who are exhausted usually prefer peace over turmoil. As long as we convince the Emperor that I am the best person to command the Golden Guard, no matter how much the Empress schemes, she won’t be able to touch me. In fact, if she acts too aggressively, she might even arouse the Emperor’s suspicion."

"As long as the Golden Guard remains in my hands, Liao Wang’s rebellion won’t escape my notice."

Dou Zhao smiled. "So you’re having me deliver gifts to the Crown Princess to make the Empress think we’re trying to curry favor with the Crown Prince, thereby provoking her anxiety and forcing her to act against you first. In that case, I’ll have to visit the Eastern Palace more often from now on."

"Exactly." Song Mo smiled faintly. He had always known his wife understood him best. "It would be best to bring Dong’er along. If the Crown Prince ascends the throne, Dong’er becoming familiar with the imperial grandsons will only benefit him."

Dou Zhao nodded with a smile. The next day, she sent a request for an audience to the palace.

For noble families like the Duke of Yingguo’s household, the Crown Prince and his consort were naturally eager to foster closer ties.

On the third day, a eunuch from the Eastern Palace came to escort Dou Zhao and her son into the palace.Upon receiving the gifts from Dou Zhao, the Crown Princess was pleasantly surprised, but more than that, she was delighted.

A box of gilded folding fans was not particularly rare, but the fan surfaces depicted the twelve months of the four seasons—spring peonies, summer lotuses, autumn chrysanthemums, and winter plum blossoms—all intricately hollowed out and colored with layered gauze, exquisitely unique.

The pitch-pot was neither metal nor wood, its material unidentifiable. The body of the pot was carved with a circle of kneeling beauties in deep robes, their forms graceful and elegant, exuding an antique charm that clearly marked it as a relic from the previous dynasty.

Several sets of tangram puzzles were made of sandalwood and aloeswood, their subtle fragrance soothing the mind when held.

"You've gone to such trouble," the Crown Princess said with a smile, instructing her ladies-in-waiting to receive the gifts.

Dou Zhao replied respectfully, "We have long been indebted to your kindness. If these humble gifts meet your approval, it is our honor."

"There’s no need for such formality with me," the Crown Princess said warmly, engaging in small talk with Dou Zhao. She then had the Third Imperial Grandson brought over to play with Yuan Ge'er on the heated brick bed in the eastern hall while she and Dou Zhao conversed in the heated room.

From the weather that spring to the latest trends in hairstyles and clothing—topics every noblewoman was expected to master—the Crown Princess was thoroughly engaged. Dou Zhao, with her foresight from two lifetimes, offered insights that made their conversation increasingly congenial. Before leaving, Dou Zhao even sketched a few clothing designs before taking Yuan Ge'er home.

The Crown Princess had the embroidery bureau make two outfits based on the designs, which Empress Dowager praised upon seeing them.

Being astute, the Crown Princess recognized Dou Zhao’s efforts to build rapport and naturally reciprocated by praising her lavishly.

When Empress Dowager, thinking of Empress Wan’s upcoming birthday, remarked with a smile, "Have her come to the palace and design a couple of outfits for me as well," she then reconsidered. After all, Dou Zhao was the wife of a high-ranking Young Lord—it wouldn’t do to treat her like a seamstress. With a sigh, she added, "Never mind, let the embroidery bureau handle it."

Previously, to avoid suspicion, the Duke of Yingguo’s household and the Eastern Palace had maintained a distant relationship. It was only because Yuan Ge'er and the Third Imperial Grandson shared birthdays a day apart, and the Emperor himself had named both children, that they dared to interact. But the Crown Princess found Dou Zhao to be perceptive and tactful, unlikely to take offense, and thus sent her a message.

Dou Zhao promptly entered the palace and designed several outfits for Empress Dowager.

Empress Dowager instructed her ladies-in-waiting to deliver the sketches to the embroidery bureau and, holding Dou Zhao’s hand, said warmly, "You’ve worked hard!"

Dou Zhao replied humbly, "Your words overwhelm me. You have treated our Young Lord like family. To serve you on his behalf is an honor for both him and me—how could it be called hardship?"

Empress Dowager was thoroughly pleased with her response and rewarded Dou Zhao with two gold hairpins inlaid with Hetian jade, Song Mo with two inkstones, and Yuan Ge'er with several bolts of cloth.

On the day of Empress Wan’s birthday, Empress Dowager shone in a sapphire-blue ensemble paired with pink, striking a balance between radiance and dignified elegance. The Crown Princess deliberately played a supporting role, allowing Empress Dowager to outshine the birthday celebrant.

The Emperor remained oblivious to such nuances, but Empress Wan found it peculiar. Upon inquiring and learning that Dou Zhao had designed Empress Dowager’s attire, she merely smiled magnanimously and remarked, "This Dou Shi—who knew she had such talent?"The Crown Princess thought about the upcoming birthday of the Empress Dowager and encouraged her to make a new set of clothes. During her time as Empress, the Empress Dowager had to be demure and virtuous, never daring to wear anything too bright or flashy. Now that no one was restraining her, and with the long, lonely nights in the palace, she immediately took an interest. She frequently summoned Dou Zhao into the palace. Later, upon learning that Dou Zhao was personally nursing Yuan Ge'er, she even had her bring the child along when she visited. "It’ll be good company for the Third Imperial Grandson," she said. The Crown Princess then took the opportunity to bring the Third Imperial Grandson to the Palace of Compassionate Tranquility to play, helping the Empress Dowager brainstorm ideas. On several occasions, they even encountered the Emperor, who had come to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager. Seeing the joyful laughter and the babbling of children filling the palace, creating a warm and lively atmosphere, the Emperor noticed that the Empress Dowager’s complexion had improved significantly compared to before. Delighted, he played with Yuan Ge'er and the Third Imperial Grandson for a while before having the eunuchs take them away.

From then on, Dou Zhao’s visits to the palace became even more frequent.

The Crown Princess and Dou Zhao also grew closer.

The Empress paid no mind to this and, on the rare occasions she encountered Dou Zhao in the palace, would even pull her aside for a friendly chat.

Dou Zhao said to Song Mo with a smile, "The Empress is far more magnanimous than you thought. Your plan didn’t work."

Song Mo was unfazed. "If even you could detect the Empress’s emotions, how could she survive in the palace?"

Dou Zhao thought about it and agreed, pursing her lips in amusement.

Lu Ming returned from Liaodong.

Song Mo went to see him.

A few days later, Jiang Da Tai Tai from Haozhou spread the word: "It’s not that the Young Lord is unwilling to return the items left behind by the late master to the Jiang Family. Rather, when the master entrusted these things to the Young Lord, he said, ‘All things in this world belong to those who are virtuous.’ Fifth Master Jiang is not someone capable of upholding the family’s legacy. Even if the Young Lord were to return these things to him, they would only be squandered. It’s better to leave them with the Young Lord."

Song Mo also made his stance clear, saying, "I have no intention of monopolizing the possessions left by my uncle. It’s simply that the Jiang Family now consists only of women and children, with no one to take charge. For now, I am merely safeguarding these items on their behalf. Once the Jiang descendants come of age, they will naturally be returned."

Jiang Bosun’s past misdeeds were dredged up.

Everyone sighed and called him a "spendthrift," looking down on his dispute with Song Mo over the inheritance.

Dou Zhao asked Song Mo, "Are you trying to force the Empress’s hand?"

Song Mo blinked at her and said, "There’s more to come."

Not long after this conversation, they celebrated the Empress Dowager’s birthday.

The entire court came to offer congratulations.

The Duke of Yingguo’s household was invited to a family banquet held at the Palace of Compassionate Tranquility.

Miao Ruosu was nervous, while Song Han was resentful.

As members of the same ducal household, Song Mo entered the palace as easily as walking on flat ground, while for him, it was as difficult as scaling the heavens. Not only that, but along the way, people greeted Song Yichun, Song Mo, and even Dou Zhao, while hardly anyone spared him and his wife a glance. They might as well have been servants trailing behind Song Yichun and Song Mo. His resentment peaked when Gu Yu appeared.

Gu Yu didn’t even care about the princes’ opinions—why would he pay any attention to Song Han?

He ignored Song Han completely, pulling Song Mo aside excitedly and whispering, "I’ve sold two more ships. Do you want to take some time to visit the shipyard in Tianjin? The weather’s perfect these days—you could even bring Sister-in-law and Yuan Ge'er along."Song Mo was somewhat tempted but after some thought, said, "I'd better not go." Then, glancing around, he lowered his voice and added, "I've been investigating the cause of my uncle's death these days and can't get away."

"Oh!" Gu Yu sounded disappointed.

The Empress, who hadn't seen Gu Yu for some time, quickly beckoned him over and chided, "Have you still been at the Tianjin shipyard these days? Is business really that entertaining? I think it would be better if you did something proper! If you're truly bored, go to Liaodong and play with your cousin." She continued, "Sort out your affairs and hand them over to Yantang to deal with."

Gu Yu remained silent.

The death of Duke Ding was a taboo subject. Song Mo investigating Duke Ding's death would only displease the Emperor and Empress, so he decided to keep quiet.