Blossom

Song Mo, who had been playing with a ball to amuse his son, was somewhat surprised by the news. He smiled at Dou Zhao and said, "It seems Liao Wang is not to be underestimated!"

Of course—in her past life, he had become the emperor.

But in that life, he hadn’t returned midway.

So why had he come back to the Capital now?

Had the changes between this life and the last forced him to alter his original plans?

Dou Zhao felt that no amount of caution toward Liao Wang was excessive.

She warned Song Mo, "Be careful."

"We haven’t openly clashed with Liao Wang yet!" Song Mo reassured her with a smile. "I’ll act according to the situation."

Dou Zhao wanted to say more, but Yuan Ge’er suddenly rushed over, clinging to Song Mo and shouting, "Ball ball!"

Song Mo quickly picked up his son, laughing, and said to Dou Zhao, "Let’s go play with the ball—no more of this gloomy talk."

Yuan Ge’er hadn’t spoken a word until his first birthday, but shortly after the celebration, it was as if a switch had flipped. Not only could he call out "Daddy," but he also beckoned to the servants, saying, "You come," then pointed to a teacup when he wanted water or to snacks when he wanted food. Song Mo had been so thrilled he couldn’t sleep all night. The next day, he couldn’t resist boasting to Dou Zhao, who had been worried something might be wrong with Yuan Ge’er, "I told you our son is clever—he’s just the type to stay silent until he astounds everyone. You always fret over nothing, making me worry for no reason too."

Dou Zhao listened with a faint smile, saying nothing, though her heart ached with bittersweet emotions.

In her past life, Wei Tingyu had never paid attention to their children. Her two sons hadn’t called out "Daddy" until they were nearly two and already speaking clearly. In this life, Song Mo spent every moment after work with Yuan Ge’er, and her child had learned to say "Daddy" before "Mommy"... She turned her face away, blinking a few times, before turning back with a bright smile for Song Mo.

Song Mo showed Yuan Ge’er how to play with the ball.

Yuan Ge’er stood nearby, clapping his little hands. Each time the ball fell, he would toddle over eagerly to pick it up and hand it back to Song Mo. When Song Mo encouraged him to kick it a few times, he would hide behind Dou Zhao, peeking out at his father. If Song Mo put on a stern face, Yuan Ge’er would wave to his wet nurse, calling, "You come, you come," and once she approached, he would either ask for water or snacks. But if Song Mo was smiling, he would point at the ball and say, "Ball ball, ball ball," urging his father to keep playing.

Song Mo cheerfully kicked the ball a few times before suddenly realizing something. With a mix of amusement and exasperation, he turned to Dou Zhao, who was doing needlework nearby, and said, "So this little rascal just wants me to perform for him! I’ve become an entertainer."

Dou Zhao chuckled.

Yuan Ge’er didn’t understand why his parents were laughing, but laughter meant kindness.

Giggling, he picked up the ball and brought it to Song Mo like an offering, his big, dark eyes shining up at him.

Song Mo’s heart melted instantly. He crouched down, hugging Yuan Ge’er and planting two kisses on his cheeks.

Yuan Ge’er giggled, utterly adorable.

Song Mo took the ball from his son’s hands and said with a grin, "Watch closely—Daddy’s going to show you how it’s done."

He kicked the ball high, nearly hitting the ceiling.

Yuan Ge’er clapped his tiny hands, laughing and bouncing with joy, as lively as a little bird.

Wuyi, watching from the doorway, hesitated over whether to enter or leave.

Dou Zhao nodded at him.Wuyi then walked in with a smile, holding out a bright red invitation card. "Young Lord, Geng Li from Prince Liao's Residence has brought an invitation on behalf of Prince Liao. He invites you, Madam, and the elder master to a chrysanthemum-viewing banquet at Prince Liao's Residence on the twelfth of September."

Prince Liao had not immediately taken up his post in Liaodong after leaving the palace. Instead, he had resided in the Capital for two years before departing for Liaodong. His residence in the Capital had always been maintained by the Imperial Clan Court.

Dou Zhao felt that this banquet was likely more than it seemed, yet declining Prince Liao's invitation was not an option, especially since it was unclear how long he would remain in the Capital. One refusal might be excused, but what about the second or third?

After some thought, she said to Song Mo, who was silently contemplating the invitation, "It's a grave taboo for a feudal prince to associate with court officials, especially someone like you, the Metropolitan Commander of the palace garrison. Shouldn't you inform the Emperor about this?"

If the Emperor showed even the slightest displeasure, Song Mo would have an excuse to decline Prince Liao's invitation.

Song Mo chuckled. "Naturally, I must inform the Emperor. Otherwise, why do you think I rarely attend social gatherings? It's to demonstrate my loyalty to the Emperor. However, we must investigate Prince Liao's recent activities—whom he's been inviting, the order in which the invitations were sent, and so on." He paused thoughtfully. "And then there's Song Han. The Empress isn't one to meddle in trivial matters, yet she's been favoring Song Han so conspicuously. I don't believe she doesn't have her own agenda."

Dou Zhao nodded in agreement.

Early the next morning, Du Wei had already compiled a detailed report on Prince Liao's every move since arriving in the Capital and placed it on Song Mo's desk.

Song Mo reviewed the intelligence before returning to the inner chambers to have breakfast with Dou Zhao and Yuan Ge'er.

Dou Zhao asked, "What did Du Wei report?"

Song Mo fed Yuan Ge'er a piece of pork floss as he replied, "Prince Liao has only invited imperial relatives, sending invitations in order of seniority. Nothing seems amiss on the surface. He submitted a request for an audience with the Emperor even before entering the palace yesterday. Unless something unexpected happens, the Emperor will likely grant him an audience after the morning court session. Then we'll see if the Crown Prince is present."

If the Crown Prince attended, it would at least prove that despite the Emperor's favor toward Prince Liao, he remained clear-headed and upheld the Crown Prince's position as heir apparent. But if the Emperor met Prince Liao alone—or worse, excluded the Crown Prince and met Prince Liao with the Empress—the Crown Prince's standing would become precarious.

Dou Zhao understood this well.

As she saw Song Mo off, she gently patted his hand.

Song Mo grinned and, seeing the maids and old women keeping their distance, turned back to quickly peck Dou Zhao on the cheek before boarding his sedan chair.

Dou Zhao's face burned, and it took her a while to regain her composure before she calmly made her way to the main courtyard of the Duke of Yingguo's Mansion.

※※※※※

Not only did the Emperor meet Prince Liao alone, but he also jested with the imperial relatives who mentioned Prince Liao's banquet: "I merely missed my son and summoned him back for a reunion. He simply wishes to see his uncles and cousins. Don't stand on ceremony with him—he's made a fortune in Liaodong these years trading furs, ginseng, and pearls. Let him treat you all to good food and drink!"

Prince Huainan and the others laughed awkwardly in agreement, tactfully shifting the conversation to inquire about profitable business opportunities in Liaodong and how much Prince Liao had earned.The Emperor was clearly pleased by Prince Liao's words and became quite talkative. Not only did he recount the fascinating stories of Liaodong that Prince Liao had told him, but he also spoke about the customs and traditions of places like Goryeo.

Princes like Huainan were all masters at reading moods. They smiled and followed the Emperor's lead in conversation, keeping him in continuous laughter.

Song Mo stood at the very back of the crowd, lowering his eyelids.

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace was pacing anxiously. He asked Cui Yijun urgently, "What should I do?"

At this moment, Cui Yijun showed none of his usual petty greed but remained as steady as a mountain. "Your Highness," he said, "what were Master Zeng's final instructions to you? You are the pillar of the state. As long as you remain unmoved, no one can harm you in the slightest."

"Master Zeng" referred to the late Grand Secretary Zeng Yifen, who had served three dynasties.

Remembering the earnest gaze in Zeng Yifen's eyes before his passing, the Crown Prince gradually calmed down. He walked to the large desk, picked up a brush, and wrote the character for "endure" ten times in succession. Taking a deep breath, he then went to see the Crown Princess.

Cui Yijun silently burned the ten "endure" characters to ashes before calling in a young eunuch to clean the study.

※※※※※

Prince Liao made a grand appearance in the Capital, visiting one household today and calling on another the next. By the twelfth day of the ninth month, the entrance to Prince Liao's Residence was bustling with carriages and horses—everyone he had invited had arrived.

Prince Liao had not brought his consort with him but had returned to the Capital with his eldest son. He stood at the entrance of the main hall with his five-year-old heir to greet guests, while the inner courtyard was hosted by the Third Princess.

As soon as Dou Zhao stepped out of her carriage, she spotted Miao Ansu closely following behind Princess Ningde.

She was quite surprised.

Today's attendees were either wives of the highest-ranking nobles or first- or second-rank princesses. Miao Ansu held no official title.

Miao Ansu, too, felt uneasy amidst the crowd of noblewomen dressed in grand robes and rosy capes. She quietly explained to Dou Zhao, "Prince Liao's Residence only sent us an invitation yesterday, just before dusk. They claimed they hadn’t known Second Master had established his own household and had only sent invitations to Father-in-law and Eldest Brother. I thought it was just polite words from Prince Liao, but Second Master insisted on coming. He said it was an honor from Prince Liao and that attending this banquet would give him standing in the Imperial Guard. So I had no choice but to come along."

Dou Zhao had always maintained a peaceful relationship with Miao Ansu, so she found Miao Ansu's tone somewhat unfamiliar. Smiling, she replied, "No wonder I hadn’t heard you were coming. But since you’re here, you might as well enjoy the chrysanthemums at Prince Liao's Residence. A few years ago, I bought two Black Chrysanthemums from the Fengtai Flower Market, said to have been cultivated by a former gardener from Prince Liao's Residence. It shows they have true masters of chrysanthemum cultivation here. I came today partly to see them for myself."

A wife's status depends on her husband's glory.

Without rank or influence, Song Han commanded no respect—and neither did Miao Ansu as his wife.

Miao Ansu understood this well and seized the chance to stick close to Dou Zhao. "Sister-in-law, may I accompany you? I don’t know any of these people and feel completely out of place."

Dou Zhao smiled. "Then you should follow Princess Ningde as you did earlier. Her Highness is of noble birth and carries herself with grace. Staying by her side would ensure you don’t make any missteps."

Miao Ansu could sense Dou Zhao's deliberate distance.

Her expression dimmed, and she forced a weak smile.

Just then, Madam Changxing approached.Dou Zhao pretended not to notice and stepped forward with a smile to greet Madam Changxing. The two then walked side by side into the reception hall, chatting and laughing.

After paying respects to Third Princess, Dou Zhao took a seat beside Ningde Princess.

Ningde Princess discreetly pointed to a woman in a rose-red brocade sleeveless jacket beside Miao Ansu and asked, "Who is that? Do you know her?"