Blossom

Watching the two embracing, Grandmother couldn't help but smile. She took Yuan Ge'er's hand and said, "Look, there's a patch of foxtail grass by the wall. Shall we pick some and put it on your father's desk?"

Usually easygoing, Yuan Ge'er was being stubborn this time.

He clung to Song Mo's sleeve, tearfully calling out "Daddy" and saying, "I want a hug too! I want a hug too!"

Dou Zhao's face burned.

She gently pushed Song Mo and whispered, "Everyone's watching!"

Her flushed face resembled a winter-blooming trumpet vine, radiant and proud.

Song Mo's heart raced. Unable to resist, he whispered back, "So it's fine when no one's looking? Alright then, wait for me tonight."

His words grew increasingly improper.

Fearing the servants might notice, Dou Zhao barely restrained herself from scolding Song Mo.

But Song Mo knew when to stop. Releasing Dou Zhao, he respectfully stepped forward to greet Grandmother.

Seeing Dou Zhao's flustered, awkward state, Grandmother tactfully changed the subject while chatting with Song Mo and walking toward a nearby pavilion: "I heard the Emperor is still being held captive. Is it alright for you to return like this?"

"No problem!" Song Mo supported Grandmother into the pavilion and helped her sit on the decorative bench. "I've done my duty. Getting further involved would just be showing off, which wouldn't be good."

"Knowing when to stop is rare wisdom," Grandmother praised. "Your merit in rescuing the Emperor will be recognized regardless. Competing further would only block others' paths and earn resentment."

"Exactly," Song Mo agreed, accepting tea from a maid and placing it before Grandmother. He then took Yuan Ge'er from Dou Zhao's arms and seated him beside Grandmother. To Dou Zhao he said, "I'm glad you're safe—I still need to rescue Fifth Uncle. With the Capital situation stabilized, Chen Jia will escort you home shortly."

Dou Zhao's heart skipped a beat. "Fifth Uncle came too? Did Liao Wang give him trouble?"

Song Mo sighed deeply. "Liao Wang never fully trusted Fifth Uncle. Bringing him to the Capital was partly to leverage your family's influence, partly to threaten me. He underestimated Fifth Uncle—beneath that careless exterior lies sharp perception. Fifth Uncle guessed Liao Wang's intentions before they even left Liaodong and secretly sent word to me. Unfortunately, we didn't know Liao Wang's exact arrival time. Least of all did we expect he'd target you too."

Dou Zhao paused. "So you knew about Liao Wang's plans beforehand? Is that why you sent me, Yuan Ge'er, and the old madam to Fragrant Mountain Estate?"

Song Mo remained silent, his gaze heavy with guilt.

Dou Zhao chuckled. "Don't tell me you're blaming yourself again? You're not omniscient! Even deities make mistakes sometimes."

Having lived two lifetimes, even she hadn't anticipated Liao Wang's sudden attack—how could Song Mo?

Song Mo smiled sheepishly.Dou Zhao asked, "Do you know where Fifth Uncle is?" She told Song Mo about Gu Yu's situation. "I was afraid the Crown Prince might purge later, so I had Duan Gongyi escort him back to Tianjin. As for Fifth Uncle, what do you plan to do? Will you plead with the Crown Prince or have someone quietly send Fifth Uncle back to Liaodong?"

Song Mo was unaware Gu Yu had visited and was very surprised upon hearing this. He said, "Shou Gu, you did the right thing! Given Gu Yu's awkward position now, it's best for him to stay away from these troubles. As for Fifth Uncle, we'll discuss what to do after meeting him—to be honest, this could be an opportunity, but sometimes it might also turn into a storm. Since Fifth Uncle is now leading the Jiang Family, the path the family takes depends on his decision. As for where Fifth Uncle is now... Since he didn't follow Prince Liao, he must be at Prince Liao's Residence. Besides the Imperial Bodyguards, the Emperor also employs agents from the Eastern and Western Depots. Prince Liao wouldn't dare to buy property in the Capital, so I think we'll definitely find him there." He added, "I'm worried that if we go too late, Fifth Uncle might suffer."

Dou Zhao didn't dare delay him and urged, "Then be careful! Go quickly and return soon!"

Song Mo nodded, exchanged a few words with his grandmother, kissed Yuan Ge'er, and left as abruptly as he had arrived.

Shortly after, Chen Jia came to escort Dou Zhao.

Chen Xiaofeng asked, "What about Second Master?"

Before leaving the Fragrant Mountain Estate, they had cleaned up the battlefield and found Song Han, who had been shot twice, trembling behind a corpse, so they brought him along.

"Take him back to the Duke of England's Mansion," Dou Zhao said. "We'll decide what to do after the Young Lord returns."

Such matters were best left to Song Mo's judgment.

Chen Xiaofeng acknowledged and withdrew.

Dou Zhao asked Chen Jia, "Is A-Yan doing well?"

Her tone was sincere.

"She's fine," Chen Jia replied. After the palace situation was controlled by the Crown Prince, he had quietly returned to Yuqiao Hu. "When I went back, she was asleep because she was tired!" As if recalling his wife's adorable state, Chen Jia's smile brightened.

Dou Zhao felt relieved. She bid farewell to Wang Xu and, escorted by Chen Jia and others, returned to the Capital.

By then, it was already time to light the lamps. The faint scent of Yu Zan flowers in the breeze made Dou Zhao feel as though she had been dreaming.

She shook her head, banishing those fragments from her mind.

Some things were better not dwelled upon!

Dou Zhao and the others took baths, and the kitchen served chilled mung bean soup.

The refreshing taste lightened their heads, but deep exhaustion soon set in. Before dinner, they all collapsed into bed. When Dou Zhao woke up, it was already the next morning, with sparrows chirping on the branches.

"Where are Yuan Ge'er and the Old Lady?" Dou Zhao asked as she got up.

Ruo Tong, accompanied by a few maids, brought hot water, soap, towels, and a mirror to help her dress.

"The Old Lady took Yuan Ge'er to look at flowers in the courtyard!" Ruo Tong said cheerfully. "Seeing you were sound asleep, the Old Lady told us not to wake you, saying your nerves had been strained and a good sleep would do you good."

So they hadn't even called her for dinner?

Dou Zhao pondered and indeed felt her spirits much refreshed.

She ate two bowls of porridge and four pan-fried buns before putting down her bowl. She asked Ruo Tong, "Did the Young Lord not return last night?"

"No!" Ruo Tong replied with a smile, directing the maids to clear the dishes.

Had Jiang Bosun been rescued yet?

"Has the Capital's lockdown been lifted?" Dou Zhao asked.When they returned yesterday, the streets of the Capital were already under curfew. If not for Chen Xiaofeng presenting the waist token Song Mo had left beforehand, they might not have been able to enter the city at all.

"No," Ruo Tong whispered. "I heard the Emperor is still in Liao Wang's hands!"

Dou Zhao frowned.

The longer this dragged on, the worse it was for the Crown Prince.

She stepped down from the kang, preparing to go to the garden to spend some time with her grandmother and Yuan Ge'er.

Suddenly, loud commotion erupted outside, growing increasingly noisy.

Ruo Tong immediately rushed out and soon returned to report, "Madam, it's the Duke. He's demanding that Second Master be moved to Cassia Fragrance Courtyard!"

Dou Zhao sneered and said, "Go deliver this message: Second Master deliberately attempted to harm Yuan Ge'er and falsely accused the Duke of ordering it. He should remain in the Hall of Cultivating Will until the Young Lord returns, lest people mistakenly think the Duke is trying to silence a witness!"

Ruo Tong obediently left to relay the message.

Soon, the clamor ceased, and the Hall of Cultivating Will returned to its usual tranquility.

Dou Zhao went to the garden.

Meanwhile, Song Yichun returned to Cassia Fragrance Courtyard with a pale face.

He summoned the "gravely ill" Tao Qizhong for a discussion.

Tao Qizhong instinctively wanted to refuse, but considering the recent upheavals in the Capital, he thought better of it and followed Zeng Wu to Song Yichun's study.

Song Yichun immediately launched into a tirade, calling Song Han an "idiot" and a "fool," then slumped in defeat. "Qizhong, that unfilial son actually claimed he was acting on my orders to support Dou Shi for Liao Wang! What should I do now?"

Tao Qizhong was so shocked he nearly fainted, regretting that he hadn't firmly left the Duke of England's Mansion out of consideration for Song Yichun's dignity. Now, Song Yichun was entangled in such a mess—no wonder he had been urging him to "rest" all this time.

He stomped his foot in frustration. "Master, how could you be so foolish as to get involved in such matters?"

Song Yichun was displeased by the rebuke, but since he needed Tao Qizhong's advice, he suppressed his irritation and asked, "Then what do you suggest?"

"Deny it outright," Tao Qizhong declared firmly. "Not only must you deny it, but you must also stop interfering in Second Master's affairs altogether."

Song Yichun was taken aback. After a long pause, he said, "I'm his father. Is it wrong for me to ask after him?"

Tao Qizhong had long disapproved of Song Han's deceitful and ruthless nature. He quickly replied, "Don't you know Second Master's temperament? If he pins all his misdeeds on you, what will you do? Liao Wang is still at Yuquan Mountain!"

Song Yichun gritted his teeth, unwilling to concede. "Are we just going to stand by and let Song Mo dominate everything?"

Tao Qizhong laughed bitterly. "Master, you should focus on extricating yourself first!"

After a long internal struggle, Song Yichun reluctantly nodded.

Tao Qizhong felt a weight lift from his chest.

At any rate, Song Yichun was Song Mo's father. Even if Song Yichun was implicated in the succession struggle, Song Mo, who had rendered meritorious service in protecting the Emperor, would likely spare his father's life...

Tao Qizhong resolved that, regardless of Song Yichun's intentions, he would resign and return to his hometown once the palace coup was settled.

Meanwhile, Song Han, who had been hastily bandaged and left in confinement, understood the situation far better than Song Yichun.With such a situation, it would be fortunate if her own father didn’t kick her while she was down—expecting him to rescue her was out of the question.

Song Mo wasn’t home.

Most likely, he was busy currying favor with the Crown Prince.

By the time he returned, things would probably take a turn for the worse.

Song Han stared at the towering guards stationed at the door, his brow furrowed in worry.

Dou Zhao, however, was in high spirits.

On her way to the garden, Wuyi, drenched in sweat, intercepted her: "Madam, the Young Lord has brought Fifth Uncle back and requests that you prepare a guest room and arrange for maids and old women to attend to him."

"So, everything went smoothly?" she asked him.

Wuyi hesitated for a moment before replying, "Fifth Uncle suffered severe torture, but fortunately, we arrived in time... On the way back, the Young Lord had already sent for a physician."

Dou Zhao couldn’t help but sigh. She instructed Ruo Zhu to prepare the guest room while she returned to her chambers to freshen up and change, ready to greet Jiang Bosun.