Blossom

The youngest branch often produces the elders.

Jiang Bosun was only twelve years older than Song Mo.

Tall and elegant, he wore a lilac-colored straight robe, his face bruised and swollen, his right eye nearly shut from the swelling—clear signs of the treatment he had endured. Logically, such a state should have left him looking disheveled, yet he stood upright, exuding high spirits and an air of indifference, embodying the straightforward vigor of a northern man.

No wonder the master of Tan Family Manor held him in high regard!

Dou Zhao merely glanced at him before respectfully lowering her gaze and stepping forward to greet him.

Jiang Bosun studied her for a moment and smiled. "Meeting you for the first time, I should give you a gift, but your fifth uncle is penniless at the moment. I’ll make it up to you later." Without waiting for her response, he turned to Song Mo with a chuckle. "Back then, your mother praised Miss Dou in front of Grandmother, saying she was a woman who rivaled men, and even wished to meet her. Who would have thought that time would bring Miss Dou as her daughter-in-law? If your mother knew in the afterlife, she’d surely smile in her sleep." He playfully punched Song Mo’s shoulder. "This is the best thing you’ve ever done. Your grandmother and I were worried about your marriage!"

Such high praise from him made Dou Zhao blush.

Song Mo, however, laughed heartily, his face brimming with pride.

Dou Zhao excused herself, instructing the maids and pages to attend to them carefully before returning to the main courtyard, allowing the uncle and nephew to converse freely.

Dou Shiying had already heard about the incident at the Fragrant Mountain Estate. Due to the curfew in the Capital, which restricted travel by carriage or sedan, he sent Gaosheng to inquire about the situation.

Naturally, Dou Zhao only shared the good news, and since her grandmother was unharmed, Gaosheng sighed in relief and hurried back to report.

Song Mo returned to their quarters.

"Why are you back so early?" Dou Zhao personally wrung out a towel to help him freshen up. "I thought you’d be having lunch with Fifth Uncle."

"He’s still injured and needs to rest with medicine," Song Mo replied, taking the towel and kissing Dou Zhao’s cheek before continuing, "Let him recover first. We can host a banquet for him in a few days when he’s better."

Dou Zhao pondered. "Does the Crown Prince know about Fifth Uncle’s situation? Is he staying temporarily or recuperating here? Should we receive relatives and friends if they visit?"

"I haven’t had the chance to inform the Crown Prince yet," Song Mo admitted. "But I’ve already sent a message to the palace. Given the current circumstances, I’m not sure if it will reach him promptly. Until the situation in the palace becomes clear, Fifth Uncle will stay here to recover. As for his return, I’ve warned Wuyi and the others not to spread word. Just act as if you don’t know, keep the gates closed, and ensure no one in the household wanders about."

With Liao Wang’s rebellion causing such upheaval, noble families were shutting their doors to avoid entanglement—their household was no exception.

Dou Zhao nodded repeatedly.

Wuyi rushed in, sweating profusely. "Young Lord, Madam, a eunuch from the palace has arrived. He says he’s here on the Crown Prince’s orders to summon you, Young Lord, to the palace immediately. He won’t even drink tea, just stands in the hall waiting. He won’t answer any questions, only insists that the Crown Prince wants you to hurry—it’s urgent..."The Song couple exchanged a glance.

Had the Crown Prince already learned about Fifth Uncle's matter so quickly?

Song Mo said, "I'll head to the palace immediately!"

Wuyi ran to deliver the message while Dou Zhao instructed the maids to help Song Mo change into his official robes. Under the scorching sun, Song Mo entered the palace.

To show respect, the Crown Prince did not discuss state affairs with the ministers in the eastern side hall where the Emperor usually handled government matters. Instead, he received his officials in the eastern annex of the main hall.

When Song Mo arrived, not only were several Grand Secretaries from the Grand Secretariat present, but also Prince Huainan, the Earl of Yunyang, the Marquis of Xuannin, the Earl of Huichang, and several other senior imperial relatives and nobles. Yet the annex was eerily silent. The Crown Prince fiddled impatiently with his sandalwood prayer beads, while the senior ministers looked ashen-faced. The Earl of Yunyang even cowered behind Prince Huainan, appearing too ashamed to show his face—the atmosphere was extremely tense.

He stepped forward to pay respects to the Crown Prince, but when he looked up, he caught Dou Shishu signaling him with his eyes.

Song Mo couldn't help but look puzzled.

The Crown Prince motioned for Cui Yijun to bring a stool for Song Mo.

Song Mo expressed his gratitude and took a seat below Prince Huainan.

The Crown Prince glanced at Liang Jifen and said, "Liao Wang has taken the Emperor hostage. We're afraid to act rashly for fear of harming His Majesty. But we can't let this drag on either! So I've invited my royal uncle and these esteemed marquises and earls to advise me on how to persuade Liao Wang. Grand Secretary Liang recommended you—saying you grew up with Liao Wang, that the Emperor has always favored you, and that the Empress and Madam Jiang are close friends who treat you like a nephew. You'd be the perfect envoy to negotiate his surrender. That's why I summoned you here urgently!"

At this critical juncture, could the matter really be resolved with just a few words?

Had he somehow offended Liang Jifen?

This wasn't a recommendation—it was throwing him into the fire!

No wonder Fifth Uncle had been signaling him!

Song Mo cursed Liang Jifen vehemently in his heart but knew this matter had become the Crown Prince's greatest concern. If he refused outright, the Crown Prince would likely take offense.

After a moment's thought, he said, "Your Highness, may I speak with you privately?"

The others were astonished—no one had expected Song Mo to be so bold as to make such a request of the future ruler.

But without hesitation, the Crown Prince led Song Mo to a side chamber that served as a resting room.

Song Mo lowered his voice: "Your Highness has always been magnanimous and benevolent. Liao Wang is merely making a last stand now. Why not publicly declare that he was misled by the sorcerers around him? Out of brotherly compassion, you won't punish his treason but will instead confine him to Prince Liao's Residence."

The Crown Prince sighed wistfully. "Brothers are still brothers. Only Yantang speaks frankly to me. The others just evade responsibility, afraid of displeasing me. I never intended to take his life—no matter what, fraternal strife would only grieve our father most. If Liao Wang agrees, I'll petition the Emperor to strip his title, reduce him to commoner status, and have his eldest son inherit the Liao Wang title. That should satisfy both the Emperor and the people... Go and convey this to him."

This was already the best possible outcome.

Song Mo nodded. He and the Crown Prince left the resting room and headed straight for Xiangshan.

When the guards learned it was the Duke of Yingguo's heir, Song Yantang, arriving, neither side stopped him. He entered the mountains with only two personal guards.Liao Wang and his men were resting in a small temple at the foot of Xiangshan Mountain. After just one night, his temples had turned gray.

“What are you doing here?” he sneered. “Come to laugh at me or deliver a message from the Crown Prince? How spineless is your Duke of Yingguo’s household, always cleaning up our messes—don’t you find it disgusting?”

Song Mo tossed his saber to his personal guard and strode forward, punching Liao Wang square in the face.

Immediately, others moved to attack Song Mo.

His guards drew their blades in response.

Liao Wang, momentarily stunned, then bared his teeth and swung back at Song Mo.

The two men tumbled into a brawl.

Liao Wang’s guards hesitated, unsure what to do, and could only watch as the two exchanged blows.

After the time it took to burn an incense stick, their movements finally slowed.

Liao Wang’s guards stepped forward to restrain Song Mo, but Liao Wang roared, “Who do you think you are? Back off!”

The guards exchanged glances and retreated.

Song Mo and Liao Wang staggered apart, glaring at each other like fighting cocks.

Finally, Liao Wang spoke first. “Well? What does he want?”

“Release the Emperor. You’ll be stripped of rank, confined to Prince Liao’s Residence,” Song Mo said coldly, his gaze sharp. “Your eldest son will govern Liaodong in your stead.”

“And my mother?” Liao Wang demanded fiercely.

“That’s between the Emperor and the Empress,” Song Mo scoffed. “Do you know why you lost? Even now, you have no regard for the Emperor, while the Crown Prince never forgets his place. You deserved this defeat.”

He deliberately planted a seed of doubt in Liao Wang’s mind.

Liao Wang’s expression darkened, lost in thought.

Song Mo pressed, “Well? What’s your answer?”

Liao Wang snapped out of it.

Pursing his lips, he said, “Guarantee my mother’s dignity, and I’ll surrender without resistance.”

Song Mo stood. “I’ll relay that to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Liao Wang nodded and rose as well.

“No!” The Empress, her face haggard, emerged from behind the statue of the local deity. She grasped Liao Wang’s hand. “You can’t submit. This is just the Crown Prince’s promise. Once the Emperor returns to the palace, the final decision rests with him—they won’t spare you!”

Song Mo’s respect for the Empress had long since turned to disdain.

He said flatly, “Then what does Her Majesty suggest? What’s the better option?”

The Empress was left speechless.

Song Mo turned to Liao Wang. “Some decisions are yours alone. If you keep wavering, what can you possibly achieve?”

Liao Wang flushed red, glancing at his mother before saying slowly, “Ask the Crown Prince—how does he intend to deal with my mother?”

“Liao Wang!” the Empress cried in alarm.

Ignoring her, Song Mo bowed to both the Empress and Liao Wang before leaving the temple.

The Empress’s influence in the inner palace was too great, and the Crown Prince had no access to the imperial harem, making it impossible to restrain her. Frustrated, he paced in agitation.

Song Mo reminded him, “Should you seek the Empress Dowager’s counsel?”

Since the incident in the palace, the Crown Princess and their three sons had been staying with the Empress Dowager in the Palace of Compassionate Tranquility.

Liao Wang’s eyes lit up, and he hurried off to the palace.When he returned, he pulled Song Mo into the side room with a straight face, unable to contain the smile that soon spread across his features. "Her Majesty the Empress Dowager knew that in order to respectfully invite Father Emperor back to the palace, I not only promised not to pursue Liao Wang's treasonous acts but also agreed to preserve the Empress's title. She praised my filial piety and told me to focus solely on safeguarding the Empress's title, saying there are many titled but unfavored concubines in the palace. She mentioned that in the past, she simply didn’t wish to torment her daughter-in-law. She also said this matter should be left for the Emperor to handle and that I shouldn’t interfere—as the future ruler, my words carry the weight of gold..."

Song Mo smiled faintly and made several more trips to Xiangshan.

By late afternoon, the Crown Prince personally went to Xiangshan to welcome the Emperor back to the palace.

Only then did Song Mo realize how famished he was—he hadn’t eaten anything all day.