The small river on the back mountain flowed with crystal-clear water, revealing white pebbles on the riverbed.
Song Mo stood by the riverbank, silently gazing at the tree shadows reflected in the gently flowing water. Clad in a bluish-gray brocade robe with a jade hairpin, his tall figure and tranquil aura made him blend seamlessly with the trees behind him. He seemed to meld into the clear breeze and azure sky, exuding an autumnal crispness amidst the vast solitude.
As Dou Zhao alighted from her sedan chair, her steps faltered.
Hearing her approach, Song Mo turned and smiled, “You’ve come!”
His gaze was gentle and his smile sincere, yet Dou Zhao exclaimed in shock, “How did you become so thin?”
His once flawless features now appeared more defined due to his gauntness, lending him an austere and solemn air despite his smile.
“Really?” Song Mo chuckled, “I hadn’t noticed.”
Dou Zhao sighed inwardly. Anyone facing such circumstances would likely toss and turn, unable to eat or sleep, let alone while nursing injuries. The fact that he could stand before her was already remarkable.
She couldn’t help but ask, “How are your injuries?”
“They’re fine,” Song Mo replied briefly, clearly reluctant to discuss the matter. “Gu Yu helped me consult the best imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy. They all said not to rush and to recover slowly. I’ve been lying in bed these days, eating and drinking, not going anywhere.” He then smiled and asked her, “I heard your coming-of-age ceremony was lively. It’s a pity I couldn’t come to offer my congratulations…” His eyes revealed a faint regret, genuinely feeling sorry.
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but think to herself: Even if you hadn’t encountered this trouble, even if you weren’t injured, could you have come? In what capacity or under what pretext?
As the thought flashed through her mind, she realized she was overthinking.
Was there anything Song Mo couldn’t accomplish if he set his mind to it?
Perhaps his inability to attend and offer congratulations was a good thing.
If he had found an excuse to interact with her openly, how could she avoid getting involved in the Song family’s affairs in the future?
Then she thought of Ji Yong.
Why did everyone she encountered have such personalities?
Her thoughts then turned to Wu Shan and Wei Tingyu… She felt that both Song Mo and Ji Yong gave her headaches.
Deciding not to dwell on these thoughts, she looked around and pointed to a large blue rock not far away. She said to Song Mo, “Shall we go sit over there?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized they might be inappropriate—Song Mo’s injuries were reportedly severe, and she wasn’t sure of his current condition. She quickly added, “Never mind, let’s just talk standing here.” She couldn’t help but wonder if standing was causing him discomfort…
Song Mo gazed at Dou Zhao with a smile that reached from the depths of his eyes to the corners of his brows.
He said softly, “I’m fine. The external injuries have long healed, and as for the internal ones… My uncle felt that learning external martial arts was too aggressive for someone in our position as close ministers to the emperor. Years ago, he specially sought out a master to teach me internal cultivation and health preservation techniques. This practice is like brewing tea over a low flame—it requires patience and isn’t rushed.”
“That’s good!” Dou Zhao recalled that when Duan Gongyi first met Song Mo, he mentioned that Song Mo seemed to have learned some special martial techniques. Considering that both the Jiang and Song families were prosperous for generations, they surely had secret arts for self-defense and preservation unknown to outsiders. She simply acknowledged his words.
Song Mo smiled slightly and said, “You mentioned last time that there were wild vegetables on the estate. Do they grow on this back mountain? I haven’t seen any.”
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but ask, “Do you know how to identify wild vegetables?”
“Of course!” Song Mo smiled, “I didn’t before, but after returning home, I had some brought back… I may not recognize the rare ones, but I know most of the common varieties.”
Surely not, Dou Zhao thought, blinking her eyes.
Song Mo nodded at her very seriously.
Dou Zhao looked around, plucked a plant with oval leaves, and brought it back, asking, “What’s this?”
“This…” Song Mo hadn’t seen it before and began to sweat, mumbling, “It should be… knotweed?”
He had studied, Dou Zhao thought to herself.
“Wrong!” she said solemnly, “This is sorrel.”
Sorrel and knotweed look very similar, though one has narrower leaves while the other’s are more rounded.
Song Mo wiped his sweat in embarrassment.
Dou Zhao burst into laughter.
Her laughter, tinged with mischief and cunning, had a carefree exuberance that brightened Song Mo’s gloomy mood.
He couldn’t help but laugh along with her.
The smile softened Song Mo’s features, revealing a hint of youthful beauty.
Dou Zhao inwardly sighed with regret.
Such a handsome young man, yet Song Yichun had forcibly turned him into a killer.
“This is also called sour sour,” she said, waving the sorrel in her hand. “It’s a summer wild vegetable. After picking, wash it clean with water, blanch it briefly in boiling water, then drain and it’s ready to eat. It has cooling and blood-purifying properties.”
Song Mo took the sorrel from Dou Zhao’s hand and smiled, “Last time we ate okra. You seem to know a lot about these things.”
“Mm-hmm,” Dou Zhao nodded, looking up at the three wild peach trees on the opposite bank. She smiled, “I grew up here. As a child, I often went to the mountains with the village children to pick wild vegetables and catch fish in the river.” She pointed to a bend in the small river, “See that? In summer, there are many wild fish there…” Dou Zhao turned back and asked him with a smile, “Can you walk?”
“Yes,” Song Mo nodded, “I can walk.”
“Come on, I’ll take you somewhere!” Dou Zhao smiled as she walked ahead, saying, “If you feel tired, just say so.” She paused briefly, then added, “Don’t push yourself. There’s no point in that.”
“I understand,” Song Mo smiled, following Dou Zhao as they crossed the small river by stepping on stones.
Dou Zhao nimbly climbed up one of the wild peach trees.
Without hesitation, Song Mo followed suit.
From their vantage point, he could see vast stretches of farmland and two villages. The one to the east was Dou Zhao’s estate, with a gray-brick house standing in the center of the village, surrounded by low mud and thatch houses. The other village was unfamiliar to him. Both villages were similar in size and layout, and he could even make out the farmers working in the fields and people moving about in the brick houses.
Dou Zhao pointed to the unfamiliar village and smiled, “That’s the Lang family’s estate. The Lang family rarely comes here. An old, thin steward manages the estate. He has a plump wife who loves to drink. Every time she gets drunk, she chases the old steward, beating him. He curses while running into the fields, and all the people in the estate come out to watch the commotion…”
Song Mo couldn’t help but chuckle.