Tao Qizhong stared at the enraged Song Yichun, finding his behavior rather incredulous. He worried that if this continued, Song Yichun might make an even bigger fool of himself.
Good medicine tastes bitter; honest advice offends the ear.
Disregarding propriety, Tao Qizhong spoke quietly, “Duke, please calm down! Even if the heir had disloyal thoughts, he wouldn’t act now, in this manner. Your physicians are all from the Imperial Medical Academy, and your medicines come directly from there. Any issues can be easily traced. The heir is not a child of seven or eight. Having served the Emperor for years, he surely knows the rules of medicine used in the Imperial Academy. He would never do something so self-destructive. Please rest assured!”
Tao Qizhong refrained from saying one thing, fearing it might worsen Song Yichun’s condition: With the heir’s abilities, he could easily anger the Duke to death. Why would he risk using such an unskilled method as poisoning?
Tao Qizhong’s words gradually calmed Song Yichun, but he remained uneasy. He instructed, “Have someone trustworthy prepare my medicine.”
A long-standing freeze is not the result of one cold day.
Tao Qizhong had long given up hope of reconciliation between the Duke and his heir. Relieved that Song Yichun was no longer lashing out wildly, he quickly offered, “I’ll prepare the medicine myself. I don’t have much else to do anyway.” This arrangement would free him from constantly following Song Mo and being mistaken for a steward sent by Song Yichun to assist the heir, sparing him from being ordered around like a servant by visitors.
Song Yichun felt uneasy hearing this. Unable to trouble Song Mo, he had inadvertently inconvenienced his people instead.
He nodded silently and sheepishly retired to bed.
With Tao Qizhong helping to prepare the medicine, Dou Zhao was free to relax.
She set up a four-panel screen in the tea room and brought her needlework there daily. To the uninformed, it appeared she continued to prepare Song Yichun’s medicine. Tao Qizhong didn’t reveal otherwise, and they coexisted peacefully – one doing needlework, the other brewing medicine.
A few days later, as Song Yichun’s breathing improved, he asked Tao Qizhong, “Have the accounts for Yizhi Hall been settled?”
“They were completed yesterday,” Tao Qizhong hesitated before continuing, “I heard the lady brought over 200,000 taels of silver…”
Song Yichun was startled, “How does the Dou family have so much money?”
Tao Qizhong shook his head, “Even if Master Seven of the Dou family has no son, Master One and Master Two have plenty. They could have adopted one. How could the Dou family let the lady bring so much property…”
Song Yichun felt a twinge of pain hearing this. He gritted his teeth, “We must quickly investigate Chen Bo’s background. I don’t believe the Dou family would give Madam Dou such a large dowry without reason! Call in Lü Zheng’s wife. I gave her 500 taels to bribe people close to Madam Dou.”
Five hundred taels!
Tao Qizhong was secretly shocked. Even he might not receive such a generous retirement gift.
With mixed feelings, Tao Qizhong summoned Lü Zheng’s wife.
Her face flushed red as she reported, “The lady’s maids and servants are mostly from Zhending. They stick together and don’t associate with our household staff. The few family servants the heir assigned to her are even more stubborn. Despite my efforts, I’ve been unable to get close to those serving the lady directly.” She carefully avoided saying these people were loyal to Song Mo. Instead, she continued, “I’ve interacted with Yizhi Hall’s staff for days but still can’t speak to those close to the lady.” As she spoke, she placed the stack of banknotes Song Yichun had given her on a nearby stool. “Entering and exiting Yizhi Hall’s gate, I tipped the gatekeeper 20 taels total. Treating the courtyard sweepers to wine costs 21 taels. Buying snacks and hair accessories for the young maids cost 5 taels…”
Hearing of the lack of progress, Song Yichun grew impatient but, uncharacteristically, didn’t lose his temper. “Alright, alright! You don’t need to tell me these details. Give the accounts to Zeng Wu and you may go.”
Lü Zheng’s wife quickly bowed and retreated.
Song Yichun looked at Tao Qizhong, “It seems I must trouble you with this matter, sir!”
Tao Qizhong solemnly agreed, his mind racing.
Meanwhile, Dou Zhao instructed Song Mo, “Lift your foot. Let me see if these socks fit.”
Song Mo, lounging on the kang reading, quickly extended his foot to Dou Zhao.
Seated on a brocade stool by the kang, Dou Zhao tried on the socks she had made in the tea room over the past few days.
They fit perfectly.
Despite not having done needlework for years, her skills hadn’t diminished.
Dou Zhao nodded with satisfaction, deciding to make Song Mo some spring shoes tomorrow, followed by spring clothes.
She asked Su Xin to bring nail clippers and gently scolded Song Mo, “You’re a grown man with so many servants, yet you can’t even trim your toenails.”
Is it that bad? Song Mo looked at his feet.
Dou Zhao had already grasped his foot and begun trimming his toenails.
Song Mo felt a corner of his heart suddenly soften, as if spring water overflowed, inexplicably rippling through him, leaving him deeply moved.
He propped himself up on his elbow, gazing at Dou Zhao.
In the lamplight, Dou Zhao’s long eyelashes were like small fans, fluttering and casting shadows on her eyelids, accentuating her snow-white skin and red lotus lips.
He knew his Shou Gu was beautiful, but it was as if he was seeing her true beauty for the first time. She was as lovely as moonlight on the horizon, gentle and pure, captivating his gaze.
Dou Zhao smiled, patting Song Mo’s foot. With curved lips, she said, “Done. Other foot.”
Song Mo snapped back to reality, quickly removing his sock and extending his other foot.
After carefully trimming Song Mo’s toenails, Dou Zhao looked at her work with satisfaction and said, “Let me see your hands.”
Song Mo obediently held out his hands.
His hands were fair and delicate, with long, slender fingers and distinct joints. Each finger was like jade, with rounded, even nails – exquisite and flawless.
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but smile, tapping his hand, “You inconsistent fellow!”
Neglecting his toenails while keeping his fingernails so perfectly manicured.
Song Mo suddenly reached out, pulling Dou Zhao onto the kang.
Caught off guard, Dou Zhao gasped as she fell into Song Mo’s arms.
“You scared me!” Dou Zhao looked at her hand against Song Mo’s chest, the small scissors still dangling from her thumb. “What if I had hurt you? Don’t be so reckless in the future.”
Song Mo’s eyes sparkled, “I knew you wouldn’t hurt me.” He leaned down to kiss her lips.
Dou Zhao yielded to his desire, engaging in their passionate embrace.
As Song Mo’s breathing grew unsteady and his hands slipped into her robes, Dou Zhao took a breath to remind him, “You promised me you wouldn’t act improperly outside our private chambers again.”