This was truly a case of touching a sore spot.
“A father can’t control his son.” The Marquis of Changxing had once joked half-seriously when proposing a marriage alliance. He initially didn’t want to marry into a family of mere colonels, but refusing again would make it seem like he truly feared his son.
Song Yichun’s face turned ashen, his teeth clenched as he said, “You should prepare a generous gift to thank the Marquis of Changxing properly.”
The implication was clear: the notoriously bold Marquis of Changxing was not like the Marquis of Anlu. If Song Mo wanted to challenge him, he’d better first consider if he could do so.
Song Mo sneered, casually cupping his hands towards Song Yichun, and said, “If Father only called me here to say these things, then my wife and I would take our leave. You’ve rushed back in anger; you should rest well!” He glanced at Tao Qizhong, adding, “It’s perfect timing. Mr. Tao can keep Father company and report on the recent happenings at home, allowing Father to make decisions.” He then signaled Dou Zhao to hand over the household token to Song Yichun.
He wanted to see who would dare take charge of Duke Ying’s household affairs without his approval!
This was what the two of them had planned.
Dou Zhao understood and placed the rosewood box containing Duke Ying’s household token on the tea table beside the armchair.
Without waiting for Song Yichun’s agreement, Song Mo pulled Dou Zhao out of the main hall.
“You rebellious son!” Song Yichun exploded in rage, shouting for someone to bring Song Mo back.
Everyone in the household knew that the young master had learned martial arts from the Jiang family since childhood. While his exact skill level was uncertain, he had never been bested, whether at home or outside.
If they angered the young master and he killed them in a fit of rage, would Song Yichun make his son pay with his life?
The dead guards were a stark reminder!
Yet, they didn’t dare disobey the Duke’s orders. They looked at each other hesitantly, moving slowly towards the door, their reluctance evident.
This further enraged Song Yichun. Just as he was about to berate his servants, Tao Qizhong, who had been silently sighing, stepped forward with trepidation: “My Lord, there are urgent matters at hand! Many things have happened in the capital during your absence…”
Song Yichun seized the opportunity to change the subject and went with Tao Qizhong to the study.
Before he could steady himself, he said with a grim face, “This can’t go on! We must find a way to deal with Song Mo!”
Tao Qizhong was startled and quietly reminded Song Yichun, “The young master is now a close confidant of the Emperor. It might not be wise…”
“The more unwise it is, the more necessary it becomes,” Song Yichun’s eyes flashed with malice as he muttered, “But where should we start? We must first make him lose the Emperor’s favor… Without the Emperor’s protection, let’s see how he can remain so arrogant.”
Song Yichun suggested a few ideas: “A nominal promotion but actual demotion, asking the Emperor to give him a position that would take him out of the capital… or making him commit an offense in the palace, causing the Emperor to dislike him…”
These were all temporary solutions that didn’t address the root of the problem. Even if they managed to subdue Song Mo for a while, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t retaliate more cruelly once he recovered.
Tao Qizhong couldn’t help but smile bitterly, quietly reminding him, “If rumors of a father abusing his son spread, it wouldn’t be good either!”
Song Yichun furrowed his brow.
After leaving the main courtyard, Song Mo’s lips were tightly pressed, a cold glint in his eyes causing the servant women on the path to panic and quickly move aside. It wasn’t until he entered Yizhi Hall that he spoke grimly, “I don’t know how he became the Commanding Officer of the Front Military Command!”
His words reminded Dou Zhao.
In her previous life, after Madam Jiang’s death, Duke Ying’s household had steadily declined. By the time the Prince of Liao ascended the throne, Duke Ying had long been idle at home. This might have been one of the reasons why the Prince of Liao dared to strip Duke Ying’s household of its title without hesitation, using them as a scapegoat to intimidate the noble families in the capital.
It was clear that Song Yichun’s abilities were limited.
She asked Song Mo, “What do you plan to do about the Marquis of Changxing?”
Song Mo scoffed, “I imagine he’s heard about our family’s situation. By offering to be a matchmaker for Father again, he’s trying to save face and test the extent of my capabilities. We can’t let him succeed in any case, and we must teach him a lesson!”
Dou Zhao felt a bit worried.
Song Mo reassured her, “We’re just testing each other’s depths. Neither of us will go too far over such a small matter.”
Dou Zhao could only advise him to be careful.
However, the earlier romantic atmosphere had completely dissipated.
Song Mo called Yan Chaoqing over to discuss business.
Dou Zhao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Song Mo was still too young and shouldn’t be too indulgent.
By evening, her monthly cycle had begun.
Song Mo couldn’t hide his disappointment.
Dou Zhao’s feelings were complex.
She had made up her mind that in this life, she would personally raise her children.
But they had so much to do right now, and if the children came later, they could be better prepared. So she had taken some measures. However, seeing Song Mo’s reaction now, she felt very uneasy.
Perhaps they should just let nature take its course?
Song Mo quickly composed himself and kept reassuring her, “Maybe next time we’ll conceive!”
Dou Zhao’s smile seemed forced no matter how you looked at it.
Song Mo silently reproached himself.
What was more important, having children or Dou Zhao?
Wasn’t it because the child would be born to Dou Zhao that he was so eager?
If it made Dou Zhao unhappy, what was the point?
He called for an older matron to inquire, personally brewed brown sugar water for Dou Zhao to drink, and told her to rest well at home. He said he had some business to attend to for the next couple of days, and if she felt bored, she could invite Sixth Aunt, Mrs. Wang, and other relatives and friends over for a chat.
Dou Zhao barely held back her tears, feeling guilty for several days before recovering. Unexpectedly, she was then summoned by Song Yichun for a harsh scolding.