Song Mo nodded with satisfaction and said, “Wait for me in the study. I’ll check on my wife first.”
Yan Chaoqing chuckled, watching Song Mo lift the curtain and enter the hall before turning to go to the study.
After a tumultuous night, everyone had finally retired just before dawn, exhausted. With guards outside, they slept soundly. It wasn’t until Song Mo entered the resting chamber that Su Xin sat up, startled.
“Who’s there?” she called out warily. Su Lan also awoke with a start.
Seeing it was Song Mo, Su Xin let out a long sigh of relief, her entire body relaxing. “Oh, it’s the Young Master!”
Thankfully, fearing intruders, she and her sister had slept fully clothed.
Su Xin silently gave thanks as she and Su Lan rose to bow to Song Mo.
Song Mo nodded slightly without looking at them and entered the inner chamber.
Su Lan gaped, whispering, “Sister, how has he changed so much since marrying our miss? He’s not this cold to her too, is he?”
“Shut up!” Su Xin was at a loss for how to discipline her sister. “How many times have I told you to call her ‘Madam’ and him ‘Young Master’? Why don’t you ever take it to heart? You’re eighteen now, not a child anymore! If you keep misbehaving, I’ll have the Madam send you back to Zhending. That way you won’t cause her trouble with your carelessness!”
Su Lan pouted, disgruntled.
Su Xin couldn’t help but sigh deeply.
In the blink of an eye, her sister was already eighteen, yet still unmarried… It was time to start arranging a marriage for her… She’d speak to the Madam about it in a few days when things calmed down…
She instructed Su Lan, “Now that the Young Master is back, the Madam will rise soon to wash up. Have hot water prepared.”
She then rolled up the bedding and carried it back to her room.
Dou Zhao didn’t have Su Xin’s keen awareness and was still sound asleep.
Song Mo stood by the bed, carefully observing Dou Zhao.
She lay on her side, her delicate skin like early winter snow, her rosy complexion like early spring plum blossoms. The air seemed to carry a crisp yet tranquil scent.
Song Mo gently crouched down.
Dou Zhao’s eyebrows were thick and dark, the corners of her eyes slightly upturned, giving her a proud yet extremely beautiful look.
He had never realized how captivating her eyes were.
It reminded him of their intimate moments when she would look at him with tears welling up, her eyes shimmering like the rippling spring light of March…
Song Mo felt his body becoming aroused again.
At this moment, instead of thinking about how to comfort Dou Zhao, his mind was filled with intimate thoughts of being with her.
Song Mo cursed himself inwardly, forcing down those inappropriate thoughts. Yet he couldn’t help but reach out to gently touch her eyebrows.
Dou Zhao woke with a start.
She blinked, with a sleepy bewilderment, like a defenseless child.
Song Mo’s heart ached suddenly.
Who is born naturally decisive and ruthless?
It’s merely the result of one’s circumstances.
Dou Zhao had already faced many hardships in her maiden home. Marrying him not only failed to bring her happiness and peace, but she now had to share his worries and fears, worse off than before her marriage!
If Dou Zhao had hesitated even slightly back then, if Yan Chaoqing and the others had arrived just a bit later, and Dou Zhao had been hurt by those thieves, what kind of situation would they be in now?
The mere thought made his fingertips go cold.
“Awake?” Song Mo asked, his voice somewhat hoarse, as he reached under the covers to hold Dou Zhao’s hand.
Recognizing him, Dou Zhao relaxed even more. “You’re back!” Too tired to get up, she lay there talking to Song Mo.
With such an incident at home, Song Mo appeared unperturbed, but he must have been upset inside.
She responded by holding his hand as well.
Song Mo buried his face in the bedding.
“I’m sorry, it’s all my fault… I didn’t handle things well… This will never happen again… I promise…”
The bedding gave off an unidentifiable fresh scent, penetrating deep into his lungs, making Song Mo’s eyes feel sore and moist.
Dou Zhao sighed inwardly, unsure whether to thank Madam Jiang for raising Song Mo to be so exemplary, or to blame her for educating him too rigidly — whenever something went wrong, Song Mo always looked for fault in himself first.
But at this moment, seeing Song Mo’s dejected face, she sincerely wished he wouldn’t always be so strong.
Perhaps if he acted like a spoiled young master occasionally, flaunting his power, it might make her feel better.
“How is this your fault?” Dou Zhao said with a light, casual tone. “I heard from Mr. Yan that it was a group of desperate criminals from Cangzhou. They risked it all after hearing about my lavish dowry…”
Song Mo raised his head, the corners of his eyes slightly red. “If I had enough prestige, how could I not deter such lowly criminals? It all comes down to my incompetence, unable to protect my wife and family…”
Continuing to blame himself would only lead to deeper depression.
“Alright, alright,” Dou Zhao chided gently. “This trouble was caused by my dowry, or to be more precise, by the extra bundle of banknotes my father added at the last moment. You don’t know how the rumors have spread outside — they say that bundle alone is worth two hundred thousand taels, which is what attracted the thieves. Mr. Yan has already sent someone to inform my father. Knowing his temperament, he’s sure to rush over.
If you say such things in front of him, he’ll feel even more guilty than you… What’s done is done. What use is there in self-blame? You’d better think about how to mend the situation! Just thinking about those nineteen bandits still at large makes my back go cold with fear.” She diverted Song Mo’s attention, “Yan Tang, you need to personally oversee this matter. I don’t quite trust the others. Besides, I’ve obtained the command token of Duke Ying’s mansion!” She became excited as she mentioned this.
Compared to her careful calculations in her previous life, Dou Zhao preferred her current willfulness.
She sat up, saying, “I’m going to gather the household servants to address them soon. If you can ensure the house is safe afterward, we can quickly establish our authority here. Even if Father-in-law receives the news and rushes back now, it would be too late. What do you think?”