Just as Song Mo had settled into his study, Gao Sheng arrived with many nutritious gifts. “Our master is very pleased,” he said. “He asks the Young Master to take good care of the Young Mistress. After the full month, he will send someone to bring the young prince back for a short stay.”
According to custom, the third-day celebration and the full-month celebration were women’s affairs, and even as the father, Dou Shiying should keep his distance.
Song Mo was overjoyed, and knowing how much the old master valued Dou Zhao, he must be equally delighted.
After some thought, Song Mo said, “Tell my father-in-law that when he has some free time, he should come for a visit. I’ll bring out the young prince for him to see.”
Gao Sheng was overjoyed to hear this. He kowtowed to Song Mo several times before taking his leave.
As Song Mo was about to write the announcement cards, Gu Yu, having heard the news, rushed over.
With visible excitement, he asked, “I heard it’s a boy, weighing six jin and seven liang. Is that true?”
Song Mo nodded repeatedly. No longer in the mood to write announcement cards, he sat there talking about the child: “…He opened his eyes within two hours… The midwife said most babies can’t open their eyes for seven days… His eyebrows look like mine, his lips like your sister-in-law’s, he’s incredibly beautiful… I was just worrying about naming him when you arrived. It’s perfect timing, help me choose a suitable name.”
The two of them hunched over the kang table by the window, selecting from the names Song Mo had written down earlier.
Upon hearing that Dou Zhao had given birth to a son, Song Yichun, who was practicing calligraphy, darkened his expression and irritably tossed aside his brush.
The servant who came to report the news stood there trembling, not daring to move.
Seeing this, Song Yichun’s face grew even darker. He frowned and waved his hand at the servant.
The servant, as if granted a great pardon, fled at once.
Tao Qizhong sat in his quarters for a while before deciding to check on Song Yichun.
After the commotion caused by Song Mo and Song Han, although Song Yichun hadn’t said anything to him, Tao Qizhong guessed a few things.
He had entered the Duke of Ying’s household after Song Han’s birth, not long after the old Duke had passed away. Many of the old servants in the Duke’s household had been sent back to their hometowns to retire, and then Madam Jiang had taken over the household affairs. At the time, he thought it was just a normal changing of the guard and didn’t pay much attention. Now it seemed that Song Yichun was bolder than he had imagined, but also more incompetent, impulsive, and thoughtless.
If he continued to follow Song Yichun like this, he feared he would meet a bad end at Song Mo’s hands.
He began to consider leaving.
However, at this moment, with Song Mo having just added a firstborn son, his position was even more secure. Song Yichun must be feeling very upset, so it wasn’t the right time to bring this up. Not only that, but he also needed to comfort Song Yichun and improve his mood, so that when the time came for him to leave, he could do so peacefully, fulfilling his duty as a guest to his host.
With these thoughts, he hesitated no longer. He changed his clothes and went to the Xixiang Courtyard.
As expected, Song Yichun was there, throwing a tantrum.
Upon inquiry, it turned out that a maid had served tea that was too hot.
Tao Qizhong sighed and asked a servant to announce his arrival.
A maid soon came out and lifted the curtain.
Tao Qizhong entered the study with a solemn expression.
Song Yichun immediately said, “You must have heard? Song Mo has had a son.”
“I have heard,” Tao Qizhong replied. “That’s why I’m here.”
Song Yichun let out an interested “Oh,” a hint of a smile appearing on his face. He pointed to the chair beside him, “Sit down and let’s talk.”
Tao Qizhong asked Song Yichun to dismiss the servants in the room and said, “Why not find a powerful marriage alliance for the Second Young Master? The affairs of the inner household should be left to the women to handle. When we men meddle in such matters, it’s like scratching an itch through our boots – ineffective when it matters.”
Song Yichun hesitated, “Would that work? Dou Shi is shrewd and formidable, not easy to deal with. I’m afraid an ordinary woman couldn’t keep her in check.”
“Then why not marry a princess?” Tao Qizhong suggested. “No matter how capable the Young Mistress is, would she dare to interfere with a princess?”
Song Yichun’s eyes lit up at this. “The children born to a princess would be imperial relatives, with a much higher status than those born to Dou Shi. That would give Song Mo a headache.” At this point, he couldn’t help but snort coldly, “Let’s see if Song Mo still treats Dou Shi like a precious treasure then!” He then began to consider which princess would be a suitable match for Song Han: “Princess Fuyuan is already married; Princesses Jingyi, Jingtai, and Jingfu are three, two, and one year older than Tian’en respectively. Jingfu seems the most suitable, but Jingyi is Empress Wan’s biological daughter…”
Tao Qizhong didn’t comment, just sipping his tea.
Were imperial princesses so easy to marry? With Song Mo as such an outstanding example, and Song Han rumored to be illegitimate, forget about princesses – even families with some standards wouldn’t easily marry their daughters into this situation.
Not daring to offend Song Mo, he could only fabricate this plan to get through the immediate situation.
However, seeing Song Yichun like this, he couldn’t help but remind him: “If not a princess, a noble lady or the eldest daughter of a prestigious family would do. As long as her family is powerful, combined with the support of the first, third, and fourth branches of the Song family, the Second Young Master might not necessarily lose to the Young Master – after all, no matter how capable the Young Master is, he can’t completely disregard his clan relatives, can he?”
Song Yichun nodded repeatedly, and his mood greatly improved.
If he took good care of himself, he had at least thirty good years left. With his support, why worry about not being able to suppress Dou Shi?
The Dou family couldn’t come knocking for every little thing, could they?
Moreover, Dou Shi had no full brothers. For now, it was fine, but in families like the Dous who rose through the imperial examinations, whichever branch produced the highest-ranking official would have the strongest voice. Who knew who would be in charge of the Dou family in ten or twenty years?
With these thoughts, he became even more pleased. He said to Tao Qizhong, “Now that he has his son, brothers will be sidelined. I don’t know what madness has possessed Song Mo to want to take back Madam Jiang’s dowry left for Tian’en to manage. Even Uncle Lu has been bewitched by him, saying Tian’en is too young and doesn’t understand anything, so it’s better to let Song Mo temporarily manage Madam Jiang’s dowry. If Song Han wants to get married, what reason will they have to take back Madam Jiang’s dowry? This is truly a brilliant plan that kills two birds with one stone!”
Tao Qizhong was very surprised to hear this.
He hadn’t known about Song Mo’s intention to reclaim Madam Jiang’s dowry.
It seemed that Song Mo truly harbored hatred towards Song Han, while Song Yichun was determined to use Song Han to irritate Song Mo. It would be best for him to leave early.
Not long after Tao Qizhong returned, he fell “ill.”
Of course, that’s a story for later.
Dou Shiying came to “visit” the Duke of Ying’s mansion that very evening.
Song Yichun had to put on a show of receiving Dou Shiying before the latter could go to the Yizhi Hall.
The tiny infant, wrapped in a bright red embroidered swaddling cloth, was brought to the small study.
Dou Shiying held his breath as he looked over, his eyes immediately moistening.