Ruozhu left to carry out the order.
Song Mo smiled and pinched Dou Zhao’s nose, pretending not to have noticed Ruozhu’s glance towards Dou Zhao earlier. Some matters within Dou Zhao’s sphere of authority, he should learn to overlook.
Soon, Huang Qing arrived with a mournful face.
“Madam, this is an inner household matter. How can I, an outer courtyard manager, intervene?” He knelt before Dou Zhao as soon as he entered. “Please, Madam, step in to help calm the situation.”
Dou Zhao was using a damp cloth to clean the leaves of a man-high money tree, which she planned to give as a birthday gift to Princess Ningde in a couple of days.
With Huang Qing kneeling before her, she didn’t even glance at him. Continuing to wipe the leaves, she said distractedly, “Head Steward Huang, you speak too hastily. How can I, a daughter-in-law, interfere in the chambers of my widowed father-in-law? Moreover, the Duke has never managed Yizhi Hall’s affairs, and Yizhi Hall has never interfered with the Duke’s matters.” At this point, she turned to stare at Huang Qing. “Head Steward Huang, have you thought it through? Are you sure you want me to intervene and calm the situation?”
How could he have forgotten this?
Cold sweat broke out on Huang Qing’s body.
Dou Zhao smiled and said, “I think it would be best for the Head Steward to quickly find and bring back the Duke.” She then handed the damp cloth to Ruoton, who was serving nearby, and let the young maid help her clean her hands.
Huang Qing agreed repeatedly and scrambled out of the warm room.
Ruoton pouted, saying disapprovingly, “They only know to find Madam when trouble arises? Where were they before? Madam, please don’t get involved in Xixiang Court’s affairs!”
Dou Zhao smiled and returned to the inner chamber.
Song Mo hadn’t returned from the study yet.
Dou Zhao asked Ruodan, “What is the young master doing?”
Ruodan smiled as she placed freshly brewed tea in front of her, saying, “The young master is talking with Mr. Yan!”
Dou Zhao then cut a few small garments in the inner chamber.
On the first night watch, Song Mo returned.
Dou Zhao took the clothes to change him and casually asked, “What were you discussing? You talked with Mr. Yan until this hour?”
Song Mo didn’t hide anything from her. After the young maids had withdrawn, he told her about Ma Youming’s drunkenness and said, “I feel there’s something strange about this. I had someone watch Ma Youming, and today we discovered he had quietly sent his wife and children back to their hometown. Some precious utensils weren’t taken, as if he was hurriedly avoiding disaster. Yet I haven’t noticed anything unusual. I was thinking of inviting Ma Youming for a drink after work tomorrow to talk with him.”
Dou Zhao’s mind stirred as she listened, and she sat there in a daze for a long time.
Song Mo couldn’t help but laugh, saying “Hey” twice and waving his finger in front of her eyes.
Dou Zhao laughed and swatted his hand away.
Song Mo said, “Don’t worry, I’ll help you get the roster of servant women who have worked in the outer courtyard over the years.”
Dou Zhao laughed, thought for a moment, and said, “I wasn’t thinking about that. I was thinking about Prince Liao’s situation.”
Song Mo was surprised.
Dou Zhao looked at him silently.
After hesitating for a while, Song Mo finally said in a low voice, “What have you discovered?”
Instead of answering, Dou Zhao asked, “Yantang, if you were Prince Liao and wanted to usurp power and seize the throne, what would you do?”
Song Mo’s brow furrowed slightly, then his expression changed dramatically.
Dou Zhao quickly asked, “What did you think of?”
Song Mo’s expression was unusual.
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but say, “What did you think of? You should at least tell me!”
Song Mo sighed, cupped Dou Zhao’s face, and kissed her before saying, “I don’t know whether to say you’re clever or recklessly bold. Or maybe you’re neither clever nor bold, but just exceptionally lucky?”
This was the first time Dou Zhao had openly hypothesized about Prince Liao’s potential rebellion in front of Song Mo…
She became a bit anxious and said, “Don’t beat around the bush with me, tell me quickly!”
Song Mo said quietly, “If the empire were at peace and Prince Liao truly harbored such intentions, he could only act through a palace coup. For a palace coup to succeed, the action would need to be as swift as the wind and lightning, so that by the time everyone realizes something has changed, he would already be in control of the situation.”
“But to control the situation, the priority would be to have trusted confidants among the imperial guards and eunuchs.”
“The former could use weapons to render the Emperor powerless to resist; the latter could promptly relay information, allowing Prince Liao to grasp the dynamics within the inner palace. At crucial moments, they could even temporarily block information to the Emperor, lulling him into a false sense of security.”
“Empress Wan currently manages the affairs of the inner palace, so with her overseeing the eunuchs, that aspect would be secure. As for the imperial guards, setting aside the Embroidered Uniform Guard for now, the Golden Feather Guard protects the palace gates, the Five Cities Command guards the inner city, the Divine Machine Camp is stationed outside the outer city, and there are five military camps in coordination. If any of these units were to cause trouble, the plan would fail.”
His expression became stern as he continued.
“Among these, the Golden Feather Guard is of utmost importance. If they could quietly block information from the inner palace, half the battle would already be won.”
“Next is the Divine Machine Camp. Once the inner palace changes hands, the Divine Machine Camp, equipped with firearms and skilled in short-distance rapid marches, would be the most formidable unit in the empire. They’re also closest to the capital. With just a written order from the Emperor or Crown Prince, they would deploy without hesitation. The Golden Feather Guard would be no match for them. Not only could the situation potentially reverse, but Prince Liao might also find himself trapped like a fish in a barrel, with no means of resistance.”
“Then there are the Five Cities Command and the five military camps.”
“If the Divine Machine Camp attacks the city while the Golden Feather Guard and Five Cities Command support Prince Liao, although risky, the outcome would be uncertain. In such a situation, if the five military camps stationed in Wanping also support Prince Liao and join forces with the Five Cities Command and Golden Feather Guard inside the city, then the tide would be decisively turned.”
“Conversely, if the Divine Machine Camp and Golden Feather Guard join forces, even if the Five Cities Command and the five military camps receive imperial edicts from the Emperor or Crown Prince to come to the rescue, not only are the five military camps less powerful than the Divine Machine Camp, but their camps are half a day’s journey away. By the time they arrive, the situation would likely be settled.”
The Emperor’s guards are not easily turned.
If even one link in the chain goes wrong, it could result in the execution of entire families.
Dou Zhao felt her scalp tingle just hearing about it.
This Prince Liao was truly talented!
To think he could succeed in a palace coup!