The emperor learned that Prince Qing had taken advantage of the festive season to send many gifts to Dou Shishu, and privately inquired whether the Crown Prince was concerned about the two forming an alliance for personal gain. The Crown Prince expressed that he was not worried and believed he should not discard Dou Shishu for that reason; it was better to unite and stabilize the court’s governance. The emperor felt that the Crown Prince had a benevolent heart and viewed Song Mo as the treasured sword he prepared for the Crown Prince, hoping deeply that the Crown Prince knew how to wield it effectively.
While Dou Zhao was helping Song Mo dye his hair, the two discussed the current thoughts of the Crown Prince and Prince Qing. Although the Crown Prince had previously monitored and warned against Prince Qing, it seemed to be primarily due to his concern for the throne, rather than any intention of forming alliances. This was something the Crown Prince should be doing. Now, however, Prince Qing was conducting trade in Liaodong, and regardless of how many troops he had, he could afford to maintain them. By winning over Dou Shishu in the court, he could better mobilize troops and conspire to imprison the emperor to achieve his goals. Anyone in the court involved with military matters would find it hard to bypass Song Mo’s troops, which was why some individuals were deliberately replaced during the time of wandering bandits. Now, the Crown Prince had become difficult to read, and Song Mo decided to send someone to keep an eye on him to uncover his true intentions.
The next day, Dou Zhao was urgently summoned to the palace by Shude, along with the empress, princess, and Crown Princess. With every step he took feeling precarious, it ultimately led to a situation where one family lost while three families benefited, leaving the empress even more impressed with Dou Zhao’s cleverness. Before he left, Dou Zhao also specially called someone to the palace, supposedly to see which kind of paper was more suitable for palace use, and gave professional advice. In reality, he aimed to offer a Xueyuandan (a type of dan medicine) to win over others. Xueyuandan, a coveted item, was rumored to revive the dead. If Dou Zhao accepted this Xueyuandan to treat Song Mo’s illness, it would mean he would fall under the control of the empress and side with Prince Qing, which Dou Zhao refused.
However, after returning, Dou Zhao ordered someone to rob the one intended for Song Mo while it was being sent to Prince Qing’s residence. Song Mo appreciated Dou Zhao’s intentions and promised not to let his foolish loyalty burden his family. When the time came to balance everything, he would surely protect his family, and Dou Zhao affirmed his support for Song Mo’s decisions. Just as Song Mo was about to take the medicine, Dou Zhao suddenly remembered that in his past life, Song Mo had already allied with Prince Qing but ended up with white hair in the end. This indicated that the medicine might not work and could even be poisonous. Realizing this, Dou Zhao hurried to test the medicine, discovering that it indeed had detoxifying properties. Just as he was about to administer it to Song Mo, Zhao Zhangru returned looking for some lanterns, prompting the two to join in the festivities. After they left, the color of the medicine they tested unexpectedly changed.
Upon hearing about the Xueyuandan being robbed, the empress suspected it was the work of Dou Zhao but lacked evidence. Given that she had previously sent it to Dou Zhao but was rejected, she couldn’t easily deal with him.
Shude approached Dou Shishu, advising him to distance himself from the conflicts and not align with Prince Qing. Initially, Dou Shishu was a deputy county magistrate who struggled to gain recognition and, seeking to submit his resignation for a retest, was refused. At that time, Shude had been praying at a temple for her deceased husband, and Dou Shishu composed a poem for her, which touched her heart. She then wrote a recommendation for him. Dou Shishu initially refused, believing he should rely solely on his abilities. It was Shude who persuaded him to recognize reality—that there was no place for him to fulfill his ambitions, and he could achieve anything if he grew stronger. Since then, Dou Shishu ignored the jibes of others, determined to persevere and reach his current position.
Shude worried that continuing on this path might bring trouble to herself and urged Dou Shishu to cease his actions. Dou Shishu, however, replied that he would press on and one day provide Shude with everything she desired. Seeing his determination, Shude ceased her persuasion.
Dou Zhao and Song Mo went out to see the lanterns. Dou Zhao noticed Zhao Zhangru with a man and quickly followed after them, wanting to investigate, but Song Mo pulled him aside, reminding Dou Zhao that they had a bet and any interruption would be against the rules. Dou Zhao felt anxious, fearing he might lose track of them, insisting he did not intend to interfere.
Zhao Zhangru accidentally twisted her ankle, prompting Chen Jia to carry her. They walked happily and happened to run into Dou Zhao and Song Mo. The two quickly tried to hide, but Chen Jia had already spotted them and turned back to explain that he was taking Zhao Zhangru home. Seeing this, Song Mo felt grateful that Chen Jia could clarify matters directly, showing responsibility. Dou Zhao also felt relieved and decided to stay with Song Mo to enjoy the lanterns instead.
Miao Ansu prepared some pastries to send to Song Han, who offered his warm stove to Miao Ansu to warm her hands. Each time he found himself in difficult, gloomy situations, Miao Ansu was there to comfort him. She encouraged Song Han to stand tall and carve his own path. Looking at the moon, Miao Ansu suddenly recalled a poem but could only remember two words. Song Han easily recited it, and they exchanged smiles. That night, Song Han donned a black cloak and rode out from the house.
After returning, Dou Zhao discovered that the color of the medicine had changed, realizing it could only serve temporarily, not eradicate the issue, and he couldn’t help but feel sad. Song Mo hurried to comfort Dou Zhao, advising him to go with the flow.
Song Han sought out Prince Qing, proactively offering to assist him, sharing some insights, and expressing a willingness to be a reliable aide against Song Mo. He claimed his existence was a strategic piece in the game that Song Mo could never escape, and he was the most unexpected chess piece. Suddenly, Prince Qing shot an arrow at Song Han, who caught it but ended up bleeding. Prince Qing informed Song Han that if he could excel in the palace examinations, he would certainly be valued by him.
Prince Qing met with Ji Yong, praising him for his foresight, claiming he had anticipated Song Han’s actions because both Song Han and Prince Qing were bastards. To rise to prominence, one must help the other succeed and achieve recognition. Prince Qing presented Ji Yong with gold and jewels, but Ji Yong disdainfully rose to leave. Realizing his mistake, Prince Qing quickly admitted his error, prompting Ji Yong to reconsider. He had been unable to recruit Song Mo and had instead turned his attention to Song Han, believing that if something were to happen, it would be personal matters for them, posing no harm to Prince Qing.
In this examination, Dou Shishu was the chief examiner, and the son of the Muy Ge Lao wanted to participate. The Muy Ge Lao approached Dou Shishu in advance to negotiate, and Dou Shishu agreed to let some points slide in the literature examination while insisting on real ability in martial arts, to which the Muy Ge Lao believed that his son was relatively good.
