Blossom Episode 16 Recap
> Blossom Recap
Dou Zhao told Su Lan and Suxin that her goal was to provoke Wei Tingzhen's suspicions. As long as doubts arose, Wei Tingzhen would investigate thoroughly. Su Lan curiously asked what would be uncovered through the investigation. Dou Zhao smiled at the sisters and said they must start their performance. After returning, Wei Tingzhen indeed grew suspicious and instructed her trusted nanny to investigate discreetly.
The nanny pretended to deliver tonic and took the opportunity to invite Su Lan and Suxin for a meal, probing Dou Zhao's health indirectly. Suxin pretended to let slip that Dou Zhao was unwell but refrained from revealing the illness, as Su Lan stopped her in time. That night, the nanny secretly followed Suxin and found her burying medicinal residues. The nanny dug them up for examination and discovered that the medicine was for treating infertility.
Furious, Wei Tingzhen believed she had almost fallen into Wang Yingxue's trap. She decided to delay the engagement, intending to quietly annul it over time. Wang Yingxue discovered the relationship between Dou Ming and Wei Tingyu and punished Dou Ming in anger. Ji Yong came to visit Dou Zhao and noticed her preparing medicine, quickly deducing her intentions.
Ji Yong suggested that he had other ways to cancel the engagement without so much effort, but Dou Zhao insisted on avoiding unnecessary trouble. She warned Ji Yong not to act rashly, saying she would handle her own affairs. Song Mo purchased the Taihe Theater and became engrossed in opera daily. Even the Crown Prince visited but criticized Song Mo for neglecting his duties, sparking discontent among the court officials.
The Crown Prince speculated that Song Mo was lying low to lower his opponents' guard for a decisive strike. The Crown Prince offered assistance, but Song Mo maintained his carefree demeanor, even offering to arrange performers for the Crown Prince. Infuriated, the Crown Prince left in disgust. In reality, Song Mo had bought the theater because many officials in the capital enjoyed opera. It provided a convenient way to gather intelligence.
In private, he convened strategists to discuss the current political situation and ordered people to monitor the Crown Prince's palace and gather information from his close aides. They also discovered that before Duke Dingguo entered the capital, he had written a letter to Jiang Huisun. However, the letter had mysteriously disappeared. Song Mo had searched his household earlier but found no trace of it. Song Yichun was attended to daily by Court Officer Su Yan.
Hearing about the missing family letter, Song Yichun grew uneasy, fearing it could cause upheaval. However, Su Yan believed that with Duke Dingguo and the Dingguo Army gone, a single family letter couldn't stir trouble. Still, Song Yichun remained uneasy, uncertain about Song Mo's next move. Ji Yong had someone inform Dou Ming that Wei Tingyu needed to see her urgently. Dou Ming hurriedly disguised herself as a maid and rushed to the theater.
She entered Wei Tingyu's room but found the door locked when she tried to leave. When Wei Tingyu awoke and saw Dou Ming, he was delighted but understood he couldn't compromise her reputation. Dou Ming, worried about staying the night and the rumors it might cause, lamented that death might be better. Wei Tingyu vowed to die with her. Their mutual affection was confirmed, and they embraced tightly. Ji Yong, eavesdropping outside, felt relieved that his plan had succeeded.
However, as he turned to leave, Song Mo appeared, beat him up, and broke the door lock. Wei Tingyu shielded Dou Ming and took full responsibility for the situation. After beating Wei Tingyu, Song Mo sent him back to his family and handed him over to Wei Tingzhen. Song Mo warned Wei Tingyu that if he mentioned that night to anyone, he would face severe consequences.
Wei Tingyu knelt and pleaded with Wei Tingzhen to marry Dou Ming instead of Dou Zhao. Furious, Wei Tingzhen concluded that Wang Yingxue was scheming to marry one of the Dou daughters into their household. Wang Yingxue, however, refused to let Dou Ming marry Wei Tingyu and pushed for Wei Tingyu to marry Dou Zhao. This time, Dou Ming, who had always tolerated her mother, openly opposed her.
She declared that she had already exchanged vows with Wei Tingyu and could not marry another. Dou Ming lamented that while her mother always criticized her, Wei Tingyu was the only one who recognized her worth. Wang Yingxue believed that only a man's future could safeguard a woman for life and ordered Dou Ming to be confined in a temple.
Wang Yingxue then approached Wei Tingzhen to renegotiate the marriage, but Wei Tingzhen accused her of substituting brides and clinging to the Marquis of Jining's family. Wang Yingxue shifted the conversation to Dou Zhao's substantial dowry, which was something the financially unstable Wei Tingzhen sorely lacked. Wei Tingzhen reluctantly agreed and set the wedding date for ten days later. When Dou Zhao learned of Ji Yong's actions, she angrily dismissed him.
Ji Yong felt her methods were too slow, but Dou Zhao insisted she never harmed others and wouldn't stoop to Wang Yingxue's level. Ji Yong argued that even if Wei Tingyu and Dou Zhao married, they would still betray her. He sarcastically remarked that if not for Song Mo's intervention, the two would likely be thanking him with wedding sweets by now.
Remembering past betrayals, Dou Zhao dismissed Ji Yong, who left in a huff but picked up the glasses Dou Zhao had once gifted him. Dou Ming attempted to swallow gold to commit suicide but was discovered in time. Wang Yingxue, heartbroken, held her daughter as Dou Ming confessed that she had vowed during her wedding vows with Wei Tingyu that if they couldn't be together in life, they would reunite in death.
Wang Yingxue relented and agreed to let Dou Ming take Dou Zhao's place in the marriage. She prepared a phoenix crown and ceremonial robe for her daughter. On the wedding day, Dou Ming brought a bowl of soup for Dou Zhao. As the bride was veiled and carried into the sedan chair, Wang Yingxue ran out and placed her jade bracelet on the bride's wrist. Ji Yong, watching from the side, smiled knowingly, realizing the substitution had succeeded.
Song Mo led a group intending to disrupt the wedding but found the veiled bride cowering behind Wei Tingyu. Recognizing the bride wasn't Dou Zhao, Song Mo guessed the truth. Ji Yong pulled Song Mo into the sedan to explain, but Song Mo had already figured it out. During the wedding night, Wei Tingyu believed he had married Dou Zhao and drowned his sorrows in alcohol, only to discover Dou Ming under the veil.
Dou Ming embraced Wei Tingyu, explaining the substitution. She recounted that when she brought drugged porridge to Dou Zhao that day, her nervousness caused her to spill it. Dou Zhao, understanding her intentions, didn't blame her but instead suggested Dou Ming hit her with a tray to feign unconsciousness. Taking advantage of the situation, Dou Ming swapped clothes and took her place. Hearing this, Wei Tingyu felt immense gratitude toward Dou Zhao.
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