Blossom Episode 17 Recap
> Blossom Recap
As they strolled along, Dou Shiying and Dou Shishu chatted idly about the wedding arrangements, relieved to have resolved their worries. But suddenly, they noticed someone sitting in the garden eating—it was Dou Zhao! The sight shocked them, and after some investigation, they discovered that Dou Ming had gone in place of Dou Zhao to get married. Dou Shishu's first thought was how to apologize to the Wei family while preserving the dignity of both families.
He proposed publicly announcing that Dou Zhao was withdrawing from the marriage due to infertility and suggested forfeiting the dowry, even adding more as compensation. Dou Zhao, however, was dissatisfied with Dou Shishu’s decision, feeling like she, the true victim, was being forced to endure everything silently. Wang Yingxue, standing nearby, made unkind remarks, accusing Dou Zhao of being secretly happy since she never wanted the marriage anyway.
Unable to bear it any longer, Dou Shiying, usually meek and reserved, exploded in anger for the first time. He declared that Dou Zhao was his daughter, and if apologies or explanations were necessary, they were his responsibility—not Dou Shishu's. He rebuked Wang Yingxue, calling her shameless for even thinking of keeping Dou Zhao’s dowry. Dou Zhao was stunned, surprised that her typically timid father was defending her so strongly for the first time.
That evening, Dou Zhao sat alone beneath the magnolia tree, lost in thought. Song Mo appeared and confessed his love for her, asking her to marry him. Dou Zhao, however, rejected him, claiming she didn’t like him. Song Mo stared into her eyes, realizing she was lying. Reluctantly, Dou Zhao revealed another reason: her mother had been deeply devoted to her father, but her father’s romantic past drove her mother to hang herself beneath this very tree.
Dou Zhao admitted that she no longer believed in marriage. Song Mo wasn’t convinced this was the whole truth. Pressed further, Dou Zhao finally shared another reason—she once dreamt of the two of them being killed by a single arrow through their hearts. Song Mo finally understood her fear.
He admitted he too had once dreamt of a girl wearing a mask, but he dismissed it as just a dream, urging Dou Zhao not to let such visions control her life. Dou Zhao, agitated, insisted it wasn’t merely a dream. She pointed to a red flower mark behind her ear as proof. However, when Song Mo checked, the mark was gone. Shocked, Dou Zhao rushed to a mirror and confirmed it had disappeared.
She recalled the words of an elderly man: once she gained the power to overturn mountains, she would also have the ability to change the course of rivers. Perhaps she had already altered everyone’s fate. Song Mo then gave Dou Zhao a token of imperial authority, something he had begged the emperor for, handed to him by Shude.
The token granted Dou Zhao the freedom to choose her own marriage or to annul an existing one, ensuring that her marital decisions were entirely in her hands. Before leaving, Song Mo told Dou Zhao she had five days to decide. If she agreed to be with him, she should tie a red ribbon to the magnolia tree; if not, a white ribbon. Soon after, Wei Tingzhen stormed into the Dou household, demanding an explanation, though his true motives were financial.
Wei Tingyu arrived shortly after and boldly declared his willingness to marry Dou Ming and care for her for life. Cornered, Wei Tingzhen finally relented when Wang Yingxue privately offered to share half the profits from her businesses with him. Wei Tingzhen agreed and promised to formalize the marriage contract appropriately, treating Dou Ming with care. Dou Ming and Wei Tingyu knelt outside Dou Zhao’s door to apologize and plead for forgiveness.
However, Dou Zhao refused to see them, only observing Wei Tingyu’s demeanor through the door’s crack. She felt that perhaps he and Dou Ming were indeed a good match. Later, when Su Xin and Su Lan mentioned that Wei Tingzhen had gone to Wang Yingxue’s room, Dou Zhao immediately guessed it was all about money. Dou Shiying gave Dou Zhao a silver banknote worth 5,000 taels as compensation.
Dou Zhao declined it, instead asking her father to promise to reject any future marriage proposals on her behalf. She clarified that she wasn’t opposed to marriage itself—only to marrying the wrong person. Dou Shiying fully supported her decision, finally breaking free from his years of timidity to protect his daughter. He revealed that he had often visited the countryside estate in secret to check on Dou Zhao’s well-being, only finding peace knowing she was happy.
The estrangement between father and daughter was finally resolved. Dou Zhao also told Dou Shiying about Wang Yingxue’s questionable actions. Dou Shiying took Dou Zhao to confront Wang Yingxue, demanding she surrender the household management seal to Dou Zhao. Wang Yingxue resisted, arguing that she had managed everything for years. Dou Shiying reminded her that lending money at exorbitant rates was a serious crime that could doom the entire family.
Now that Dou Zhao had discovered it, others surely would too. Enraged, Dou Shiying scolded Wang Yingxue harshly. Terrified, she knelt and confessed her wrongdoings, trying to implicate Dou Shishu as well. But Dou Shiying ignored her excuses and ordered her to reflect on her mistakes while handing over all financial matters to Dou Zhao. After news spread that Dou Zhao had annulled her engagement, many prominent families in the capital began sending marriage proposals.
Overwhelmed, Dou Shiying was at a loss until he heard that Grand Secretary Liang had also sent a proposal. Dou Shiying’s frustration peaked, and in a fit of rage, he accidentally fell and hit his head. Seeing the flock of geese sent as betrothal gifts only added to Dou Shiying’s headache. He ordered them all thrown out, but Dou Zhao stopped him, pointing out that such actions would offend people. She suggested returning them one by one later that evening.
Thinking Dou Shiying would refuse to eat the goose she cooked, mistaking it for the wild geese, Dou Zhao ordered it taken away. But Dou Shiying, touched by his daughter’s rare gesture of cooking for him, insisted on eating it. Just then, news arrived that Lord Haichang had come to propose marriage. Furious, Dou Shiying chased him out with a broom, accusing him of treating their house like a brothel.
Lord Haichang argued that since no one else would marry Dou Zhao after her annulment, he was offering her salvation, further enraging Dou Shiying. To avoid further drama, Dou Shishu suggested sending Dou Zhao to live at the countryside estate. Both Dou Zhao and the matriarch saw through the ploy, understanding that with Dou Shishu poised to become the next Chief Minister, the Dou family’s influence had skyrocketed.
With Dou Zhao’s broken engagement, she was now seen as a desirable yet vulnerable target. Lu Ming specially delivered tofu pudding to Dou Zhao and the others on behalf of Song Mo, comforting her. Song Mo frequently purchased large quantities of tofu pudding, ensuring that any unbroken ones were sent to the Dou household while rewarding soldiers with any that were damaged during transport. Seeing the vibrant purple flowers blooming in the courtyard, Dou Zhao remembered Song Mo’s words.
Though the hardy flowers could thrive without care, they would flourish even more with support. The thought brought an involuntary smile to her lips. Cui Shi, noticing her expression, gently advised Dou Zhao to remember Song Mo’s kindness. She noted that despite having the emperor’s favor, Song Mo had only requested Dou Zhao’s freedom to choose her marriage—not her hand directly. Such care and restraint were rare, giving Cui Shi peace of mind.
The emperor summoned Dou Shiying, questioning why Dou Zhao still hadn’t chosen a suitable match. Dou Shiying explained that he had promised not to interfere in her marriage decisions. Frustrated, the emperor ordered him to resolve the matter soon, warning that failure would jeopardize his standing with the Ministry of Revenue. On his way back, someone set off firecrackers near Dou Shiying’s carriage, spooking the horses and nearly overturning it.
Thankfully, Song Mo arrived in time to rescue him and personally escorted him home. Yet Dou Shiying couldn’t understand why Song Mo would go to such lengths.
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