Blossom Episode 8 Recap
> Blossom Recap
The Emperor took the broken ruler in his hand, tears falling as he remembered their youth. Back then, Ji Yong had always protected him. When the Emperor had Ji Yong secretly escort him out of the palace, Ji Yong ended up being punished with beatings. Every plan had been the Emperor’s idea, yet it was always Ji Yong who bore the consequences. The Emperor felt that having Ji Yong by his side had been his greatest fortune.
The Emperor had once broken the ruler himself, gifting Ji Yong half of it, symbolizing an unbreakable bond of trust between them. It was a personal agreement akin to an ironclad promise: no matter what Ji Yong did, the Emperor would never punish him and would always believe in him. Song Mo questioned the Emperor, asking why he had broken his promise and started doubting Ji Yong.
Stricken with grief, the Emperor ordered an investigation to find those responsible for harming Ji Yong, vowing not to let any of them escape. Overwhelmed with emotion, the Emperor collapsed, coughing up blood, and the Empress ordered Song Mo to be detained. Song Yichun informed Jiang Huisun, who was gravely ill, about Song Mo’s situation. Although the Emperor had regained consciousness, he had yet to pass judgment.
Song Yichun suggested gambling on the Emperor’s sentiments, which made Jiang Huisun even more anxious, worsening her condition. Meanwhile, Yan Chaoqing, along with Lu Zheng and Lu Ming, learned of Song Mo’s predicament and wanted to rescue him. They blamed everything on the Dou family, vowing to make the entire family pay if anything happened to Song Mo. However, Dou Zhao intervened, cautioning them against rash actions that could worsen the situation.
She explained that the Emperor had not convicted Song Mo yet because Ji Yong was already dead, and the Emperor likely hoped for a turning point. She reminded them that the court was now controlled by Wu Ge’lao and Wang Xingyi, and any reckless rescue attempt would only give them an excuse to convict Song Mo. Yan Chaoqing acknowledged Dou Zhao’s reasoning and knelt to beg her for help.
Dou Zhao agreed and took them to her paper mill, which supplied most of the paper used in the capital. The mill also served as a hub for gathering information. She believed that locating the Emperor’s whereabouts could lead to a solution. Yan Chaoqing expressed concern that Song Mo might be harmed in prison, but Dou Zhao reassured him, saying she had already sent Suxin to handle the matter.
In prison, Wang Ge attempted to torture Song Mo, but Yunyang Bo appeared and claimed he had been punished with imprisonment specifically to keep an eye on Wang Ge’s actions. Wang Ge, intimidated, left without daring to act further. In reality, Yunyang Bo had deliberately provoked someone to get himself imprisoned. When Song Mo learned of this, he couldn’t help but laugh, realizing it was Dou Zhao’s plan that had allowed Yunyang Bo to gain entry.
Song Mo bribed a eunuch in charge of paper supplies in the palace to gather intelligence. He learned that the Emperor had only met with Wu Ge’lao in recent days and spent most of his time staring at the broken ruler or writing. After three days without results, Yan Chaoqing angrily confronted Dou Zhao, demanding answers. Dou Zhao, pretending to show him something, caught him off guard and had her subordinates detain him in an abandoned house.
The Emperor summoned Dou Shishu to the palace, asking for advice on how to handle Song Mo. Dou Shishu, aware of the Emperor’s intent to release Song Mo, praised him as a pillar of the nation and suggested that the blame lay with Song Mo’s subordinates, not Song Mo himself. The Emperor entrusted Dou Shishu with handling the matter and commended him for being capable of taking on great responsibilities.
Soon after, an imperial decree pardoned Song Mo, Yunyang Bo, and Gu Yu while exiling the entire Jiang family. When Song Mo was released, Dou Zhao celebrated with fireworks and draped a cloak over him, expressing her hope that he would also release Chen Qushui. Song Mo, understanding that his release was thanks to Dou Zhao, sincerely thanked her, which made her secretly happy.
After Dou Zhao left, Yan Chaoqing approached Song Mo, confessing his recklessness and revealing their failed jailbreak attempt that had been thwarted by Dou Zhao. Song Mo reprimanded them lightly and told them to go home. Back at home, Song Mo’s younger brother awaited him at the door. When he entered to greet his parents, he overheard their conversation. Song Yichun feared being implicated and urged Jiang Huisun to distance herself from the Jiang family.
Upon seeing Song Mo, Song Yichun scolded him as usual. Jiang Huisun, distressed by Song Mo’s injuries, coughed heavily and advised him to find someone who truly understood him. Song Mo became momentarily lost in thought, recalling the girl in the mask with a red flower behind her ear. Jiang Huisun speculated that Dou Zhao might be Song Mo’s love interest. Song Mo seemed surprised but did not confirm it.
Jiang Huisun remarked that Dou Zhao was loyal and kind, though it was unfortunate she was born into the Dou family, as that might corrupt her over time. Jiang Huisun revealed that Wu Ge’lao refused to form a marriage alliance with the Dou family due to Dou Shishu’s involvement in Ji Yong’s death. He had ordered Wu Shan to marry someone else.
However, Wu Shan, deeply in love with Dou Zhao, knelt in the pouring rain to express his determination, resulting in a high fever. Jiang Huisun worried that if Wu Shan’s condition worsened, it would devastate Wu Ge’lao. The tension between Wu Ge’lao and the Dou family had escalated, becoming common knowledge in the capital. Wu Shan, already suffering from lung disease, now refused medicine or treatment due to his fever, causing concern for both Yan Chaoqing and Song Mo.
They learned that Imperial Physician Li would return to the capital that evening. While waiting, Song Mo spotted Chen Qushui from a distance and planned to release him as agreed. Yan Chaoqing, however, cautioned that honorable intentions could not guard against treachery. Meanwhile, Wu Ge’lao tried to reason with Wu Shan, urging him to see the bigger picture. He reminded Wu Shan that he had always protected him, but if he were gone, no one would shield the Wu family.
Though Wu Shan enjoyed woodworking as a hobby, the situation was different now. If he disliked the Liang family’s daughter, Wu Ge’lao suggested someone else. However, Wu Shan refused, leading to another argument. In frustration, Wu Ge’lao smashed one of Wu Shan’s wooden creations. As the two quarreled, a carriage carrying Imperial Physician Li arrived at the gate. Yet, the person stepping out of the carriage was Dou Zhao in disguise.
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