Blossom Episode 9 Recap
> Blossom Recap
Grand Secretary Wu scolded his grandson Wu Shan angrily, emphasizing that imperial power outweighed everything. He lamented that Wu Shan, hiding in his room working on carpentry, couldn’t shield himself from danger. In his fury, the Grand Secretary smashed Wu Shan’s wooden craft. When news came that Imperial Physician Li had arrived, the Grand Secretary calmed himself and ordered the physician to be brought in. However, Wu Shan refused treatment.
A servant brought out a wooden box, explaining that Imperial Physician Li had said Wu Shan could open it if he refused to see her. Wu Shan looked back and recognized it as a piece of carpentry he had gifted to Dou Zhao. Meanwhile, Song Mo prepared a farewell meal for Chen Quishui. Both Song Mo and Yan Chaoxing acknowledged that while Chen Quishui had once served a questionable master, he was undeniably talented.
They wondered why he chose to serve Dou Zhao. Chen Quishui admitted he carried guilt from past mistakes, and Dou Zhao had taken him in as a strategist despite his history, allowing him a peaceful life in his later years. This deepened Song Mo's curiosity about Dou Zhao. Dou Zhao visited Wu Shan, urging him not to be stubborn. She shared his perspective on arranged marriages, noting that it was cruel for unwilling individuals to be forced together.
Wu Shan explained that he hadn’t fallen ill to manipulate Dou Zhao. He recalled the time he gifted her a present and she asked him how someone without the freedom to choose his responsibilities could protect himself. Wu Shan admitted he had always respected his grandfather and never defied him, except in marriage.
Dou Zhao advised that if Wu Shan supported the Grand Secretary in court, the elder wouldn’t have to worry about his marriage, as Wu Shan’s abilities could revive the family. Her words enlightened Wu Shan. As Dou Zhao left, Wu Shan expressed his desire to see her again, but Dou Zhao simply hoped he could find happiness, which would ease her worries more than their meeting again.
Su Lan arrived to escort Chen Quishui back, which puzzled Song Mo as he had expected Dou Zhao to come. Around the same time, Imperial Physician Li was brought back by Lu Ming. Song Mo had originally invited the physician to treat Wu Shan, but Dou Zhao had impersonated the physician. Lu Ming had captured Su Xin and reported this to Song Mo, who ordered Lu Ming to summon Dou Zhao for questioning.
As Dou Zhao left, she encountered the Grand Secretary in the hallway. Wearing a large cloak, she avoided recognition, but the Grand Secretary grew suspicious and ordered her to turn around. Just as Dou Zhao panicked, Lu Ming intervened, claiming to escort "Physician Li" to see Song Mo. The Grand Secretary relented, allowing her to leave. Wu Shan, back in his room, stared at the wooden bird Dou Zhao had brought him.
The Grand Secretary, now certain Dou Zhao had visited, urged Wu Shan to rest assured. Wu Shan apologized to his grandfather and confessed his feelings. He admitted that his life had always been prearranged by his grandfather, leaving him envious of Dou Zhao and Song Mo’s freedom. Now, however, he understood the deep waters of court politics and wanted to support his grandfather in overcoming challenges. The Grand Secretary, moved to tears, helped Wu Shan to his feet.
Song Mo learned that the court had begun taking action against the Duke of Ding’s army and that the imperial edict was delivered by Dou Shishu. Suspecting Dou Zhao had stalled him to allow this, Song Mo grew angry and ordered her intercepted for questioning. Dou Zhao, unable to provide a satisfactory explanation, lost the chance to reclaim Chen Quishui, retrieving only Su Xin. Su Xin asked why Dou Zhao didn’t explain herself, but Dou Zhao, feeling helpless, shook her head.
Without evidence, the coincidences were impossible to clarify. Lu Ming, frustrated by Dou Zhao’s unpredictability, suggested that marrying her would be the only way to keep her in check. Song Mo remained silent but believed Dou Zhao might be innocent in this matter. Meanwhile, Song Mo continued investigating the escort responsible for returning Jiang Meisun to the palace. He learned that the travel permit listed nine individuals, but there were only eight casualties aboard the ship.
The missing individual was Chen Jia, a former Shadow Guard dismissed due to his gambling habits. Chen Jia’s foster father, however, valued his skills and kept him close, despite not officially listing him as part of the crew. The night of the ambush, high-ranking officials led a surprise attack against the Shadow Guards, killing everyone aboard, including Chen Jia’s foster father. The attackers used Dongyu-style blade techniques, seemingly to frame others. Chen Jia, arriving late, found his foster father slain.
Knowing escape was futile, he jumped into the water and fled, overwhelmed by guilt. He lived in gambling dens, drowning his sorrows, until Song Mo tracked him down. After paying Chen Jia’s debts, Song Mo forced him to reveal the truth, chastising him for forgetting his foster father’s death. Chen Jia, regretful, vowed to follow Song Mo and avenge his foster father.
Ji Yong sent a letter reporting that officials at the Maritime Trade Bureau had detained ships belonging to Miao Ansu’s family and demanded she sever ties with Dou Zhao. Realizing the matter involved court politics, Dou Zhao decided to travel to Futing to investigate. Song Mo, too, prepared to leave for Futing, determined to uncover the truth behind Jiang Meisun’s death.
His mother, Jiang Huishun, worriedly reminded him to stay safe, personally draping a cloak over his shoulders and watching tearfully as he departed. Song Mo assured her he would return, urging her to wait for him. As he left, Jiang Huishun’s coughing worsened. While resting on the journey, Dou Zhao appeared preoccupied. Miao Ansu urged her to eat something, reminding her not to worry the Cui family.
Dou Zhao had kept her departure a secret from them, instead instructing her maid to feign illness and cover for her. Zhao Zhangru provided additional support, praying for Dou Zhao’s safe return. In Futing, refugees filled the streets, struggling with hunger. Dou Zhao and her maid began distributing food to the needy. The locals, once reliant on tea farming, were now suffering because their tea couldn’t be sold after the Duke of Ding’s death.
The head of the Maritime Trade Bureau, Ding Wei, summoned Dou Zhao and Miao Ansu. Dou Zhao discreetly signaled Su Xin to stay hidden. In court, Ding Wei accused them of colluding with pirates, demanding their confessions. Refusing to confess, they were threatened with harsher punishment. Dou Zhao rebuked Ding Wei, pointing out the risks of wrongfully convicting them. Ding Wei, undeterred, presented weapons allegedly found on their ship, a clear attempt to frame them.
When Dou Zhao demanded witnesses, Ding Wei failed to provide any and had them imprisoned and tortured. Dou Zhao remained steadfast, knowing Ding Wei feared public backlash if he punished her openly. He claimed that Miao Ansu had already confessed and warned Dou Zhao not to drag others down with her. Dou Zhao, however, trusted that Miao Ansu would never betray her. As Ding Wei prepared to escalate the torture, Song Mo arrived, mocking Ding Wei’s ineffective methods.
Sensing an opportunity, Ding Wei handed the case to Song Mo, believing he would be harsher on Dou Zhao and thus gain his favor. Alone, Song Mo interrogated Dou Zhao, accusing her of colluding with Dou Shishu. Dou Zhao pleaded not to be associated with Dou Shishu, but Song Mo feigned preparing to torture her. Instead, he secretly applied medicinal powder to her wounds and whispered for her to scream convincingly.
Dou Zhao’s exaggerated cries only reinforced Ding Wei’s belief in Song Mo’s ruthlessness. Quietly, Song Mo pressed Dou Zhao for answers. He questioned her substantial investments in Futing, suspecting she had long foreseen the pirate-clearing operation and profited from it. Dou Zhao explained that Jiang Meisun’s valor made such an outcome inevitable. Song Mo, unconvinced, pushed further, revealing that Miao Ansu had disclosed Dou Zhao’s sale of all her ships earlier in the year. It seemed as though Dou Zhao had predicted future events, including Jiang Meisun’s death, and Song Mo demanded to know why.
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