Dou Zhao was a clever woman. Reading between the lines, she immediately understood Miao Ansu’s meaning.
Framing someone?
Wasn’t that exactly what Song Yichun and Song Han had done to Song Mo in her previous life?
Dou Zhao smiled faintly and said softly to Miao Ansu, “It’s a good plan, but who should we choose?”
Miao Ansu’s eyes lit up.
She had spent half the night thinking about this.
Duke Ying was determined to use Song Han against Song Mo. Although Song Mo had the upper hand now, the winds could change at any moment. If Song Han gained the advantage, how could he spare her?
Between her and Song Han, it was a matter of life and death!
But to deal with Song Han, she needed Song Mo’s help.
Not to mention her status – a marriage bestowed by imperial decree, a daughter-in-law of the Song family. The Liao Prince affair couldn’t be mentioned. In others’ eyes, Song Han was merely indiscreet with women. If she made a fuss about it, she would be in the wrong. To distance herself from Song Han, she needed to find another way.
She thought of how Song Han had failed to frame Song Mo for adultery with Du Ruo.
Dou Zhao must hate Song Han and Song Yichun to death.
This might be her only chance.
Miao Ansu said quietly, “If my sister-in-law trusts me, you can leave this matter to me.”
“Oh?” Dou Zhao listened intently.
Miao Ansu whispered, “Do you remember Song Han’s chief maid Qixia? She’s proud and now hates Song Han bitterly after being defiled by him. You just need to tell me where she lives, and I’ll persuade her to testify when I accuse Song Han. As for the concubine mother, raising a concubine without a principal wife is just a matter of paperwork. Besides, Du Ruo is the daughter of a criminal. The Duke doesn’t publicize it but has the servants treat her with the respect of a wife, so she can be considered a concubine-mother…”
Dou Zhao frowned slightly and asked, “So you plan to accuse Song Han at the Shuntian Prefecture?”
A look of surprise flashed across Miao Ansu’s face.
She had thought Dou Zhao would applaud her plan.
“I can’t rest until his crimes are known to all,” Miao Ansu said, a hint of gloom crossing her brow. “Even if I have to be caned, I’ll accept it.”
A wife accusing her husband would receive twenty lashes before the magistrate would even look at the complaint.
But Dou Zhao had other concerns.
The Duke Ying estate was ultimately Song Mo’s, her son’s inheritance. If the scandal of Song Han’s affair with a concubine mother got out, the Duke Ying estate wouldn’t be able to hold its head up for at least fifty years.
Why should her husband and son pay for Song Han’s misdeeds?
Going to the Shuntian Prefecture to accuse Song Han was not an option.
But teaming up with Miao Ansu was a rare opportunity…
Dou Zhao pondered as she stroked her teacup, “Let me think this through carefully.”
Miao Ansu returned to the farm disappointed.
Dou Zhao paced the room for a while, then instructed Ruo Tong, “Go invite Mr. Chen over!”
She needed to carefully consider this matter.
Chen Qushui quickly arrived at the study with Ruo Tong.
Dou Zhao was already waiting there.
She explained the situation to Mr. Chen and said, “I feel this is a rare opportunity, but we need to discuss how to handle it properly.”
Chen Qushui also hated how Song Han had schemed against Dou Zhao. Hearing this, he became enthusiastic and asked, “What does Madam think would be satisfying?”
Knowing Dou Zhao’s bottom line would help him advise her.
Dou Zhao said, “Since the Heir has sent Song Han to the Northwestern camp, he must have made arrangements. Song Han will certainly not have a good fate there. But Miao Ansu’s words struck a chord with me. Even if he suffers and dies in the Northwestern camp, I feel uneasy thinking that in the eyes of the world, he’s still a respected and honorable son of a meritorious family.”
Chen Qushui remained silent, gently tapping his teacup lid as he fell into deep thought.
Dou Zhao didn’t interrupt, quietly sitting aside and drinking tea.
After about the time it takes to burn two incense sticks, Chen Qushui said, “Having the second madam go to the Shuntian Prefecture to file a complaint is not feasible. Fortunately, the second madam’s goal aligns with ours. With her taking action, the Heir and you can distance yourselves from it. Moreover, there have been many rumors in the capital about Song Han’s involvement with the Duke’s concubine, which is an excellent pretext.
Qixia is now in Zhending, and not just her, but also Caiyun, Song Han’s former personal maid, can testify… If only the Duke could stand on our side. If the Duke were to question Song Han, and Song Han couldn’t defend himself… we could even bring this matter to the Emperor, asking him to allow the Song family to remove Song Han’s name. This way, we wouldn’t need to explain Song Han’s actions to outsiders, letting them speculate. We could avoid alarming the officials while still ruining Song Han’s reputation…”
This was indeed a good plan.
But how could they get Song Yichun to side with them?
Dou Zhao and Chen Qushui said in unison, “Can we use the Prince of Liao’s affair?”
They smiled at each other, then both politely said, “You go first!”
The room filled with cheerful laughter.
After laughing, Chen Qushui again insisted Dou Zhao speak first.
Dou Zhao didn’t stand on ceremony this time and said, “Song Han was confined to the woodshed as soon as he returned. Duke Ying came twice but was turned away by the Heir. Song Han has always viewed Duke Ying as his backer, and Duke Ying must know about his collusion with the Prince of Liao. We might as well fool Duke Ying, saying that Song Mo tortured Song Han, and Song Han confessed that his collusion with the Prince of Liao was all instigated by Duke Ying.
Song Mo, out of filial piety, has been concealing this, and neither the Emperor nor the Prince of Liao knows. If he removes Song Han’s name, we’ll risk the Duke Ying estate’s century-old reputation to bring this matter to the Emperor’s attention.” At this point, she couldn’t help but laugh coldly, “This could be considered giving him a taste of his own medicine, letting Song Han experience the feeling of being betrayed by his father!”
Wasn’t this exactly what Song Yichun and Song Han had done in her previous life?
Chen Qushui nodded repeatedly and smiled, “It’s best if you do this—you’re a daughter-in-law of the Duke Ying estate, your feelings for the estate aren’t as deep as the Heir’s, and most importantly, you’re the principal wife. You can easily make Duke Ying misunderstand that you’re clearing obstacles for your son’s inheritance.”
Dou Zhao stood up excitedly and said, “Then let’s do it! I’ll go see Duke Ying right away.”
Chen Qushui hurriedly said, “Be careful, you’re still pregnant!” Then, worried, he added, “Let me accompany you, in case you get too excited when you see Duke Ying and affect the baby.”
Dou Zhao nodded and smiled, “Call Jin Gui and Yin Gui sisters too, and Duan Gongyi and the others, in case Duke Ying loses his temper and gets violent. We shouldn’t be at a disadvantage!”
It was as if they were preparing for a group fight.
Chen Qushui found it both amusing and exhilarating, and said, “Alright, I’ll give the orders right away.”
Dou Zhao then sent a servant to inform Song Yichun.
Song Yichun was anxious about the news of the Prince of Liao being detained in the Forbidden City. Tao Qizhong had insisted on resigning and returning home, and no amount of persuasion could keep him. Furious, Song Yichun’s face turned ashen. He pretended to be deaf and dumb, acting as if he didn’t know when Tao Qizhong would leave. He neither instructed the steward to prepare gifts for Tao Qizhong nor arranged a farewell banquet. He shut himself in his study, burying himself in writing.
When he heard that Dou Zhao wanted to see him, he impatiently waved his hand and scolded the servant, “I’m busy as a bee, how can I have time to see her? If she has something to say, tell her to send someone with a message.”
The servant smiled and curtsied, then withdrew.
The next person to see Song Yichun was a young woman.
Song Yichun recognized her as the wife of Gaoxing, Dou Zhao’s maid. His face immediately hardened, his expression becoming serious: “What does Madam want?”
Gaoxing’s wife smiled kindly and said, “Our Madam says that the Heir has tortured the Second Young Master, and he confessed that it was the Duke who instructed him to collude with the Prince of Liao. He even produced a letter that the Duke had written to the Prince of Liao…”
Song Yichun’s body trembled, and he almost rushed forward to cover Gaoxing’s wife’s mouth.
This was exactly what he had been fearing!
He had been worried that the Emperor would pry open the Prince of Liao’s mouth, and the Prince would spill everything like beans from a bamboo tube.
“What nonsense are you spouting?” Song Yichun’s face was as cold as frost. He shouted, interrupting Gaoxing’s wife, “You’re just a servant, how dare you discuss such matters? Get out of here now! Be careful, or you’ll face severe punishment!”
All bark and no bite. When faced with the Heir and our Madam, you can’t even let out a fart.
Gaoxing’s wife inwardly despised Song Yichun thoroughly, but her face showed only terror: “Duke, these are our Madam’s words, not mine…”
Song Yichun was so angry he couldn’t speak. He picked up his teacup, ready to throw it at Gaoxing’s wife, but remembering she was Dou Zhao’s maid, and Dou Zhao was a fierce woman, he swallowed his anger and slammed the teacup hard on the table. He barked, “Tell your Madam to come and speak to me herself.”
Gaoxing’s wife complied and withdrew.
However, as she reached the door, she muttered in a voice just loud enough for Song Yichun to hear, “So hard to please—when our Madam wanted to come, you said not to come and to just send a message; when our Madam sent someone with a message as you said, you now want our Madam to come and speak to you in person.”
Song Yichun nearly fell over backward.
Since when did even the servants in his household dare to talk back to him?
He wanted to call Gaoxing’s wife back, but thinking it would be embarrassing, he gave up. However, his temples throbbed with pain.
Fortunately, Dou Zhao arrived quickly.
He left Dou Zhao waiting outside while he wrote five pages of large characters in his inner room. When he grew impatient, he finally went to the outer reception hall.
To his surprise, Dou Zhao wasn’t sitting there waiting for him formally. Instead, she had summoned all the household stewardesses to report to him.
When he walked in, he thought he had entered the wrong place.
The stewardesses all bowed to him.
Dou Zhao also stood up and curtsied to him, smiling as she explained, “The household is busy preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival. I heard from a servant that you were practicing calligraphy, and I thought it wouldn’t be finished quickly, so I had them come directly to you.” She then asked with concern, “I hope we didn’t disturb your writing?”
Song Yichun was furious. Gritting his teeth, he said, “If you knew I was writing, you should have waited. What kind of behavior is this?”
The atmosphere immediately became tense.
The stewardesses all lowered their heads and hunched their shoulders, standing to the side. Some even quietly inched towards the door.
Dou Zhao remained unperturbed and smiled, “This is truly a case of ‘the emperor is not anxious, but the eunuch is anxious to death.’ It seems the Father-in-law doesn’t take the Prince of Liao’s matter to heart, and it was presumptuous of me. Since you’re busy, and we’re busy too, I’ll discuss this matter with you when everyone is free!” With that, she walked out with her head held high and chest out.