The Dou Zhao family was in high spirits when a young maid reported that Miao Ansu was seeking an audience. Song Mo’s brow immediately furrowed, and he said impatiently, “What does she want? Doesn’t she know to send a calling card first? The Duke Ying’s mansion isn’t a vegetable garden where people can come and go as they please!”
The little maid trembled in fear, not daring to utter a word.
Dou Zhao, considering that they were sisters-in-law without any apparent rift, thought it proper to maintain appearances. She smiled and instructed the maid, “Please show the Second Madam to the flower hall.” Then she explained to Song Mo, “I’ll go see her first. If she says or does anything inappropriate, I won’t let her get away with it. You should trust me on this.”
Song Mo was merely annoyed at her untimely arrival and said, “Don’t waste time chatting with her. Go and come back quickly.”
“I understand,” Dou Zhao smiled, giving Song Mo’s hand a gentle squeeze before heading to the flower hall.
Miao Ansu was sitting absentmindedly in the flower hall’s armchair. Hearing movement, she quickly stood up and curtsied to Dou Zhao.
Dou Zhao noticed her red eyes as if she had just been crying. Unaware of the reason, she couldn’t comment directly, so she pretended not to notice and smiled, instructing the maid to brew fresh tea for Miao Ansu.
Miao Ansu hurriedly said, “No need, I’ve only just sat down.”
Dou Zhao, who had merely tidied her hair and changed into a lined jacket before coming out, knew this was true. She didn’t insist and got straight to the point, smiling, “You’ve come to see me so late, is there something urgent?”
At this prompt, Miao Ansu recalled asking the maid about Dou Zhao’s whereabouts upon arrival and being told that Dou Zhao was playing with the children in the warm room with Song Mo. Tears began to fall again as she recounted to Dou Zhao how Song Han was now favoring her maid and pitting her against Miao Ansu.
As Dou Zhao listened, her anger rose.
This Song Han was truly a hopeless case!
She hadn’t noticed before, but now she found him increasingly distasteful.
Fortunately, Song Mo had early on found a way to separate him and have him live independently. If he had still been lingering in Duke Ying’s mansion, he would have corrupted the family’s reputation.
She also felt conflicted.
If she were Song Han’s sister-in-law by blood, with Lady Jiang no longer around, it would be acceptable for her to personally go and teach Song Han a lesson, or even sell off that maid called Liu Hong. But now… she could only say, “Why don’t you speak to the Duke about this? ‘If a child is not taught, it is the father’s fault.’ With the Duke present, it’s not our place as in-laws to intervene.”
Miao Ansu was well aware of this.
But the Duke had always looked down on her background, never giving her a second glance. Seeking his help would only invite humiliation.
Miao Ansu began to cry again, “Sister-in-law, have you ever seen parents-in-law side with a daughter-in-law when their son is at odds with his wife?”
This was indeed true.
Even if they appeared to side with the daughter-in-law, it would be merely superficial, just to quickly smooth things over.
And Miao Ansu had no formidable family backing to make Duke Ying’s household wary.
Dou Zhao sincerely said, “Just as illnesses require specific treatments, so does managing one’s life. If he were fond of women, you could place a few attractive ones in his household, making it clear that whoever bears a child first would be elevated to concubine status, letting them fight among themselves. But from what you’ve said, the Second Master is merely trying to provoke you. I’m at a loss for what to advise… You’ll have to decide for yourself on this matter.”
Miao Ansu’s expression betrayed her disappointment upon hearing this. She sat in the flower hall for nearly half an hour before rising to take her leave.
Dou Zhao immediately relayed this incident to Song Mo.
Song Mo listened with a cold laugh, saying, “I’ve always wondered how he could be so patient. It turns out he found an outlet. Well, ‘to cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to all’ – if he can’t even manage his household affairs, how can he achieve great deeds? We should just stand by and watch the show unfold.”
Dou Zhao nodded, sighing for Miao Ansu.
A few days later, news spread through the Four Alleys that Miao Ansu had fallen ill. When the Miao family came to visit, they found only Ji Hong attending to Miao Ansu, with no sign of the other main maid, Liu Hong.
Miao’s mother grew suspicious and quietly questioned the nanny who had come as part of the dowry.
The nanny, who had always felt that Song Han dared to bully Miao Ansu because she was too docile, embellished the story as she whispered in Miao’s mother’s ear.
Miao’s mother was so enraged she nearly fainted. She immediately stormed off to the front courtyard’s study.
Liu Hong was standing on the steps, directing several young maids to clean the courtyard.
She was wearing a peach-red jacket embroidered with flower branches that had been part of Miao Ansu’s dowry and even wore one of Miao Ansu’s pure gold hairpins.
Miao’s mother nearly collapsed.
These were items she had personally prepared for her daughter!
She rushed forward, grabbed Liu Hong by the hair, and slapped her several times.
Liu Hong screamed in terror.
The servants from the study, who attended to Song Han, quickly came forward to separate the two.
Miao’s mother shouted that she would sell Liu Hong.
Liu Hong cried, looking like a rain-drenched pear blossom.
Song Han, furious, said to Miao’s mother, “Fine, when you take your daughter’s dowry away, remember to take your daughter with you as well.”
Miao’s mother was stunned and said, “My daughter was married to you by the Empress’s decree.”
Song Han sneered, “Wasn’t it your family who was dissatisfied with me as a son-in-law? How has this become my fault?”
Seeing his utterly indifferent attitude, Miao’s mother suddenly deflated.
Miao Anping, however, disregarded all this and moved to strike Song Han.
Song Han stepped back, supporting Liu Hong as he turned to enter the study.
Miao Anping was instead beaten by Song Han’s servants.
How could the Miao family swallow such an insult?
They carried Miao Anping on a door panel and placed him at the entrance of Song Han’s residence.
Onlookers blocked all four alleys to watch the spectacle.
Song’s Third Madam said to Dou Zhao, “What do you make of this situation? We should quickly inform Yan Tang and have him send people to detain the Miao family!”
Dou Zhao found this amusing.
While others refrained from intervening, the Third Madam was eager to play the hero.
She smiled and said, “The Imperial Guard is the Emperor’s protection, not the Young Master’s. If the Third Madam is so eager to uphold justice, why not report to the Shunyi Prefecture instead of coming here? Rather than asking the Young Master to intervene, wouldn’t it be better for the Third Madam to seek the Duke’s involvement? After all, the Duke Ying’s mansion belongs to the Duke, and it’s his reputation at stake. Our Young Master is merely a son.”
Song’s Third Madam was left speechless for a long while before leaving with a gloomy face.
Madam Guo, who was visiting Dou Zhao, worriedly asked, “Will she go complain to your father-in-law?”
“At home, one obeys the father; when married, one obeys the husband,” Dou Zhao smiled nonchalantly. “I listen to my husband, as is right and proper. Surely my father-in-law couldn’t find fault with that?”
Madam Guo realized this was indeed the case.
She shyly admitted, “I’m still too timid.”
Concubine Bai had recently given birth to a second son a few days ago.
This was already the second son born to Concubine Bai.
Dou Zhao said, “One picks the softest persimmon to squeeze. If we don’t dare to speak or act for ourselves, how can we expect others to take us seriously?”
Madam Guo lowered her head, deep in thought.
Joyful laughter from Jing Yuan and Young Master Yuan could be heard from the warm room.
Dou Zhao smiled and took Madam Guo’s hand, “Come, let’s go play with the children. We shouldn’t neglect them because of these vexing matters.”
Madam Guo smiled and agreed, accompanying Dou Zhao to the warm room.
Miao Ansu lay in bed, her tears flowing like a river, and asked her wet nurse, “If I wanted to divorce Song Han, who should I approach?”
Her marriage to Song Han was imperially decreed, so seeking a divorce wouldn’t be simple.
Miao Ansu’s wet nurse was startled and hurriedly said, “My dear lady, you mustn’t entertain such thoughts! If you divorce, how will you eat? Where will you live? Your uncle may be making a fuss now, but if you return home, he’ll be the first to reject you.”
Miao Ansu was well aware of this.
It was just that the thought had crossed her mind more than once, and she had inadvertently spoken it aloud.
A commotion could be heard from outside.
Miao Ansu’s wet nurse frowned upon hearing it and said, “I’ll go see what’s happening.”
Miao Ansu listlessly responded with an “Mm.”
The wet nurse quickly returned.
Her face was ashen as she said, “That girl Liu Hong is getting more and more out of line. Just because the kitchen was a bit late in delivering hot water due to some matter, she’s throwing a fit. She should remember her place! Borrowing the tiger’s might, she’d better be careful not to strain her back…”
Miao Ansu was lost in thought upon hearing this.
The wet nurse, alarmed, hurriedly nudged Miao Ansu, “What’s wrong with you?”
“I’m fine,” Miao Ansu came to her senses, feeling increasingly convinced of her thoughts. She said softly, “Nanny, don’t you think it’s strange? Liu Hong wasn’t like this before, so unruly. How did she suddenly become so arrogant and boundless?”
The wet nurse indignantly said, “These lightweight bones, give them an inch and they don’t know their measure! Don’t be upset, I’ll teach her a lesson…”
“No,” Miao Ansu said, “that’s not what I meant. I’m saying, that Liu Hong isn’t new to serving Song Han, so why has she suddenly changed so much? Did Song Han promise her something? Or has she decided to stay by Song Han’s side from now on? Song Han is a cold-hearted person, even Ji Hong knows that. How can Liu Hong be so certain that Song Han will treat her differently? There must be something going on!”
The wet nurse couldn’t figure out why.
Miao Ansu called Ji Hong in and spoke privately with her for a quarter of an hour.
Ji Hong hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
A few days later, she told Miao Ansu, “The Second Master has promised to make Liu Hong a concubine!”
Miao Ansu scoffed, “And she believes Song Han’s words? She shouldn’t forget, that if Song Han wants to elevate her to concubine status and I don’t agree, he’d have to ask his father. Is the Duke the kind of person who would care about a mere maid?”
Ji Hong said, puzzled, “But from Liu Hong’s words and actions, she seems very certain.”
For a moment, both fell silent.
No one knew the personalities of her dowry maids better than Miao Ansu.
If Ji Hong’s loyalty made her seem somewhat slow-witted, then Liu Hong’s quick wit made her appear overly clever.
Without absolute certainty, how could she so recklessly help Song Han humiliate Miao Ansu?
Could it be that Liu Hong had some leverage over Song Han?
Miao Ansu’s eyes lit up as she said to Ji Hong, “You must find out why Liu Hong is so confident she can become Song Han’s concubine!”
Ji Hong nodded.
But even as the autumn winds began to blow, she had made no progress.
Meanwhile, the Prince of Liao returned to the capital from Liaodong.