Ji Hong’s face paled upon hearing this. She secretly rejoiced that she had already entrusted Miao Ansu’s valuables to the Jin Gui and Yin Gui sisters for safekeeping.
“All of the Second Madam’s belongings are here,” she said nervously, fearing Miao Anping would see through her. “As for those fine jewelry and accessories you mentioned, we haven’t seen them.” She glanced pleadingly at the maids who had accompanied her to Four Lanes. “Uncle, if you don’t believe me, you can ask them.”
Dou Zhao’s people didn’t care about Miao Anping and despised his greedy demeanor. They all stood there, eyes lowered and minds elsewhere, saying nothing.
Miao Anping was skeptical.
His eyes darted around as he smiled and said, “I’m not trying to claim my niece’s belongings for myself. I just want to make sure those good things weren’t swallowed up by the Song family’s Second Master. Otherwise, my niece would suffer a great loss!”
If she could make Miao Anping mistakenly believe Song Han had kept the items, wouldn’t that be even better?
Miao Anping’s words reminded Ji Hong, and she swore she hadn’t taken any of the gold and silver valuables: “…If this servant took them, may heaven strike me down with five thunderbolts!”
This was quite a severe curse.
Miao Anping hesitated.
Could it be that Song Han had swallowed up his sister’s valuables?
He whispered a few words to one of his idle companions and turned to re-enter the city.
His companion grabbed him and said quietly, “Didn’t you say you wanted to extort some money from your brother-in-law? If so, why are you in such a hurry? You can wait a few days before going to find the Song family’s Second Master – there’s no rush to settle accounts. Are you afraid he won’t hand over the items?”
Miao Anping thought this made sense – he had just received hush money and medical fees from Song Han. If he rushed to ask for those valuables again, he might anger Song Han, causing everything to fall apart. Then he’d suffer a great loss!
He said to Ji Hong and the others, “When the time comes, you all must testify for me that we never received the Young Madam’s valuables. All those things were taken by Song Mo.”
Ji Hong nodded repeatedly.
Dou Zhao’s people remained silent.
Miao Anping was displeased by this.
Ji Hong, fearing further complications, quickly said, “Uncle, you’ve worked hard! I’m afraid our Second Madam doesn’t know you went to Four Lanes yet. I’ll send someone to inform the Second Madam right away, so the kitchen staff can prepare some good wine and food to entertain you, Uncle…”
Miao Anping and Miao Ansu had a prior agreement to split any money extorted from Song Han. If he went to the country estate with Ji Hong and the others now, wouldn’t he have to share the silver he just obtained with Miao Ansu? But if he didn’t go, how could he get his hands on the items in those trunks?
After much deliberation, he decided to hide the silver he had obtained first: “Tell your Second Madam that I have some friends to entertain. After I see them off, I’ll visit her then.”
Ji Hong breathed a sigh of relief and pretended to know nothing, respectfully seeing off Miao Anping and his group of friends. Only then did she kneel and bow to the Jin Gui and Yin Gui sisters: “I didn’t mean to involve you two sisters. As you saw, if I had handed over the Second Madam’s valuables to the Uncle, I’m afraid not a single item would have reached our Second Madam’s hands.” She began to choke up, “The Second Master can’t be relied upon, and the Second Madam has no children. If these dowry valuables were also taken by the Uncle, how would our Second Madam survive in the future?”
Jin Gui, being older and having experienced family upheaval, was not easily moved. But Yin Gui, who had always been protected by Jin Gui, was touched by this and quickly comforted her: “Don’t worry, when we left, the Madam instructed us to listen to you in everything. We’re just helping you carry some things, sister. There’s no need to be so formal.”
Ji Hong felt relieved and thanked the Jin Gui and Yin Gui sisters profusely. Protected by Dou Zhao’s people, they returned to the country estate.
When Miao Ansu learned that her brother had extorted four hundred taels of silver from Four Lanes, she was stunned.
Miao Ansu’s mother, who was accompanying her at the country estate, quickly said, “Your brother is doing this for your good. He brought so many people to help you make a scene. Although it’s a favor, people can’t just run around with your brother for nothing. If they don’t get a thank-you feast and a few taels of silver each, who would be willing to help your brother in the future? Don’t think your brother is getting this money for himself.”
Hearing this, Miao Ansu felt even colder inside. She didn’t even want to respond to her mother. She had the wet nurse carry the trunks into the western room, which was temporarily serving as a storeroom. She then generously rewarded Dou Zhao’s people and called Ji Hong to the inner chamber to talk.
Knowing that her valuables had been preserved thanks to Jin Gui and Yin Gui, she couldn’t help but tear up. She instructed Ji Hong: “Please work a bit harder and make another trip to Yizhi Hall. Give these things to the Madam for safekeeping. I know my brother. If he can’t get these valuables from Song Han, he might bring people to search my room. Although the Young Master’s people are protecting this place, they’re guarding against the Second Master. We can’t ask them to interfere in matters between my brother and me. Besides, I still want my brother to help me tarnish Song Han’s reputation, so it’s not good to fall out with him now.”
Ji Hong agreed and, without even drinking a sip of water, left for Duke Ying’s mansion with Dou Zhao’s people.
Dou Zhao thought Miao Ansu’s concerns were reasonable. She had Ruo Zhu and Ji Hong inventory the items make a list, put them in a box, seal it, and entrust it to Ruo Zhu for safekeeping.
Ji Hong kowtowed to Dou Zhao on behalf of Miao Ansu before returning to the country estate.
Dou Zhao called Liu Zhang over to inquire: “What are the people in Four Lanes saying?”
Liu Zhang smiled and said, “They’re saying all sorts of things. Some say the Miao family has come to extort money from Duke Ying’s mansion again; that the Second Master and the Duke had an affair with a concubine; that the Second Madam was beaten by the Second Master so badly she can’t be seen in public; that the Duke was so angered by the Second Master that his mouth is crooked and his hands are shaking, unable to speak… It’s hard to know how these stories got so distorted. It’s both laughable and pitiable to hear them!”
“That’s how rumors work,” Dou Zhao was quite satisfied with this result and smiled, saying, “Have your people keep an eye out. If anyone tries to clear the Second Master’s name, smear him some more. If necessary, make sure the neighbors all know about the Second Master and the Duke’s affair with the concubine, which angered the Second Madam so much she went to the country estate to recuperate.”
Liu Zhang smiled and agreed, keeping an even closer watch on Song Han.
Song Han pondered at home, thinking more and more that this matter could be big or small, especially with the Miao family involved. They could stir up trouble even without wind, let alone with Miao Ansu stirring things up!
He changed his clothes and hurried to Xiixiang Court.
Song Yichun was already angry that his scheme against Song Mo had failed and even cost him Du Ruo. When he heard Song Han had come to see him, he coldly said “No visitors” with a gloomy face.
The maids and servants didn’t dare tell Song Han the truth and stammered excuses.
Song Han could see through this and directly barged into Song Yichun’s study.
Song Yichun was practicing calligraphy. He threw down his brush and said in a deep voice, “What are you doing?”
Song Han quickly put on a smile and said, “I have important matters to discuss with Father. I heard from the servant that you were practicing calligraphy in the study, so I thought I’d come and grind some ink for you.”
It’s hard to be angry at a smiling face.
Song Yichun’s expression softened slightly.
Song Han seized the opportunity to explain his purpose: “I want to visit Prince Liao tomorrow – Prince Liao is about to leave, and we need to give him an explanation for this botched matter. If we say nothing, Prince Liao will most likely think we lack responsibility. A person can lack ability, but not accountability. The reason our brother can be so arrogant is that he relies on the Emperor’s favor. Now there’s no room for reconciliation between our brother and us. If we lose the Empress’s support as well, our brother will look down on us even more in the future.”
What Song Yichun feared most now was Song Mo seeking revenge.
Although Song Mo was his son, he had known for a long time that this son of his was not one to follow rules. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to try to eliminate Song Mo in the first place.
Song Han’s words hit the mark.
He thought for a moment, found a few valuable items from the treasury, wrote a visiting card, and had someone deliver it to Prince Liao’s mansion.
Prince Liao gave countless gifts to the princes and ministers in the capital every year. Now that he was returning to Liaodong, and with the favor of the Emperor and Empress, many people came to see him off.
Song Han’s arrival didn’t attract much attention.
However, Prince Liao received Song Han in his study.
As soon as he entered, Song Han knelt before Prince Liao, his face full of shame, and said, “I have ruined Your Highness’s great plan. It was all due to my poor planning. Please punish me, Your Highness.”
If Song Mo couldn’t be bypassed, then he had to find a way to overcome him.
Now that the plan had failed, there was no possibility of cooperation between him and Song Mo. So he might as well find a way to get a hold of Song Mo.
There were no better candidates than Song Han and Song Yichun.
Whether it succeeded or failed, it would be a matter of grudges between the father and sons, brothers, having nothing to do with him.
This was why he received Song Han in his study.
He smiled and said, “Heavenly Grace, you speak wrongly! I have neither a blood feud nor a wife-stealing grudge with your brother. What punishment is there to speak of? It’s just a pity that your brothers don’t get along, and I, as a peacemaker, couldn’t turn your brotherly conflict into harmony.”
Song Han immediately understood and smiled, “This time, I’ve come to thank Your Highness for your great kindness. My elder brother is truly too stubborn and has wasted Your Highness’s good intentions. I’m here on behalf of my brother to thank Your Highness.”
Prince Liao smiled and made a sound of acknowledgment, then offered tea to see his guest off.
Song Han respectfully kowtowed and retreated.
Geng Li stepped out from behind the screen and pondered, “I’m afraid Song Han is no match for Song Mo!”
“Many people are no match for Song Mo,” Prince Liao smiled dismissively, “But even tigers have moments of drowsiness. Who knows when this chess piece might come in handy?” Then he said, “In the future if Song Han wants to do something, as long as it’s harmless, you can help him. This way, he’ll be easier to use when the time comes.”
Geng Li acknowledged the order.
Song Han was quite excited.
He had managed to establish a connection with Prince Liao, hadn’t he?
In the future, with the Empress supporting him, he didn’t believe that with his shrewdness, he would fare worse than Song Mo!
Song Mo was only superior in being older than him!
From then on, Song Han began to curry favor with his superiors and socialize with his colleagues. Not only did he quickly establish himself in the Imperial Guard, but he also made several friends who would listen to his every word.
By the time Prince Liao left the capital with his eldest son and attendants like Geng Li, Song Han had begun to set his sights on Miao Anping.
This Miao Anping, who came to “visit” him every few days, was getting on his nerves!