Chapter 490 — Unwilling

Before long, .

Ji Hong helped Miao Zhi into the carriage and lifted the curtain, and there, seated inside, was none other than the maid who had called out "use a ghost" so boldly back in the Xixiang Court.

Smiling, she knelt to welcome Miao Zhi and Ji Hong. "The heir apparent said I am to serve the Second Madam from now on."

Ji Hong could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. She laughed. "No wonder you dragged me off to look for Ji Hong!"

Anyone else who suspected ghosts would have hidden indoors and refused to come out, yet this girl had gone running for help the moment she learned the Second Madam was resting in Du Ruo's room. So she had been sent by the heir apparent all along.

Ji Hong sat down beside her with every appearance of warmth, and the two fell into hushed conversation.

The maid told them, "Liu Hong fell down the steps and broke her neck. She is paralyzed from head to toe now, with only her eyes still able to move. The Second Master took pity on her and gave her fifty taels of silver, then had her parents take her home. The imperial physicians say that in her condition, if her family spends silver like water, she might live another three to five years; otherwise she has fifteen or sixteen days at most. And Miss Du Ruo in the Duke's household—she was suddenly taken with a severe illness, and His Grace had her moved to the warm pavilion east of the back garden. They say several imperial physicians have been changed out, and still she shows no improvement. His Grace has already given the order for Lü Zheng's wife to make her burial clothes in advance."

Miao Zhi and Ji Hong exchanged a glance, and both felt a pang of emotion they could not quite name.

Song Han flew into rages at those around him at the slightest provocation, while Song Sui would find a fitting place for anyone who had ever helped him. Set side by side, the difference in character was plain at once. Song Han would never, in this lifetime, climb above Song Zhi.

She settled quietly into Song Zhi's estate.

Within a few days came word of the deaths of both Liu Hong and Du Ruo.

Ji Hong spat on the ground and cursed them as having gotten what they deserved.

Miao Zhi did not see it that way.

Wrong as Liu Hong and Du Ruo had been, without Song Han and Song Cen—the two real culprits—what could weak women like them have done, with their very indenture deeds held in someone else's fist?

The thought of it left Miao Zhi seething with indignation.

Why should Liu Hong and Du Ruo both be dead while Song Han and Song Cen still lived at ease and in pleasure?

This was Song Zhi's estate. Miao Zhi asked the steward, "May I see my own family?"

The steward smiled. "The heir apparent gave orders long ago. You may go wherever you wish—only it would be best not to go far, for fear that someone might stir up trouble and force you back home. Then our heir apparent's arm would not reach you."

Miao Zhi said quickly, "I understand. I only wish to see my elder brother, that he might carry a word home and spare my parents worry."

This was a reason not easily refused, .

The Miao family was greatly startled, and at once sent Miao Anping to accompany Mother Miao on a visit to Miao Zhi.

Before Mother Miao had even steadied herself on her feet, she was already crying out in agitation, "How is it that the Songs have sent you off to a country estate? And what of your food and clothing and expenses? Will they divorce you?"

It cut Miao Zhi like a knife.

She simply dissolved into tears before her brother and mother, weeping like a woman made of water. "Song Han is a wretch! He has been carrying on with our father-in-law's concubine. That little wretch Liu Hong, to curry favor with Song Han—when he lay with the concubine, she kept watch outside the door! Even when the Liao Prince came to feast, his lewd heart never changed. When the heir apparent happened upon them by chance, he not only refused to admit fault but tried to strike me before the heir apparent and His Grace, saying I was an unvirtuous wife who had not helped him cover it up, and that was how the heir apparent found out. The heir apparent feared that in his fury he would beat me to death, and so had no choice but to send me to the estate. Brother, you must stand up for me! I cannot be beaten like this for nothing!"

Miao Anping and Mother Miao looked at each other. It was a long while before Mother Miao said, sheepishly, "A married daughter is water poured out. How are we of her maiden family to meddle in your affairs? You know well enough what happened last time. Your brother went and made a scene in the Fourth Lane to speak up for you, and what came of it? Your brother was beaten by the guards of the Duke Ying's household and his back still aches to this day. He must take medicine every day, and the little savings our family had all went to buy it for him..."

Miao Zhi was so furious her liver ached, yet she had no choice but to keep up the pretense of harmony with her mother and brother.

"That is exactly why I sent for you to talk it over!" she said, all grievance. "Last time my brother made a scene on my account and got nothing good for it, and I have never stopped thinking of it. But this time is different. When the heir apparent caught Song Han in his adultery, the Liao Prince was there as well, and not long after, Liu Hong broke her neck and Du Ruo fell ill and died, and I was moved to this estate. Tell me—if this were spread abroad, who could say as they did last time that we are merely blackmailing them? And the heir apparent has promised that I may stay on this estate as long as I please. With the heir apparent at my back, Song Han cannot touch me. Once you go and raise a fuss, will Song Han not have to hand over silver to settle you?"

Mother Miao felt a faint misgiving. She could not shake the sense that the matter was not so simple as her daughter made it sound, yet if pressed to say just what was wrong, she could not put it into words.

Miao Anping's eyes, however, lit up. "That is a fine plan! Song Han's concubine is gone, and His Grace's concubine is dead too, and you are lodged on the Songs' estate and will not go back. When the time comes, we will say that Song Han committed adultery with his own father's concubine and drove you in your anger out of the Fourth Lane, and we will squeeze a good sum out of Song Han." He clapped his hands. "Little sister, you have finally shown some sense!"

Miao Zhi smiled with pursed lips.

Mother Miao, though, was worried. "What if Song Han does as he did last time and has his men beat us and drive us out?"

"Last time and this time are not the same," Miao Anping said with great confidence. "Last time we lost because we had right on our side but not the advantage—he toyed with your dowry maid, and our family showed him a sour face, and of course he would not bow to us. But now you are living on the heir apparent's estate, among people Lady Dou arranged, and can he force you back? As long as you do not return to the Fourth Lane, the scandal of Song Han's adultery will never be laid to rest, and will he not have to pay us to be rid of us?" Growing excited, he turned to Miao Zhi. "I say we must not kill Song Han outright in one stroke. We must let it flow like a long stream—a little silver today, a little silver tomorrow—and make him keep us for the rest of our days."

She had been right to go to her brother after all!

Miao Zhi nodded.

Miao Anping was still a little uneasy. "I am doing this to stand up for you. You must not turn back halfway and go home to the Fourth Lane with that Song Han!"

"I will not!" To set her brother's mind at ease, Miao Zhi said, "I am counting on you to share with me a little of the silver you squeeze out of Song Han!"