Chapter 489 — Forced

"Let's sleep," Miao Zhi said. "We'll discuss this once I've seen the heir."

How could Ji Hong sleep? She lay with her eyes open until dawn.

Ruotong brought a few young maids to serve them breakfast.

Miao Zhi said politely, "There's no need for Miss Ruotong to trouble herself. Ji Hong is quite enough here."

Ruotong did not insist. She smiled and said, "Our lady gave orders that we are to follow the Second Madam's instructions. We won't disturb you. If you need anything at all, just call for me." She withdrew with the young maids.

Miao Zhi could not help sighing. "They're leaving us room to talk! So thoughtful and considerate—no wonder the heir treats her like the apple of his eye."

Ji Hong knew that the "her" on Miao Zhi's lips meant the heir's wife, Lady Dou.

Both had married into the Song clan, yet Lady Dou and the Second Madam were as far apart as heaven and earth.

Ji Hong's expression dimmed slightly.

Dou was telling Song Yan about the mistress and her maid: "There's certainly no room for Song Han to keep them. I say let the Miao woman plead illness, and you send men to escort her to one of the Song family's country estates to rest and recover."

Song Yan thought this a good idea. "Then go and ask the Miao woman what she thinks. If she's willing, I'll send men to accompany her to the estate at once."

Dou nodded and brought up the matter of the previous night. "Just now Lu Ming came to ask what was to be done about Old Chen, and in the blink of an eye you'd already caught Song Han 'in bed with an adulteress'—and made me worry for nothing!"

Song Yan gave a sheepish laugh. "I never expected him to resort to such a cheap trick again and again. Fortunately the Miao woman had made up her mind to part ways with Song Han, and Song Han, swelling with pride, wanted to see me disgraced—so he slipped away from my father and the Prince of Liao to 'catch me in adultery' in my warm pavilion. That was what gave me my opening to put Song Han and Du Ruo in the same bed."

Dou rather regretted that she had not been there to see the faces of the Prince of Liao, Song Cen, and Song Han—they must have been a sight!

She could not help saying, "You should have taken the chance to finish Song Han off, and instead you made excuses for him about being drunk and going into the wrong room..."

Song Yan's gaze turned cold. "Even if it had blown up into a scandal, it would only have ruined Song Han's name—how would that slake my hatred? This is better. Let him flounder in gossip and struggle, let him throw in his lot with the Prince of Liao—then dealing with him will be a real pleasure!"

Dou's heart stirred. She smiled. "Did you have this planned from the moment you had him set up his own household?"

Song Yan said, "Forewarned is forearmed."

How cunning!

How could Song Han ever be his match?

Dou pressed her lips together and smiled, then said with some worry, "With Song Han in trouble, will it really not drag you down with him?"

Song Yan said, "That's exactly why I need everyone in the capital to know that we 'brothers do not get along'!"

The wet nurse brought Yuan Heng over.

The boy babbled "Daddy" and insisted that Song Yan play with him.

Song Yan played with him a while before leaving for the yamen.

Dou went to the guest room and told Miao Zhi what Song Yan had proposed.

Miao Zhi smiled her thanks, but there was a hint of hesitation in her expression.

Dou, grateful to her for tipping Song Yan off, asked patiently, "Is there anything else you want? I'll pass it on to the heir for you."

Miao Zhi was silent a long while before saying in a low voice, "I want to divorce Song Han!"

Dou was dumbstruck.

Ji Hong, heedless of Dou's presence, fairly leaped up. "Second Madam, your marriage to the Second Master was bestowed by imperial decree! And if you divorce him, where will you go? The young master's family will never let you return to your natal home!"

True enough!

Even if Song Yan could help her get a divorce, where could she go afterward?

Miao Zhi smiled bitterly. (To be continued)