Chapter 446 — Repaying a Debt

Either Miao-shi was in the next room, or Miao-shi's most capable senior maid, Jihong, was.

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she heard the sound of porcelain shattering from next door.

Liu Hong caught her breath and managed to force out a smile. "You're making that up, aren't you? When a lady of the household gives birth, there must be no end of people crowded around. Even if it could be hidden from Lady Jiang, how could it possibly be hidden from the capable old nurses at Lady Jiang's side? Don't try to fool me!"

"Why would I fool you?" Fuye said, displeased. "If you don't believe me, just ask anyone. Otherwise, how do you explain why the young miss from Bishui Pavilion looks exactly like Lady Jiang? When the young miss was sent back to her natal family, why didn't she return to the Jiang family instead of coming to seek refuge with the Song family? And why does the Madam promote the young miss instead of the Second Madam?"

When the Eldest Young Madam of the Lu family suffered a miscarriage, by all rights the Madam should have invited her sister-in-law Miao-shi to go with her to the Lu residence to pay a visit. So why did she set Miao-shi aside and take the young miss instead? Was the Madam not afraid the Lu family's old master and old madam would blame her?

Miao Zhi's mind was in utter turmoil. She did not even notice when Fuye left.

She sat alone in silence until the lamps were lit. Only when the maids came in to light them did the piercing glare bring her back to herself.

"Has the Second Master come back?" Miao Anruo asked Jihong.

Song Han had no particular duties, yet on the fourth day of their marriage he had made the excuse that Lord Zhenguo was strict about his studies and returned to the academy to read. He left early and came back late every day. He was more diligent than the students of the Imperial College.

Jihong said, a little uncomfortably, "The Second Master is back. He's changing his clothes in the small study."

All the things Song Han had customarily used before the marriage had been moved to the small study.

Miao Zhi understood in a flash. "Is Qixia and the others waiting on him?"

Jihong nodded.

Miao Zhi flew into a rage.

He slept with her maids, yet never let her former maids wait on him—what sort of reasoning was that?

No wonder—was her own room some brothel, then?

Miao Zhi sprang up to head for the small study, but Jihong held her back with all her strength. "Second Madam, you've only just married in. If you make a scene, even what isn't your fault will become your fault. Besides, the Second Master's position is awkward right now. If you do this, you'll only make him resent you!"

Miao Zhi calmed down.

When Song Han returned to the room, she greeted him with a smiling face and asked whether he had eaten supper. She brought him water to wash his feet with her own hands, and once they were in bed, she gently and softly told him about Dou Yan taking Jiang Yan to the Lu family. Then she tested him, saying, "Tell me—shouldn't you also prepare some gifts and go pay a visit to the Eldest Young Madam of the Lu family?"

Song Han's expression at once turned dark and unreadable.

He was silent for a long while before saying, "Our eldest sister-in-law is the wife of the heir. These matters are hers to arrange. If she invites you, go. If she doesn't, don't go wandering about on your own, lest you commit a breach of propriety and make a laughingstock of yourself. Besides, no one sent word to you about the Eldest Young Madam's miscarriage—what business do you have joining in the fuss?" His tone was plainly impatient, and he turned over and lay down.

Miao Zhi gazed at the two quilts, laid out separate and distinct, and tears welled in her eyes.

She too turned over and lay down with her back to Song Han.

Song Han's mind was wholly occupied by the matter of Dou Yan taking Jiang Yan to the Lu residence, and he could not be bothered with Miao Zhi at all.

Dou Yan—this was going too far!

Say what you would, on the surface he was still the Second Master of the Yingzhen Duke's household, yet she did not regard him in the least. She had taken Jiang Yan to the Lu family and not taken Miao-shi!

What were they trying to do?

Were they trying to force him to give up his status as Second Master of the Yingzhen Duke's household before they were satisfied?

His hand clenched tightly into a fist, his nails digging into his palm without his even noticing.

Jiang Yan, returning from the Lu residence, was in quite a quandary.

After they had chatted with the Eldest Young Madam of the Lu family for a while, it was already noon. The Lu family kept them for a meal. Old Madam Lu set out a banquet in person to entertain them. Several of the Lu family's younger generation were all present, and her sister-in-law gave each child a red packet as a reward.

She had panicked on the spot.

Fortunately, her sister-in-law had come prepared.

She had long since prepared rewards for her and put them in Yinghong's keeping, so she had not made a fool of herself.

Old Madam Lu also said that in a few days, once the Eldest Young Madam of the Lu family had finished her month of confinement after the miscarriage, she would invite them over again for a meal and to hear opera.

This time she hadn't known, and hadn't prepared red packets herself. Next time, was she going to let her sister-in-law hand out the rewards for her again?

Each child had only been given two silver ingots of one tael each, and with four children in the Lu family, that was a mere eight taels. But even so, it meant she would not be able to repay Chen Jia's silver before the New Year.

What was she to do?

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Brothers and sisters, here is today's bonus chapter. Today's update will be pushed back to around 11 p.m., so those of you who sleep early can read it tomorrow morning when you get up!

o(∩_∩)o~

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