Chapter 460 — Cutting In

"Pah!" Miao Anping said, as though she were hopeless beyond saving. "Words are no proof; only writing under seal. On what sheet of paper has he written that he will subsidize you four thousand taels a year for your living? This may hold this year, but who knows whether it will hold next year. You were so shrewd in your own family—how is it that once married you have turned foolish? And besides, what division of a household is done without calling in the wife's family as witnesses? Has my brother-in-law not bewitched you until you know not east from west?"

As he spoke, he saw Miao Zhi's face suddenly flush crimson, and she shot him a look.

Miao Anping's heart skipped. Sensing something, he turned and saw Song Han walking in with a dark face.

He could not tell how much the man had heard.

Miao Anping muttered inwardly.

He dared take liberties before Miao Zhi, but he did not dare offend Song Han, of whom he had need.

Miao Anping hastily put on a smiling face and went to meet him, calling him "brother-in-law" with great warmth, and said, "Have you broken your fast? There is a shop by our gate that sells excellent crab-roe buns—I brought a steamer of them specially. Brother-in-law, do try them and see how they taste."

Jihong, quick-witted, carried the buns in.

Song Han had heard everything Miao Anping said.

He could not help sneering inwardly.

You know nothing!

You think every man was born in some back alley, that when things go wrong you roll up your sleeves, have your fight, and the next time you meet you can still grin and call him 'brother.'

If he does not split from the family, the only thing waiting for him is 'death'!

When a man's life is gone, what is left to talk about?

It is just as well that he has split off.

He has a household of his own now. That gives him an excuse to seek a post.

Not having to live under Song Yan's nose is worth more than anything else. Who knows when Song Yan might take it into his head to run mad and set about ruining him!

In any case, so long as Father says nothing, Song Yan cannot accuse him of passing a concubine's son off as the legitimate heir. With the name of the Second Lord of the Yingzhen Duke's household to trade on, need he fear that no one outside will fawn on him?

At the sight of that fawning smile on Miao Anping's face, Song Han was so disgusted he nearly brought up the previous night's dinner.

He rose to his feet and said, "I shall be moving house shortly — to Uncle Lu's household. And I must call at each of my uncles' as well. I will take my morning meal out. You brother and sister may as well talk." Then, amid Miao Anping's cries of "Brother-in-law! Brother-in-law!", he flung out his sleeves and strode away.

Miao Anping felt he had been slapped in the face. His own face sullen, he turned on Miao Zhi: "What is he supposed to mean by that?"

Miao Zhi shot him a look. "Who told you to meddle in other people's family affairs?"

"I was only thinking of your good!" Miao Anping muttered, his conscience none too easy. Seeing that the matter of the constable's post had come to nothing yet again, he made short work of it — cramming every one of the crab-roe buns he had brought into his mouth — and only then went back to Daxing.

Miao's father hurried to ask him, "What did your brother-in-law say?"

"Don't ask." Miao Anping recounted the whole of his reception at the Yingzhen Duke's household to his father, every last detail of it. And he added, "Tell me, has my sister had her head filled with lead?"

But Miao's father was struck dumb by that house worth more than ten thousand taels and an allowance of four thousand taels a year.

He berated his son: "What business is it of yours to stick your nose into so much? Your sister has a father-in-law above her and a husband below her — if she will not heed her father-in-law and her husband, do you suppose she will heed you?" As he spoke his eyes darted to and fro, and he went on, "I wonder, is that four thousand taels paid out all at once, or in installments? If it comes all at once, then setting aside everything else, put even half of it out at usury and a year would bring in a thousand or eight hundred taels at the least, when our family's yearly outlay is no more than two or three hundred taels."

Miao Anping understood his father's drift at once.

He at once drew close to his father and said in a low voice, "This must not reach Uncle and the rest. Best to say it is the custom in the Yingzhen Duke's household."

Miao's father nodded and nodded.

Miao Anping could scarcely contain himself. "Father, shall I go and sound out the market? This money-lending business — not just anyone is fit to take it up!"

"Of course," his father urged him. "Go and make inquiries at once, and the two of us will draw up a plan."

"Right!" Miao Anping went out in high spirits, and came home that night dead drunk.

Naturally, Miao's father could get nothing out of him.

The next day Miao Anping slept until the sun was high before he rose, but he had scarcely got up when his good-for-nothing cronies came to take their leave of him — the list of two newly appointed constables for Jurong County had come down.

One was the nephew of the Jurong County registrar.

The other was a guard of the Yingzhen Duke's household.