Chapter 484 — Clamor
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
The Dou family was still in high spirits when the little maid came in to announce that Miao Zhi was asking to see them. Song Yan's brows knit at once, and he said impatiently, "What does she want? Does she not know to send a card ahead of time? The Yingzhen Ducal Estate is not a vegetable garden—whoever pleases may come and go as they like!"
The little maid trembled with fright.
Dou Yan reflected that the two women were, after all, sisters-in-law with no grudge between them, and that since Miao Zhi had come to their door, she ought at least to keep up appearances.
Smiling, she instructed the little maid, "Show the Second Madam into the flower hall." Then she explained to Song Yan, "I will go and see her first. If she says anything unpleasant or does anything improper, I won't let her have her way—on that point you should trust me."
Song Yan was merely annoyed that she had come at such an inconvenient hour. "Don't bandy words with her. Go and come back quickly."
"I know." Dou Yan gave his hand a squeeze before heading to the flower hall.
Miao Zhi was sitting blankly in one of the grand armchairs, lost in a daze. Hearing the sound of footsteps, she hastily rose and curtsied to Dou Yan.
Only then did Dou Yan notice that her eyes were red, as though she had been weeping. Not knowing the reason, she could hardly respond at random; feigning that she had not seen, she smiled and ordered the maid to brew fresh tea for Miao Zhi.
Miao Zhi said quickly, "No need—I have only just sat down."
Dou Yan had only stepped out to smooth her temples and change into another jacket. Knowing that Miao Zhi spoke the truth, she did not insist, and came straight to the point with a smile: "Coming to see me so late—there must be something urgent on your mind."
She would have done better to leave it unsaid. At her words, Miao Zhi recalled how, upon entering, she had asked the maid what Dou Yan was doing, and the maid had told her that Dou Yan was in the warm chamber with Song Yan, dandling the child. Tears welled up in spite of herself, and she poured out to Dou Yan the whole tale of how Song Han had promoted the maid who strove against her.
As Dou Yan listened, fury flared up in her chest.
This Song Han—what utter worthless mud!
She had not felt it before, but now the more she saw of him, the more distasteful he became.
Thank goodness Song Chu had long since found a way to set him up in a separate household. Had he remained here at the Yingzhen Ducal Estate, he would have corrupted the family's whole tradition.
Yet she also felt deeply at a loss.
If she had been Song Han's elder brother's wife—now that Lady Jiang was gone—it would have been one thing to take people and give Song Han a sound thrashing herself, or even to decide to sell that maid called Liu Hong; all of it would have been defensible. But as things stood… she could only say, "Why not speak to the Duke? A child's failure to learn is the father's fault. With the Duke present, it is not for us, his elder brother and sister-in-law, to step forward."
Did Miao Zhi not know this full well?
But the Duke had always looked down on her humble origins and had never once regarded her directly. To go begging to him would be to invite humiliation.
Miao Zhi began to weep again. "Sister-in-law, have you ever seen a son and his wife quarrel, and the parents-in-law side with the wife?"
That much was true.
Even if they sided with the wife, it would only be for appearance's sake—smearing mud over the cracks to settle the matter quickly.
And Miao Zhi had no maternal family that the Yingzhen Ducal Estate would think twice about.