Chapter 513 — The Accusation
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Dou Yan was a clever woman. Hearing the tone beneath the words, she understood at once what Miao Zhi meant.
A false accusation?
In her previous life, had not Song Cen and Song Han done exactly this to Song Zhi?
Dou Chiyou smiled faintly and said softly to Miao Zhi, "The method is sound, but the person to carry it out?"
Miao Zhi's eyes lit up at his words.
She had lain awake half the night thinking it over.
The Duke of Ying was set on using Song Han to deal with Song Yan. Song Yan held the upper hand now, but who could say when the wind might shift? And if Song Han gained the upper hand, would he ever let her off?
Between her and Song Han, only one could live.
Yet if she wanted to bring Song Han down, there was no doing it without Song Yan's help.
Her position alone ruled that out.
A marriage bestowed by imperial decree, a daughter-in-law of the Song family. The matter of the Prince of Liao could not be mentioned; in the eyes of others, Song Han was merely careless in his dealings with women, and if she made a fuss over it, the fault would be hers. To cut herself loose from Song Han, she would have to find another path.
Then she thought of how Song Han had tried to frame Song Yan for adultery with Du Ruo and failed.
Dou Yan must hate Song Han and Song Cen to the bone.
Perhaps this was her only chance.
Miao Zhi said in a low voice, "If you trust me, Sister-in-law, why not leave this matter to me?"
"Oh?" Dou Yan inclined her head to listen.
Miao Zhi whispered, "Do you remember Qixia, the senior maid in Song Han's household? She was a proud girl, and after Song Han ruined her, she hated him to the marrow. If you will only tell me where she is living now, I will persuade her, and when I accuse Song Han, she need only step forward and testify for me. As for the concubine-born woman, a bedchamber maid raised to concubine, with no principal wife in the house, is no more than a matter of a written record. And besides, that Du Ruo is the daughter of a disgraced official. The Duke of Zhen has not proclaimed it abroad, yet he lets the household's serving women treat her with the courtesies due a concubine—she may well be reckoned a concubine mother."
Dou Yan frowned slightly at this and said, "Then you mean to go to the Shuntian Prefecture and accuse Song Han?"
A flicker of astonishment crossed Miao Zhi's face.
She had thought Dou Yan would applaud her plan.
"I cannot bear it unless his crimes are proclaimed to all under heaven," a shadow of gloom passed over Miao Zhi's brow. "Even if I must take the beating, I will accept it."
For a wife to accuse her husband, she must first receive twenty strokes of the rod from the magistrate before he would even look at the complaint.
But Dou Yan had other misgivings.
The Manor of the Duke of Ying, when all was said, was still the Manor of the Duke of Ying of Song Zhi—her son's manor. Once the scandal of Song Han's adultery with his concubine mother broke,
Why should her husband and son taste the bitter fruit of Song Han's sins?
Going to the Shuntian Prefecture to accuse Song Han was out of the question.
Yet joining hands with Miao Zhi was a rare opportunity.
Dou Yan stroked her teacup and mused, "Leave this matter with me. Let me think it over carefully."
Miao Zhi returned to the country estate in disappointment.
Dou Yan paced the room for a long while, then instructed Ruotong, "Go and invite Old Chen here."
This matter required careful reckoning.
Chen Yanzhou soon arrived at the study with Ruotong.
Dou Yan was already waiting there.
She told Old Chen the whole of the affair from beginning to end, and said, "I keep feeling this is a rare opportunity, but how to bring it off to perfection still needs your counsel, sir."
Chen Yanzhou, too, hated Song Han for scheming against Dou Yan, and at her words he could not help but grow keen. "Then how does the lady think she might be avenged?"
Knowing Dou Zhiwei's limits, he could better help her devise a plan.