Chapter 460 — Cutting In
Purple Streets of Chang'an Page 1 of 2
Jiang Yan, for her part, had taken Dou Zhiwei's words to heart.
Song Yan left the Yizhi Hall feeling that his belly full of grievances had nowhere to go. Then he looked up and saw one of Song Han's attendants leading a tall, handsome man toward the eastern road.
He looked closely—it was Miao Anping, Miao Zhi's elder brother.
Miao Anping had spotted Song Yan as well.
He hurried forward to greet him with a salute.
Song Ke had come to see Song Han, and so naturally had no interest in dealings with Song Han's in-laws. Smiling, he exchanged a few polite words with Miao Anping, then made the excuse of having to attend court and left the Yingzhen Estate.
On the road, Wuyi quietly reported to Song Yan the matter of Miao Anping seeking the post of constable in Jurong County, adding, "These past days, the Miao kinsman has been coming to the gate every few days to ask after news. I expect he has come for that again this time."
Song Yan's mouth twisted slightly.
Song Han, it seemed, was like a monkey that scatters when the tree falls—yet the tree had not fallen, and he kept his airs piled high.
What ability did he have to help Miao Anping secure the post of constable in Jurong County?
Song Yan thought for a moment, then instructed Wuyi: "Go and ask the Madam whether any of the guards who came from Zhending would like to serve as a constable in Jurong County. I will recommend him to leave the household and take up office."
Wuyi trotted all the way back to the Yingzhen Estate.
Dou Yan was baffled when she heard Song Yan's message, so Wuyi explained the whole chain of events to her. Dou Yan could not help laughing, and sent for Duan Bing to relay Song Yan's words.
Neither Duan Bing nor Chen Lanxu had any wish to leave the Yingzhen Estate, but both thought it a fine thing—if the men who had followed Dou Yan could be recommended for office, then the younger ones would have something to strive for and hope after, and would only grow more loyal to Dou Yan.
The two discussed it and decided to let the guards put themselves forward.
Some were willing, some were not, so Duan Bing and Chen Lanxu held a selection on the spot. Comparing seniority, loyalty, and skill, they finally settled on one man and reported him to Dou Yan.
Dou Yan wrote down the man's name and the circumstances of his three generations and gave it to Wuyi, who delivered it to Song Yan.
That very day Song Yan had it rushed to Jurong County.
Of all this Miao Anping knew nothing.
He stood there, gazing with envy at Song Yan's crimson official robe, until Song Ke's figure came into view; only then did he follow the attendant to the Green Bamboo Lodge.
The day for Song Han and Miao Zhi to move had been set. Miao Zhi was in the midst of packing, and the furnishings in the house were inevitably somewhat disordered and haphazard. Miao Anping was taken aback at the sight. "What is going on here?"
Miao Zhi had only just risen.
The night before, Song Han had rested in the room of Yuehong, another of her maids who had come with her dowry.
She was being attended by Jihong as she dressed her hair. Hearing that Miao Anping had come, she could not help pressing a hand to her brow and complained, "Whatever possessed him to be so energetic? At this hour of the morning—is he not afraid of giving people something to gossip about?"
These days there had been the division of the household, then the marrying off of the maids, and on top of that the business with Qixia. Song Han was in a foul temper, finding fault in the smallest thing; how could she have found a chance to raise the matter of the Jurong constable with him? Yet this brother of hers would not give her a moment's peace, pressing her relentlessly until he had an answer.
Jihong did not dare make a sound. It was the little maid who had come to report, ignorant and fearless, who laughed and said, "The kinsman met the heir, who was just about to go to court. He even stopped specially to say a few words to the kinsman before leaving."
Miao Zhi started. "What did the heir and my brother talk about?"
The little maid smiled. "Just whether the kinsman had eaten breakfast—how it grows colder by the day, that without a fire dragon in the room a man cannot even stretch out his hand to write, and the like."
Miao Zhi breathed a sigh of relief and went out to the hall.
Miao Anping stood before the curio shelf, examining a pair of sacrificial-red plum vases. Hearing her approach, he turned. Seeing it was Miao Zhi, he frowned and came toward her, saying with displeasure, "The Duke of Yingguo means to split you off to live on your own—such a great matter, and you could not even send word to your own family? The Yingzhen Estate may not have two hundred thousand taels, but it has a hundred thousand taels of family property. Are you not afraid they will cheat you? How much property did they allot you? Has my brother-in-law signed and sealed it? Who served as witness? On what grounds do they split you out?"—as though it were his own household being divided.
Miao Zhi said wearily, "Even if I had told you, what could any of you have done for me? Gathered a crowd to make a scene? The Yingzhen Estate has its custom: the heir inherits the family property, and the second son is split off to live on his own." She truly feared that this brother of hers would kick up a fuss and offend her face-conscious father-in-law, and so had to explain with what patience she could muster. "Three-fifths of my mother-in-law's dowry went to the Second Master, and two-fifths to the heir. The heir later bought back that three-fifths at a high price, so my mother-in-law's affairs are settled. As for the Yingzhen Estate's property, it all belongs to the common fund; at most half of what stands in my father-in-law's name could be given to the Second Master. But my father-in-law is in the prime of life—how could he divide up the property at such a time…"
Before she had finished speaking, Miao Anping had leapt up. "Have you lost your wits? If you do not take now what is your due, do you imagine that when your father-in-law breathes his last they will leave half the property to you? You know yourself that your father-in-law is in his prime—what if he takes a second wife and begets a young son? And who told you the Yingzhen Estate has such a custom? Have you ever seen this custom, or have I? It is nothing but the breath of their mouths! If they do not settle the matter of the property clearly, you must not agree to this division…"
Miao Zhi gave a bitter smile.
If Song Han had been the legitimate second son of the Yingzhen Estate—no, even a concubine's son—she could have fought for something under the rules by which other households' concubine-born sons left the family. But Song Han's status was ambiguous; Song Han simply did not dare contend for anything, and agreed to whatever was said. How was she, a daughter-in-law, to fight for it?
She said crossly, "The division was agreed to by the Duke, and the Second Master consented as well. Would you have me go quarrel with my father-in-law? You do not know his temper. The more you ask of him, the less he gives; the more you obey him meekly, the more he will pity you. And so it was—the Second Master said not a word and left the whole matter of the division to my father-in-law, and did my father-in-law not spend more than ten thousand taels to buy us a house in the Four Lanes? And he has also allotted us a farmstead yielding two thousand taels a year, saying that henceforth he will subsidize us with four thousand taels a year for our living. Do not come meddling here!"