Blossom

Song Mo did not deliberately suppress the news of that day. The rumor that "Song Han was caught in the act of adultery with his father's bedroom servant by Song Mo, and Miao Ansu consequently left in anger to recuperate at the farmstead" gradually spread quietly among the servants of the Duke of England's Mansion. Even those in the Four Alleys heard of it. So when Ji Hong arrived with the Duke's pages and old women to move Miao Ansu's belongings, the more perceptive servants quickly found excuses to avoid the scene. Those who couldn’t avoid it in time stared at Song Han lying on the ground, then at Jin Gui, who had retreated expressionlessly behind Ji Hong, and were left stunned for a long while.

For a servant to strike their master—such an act was punishable by exile.

How could this little maidservant dare?

Everyone in the Four Alleys was utterly shocked.

The main room was eerily silent, as if even the air had frozen.

Ji Hong couldn’t help but lick her lips.

No wonder Madam Dou treated the Duke of Yingguo as if he were nothing—the maids by her side were truly formidable!

If she wanted to leave the Four Alleys safely today, she would have to rely on Jin Gui and Yin Gui.

Her attitude toward the two sisters grew even more respectful. "Sisters, it’s getting late, and you must return to report. Let’s hurry and pack the Second Madam’s things to send them to the farmstead."

Jin Gui and Yin Gui understood perfectly—Madam had sent them to intimidate these people. As for moving belongings, that wasn’t their task.

The two sisters smiled and nodded, standing guard at the inner chamber’s entrance.

Ji Hong quickly led a few old women into the inner chamber.

Only then did Song Han’s page react, rushing forward to help him up.

Song Han shoved the page aside and struggled to his feet.

"Summon the house guards," he snarled, his lips swollen and chin bruised, his expression dark as he glared at Jin Gui and Yin Gui, who remained unfazed. "A thousand days spent training soldiers, all for one moment of use. I refuse to believe a few women and children can carry things away right under the noses of grown men!"

The page hurried off but soon returned in a panic. "Second Master! It’s bad—that Ji Hong has somehow brought over a dozen highly skilled fighters. They’ve blocked the Second Gate of our mansion, and we can’t get out!"

Song Han trembled with rage.

That wretched Miao Ansu, acting as if she had nothing to lose, was determined to defy him!

If he let her trample over him today, how could he ever hold his head up again?

He stormed outside. "Let’s see who dares stop me!"

The page scrambled after him.

Ji Hong worked swiftly to gather the belongings.

Her success today in barging in was, frankly, due to the element of surprise and borrowing Madam Dou’s people. Such an opportunity wouldn’t come again. The priority now was to take the most valuable items—as for the half-worn clothes and common furnishings bought from shops, they would have to be left for Song Han.

Ji Hong politely urged the sturdy old women borrowed from Dou Zhao, "Please hurry, mothers. If the Second Master returns, we may not be able to leave."

The old women, already uneasy after seeing Song Han struck, nodded with forced smiles and worked faster. Soon, three or four trunks were packed.

Fearing delays would bring trouble, Ji Hong stuffed Miao Ansu’s valuables onto Jin Gui and Yin Gui. "Sisters, please help us by taking these to our Second Madam."Jin Gui and Yin Gui only followed Dou Zhao's orders. Since Dou Zhao had instructed them to help Ji Hong, they didn’t refuse and tucked the items into their sleeves.

Ji Hong let out a sigh of relief, but suddenly, a commotion erupted outside.

Anxious, she sent a little maid to see what was happening.

The maid came running back excitedly, "Sister Ji Hong, it’s the maternal uncle! He’s brought a whole crowd of people, saying he’s here to get justice for the Second Madam!"

Perfect!

With the uncle’s help, their chances of success had just increased.

A faint smile appeared on Ji Hong’s face.

Meanwhile, Song Han was so furious he nearly rolled his eyes back.

Miao Anping was twisting the truth, accusing him and his father of adultery with their bedroom servant, which Miao Ansu had supposedly discovered. He claimed they had ignored her well-intentioned advice and instead sent her to the Song family’s farmstead to recuperate, forcing Song Han to pay a thousand taels of hush money.

What rotten luck to be tied to the Miao family by marriage! All they cared about was silver—nothing else.

Song Han gritted his teeth so hard they creaked and sneered, "Slander and false accusations against an official are crimes punishable by imprisonment!"

Miao Anping remained unfazed and grinned, "Ah, Second Master Song, you’ve hit the nail on the head! Let’s go to Shuntian Prefecture and settle this! I refuse to believe there’s any justification for a son sleeping with his father’s bedroom servant. Oh, and I heard from my sister that Prince Liao was present that day. Since His Highness hasn’t left yet, we can invite him to testify at the yamen. Others might not be able to summon Prince Liao, but the Song family is the foremost among the nobility—surely you can manage it!"

Song Han was too enraged to speak but didn’t dare to actually take the Miao family to court.

It wasn’t that he feared humiliation—after all, Song Mo had already stated that he had drunkenly stumbled into the wrong room. Even if they went to the yamen, he could use that as an excuse. But if Liao Wang found out he had not only botched the task but also lacked the ability to clean up the mess, how could he possibly earn his respect?

His current standing relied entirely on the Empress’s favor.

A cold glint flashed in Song Han’s eyes. "A thousand taels is impossible. At most, two hundred. Take it or leave it—otherwise, we’ll settle this in court."

Miao Anping had already decided to take this piece of fat bit by bit. He also feared pushing things too far and countered, "Eight hundred at the very least. My brothers here came all this way—they deserve some tea money."

"Three hundred, not a tael more."

Song Han stood firm, and they finally settled on four hundred taels.

Miao Anping left the study and barked at the Pages of Four Alleys to serve tea and snacks to the idlers waiting for him in the Reception Hall.

Song Han watched the ruffians lounging in his meticulously arranged Reception Hall, his heart aching with resentment.

Inside the inner courtyard, Ji Hong received the news. Biting her lip as she eyed the pile of clothes covering half the kang, she said to Jin Gui and Yin Gui, "Let’s carry these things out now. We might even run into the uncle in the front courtyard—he can lend us a hand."

Jin Gui and Yin Gui couldn’t help but inwardly scoff.

Miao Anping was nothing but a lowly upstart. Even without his help, the two of them could easily leave Four Alleys on their own.

Still, they were happy to let the Miao family take the lead and followed Ji Hong out.

When they reached the Hanging Flower Gate, they were stopped by a few Old Women guarding the inner courtyard, who refused to let them pass and threatened to report to Song Han.

Ji Hong immediately burst into loud, dramatic sobs.Sitting in the Small Flower Hall, Miao Anping heard the commotion and came out to see what was happening, immediately recognizing Ji Hong.

He gathered a few idle helpers and surrounded them.

"What are you all doing?" Miao Anping shouted at the Old Women guarding the inner courtyard.

Ji Hong, as if seeing a lifeline, cried out "Uncle!" to him: "The Second Madam finds it inconvenient to stay at the farmstead and asked us to bring her chests back from the estate to the farmstead, but the Second Master refuses to allow it. Please help me!"

Miao Anping's gaze fell on the several camphorwood chests behind Ji Hong, part of Miao Ansu's dowry.

How had he not thought of this before?

A woman who loses her husband's family can only rely on her maiden family. If Miao Ansu's chests were moved to the farmstead, wouldn't they be at his disposal?

Cursing under his breath, he rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward to help.

Seeing this, several of the Song family's guards rushed over, unwilling to back down.

The people from the Hall of Cultivating Will stood by, watching the spectacle.

By the time Song Han's steward arrived with the silver, chaos had erupted in front of the Hanging Flower Gate—shouting, chasing, and fighting.

The steward hurried to report to Song Han.

Song Han, who had been feigning ignorance in his study, had no choice but to step out and loudly demand, "What is going on here?"

Both sides awkwardly ceased their scuffle.

Several of the more severely beaten Old Women ignored the situation and moaned louder on the ground. The guards from Four-Lane Alley had no choice but to step forward and mumble an account of what had happened.

Miao Anping immediately retorted defiantly, "Those were originally dowry items our Miao family gave to my sister. Now that my sister has been driven to the farmstead by you, what right do you have to stop us from taking her chests? Song Han, do you want me to expose all the disgraceful things you've done?" He pointed at his torn clothes and a bruised-faced helper beside him. "At the very least, hand over five hundred taels of tea money now!"

I'd rather spend five thousand taels to have you killed!

Song Han seethed inwardly, but his expression grew even gentler. He gestured to the moaning figures on the ground. "And what about them? Since both sides have suffered losses, let each bear their own." As he spoke, he nodded to his steward.

The steward promptly presented four hundred taels of gleaming silver.

Miao Anping knew Song Han was a miser and that getting money from him wasn't easy. Thinking of long-term gains, he glared fiercely at Song Han, took the silver, and escorted Ji Hong and the others as they carried the chests out the gate.

He had caused trouble once before, and now he had returned with more people. The residents of Four-Lane Alley had been waiting at the entrance to watch the spectacle. As they emerged, small groups stood around whispering.

Miao Anping, having grown up in the streets, knew how damaging rumors could be. Hoping to intimidate Song Han further, he smiled broadly and bowed in all directions, saying, "I'm taking my sister back to stay with us for a while. She'll return in a few days—it's not like the Song family has cast her out to the farmstead."

Hearing this, one bold woman remarked, "So the Second Madam has gone to the Song family's farmstead to recuperate. I was wondering why I hadn't seen her attendants out buying groceries these past few days. What illness does the Second Madam have that requires recuperation in the farmstead?"

A troublemaker nearby laughed, "If that's the case, why did the elder brother come in such a rage, even tearing his clothes in the process?"

Miao Anping merely chuckled and urged the people from the Hall of Cultivating Will to quickly load the chests onto the carriage.

Not a single member of the Song family came forward.Seeing there was no show to watch, the crowd gradually dispersed. A few curious individuals went to the Duke of England's Mansion to inquire about what had actually happened.

Meanwhile, Miao Anping couldn't wait until the carriage reached the farmstead before eagerly opening the chests to check their contents.

Thank goodness, thank goodness!

All the slightly more valuable dowry items from back then had been brought out.

Unable to contain himself, he broke into a smile and called Ji Hong over to ask: "Why don't I see our paternal aunt's jewelry and valuables?"