Chapter 517 — Retribution

Song Cen watched as Song Han's expression eased a little, then his face hardened and he said in a stern voice, "Song Han, do you know your error?"

Song Han's eyes were wide with fury, and he struggled desperately, a muffled sound of "mmph, mmph" escaping his mouth from time to time, his gaze filled with hatred and resentment as he looked at Song Cen.

Song Cen's heart quivered, and the scene of Jiang-shi's death suddenly rose before his eyes.

He felt a sudden discomfort, cleared his throat softly, and then said in a loud voice, "Bring in Miao-shi and that serving girl."

Zeng Wu hurried forward to lift the curtain of the side room beside them, and Miao Zhi and Qixia walked in.

Song Han stared at Qixia in horror.

But Qixia, as though seeing nothing, followed behind Miao Zhi to the very center of the hall and bobbed a curtsy to the masters and young gentlemen seated there.

Song Cen said, "Miao-shi, I ask you: when the Prince of Liao came to this house as a guest, what happened?"

Song Maochun and the others suddenly understood.

So that was it!

Song Han was not having the ancestral hall opened because of an affair with his father's concubine, but because he had colluded with the Prince of Liao. If the Prince of Liao failed, and Song Han was not struck from the family register, then once the Emperor learned of it, the Yingzhenguo Mansion would be in ruin!

Not only would they lose their protector, they might well be dragged down with him and exiled, their property confiscated, just like the Dingzhenguo Mansion.

Song Han must be driven from the family.

As Miao-shi spoke on in her gentle voice, Song Maochun and the others had already exchanged glances and reached their decision.

Song Qin was consumed with shame.

To think that he, the eldest brother, had actually doubted that his Second Uncle had dealt unfairly.

It seemed he was not even the equal of his younger brother Song Duo.

He could not help glancing toward Song Duo.

Song Duo was listening intently as Miao Zhi recounted the events of that day: "...In truth, Qixia once reminded me, but the fault was mine for being slow. I never gave it a thought, and that was how the Second Young Master drifted further and further astray, until at last he committed this great wrong! When all is said and done, it is all my fault. I beg my father-in-law to punish me."

As she spoke, she knelt down.

Song Cen was pleased with what she had said, gave a slight nod, and turned his gaze to Qixia.

Qixia dropped to her knees with a thud beside Miao Zhi and said in a low voice, "Ever since I was assigned to the Second Young Master's rooms, I have served him close at hand. The Second Young Master was always very warm toward the young ladies in the Zhenguo Lord's household. At first I did not think much of it. Later, when the Second Young Master was to be married, Du Ruo grew unhappy for no apparent reason, and the Second Young Master would sidle up to Du Ruo at every opportunity. I saw that something was not right, but at the time the household was busy with the Second Young Master's wedding, so I did not pay it any particular mind..."

Song Cen felt a toothache coming on as he listened.

What did she mean, "the Second Young Master was always very warm toward the young ladies in the Zhenguo Lord's household"? Were the women in his own household all exchanging glances with Song Han?

And this Dou-shi—how had she taught the girl to talk? How had she let her babble on like this!

Song Cen felt as though a feather were tickling his throat; he cleared it softly again and said, "Enough. Everyone knows what happened now."

Truly, pulling up a radish brings a clump of mud with it!

Those in the know would say it was Qixia's clumsy tongue. Those not in the know would think Song Cen wore a crown of green!

Song Maochun nearly burst out laughing.

He quickly lowered his head and pretended to drink his tea, and so managed to force the laughter down.

But the brothers Lu Chen and Lu Shi wore looks of mockery.

Small wonder the Elder Princess thought well of Song Yan. Song Cen could not even manage a decent frame-up. If the Yingzhenguo Mansion placed its hopes in him, its days were surely numbered.

The two brothers, too, lowered their heads to drink their tea.

Song Han, pinned down in the middle of the hall, was filled with grief and indignation.

How could this be?

How could they frame him like this?

Adultery with his father's concubine—they had actually dreamed that up.

Du Ruo had her own serving girls about her. The Xixiang Courtyard was always full of comings and goings, and she had never once left the compound. If he had truly been involved with Du Ruo, how could it have escaped the notice of a courtyard full of maids, old women, page boys, and wives?

Had they not even bothered to devise a plausible story?

Song Han looked toward the Song family.

Every one of them wore a blank expression, as though they had been struck dumb by the matter.

He looked toward the Lu family.

Every one of them wore a solemn look, as though they had heard the most disgraceful thing under heaven.

Song Han wanted very much to laugh.

So this was what it meant to be charged with a crime one had never committed!

Song Han's eyes flew wide and fixed on Song Yan.

Song Yan, by contrast, looked utterly calm, light as a breeze, as though he were watching a play.

At last he has trodden me underfoot. He must be very pleased with himself right now.

Song Han thought of that summer morning.

The sunlight had fallen across his snow-white Hangzhou silk, spotless as untouched snow.

Li Dasheng had hoisted him onto his shoulders, while another guard stood out in the street, helping him flag down a melon vendor.

Then a young woman had suddenly appeared and said to him with a beaming smile, "You must be the Second Master of the Duke of the Realm's household, aren't you? I am your own mother!"

From that day on, his world might as well have had a bottle of ink dashed over it.

He had thought of killing Li Tiaoniang—but Mother had treasured him like a jewel, and the moment he stepped out of her sight she would search for him everywhere, leaving him no chance to act. He had thought of marrying a girl from the Jiang family; then he would be the Jiangs' son-in-law. As the saying goes, a son-in-law is half a son, and he could then rightfully be his mother's son—but before he had even grown up, the Jiangs were stripped of their property. He had thought of being forever the obedient, well-behaved little brother to Song Yan—but Mother had died, and Song Cen, afraid that Song Shi would come after him once he learned the truth, had tried to do away with Song Yan. Not only had he failed, but he had given Song Yan grounds to suspect the manner of Mother's death...

In truth, he had wanted to be a good son to Mother!

In truth, he had wanted to be a good brother to Song Zhi!

But Heaven had never given him the chance, and Song Cen had ruined everything!

Song Han howled in fury, his eyes blood-red.

Song Cen, Song Cen, it was all him!

If not for him, how would Song Han ever have come to know the Prince of Liao, or ever have conceived the notion of cultivating his acquaintance?

If not for him, why would he have framed Song Yan, only to be used by Song Yan in turn?

If not for him, why would he have risked himself by bringing the Prince of Liao's men to seize Dou Yan and the others, and ended up with his own misdeeds caught in Song Yan's grasp?

Song Cen had stirred up so much trouble, and instead of helping him, he now opened the ancestral hall to cast Song Han out of the Song family, to ruin his name, to leave him with nowhere to go, to put him to death...

Song Han glared at Song Cen.

Song Cen, meanwhile, was solemnly and righteously enumerating every one of Song Han's faults.

Something gave a heavy thud inside Song Han's chest, and a fire blazed up within him.

Song Han roared at Song Cen.

But the roars all came out as a low, stifled whimper.