Chapter 518 — Twisted

Li Tiaoniang had conceived before Jiang-shi did — this was likely the only humiliation that Jiang Huisun, that darling of heaven, had ever suffered in her life.

At the mere thought of it, Song Cen felt his blood boil. He wanted to see Li Tiaoniang; even her base shamelessness had become something delightful to behold. Especially when he saw Li Tiaoniang, too, with a big belly, pleading coyly, "This is your own flesh and blood — surely you cannot let him be left out there in the world," the plot of *The Civet Cat Exchanged for the Crown Prince* immediately rose before his eyes, and it grew more vivid by the moment!

If Jiang-shi knew that the child she had raised with such hardship was Li Tiaoniang's own, what would she do?

Once the thought took hold, there was no stopping it.

Before Jiang-shi he played the humble, trembling servant, bustling about arranging for midwives and physicians. Not only did his father not suspect him, he was gratified on every side that the boy had grown up and become sensible. For the first time he felt that some things need not be as arduous as he had imagined.

It was as though Heaven itself could no longer bear to watch and had taken his side — when Jiang-shi went into labor, the birth was difficult, while Li Tiaoniang delivered her child smoothly. And Jiang-shi bore a daughter, while Li Tiaoniang bore a son.

Without a soul the wiser, he switched the two infants.

Perhaps it was the bond between mother and child; whenever Jiang-shi held Song Han, a flicker of unease would now and then surface in her brow.

Watching, he could not help but tremble with fear, and simply took it upon himself to care for the child.

Jiang-shi settled her heart and devoted herself wholly to Song Han, spending even more effort on him than on Song Yan.

Every time he saw the scene, a strange impulse stirred in him. He longed for Song Han to grow up quickly, for him to be more docile and obedient than Song Yan, more sensible and clever — he even longed for the Jiang family to pour themselves into nurturing Song Han as they had nurtured Song Yan.

When the truth was finally revealed, it would be great fun.

With such feelings he waited, until Jiang-shi fell ill over the matter of Jiang Meisun.

Then he quietly slipped arsenic into her medicinal broth, and in her final days told her the truth!

He thought he would never forget Jiang-shi's shocked face for the rest of his life.

It was also the first time in his life he had seen Jiang-shi shocked.

Just as unforgettable was the feeling of triumph, of breathing free at last, when he saw that shocked face.

But even after being provoked into vomiting blood, Jiang-shi would not die.

So he had no choice but to press a quilt over her face.

Jiang-shi kicked at the bedding with all her strength.

How strong she was!

She kicked the bedsheet to shreds.

She even cursed him at the time.

She said he would get his retribution!

At this thought, Song Cen's throat, which had grown somewhat numb, began to burn and sting again.

As though Song Han were still biting into his throat.

Like the fangs of a venomous snake, driven deep into his flesh.

That low-born wretch Song Han, unfit for any decent company — just as Jiang-shi had predicted, he had turned and bitten the hand that fed him!

Song Cen shook with rage, wanting to shout, "Beat Song Han to death with clubs!" — yet not a sound would come out. Instead his chest tightened and his breath ran short, and he nearly could not breathe at all.

Seeing this, Song Maochun hurried to say, "Don't move about, whatever you do — mind you don't tear the wound open. The physician will be here at once."

Song Cen was still unwilling to give in; he wanted to look toward where Song Han had fallen. But he had barely lifted his head before his strength failed him, and he slumped back down.

Song Tongchun hastily pressed hard upon his wound.

The party hurried off to the Xiangxi Courtyard.

The great hall fell silent all at once.

Lu Chen glanced at the unconscious Song Han and said, "What now?"

If they had merely wanted him dead, there were a hundred ways to do it — why keep him alive until today?

Song Yan said, "Carry him to the Sixiang Courtyard as well. Once the physician has patched him up, he can get the hell out."

Lu Shi nodded and said, "I was afraid in your anger you might leave Song Han to his fate — but some matters, once handled decently on the surface, leave you standing on solid ground. When this is over, there will be no end of opportunities."

Lu Chen laughed. "Yantang knows his own mind better than you do. Say a little less."

Lu Shi chuckled.

The mood in the hall eased.

Song Yan instructed Xia Lian to carry Song Han to the Sixiang Courtyard, and only then sent a maid to summon Dou Yan to come and pay his respects to the two maternal uncles of the Lu family.

Lu Chen and Lu Shi protested in unison that they did not deserve such courtesy.

Dou Ji said to Song Dan, "What say you — shall we ask the two uncles to leave their signatures on the family register? That will spare them the trouble of making another trip..."

Song Han's removal from the register was only half done; the most important part, the drawing up of the deed, had yet to be completed!

Only then did Lu Chen and Lu Shi understand, and they said one after the other, "That is only proper."

On the deed that had long since been drawn up, they signed their names and pressed their fingerprints as witnesses.

Song Yan asked the two Masters Lu to stay for a meal.

Both declined. "With such trouble in your household, how could you have the heart to sit down with us? You had best get to the Xixiang Courtyard. We shall gather again when you have leisure."

Though not a trace of grief stirred in Song Yan's heart, the moment was indeed not fitting. He did not press them, and together with Dou Chuqi he saw the two maternal uncles out the gate.

Dou Yan reminded him, "There is still one more witness — the eldest uncle."

"I know," Song Yan said in a low voice. "I will go to the Xixiang Courtyard. You see Miao-shi and Qixia out of the capital, so that neither of them is dragged into this."

Miao Zhi and Song Han had already had a deed of divorce drawn up by their respective fathers. Miao Zhi was no longer the Song family's daughter-in-law. If she did not leave now, when would she ever?

Dou Yan conveyed Song Yan's meaning to Miao Zhi.

Miao Zhi had never expected to be divorced from Song Han so easily. Clutching Dou Chi, she asked without pause, "Is it true?"

Dou Yan said, "The Song family's copy of the deed is in the Zhenguo Lord's hands. Now that the Zhenguo Lord has met with trouble, there is no telling where it has been put. Your copy is with your honored father; if you do not believe it, you may ask him to show it to you." Then, thinking of the Miao family's greed, and that after the divorce all the property under Song Han's name would go to Miao Zhi, he added, "The Shuntian Prefecture keeps a record as well. If you like, you can go and have the clerks there write you out another copy."

Miao Zhi nodded again and again, and could not keep the rims of her eyes from reddening. Once out of the Yingzhenguo Mansion she went first to the Shuntian Prefecture, where, borrowing the name of the Yingzhenguo Mansion, she had the clerks draw up a fresh deed of divorce, which she hid in her bosom. Then she went to an escort agency and hired several guards before returning to the Fourth Lane.

Qixia, for her part, accepted without demur a set of silver hair ornaments that Dou Yan gave her, knocked her head three times before him in all reverence, and, personally escorted by Chen Lanxu, set off for Zhending.

Dou Chi let out a long breath and sent someone to inquire after the state of things at the Xixiang Courtyard.