After Song Ke left, within a few days, the Lin family sent someone to fetch Song Yima and Song Tanchai to stay at their residence for a while. Xianglan, however, felt a sense of relief. Song Yima was sullen and paid her no attention, making their interactions rather uncomfortable. Song Tanchai, on the other hand, was somewhat closer to her, but she was also someone who overthought everything, forcing Xianglan to tread carefully in every conversation, making even casual chats exhausting. Now that the two of them were gone, Xianglan felt much more at ease, simply managing household chores, reading and practicing calligraphy in the study, occasionally spreading out paper to paint, and passing the time with a few lighthearted exchanges with Yuexi.
Chen Wanquan and his wife finally purchased the courtyard in the southern part of the city. Since the remaining silver had to be saved for the New Year, they only made hasty repairs and tidied up the place without adding new furniture. The Chen family didn’t own much, so on an auspicious day, two donkey carts were enough to move all their belongings.
That day, Xianglan went home to take a look. She saw a small, square courtyard with one main room and two side rooms. Though the space wasn’t large, it was clean and tidy, resembling a respectable modest household. Xue Shi had set up the east wing as Xianglan’s boudoir, complete with an embroidered bed and brocade quilt, a floral-patterned soft curtain, a dressing table with a mirror, a writing desk by the window with brushes and ink, and landscape paintings and calligraphy on the walls—a proper young lady’s bedroom in every sense.
Xianglan touched this and that, feeling that none of the luxurious boudoirs she had ever seen could compare to the warmth and charm of this small room. She pushed open the window and saw a jujube tree and a long grape trellis in the courtyard. Xue Shi was still muttering, "I wanted to raise a few chickens in the yard, but your father insisted it would dirty the place and wouldn’t let me."
Xianglan said, "We could get a dog later—it could guard the house too."
Xue Shi replied cheerfully, "We’ll get one tomorrow." She added with delight, "When we handed over the silver, it really hurt, but now that we’ve actually moved in, it feels worth every penny. This is the first time I’ve lived in my own house. Your father even laughed in his sleep last night. Lately, he’s been in such high spirits, even thinking about buying more antiques to resell."
Xianglan took out five taels of her private savings and handed them to Xue Shi, saying, "Use this to buy some pots, pans, and utensils. You and Father should also make two new sets of bedding. Our teacups are chipped and have been used for over a decade—it’s time to replace them."
Xue Shi tried to decline, "The New Year is coming soon—keep the silver to buy yourself a new dress..."
Xianglan insisted, "I still have some left. Take it, Mother. Now that we’ve moved, how can we not stock up on a few things? Besides, with the New Year approaching, you and Father should also have new clothes made. Now that you’ve both been freed from servitude, you shouldn’t let others look down on you."
Xue Shi found this reasonable and finally accepted the silver. The mother and daughter then shared some private conversation.
Before long, Xia Yun arrived with gifts to congratulate the Chen family on their new home. Chen Wanquan beamed with joy and warmly ushered him inside.
Xianglan peeked through the window and saw Xia Yun dressed in a brand-new dark blue satin robe, tied at the waist with a matching belt. Shedding his coarse cloth garments and with an air of triumph on his face, he instantly appeared more spirited than usual—the very image of a respectable scholar.
Xue Shi quickly added, "Young Master Xia has also passed the provincial examination, ranking one hundred and twenty-ninth! He’s now a Recommended Man!"
Xianglan was taken aback. In recent days, she had been preoccupied with Song Ke, devising ways to prepare food and drinks and managing the household. Xia Yun—who he was had slipped her mind entirely, and she had even forgotten he was taking the provincial exams. She remarked, "One hundred and twenty-ninth—that’s quite a low rank."Xue Shi said, "Do you think everyone is like Master Song, topping the exams at the first attempt? Young Master Xia is already quite remarkable. The county magistrate's deputy even came specially to congratulate him, saying he admires Xia Yun's talent and wants to recruit him to the county office for training and promotion. The Xia family is different now—soon they'll change their social status." She sighed again, "Young Master Xia has some ambition too. Even though the deputy magistrate favored him, he declined, wanting to go to the capital for the imperial exams. Well, passing the provincial exam at such a young age—who knows what fortune awaits him in the future?"
Xianglan thought to herself, "The political climate is murky now. The Eighth Prince is foolish, only indulging in frivolous pleasures. The Eunuch faction dominates the court, and slanderous officials manipulate power. Without great luck, how can a commoner rise to prominence? Even if Xia Yun passes the imperial exams, without money or connections, securing an official post would be difficult. Besides, passing the imperial exams is no easy feat." She shook her head slightly.
Soon, Xue Shi went to attend to guests, while Xianglan tidied the room, folding clothes from the chests one by one and pasting oiled paper on the walls.
Xia Yun had come this time with the intention to show off. Previously, Chen Wanquan had treated him indifferently due to the Xia family's poverty. But now that Xia Yun had become a Recommended Man, Chen Wanquan was all smiles and warmth. Xia Yun felt pleased, though inwardly he looked down on Chen Wanquan. Outwardly, he maintained a polite smile and exchanged pleasantries. He had hoped to see Xianglan, but she never appeared, leaving him disappointed. Unable to bring himself to ask about her, he stayed only briefly before leaving.
Xue Shi remarked, "Young Master Xia has made something of himself now. If he's interested, he might be a good match for Xianglan."
Chen Wanquan glared at her. "Nonsense! How can he compare to Master Song? Master Song has taken a liking to our Xianglan. Don't spout such foolishness."
Xue Shi sighed again. "It's true Master Song is accomplished, but would he marry Xianglan as his proper wife? Wouldn't it be simpler with Young Master Xia?"
Chen Wanquan scoffed. "So what if Xia Yun became a Recommended Man? His family is dirt poor. Xianglan would suffer if she married into that. Master Song comes from an official's family with substantial wealth. Besides, it was the Song family who saved Xianglan and freed us from servitude. I'm still employed at the Song residence—we owe them everything!"
Xue Shi fell silent.
For a while, nothing happened. Xianglan stayed at home for two days before returning to the Song residence. Two months later, she received a thick stack of letters from Song Ke, saying he had arrived in the capital and was doing well. He wrote about interesting sights and customs along the way and urged her to take care of her health. Xianglan read the letters several times before carefully storing them away.
It was now deep winter, and the weather was bitterly cold. Xianglan peeked out the window and saw the gloomy sky, as if snow was about to fall. A cold wind seeped through the window, and she quickly snapped it shut with a "thud."
The vermilion gates of the Lin residence creaked open with a "thud"—Lin Jinlou had returned home!
Lin Jinlou strode in wearing a fur-lined cloak. Servants had already rushed to spread the news, shouting, "The Master is back! The Master is back!"Three days prior, the Lin family had received an Imperial decree. Lin Jinlou was promoted to Vice Commander of the fourth rank for his merits in suppressing bandits and was conferred the title of General of Manifest Majesty. Additionally, he was bestowed an Imperial white horse and a hundred taels of gold. This news sent shockwaves through the Lin household. Old Lord Lin Zhaoxiang immediately ordered an incense altar to be set up, and the Imperial decree was respectfully placed in the ancestral hall for worship. Officials near and far, great and small, caught wind of the news and flocked to offer their congratulations. For a time, the Lin residence was bustling with visitors, and elders from the clan also sent people to convey their felicitations.
Everyone had assumed Lin Jinlou wouldn’t return home for another year or so. No one expected him to suddenly appear today, causing quite a stir. The entire household was thrown into a flurry of activity.
Lin Jinlou remained unhurried. Handing his horsewhip to Ji Xiang, he strode inside. Ji Xiang, ever perceptive, asked, "Master, would you like to return to Knowing Spring Pavilion first to freshen up and change before meeting the elders?"
Lin Jinlou replied indifferently, "No need," and went straight to kowtow and pay respects to Old Lord Lin and Lin Old Madam. Lin Zhaoxiang had always been pleased with his eldest grandson. Though the boy was unruly and had his wild moments outside, he had a sharp mind. In just half a year, he had earned himself a fourth-rank generalship. In a few more years, with the Lin family leveraging their connections, he could secure a high-ranking position of second or third rank in the Ministry of War.
Lin Old Madam’s face was full of grandmotherly affection, her heart aching to see her beloved grandson covered in dust from his journey. Secretly, she pondered how, with his favorite concubine gone, he had no one to care for him intimately. She had two excellent maids by her side—not only were they pretty, but they were also understanding and attentive. She decided she would take it upon herself to send them to her grandson’s chambers later and see if Madam Zhao dared to say no. Holding Lin Jinlou’s hand, she asked him endless questions, eventually wiping away a tear as she spoke.
Just then, footsteps sounded at the door—Lin Changzheng and Qin Shi had arrived. Lin Old Madam, her eyes red, smiled and said, "See how parents worry? They couldn’t even wait for their son to come pay his respects and arrived on their own."
Lin Jinlou promptly kowtowed to his parents. Lin Changzheng saw that his son had grown even more imposing and steady, and his heart swelled with pride. Qin Shi, however, noticed the weariness between Lin Jinlou’s brows and felt a pang of sorrow. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her crying set off Lin Old Madam again. It took much coaxing from everyone before the two women finally calmed down.
After reminiscing for a while, Lin Zhaoxiang called Lin Changzheng and Lin Jinlou into the inner room. Lin Jinlou helped his grandfather settle into a rocking chair and personally handed him the water pipe. Lin Zhaoxiang took a few deep puffs and asked, "Is the campaign over? Why have you returned so soon? Is there some hidden reason?"
Lin Jinlou sneered. "Hidden reason? The army is in shambles—a bunch of useless drunkards. It’d be a miracle if they didn’t wet themselves on the battlefield. The ranks are filled with the old, weak, and infirm, barely any usable men, and the military funds are empty. I had to use my own forces to fight a few battles. The bandits were fierce but hadn’t yet become a major threat. What’s worse, there were Han traitors selling out their country for glory, colluding with Japanese pirates to attack by land and water. I ordered fifty of them executed publicly, skinned their corpses, and hung them from masts and city gates as a warning. Only then did we manage to intimidate the rest. Those spirits and demons, seeing the bandit suppression nearing success, all jumped out, urging the Emperor to send their own men to steal credit. Afraid I’d turn on them, they promoted me and showered me with riches to shut me up."
Lin Changzheng said, "But returning home privately like this is improper. You must still go to the capital to pay homage to the Emperor."Lin Jinlou said, "When would the Emperor have time to see me? Those at court aren’t keen on my return either. If I stand there, how would they take credit for themselves? I’ve already reported to His Majesty, citing a recurrence of wartime injuries, and requested to recuperate at home before returning to the capital for an audience."
Lin Zhaoxiang tapped the armrest of his rocking chair and remarked, "Lou'er has good judgment. The situation in the capital is chaotic now, with even the Eunuch faction showing signs of discord. It’s better to observe for a while longer." Turning to Lin Changzheng, he added, "You too—your Mourning period is nearly over. We’ll arrange an external posting for you to leave the capital’s troubles behind. Stay away for a couple of years... cough ... So many great families have fallen, yet ours has weathered the storms by knowing when to advance and when to retreat."
Lin Changzheng and his son nodded in agreement.
Lin Zhaoxiang sighed and said to Lin Jinlou, "Though your second uncle is also in the military, we in the family know all too well that he’s mediocre yet ambitious. If he ever seeks your help, you must not assist him."
Lin Jinlou nodded in acknowledgment.
Thanks to rk_owl, cbbca, and chljyaa for the Peace Talismans. Also, thank you to everyone who cast pink votes for me—heh, um, any more votes left...?
This chapter is an extra update for Junxi’s He's Jade Disc. So many debts to repay— tears —I’ll settle them slowly. There should be another chapter tonight ^_^
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