Song Yima muttered repeatedly, "Oh, what unfortunate timing. Had I known you fancied this girl, I would have sent her to you earlier. Or if you had come just a little sooner, you might have caught her." She paused, then asked curiously, "How did you know about this girl?"
The displeasure on Lin Jinlou's face had already faded as he smiled and said, "To be frank, this girl originally served by my side, and I intended to promote her. Who would have thought that after going off to battle and returning, I'd find she had been sold off. Upon inquiry, I discovered Yifei had bought her. So here I am, shamelessly coming to ask for her."
This revelation left Song Yima utterly stunned, cold sweat trickling down her back. She thought to herself, "That damned little seductress Xianglan was actually someone from Lin Jinlou's household. Not content with seducing the gentlemen of the Lin Family, she had to go and tempt my son too! If my son had taken her in, wouldn't that have meant making an enemy of Lin Jinlou! Amitabha, thank goodness she's already gone, or there truly would have been no peace in this household!" She forced a smile and said repeatedly, "I was completely unaware of this. Otherwise, I would have made that little rascal Ke'er send her to you with apologies. I'll keep an eye out for you, Auntie. If I come across a suitable girl in the future, I'll definitely buy one and send her over."
Lin Jinlou chuckled, "Auntie, you're being too formal. Is our household really lacking in maidservants?" After exchanging a few more casual words with Song Yima, he finally took his leave.
Lin Jinlou felt stifled and frustrated. Upon returning, not a trace of a smile remained on his face. Even Xiao Cuiqiao dared not attend to him too closely. After some idle chatter, everyone dispersed. In the following days, Lin Jinlou was even busier with social engagements and entertaining guests, temporarily putting Xianglan out of his mind. After the Lantern Festival, an imperial decree arrived from the capital, summoning Lin Jinlou for an audience with the Emperor. Lin Jinlou had no choice but to pack hastily and set off northward on the seventeenth day of the first lunar month with his trusted aides and close guards.
Meanwhile, Xianglan spent several days at home on edge. Only when she saw that the Lin Family showed no movement did she begin to relax slightly. Later, upon hearing that Lin Jinlou had gone to the capital, she finally let out a long sigh of relief. Yet she felt that although she had redeemed herself, staying under Lin Jinlou's watchful eye was not a long-term solution. Who knew when that overlord might remember her and start causing trouble again? So she began considering moving to another province. She broached the subject indirectly with her parents. Chen Wanquan glared and said, "That's wishful thinking! Moving is not so easy. In an unfamiliar place, what would we rely on for food and drink? Besides, we're living quite well in Jinling. Why should we move?"
Xianglan hesitated for a moment before saying, "The Master of the Lin Family said he wanted to take me as his concubine. I refused firmly, but I'm afraid he might use his power to force me."
The Chen couple was taken aback and pressed for details. After hearing the full story, Chen Wanquan's face lit up with joy, grinning from ear to ear. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Aiyaya! So that's why the Master came to our house during the New Year and brought so many gifts! Heavens, heavens! It seems our old Chen family's grave is finally emitting some auspicious smoke! There were rumors when you were at the Lin Family that the Master had taken a liking to you, but I didn't believe it. Who would have thought it was true! My child! If you become Master Lin's concubine, you'd be much more prestigious than when you were with the Song Family!"
Xianglan sprang to her feet angrily and said, "What are you saying, Father? I absolutely cannot become someone's concubine. Now that I'm freed from servitude, if I marry, I'll do so honorably as a proper wife!"Chen Wanquan frowned, pointed at Xianglan, and stamped his foot, saying, "Foolish, foolish! What does a child like you know? Becoming Master Lin's concubine is a hundred times more glorious than being the legitimate wife of some humble family. Though you'd be a concubine, the meaning is vastly different! The emperor's concubines are called 'imperial consorts,' high officials' concubines are respectfully addressed as 'new concubines,' and only those with mere money to marry concubines end up with worthless lowly ones. And you claim to be literate—how can you not understand this reasoning?"
Xianglan sneered, "Does Father think the Lin Family's inner chambers are some playground? How many lives are lost there year after year? And you want to send me to that vile place?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Wanquan fell silent, gritted his teeth, and said, "Originally, it was just his principal wife who was formidable and terribly jealous. I've heard she's fallen ill now, so she probably can't throw her weight around anymore..."
Xianglan slammed the tea bowl in her hand onto the table with a clatter and said coldly, "Father's vision is so shallow, there's nothing more to discuss. I'll just tell you this: if you dare agree, or if the Lin Family tries to force me to become a concubine, I'd rather dash my head and die." With that, she turned and walked away.
Chen Wanquan trembled with rage, shouting, "Listen! Listen! What nonsense is this? Would I ever harm you? When has following my advice ever led you astray?"
Xianglan turned back and said coldly, "If I had listened to you, I'd be married to that foolish son of the Lin Family's household slave by now, with generations to come enslaved as servants. Would Father have the proud days he enjoys today?"
Chen Wanquan was momentarily speechless.
Without looking back, Xianglan pushed the door open and left, while behind her, Chen Wanquan continued cursing, calling her "ungrateful" and "foolish and absurd." Xianglan returned to her room and sat quietly on the bed, lost in thought.
Xue Shi pushed the door open, entered, and sighed to Xianglan, "Your father means well for you. If you don't want to be a concubine, then don't..."
Xianglan called out "Mother," her eyes reddening, feeling half her heart turn to ashes.
Xue Shi sat beside Xianglan, sighed, and said, "I originally came from the Lin Family and know all the filthy dealings behind those grand doors. Especially since Master Lin has a terrible temper. I only have you, my daughter—how could I bear to see you suffer?" After a pause, she added, "Are you... still thinking of Master Song?"
Xianglan was taken aback, lowered her face, and after a long moment said, "I am thinking of him, but if he wanted me as a concubine, I would refuse that too."
Xue Shi sighed again and, for some reason, suddenly recalled the opera line, "Her heart soars higher than the heavens, yet her fate is thinner than paper." Gazing at Xianglan's bright eyes and fragrant cheeks, like misty clouds and autumn fruit, she stroked her lustrous black hair and whispered, "My child, you excel in every way and have such skill in painting. I've never seen any young lady who could compare. It's just a pity you were born into the wrong family... I fear that with your lofty aspirations, you might end up with nothing in the end."Xianglan also shed tears. How could she not know the saying, "Deep affection does not last long, and excessive strength invites humiliation"? Sometimes she thought she might as well resign herself to fate—since she was already a maid in this life, what could she achieve by being so strong-willed? Since both her lifetimes' affections were tied to Song Ke, what did it matter if she became a concubine? She could simply live with one eye open and the other closed. Yet, a stubborn pride and unwillingness in her heart made her feel that falling to such a state would be worse than death. At other times, she considered marrying someone of equal status and just getting by in life. But with time stretching so long ahead, extinguishing her inner light to lead a half-hearted, mundane existence filled her with despair. Now, she had no choice but to gamble everything. Even if things didn’t go her way, she would accept the outcome.
With this thought, Xianglan dabbed the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. The anxiety of recent days faded away, replaced by calm. She said, "Mother, why bring this up? We’ve overcome so many hardships before; even a mountain of flames won’t stop us in the future." She then took out her private savings and whispered, "I have seventy taels of silver here—earned from selling paintings, my monthly allowance from the Song family, and money from pawning jewelry. If Lin Jinlou returns and still pressures me, let’s move outside Jinling, find a place to hide for a few days, and then quietly relocate." She thought to herself, "The only reason I’m lingering in Jinling now is to wait for news from Song Ke. If our fate truly ends, our family will leave Jinling altogether. Whether to Yangzhou or Anhui, there will be a place for us."
Xue Shi didn’t think the situation was that serious, but seeing Xianglan’s grave expression, she had no choice but to agree.
From then on, Xianglan devoted herself even more diligently to painting. She carefully created an album of twelve plum blossom illustrations, which sold for a considerable sum of silver. She saved every bit, preparing for unforeseen circumstances.
To cut a long story short.
In the blink of an eye, the first month passed. The Imperial Examination was held on the ninth day of the second month, followed by the palace examination in April. News soon arrived that Song Ke had been ranked in the second class, granted the title of advanced scholar, and appointed as a seventh-rank compiler in the Hanlin Academy. Upon hearing this, Xianglan clasped her hands and repeatedly chanted Buddha’s name in gratitude.
One evening, Xianglan tidied the courtyard and placed several potted flowers she had bought under the eaves. Noticing the jasmine blooming richly and fragrantly, she decided to pick a few blossoms to put into a sachet.
Just then, she heard someone knocking at the gate. She called out a few times but received no response. Peering through the crack in the gate, she saw a man outside dressed in a blue satin robe, a precious gem-adorned belt at his waist, and his hair tied up with a jade hairpin, which accentuated his handsome, White Jade-like face. Who else could it be but Song Ke?
Overjoyed, Xianglan hurriedly opened the gate. Before she could speak, Song Ke squeezed inside, closed the gate behind him, and embraced her, burying his face in her shoulder. "Don’t move," he murmured. "Let me hold you for a while…"
Xianglan blushed crimson and pushed him lightly. "You reckless fool! What if someone sees?"
Song Ke chuckled softly. "Your father is at the shop, and your mother just went to visit the neighbors. I made sure before I knocked."
Xianglan, her face still flushed, laughed and said, "Shameless! And you have the nerve to say that." She broke free from his embrace.
Knowing that Xianglan was modest and adhered to propriety, Song Ke released her and gazed at her intently. For a moment, they stood in silence, then both smiled at each other.Song Ke couldn't resist quietly taking Xianglan's hand and asking, "Have you missed me these past days?"
Xianglan pursed her lips in a smile without answering, only saying, "When did you return?"
"I came back this morning," Song Ke replied. "When I got home and found you weren't there, I asked and learned my mother had given you leave. I was so tired I took a nap at home, and came to find you as soon as I woke up... I brought you many trinkets from the capital, but I came in such haste this time, I'll bring them next time."
Xianglan smiled, "No need to trouble yourself." Then she bowed slightly, "I've now paid my respects to the Compiler."
Song Ke waved his hand, his eyes crinkling with laughter, "A mere seventh-rank official isn't worth much in the capital. I originally thought I'd certainly be assigned to a provincial post and had prepared silver to secure a position. Who would have thought I'd remain in the Hanlin Academy?"
Xianglan said, "The Hanlin Academy is the best place. Many cabinet ministers have emerged from there. Though it may be modest, it's called the 'reserve of future ministers.' Being assigned to a provincial post would actually be inferior."
Song Ke was taken aback, surprised and doubtful, "How do you know these things?"
Xianglan also started, hesitating whether to tell Song Ke about her past life. She bit her lip, remained silent for a long moment, and what finally came out was: "About us—have you made up your mind?"
Thank you Xiaoxiao66 for the Peach Blossom Fan, Taoziyaoyao315 for three Peace Talismans, Daxiong Bendan, Hyhde8486 for the Peace Talismans, Rk_owl, Zoeyhl for the little yellow chicks, and also thank you to everyone who cast pink votes for me! Additionally, I'd like to request more pink votes—well, everyone can give as they see fit ^_^
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