Auntie Song chattered on, "Ah, 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 come to know about this girl?"
The displeasure on Lin Jinlou's face had already faded as he smiled and replied, "To be frank, this girl originally served by my side, and I had intended to elevate her status. Who would have thought that after I went off to battle and returned, I discovered she had been sold off. Upon inquiry, I learned that Yi Fei had purchased her. So here I am, shamelessly coming to ask for her."
These words left Auntie Song utterly stunned, cold sweat trickling down her back. She thought to herself, "That damned little vixen Xianglan was actually someone from Lin Jinlou's side! First, she seduced the men of the Lin family, and now she's trying to lure my son. If my son had taken her in, wouldn't that have soured relations with Lin Jinlou? Amitabha, thank goodness she's already gone, or this household would truly be in turmoil!" She forced a smile and said repeatedly, "I had no idea about this. Otherwise, I would have made that little rascal Ke'er send her to you as an apology. Auntie will keep an eye out for you. 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 Auntie Song, he took his leave.
Lin Jinlou felt stifled and frustrated. When he returned, there wasn't a trace of a smile on his face. Even Xiao Cuiqiao didn't dare approach too closely to serve him. 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, on the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, set off northward with his personal soldiers and trusted aides.
Meanwhile, Xianglan spent several days at home in constant fear. Only when she saw that the Lin family showed no signs of movement did she begin to relax slightly. Later, when she heard that Lin Jinlou had gone to the capital, she finally let out a long sigh of relief. Still, she felt that even though she had redeemed herself, staying under Lin Jinlou's watchful eye was not a long-term solution. Who knew when that tyrant would remember her and start causing trouble again? So she began to contemplate moving to another province. She broached the topic indirectly with her parents. Chen Wanquan glared at her and said, "That's wishful thinking! Moving is not so easy. In a strange place with no connections, how would we make a living? Besides, we're living quite well in Jinling. Why should we move?"
Xianglan hesitated for a moment before saying, "The Eldest Master of the Lin family said he wants to take me as his concubine. I refused outright, but I'm afraid he might use his power to force me."
The Chen couple were taken aback and pressed for details. After hearing the full story, Chen Wanquan's face lit up with joy, his smile so wide his eyes nearly disappeared. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Aiyaya! No wonder the Eldest Master came to our house during the New Year and brought so many gifts! My heavens, my heavens! It seems the Chen family graves might truly be blessed with good fortune! There were rumors back when you were with the Lin family that the Eldest 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 the Eldest Master's concubine, you'll be far more prestigious than you were in the Song family!"
Xianglan shot to her feet, furious. "What are you saying, Father? I would never agree to be someone's concubine. Now that I'm freed from servitude, if I marry, I'll do so honorably as a proper wife!"Chen Wanquan furrowed his brows, pointed at Xianglan, and stamped his foot, saying, "Foolish, foolish! What does a child like you know? Becoming Eldest Master Lin's concubine is a hundred times more glorious than being the legitimate wife of some lowly family. Though it's a concubine position, the meaning is vastly different! The emperor's concubines are called 'imperial consorts,' high officials' concubines are respectfully addressed as 'Concubine,' and only those with mere money to marry concubines end up with worthless lowly ones. And here I thought you knew a few words—how can you not understand this reasoning?"
Xianglan sneered coldly, "Does Father think the inner quarters of the Lin family are some playground? How many lives are lost there year after year? Do you want to send me into that wretched place?"
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 heard she's fallen ill now, so she probably can't throw her weight around anymore..."
Xianglan slammed the teacup in her hand onto the table with a clatter and said coldly, "Father's vision is so shallow, there's nothing more to say to you. I'll just tell you this: if you dare agree, or if the Lin family tries to force me to be 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 are you spouting? 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 Father, I'd have long been married off to that foolish son of the Lin family's lifelong servant, and our descendants would remain slaves forever. Would Father have the proud life 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 idiot." Xianglan returned to her room and sat quietly on the bed, lost in thought.
Xue Shi pushed the door open and entered, sighing as she said 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 dirty dealings in those grand households. Especially since Eldest 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 Eldest Master Song?"
Xianglan was taken aback, lowered her face, and after a long while said, "I am thinking of him, but if he wanted me to be his concubine, I would refuse."
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 Wu Liang 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 such high 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 strength pushed to its limit brings 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 her affections in both lifetimes were tied to Song Ke, what did it matter if she became a concubine? She could simply turn a blind eye and live her life, yet a stubborn pride and unwillingness stirred within her, thinking she would rather die than sink to such a state. At other times, she considered finding a match of equal social standing to marry and settle down with, but the thought of extinguishing her inner light and living a life of mere survival over the long years 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—money from selling paintings, my monthly allowance from the Song family, and proceeds from pawning jewelry. If Lin Jinlou returns and still pressures me, let’s move outside Jinling City, find a place to hide for a few days, and then quietly relocate." She thought to herself, "The only reason I linger in Jinling 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 did not think the situation was serious, but seeing Xianglan’s solemn 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, and she saved every bit of it for unforeseen needs.
To cut a long story short.
Time flew by, and the first month passed. On the ninth day of the second month, the spring imperial examinations were held, followed by the palace examinations in the fourth month. News soon arrived that Song Ke had been ranked in the second class of the imperial examination, granted the title of "Jinshi," 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 place inside her scented 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 standing outside dressed in a blue satin robe, an eight-treasure belt fastened around his waist, and his hair tied up with a jade hairpin, which accentuated his handsome, jade-like face. Who else could it be but Song Ke?
Overjoyed, Xianglan hurriedly opened the gate. Before she could speak, Song Ke slipped inside, closed the gate behind him, and embraced her tightly, 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. "How dare you! 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 of it 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 Xianglan was modest and proper, Song Ke released her and gazed at her intently. For a moment, they stood in silence, then smiled at each other in unison.Unable to contain himself, Song Ke quietly took Xianglan's hand and asked, "Have you missed me these days?"
Xianglan pursed her lips in a smile without answering, merely saying, "When did you return?"
Song Ke replied, "I came back this morning. When I got home and found you weren't there, I asked around and learned my mother had granted you leave. I was so tired I took a nap at home, and came looking for 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 for you next time."
Xianglan smiled and said, "There's no need for the trouble." 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 at 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 known as the 'nursery for future ministers.' Being assigned to a provincial post would actually be a step down."
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, but what finally came out was: "Regarding our matter, have you reached a decision in your heart?"
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