Now, speaking of Xianglan, she worried about Song Ke's situation every day but was helpless to assist, which left her deeply concerned. However, she couldn't frequently visit the Song family. Fortunately, Yuexi had already married and occasionally shared news with her. When Xianglan learned that Song Ke's matter had been resolved, she repeatedly clasped her hands and chanted Buddha's name, thinking to herself, "The divination slips from Tranquil Moon Temple are truly accurate. Hasn't Song Ke's misfortune now turned to joy?" Noticing Yuexi hesitating and stammering, she asked, "What's wrong? Is there something else unresolved? Has the Wu family stirred up trouble again?"
Yuexi forced a smile and said, "How would the Wu family dare to make more trouble? Wu Liang's leg was broken by those twenty strokes—he's too busy crying to cause any more fuss." She then cautiously glanced at Xianglan's expression and added, "Actually... the young lady from Duke Xian's household is quite easy to get along with. She's straightforward and adorable, with no ill intentions to harm others..." Realizing she had spoken out of turn, Yuexi quickly stood up and said, "I've been out for so long, I should head back. I'll come chat with you another time." With that, she took her leave.
Xianglan found it odd that Yuexi had inexplicably praised Zheng Jingxian a couple of times, but upon reflection, she remembered that it was Zheng Baichuan who had worked tirelessly to resolve Song Ke's affair. Her heart sank as she began to understand the implications. Unable to sit still any longer, she paced around her room once, then immediately fetched a set of clothes from the cabinet and changed into them. She placed a conical hat on her head, hitched a ride on a neighbor's carriage, and hurried out the door.
Before long, she arrived at the Song residence. The gatekeeper, Old Man Wang, assumed Xianglan had come to see Song Tanzan and didn't bother to announce her, simply opening the gate to let her in. He said, "We have distinguished guests today. Please wait in the side room for now, miss."
Xianglan glanced into the central courtyard and indeed spotted two sedan chairs parked there, both made of blue silk with tassels hanging from their tops. She thought to herself, "Since there are guests in the inner courtyard, I shouldn't go in directly. I'll head straight to find Song Ke instead." She bypassed the screen wall and made her way toward the front study. After just a few steps, she caught sight of a woman emerging from the inner gate, walking briskly toward the study courtyard. From behind, she appeared slender with slightly broad shoulders, dressed in a gold-trimmed peach-red jacket and a soft pink skirt. Her hair was styled high, adorned with pearls and jewels, clearly indicating she was a young lady of status.
Xianglan paused, slowing her steps. The woman stopped in front of the study, hesitated for a moment, and then pushed the door open and entered. Hiding behind the moon gate, Xianglan got a clear view—the woman was none other than Zheng Jingxian. Her heart sank further as she tiptoed to the window to eavesdrop quietly.
At that moment, Song Ke was in his room, staring blankly at Xianglan's old silver hairpin when he heard the door open. He looked up to see Zheng Jingxian walking in with a smile and was taken aback. He quickly rose to his feet, frowning as he said, "Why has Miss Zheng come here?"
Zheng Jingxian glanced around the room and sat down boldly in a chair, replying with a smile, "That's strange. Why shouldn't I come?"
Song Ke frowned and said, "This is highly improper!"
Zheng Jingxian's heart raced and her cheeks flushed at the sight of Song Ke, but she feigned composure and said, "All those rules and proprieties are so tiresome! They're just ridiculous conventions made by vulgar people. Since you and I are about to be engaged, why bother with such rigid formalities?"
Song Ke's frown deepened as he responded, "Even so, a man and a woman shouldn't be alone together. It would harm both our reputations if word got out. If Miss Zheng refuses to leave, I will step out to avoid any impropriety." With that, he made to leave.Zheng Jingxian quickly stopped him, saying, "Hey, hey, hey, don't go, don't go! I have something extremely important to tell you!"
Song Ke halted his steps and looked at her with a stern expression. Zheng Jingxian felt displeased. Having been raised in luxury, she had always been given whatever she wanted since childhood—no one dared to show her a sour face. Yet this Song Ke, whose family her own had helped so greatly, ought to have treated her gently. Instead, she had come eagerly only to be met with cold indifference. Just as she was about to lose her temper, her eyes fell upon Song Ke's handsome features—his brows, eyes, nose, and lips—and her anger gradually subsided. Softening her stance, she said, "Look at you. I've managed to steal a moment to see you, and you don't even offer me a cup of tea. Is this any way to treat a guest?"
Song Ke, already impatient, restrained himself and said, "What is it you need, Miss Zheng?"
Zheng Jingxian replied, "I came to tell you that when you come to propose marriage at my house tomorrow, remember to ask Provincial Administration Commissioner Wu to act as matchmaker. He's a good friend of my father's and will surely agree. That way, my father will feel honored and will treat you even better."
Song Ke lowered his eyelids and said, "I understand."
The room fell silent for a moment. As Zheng Jingxian was gazing infatuatedly at Song Ke, she heard him say, "Why did Miss Zheng need to come in person to tell me such a thing? You could have informed my mother or sister. Now that I know, please take your leave."
Zheng Jingxian hadn't expected Song Ke to be so oblivious to romance. Reluctantly, she stood up. These past days, she had missed Song Ke terribly. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, she would wake from dreams, feeling as if it were all a fantasy that she could truly marry the one she loved. Today, she had found an excuse to slip away and see him, hoping that their meeting would be filled with at least some of the shy, sweet affection described in romantic stories, not the cold and distant treatment she received.
As she reached the door, she suddenly remembered that day in this very study, when a maid named Xianglan was being bullied by the Lin sisters. Song Ke had shown her endless care and tenderness, his eyes brimming with affection like apricot blossoms blooming abundantly in March, impossible to conceal. Zheng Jingxian's heart tightened—this memory was a thorn in her side. She had once confided in her mother about it, and Wei Shi had advised, "She's just a maid. If she bothers you, you can send her away later. You are beautiful, from a good family, and can assist him in his career. That girl may have some charm to please men, but he should know what's important. Once you're married and have children, in a year or so, Song Ke will forget about her." Hearing this reasonable advice, Zheng Jingxian had set the matter aside. But now, seeing Song Ke's cold demeanor, the memory resurfaced and churned in her heart. Abruptly, she stopped, turned around, and said, "That maid named Xianglan—you are not allowed to take her as a concubine in the future!"
Song Ke abruptly looked up, glanced at Zheng Jingxian, then turned away. The mention of Xianglan's name felt like being pierced by ten thousand silver needles—guilt, pain, and helplessness surged within him. Though he knew Zheng Jingxian had no part in the matter, her bringing up Xianglan and commanding him "not to" stirred an uncontrollable disgust in him. He said flatly, "Miss Zheng, please leave."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Zheng Jingxian regretted them. She wanted to say something to smooth things over, but seeing Song Ke turn his back, she could only bite her lip and leave reluctantly.Xianglan emerged from behind the house only after she saw Zheng Jingxian leave the courtyard. The moment she had overheard Zheng Jingxian say "you and I are about to be engaged," it felt like a thunderclap had exploded in her ears, nearly causing her to lose her balance. She reached out to steady herself against the cold wall, feeling as though the world had turned upside down. Though she had vaguely suspected this outcome, hearing the words spoken aloud sent a chill through her entire body, making her tremble uncontrollably. After that, she didn't register anything else the two inside the room said, only staring blankly at the lush, shadowy flowers and plants in the courtyard and the row of orchids swaying gently in the breeze beneath the eaves.
Like a sleepwalker, she slowly made her way toward the courtyard gate, her face ashen. Behind her, the door opened, and Song Ke stepped out. Spotting her ghostly figure in the garden, he froze for a moment before hurrying down the steps and grabbing her arm. "Xianglan..." he called out, his voice choking off as he found himself unable to continue.
Xianglan turned her head to look at him with a vacant expression, like a lost child, devoid of any emotion. Seeing the emptiness in her eyes and her deathly pale face, Song Ke knew she had found out. His heart ached intensely, and with tears in his eyes, he whispered, "Xianglan, Xianglan, say something... It's my fault, I've failed you... Hit me, curse me, do anything!"
Xianglan shook her head, pulled her arm free, and continued walking. Song Ke grabbed her again, wanting to explain that he had no other choice, to describe his torment and dilemma, to tell her how he had gotten drunk the night he made his decision, weeping in Lin Jinting's arms while calling out her name—how even though his affairs were settled, his heart remained joyless. Yet he couldn't utter a word, the shame and pain so acute he wished he could slap himself or hand Xianglan a knife to stab him and be done with it.
"I understand, I know..." Xianglan spoke, her face wooden, her voice like a wisp of faint dust. "Your success is all thanks to Duke Xian's support, and Miss Zheng holds affection for you. With such a powerful in-law family, your career will surely flourish from now on..."
Song Ke's eyes reddened. "Xianglan..."
"I was born a servant, and even my family's emancipation relied entirely on your help. To aspire to be your lawful wife was nothing but a foolish fantasy, an overreach. I could never repay your kindness, so you needn't feel you've wronged me. Now that you've found a fine, virtuous match, I can only... only be happy for you."
Song Ke wanted to beg her to stop. The more reasonable and magnanimous she was, the more it tore him apart. Pleading, he said, "Can we... can we not be together forever from now on? Even if not as husband and wife, I swear on my life I'll treat you well always. If you don't believe me, I'll give you half of the Song family's land..."
Xianglan let out a soft laugh, cutting him off. She lifted her face to gaze at the faint clouds in the sky, her voice drifting. "In all my life, even if I've been trampled into the dust, battered and bruised, or lost my life, I could never rid myself of one untimely flaw—call it pride if you will, or plain arrogance if you prefer. To become a concubine? Absolutely not! Besides, if you gave me the Song family's property, what would your mother and sister think? And how would you expect Miss Zheng to bear it?"She suddenly turned her head, her gaze burning as she looked at Song Ke: "Let me ask you this—if I become a concubine and refuse to serve the principal wife like a servant by observing formalities and serving tea, what then? If I bear children and insist they call only me 'Mother,' never acknowledging the principal wife as their mother, what then? If in the future your wife despises me and wants to drive me out or sell me off, what then? Very well, suppose you indulge me in everything and yield to my wishes, but the Zheng family uses their influence to force you to dispose of me—what could you do? Even if the Zheng family says nothing, what if in the future the Imperial Censor impeaches you for favoring a concubine over your wife—what could you do then?"
This series of questions left Song Ke momentarily stunned, rooted to the spot.
Xianglan reached out, prying open Song Ke’s fingers one by one as he gripped her arm, and said slowly, "These past ten-plus years, I have had my fill of being a servant. From now on, I refuse to live even half a day as a subordinate. That bitterness is too harsh, too tormenting." She pulled her hand free from his grasp, her bright eyes fixed directly on Song Ke’s: "May you and Miss Zheng share a harmonious union for a hundred years."
Song Ke felt as if his entire body had turned to ice, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, Xianglan’s figure had already rounded a corner and vanished from sight. Only a white orchid remained, caught by the wind, spinning in the air before settling into the soil—like a long, sorrowful sigh.
OpenNovel