Against the Current

Xianglan fixed her bright, unblinking eyes on Lin Jinlou and said, "I am begging you, Master."

Lin Jinlou let out a derisive laugh. "Begging me? Is this how you beg someone?"

Xianglan replied calmly, "I am begging you, Master... You have countless women of all types around you. Your interest in me is merely for amusement. I will serve you to repay your kindness. In the future, when you acquire new favorites, please let me go..."

"And what if I refuse?"

"If you refuse, there's nothing I can do. I can only blame my unfortunate fate. If my father passes away, my mother and I will have little reason to live. At most, we'll take a bowl of arsenic and die together as a family, so we can rely on each other in the underworld."

Lin Jinlou stared at Xianglan for a long while. Her heart pounded wildly. She had reached the end of her rope and could only gamble desperately. Lin Jinlou was notorious for his fickle affections—today he favored one, tomorrow another. His attachments to women never lasted long. His current fixation on her was simply because he hadn't yet possessed her. To save Chen Wanquan, she could endure serving Lin Jinlou for a year or two. Later, when he took a wife or concubines and forgot about her, she might escape. But if she were given a formal status, she would be trapped in the Lin residence forever.

Lin Jinlou remained expressionless, his eyes like dark, deep wells. He suddenly pinched Xianglan's chin and laughed. "Little Xianglan, you've grown quite clever, playing tricks right under my nose. Do you think I don't know what you're scheming? Are you planning to slip away from me in a year or so?"

Xianglan's face turned pale.

Lin Jinlou chuckled and stretched lazily. "What kind of man do you take me for? If I couldn't see through your little schemes, I'd have been dead and buried long ago. There are plenty who play cunning games, many who hope to see me humiliated, but few who can outsmart me. Even if someone manages it, I'll make them pay a thousandfold. I've always had a soft spot for beautiful women, so you behave yourself and serve me well. You'll get your rewards, understand?" He then lifted the curtain and called out, "Ji Xiang, let's go!"

Ji Xiang promptly acknowledged and climbed onto the carriage shaft with Shuangxi, taking up the whip to drive.

Startled, Xianglan hurriedly said, "Master, believe it or not, every word I said was true... I want to get off the carriage!" She moved to lift the curtain.

Lin Jinlou grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, causing her to tumble into his arms. Flustered, Xianglan tried to sit up straight and looked up to see Lin Jinlou's face had darkened. "Are you treating my words as mere wind past your ears? I told you to behave."

Xianglan now realized Lin Jinlou was displeased. His elegant, composed facade had vanished. Though his expression was blank, an aura of ruthlessness, dominance, and arrogance emanated from him. Only then did Xianglan understand why Lin Jinlou could command armies on the battlefield. He was different from her father in this life or past lives, different from Song Ke, and even different from those wolf-like officials. His fierce gaze was terrifying; he was truly merciless. Though she had weathered many storms, this sent a cold sweat down her spine.

Her father was still not saved. She couldn't afford to anger him further, couldn't risk her life in defiance. She needed to plan carefully and proceed with caution.Xianglan lowered her head and quietly straightened her posture.

Lin Jinlou only said coldly, "If you want to be a concubine, you should first see if you have the face for it." After speaking, he paid her no further attention, resuming the noble and refined demeanor of a scion of an aristocratic family, closing his eyes to rest. He had sent people to watch the Chen family a few days earlier and heard that her parents were already planning to arrange a marriage for her. He had intended to set out in the next couple of days. Now that Xianglan was a commoner, if she still stubbornly refused to submit, he would inevitably have to use some means. Who would have thought that Chen Wanquan would be arrested by the Government Office? This was a heaven-sent opportunity. What would have originally required considerable effort could now be achieved with ease. However, this Chen Xianglan was a tough nut—every conversation with her had been difficult. Yet, he was determined to tame her. Since childhood, whatever Lin Jinlou had set his eyes on had never escaped his grasp. In the future, he would make this stubborn mule, Chen Xianglan, as docile as a purring kitten.

Xianglan felt uneasy, her hands twisting the ribbon of her skirt. Where was Lin Jinlou taking her? Was he planning to take her directly to the Lin Family? As her thoughts ran wild, the carriage came to a stop, and Ji Xiang respectfully said, "Master, we've arrived."

The carriage curtain was lifted. Xianglan peered out and was stunned to find they had circled around to the front gate of the county Government Office. Before she could react, Lin Jinlou had already alighted and impatiently urged, "Hurry up! What are you dawdling for? Isn't your father about to die?" Xianglan hastily stood up and reached for Ji Xiang's arm, but Lin Jinlou grabbed her hand instead. Startled, she had no choice but to let him hold it as she stepped down with Shuangxi's assistance. Lin Jinlou then ordered Ji Xiang to knock on the door.

Meanwhile, Han Yaozu was in his room, amusing himself with Cao Lihuan, when hurried footsteps approached, and a bailiff shouted, "Sir, sir, an esteemed guest has arrived!"

Han Yaozu quickly stood up and went out, asking, "What's all the panic? Who is it?"

The bailiff replied, "Lin Jinlou, the Master of the Lin Family, is here!"

Han Yaozu was greatly astonished, as if a living dragon had descended from the sky. He urgently ordered servants to prepare the finest tea, fruits, and pastries, straightened his clothes and hat, and hurried to the front to personally welcome him.

From a distance, Han Yaozu saw Lin Jinlou approaching unhurriedly. He immediately plastered an extremely ingratiating smile on his face, quickened his steps, and clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "This humble official has failed to welcome you properly, failed to welcome you properly. I beg General Lin to forgive my offense." As he spoke, he tried to guide Lin Jinlou into the main hall.

But Lin Jinlou stopped and said indifferently, "There's no need to go inside. Where is the prison? Take me there to have a look."Han Yaozu was both startled and suspicious, thinking to himself: "Lin Jinlou is notoriously difficult to deal with. Why would he come to me out of the blue, demanding to go to the prison right away with a displeased expression? Could it be that I've arrested someone by mistake these past few days and offended this formidable figure?" He pondered but couldn't recall any such incident. Last month, there had indeed been some troublemaking scoundrels from the Lin clan, but he had sent a message to the Lin Family, and they had taken the men back without any punishment. They had even thanked him with five taels of silver, all very amicable. Besides, such a trivial matter wouldn't warrant Lin Jinlou's personal visit. He discreetly glanced behind Lin Jinlou and saw two well-dressed, imposing servants who looked identical—likely the twin brothers who held considerable favor in Lin Jinlou's household. There was also an elegantly dressed young woman of exceptional beauty whom he had never seen before. Not daring to stare, he quickly averted his gaze and said with an ingratiating smile, "General, whatever you command, this humble official will spare no effort. If you wish to see any prisoner, I will have him brought out at once."

Lin Jinlou sneered, "Brought out? That man might already be beaten to death by you. Han Yaozu, you've grown some nerve, daring to lay a hand on someone under my protection. Tell me, what crime or law did Chen Wanquan, whom you arrested yesterday, break that you had to detain him and nearly beat him to death? He's no ordinary man. If anything happens to him, you'd better pack your bags and get out of here!"

Han Yaozu was both shocked and terrified upon hearing this, repeatedly pleading, "General Lin, please forgive me! This humble official truly did not know he was your man. Yesterday, Xia Yun, the clerk, sent his concubine to file a complaint, saying Chen Wanquan had assaulted an imperial official. Clerk Xia is currently bedridden with severe injuries, so I had Chen Wanquan arrested..."

Xianglan interjected sharply, "Xia Yun insulted me first! My father, out of anger, merely pushed him. Xia Yun lost his balance and hit his head—how can that be called 'assaulting an imperial official'? Why was he beaten with rods before the facts were even clarified? And why was the beating so brutal, with no physician allowed to treat him? Magistrate Han, have you no regard for the law, listening to that troublemaker Cao Lihuan's instigation and treating human life as worthless? Such incompetence—you don't deserve to wear that official's hat any longer!"

Lin Jinlou burst into laughter, looking at Han Yaozu and saying, "Hear that? My darling says you don't deserve to wear that official's hat anymore." He then glanced at Han Yaozu again and added, "What kind of scum is Xia Yun? Back in my household, he seduced maidservants. Out of consideration for his reputation, I even gave him the girl. Who would have thought he'd be so ungrateful and set his sights on my woman, repeatedly proposing to the Chen family? When they refused, he started spewing filth. Tell me, has that little beast grown a death wish?"

Upon hearing the term "darling," Han Yaozu understood everything. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead, his legs weakened, and half his spirit seemed to flee his body. He dropped to his knees with a thud, kowtowing and saying, "General, please calm your anger! This humble official truly did not know Chen Wanquan had ties to you. Otherwise, I wouldn't have dared to commit such a foolish act even if I had the audacity of the heavens..."

Lin Jinlou simply asked, "Where is Chen Wanquan?"Han Yaozu scrambled up from the ground and led the way, saying, "General, please come this way." He then proceeded to the main prison, personally unlocking the door with a key and guiding everyone inside. Xianglan saw Chen Wanquan still lying on the floor, unconscious, and immediately rushed over, bursting into loud sobs. Han Yaozu had already sent someone to fetch a physician and ordered others to carry Chen Wanquan out on a spring bench, vacating his own study's inner chamber for Chen Wanquan's use.

Shortly after, the physician arrived. After examining Chen Wanquan, he said, "This man's legs have been broken, but fortunately, they can still be set. However, he will have to endure considerable pain. There are also internal imbalances and disorders. I will prescribe a few doses of medicine to regulate his condition, but his flesh is badly torn, and it will take a long time to heal."

Once the diagnosis was complete, the physician set Chen Wanquan's bones. The pain woke Chen Wanquan, who screamed several times before fainting again. Xianglan's eyes were red-rimmed, and Lin Jinlou took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. Xianglan turned her head away to avoid him but then, feeling it was improper, silently took the handkerchief from Lin Jinlou's hand and used it to dry her tears. Lin Jinlou had initially been displeased, but seeing Xianglan accept the handkerchief, his expression softened.

Han Yaozu watched anxiously, pacing back and forth, thinking to himself, "To be so favored by Lin Jinlou, she is clearly no ordinary concubine. How hateful that I was unaware of such a person! Today, I’ve made a grave mistake. If Lin Tai Sui pursues this matter, my official position will surely be lost! Fortunately, fortunately, the man is not dead." He almost wished it were his own father who had been beaten instead of Chen Wanquan. Immediately, he personally paid for the medicine and dispatched a steward to the storeroom to fetch high-quality herbs like ginseng and deer antler. Urgently, he insisted, "Chen Guanren’s condition is unstable, and he should not be moved recklessly. It would be better for him to stay here to recuperate, so I may do my part to show my sincerity."

Xianglan, however, had no desire to remain in the Government Office any longer. Lin Jinlou ordered people to carry Chen Wanquan on the bench to the carriage. As Xianglan stepped out, she caught sight of Cao Lihuan hiding behind a cluster of banana plants near the Covered corridor. When Cao Lihuan noticed Xianglan looking in her direction, she quickly ducked out of sight, though a corner of her apricot-red skirt remained visible.