Xianglan maintained a solemn expression but remained silent. Yindie wept and wailed for a while before kneeling on the ground, secretly raising her head to glance at Xianglan. Their eyes met briefly, and Yindie quickly lowered her head again. When Xianglan noticed her sobs subsiding, she spoke calmly, "Yindie, you and I were once acquainted as maidservants in the Lin household. How is it that you’ve now ended up with the Xia family?"
Yindie wept so bitterly she could hardly catch her breath, looking utterly pitiful as she shook her head, unable to speak. Xianglan handed her own handkerchief over, her face composed and detached. "Dry your tears first. There has never been any engagement between me and Young Master Xia. My mother even enlisted a matchmaker to find me a suitable match—this is common knowledge. Yet today, you show up at my doorstep for no reason, calling me 'Da Nǎinai,' pounding on the door and wailing as if performing a full-blown theatrical act. Naturally, I must seek clarification."
As soon as she finished speaking, the onlookers nodded in agreement. A woman holding a child shouted from the crowd, "She’s right! We ought to hear the whole story."
Yindie was taken aback. She had assumed that in such a situation, Xianglan would feel too ashamed to show her face, shutting herself indoors to weep in humiliation. She never expected such composure. Biting her lip, she finally said, "Master Lin gifted me to the Xia family’s scholar."
Xianglan nodded slowly, drawing out her words. "I see. So you’re a concubine bestowed by a superior." Yindie possessed some charm and talent. Born into generations of Lin family servants, she had been assigned to serve at the Hall of Knowing Spring, where she rarely encountered male guests. Barely sixteen or seventeen and not yet of marriageable age, she had been given by Lin Jinlou to an obscure scholar—a situation that hinted at deeper implications.
Resentment burned in Yindie’s heart. Seeing the faint, mocking smile on Xianglan’s face only fueled her anger, though she maintained a facade of grievance. Weeping, she pleaded, "I beg you, Miss, to take pity on someone as ill-fated as me..."
Xianglan replied, "You and I have no connection whatsoever—there’s no question of pity. Xia Yun and I are merely passing acquaintances. By coming to my doorstep, you’ve likely chosen the wrong place to weep and kneel."
Yindie stubbornly refused to rise, kowtowing repeatedly with a thudding sound, tears streaming down her face. "My master is fond of you, Miss. He has repeatedly sent family members to inquire about you, and you seemed interested in him too—you even gave him an embroidered flower as a token. He treasures it like a rare gem. But now, because of me, you’ve suddenly turned cold toward him, and he wants to sell me off. I... I beg you to show mercy!"
Xue Shi, flushed with anger, rushed out from the doorway. "Nonsense! When did my daughter ever give him a flower? How dare you slander her like this—aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?"
Yindie wept as if her heart would break, swearing by heaven and earth, "If I’ve spoken a single false word, may a festering sore grow in my throat and rot my neck!"
Xianglan sneered inwardly and said, "The only embroidered flower I ever gave was to Third Miss Xia, and it was presented in the presence of elders. The Xia family must be quite cunning—do they intend to trap me with nothing more than a flower?"
Yindie continued to weep mournfully. "Miss, my master’s feelings are genuine. I ask for nothing else—if you would only allow me to stay and serve you in the future, I’d work like an ox or a horse..."
Xianglan erupted in fury. "Silence! I’ve stated multiple times that marriage between Xia Yun and me is out of the question. As for serving or not, take that up with Xia Yun’s rightful wife in the future. If you persist in dragging me into this affair, I will file a lawsuit against the Xia family for defaming my reputation!"Xianglan had always been gentle-natured and approachable, her smiling face welcoming to all. Yindie had thought her easy to manipulate, never expecting such sharp words. Stunned, she noticed sidelong glances from the onlookers and thought, "The deed is done. Even if Xianglan is innocent, it'll be hard to prove. Hmph, even if she's thick-skinned enough not to kill herself, she'll never marry into a respectable family. I just need to play the victim." Tears streamed down her face like rolling melons as she wailed, "Are you driving me to my death with such words, miss?"
Xianglan stared coldly at Yindie and said sternly, "You were given to Master Lin as a concubine. As a concubine, you should know your place! A mere servant daring to meddle in your master's affairs—truly unruly and ambitious! I have nothing to do with Xia Jia. Even if I did, a servant like you shouldn't spread rumors behind your master's back, causing a scene at my doorstep and tarnishing my reputation! First you weep and wail, then you kowtow and beg for mercy, then you threaten to die—as if I've been persecuting you. I'm an innocent person, yet you've splattered me with filth for no reason, making the neighbors point and gossip. Yindie, don't think you can just stir up trouble here and walk away. The Xia family must give me an explanation for this!"
Yindie's face paled. Gnashing her teeth, she sobbed, "You're breaking my heart with such words, miss... You keep calling me 'servant,' but have you forgotten your own origins?"
Before she finished, Xia Jia rushed out from the crowd in a fury, grabbed Yindie's arm, and snapped, "Shameless wretch, what are you doing here?"
Yindie's heart sank. Burning with hatred, her tears flowed even more uncontrollably as she wept bitterly.
Xia Jia looked up at Xianglan, his face flushed with embarrassment, and stammered, "My apologies, Miss Chen..."
Xianglan said calmly, "You've come at the right time, Scholar Xia. Before everyone here, let me ask you: Your concubine just now repeatedly called me 'Da Nǎinai.' Have we ever been engaged?"
Xia Jia glared at Yindie, feeling utterly humiliated, and hung his head. "No."
Xianglan asked, "Have we ever had any improper exchanges?"
Xia Jia thought, "Xianglan once gave me a flower, but it was through my second sister-in-law. As a young lady, she'd naturally be too shy to admit it openly." He also shook his head. "No."
Xianglan continued, "Yindie also claimed that because of me, you intended to sell her off. Is that true?"
Xia Jia was stunned. Yindie had been given to him by the Lin family, so her status was special. Moreover, she was beautiful, and they were in the throes of passion. Even if Yindie was prone to fits of temper, he couldn't bring himself to let her go—how could he ever bear to sell her?
Seeing the expression on his face, Xianglan understood. She said, "All the neighbors heard her say with her own lips that you planned to sell her because of me."
Xia Jia immediately shook his head. "Absolutely not."
Xianglan breathed a sigh of relief. "Then it's settled. But your beloved concubine has caused quite a stir, splattering me with filth. What should be done about that?"
Swallowing his shame, Xia Jia bowed deeply. "It was my failure to discipline her properly. I beg your forgiveness."Xianglan accepted the courtesy with a slight turn of her body and said coldly, "I had always thought Scholar Xia was a reasonable official. You ought to better discipline your household in the future. As the saying goes, 'To regulate the family, to govern the state, and to bring peace to the world'—it's clear that 'regulating the family' comes first. Otherwise, if she runs to my doorstep crying today and someone else's tomorrow, falsely accusing young ladies of having past relations with Scholar Xia, what kind of propriety is that? If this spreads, will Scholar Xia truly find it honorable?"
Xia Jia felt alternating waves of heat and cold, thinking he had never been so humiliated in all his years. Amidst the murmurs around him, he was mortified to the point of wishing for death. Yet, Xianglan's words were undeniably reasonable, leaving him no room for rebuttal. He could only listen, his resentment toward Yindie growing fiercer. Glancing up slightly, he saw Xianglan's stern expression and icy gaze, which pierced his heart. He kicked Yindie hard and roared, "You wretched, shameless creature! You've utterly disgraced me! Wait till we get home—I'll thrash you soundly! How dare you fabricate lies and stir up such a scene? Apologize to Miss Chen at once!"
Yindie whimpered in pain and collapsed to the ground, her hatred intensifying. Xia Jia had always been gentle with her, never uttering a harsh word, yet today he had kicked her for that little vixen Chen Xianglan! She lay curled on the ground, sobbing and refusing to respond.
Xianglan was also startled, never expecting the previously refined Xia Jia to erupt in such fury. Seeing Yindie huddled in pain, she felt a twinge of pity, silently reflecting that the pitiable often have their own despicable traits.
Seeing Yindie ignore him, Xia Jia felt even more humiliated. He struck her twice and snapped, "I'm talking to you! Are you deaf? You started this mess—why play innocent now?"
Bystanders chimed in, "Indeed, her master has already apologized. Why is she putting on airs?"
"She may be pretty, but she's nothing but a troublemaker. If this gets out, who would dare marry into the Xia family?"
"Well, he is a scholar-official. Finding a match shouldn't be too hard."
"Bah, what do you know? He may be a scholar, but his family is dirt-poor—nearly twenty mouths to feed, and his mother's a shrew. Which well-off family with a treasured daughter would willingly marry into that?"
Each word grated on Xia Jia's ears. As a man who prized his reputation, he felt his lifelong dignity crumbling. His chest heaved with rage as he struck Yindie again, directing his fury not only at her but also at Xianglan. He thought bitterly, "Killing someone would be quicker than this humiliation! If she wasn't entirely indifferent to me, why disgrace me so thoroughly?"
Xianglan had no desire to watch Xia Jia beat his concubine further. She waved a hand and said, "Enough. Scholar Xia's apology suffices. Please, both of you, leave." With that, she signaled Hua Shan to help Xue Shi inside.
Xia Jia, swallowing his shame, was about to leave with Yindie when he overheard more gossip: "Scholar Xia is quite the lucky man—unsatisfied with such a beautiful concubine, he's set his sights on the Chen family girl. I heard matchmakers visited twice, but the Chens refused. Today, he had the nerve to show up shamelessly."
"Tsk, tsk, no wonder they say the more educated, the more cunning..."
Xia Jia's face flushed crimson. Just then, Xianglan spoke again: "Scholar Xia."Xia Yun halted his steps. He heard Xianglan say, "When your sister previously visited our home, I presented her with a flower in front of the elders. Later, Yindie repeatedly claimed I had privately given it to you. This is absolutely untrue. I beg Scholar Xia to return and burn that flower."
Upon hearing this, Xia Yun felt as though a thunderbolt had struck his head. So all these days, he had been pleading with Second Sister-in-law Xia to arrange a marriage proposal, spending countless wasted silver, only to realize he had been indulging in wishful thinking. He now understood that Xianglan held not the slightest affection for him. Earlier, he had been apologizing and bowing repeatedly—partly because Yindie was at fault, but more so because he favored Xianglan and intentionally sided with her to appease her anger. Now, hearing these words, he thought to himself: "With my talents, I am destined to become a high official and achieve great deeds. Ordinarily, countless young maidens and married women admire me. I didn’t mind your lowly background, your tarnished reputation, or your involvement with two men—what right do you have to look down on me!" Overwhelmed by shame and indignation, his anger flared, and he lost control of his words. Coldly, he retorted, "Rest assured, young lady. Though I, Xia, may lack talent and my family is poor, I still possess some dignity. For someone like you, who has been involved with Master Lin and Master Song in disgraceful ways—even if I were to stoop so low, I would scorn to associate with you!"
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