Against the Current

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

Lin Jinlou scoffed. "Begging me? Is this how you beg someone?"

Xianglan replied calmly, "I am begging you, Eldest Master... You have so many women of all types around you. Your interest in me is merely for amusement. I will serve you to repay your kindness, and when you find someone new later, please let me go..."

"What if I refuse?"

"If you refuse, there's nothing I can do. I can only blame my unfortunate fate. If my father dies, there's no point in my mother and I living on. At most, we'll take a bowl of arsenic—the whole family can die together and 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 fickleness with women—today he favored one, tomorrow another, never lasting long in any affair. His current fixation on her was only because he hadn't yet possessed her. To save Chen Wanquan, she could endure serving Lin Jinlou for a year or two. Once he married or took concubines and forgot about her, she could 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 wells. He pinched Xianglan's chin and suddenly 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? Planning to slip away from me in a year or two?"

Xianglan's face turned pale.

Lin Jinlou chuckled and stretched lazily. "Who do you think I am? If I couldn't see through such petty thoughts, I'd have been dead and buried long ago. Plenty of people scheme against me, hoping to see me humiliated, but few can outsmart me. And those who do will pay a thousandfold. I've always been fond of beautiful women, so be good, serve me well, and you'll have your rewards. Understood?" He lifted the curtain and called out, "Jixiang, let's go!"

Jixiang hurriedly acknowledged and climbed onto the carriage shaft with Shuangxi, picking up the whip to drive.

Xianglan started in alarm. "Eldest Master, believe me or not, every word I said was true... I want to get off the carriage!" She moved to lift the curtain.

Lin Jinlou seized her wrist and pulled her back, making her collapse into his arms. Flustered, Xianglan tried to sit up, but when she looked up, she saw Lin Jinlou's face had darkened. "Are you ignoring what I just said? I told you to behave."

Xianglan realized Lin Jinlou was displeased. His elegant, composed facade had vanished. Though his expression was blank, an aura of ruthlessness, dominance, and arrogance radiated 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 the last, different from Song Ke, even different from those wolf-like officials. His fierce eyes sent chills down her spine—he was truly merciless. Though she had weathered many storms, this frightened her into a cold sweat.

Her father wasn't saved yet. She couldn't afford to anger him further, couldn't risk her life again. She needed to plan carefully and take it slow.Xianglan then lowered her head and quietly straightened her posture.

Lin Jinlou only said coldly, "If you want to be a concubine, first see if you have the face for it." After speaking, he paid her no further mind, reverting to the noble and refined demeanor of a scion of an aristocratic family, closing his eyes to rest. He had sent someone to keep an eye on the Chen Family days ago. Hearing that her parents were already planning to arrange a marriage for her, he prepared to set off 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 authorities? This was a heaven-sent opportunity. What originally would have required considerable effort could now be achieved with ease. However, this Chen Xianglan was a prickly one—every conversation with her was fraught with difficulty. Yet he was determined to tame her. Since childhood, had there ever been anything Lin Jinlou fancied that he didn’t obtain? In the future, he would make this stubborn mule, Chen Xianglan, as docile as a meowing kitten.

Xianglan’s heart was uneasy, her hands twisting the ribbon of her skirt. Where was Lin Jinlou taking her? Could it be that he intended to take her directly back to the Lin Family? As her thoughts ran wild, the carriage came to a stop, and Jixiang respectfully said, "Eldest Master, we’ve arrived."

The carriage curtain was lifted. Xianglan peered out and was startled to find they had circled around to the front of the county magistrate’s office. Xianglan froze. Lin Jinlou had already alighted and urged impatiently, "Hurry up, what are you dawdling for? Isn’t your father about to die?" Xianglan hastily stood up and reached for Jixiang’s arm, but Lin Jinlou took her hand instead. Startled, Xianglan had no choice but to let Lin Jinlou hold her hand and stepped down with Shuangxi’s assistance. Lin Jinlou then ordered Jixiang to knock on the door.

Meanwhile, Han Yaozu was in his room amusing himself with Cao Lihuan when suddenly hurried footsteps were heard, and a bailiff shouted, "Your Honor, Your Honor, an esteemed guest has arrived!"

Han Yaozu quickly stood up and went out, asking, "What’s all the panic? Who has come?"

The bailiff replied, "Eldest Master Lin Jinlou of the Lin Family has arrived!"

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

From afar, Han Yaozu saw Lin Jinlou walking over unhurriedly. He immediately plastered an extremely ingratiating smile on his face, quickened his pace, 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 lead him into the 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 unyielding. Why would he come to my place so abruptly today, demanding to go to the prison right away, with a faint displeasure on his face? Could it be that I’ve mistakenly arrested someone these past few days and offended this formidable figure?" He thought it over but found no reason. Last month, there had indeed been troublemakers among the Lin clan’s riffraff, but he had sent a note to the Lin family, released the culprits without punishment, and even received five taels of silver in gratitude—all had ended amicably. 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 influential twin brothers serving under Lin Jinlou. There was also an elegantly dressed young woman of exceptional beauty whom he had never seen before. Not daring to stare, he averted his gaze and said with an ingratiating smile, "General, whatever your orders, this humble official will spare no effort. If you wish to see any prisoner, I’ll 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 reckless—how dare you lay a hand on someone under my protection? Tell me, what crime did Chen Wanquan, arrested yesterday, commit to deserve being detained and nearly beaten to death? He’s no ordinary man. If anything happens to him, you might as well pack your bags and get lost!"

Trembling with fear, Han Yaozu repeatedly pleaded, "General Lin, have mercy! This humble official truly didn’t know he was your man. Yesterday, Xia Yun’s concubine came to accuse Chen Wanquan of assaulting an imperial official. Since Xia Yun was severely injured and recuperating at home, I had Chen Wanquan arrested…"

Xianglan interjected sharply, "Xia Yun insulted me first! My father pushed him in a fit of anger, and he stumbled and hit his head because he lost his balance. How can that be called ‘assaulting an imperial official’? Why was he beaten with rods before the facts were clarified? Why was the punishment so brutal, and why was a physician forbidden from treating him? Magistrate Han, have you no regard for the law, listening to that wanton woman Cao Lihuan and treating human life as worthless? Such incompetence—you don’t deserve to wear that black gauze hat on your head!"

Lin Jinlou burst into laughter and said to Han Yaozu, "Hear that? My darling says you don’t deserve to wear that black gauze hat anymore." He shot Han Yaozu another glance and added, "What kind of scum is Xia Yun? Back in my household, he seduced maidservants. Out of consideration for his reputation, I gave him the girl. Who knew he’d remain unrepentant and set his sights on my woman? He repeatedly proposed to the Chen Family, and when they refused, he spewed filth. Tell me, hasn’t that little beast grown unbearably bold?"

Upon hearing "my 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 pleading, "General, please calm your anger! This humble official truly didn’t 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…"

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

Soon the physician arrived. After examining Chen Wanquan, he said, "Both of this man's legs are broken, but fortunately they can still be set. However, he will suffer considerably. There are also internal imbalances and disorders. I will prescribe a few doses of medicine to regulate his condition, but since his flesh is badly bruised and torn, it will take a long time to recover."

Once the diagnosis was complete, the physician set the 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. She turned her head away to avoid him, then felt it was improper and silently took the handkerchief from his hand to dry her tears. Lin Jinlou had been somewhat displeased at first, but seeing Xianglan accept the handkerchief, his expression softened.

Han Yaozu watched anxiously, pacing in circles and thinking to himself, "To be so favored by Lin Jinlou, she is clearly no ordinary concubine. How hateful that I didn't know of such a person! Today I've made a grave mistake. If Lin Tai Sui pursues this, the black gauze hat on my head will truly be lost! Fortunately, fortunately, the man isn't dead." He almost wished it hadn't been Chen Wanquan who was beaten—even if it were his own father, it would have been better. He immediately took out silver to purchase medicine and dispatched a steward to fetch high-quality herbs like ginseng and deer antler from the storeroom. Eagerly, he urged them to stay, saying, "Since Chen Guanren is ill and shouldn't be moved recklessly, why not let him recuperate here? This humble official would like to do his part."

Xianglan had no desire to remain in the yamen any longer, so Lin Jinlou ordered men to carry Chen Wanquan on the reclining chair to the carriage. As Xianglan was leaving, she spotted 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.