Against the Current

Now, as for Xianglan rescuing Chen Wanquan from prison, the group returned to the Chen Family. Xue Shi was lying on the bed, frowning with worry, when she suddenly heard a commotion in the courtyard. She went out to look and saw that Chen Wanquan had actually been carried back. Overwhelmed with joy, she then noticed his face was as pale as gold foil and he was unconscious, which made her turn pale with fright. Jixiang and Shuangxi carried Chen Wanquan on a spring bench to the bedroom and carefully laid him on the bed. Xue Shi stepped forward, gently lifted his clothes to look, and saw that both his thighs were swollen and festered horribly, with bruises covering his legs. They were bound with bamboo splints, and there wasn't a single uninjured spot. Her heart tightened in distress. She went out to look again and saw Lin Jinlou sitting imposingly in the hall, sipping tea.

Xue Shi understood the situation immediately. She stepped forward, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed, saying, "This humble woman kowtows to thank Eldest Master Lin for his life-saving grace." Her head knocked against the ground with a "thump, thump" sound. Shuangxi hurried forward to help her up, chuckling as she said, "This won't do, please get up quickly."

Xianglan also went to help Xue Shi up, but Xue Shi tugged at Xianglan's sleeve and said, "Lan girl, why aren't you kowtowing to Eldest Master Lin?" As she spoke, she tried to pull Xianglan down to kneel.

Xianglan's face turned pale. She raised her head to glance at Lin Jinlou, bit her lip, and lowered her head, but she stubbornly refused to bend her knees and kneel. Xue Shi was displeased and glared angrily at Xianglan, gripping her hand tightly. She whispered, "You foolish girl, why aren't you kowtowing to Eldest Master Lin!"

But Lin Jinlou stood up and said indifferently, "No need. It's getting late, I should be going." With that, he walked out.

Xue Shi hurriedly pulled Xianglan along to see him off, forcing a smile as she said graciously, "Young girls don't know any better, Eldest Master, please don't take it to heart... Please take care on your way. We will surely come to your residence to kowtow and express our gratitude."

Lin Jinlou responded casually. When they reached the main gate, he dismissed the others and called only Xianglan to him, saying, "Pack your things. I'll send someone to fetch you tomorrow... Actually, don't bother packing. There's nothing worth taking from your old rags. I'll get you new clothes and jewelry."

Xianglan was greatly startled and hurriedly pleaded, "My father has just returned, and there's not a single part of him that's unharmed. I'd like to stay home and take care of him for a few days..." As she spoke, tears fell. "I beg you..."

"Tsk, tsk, why are you always crying? It's as if I'm going to eat you alive," Lin Jinlou said, reaching out to wipe her tears.

Xianglan wanted to dodge but restrained herself from moving. Her submissive demeanor, with her head bowed, pleased Lin Jinlou. He pinched her small chin and laughed, "Alright, I'm a reasonable man. Considering your filial devotion, you may stay home and tend to your father for three days. After that, I'll send someone to fetch you."

"Eldest Master, please let me stay a few more days. Once I leave, I don't know when I'll be able to return home... It takes a hundred days to recover from broken bones and tendons. At home, there's only my old mother and a young, ignorant maid..."

Lin Jinlou stroked his chin and said, "Fine, I'll send two people over later." Seeing Xianglan about to speak again, he pressed his finger to her lips, half-squinting with a teasing smile. "Five days at most, little Xianglan. If you keep singing 'ligenerlang' with me, I'll get angry." As he spoke, he untied the small red-gold and yellow-jade horse pendant from his waist and hung it on Xianglan's waist. "Go tend to your father. After you've finished being a filial daughter, think carefully about how to repay me." With that, he boarded the carriage and left.Xianglan turned silently and walked into the house, slowly closing the main door. As she turned her head, she saw Xue Shi standing in the courtyard, red-eyed and trembling, lips quivering as she called out, "Lan girl..." before falling speechless, clearly having understood everything.

Xianglan approached with a forced smile. "This isn't so bad after all... Father has returned unharmed. Though the Eldest Master has a terrible temper, the Lin Family is wealthy and influential. In a year or two, perhaps I can return..."

Xue Shi couldn't hold back her sobs, clutching Xianglan tightly while stamping her feet. "My dear girl, you're so clever and lovely—you deserve the dignity of being a proper Madam. Why must your fate be so bitter..."

Her weeping made Xianglan cry too, but she quickly wiped her tears with a handkerchief and instead comforted Xue Shi. Let us leave this for now.

Meanwhile, Han Yaozu, troubled by having offended the Lin Family, had a sleepless night. Early the next morning, he personally prepared generous gifts and visited the Chen Family. The Chen couple was overwhelmed with apprehension, but Han Yaozu inquired warmly about Chen Wanquan's wellbeing, then presented fifty taels of silver, saying, "Shopkeeper Chen's unjust imprisonment was entirely due to my being misled by villains and believing slander. Please do not hold it against me—I will certainly give you proper redress!" Though his words were grand, his eyes unconsciously darted around, searching for Xianglan.

Chen Wanquan felt immensely honored, never imagining the formidable magistrate from the courtroom would speak to him so kindly. Nearly speechless, he repeatedly said, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."

A cold laugh suddenly came from the adjacent room. Han Yaozu immediately knew Xianglan was nearby and hurriedly added, "This matter originated from Xia Jia's concubine. Xia Yun, as a court official, allowed his concubine to tarnish an innocent girl's reputation with vile words—such recklessness squanders life and disgraces decency! He is a frivolous scoundrel. From today, I dismiss him from his ninth-rank post. Moreover, I have petitioned the Jinling Education Intendant and reported to the Ministry of Personnel to revoke his provincial scholar credential."

Xianglan, listening from behind the curtain, was startled. While she expected Xia Yun to lose his position, having his credential revoked was excessively harsh. Scholars often spend lifetimes striving in examinations—Xia Yun had achieved the provincial rank young and had a bright future ahead. With his credential revoked, who knew when he might pass again? Though Xia Yun had his faults, he wasn't truly evil—just one of his family's relatives.

Then Chen Wanquan pleaded, "Your Honor, please uphold justice for my family! We are honest, law-abiding people who never court trouble. Xia Yun fancied my daughter, and when her mother and I refused, he slandered her reputation. His concubine even tried to seize and beat her..."

Xue Shi added, "Later, I went with Lan girl to beg at Xia Jia. We gave sixty taels in total, but Xia Yun's mother, his second sister-in-law, and the concubine forced Lan girl to kowtow to Xia Yun..." Her voice choked, and after a pause, she continued, "Where is the justice? They were the wrongdoers, yet they made Lan girl kneel in apology. Even after she kowtowed, they didn't withdraw the lawsuit. When we went to ask, we were met with insults."

Han Yaozu fumed, "How outrageous! The Xia Family is truly despicable! I will see this matter through to the end!"

The Chen couple repeatedly praised him as "Your Honor" in gratitude.After Han Yaozu left, Chen Wanquan felt excruciating pain in his buttocks and legs as if being pricked by needles and sliced by knives. He developed a fever and drifted in and out of consciousness. Soon, someone knocked at the door—it was Shu Ran personally delivering an elderly maid and a young servant. She also presented a sealed packet of fifty taels of silver, smiling as she said, "This is from the Eldest Master for Shopkeeper Chen to buy nourishing food to restore his health. The Eldest Master holds your daughter in high regard and had me select several bolts of premium tribute silk from the storeroom to make new dresses for her."

Xue Shi promptly expressed her gratitude, but Xianglan stood aside in visible irritation, remaining silent. Shu Ran recognized Xianglan’s displeasure and was inwardly surprised, though she tactfully changed the subject, exchanged a few more words, and then took her leave.

For a while, all was quiet.

Meanwhile, Han Yaozu returned to the yamen and immediately stripped Xia Yun of his official position. He then dispatched someone to inquire with the Education Intendant. Upon hearing that Xia Yun had offended Lin Jinlou and lacked influential backing, the Jinling Education Intendant promptly revoked Xia Yun’s scholarly rank.

When the news reached the Xia family, it struck like a thunderbolt. Xia Yun was initially stunned; despite his dizziness, he scrambled out of bed and rushed to the county yamen. Han Yaozu received him and said, "Xia Yun, you’ve got the audacity of a mad dog—how could you send your concubine to cause trouble at the Chen Family without even checking their background? Did you think ruining the girl’s reputation would force her to marry you? And after the incident, they even compensated you with silver—why didn’t you withdraw the lawsuit? Now you’ve provoked the Chen Family, and they’ve called upon Lin Jinlou to intervene... Ah, this is the misfortune you’ve brought upon yourself. Even killing someone would be a quicker end—your actions have truly gone too far."

Xia Yun felt as if a bucket of icy water had been dumped over his head, chilling him to the bone. He muttered, "I’d already instructed my family to withdraw the lawsuit... and I never even filed one in the first place."

Han Yaozu replied, "It was your concubine Yindie who came to the yamen crying injustice."

Xia Yun stood there dumbfounded. Just then, an attendant announced the arrival of a guest, so Han Yaozu politely saw Xia Yun out.

Xia Yun returned home in a daze, where his entire family crowded at the door. The moment he appeared, they swarmed around him, clamoring with questions. Xia Yun seemed lost in a dream, staring blankly ahead as he pushed his way into the house.

Yindie was holding a Target Mirror, tilting it left and right to admire her reflection. When she saw Xia Yun enter, she hastily set down the mirror and hurried over, saying, "Master, you’re back! What did Magistrate Han say?"

Xia Yun lifted his dazed eyes and saw Yindie’s heavily made-up face, caked with rouge and powder. Suddenly, fury erupted within him. He swung his arm and slapped Yindie hard across the face, roaring, "You wretched woman, look what you’ve done! Who told you to go to the Chen Family? Who told you to file a lawsuit at the yamen?"

The slap sent Yindie stumbling backward until she collapsed by the kang, clutching her face and sobbing.

Jin Shi and Xia Ersao had been lurking by the door and, hearing the commotion, hurriedly pushed their way in. Xia Ersao demanded repeatedly, "What’s going on? Did that little vixen from the Chen Family play some trick? How could you lose your position and scholarly rank just like that?"

Jin Shi rolled up her sleeves and declared, "If they’re behind this, I’ll stir up such a storm that not even their chickens and dogs will know peace!"

Xia Yun trembled with rage, pointing at Jin Shi and Xia Ersao as he demanded, "I told you to go to the yamen and withdraw the lawsuit—why didn’t you go?"Jin Shi and Second Sister Xia exchanged a glance. Second Sister Xia refused to speak, but Jin Shi said carelessly, "The Chen Family has plenty of silver. How can a mere sixty taels be enough? You haven't seen how big their house is, how many antiques and curios they have inside. You are an esteemed scholar and an imperial official, highly valued. In my opinion, unless they pay two or three hundred taels, this matter won't be settled."

Xia Yun's face turned as purple as pig's liver. Trembling, he stamped his feet and cursed, "Fools! Fools! My livelihood and future have been ruined by you!" After cursing, he couldn't hold back his tears, his head throbbed with pain, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.