Lin Jinlou turned and walked out, only to see Lin Dongling, Lin Dongxiu, and Lin Dongqi entering the hall from outside, with Lin Jinting trailing lazily behind. "Big brother is such a busy man. Can't you see he's changing clothes to go out? Did you all come here hoping to freeload a meal? I say we skip the meal and hurry up so this young master can see the beauty you've been hiding away so carefully."
Lin Dongling found a chair and sat down, saying, "Indeed, we sisters were just saying—what kind of Celestial Maiden has so captivated our eldest brother that he brought her in from outside the estate? It's been two days now, and even the old lady hasn't been allowed a glimpse." As she spoke, she exchanged a meaningful glance with Lin Dongxiu.
Lin Jinlou smiled and said, "I was wondering why you've all come so properly hand in hand to the Knowing Spring Pavilion to see me today. I thought you'd finally grown up and learned the principles of fraternal respect and filial piety. Turns out you're just here to scrounge off me."
Lin Jinting plopped down boldly on the Luohan bed, leaning against a pink chrysanthemum-patterned phoenix-tail patterned large pillow. "Scrounge? We've been here this long and haven't even been offered a cup of water."
Shuran had already brought tea to the small table on the heated brick bed of the Luohan bed, smiling as she said, "Third Master, please have this cup."
Lin Jinting replied, "Sister Shuran really knows how to care for people. But if it's not this year's new tea, this young master won't drink it."
Lin Jinlou swatted the back of his head and said, "You little monkey, you're still picky even when you're given tea."
Lin Jinting rubbed his head and complained, "I'm just worried about you, brother. Yesterday you were so drunk and still rode back on horseback. I was afraid you might be feeling unwell, so I had Suju prepare a hangover soup for you." He pointed to the little maid following him, who placed a food box on the table.
Lin Jinlou said, "By the time your hangover soup arrives, the Huacai would have gone cold."
Lin Jinting drawled, "Yes, of course, you have your own beauty to wash her hands and prepare soup for you." He leaned closer to Lin Jinlou and lowered his voice, "You rushed back last night just for her, didn't you? I was wondering—on any other day, brother, you'd have stayed overnight at the brothel. Miss Ruixian kept glancing at you over and over, her big eyes almost welling up with tears, but you paid her no mind and hurried off without even taking the carriage. Tsk, what kind of treasure are you hiding at home that made you rush back in such a frenzy? Could she be even more beautiful than Ruixian?"
Lin Jinlou squinted at Lin Jinting and said, "What? You've taken a fancy to Ruixian? If you've got the guts and aren't afraid of the family discipline, I'll spend the silver to have her prepared for you. How about that?"
Lin Jinting was somewhat tempted, but after a moment's thought, he waved his hands repeatedly. "Forget it. I don't hold any official position right now, and the old man already can't stand the sight of me. It's fine to go out and have some fun, but if I actually kept her, grandfather would break my legs."
As the two were whispering, Lin Dongqi tapped the foreign lacquer small table with her folding fan and said with a smile, "What are you two whispering about? Leaving us sisters sitting here like this—what's the meaning of it?"
Lin Jinlou said, "Good sister, if I'm not mistaken, you're getting married at the end of this month, right? Instead of staying quietly in your room embroidering your trousseau, you've come here to join the commotion. Don't tell me you want me to add to your dowry?"
Lin Dongqi's face flushed bright red, and she spat, "You and your improper talk! I came here to see the new sister-in-law."Lin Dongxiu picked a candied apricot from the black lacquer mother-of-pearl inlaid treasure box, placed it in her mouth, and said, "Alright, enough with the suspense. Big brother, please bring out the beauty."
Lin Jinlou then looked up and gestured to Shuran. Shuran gave a slight nod and went to the eastern side chamber to fetch Xianglan. Upon entering, she saw Xianglan still leaning against the windowsill. She approached and said, "Miss Xianglan, please change into guest attire. The young masters and misses are waiting to meet you."
Xianglan had heard every word of the conversation outside clearly from the side chamber. Feeling utterly vexed, she couldn't help but frown.
Shuran hurriedly persuaded her, "Just go out and make a brief appearance."
Chun Ling also chimed in, "In such situations, you must save face for the Master. You should go, alright?"
Having no choice, Xianglan changed into guest clothes and emerged. Lin Jinlou and the others were chatting and laughing outside when they suddenly saw a beauty slowly walking out from within. She wore a silver-red crepe silk jacket and a plain white Hangzhou silk painted trailing skirt. Her hair was simply tied in a bun, adorned only with three exquisite gold wire phoenix hairpins, with no other jewelry. Her powdered face was lowered demurely, and her every movement was elegant, as if a fairy had just stepped out of a painting. She made a graceful bow and said, "Greetings to everyone."
Lin Jinting was somewhat dazed, unconsciously leaning forward and craning his neck. "This is... this is..." He looked her up and down several times before suddenly snapping back to reality and glancing at Lin Jinlou. He thought to himself, "I haven't even seen her face yet, but her figure and aura alone surpass Ruixian by mountains and valleys. She appears more ethereal than any woman I've ever seen. No wonder even elder brother, who's accustomed to rouges, is so bewitched by her that he insisted on bringing her into the mansion instead of keeping her as a concubine. When third sister and fourth sister urged me to come earlier, I was reluctant. Fortunately, I came, otherwise I would have missed elder brother's most treasured one." Seeing Xianglan lowering her head again as if to retreat, he quickly laughed and said, "So this is the new sister-in-law? Oh, come now, since she's here, shouldn't she serve us some tea?"
Lin Dongxiu said with a hint of sarcasm, "Indeed, she should serve us tea. Why rush off? Do you look down on us or something?"
Xianglan slightly raised her eyes to glance at Lin Jinlou. With a smile playing on his lips, Lin Jinlou said to Xianglan, "Since that's the case, you should serve tea once."
Chun Ling quickly brought out a set of frozen plantain leaf patterned tea ware with over twenty small cups. She rinsed them with hot water and, together with Shuran, brewed tea and placed it on a tray, handing it to Xianglan. Xianglan thought to herself, "I'll just treat it as acting in a play." She closed her eyes briefly, then first served tea to the eldest, Lin Dongqi.
Lin Dongqi smiled as she accepted it, tilting her head to look at Xianglan's face. Covering her mouth with a handkerchief, she giggled a few times, then pulled Shuran close to whisper something. Shuran also smiled and replied softly, and both of them laughed.
Xianglan then went to serve Lin Jinting. After taking the tea, Lin Jinting looked left and right at Xianglan, stroking his chin and said, "What's the new sister-in-law's name? Have I seen you before? Why do I feel... somewhat familiar?"
Xianglan flushed red, bit her lip, and moved away. Lin Jinlou kicked Lin Jinting in the shin and said, "Keep your sneaky eyes to yourself. You say you've met every pretty face you see, without considering who she belongs to."
Lin Jinting also turned red, clutching his leg and rolling his eyes. "No, really, it's not that... I truly feel she looks somewhat... familiar."Xianglan had just offered tea to Lin Dongling. Lin Dongling glanced at her, holding the teacup with a mocking smile. "Of course Third Brother finds her familiar. Don't you know who she is? She was originally our Lin Family's servant, then climbed to a higher branch and went to the Song Family. Back then, she was so imposing and majestic that Fourth Sister and I were too frightened to speak. With such an intimidating servant around, we were quite worried for Aunt and Tanchai Sister."
"How can Third Sister use the word 'frightened'?" Lin Dongxiu took over the conversation while cracking melon seeds, smiling cheerfully. "The way Yifei Brother treated her with such tenderness and affection was truly a remarkable display of mutual devotion. Yifei Brother was willingly fooled by her. Why should we be 'frightened' or bother worrying so much? It's really not worth it." She added, "I heard that after she arrived, Fang Si, who originally served Yifei Brother, hanged herself. If you ask me, Ying Ge, Hua Mei, and Luan'er in Eldest Brother's room should be the ones worrying."
The room fell completely silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Earlier, Lin Dongling and Lin Dongxiu had overheard the maids and old women gossiping about a new woman named Xianglan in Lin Jinlou's quarters. She was originally a maid in the mansion who had been expelled by Zhao Yuechan. The sisters understood immediately. Having suffered greatly at Xianglan's hands before, they held a grudge. After discussing it, they brought Lin Dongqi and Lin Jinting along under the pretext of seeing Lin Jinlou's new woman, but their real intention was to trouble Xianglan and settle their old score.
Lin Dongqi tugged at Lin Dongxiu and stuffed an apricot preserve into her mouth. "You had nightmares last night and kept talking nonsense. Have something sweet to shut your mouth."
Lin Jinlou still wore a smile on his face, casually picking up his teacup, blowing on it, and taking a sip. However, the veins on his forehead were faintly bulging.
Xianglan's face was pale and completely expressionless as she brought tea to Lin Dongxiu. Lin Dongxiu glanced at Lin Jinlou and, seeing no change in his expression, grew bolder. She raised her eyebrows, accepted the tea, and sneered, "You even managed to scheme your way back into the Lin Family. You truly are resourceful."
Lin Jinting was dumbfounded, spilling half his tea. Pointing at Xianglan, he stared at Lin Jinlou and said, "She... she's Yifei's... How is she here with you?"
Lin Jinting was all too familiar with the name "Xianglan." Initially, Song Ke had begged him to ask Lin Jinlou for her, but Lin Jinlou had refused with a single sentence. Later, he heard Xianglan had been expelled by Zhao Yuechan and somehow ended up in the Song Family. As close friends with Song Ke, Lin Jinting frequently visited the Song residence and had seen Xianglan a few times, though she always kept her distance. Knowing her status was different, he never got a good look at her. The last he heard of Xianglan was when Song Ke fell into misfortune and had to marry Zheng Jingxian. After drinking too much, Song Ke repeatedly spoke of how clever, gentle, dignified, and self-respecting Xianglan was, determined not to become anyone's concubine, and how reluctant he was to part with her. Then he hugged Lin Jinting and wept... Yet, not even a few months had passed, and this woman named Xianglan had become his eldest brother Lin Jinlou's newly taken concubine?
Lin Dongxiu burst out laughing. "You've been calling her 'new sister-in-law' all this time without knowing why she's here? Third Brother, are you sleepwalking?"Lin Jinting's mouth fell open, and he stammered, "Th-this... can't be, right?"
Lin Dongling sneered, "Why can't it be? Once Brother Yifei marries the daughter of Duke Xian's family, a comparison between the two will naturally reveal who's the seductive fox spirit..."
Before she could finish, Lin Dongqi coughed sharply and glared fiercely at Ling and Xiu, saying, "Third Sister, Fourth Sister, we've seen the person. Let's go back now." She thought to herself: "Third Sister is still so stubborn. Now that Xianglan is Eldest Brother's woman, calling her a seductive fox spirit is like slapping Eldest Brother in the face. And Fourth Sister's words today are particularly venomous—she's probably forgotten what Eldest Brother's temper is like."
Unexpectedly, Ling and Xiu remained seated without moving.
Thanks to Qingchen Love for the He's Jade Disc, Wanghua001 for the sachet, Damima for two peace talismans, and Moonlight Orchid for the peace talisman. Also, thank you all for the pink votes! Regarding the extra chapter for the He's Jade Disc, I'll make it up once I've recovered a bit more. Thank you for your incredibly supportive support! ^_ Also, a special thanks to a certain reader—your comment gave me inspiration. Otherwise, some dialogues in this chapter would have really made Xiao He tear his hair out! ^_^
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