Shuran immediately brought people to the back to carry out a chest. Upon opening it, they found half a chest of Snow Wave Paper and another half stack of Cooked Xuan Paper. Small foreign lacquer boxes contained pigments such as Cinnabar, Ochre, Guangzhou Flower Pigment, Gamboge, and Rouge, along with several Large Grab Brushes, various sizes of Weasel Hair Brushes and White Cloud Brushes, and a number of coarse white dishes and bowls. Indeed, most of the items were usable. Xianglan ordered the usable items to be sorted out, spread the paper open, and then held a brush, lost in thought.
She didn’t know what to paint. These past few days, she had been lying in bed, staring blankly. She felt her fate was bitter—after overcoming countless obstacles and finally catching a glimpse of light, she had immediately fallen back into the abyss. Sometimes she thought, why not just give up? Since things had already come to this, why not try to figure out Lin Jinlou’s preferences and make her own life more comfortable? During the day, she had invited Shuran over to slowly probe, hinting at things indirectly. Shuran was a shrewd person; though she appeared warm and friendly to everyone, she was actually very guarded. Xianglan remained composed, only engaging in casual conversation and carefully avoiding any sensitive topics, gradually lowering Shuran’s guard before extracting useful information. But at night, lying in bed unable to sleep, her overwhelming resentment and bitterness nearly drove her mad. It felt as though a saw was tearing at her heart, causing her immense pain.
Later, she started copying Buddhist scriptures, and her mind gradually calmed. When Chun Ling noticed, she found a White Porcelain Guanyin statue for her. Xianglan began burning Sandalwood incense every day, staring blankly at the statue. Life had to go on, and she had to stay in the Lin Family. No matter how sorrowful she felt, it was useless—just like when she served Cao Lihuan, she could only endure for the time being, waiting for an opportunity to act and leave this place once and for all. This morning, she realized her monthly courses had arrived and let out a long sigh of relief. Her mood instantly brightened, and she thought about picking up her paintbrushes again.
Shuran found two large dye brushes, one medium dye brush, and three small dye brushes, along with pigments like Stone Yellow Pigment, Stone Blue Pigment, and Stone Green Pigment, and brought them over. Seeing Xianglan painting a cluster of orchids, she smiled and said, “These orchids are beautifully done. When you have time, paint a couple for me—I’ll use them as patterns.”
Xianglan laughed, “I could paint a hundred of these if you wanted.”
Shuran said, “The Master usually paints landscapes. He’s also done a few fan paintings—I’ll find them for you to see later.” Noticing Xianglan lowering her head in silence, she sighed and said, “Actually, if you can make the Master happy, he’ll grant almost any request. But if you upset him, no one will have an easy time. The Master has already been exceptionally lenient with you. You haven’t seen how he treated Zhao Yuechan… The day after their wedding, they had a fierce argument. Zhao Yuechan was a fierce and sharp-tongued woman, but the Master punched her so hard she nearly lost her life. On the third day, when she was supposed to return to her family, she couldn’t even get out of bed—her family had to come to the Lin residence instead. When I first started serving the Master years ago, a clansman once came to see him. Thinking they were family and quite close, I brought him in. The Master was furious and made me kneel outside all night. It was the middle of winter—I nearly froze to death and caught a severe cold, falling ill for a long time. The Master later sent me medicine and told me that even if it was a clansman, I shouldn’t bring anyone into the Inner Chambers without his permission. It’s the rule. Besides, he had been fighting wars outside and had made many enemies among bandits—what if someone with ill intentions sneaked in and harmed his family?”
Xianglan was stunned.Shuran continued, "The Master is capable. He has his own businesses and can support the Lin Family Army himself. While the imperial court loses money in wars, the Master always brings back gleaming silver from his campaigns. Throughout the entire estate, aside from the Old Master’s quarters, the Knowing Spring Pavilion enjoys the finest life—food, clothing, lodging, and daily necessities are all of the highest quality."
Xianglan asked, "Isn’t it all funded by the family’s common treasury? How can there be such disparities in living standards?"
Shuran covered her mouth and laughed. "Relying solely on the monthly allowances from the treasury is barely enough to get by. Each season, new clothes must be made, the ladies need jewelry, the gentlemen have social engagements, and servants must be rewarded. Add to that the extra expenses during festivals, the household’s growing numbers, and maintaining a respectable appearance—is any of that easy?"
Xianglan said, "But it’s not proper to be too extravagant and surpass one’s parents, is it?"
Shuran replied, "There’s something you don’t understand. The First Master values simplicity and modesty, and the First Madam isn’t one to nitpick. Besides, with the First Master serving as an official outside, how could he lack silver? Just look at the dowry for the Second Young Lady’s wedding—every item from the main branch was of the finest quality, though they kept their wealth discreet. The second branch should have been prosperous too, but the Second Master... to put it bluntly, is hopeless. He holds a fifth-rank official position and puts on a grand front in social interactions, with some shrewdness, but everything about him reeks of pettiness. Even his rewards to servants are just a few copper coins. He neglects household affairs entirely, spending all his silver on women outside, indulging in drinking, gambling, and pleasure. He even relies on his wife’s dowry and comes home to throw his weight around. Fortunately, the Second Mistress is tolerant—anyone else might not have put up with it! But the Second Mistress herself is somewhat impractical. Though her dowry was substantial, she’s also fond of lavish spending. However, I’ve heard she still has manors and shops that bring in considerable income every year, so she maintains her dignity."
Xianglan laughed. "No wonder the Master values you so much. They say you’re the ‘know-it-all’—you really are aware of everything."
Shuran smiled. "After spending so long in the estate, one naturally picks things up."
The two chatted a while longer before Shuran took her leave. Xianglan resumed her painting and had Xiao Juan bring over a pot of flowers to use as a reference. Xiao Juan giggled, "These flowers are so fresh. I’ll pluck a couple later to adorn your hair. Honestly, those old women in the garden have no sense! Every morning when they deliver fresh flowers to the Knowing Spring Pavilion, they always let Hua Mei pick first, as if she’s the Concubine! But everyone in the Knowing Spring Pavilion knows whom the Master favors most—even the lowliest maids and servant boys sweeping the floors are aware. I think they’re doing it on purpose!"
Just then, Chun Ling came out with two pieces of clothing and tapped Xiao Juan on the head, scolding, "If you keep talking like that, I’ll have to smack your mouth!"
Xiao Juan rubbed her head and muttered, "But it’s true! These past couple of times, when the Master sent back some treats and supplies for Sister Xianglan, didn’t you see the jealousy from the east wing? Xi Que told me, ‘You’ve really made it now, spotting a rising star early! Back when Xianglan was just a floor-sweeping maid, you knew to befriend her. Now that she’s become the Master’s favorite, you’re riding her coattails. Look at your face—it’s even chubbier lately. You must’ve been indulging in the things the Master sent back, huh?’ Listen to that! What kind of talk is that? I’m not even chubby!"Xianglan couldn't hold back and burst out laughing, "Last night you alone ate half a box of pastries, and you still ate normally in the evening. If you keep this up, even if you're not fat now, you'll soon become a little ball." Then she said to Chun Ling, "From now on, when the old woman delivering flowers comes again, always give her some reward money. It doesn't have to be much, but it's never wrong to be polite."
Chun Ling acknowledged the instruction. Xianglan then buried herself in her painting again, thinking to herself, "Good relationships are built up over time through daily efforts. Don't underestimate these few coins - over time, they'll prove useful."
I wanted to post an extra chapter last night, but I stayed up too late and still needed to revise, so I didn't update. Sorry for the shorter word count! This serves as a transition, setting the stage for the big drama^_^ Thank you yu21yu21 for two Peace Talismans, and 131009151019670 for the Peace Talisman.
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