Against the Current

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? And you still want to freeload a meal here? I say we skip the meal and hurry up to invite the beauty out for me to see. What kind of treasure is she, that you're keeping her so hidden?"

Lin Dongling found a chair and sat down, saying, "Exactly. My sisters and I were just saying, what kind of celestial beauty has captivated Big Brother so much that he brought her in from outside the estate? It's been two days now, and even Old Madam hasn't been allowed to see her." As she spoke, she exchanged a glance with Lin Dongxiu.

Lin Jinlou smiled and said, "I was just wondering why you're all so neatly gathered here today, hand in hand, coming to the Hall of Knowing Spring to see me. I thought you'd all grown up and learned the great principles of fraternal respect and filial piety. Turns out you're just here to freeload."

Lin Jinting plopped down boldly on the Arhat Bed, leaning against a pink chrysanthemum-patterned phoenix-tail patterned large headrest, and said, "Freeload? We've already come in, and not even a cup of water has been served."

Shu Ran had already brought tea to the kang table on the Arhat Bed and said with a smile, "Third Master, please have this cup."

Lin Jinting replied, "Sister Shu Ran really knows how to care for people. But if it's not this year's new tea, I won't drink it."

Lin Jinlou slapped the back of Lin Jinting's head and said, "You little monkey, you're still picky even when you're being served tea."

Lin Jinting rubbed his head and complained, "As your younger brother, I'm just worried about you. Yesterday, you came back on horseback, drunk as you were. I was afraid you weren't feeling well, so I had Suju brew a hangover soup." He pointed to the young maid following him, who placed a food box on the table.

Lin Jinlou said, "By the time your hangover soup is ready, it'll be too late."

Lin Jinting drawled, "Right, you have your own lovely lady 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—usually, you'd have stayed overnight at the brothel. Miss Ruixian kept glancing at you, her big eyes almost welling up with tears, but you ignored her and hurriedly left, not even taking a carriage. Tsk, what kind of treasure are you hiding at home that made you rush back in such a frenzy? Could she be even prettier than Ruixian?"

Lin Jinlou squinted at Lin Jinting and said, "What? You've taken a fancy to Ruixian? If you have the guts and aren't afraid of the elders' discipline, I'll pay to have her 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 have an official position right now, and the old man already dislikes me. It's fine to go out and have some fun, but if I actually stay overnight, Grandfather would break my legs."

As the two were whispering, Lin Dongqi tapped a small foreign-lacquered table with her folding fan and said with a laugh, "What are you two whispering about? Leaving us sisters here like this—what kind of behavior is that?"

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 embroiding your dowry, 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 instantly, and she spat, "You never say anything proper. I came here to see my new sister-in-law."Lin Dongxiu picked a candied apricot from the black lacquer eight-treasure box inlaid with mother-of-pearl and placed it in her mouth, saying, "Enough, stop keeping us in suspense. Eldest Brother, please bring the beauty out."

Lin Jinlou then looked up and gestured to Shu Ran. Shu Ran gave a slight nod and went to the eastern side chamber to fetch Xianglan. Upon entering, she saw Xianglan still leaning against the windowsill and approached her, saying, "Miss Xianglan, please change into visiting clothes. The young masters and ladies are waiting to meet you."

Xianglan had clearly overheard the conversation outside from the side chamber and was utterly vexed, her brows furrowing involuntarily.

Shu Ran quickly urged, "Go out. It's just a brief appearance."

Chunling also advised from the side, "In such situations, you must give Eldest Master face. Please go, alright?"

Xianglan had no choice but to change into visiting clothes and step out. Lin Jinlou and the others were chatting and laughing outside when they suddenly saw a beauty slowly emerge from within. She wore a silver-red crepe silk jacket and a plain white Hangzhou silk painted trailing skirt. Her hair was simply coiled into a bun, adorned only with three delicate gold filigree phoenix hairpins, with no other jewelry. Her powdered face was lowered, and her every movement was graceful, as if a fairy had just stepped out of a painting. She bowed gracefully and said, "Greetings to everyone."

Lin Jinting was momentarily stunned, unconsciously leaning forward and craning his neck. "This is... this is..." He scrutinized 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 countless levels. She looks more ethereal than any woman I've ever seen. No wonder even Eldest Brother, who's accustomed to rouged beauties, is utterly captivated. Instead of keeping her as an external mistress, he insisted on bringing her into the mansion. Earlier, when Third Sister and Fourth Sister urged me to come, I was reluctant. Fortunately, I made this trip, or I would have missed Eldest Brother's most treasured one." Seeing Xianglan lowering her head and about to retreat, he quickly laughed and said, "So this is the new sister-in-law? Oh, hurry up, she's here. Shouldn't she serve us tea?"

Lin Dongxiu said with a hint of sarcasm, "Exactly, 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. Lin Jinlou, with a smile on his lips, said to Xianglan, "Since that's the case, serve tea to everyone."

Chunling quickly brought out a set of frozen plantain leaf teacups, over twenty small cups in total. She rinsed them with hot water and, together with Shu Ran, brewed tea and placed it on a tray, handing it to Xianglan. Xianglan thought to herself, "I'll just treat it as acting on a stage." She closed her eyes briefly and first served tea to the eldest, Lin Dongqi.

Lin Dongqi smiled as she accepted it, tilting her head to look at Xianglan's face. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief and giggled a few times, then pulled Shu Ran close to whisper something. Shu Ran also smiled and said something in response, and both of them laughed.

Xianglan then went to serve tea to Lin Jinting. Lin Jinting took the tea and scrutinized Xianglan left and right, stroking his chin and saying, "What's your name, new sister-in-law? Have I seen you before? Why do I feel... somewhat familiar?"

Xianglan flushed red, bit her lip, and stepped aside. Lin Jinlou kicked Lin Jinting in the calf and said, "Stop your sneaky staring. You say you've met every pretty girl you see. Don't forget whose person this is."

Lin Jinting also flushed red, clutching his leg and rolling his eyes. "No, really... I truly feel... somewhat familiar."Xianglan had just offered tea to Lin Dongling. Lin Dongling glanced at her, holding the teacup with a faint, mocking smile. "No wonder Third Brother finds her familiar. Don't you know who she is? She was originally a servant of our Lin family, then climbed to a higher branch and went to the Song family. Back then, she was so imposing and intimidating that Fourth Sister and I didn't even dare speak. With such an overpowering servant around, we were terribly worried for Aunt and Tanzhai Sister."

"How can Third Sister use the word 'intimidating'?" Lin Dongxiu picked up the conversation with a smile, cracking melon seeds. "The way Yi Fei brother doted on her tenderly was the real highlight—a perfect match of mutual affection. Since Yi Fei brother was willingly fooled by her, why should we be 'intimidated' or waste our worries? It's truly not worth it. I heard that right after she arrived, Fangsi, who used to serve Yi Fei brother, hanged herself and died. If you ask me, Yingge, Huamei, and Luanr in Eldest Brother's room should be the ones worrying now."

The room fell into complete silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Earlier, Lin Dongling and Lin Dongxiu had overheard the maids and matrons gossiping about a new woman in Lin Jinlou's quarters named Xianglan, who was once a maid in the mansion but had been expelled by Zhao Yuechan. The sisters immediately understood. Having suffered greatly at Xianglan's hands before, they held a grudge and conspired to bring Lin Dongqi and Lin Jinting along under the pretense of seeing Lin Jinlou's new addition, but actually to confront Xianglan and settle their old score.

Lin Dongqi tugged at Lin Dongxiu and stuffed an apricot preserve into her mouth. "You had a nightmare last night and have been talking nonsense ever since. Here, have something sweet to shut your mouth."

Lin Jinlou still wore a smile on his face, casually lifting his teacup to blow on it and take a sip, though the veins on his forehead were faintly bulging.

Xianglan's face was pale and expressionless as she brought the tea to Lin Dongxiu. Lin Dongxiu glanced at Lin Jinlou and, seeing no change in his expression, grew bolder. She raised an eyebrow, accepted the tea, and sneered, "To think you managed to scheme your way back into the Lin family—you really are resourceful."

Lin Jinting was dumbfounded, spilling half his tea. Pointing at Xianglan, he stared at Lin Jinlou and said, "She... she's Yi Fei's... How is she here with you?"

Lin Jinting was all too familiar with the name "Xianglan." Initially, Song Ke had asked him to persuade Lin Jinlou to give her up, but Lin Jinlou had refused outright. Later, he heard Xianglan had been driven out by Zhao Yuechan and somehow ended up in the Song family. As a close friend of Song Ke, Lin Jinting often visited the Song residence and had seen Xianglan a few times, though she always kept her distance. Knowing her status was unusual, he never got a close look and thus never saw her clearly. The last he heard of her was when Song Ke fell into misfortune and had to marry Zheng Jingxian. Drunk, Song Ke repeatedly praised Xianglan for her intelligence, gentleness, dignity, and self-respect, insisting she would never be a concubine, and how reluctant he was to let her go. After saying this, he hugged Lin Jinting and wept... Yet, within just a few months, how had this woman Xianglan 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 Yi Fei marries the daughter of Duke Xian, a comparison between the two will naturally reveal who has bewitching charms..."

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 intimate servant, calling her bewitching is practically slapping Eldest Brother in the face. And Fourth Sister's words today were particularly venomous—she must have forgotten what kind of temper Eldest Brother has."

Unexpectedly, Ling and Xiu remained seated without moving.