The next morning, Lin Jinlou went to practice martial arts before dawn. As soon as he left, Xianglan eagerly washed up, dressed, and began packing to return home. She opened her trunk, took out the embroidered shoes she had made for Xue Shi and wrapped them up, selected a few of her usual paintings to bring along, and packed two or three sets of spare clothes. Meanwhile, Chun Ling had personally prepared a chest filled with Xianglan’s everyday essentials—clothing, jewelry, writing tools, and a mirror case, all packed to the brim—and directed the maidservants to pack the bedding and quilts.
Xianglan stared in astonishment and quickly protested, "I’m only going home for a couple of days. Why go to such lengths? My family has bedding, and there are hair accessories at home too."
Chun Ling smiled and said, "It’s always been this way. Bringing our own things makes us more comfortable." She glanced at Xianglan, who was wearing a blue Ling silk jacket and a moon-white skirt, and frowned. "There are so many beautiful clothes in the chest. Why pick this one? Dressing so plainly would embarrass the Master, and it might upset him later."
Xianglan looked down at herself and explained, "I was in a hurry to go home this morning, so I just grabbed a couple of items from the trunk."
Chun Ling then personally selected a set for her: a saffron-colored satin jacket embroidered with magnolia sprigs and a vibrant green cotton Ling skirt with gold-thread patterns. Xianglan had no choice but to change into them. Xiao Juan then picked out several gold hairpins and pearl-and-jade hair ornaments, redoing Xianglan’s hairstyle before they were satisfied.
In the midst of the hurried preparations, Lin Jinlou returned. Seeing Xianglan’s attire, he gave a slight nod and ordered breakfast to be served. He ate with Xianglan, but she seemed distracted and only managed a bowl of porridge before wiping her mouth with a napkin. He called Shuran in and asked, "How are the preparations for Xianglan’s return home coming along?"
Shuran hurriedly replied, "Everything is as you instructed, Master. When we depart, we’ll assign a married woman to ride in the rear carriage with the older maid and the maidservants. Miss Xianglan will ride in the front carriage with Chun Ling, accompanied by six experienced attendants."
Lin Jinlou said, "Very well. I’ll assign two of my personal guards to go along as well." Shuran acknowledged the order and left. Lin Jinlou then instructed Chun Ling, "Go to the kitchen and get a large box of pastries to take along. Can’t you see your young lady barely ate anything this morning? You should have noticed that."
Seeing that Lin Jinlou was in a good mood, Chun Ling seized the opportunity to flatter him. "Thanks to your reminder, Master. It’s clear you care deeply for the young lady, even thinking of pastries for her. She often tells me how well you treat her." As she spoke, she gently nudged Xianglan from behind.
Xianglan had intended to say "thank you" to Lin Jinlou, but when she looked up and saw him smiling at her, the words caught in her throat.
Lin Jinlou took Xianglan’s hand, patted it in his palm, and said with a teasing smile, "Oh? So you actually remember my kindness?"
Xianglan’s cheeks flushed slightly. Reflecting that she owed this trip home to the Overlord’s mercy and that he had indeed been good to her, she nodded gently and said, "I’ve always remembered."
The golden morning light streamed through the carved vermilion window, casting a radiant glow over Xianglan. Sitting there obediently, her head slightly bowed, her delicate face and fair complexion exuded an indescribable serenity and grace. He was momentarily captivated before snapping out of it. He pinched her cheek and said in a low voice, "Who knows if you, little ingrate, are telling the truth? If only you’d soften that stubborn nature of yours and stop scowling at me all the time, I’d believe you remember my kindness… Enough. Go home for a few days, and I’ll bring you back when the time comes."Xianglan draped a lotus-root-colored cloak embroidered with plum blossom branches and went out with Chun Ling and the others.
Upon returning to the Chen residence, they spotted a servant boy craning his neck at the entrance of the alley from afar. As soon as he saw the carriage approaching, he turned and hurried inside to report. When the carriage stopped at the Chen family’s gate, the six attendants accompanying it immediately swarmed forward, facing outward. They held up a large black cloth, spreading it out to tightly enclose the area in front of the gate. Meanwhile, the old women, married female servants, and maidservants from the following carriage quickly alighted and gathered around. Ji Xiang lifted the curtain and placed the stepping stool. Chun Ling descended first and stood below, assisting Xianglan as she stepped out.
The commotion had long drawn the attention of neighbors, who came out to watch. However, they could not see the grandeur behind the black cloth. Even so, the two carriages alone were undeniably impressive. Moreover, the sight of two imposing soldiers in martial attire, each wearing a waist sword and standing guard on either side of the Chen family’s gate, left the onlookers astounded. They murmured among themselves, "The Chen family usually seems so ordinary. Who could be visiting today with such a grand display? With a bit of drumming to clear the way, it would rival the county magistrate’s procession!"
"You must not have heard—I’ve been told that Old Chen’s daughter has become a high official’s concubine. It’s likely her returning home."
"Right, I’ve heard whispers of this before. There was even a Recommended Man named Xia who lost his scholarly rank because he took a fancy to their daughter…"
"Tsk, tsk, who would have thought? The Chens were a family without a male heir, but with a promising daughter, they’re set to rise to greatness!"
Regardless of the gossip, as soon as Xianglan stepped down from the carriage, she saw Chen Wanquan and Xue Shi standing at the gate, eagerly awaiting her. At the sight of them, her eyes welled up. She hurried forward to support Xue Shi, calling out, "Mother," as tears rolled down her cheeks.
The couple’s eyes reddened as well. Chen Wanquan, initially stunned by the spectacle of his daughter’s return, finally snapped back to reality upon seeing her and hastily wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.
Chun Ling quickly advised, "If the young lady wishes to catch up with her family, it would be better to go inside. The wind at the gate is strong—we must take care not to let her catch a chill."
Xianglan nodded repeatedly and, holding Xue Shi’s hand, walked inside. Only after the three of them had entered the main hall did Chun Ling order the attendants to take down the black cloth and carry in several chests of belongings.
Inside the main hall, Xue Shi looked Xianglan over from head to toe. Her daughter seemed somewhat thinner, and though the hair ornaments and clothes she wore were dazzlingly splendid, her once bright and lively demeanor had vanished. Instead, she appeared restrained and somewhat wooden, clearly indicating that her life had not been smooth or carefree. A sinking feeling settled in Xue Shi’s heart, and her expression turned serious. She had questions but refrained from asking them in front of others.
Chen Wanquan, however, beamed with delight and laughed heartily. "Daughter, I can tell just by looking that you’re doing well with the Lin Family! Look at what you’re wearing—I’d wager even the ladies in the imperial palace don’t dress much finer than this! And then there’s the grandeur of your return today—my goodness, you even had soldiers escorting you! Six attendants, plus your personal maidservant, old women, married servants, and young maidservants… By the heavens, even the county magistrate’s wife might not have such an impressive entourage!" He couldn’t help but laugh again, swelling with pride. Feeling as though his backbone had stiffened with newfound confidence, he shook his head and swayed, saying, "Excellent, excellent! Who would have thought I’d become Master Lin’s father-in-law? Let’s see who dares to mess with me from now on!"Xianglan was so enraged by these words that she stood frozen for a moment, then said, "Father, stop glorifying yourself. How can you even bring yourself to say 'Master Lin's father-in-law'?"
Chen Wanquan widened his small eyes and retorted, "What's wrong with what I said? Now that you're with Master Lin, am I not his father-in-law? Daughter, you must rein in that stubborn temper of yours! Serve Master Lin well—not only did he save your father's life, but all the wealth and status you now enjoy were given by him! This is a golden rice bowl, and you must hold onto it tightly."
Xianglan sneered, "I swore I would never be anyone's concubine, yet now I've ended up like this, trampled upon by others. And you, Father, see it as an honor and keep glorifying yourself. What do you think I am in the Lin Family? I'm nothing but a lowly creature, a plaything like a cat or a dog. Master Lin has countless concubines in his inner quarters and countless lovers outside. He's only indulging me now because I'm still novel to him. If you covet this grandeur, you'd better enjoy it while it lasts. Once your daughter grows old and loses favor, not only will you lose the honor of being 'Master Lin's father-in-law,' but you might even be worse off than a servant!" With that, she stood up and walked out without looking back. Reaching the eastern wing, she slammed the door shut with a loud "bang."
Xue Shi, inside the room, stamped her feet in frustration and pointed at Chen Wanquan, saying, "You, you! Our daughter rarely comes home, and you have to say such irrelevant things, poking at her sore spots. Have you lost your mind?"
Xianglan's words had already left Chen Wanquan somewhat embarrassed, and upon hearing Xue Shi's reproach, he grew even more furious. He jumped up and yelled, "What did I say that was wrong? Now that she has grown wings, she thinks she can defy her father just because she's living in grandeur as a lady!" He continued to grumble and curse under his breath, wanting to shout but afraid the servants who had accompanied them might overhear, so he forced himself to restrain his voice, though he still muttered curses quietly.
Xue Shi shot him a hateful glare and hurried out after Xianglan.
Chun Ling was tidying up in the eastern wing with a maidservant when she saw Xianglan enter, her face filled with anger. Startled, Chun Ling watched as Xianglan said, "Leave now." Not daring to ask questions, Chun Ling led the others out and closed the door, moving to the adjacent room.
Xianglan sat on the bed, and tears immediately streamed down her face as she covered it and wept. In the Lin Family, she felt she was merely living for the sake of survival. Each day, she opened her eyes and allowed the maids to dress her in bright clothes and adorn her with expensive jewelry, making her look glamorous to please Lin Jinlou. Only when he was happy did she have a decent life. Her days consisted of nothing more than painting, reading, and sitting by the window in a daze. Sometimes, she could hear Luan'er singing while holding a pipa. Recently, the most frequently sung tune was: "In the morning, I delight in the flowers' vibrant spring; by evening, I grieve as they wither to dust. I do not mourn the flowers' early fall, but mourn that I, like them, am but a fleeting form..." Luan'er's voice was exquisite, the melody sorrowful and poignant. Xianglan would often hug her knees and listen entranced. She would listen for as long as Luan'er sang. Among the women in Lin Jinlou's inner quarters, she felt not a trace of jealousy but rather a sense of pity—they were all pitiful souls like her. The only difference was that they exerted all their efforts to compete for favor, while she had no such desire.Sometimes she wished she could live more freely, thinking that dwelling on those heavy, suffocating troubles was just asking for trouble—after all, life would pass one way or another. But Lin Jinlou was no good man, and she was born with an unbending nature, unable to pretend or compromise. This time returning home, she had hoped to quietly hint to her parents so the family could gather and devise a way to leave the Lin Family. Unexpectedly, Chen Wanquan acted as if he took pride in the situation. Xianglan’s heart sank instantly, and all the grievances she had accumulated over time surged up, making it impossible to hold back her tears.
Thank you to Jin Qin for the He's Jade Disc, fat wanghua001 for the Peach Blossom Fan, 05111039283 for two sachets,狂奔的洋葱 for the sachet, yu21yu21 and浅若清风过 for two Peace Talismans, 天晚欲雨 and玛西班晓 for the Peace Talismans, and also thank you to everyone for the pink votes^_^
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