Shu Ran immediately brought people to the back to carry out a chest. Upon opening it, they found half a chest of Xuelang paper, another half stack of sized Xuan paper, and small foreign-lacquered boxes containing pigments such as cinnabar, ochre, Guanghua flower pigment, gamboge, and rouge. There were also several large grasping brushes, various sizes of wolf hair brushes, large and small Baiyun brushes, as well as coarse white dishes and bowls. Indeed, most of the items were usable. Xianglan ordered the usable ones to be sorted out, spread the paper open, and then held a brush, lost in thought.
She had no idea 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 find out Lin Jinlou's preferences and make her own life more comfortable? During the day, she had invited Shu Ran over to slowly probe, hinting at things indirectly. Shu Ran was a shrewd person; though she appeared warm and friendly to everyone, she was actually heavily guarded. Xianglan remained calm and composed, only engaging in casual conversation and never bringing up other matters, gradually lowering Shu Ran's guard before extracting useful information. But at night, lying in bed, she couldn't sleep. A thousand kinds of resentment and bitterness nearly drove her mad. It felt as though a saw was tearing at her heart, causing her immense pain.
Later, she began copying Buddhist scriptures, and her mind gradually calmed. When Chunling noticed, she found a white porcelain statue of Guanyin for Xianglan. From then on, Xianglan would burn sandalwood incense every day and stare blankly at the white porcelain Guanyin. Life had to go on, and she still 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, biding her time and waiting for an opportunity to act decisively and leave this place. This morning, she discovered her monthly cycle had arrived and let out a long sigh of relief. Her mood instantly brightened, and she began thinking about picking up her painting brushes again.
Shu Ran found two large dye brushes, one medium dye brush, and three small dye brushes, along with pigments like mineral yellow, mineral blue, and mineral green, and brought them over. Seeing Xianglan painting a cluster of orchids, she smiled and said, "These orchids are beautifully painted. Sometime soon, paint a couple for me—I'll use them as embroidery patterns."
Xianglan laughed and said, "I could paint a hundred like these."
Shu Ran said, "The Eldest Master usually paints landscapes. He’s also painted a few fan surfaces. I’ll find them for you to see later." Noticing Xianglan lowering her head without speaking, she sighed and said, "Actually, if you manage to please the Eldest Master, he’ll grant almost any request. But if you upset him, no one will have an easy time. The Eldest Master has already shown you exceptional leniency. You haven’t seen how he treated Zhao Yuechan... On the second day after their wedding, they had a fierce argument. Zhao Yuechan was a fierce and formidable person, but the Eldest Master punched her so hard she nearly lost her life. On the third day, when she was supposed to return to her maiden home, she couldn’t even get out of bed. Instead, her family came to visit. When I first started serving the Eldest Master years ago, once a clansman came to request an audience with him. Thinking they were from the same clan and relatively close, I brought him in. The Eldest Master was furious and made me kneel outside all night. It was the middle of winter, and I nearly froze to the point of fainting. I caught a cold and was seriously ill for a long time. The Eldest Master sent someone to bring me medicine and told me that even if it was a clansman, I shouldn’t bring anyone into the inner residence without his permission. That’s the rule. Besides, he was away fighting wars and had made many enemies among bandits and rebels. What if someone with malicious intentions sneaked into the household and harmed his family?"
Xianglan was stunned.Shu Ran continued, "The Eldest 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 Eldest Master always brings back gleaming silver from his campaigns. Throughout the entire mansion, aside from the Old Master’s quarters, the Hall of Knowing Spring lives the best—their food, clothing, lodging, and daily necessities are all of the highest quality."
Xianglan asked, "Isn’t it all funded by the household’s common purse? How can there be such disparities in living standards?"
Shu Ran covered her mouth and laughed. "Relying solely on the monthly allowance from the common purse is barely enough to get by. Each season, new clothes must be made, the Madams and young ladies need jewelry, the masters have social engagements to attend, and there are rewards for the servants. During festivals, finer things are added, and with new family members or additional mouths to feed, maintaining a respectable and elegant appearance is no easy task."
Xianglan said, "But it wouldn’t be proper to live too extravagantly, surpassing one’s parents, would it?"
Shu Ran replied, "There’s something you don’t understand. The Eldest Master values simplicity and modesty, and the First Madam isn’t a picky person either. Besides, with the Eldest Master serving as an official outside, how could they lack money? Just look at the dowry for Second Miss’s wedding—every item from the main branch was of the finest quality. They just don’t flaunt their wealth. The second branch should have been prosperous too, but Second Master... to put it bluntly, is hopeless. You see, he holds a fifth-rank official position and puts on quite a show 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 money on women outside, indulging in drinking, gambling, and debauchery. He even relies on his wife’s dowry and comes home to throw his weight around. Thankfully, Second Madam is good-natured—anyone else might not have tolerated it! But Second Madam herself is a bit muddle-headed. Though her dowry is substantial, she’s also fond of indulgence and extravagance. However, I’ve heard she still has manors and shops that bring in considerable income each year, so she maintains her dignity."
Xianglan laughed, "No wonder the Eldest Master values you so much. Everyone says you’re a 'know-it-all'—you really do know everything."
Shu Ran smiled, "After being in the mansion for so long, one naturally picks things up."
After chatting a while longer, Shu Ran left. Xianglan resumed her painting, asking Xiao Juan to bring over a pot of flowers to use as a reference. Xiao Juan giggled, "These flowers are so fresh. I’ll pick 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 Hall of Knowing Spring, they always let Huamei pick first, probably because she’s a Concubine! But everyone in the Hall of Knowing Spring knows whom the Eldest Master favors most—even the lowliest sweepers know. I think they’re doing it on purpose!"
Just then, Chunling came out with two pieces of clothing and tapped Xiao Juan on the head, scolding, "If you keep saying such things, I’ll have to slap your mouth!"
Xiao Juan rubbed her head and muttered, "But it’s true! These past couple of times, when the Eldest Master sent back some food and supplies for Sister Xianglan, didn’t you see how sour the people in the east wing were? Xique told me, 'You’ve really made it now, spotting a rising star early. Back when Xianglan was just a sweeper, you knew to befriend her. Now that she’s become the Eldest Master’s favorite, you’re riding high too. Look at your face—it’s even rounder lately. I bet you’ve been enjoying the things the Eldest Master sent back, haven’t you?' Just listen to that! What kind of talk is that? I’m not even fat!"Xianglan couldn't hold back a "pfft" of laughter and said, "Last night you alone ate half a box of pastries, and you kept eating in the evening. If you keep this up, even if you're not plump now, you'll turn into a little ball before long." Then she told Chunling, "From now on, whenever the flower delivery woman comes, give her some tips—more or less, it's always good to be polite."
Chunling agreed. Xianglan then buried herself in her painting again, thinking, "Good relationships are built up over time. Don't underestimate these few coins—they'll prove useful in the long run."
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