Luan’er was by nature hot-tempered. She had originally intended to plead further, but upon hearing Lin Jinlou’s callous words, a wave of despair surged within her. Resigned to her fate, she lashed out, “Master says I’ve disgraced myself, but how much sincerity has Master ever shown me? After a few days of novelty with me, you became bewitched by Chen Xianglan, treating me like a cat or dog—a mere plaything to amuse yourself with when pleased and discard when displeased. Even a clay figure has some grit, let alone a living person like me! No matter how flawed I may be, my devotion to Master has always been genuine. I dare swear on my heart that among all the girls in this mansion, none can match the depth of my true feelings. I’ve yearned and hoped with all my heart, but when has Master ever cared for my sincerity? Where do I fall short compared to Chen Xianglan? I refuse to accept this! Why should it be this way?”
Lin Jinlou looked down at Luan’er’s tear-streaked face, let out two short, cold laughs, and said softly, “You refuse to accept it? Then I’ll tell you why. Because I am the master, and you are a female servant. Pretty maids like you, who can sing and play the pipa, are a dime a dozen. Without you, there will be another. There are others who are just as devoted to me, even more beautiful and skilled in music, and who understand their place as servants. Do you understand now?”
It was as if a thunderclap had struck Luan’er. She stood there dumbstruck, tears rolling down her cheeks and splattering onto the ground.
Lin Jinlou continued slowly, “For the sake of our past affection, you may keep the gifts I’ve given you. If you wish, you may say you requested to leave to marry. This is also out of consideration for Shuran, who has served me diligently for years. Take care of yourself.” With that, he ordered someone to drag Luan’er away.
Tears streaming down her face, Luan’er suddenly broke free from the hands holding her, stood up, and desperately rushed to the side. Two matrons hurriedly grabbed her arms, but with a “thud,” Luan’er still collided with the wall. Xianglan was so startled she cried out involuntarily. Wu Mama ran out of the room to look and immediately felt half her soul flee in terror. Her legs weakening, she cried, “Heavens! Miss Luan’er has tried to take her own life!”
This cry caused an uproar. In the western side room, Qin Shi grew frantic and stood up at once. Two or three experienced old mamas rushed over, and Xianglan also hurried to the scene. She saw several old mamas crowded around the wall, where only a slender, pale hand extended from the ground. On its wrist was a gold-inlaid agate bracelet, making the crimson nail polish appear even more vivid. The wall nearby was splattered with blood, like scattered peach blossoms—a shocking and gruesome sight.
Mama Han shouted, “She’s still breathing! She’s still breathing! Quick, fetch the physician! Fetch the physician!” As she yelled, she snatched a cotton-ling cloth from a chair cushion and pressed it against Luan’er’s head. Everyone scrambled to carry Luan’er to the Luohan bed on the left side of the main hall. Some went to fetch medicinal supplies, others to summon the physician—chaos ensued.
Lin Jinlou ordered someone to retrieve medical supplies, then turned and saw Xianglan standing there, her face deathly pale. Frowning, he pointed at her and barked, “Who said you could come out? Get back inside this instant!” His shout startled Xianglan.
Wu Mama tugged her gently and whispered, “This is no place for you. Go attend to Taitai.”Xianglan had no choice but to return. Though she disliked Luan'er, she had never hated her, merely considering her an insignificant figure. Yet witnessing her downfall today stirred up complex emotions—sighs, pity, sympathy, and self-pity all surged in her heart at once. When she turned to look again, she saw a pool of blood slowly spreading where Luan'er had fallen.
In the western side room, Qin Shi was trembling with fear. She had initially thought it was just some restless maids causing trouble, but never expected it to escalate to this extent, now even involving a life. Fearing that a death during the ancestral worship would bring bad luck, she urgently ordered the kitchen to prepare ginseng soup to sustain life and instructed them to open the chest to find Fine Cloth to bandage Luan'er.
After a while, the main hall quieted down. Mama Han entered and reported, "The bleeding has stopped, and she's been carried back to her room. But she's still unconscious and can't swallow any soup. The physician has already examined her and prescribed medicine. He said it's fortunate someone pulled her when she hit the wall—though she bled, her life can be saved, but whether she'll suffer any lasting effects remains uncertain."
Qin Shi clasped her hands and murmured a prayer to Buddha. Then she asked, "What did the Master say?"
Mama Han replied, "The Master said that tomorrow morning, Luan'er will be carried out on a plank and handed over to her parents to take away."
Qin Shi sighed and said, "So be it. She harbored ill intentions—can't blame the masters for not being lenient... She was foolish after all."
Seeing Qin Shi's displeased expression, Mama Han quickly added, "Taitai is right. Given what happened, she should be grateful the masters didn't punish her harshly—what more could she expect?"
Qin Shi sighed again, sat silently for a moment, then stood and went to the main hall. Xianglan, who had been standing by the door, followed behind her.
The scene had been tidied up—the blood on the floor washed away, though splatter stains remained on the wall. Lin Jinlou still sat high above, with only Hua Mei kneeling before him.
Lin Jinlou tapped two fingers on the armrest, silently watching Hua Mei.
Hua Mei seemed to feel his gaze. Though she tried to remain calm, she couldn't stop trembling slightly, her heart pounding wildly. Suddenly, Lin Jinlou's voice came from above her: "Rushuang said the talisman was placed by Nuanyue. I believe it."
Hua Mei jerked her head up, meeting Lin Jinlou's sharp, gleaming eyes and authoritative face that commanded respect without anger. Terrified, she quickly lowered her head.
Qin Shi was also surprised and looked at Lin Jinlou, about to say something, but Mama Han gently tugged at her, so she kept quiet. Xianglan frowned slightly. Although Hua Mei had found Rushuang as a scapegoat to exonerate herself, anyone clever could see the dirty truth. Yet Lin Jinlou had Rushuang dragged away and beaten without another word, severely punished Nuanyue, and now declared he believed Hua Mei—clearly unwilling to investigate further.
Lin Jinlou said coldly, "But you were stirring up trouble behind the scenes, framing the innocent, and sowing discord. You even previously incited Qing Lan—it seems you've lacked discipline. You're stripped of your position as Concubine. One more offense, and you'll be expelled directly. Originally, I hoped Qing Lan would bear the eldest son, which is why she lived in the east wing. For you to stay there now is unjustified. Starting tomorrow, move into the room Luan'er vacated. From now on, you're confined to quarters and must kneel in the ancestral hall for one incense stick's time daily. Later, report to the old matron for punishment—fifty slaps across the face."Hua Mei's face was deathly pale, her heart heavy as if weighed down by a boulder, yet she obediently kowtowed and said, "It is my fault. Master punished me rightly. I beg Master to calm his anger and take care of his health."
Lin Jinlou roared, "Stop cluttering up the room! Get out and kneel in the courtyard!"
Hua Mei's legs were already swollen, numb, and tingling as if pierced by needles from kneeling, the pain so intense she could barely stand. Yet the room remained silent, with no one stepping forward to help her. Qin Shi, unable to bear the sight any longer, ordered two old women to drag her out of the room.
Thank you 05111039283 for the Peach Blossom Fan, Mingzixi for the Peace Talisman, and everyone for the pink votes ^_^ There will be another chapter later.
OpenNovel