Huamei pressed her forehead against the cold stone floor, sobbing with resentment. She had meticulously laid this trap over a long period—first having Nuanyue plant the talisman to frame Chen Xianglan, then using Luanr as the scapegoat. Two days prior, she had sent a letter to her brother urging him to immediately silence Taoist Cui. She had also coerced and coaxed Rushuang into clearing her name. With her own silver tongue, she was certain she could bring down Chen Xianglan in one fell swoop. Who would have thought that Chen Xianglan would prove to be anything but an easy target, instead dragging Huamei into the mud and leaving her in this wretched state.
Huamei lifted her head, gazing at the full moon on the horizon, and took a deep breath. No matter how unbearable the pain on her face was, it could not compare to the torment in her heart.
She was, after all, the daughter of an official family. Though her father was only a minor seventh-rank official, he still commanded respect outside. Though she was born of a concubine, she was beautiful and clever, and had even been betrothed to a wealthy local gentry. But when her father fell from grace, he sent her to Duke Zhenguo to serve as a maid or concubine. She was utterly unwilling, but her timid and low-status birth mother could not protect her. For the sake of her family’s future, she had no choice but to accept, swallowing all her grievances and bitterness like a cup of bitter wine. Yet, that old man ended up giving her to Lin Jinlou. This man was young, handsome, wealthy, and powerful—she was overjoyed. Whether she had to feign affection or deliberately flatter him, she felt as if she had been reborn. She vowed to secure her footing in the Lin family, achieve great things, and ensure no one would ever look down on her again. Zhao Yuechan was the legitimate wife, Da Nǎinai, and Qinglan was the beloved concubine carrying Lin Jinlou’s child. She had dismissed both of them, never expecting to be brought down by that little vixen Chen Xianglan!
Now that things had come to this, voluntarily returning home and remarrying into a good family would be the best outcome. But how could she go back? Her family had once criticized and sneered at her, speaking to her with sarcasm and disdain. It was only after she caught Lin Jinlou’s eye that they became warm and respectful. Later, when she became a concubine, the entire family treated her like a goddess, even watching their words around her. If she were to return in disgrace now, aside from her timid birth mother, who in the family would still regard her with any respect? Perhaps her heartless parents and brothers would even sell her off again!
Huamei trembled, turning her head to look toward the main hall of the Hall of Knowing Spring. The candles in the central room had been extinguished, leaving only a faint light in the bedroom. Through the window, she could vaguely make out Xianglan’s profile. Suddenly, Huamei let out a cold laugh, her nails digging deeply into her palms, and murmured, "Chen Xianglan, don’t think you’ll have an easy time from now on. If I’m going down, I won’t let you off either!"
Meanwhile, Lin Jinlou returned to his room, where silence prevailed. After the night’s upheaval, two of the favored maids in the Hall of Knowing Spring had been dismissed, one Bedchamber maid had been driven out, and one Concubine had been demoted. Everyone was trembling with fear, not daring to make a sound.
As soon as Lin Jinlou entered the bedroom, he saw Xianglan lying on the reclining couch with her eyes closed. He glanced at her twice and called for a maid to bring a towel and basin for washing. After changing his clothes, Lin Jinlou sat beside Xianglan, pinched the tip of her soft nose, and said with a laugh, "What are you doing lying here? After all the commotion tonight, why aren’t you resting in bed?" He then added to himself, "I never knew you were so sharp-tongued. I always thought you were the quiet type and was worried you’d be bullied."Xianglan secretly curled her lips, thinking to herself that if he was truly concerned, why hadn’t he stepped in earlier when she was being falsely accused, instead of eavesdropping at the door. But she couldn’t be bothered to question him. She sat up and said indifferently, "Everyone in your household is skilled in martial arts. If I hadn’t spoken up, I might have been stripped and beaten, and then strangled again by the Eldest Master. At that point, my life would truly be over."
Lin Jinlou’s expression darkened instantly, his thick brows furrowing as he scolded, "Are you pushing your luck again?"
Xianglan lowered her head and remained silent.
Lin Jinlou grew irritated. He walked to the side table, picked up a cup of warm tea, and gulped it down angrily.
Xianglan let out a deep sigh. After staring at the window lattice for a long while, she said softly, "Eldest Master, when will you grow tired of this? When will this life come to an end? Why don’t you just cast me out? Then both you and I could finally have some peace."
With a sharp "crack," Lin Jinlou slammed the teacup onto the table. The veins on his forehead bulged violently. The entire night’s chaos paled in comparison to how Xianglan’s words had struck a nerve. He turned around, gritting his teeth, and said, "Are you deliberately trying to provoke me? Cast you out? Don’t even dream of it! Even if I grow tired of you, I’ll keep you here—if for no other reason than to spite you!" Fuming, he stormed out, shouting, "Servants! Servants! Where have you all gone? Not even a single soul to serve me a cup of hot tea? I’ll have every last one of you skinned alive!"
Lianxin and Chunling were terrified and rushed out, trembling with fear.
Lin Jinlou, still seething, turned back and returned to the room. There, he saw Xianglan still sitting on the chaise lounge, her gaze fixed on the patterned floor tiles. Her figure looked lonely and fragile, like a delicate, pitiable little flower. Unconsciously, the fury in his chest subsided slightly. He took a deep breath and sat down beside her again. Noticing her shrink away from him, his anger flared once more. With a stern face, he said, "I know you were wronged today, and didn’t I avenge you? Why are you taking it out on me? If I get angry and hit you again, even I’d find it tiresome. Do you have some kind of addiction to this?"
Xianglan ignored him. She could feel the violence and coldness emanating from Lin Jinlou and didn’t dare look up. Her fair, jade-like face remained lowered as she shrank further into the corner.
Lin Jinlou looked down and noticed her delicate green mandarin duck embroidered shoes peeking out from beneath her wide silk trousers. Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed her foot. Xianglan struggled briefly. Earlier, in a moment of heated impulse, she had spoken recklessly, and now she regretted it. She was truly afraid of angering Lin Jinlou further and didn’t dare move again, allowing him to hold her foot. She heard him say, "Those maids will be sold off tomorrow morning. As for Huamei, she was a gift from a superior and has some standing. Her brother is currently a trusted aide of mine and once took a knife for me. Dismissing her outright would dishearten my subordinates. But I’ve already confined her, and she won’t be wandering around in the future. She’s a clever one—she’ll find a way to leave the Lin family on her own soon enough... Don’t be afraid. From now on, any new maids will surely not dare to cross you. If you ever find any maid here displeasing, just say the word, and I’ll have her thrown out immediately. How does that sound?"Seeing Xianglan remain silent, he continued on his own, "Alright, let's consider this matter closed. Tomorrow when you go to Madam's place, be more alert. I'll speak with Han Mama and Wu Mama later—if anything seems off, they'll keep an eye out for you... Ah, don't just stay silent. I've coaxed you and even given you a way out—are you still trying to challenge me?"
Xianglan kept her head lowered, hugging her knees, and gently shook her head.
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