Xianglan lay in bed for three days. In truth, she had broken into a sweat on the first night and already felt much better, but Lin Jinlou insisted she rest for a few more days. Xianglan, genuinely fearful of Lin Jinlou’s unpredictable moods and worried he might still pursue the matter of Abbess Dingsu helping her reach Yangzhou, complied without protest and spent two more days hiding in bed.
Lin Jinlou was busy all day long. Someone had leaked the news of his arrival in Yangzhou, and since then, a steady stream of officials and prominent figures, large and small, had come calling. Xianglan quietly glanced at the thick stack of visiting cards and calculated that civil officials made up the majority. After a moment’s reflection, she understood: the Lin Family had deep roots among civil officials, with dozens of civil servants and provincial graduates in the clan, not to mention the countless Licentiates. They were truly a family of scholarly tradition. For someone like Lin Jinlou, who was willing to endure hardship and carve out a path as a military officer, he was indeed an exception.
Xianglan pushed open the window. Outside, spring was in full bloom, and the two peach trees in the courtyard were ablaze with blossoms, their colors vivid as flames and clouds. She stared at the trees, lost in thought for a while. The young maid Ling Qing noticed and fetched a light cloak from the cabinet, draping it over Xianglan’s shoulders. “The mornings are still a bit chilly, and you’re not fully recovered yet, Madam. If you catch a draft, you might get a headache.” She then asked, “Ling Su, where is Madam’s medicine?”
It turned out that when Chu Dapeng and the others had returned with Lin Jinting to the residence Lin Jinlou had acquired in Yangzhou, they noticed the scarcity of servants and assumed Lin Jinlou must find it inconvenient. Xie Yu, being thoughtful, had sent two carefully selected maids the very next day. One was Ling Qing, who had some knowledge of calligraphy and painting; the other was Ling Su, whose ancestors included medical practitioners, and she was skilled in acupuncture and massage. Both were around fourteen or fifteen years old, not exceptionally beautiful but neat and presentable.
“Little Brother thought that since Sister-in-law is a talented lady skilled in writing and painting, how could she lack someone to attend to her stationery? And hearing from Brother that her health is delicate, having someone with medical knowledge to care for and nurture her would surely set his mind at ease, wouldn’t it?” Xie Yu had said with a beaming smile when he brought the two over.
Liu Xiaochuan rubbed his nose and remarked, “Damn, ‘After three days apart, view a man with new eyes’! I always thought Old Chu was the craftiest, but it turns out you’re the sly one, Brother. What’s this all about? Sending two people over in such a hurry, even calling her ‘Sister-in-law’ already.”
Xie Yu shot Liu Xiaochuan a glare.
Lin Jinlou, however, smiled and said, “You’re very considerate. I was just worrying about the lack of attendants, and you’ve solved my urgent problem.” So he kept them.
On their first day, the two maids kowtowed to Xianglan and addressed her as “Madam.” Xianglan was taken aback—back in the Lin Family, everyone in the household had called her “Miss.” But Lin Jinlou merely nodded, his expression calm, and gave a few mild instructions about serving well in the future, as if he hadn’t heard the term “Madam” at all.Xianglan glanced at Lin Jinlou once more, then slightly lowered her face, her thick, long eyelashes veiling the thoughts in her eyes. She had previously heard from Wu Mama that when Qing Lan first entered the household, she enjoyed immense grandeur in the capital. Qin Shi had specially hosted a grand banquet for her, and Lin Jinlou had shown her great favor and trust. The servants in the capital had eagerly addressed Qing Lan as "Madam," showering her with praise all the way to Jinling. It was only after meeting Zhao Yuechan, the legitimate wife who had been formally wedded with a grand procession, that Qing Lan began to tread carefully again, adding the prefix "Concubine" to her title. The difference of a single word created a vast gap in status. The maids and servants gossiped behind her back, often gloating with schadenfreude: "Tsk, tsk, no matter how loudly they hailed her in the capital, now that she's met the true mistress, let's see how she acts so arrogantly. She really thought she was the proper lady of the house. In the capital, when they called her 'Madam,' she answered so crisply. Now, if you call her that, see if she dares to respond!"
Hearing this sent a chill through Xianglan's heart. Qing Lan had been a kind and benevolent person, always approachable to her subordinates. Those people held no deep-seated grudge against her, so why go to such lengths to kick someone when they were down? Yet, this was simply human nature—there were always those who took pleasure in seeing others fall from great heights, delighting in their humiliation and even adding a few kicks of their own, all while thinking themselves clever. Little did they realize how ugly and repulsive such behavior truly was.
But now, was she destined to inherit the same grandeur and fatal flattery that Qing Lan had once received?
Xianglan was no fool; she could see that Lin Jinlou held some affection for her. But with his notorious reputation as a womanizer, how long could such affection last? He was currently infatuated with her and might find it hard to let go, yet such feelings were as fragile as paper, easily torn apart. In the past, Qing Lan had been treated with even greater respect, yet she had died under mysterious circumstances, her spirit now wandering who knows where. The Lin Family had merely compensated with a paltry sum of silver, and Lin Jinlou seemed to have long forgotten her.
What would her own fate be? Was she simply to resign herself to becoming Lin Jinlou's concubine?
Xianglan pondered this for a while, feeling somewhat disheartened, but she also realized that worrying about it was futile. So, she pushed these thoughts aside and simply stared blankly at the apricot blossom branch stretching over the front courtyard wall. From behind the curio cabinet, she could hear the maids chatting.
Ling Qing's voice was light and cheerful as she said, "The Master said the lady had no suitable clothes to wear, so early this morning, he had a trunk brought over. He claimed there was nothing particularly good inside, nothing compared to the custom-tailored clothes at home, and told the lady to just pick a couple to wear. I really thought there wouldn't be anything nice, but when I opened the trunk earlier, oh my Buddha! They were all brand-new, high-quality silk and fine cloth garments, and the styles are so fashionable. If this isn't good, I don't know what is."
Ling Su added, "And what about that box of jewelry the Master brought back last night? Did you see it when we were doing the lady's hair this morning? That pearl hairpin alone must be worth at least ten taels of silver, right? And the stamens are made of coral beads." As she spoke, Ling Su brought in a tray and said, "Please drink this while it's hot, ma'am. It's the last dose for today."Xianglan picked up the bowl and drank the medicine in one gulp, the bitterness making her shiver. She hastily stuffed a dried plum into her mouth and stood up, saying, "I'm going out for a walk." She moved to leave, and Ling Qing and the others quickly prepared to follow. Xianglan turned her head and said, "I'm just standing in the courtyard for a while, no need to follow. You should rest too." With that, she walked out. When she reached the Hanging Flower Gate, she lifted her head to gaze at the flowering branch on the wall. Against the white wall and blue tiles, the cluster of fiery red appeared exceptionally dazzling and vivid, full of vibrant charm.
Meanwhile, Yuan Shaoren arrived with his personal guards carrying a chest. Since Xianglan had fallen ill and Lin Jinlou was unable to attend to the matter, he had entrusted Yuan Shaoren with handling the aftermath. Yuan Shaoren first settled matters at Yicui Pavilion, then took his men to the temple, where he distributed silver to ensure the monks and nuns remained silent. Noticing some daily necessities still in Xianglan's monastic quarters, he ordered them to be packed. On the desk, he discovered a stack of un-mounted paintings. Unfolding them, he immediately exclaimed in admiration. Though not well-versed in painting, he could recognize quality—the subtle colors and elegant compositions captivated him. As he browsed through them, he noticed each painting was signed with a seal bearing the character "Lan."
Ling Qing is portrayed by Ling Ling Qing Qing. Recent busy schedules have forced late-night writing sessions; content should become more substantial after this hectic period. Thank you for your understanding. Gratitude to all supporters will be collectively expressed in the next chapter, with a bow.
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