Lin Jinlou glanced at Xianglan and said, "After I finish my busy schedule tomorrow, I'll take you out for some fun. The peach blossoms at Twenty-Four Bridges are all in bloom. It's too crowded during the day, so we'll go in the evening to admire the moonlight."
Upon hearing this, Xianglan quickly looked up. She had long wanted to explore the surroundings, but previously, she had been hiding and evading capture. After entering the monastery, she couldn't venture out alone, and as time passed, she missed many scenic spots.
Seeing Xianglan's bright, wide eyes fixed on him, Lin Jinlou felt immensely pleased with himself, thinking he hadn't misjudged her this time. Why hadn't he realized earlier? Xianglan, being literate and skilled in painting, indeed had the temperament of a scholar or artist, fond of wandering among mountains and waters. Her heart was different from those women in the Inner Chambers who only knew how to dress up and serve others. No wonder she had been listless all day in the Lin Family—she had been too confined. But he tightened the corners of his mouth and said, "You're just being stubborn. If you want to go out and play, just tell me. You're like a mute gourd, having nothing to say when you see me, keeping your head down all day, almost turning into a little old man. I'll be busy for two more days, then we'll return to Jinling. You must miss your parents, right? When we go back, I'll let you stay at home for a couple of days or have your parents come stay with us for a while."
Xianglan was taken aback. These days, what she missed most was her parents, and she couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth. Then she remembered when Lin Jinlou found her and brought her back—in the carriage, she had been thinking the whole way that she had crawled out of a wolf's den only to enter a tiger's lair. Given Lin Jinlou's temperament, who knew how he would torment and discipline her? Last time she angered him, he nearly strangled her. This time, she could only hope he would go easy on her out of gratitude for saving his mother and sister. She never expected Lin Jinlou to let the matter slide so lightly... Had Lin Jinlou's temperament really changed? She hesitated for a moment, about to say "thank you" to him, but then she heard him say, "They don't know about you running away, so don't bring it up."
"...Oh."
"Don't just say 'oh.' If you dare do it again, just you wait."
Xianglan lowered her head and stared at the pastries in front of her without saying another word, thinking that just as she felt Lin Jinlou had softened, his next words were threatening her again. This was indeed Lin Jinlou's true nature.
Lin Jinlou frowned, feeling some regret. Everything had been fine just moments ago, but this woman was as timid as a mouse and couldn't handle being frightened. How could he have forgotten again? And she, too—why couldn't she learn to be more pleasing? Other women would have long known to come closer, act coquettishly, and say, "Master, I won't dare do it again." Then what anger would he have left?
Seeing the atmosphere grow tense, Lin Jinlou snorted, reached out, took the pastry Xianglan had been poking at, and ate it in two or three bites with some soup.
After the meal, the maid cleared the dishes and offered clear tea for rinsing their mouths and towels for washing their hands. A moment later, she brought hot tea again and set out some fruits. Xianglan wanted to read some more, but Lin Jinlou felt she hadn't fully recovered and ordered her to take a nap. Lin Jinlou's words were always like military orders—Xianglan could only obey, not resist. So she obediently lay on the inner side of the bed, tightly wrapped in the Brocade quilt. He himself sat barefoot on the outer side of the bed, flipping through the invitations and gift lists placed on the silver platter.Xianglan secretly narrowed her eyes into slits and stole a few glances at Lin Jinlou. She saw him frowning slightly with thick brows, his face full of impatience as he sorted the invitations into several piles. For the first time, Xianglan noticed how handsome Lin Jinlou was—his long eyebrows extended toward his temples, his eyes sharp as lightning, his nose bridge high and straight, exuding a vibrant and domineering aura, standing tall like a pine tree. However, his temper was too explosive, and he was ruthless and unscrupulous, quick to raise his hand in violence at the slightest disagreement. Though Xianglan felt grateful to him, she also harbored both hatred and fear, always thinking of hiding at the mere sight of his shadow, never paying attention to his appearance. She closed her eyes and let her thoughts wander aimlessly before unknowingly falling asleep.
Lin Jinlou finished sorting the invitations and ordered Ling Qing to take them to Ji Xiang. He stretched lazily and, turning his head, noticed that Xianglan was already fast asleep, her cheeks flushed red. He muttered under his breath, "Heartless woman." Remembering that the gatekeeper had informed him upon his return that Yuan Shaoren had visited and brought a box, claiming it contained items the lady had once used, he ordered the box to be brought in. Opening it, he found three or four coarse cloth garments, a thicker robe, and a crude small wooden box. Inside the box were a mirror, a wooden comb, half a bottle of Hair Oil, and a container of facial cream.
Lin Jinlou rummaged through the items briefly before disdainfully setting them aside. The rest consisted of scriptures, manuscripts, sketches, and several scrolls of already mounted paintings. Unrolling them one by one, Lin Jinlou examined landscapes, figures, flowers, and birds—each subject rendered with either grandeur, freehand elegance, delicate detail, or subtle grace, all uniquely refined and indescribably elegant.
Lin Jinlou was immediately astonished and couldn't help exclaiming, "Excellent paintings!" He turned back in surprise to look at the woman on the bed, never having imagined that Xianglan possessed such talent. The most renowned talented woman of the time was Jiang Feiyun, daughter of Jiang Xuecheng, the Grand Scholar of the Hall of Literary Profundity in the capital, who was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, especially skilled in painting. A Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum painting she had gifted to a friend from her boudoir had once circulated, causing a stir among princes and noble sons. Lin Jinlou had also joined the crowd to take a look—it was well-painted, but compared to Xianglan's work, it fell short by miles. Moreover, Xianglan excelled in poetry and literature, could play chess and the zither, and though these talents were not apparent when she was a maid, after he took her into his room, he increasingly noticed her refinement in food and clothing, her mastery of the etiquette and upbringing of a noble lady, her elegant style, and her demeanor that made her seem more like a young lady of wealth than even Zhao Yuechan and her ilk. How could she be a servant seed? She clearly resembled a girl raised in families of high officials, certainly not one brought up in the austere environment of a monastery.
Lost in thought, Lin Jinlou stared at Xianglan's sleeping face for a long while before carefully placing the paintings back into the box.
When Xianglan woke up, it was already afternoon. Outside, it was quiet, with the faint sound of maids chatting. Feeling languid from sleep, she sat up and lifted the bed curtain to look out. She saw Ling Qing and Ling Su busily unpacking and packing items. One said, "Bring two more thick clothes; it still gets cold at Night." The other replied, "We should also bring bedding, in case the lady wants to rest on the couch outside. Have the snacks and tea been packed? How many boxes of fruits should we take?" Noticing Xianglan was awake, they hurried over and asked, "You're awake, ma'am. Would you like some tea?"
Xianglan spoke, her voice slightly hoarse, "What's all the busyness about?"
Ling Qing smiled and said, "The Master ordered us to pack. He said he's taking you out for a stroll, and we'll be leaving soon."Xianglan was taken aback once more. Hadn't Lin Jinlou said they would go "in a couple of days when he was less busy"? Still, the prospect of an outing lifted her spirits. She had just finished half a bowl of tea when Ling Su brought over clothes for her to change into, then selected hair ornaments to style her hair and slipped four or five bracelets onto her wrists. As they were finishing up, Lin Jinlou strode in. Xianglan hurriedly stood up. He saw her wearing a grand red, multicolored wide-sleeved gauze robe over a golden-branched, green-leafed sheer skirt embroidered with hundreds of flowers, cinched at the waist with a mandarin duck girdle. Gold bracelets adorned her wrists, and her hair was piled high with pearls and jade, making her white jade-and-peach-blossom face appear even more delicate and charming. Lin Jinlou narrowed his eyes and looked her up and down. Xianglan felt somewhat uncomfortable, but then she saw him nod and say, "Hmm, this looks good on you." With that, he elegantly strode off toward the main hall.
Before Xianglan could collect her thoughts, Ling Qing said proudly, "Did you hear that, Madam? The Master said you look beautiful like this. I told you—with your snow-white complexion, such dazzling, vibrant colors suit you best." Only then did Xianglan take a proper look at herself and startle. Distracted by thoughts of going out earlier, she had allowed herself to be dressed without paying attention, never expecting the maids to put her in such flamboyant clothes and adorn her with so many hair ornaments. In her previous life at the Shen family, she had actually loved dressing in such bright and beautiful attire. Later, after marrying Xiao Hang as a bride, she grew even fonder of wearing grand red... But after that, she never wore such clothes again. Since becoming Lin Jinlou's concubine, she had several red outfits tailored, yet she always avoided these formal wedding colors—whether because she felt unworthy or out of some stubborn defiance, she didn't know. Now, clad in this grand red dress, it felt like a lifetime ago, jolting her spirit.
Once ready, Xianglan went to the main hall. Lin Jinlou was sitting on a Luohan bed to the side, reading letters. On the heated brick bed table beside him were a bowl of goji berry and pork rib soup, a bowl of tonic soup, and delicate buns and pastries on pink-white plates, along with two or three side dishes like chicken feet and wings. Outside, the rain had long stopped, and sunlight streamed through the half-open carved lattice window, casting a glow on him that made his figure appear especially tall and imposing. In just a short while, he had also changed into outdoor attire—a lotus-blue brocade cloak with lotus and floral patterns woven with foreign thread, over a blue python-patterned satin cotton robe with inlaid blue designs, fastened with an Eight Treasures Belt, his hair tied up in a white jade crown. Xianglan thought to herself, all dressed up like this, he actually looked presentable. Anyone who didn't know his true nature might mistake him for a dashing and heroic figure among men.
Hearing movement, Lin Jinlou glanced up at Xianglan and gestured with his chin toward the other side of the heated brick bed table. "Sit."
Xianglan sat down. Ling Qing promptly brought over a bowl of soup, removed the lid, and said, "Have some tonic soup to whet your appetite. Would Madam like a vegetarian bun?"
Xianglan wasn't sure which meal this was supposed to be at this hour.
Lin Jinlou said, "Serve her the same as me." Ling Qing acknowledged and withdrew.Lin Jinlou glanced at the letter in his hand and let out a cold laugh before tossing it aside. "That bastard Lu Shaotang still thinks he can outsmart me. He sent someone to plead his case, thinking I wouldn’t dare touch him? He even hired a few impoverished scholars to write flowery nonsense, believing I’d be intimidated? This time, I’ll finish him off. Let him try to have the Censor impeach me if he dares." Rubbing his temples, he recalled how, in his recent frustration, he had secretly eliminated all of Lu Shaotang’s key aides, leaving him isolated and helpless, trapped in a living hell. Over the past three months, if not for his relentless search for Chen Xianglan—the one who constantly troubled his mind—he would have dealt with Lu Shaotang long ago, never allowing the man to linger until now. But he couldn’t mention this now. He had finally brought this woman back and couldn’t afford to ruin things again. Xianglan was still as skittish as a frightened rabbit, and he didn’t want to see her trembling with fear.
With that thought, Lin Jinlou picked up a steamed bun and placed it on the plate in front of Xianglan, smiling warmly. "I’ve been busy just now and realized I’m hungry again. Let’s have another meal. You should eat something too. After we finish, we’ll go out for a stroll. There’s a garden behind this residence, built along Baoyang Lake. It’s usually locked, but we can go enjoy the scenery. Inside, there’s a rockery with a pavilion where you can overlook the Twenty-Four Bridges."
Xianglan observed how his face had been dark and his smile icy just moments before, yet now he beamed like a summer flower in June—so unpredictable in his moods. Not daring to provoke him, and feeling hungry herself after a light lunch, she obediently ate what was offered.
Watching Xianglan sip her soup and chew her food, Lin Jinlou felt a sense of satisfaction, pleased by the harmonious and pleasant meal. Once they finished, they rinsed their mouths with tea, and he led her out, ordering a bamboo sedan chair to carry Xianglan into the garden.
Xianglan had been ill for several days and had scarcely left her room. She never expected such a hidden gem behind the courtyard. Passing through the crescent moon gate, she was greeted by a picturesque scene of bamboo groves, flowering trees, and artfully arranged rockeries, all captivating and enchanting.
Unable to resist, Xianglan stepped down from the sedan and walked along the pebble-paved path. Lin Jinlou remarked, "This garden may be small, but it’s quite refined. After all, it’s our own home—feel free to explore. In a few days, I’ll take you to even better ones." As he spoke, he also admired the surroundings.
This residence was one of the first properties Lin Jinlou had acquired in Yangzhou. Later, Chu Dapeng and a few others discreetly used some of the year-end dividends from the Salt Merchants General Association to purchase the land behind it. They demolished the existing structures and built this lakeside garden as a token of gratitude. Though not particularly large, the garden was uniquely designed, featuring exotic flowers, rare plants, and peculiar stones, all arranged with distinctive charm. Lin Jinlou had accepted it with a smile.
Not far along, they indeed came upon a hill, atop which stood an octagonal embroidered tower. The two ascended the bluestone steps. The tower had already been cleaned by servants, adorned with brocade carpets and embroidered curtains. A golden incense burner on the red sandalwood table emitted a wisp of smoke. Maids and old women, seeing their master arrive, hurriedly served tea and laid out fruits.
Xianglan pushed open the vermilion window, intricately carved with fresh floral patterns, and glimpsed the shimmering surface of the lake beyond the wall. Not far away, a flying rainbow bridge arched over the water, elegant as a jade ribbon and serene as a rainbow resting on the waves, lifting her spirits at the sight.At that moment, faint music from string and wind instruments could be heard, accompanied by a woman's melodious singing. Lin Jinlou frowned slightly and stood up to push open the vermilion window on the other side. Xianglan couldn't help but lean forward to look. It turned out that Lin Jinting, having nothing better to do, had gathered Liu Xiaochuan and others for drinks and amusement in a pavilion named "Spring Terrace Bright Moon" within the garden. Since the rain had stopped in the afternoon and the weather had cleared up, they had set up a table outside where they could also admire the plum, peach, and apricot blossoms. They had also invited several famous courtesans to play music and sing for entertainment. Some held pipas in their arms, some plucked zithers, and others moved among the seats toasting guests. Each was adorned with either heavy or light makeup, exuding their own unique charm. One woman, dressed in a peach-red embroidered jacket and a blue satin skirt, held a red ivory clapper and was singing in a lilting voice. Another, wearing a golden-embroidered sleeveless jacket with green patterns, had half-removed her phoenix hairpin, her face radiant with powder and rouge. She was speaking animatedly, and by the end, she had all the men laughing uproariously. They raised their glasses and drank, and the woman joined them, her face flushed with a slight tipsiness. One man, carried away by the moment, pulled her close and kissed her. The woman seemed shy, resisting yet yielding, which drew cheers and applause from the young masters.
Having lived two lifetimes, this was the first time Xianglan had witnessed such a scene. Her eyes widened in astonishment, and she asked with her mouth agape, "Is... is this what they call 'flower banquets'?" To kiss so openly in front of everyone left Xianglan speechless with shock.
Lin Jinlou raised an eyebrow, amused by Xianglan's stunned expression. He thought to himself, "This is nothing. After a few rounds of drinks and dishes, when they truly let loose, they might use bawdy lyrics for drinking games or have the courtesans disrobe and strike provocative poses for entertainment. If little Xianglan saw that, her eyes would probably pop out."
Thank you to lisa450 for the He's Jade Disc and to everyone for the pink votes~^_^
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