Madam Tan sat there with a stern face, clearly suppressing her anger. Xianglan thought to herself that although Madam Tan was married, she was still young and at an age where she would easily get angry and hold grudges over disagreements. She regretted arguing with her earlier and was about to say a few conciliatory words when she saw Madam Tan stand up, her face pale with anger, and say, "I’ve been out for too long and shouldn’t disturb any further. I’ll take my leave now."
Ignoring everyone’s attempts to persuade her to stay, she lifted the curtain and walked out. Unexpectedly, she rushed out too quickly and collided headlong with Lin Jinlou, who had been eavesdropping outside the door. Madam Tan caught a whiff of a masculine scent mingled with mint, borneol, and soapwort. She looked up abruptly and met Lin Jinlou’s piercing dark eyes.
Madam Tan wanted to push him away, but she was flustered and panicked, her heart racing wildly. Overwhelmed with embarrassment, her legs went weak, and she couldn’t stand properly.
Lin Jinlou hadn’t expected Madam Tan to charge out of the room so recklessly. Frowning impatiently, he pushed her aside, lifted the curtain, and entered the room. Everyone stood up quickly upon seeing Lin Jinlou. He gave a slight nod to Wan and Qi, then said to Xianglan, "Come out."
Xianglan had no choice but to follow Lin Jinlou. Once they entered the bedroom, he stood over her, staring down without a word. Seeing his unpredictable expression, Xianglan feared the Overlord might unleash his temper. She asked softly, "Does Master have any orders?"
Lin Jinlou continued to stare at her for a while before finally saying, "My clothes are dirty. Go find me a new set."
Xianglan looked up and indeed saw a stain on his lapel. She hurriedly opened the chest, took out a set of clothes, and helped Lin Jinlou change into them. As she lowered her head to adjust his belt and jade pendant, she could still feel his gloomy gaze fixed on her, as if trying to bore holes through her.
Xianglan’s heart trembled with fear, wondering if Lin Jinlou had overheard her earlier words in the room. This man was cunning and exceptionally sharp—he would surely detect the hidden meaning in her words. If he became angry because of it, things would turn dire. Although Lin Jinlou seemed slightly milder in temper lately, his domineering nature had only grown stronger, and his authority was more imposing than ever.
Xianglan’s fingers trembled slightly. Spotting five or six strings of Ying Luo sachets on a large green lotus-leaf tray nearby, she quickly picked up a floral lotus-patterned sachet and presented it to Lin Jinlou. Not daring to look up, she said, "Um… as the weather is gradually warming, it’s no longer suitable for Master to wear a lambskin sachet. This is one I made a couple of days ago. If Master doesn’t mind my needlework, please wear it."
Lin Jinlou saw Xianglan’s submissive and pitiful demeanor as she held out the sachet, looking like a bullied young wife. He took the sachet, examined it briefly, and patted it in his palm, saying, "So now you know how to curry favor?"
Xianglan replied in a small voice, "No, I’m not currying favor… I made it a while ago…"
Meanwhile, Hua Shan grew anxious upon seeing Lin Jinlou summon Xianglan. Worried that her mistress might suffer, she racked her brains for a solution. Coincidentally, Ling Qing came in carrying a tray of tea. Hua Shan quickly took a cup and headed toward the bedroom. Lifting the curtain, she announced, "Master, please have some tea."
Before Lin Jinlou could react, Xianglan spun around abruptly and darted over to take the tea from Hua Shan, moving faster than a startled rabbit.Lin Jinlou found it amusing but suppressed his laughter. He watched as Xianglan took the tea and hesitantly brought it over, placing it on the small side table. Hua Shan remained motionless by the door until Lin Jinlou shot her a glare. Startled, she had no choice but to retreat.
Lin Jinlou picked up the tea bowl, took a few sips, and set it down. Suddenly, he grabbed Xianglan’s arm, about to say, "Tie this sachet for me."
Xianglan flinched, thinking he meant to strike her, and immediately clung to his arm, her voice trembling as she pleaded, "Master, please don’t be angry."
Lin Jinlou was taken aback. He noticed Xianglan’s red-rimmed eyes and the look of entreaty on her face—a far cry from the defiant stubbornness she had shown him before. Though this submission was exactly what he had wanted, for some reason, he felt no joy. Instead, a faint anger stirred within him, though he couldn’t pinpoint its source. Perhaps it was because of the words he had overheard her say earlier? Unwilling to dwell on it, he shook his arm and said coldly, "Let go. Do you want me to hit you?"
Xianglan shuddered and obediently released his arm, tears rolling down her cheeks. She didn’t dare wipe them away. She was truly afraid of Lin Jinlou; when this man was enraged, he could easily take her life. He hadn’t treated her poorly—her food, clothing, and living conditions were the finest, and he gave her ample dignity in front of others. She knew this well, yet she still lived in constant fear: fear of his authority, fear of an uncertain future, fear that her life would drift by in a muddled haze. Now she had returned to the capital, the place where she had once known Grandeur over a decade ago, only to fall from grace. The setting remained, but the people and circumstances had changed—everything felt over.
Sometimes she wished she were a fool or had no memories of her past life, so she could live carefree and unburdened. If that were the case, Lin Jinlou’s favor might have seemed like a tremendous blessing. What ordinary maid could claim such dignity? She might have gladly become a Concubine, and life would have been much simpler.
But she wasn’t that person. She couldn’t tolerate injustice. Driven by pride and hope for the future, she relied on her inner resilience to keep going, telling herself, "Sooner or later, the calamities will end." Yet deep down, anxiety lingered, tinged with sorrow.
The unresolved feelings she had tried to avoid now surfaced, and Xianglan wept harder, her sobs growing louder.
"What are you crying for? I haven’t even scolded you yet… Stop crying first… Are you trying to show off? Is this your way of defying me? Wipe those tears away now."
Xianglan used her sleeve to dry her tears and stole a glance at Lin Jinlou. Seeing his expression had softened slightly, she worried he might still hold her accountable once she calmed down. Choking back sobs, she murmured, "I… I can’t stop…"
Noticing a handkerchief on the bed, Lin Jinlou picked it up and wiped her face. Then he pulled her into his arms, patting her back as he said, "You’ve really grown bold, haven’t you? Crying before I’ve even said a word. Enough now. I am angry with you, but with my elder and younger sisters here, I wasn’t planning to do anything. We still have relatives in the house—what will they think if they see you like this?… If you soak my clothes with your tears, I’ll have to change again later."When Xianglan heard Lin Jinlou say "I didn't mean to do anything to her," she felt relieved. She wiped her face with a handkerchief and stole a glance at Lin Jinlou, who couldn't help but laugh when he noticed. "What are you looking at? Alright, now tie the sachet for me. There are still guests waiting ahead."
Xianglan obediently untied the leather sachet from Lin Jinlou's belt, emptied out the mint pills for reducing internal heat, copper coins and small silver ingots for tipping, along with various other small items, then refilled them into the new sachet and tied it to his belt.
Recently, I haven't been in good health and haven't been able to keep up with updates regularly. I'm truly very sorry. I don't want to write filler content either, so progress has been somewhat difficult. I ask for everyone's understanding. After this week, updates should become more regular. Please give me some time to rest and recover. Thank you all once again!
Thank you to qian20051978 for the sachet, damima for two Peace Talismans, FF殿下 and 白汐 for the Peace Talismans, and also thank you everyone for the pink votes!
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