Their eyes met, and Zhao Yuechan was utterly dumbfounded.
She thought she must be seeing things or had mistaken the person. The woman before her was dressed in noble attire, exuding an imposing aura like a celestial consort—could she really be... that timid little maid Chen Xianglan who had once endured her beatings and scoldings?
But that face was unmistakable. Such beauty was rare even among a hundred women, unforgettable to anyone who laid eyes on her. Now that her features had matured, she had grown even more radiant.
Xianglan's heart raced wildly. Cao Lihuan and Zhao Yuechan had been her nightmares when she first entered the Lin Family. The former had long perished, and the latter had vanished from her life. Yet, upon this unexpected encounter, Xianglan realized that Zhao Yuechan had left some shadows in her heart, making her tremble with fear and eager to avoid her at the sight.
Xiao Juan was also startled, instinctively clutching Xianglan's sleeve.
Xianglan snapped back to her senses and, seeing the slight panic on Xiao Juan's face, steadied herself. Indeed, Zhao Yuechan had divorced Lin Jinlou and was no longer the Lin Family's madam. There was no need to fear her anymore—why should she be afraid? With this realization, Xianglan smiled, straightened her back and neck, and gave a reserved nod to Zhao Yuechan before turning her face away.
Madam Jiao whispered, "Who is that? She looks unfamiliar."
An old woman from the Lu family said, "I don't know. She came with the Lin Family from Jinling. Perhaps she is Master Lin's inner household member?"
Zhao Yuechan's expression shifted slightly.
Suddenly, another commotion arose at the Hanging Flower Gate, and a clear female voice called out, "You clumsy fools, let my husband come help me."
Someone else laughed and said, "Oh, cousin, even as a mother now, you still have such a temper. Only a gentleman like Yifei could tolerate your willful nature—anyone else would have given up long ago."
Xianglan faintly heard the name "Yifei" and whipped her head around to look toward the Hanging Flower Gate. A carriage was parked at the entrance, and a tall figure stood with his back to the door—it was unmistakably Song Ke, whom she would never mistake. Another man, taller and more robust than Song Ke, wore luxurious silver-gray and peacock-blue robes. While speaking, he glanced into the inner courtyard, and his gaze collided with Xianglan's, carrying a hint of meaning. Suddenly, he flashed her a smile. It was Lin Jinlou.
Lin Jinlou looked past Xianglan and spotted Zhao Yuechan, startling slightly. Zhao Yuechan abruptly tightened her grip on her fan, but then Lin Jinlou casually averted his gaze as if he hadn't seen her at all.
Zhao Yuechan's face turned as pale as snow.
From behind the carriage curtain, a hand adorned with a double happiness gold ring gently lifted the fabric. Zheng Jingxian caught sight of Lin Jinlou and couldn't help but chuckle warmly, saying, "I wondered who kept calling me 'cousin' and claiming kinship here—so it really is you, cousin. Elder Cousin, I heard you've been promoted and enriched lately. If there are any good opportunities, you must remember our Song Lang."
Lin Jinlou laughed heartily. Song Ke maintained his gentle smile, cupping his hands toward Lin Jinlou and saying, "My wife is just teasing and poking fun at me. Eagle Soar, please don’t take it seriously."
Lin Jinlou patted Song Ke on the shoulder and said with a smile, "We're all family. Naturally, any good fortune should go to our own people. Whether cousin mentions it or not, it’s only right. Why stand on ceremony, Yifei?"
Song Ke merely smiled without replying. Zheng Jingxian had already extended her hand from the carriage, and Song Ke had no choice but to help her out.Zheng Jingxian’s hair was styled in an extremely simple married woman’s bun, adorned with emerald hairpins, pearl blossoms, and gold hairpins engraved with the character for “fortune.” There were no dangling pearl hair ornaments or other elaborate accessories. She wore a brand-new, three-sleeved, autumn-spice-colored embroidered jacket with five-colored clustered floral patterns woven in gold thread, paired with a water-red brocade skirt. A long-tasseled palace ribbon was tightly cinched at her waist, and she even wore a pair of satin boots on her feet. Naturally bold and tall, this clever and fashionable attire added a touch of heroic charm, making her exceptionally striking. For a moment, she outshone ladies and young mistresses who were naturally more beautiful than her.
Out of the corner of his eye, Lin Jinlou noticed Xianglan turning to leave. He said to Zheng Jingxian, “What a coincidence. I’ve brought your sister-in-law with me today. Let me introduce you.” With that, he turned sideways and beckoned to Xianglan, saying, “Come here.”
Xianglan’s face instantly turned deathly pale. She wanted to pretend she hadn’t heard, but Lin Jinlou’s voice rose sharply behind her: “I’m talking to you! The Master is telling you to come here!” His tone brooked no argument.
Xiao Juan turned her head and saw Lin Jinlou’s face darken. Frightened, she tugged at Xianglan’s sleeve and whispered, “Madam, the Master is calling you—you know, a wise man knows when to yield…”
Xianglan reluctantly turned around and slowly shuffled over, her head lowered. She lifted her eyelids slightly and saw Song Ke standing beside Lin Jinlou. He was dressed in a dark green Brocade Silk satin straight robe, with a brand-new belt adorned with eight treasures, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and gemstones at his waist. His hair was tied with a simple cloth, without a crown. His handsome, scholarly face wore a faint smile—a familiar sight to Xianglan, yet somehow distant. Beside him stood Zheng Jingxian, imposing and radiant as a rose, dazzlingly vivid.
As Xianglan drew closer, the smile on Song Ke’s face faded. Gradually, the corners of his lips seemed to freeze, and his entire expression turned stern. His eyes fixed unblinkingly on Xianglan.
Lin Jinlou glanced at Song Ke as if he hadn’t noticed his change in expression. He grabbed Xianglan’s arm and pulled her closer, beaming with pride as he said to Zheng Jingxian, “This is your sister-in-law. She’s timid and doesn’t go out much. Keep an eye on her later and make sure no one bullies her.”
Zheng Jingxian looked at Xianglan and was visibly startled, clearly recognizing her. She shot a quick glance at Song Ke and, seeing her husband looking distraught, frowned slightly. Still, she maintained a smile and said to Lin Jinlou with pointed meaning, “Look at you, Cousin. If you treasure her so much, why bring her out? You ought to keep her hidden safely indoors, away from others’ eyes. Why ask me to look after her instead?”
Lin Jinlou laughed. “Who doesn’t know that Miss Zheng of Duke Xian’s household is a heroine among women, rivaling the legendary Mu Guiying herself—a woman who equals any man? If I don’t entrust her to you, whom should I ask?”
Zheng Jingxian shot him a glare and said, “Cousin, are you praising me or mocking me? You make me sound like some kind of shrew.”
As the two bantered back and forth, Song Ke remained silent the entire time. Xianglan kept her head down, staring fixedly at the silk tassel tied at her waist, feeling intensely awkward and miserable. She glanced up slightly and noticed Song Ke’s hand, resting at his side, had clenched into a fist, turning faintly white. Summoning her courage, she raised her head and met Song Ke’s intense gaze. His long, elegant eyes flickered with an indescribable emotion.Lin Jinlou laughed and said, "You've been a wild girl since childhood. Whether you've become a tigress now is something to ask Yifei, but our little Xianglan is extremely timid, so don't scare her." He paused and added, "Didn't you bring your eldest son? I haven't seen the child yet, but I heard he's a handsome little fellow."
Song Ke finally spoke up, "The child is still young and can't be exposed to the wind, so we left him at home. Eagle Soar, you're very thoughtful—we've received the gift you sent. Last year when my sister got married, you specially prepared a gift too. I thank you here." As he spoke, he cupped his hands in gratitude and did not glance at Xianglan again.
Zheng Jingxian chimed in with a smile, "My husband has always been this polite. Now he's making a name for himself in the Hanlin Academy—many memorials pass through his hands, and his superiors have praised him more than once, intending to promote him." Pride was evident in her expression.
Song Ke's face flushed red, clearly feeling embarrassed, and he whispered to Zheng Jingxian, "Madam..." meaning for her to say less. Although he had some grandeur in the Hanlin Academy, it was nowhere near that of Lin Jinlou, who held real power. Bringing it up now only made him feel awkward.
Zheng Jingxian laughed, "Why are you shy? Good is good—Father has praised you several times too."
Lin Jinlou said with a smile, "Civil officials like you are better than us who wield spears and clubs. His Majesty has always valued civil over military affairs. Yifei, you're young and accomplished. Shou Jie, you've found a good husband." "Shou Jie" was Zheng Jingxian's childhood nickname. When she was young, she was frail and sickly, and Wei Shi, fearing she wouldn't live long, gave her the name "Shou" to wish her longevity. Now, hearing Lin Jinlou call her by that name felt intimately familiar.
These words struck a chord with Zheng Jingxian, and she covered her mouth with her sleeve, laughing softly. Her eyes drifted toward Xianglan, glancing at her once or twice, feeling somewhat unsettled. She knew all about the history between Chen Xianglan and Song Ke, but over such a long distance and time, Chen Xianglan had long faded from her mind, leaving only a vague impression.
But today, running into her suddenly, that vague impression from the past abruptly became vivid. This Chen Xianglan was truly stunning—not just her face, but the aura she exuded was captivating. Cold, aloof, and serene, she lived up to her name, like an elegant orchid, untouched by worldly cares. It made Zheng Jingxian unconsciously feel a twinge of jealousy.
Zheng Jingxian said with a half-smile to Lin Jinlou, "This little sister-in-law is more beautiful than your previous Concubine Lan and a hundred times better than that formerly flirtatious sister-in-law. Cousin, you really have good taste."
Lin Jinlou only smiled and said to Song Ke, "Look at that sweet mouth. I just praised her for finding a good husband, and she turns around and compliments me."
Upon hearing this, Song Ke suddenly laughed, stared at Lin Jinlou's face, and said calmly, "What she says is true. Eagle Soar, you really do have good taste."
Lin Jinlou patted Song Ke on the shoulder, grinning as he said, "I'd say you have even better taste. A wife like Shou Jie—you must have burned high incense to marry her."
Hearing this, Zheng Jingxian's face flushed slightly. She glanced at Song Ke with deep affection, covered her mouth with her sleeve, and chuckled softly.
Xianglan simply stood to the side, head bowed and brows lowered, listening to the three of them exchange pointed compliments as if she weren't there at all.When the new guests arrived, the Song family's carriage could not block the gate for long, so Lin Jinlou and Song Ke went ahead, while Xianglan returned to the courtyard with Zheng Jingxian. Zheng Jingxian's maid, Yue Er, and Xiao Juan hurried forward to support their respective mistresses.
Qiuye, the chief maid serving Lin Dongwan, approached with a beaming smile, taking Xianglan's arm as she said, "The elder young lady is occupied with guests at the front, but upon hearing the new concubine had arrived, she specially sent me to welcome you." She then led them into the garden.
After walking for a while, Xiao Juan suddenly heard Xianglan sigh in an extremely soft voice, "This is good. Now he wears a brand new eight-treasure belt, no longer like before when the belt was washed until it faded, and he couldn't bear to spend silver to replace a missing agate, substituting it with a worthless carnelian instead..."
Thank you to bubu8915 for two Peace Talismans, and to mikewei, pangwanghua001, and qian20051978 for the sachets. Also, thank you to everyone for the pink votes. Additionally, it seems there will be double pink votes at the end of the month. If you wish to vote for Lan Xiang Yuan , please save them and cast them for us at the end of the month. Thank you! ^_^
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