Xianglan lay in bed for three days. In truth, she had broken into a sweat on the first night and already felt physically relieved, 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 come to Yangzhou, complied obediently and hid in bed for two more days.
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 dignitaries, both high and low, had come calling. Xianglan secretly glanced at the thick stack of name cards and noted, upon closer inspection, that civil officials made up the majority of the visitors. After a moment’s reflection, she understood: the Lin family had deep roots among civil officials, with dozens of relatives serving as civil servants or imperial scholars, not to mention the countless scholars who had passed the county-level exams. For someone like Lin Jinlou, who was willing to endure hardship and carve out a path as a military officer, he was truly an exception.
Xianglan pushed open the window. Outside, the spring scenery was at its peak, and the two peach trees in the courtyard were in full bloom, their blossoms blazing like fiery clouds. She stared at the trees in a daze for a while. The young maid Ling Qing, noticing this, fetched a thin cloak from the cabinet and draped it over Xianglan’s shoulders, saying, "The mornings are still a bit chilly, and you haven’t fully recovered yet, Madam. You might catch a headache if you’re exposed to the wind." She then asked, "Ling Su, where is Madam’s medicine?"
It turned out that when Chu Dapeng and the others had followed Lin Jinting back to the residence Lin Jinlou had acquired in Yangzhou, they noticed the severe shortage of servants and assumed Lin Jinlou must be struggling with the lack of help. Xie Yu, being thoughtful, had brought 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 had practiced medicine, and she was skilled in acupuncture and massage. Both were around fourteen or fifteen years old, and though not exceptionally beautiful, they were neat and presentable.
"Little Brother thought that since Sister-in-law is a talented lady skilled in writing and painting, how could she manage without someone to attend to her stationery and ink? And hearing from Brother that her health is delicate, having someone with medical knowledge to care for her and help with her recuperation would surely set his mind at ease, wouldn’t it?" Xie Yu had said with a beaming smile when he brought the two girls over.
Liu Xiaochuan rubbed his nose and remarked, "Damn, 'A scholar who has been away for three days must be looked at with new eyes.' I always thought Old Chu was the one full of cunning ideas, but it turns out you’re the sly one, Brother. What’s all this about? Hurrying over to deliver two people and 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, as back in the Lin residence, everyone had called her "Miss." Lin Jinlou, however, nodded calmly and gave a few mild instructions, telling them to serve diligently from then on, as if he hadn’t heard the term "Madam" at all.Xianglan glanced at Lin Jinlou once more, then slightly lowered her face, her long, thick eyelashes veiling the thoughts in her eyes. She had previously heard from Wu Mama that when Qinglan first entered the household, she was exceptionally favored in the capital. Qin Shi had specially hosted a grand banquet for guests, and Lin Jinlou doted on her immensely. The servants in the capital eagerly addressed Qinglan as "Nǎinai," flattering her all the way to Jinling. It was only after meeting Zhao Yuechan, the legitimate wife who had entered through a formal wedding with eight bearers, that Qinglan began to tread carefully again, adding the prefix "Aunt" before her title. A single word made a world of difference 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 Da Nǎinai, didn’t she? Back in the capital, when they called her 'Nǎinai,' she answered so crisply. Now, let’s see if she dares to respond when called!"
Hearing this sent a chill down Xianglan’s spine. Qinglan had been a kind and benevolent person, always approachable to her subordinates. Those people held no deep-seated grudge against her, so why kick someone when they were down? Yet, this was just human nature—some took pleasure in seeing those who had fallen from grace get slapped in the face, then stepped on them further, thinking themselves clever, unaware that such behavior was the ugliest and most repulsive.
But now, was she to inherit the glory and the fatal flattery that once belonged to Qinglan?
Xianglan was no fool; she could see that Lin Jinlou held some affection for her. But with his notorious reputation, how long could such feelings last? He was currently infatuated with her, perhaps unable to let go, but this kind of affection was as fragile as paper, easily torn apart. Back then, Qinglan had been treated with even greater respect, yet she died under mysterious circumstances, her spirit now wandering who knows where, while the Lin family merely compensated with a paltry sum of silver. Lin Jinlou seemed to have long forgotten her.
What would her own fate be? Should she simply resign herself to being Lin Jinlou’s concubine?
Xianglan pondered this and felt disheartened, but she also realized that worrying about it was futile. So she pushed these thoughts aside, staring blankly at the apricot blossom branch stretching over the front courtyard wall. From behind the curio cabinet, she overheard the maids chatting.
Ling Qing’s voice was lively as she said, "The Eldest Master said Da Nǎinai had no suitable clothes to wear, so early this morning, he had someone bring over a trunk. He claimed there was nothing good inside, nothing compared to the custom-tailored outfits at home, and told Da Nǎinai to just pick a couple to wear. I really thought there’d be nothing decent, but when I opened the trunk just now—oh, Buddha!—it was filled with fine, brand-new silk and delicate cloth garments, all in the latest styles. If this isn’t good, I don’t know what is."
Ling Su added, "And what about that box of jewelry the Eldest Master brought back last night? Did you see it when we were doing Da Nǎinai’s hair this morning? That one Pearl Flower must be worth at least ten taels of silver, right? The stamen is even made of coral beads." As she spoke, Ling Su brought in a tray and said, "Da Nǎinai, please drink this while it’s hot. It’s the last dose for today."Xianglan picked up the bowl and drank its contents in one gulp. The bitterness made her shudder, and she hastily stuffed a dried plum into her mouth. Rising to her feet, she said, "I'm going out for a stroll," and made to leave. Ling Qing and the others hurried to follow, but Xianglan turned her head and said, "I'm just standing in the courtyard for a while. There's no need to follow me. You should rest as well." With that, she walked out. When she reached the moon gate, she lifted her head to gaze at the flower on the wall. Against the white wall and blue tiles, the cluster of fiery red appeared exceptionally dazzling and vivid, full of life and 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 himself, he had entrusted Yuan Shaoren with handling the aftermath. Yuan Shaoren first settled affairs at the Yicui Pavilion, then took his men to the temple. He paid silver to the monks and nuns to ensure their silence. Noticing some daily necessities still in Xianglan's monastic quarters, he ordered them to be packed. On the desk, he spotted a stack of un-mounted paintings. Unfolding them, he immediately exclaimed in admiration. Though he knew little about painting, he could still discern quality. The colors were subtle and elegant, the artistic conception profound and beautiful. He found himself examining each one, and noticed that every painting was signed with a seal bearing the character "Lan."
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