The east chamber was originally a resting area for receiving guests. Since Xianglan wanted a study, Lin Jinlou had the large heated brick bed in the east chamber removed and replaced with a large padauk wood desk, along with bookshelves and other furnishings. The windows were covered with green gauze. Xianglan had painted a "Misty Clouds Painting" in imitation of Zhao Mengfu's style and written two couplets and several calligraphy pieces, all emulating Mi Fu's brushwork so closely they were nearly indistinguishable from the originals. These were all hung in the study. On the desk stood a Boshan small seal script set, and a coral red gold-inlaid bat and peach brush pot filled with large and small purple bamboo shoots. In the corner of the desk sat a crystal flower sac, always filled with fresh seasonal flowers. As it was summer, it was brimming with tuberoses, releasing their rich fragrance. There were also items like a large cauldron and an agate huanghuali small screen. Under the window was a Luohan bed, with a kang table holding an unfinished game of chess. In another corner lay a guqin, scattered with sheet music. The entire room was furnished without extravagance but with exceptional elegance and uniqueness.
Lin Jinlou also found this east chamber study quite pleasing. He even had his official documents brought there in the evenings to work, ordering Xianglan to attend to him. He felt the added charm of having a woman like Hongxiu by his side, so the study also contained various items left behind by Lin Jinlou.
As everyone entered the study, Jiang Danyu praised its refinement at first sight. Jiang Xiyun glanced around and, though she found it elegant and voiced her admiration, she looked down upon women with such strong Six Arts inclinations, so inwardly she was quite dismissive. Lin Dongxiu had already gathered by the desk to examine the paintings, pointing at the bamboo and saying, "Why only a single stalk of bamboo? Wouldn’t it be more lively with a few clusters?" She added, "Adding a couple of unusual rocks in this corner would make it even more vibrant," offering continuous critiques.
The two Jiang sisters also crowded around to look. Jiang Danyu, who had some knowledge of painting and calligraphy, was stunned upon seeing the painting on Xianglan’s desk. She glanced at Xianglan suspiciously and asked, "Did you—paint this?"
Ling Qing, who was nearby cleaning writing tools, replied, "Of course our new concubine painted it. Actually, this one isn’t even her best. Have you seen the 'Misty Clouds Painting' on the wall? That was also done by the new concubine. When Master saw it, he was amazed, saying he didn’t know there was an authentic work by the former dynasty’s Master Songxue in the house."
Everyone turned to look at the wall. As the saying goes, "Experts appreciate the craftsmanship, while laymen enjoy the spectacle." Jiang Xiyun only thought it exquisitely painted, but Lin Dongxiu, who had studied painting, knew how difficult such a work was. She smiled at Xianglan and said, "You’re truly remarkable, no wonder Big Brother keeps you hidden away like a treasure, cherishing you so." As she spoke, she glanced at Jiang Xiyun intentionally or not.
Jiang Xiyun felt uncomfortable inside but showed no sign on her face. Her eyes wandered around the room, noticing stacks of official correspondence, military account books, and several volumes of travel notes, miscellaneous essays, and poetry collections mixed together on the desk. Jiang Xiyun picked one up and flipped through it, seeing annotations in delicate small regular script. Comparing the handwriting to that on the painting, she knew the book belonged to Xianglan. On the armrest of the Luohan bed hung a man’s belt and casual loose-legged trousers, along with one of Xianglan’s half-sleeves. A crabapple wood side table was scattered with women’s items like folding fans, handkerchiefs, and bracelets. The mingling of everyday belongings in the main room made it clear that Lin Jinlou and Xianglan must be together day and night.Xianglan hadn't expected these three to come to the study, so she hadn't tidied up in time. Seeing Jiang Xiyun looking around, she quickly signaled Ling Qing to put away the scattered items. She then invited everyone to sit and have tea. Lin Dongxiu picked up a tea bowl and, looking up, suddenly chuckled, "Quick, look at Sister Danyun—she's completely bewitched!"
It turned out Jiang Danyun was still staring intently at the "Misty Clouds Painting." The more she examined it, the more astonished she became, thinking, "Although this is a copy, it differs slightly from the original. The colors of the mist and clouds have been altered in two places, shifting from pale yellow to light purple. The color blending is even more masterful than the original. Such brushwork and skill—not only is my elder sister no match, but it could even rival that of imperial court painters." Glancing at Xianglan, she felt a mix of envy and bitterness, emotions hard to describe.
Jiang Xiyun smiled and pulled Jiang Danyun to sit beside her. Xiao Juan and Hua Shan had already brought out trays to rearrange the fruits. Xianglan said with a laugh, "Since you're here, you might as well have some. Don't be shy."
Jiang Danyun took a sip from her tea bowl and asked Xianglan, "Who taught you painting?"
Xianglan replied, "I was frail and sickly as a child, so I became Dingyi Shitai's nominal disciple. She taught me some music, chess, calligraphy, and painting."
Jiang Danyun said, "Dingyi Shitai? I've never heard of such a painting and calligraphy monk."
Xianglan explained, "She resides in Jinling and, being a recluse, her name isn't widely known."
Before she finished speaking, someone outside announced, "The Second Mistress is here." No sooner had the words been spoken than Tan Luhua swayed in, fan in hand. Seeing the room full of people in the eastern chamber, she raised an eyebrow, covered her mouth with her fan, and feigned a smile, "Oh dear, what bad timing. I shouldn't have come now."
Lin Dongxiu and Jiang Danyun looked uncomfortable, while Jiang Xiyun kept her head down. Xianglan immediately sensed something amiss and hurriedly stood to offer a seat, saying, "Second Mistress, you're always busy—we usually can't even invite you over. There's no such thing as bad timing." She discreetly signaled Xiao Juan, who understood and nodded before leaving.
Tan Luhua said with a half-smile, "I'm afraid you're the only one willing to invite me. Others might not be so pleased."
Lin Dongxiu retorted, "What do you mean by that? I don't understand."
Tan Luhua merely gave a faint cold smile and didn't respond.
Seeing the atmosphere grow tense, Xianglan quickly urged everyone to enjoy the fine tea and fruits. Tan Luhua picked a piece of lotus crisp from a pale gourd-shaped dish, took a bite, and praised, "This pastry is from Zhimei Zhai, isn't it? Their lotus crisps are extremely hard to come by—usually not easy to buy. They only sell for a short while each morning, at most fifty pieces. If you miss out, you have to try again tomorrow."
Xianglan smiled, "The young servants bought them this morning. If you like them, Second Mistress, I have more here. You can take them all later."
Tan Luhua also laughed, "Then I won't stand on ceremony." She glanced at the Jiang sisters, then turned to Xianglan and said, "After all, Sister Xianglan is from Eldest Brother's household. Though it's just two pieces of pastry, your generosity outshines those who claim to be noble young ladies. No wonder Eldest Brother dotes on you so."
At these words, Jiang Danyun's face instantly fell. Jiang Xiyun's gaze turned cold as she lowered her head and gently blew on her tea. Lin Dongxiu pursed her lips and sat smiling to the side, clearly enjoying the drama.Xianglan felt a sudden alertness, realizing Tan Luhua was using praise to manipulate her into mocking the Jiang sisters. She maintained a gentle smile and said playfully, "Just two pieces of pastry—how could this demonstrate generosity? Second Mistress must be teasing me. Tomorrow I'll visit your place for meals and eat my fill to make up for these two pastries!"
Her witty remark drew laughter from Tan Luhua and Lin Dongxiu. Noticing Xiao Juan signaling at the doorway, Xianglan stood and said, "Please excuse me for a moment." Outside, Xiao Juan whispered, "I asked Cai Feng—the three Jiang sisters visited Second Mistress first. Since Second Master Jiang does business in Fujian, Jiang Xiyun brought local specialties as gifts for each household, including ours. Second Mistress liked them and asked if there were more, but Jiang Xiyun said they'd all been distributed. Then Fourth Young Lady accidentally revealed that the Jiang family had prepared twice as many Fujian specialties for Master and Third Master Ting compared to the second branch. Second Mistress immediately darkened her expression, accusing the Jiangs of looking down on her and her husband. Fourth Young Lady added fuel to the fire by saying, 'Don't be angry, Second Sister-in-law. As the saying goes, "The gift may be small, but the goodwill is deep." Though the quantities differ, the sentiment is the same. Besides, since Xiyun's second brother is taking office in Zhejiang, he'll need Eldest Brother and Second Uncle's support—it's only natural to send more gifts.' This enraged Second Mistress further. She ordered them to leave without hearing any explanations and stormed off. After wandering outside, she came to the new concubine's place, never expecting to run into her adversaries here."
Xianglan felt a headache coming on. Over the past two years, she had grown more composed, rarely bothering to respond to provocations. But with these four formidable women in the room—Lin Dongxiu who loved to instigate, Tan Luhua who was no pushover, and the Jiang sisters who were equally shrewd—a confrontation seemed inevitable.
Xianglan nodded and instructed, "I understand. You've done well. There's half a plate of pastries in the cupboard—share them with the others." Returning to the room, she paused outside the curtain and heard Lin Dongxiu saying, "Alright, Second Sister-in-law, don't be angry. We're all family—such trivial matters aren't worth it."
Tan Luhua sat leaning on an armrest, a cold smile playing on her lips. "It's not about the gifts. 'People strive for dignity as Buddhas receive incense.' What matters is face. They clearly think less of us because my husband is frail, even differentiating between close and distant relations with worthless local specialties. The Jiang family certainly has remarkable upbringing."
Jiang Danyun had initially wanted to see Jiang Xiyun embarrassed, but when Tan Luhua criticized the Jiang family's upbringing, implicitly including her, she frowned and tugged Jiang Xiyun's sleeve. "How could you be so careless? If this was the case, better not to have given anything at all."
Jiang Xiyun set down her tea bowl and replied leisurely, "The specialties were sent by Second Uncle from Fujian—each of us sisters received a share. Feeling indebted for staying at the residence, and since Fujian specialties are novel, I distributed my portion among the Lin family's brothers and sisters." As she spoke, she glanced at Jiang Danyun.Xianglan saw it clearly and thought to herself, "The implication here is, 'It's something everyone received, and I alone gave my share to the Lin Family. How dare you mock me when you contributed nothing?' This Jiang Xiyun is truly formidable at her core."
Jiang Danyun's face indeed changed color, and she fell silent.
Jiang Xiyun said lightly, "There were only a few items in total. The Lin Family's Taitai received the largest portion. Since Eldest Cousin helped Second Brother with his affairs, I gave him a bit more. As for Third Cousin of the Lin Family, his wife, Sister Yingru, has been close to me since our maiden days, so the extra portion I gave to Third Cousin included her share. Though the Fujian specialties I gave to Second Cousin were few, I made up for it with two fine medicinal ingredients and an excellent piece of Huizhou ink. These two items are even more precious than ordinary Fujian specialties. If Cousin-in-law still wants Fujian specialties, I can ask Second Uncle to bring some more later."
Xianglan thought, "This means that although the Fujian items given to Second Master were few, they were compensated with other things, making it equal to others. This explanation is indeed flawless."
Tan Luhua sneered, "No need. Miss Xi generously gave away her own gifts to others, showing such kindness, filial piety, and virtue—earning Taitai's praise. If I shamelessly asked for more, wouldn't that be tactless? There's no need for you to write a letter. Cai Feng! Go and retrieve the gifts Miss Xi sent us. Whatever was used, make up for it with silver, so she can continue her generous offerings."
As an argument was about to break out, Xianglan stepped in to mediate. Just then, Jiang Xiyun glanced at Lin Dongxiu, who was gazing out the window, and then at Jiang Danyun, who was sipping tea with her head lowered. Suddenly, she put on a look of distress and grievance, saying, "Look at what you're saying, Second Cousin-in-law. Those two medicinal ingredients are extremely rare tonics. I specifically asked Taitai and checked Second Cousin's prescription to ensure they wouldn't conflict. That piece of Huizhou ink was originally a gift from my father, carved by a master artisan. I treasured it dearly. It was only when I was chatting with Sister Xiu that I learned Second Cousin enjoys collecting writing tools, so I eagerly gave it to him. If you say such things, Second Cousin-in-law, you truly break my heart."
These words left Tan Luhua flushed with anger. Xianglan silently acknowledged Jiang Xiyun as a master of words—able to infuriate others without leaving any handle for criticism.
Xianglan shook her head slightly. When she looked up again, her face was as warm as a spring breeze. She entered the room and sat beside Tan Luhua, saying, "Second Mistress, don't be angry. Miss Xi meant well—it's just that words were exchanged in the heat of the moment and didn't come across clearly."
Tan Luhua shook off Xianglan's hand and sneered, "Who asked for your false kindness!"
Lin Dongxiu watched the scene with amusement, thinking, "Xianglan really is a fool. Can't she see that Jiang Xiyun is the one Taitai has her eye on? She should have let them fight it out. Instead, she steps in to mediate, only to have her kindness thrown back in her face." She signaled Xianglan with her eyes, urging her to stay out of it.Xianglan pretended not to notice and pulled Tan Luhua aside with a smile. "It was just a misunderstanding earlier. The Jiang Family young ladies are all guests invited by Taitai. If young ladies exchange a few sharp words, Second Mistress, being fair-minded and generous, should mediate rather than take offense over a misunderstanding. I know you're still upset about what happened this morning, which is why you reacted this way. Come sit with me for a while. I've just cut a new dress but can't decide on the embroidery pattern. Second Mistress has excellent taste—do help me choose." As she spoke, she guided Tan Luhua away while calling out, "Hua Shan, come quickly and assist your Second Mistress. Bring out the embroidery patterns I drew the other day for Second Mistress to examine."
These words were both tactful and comforting, offering a graceful way out. Tan Luhua immediately felt her dignity restored. She hadn't truly wanted to make a scene but had been trapped by pride, so she readily allowed herself to be led away.
The three young ladies left in the room exchanged uneasy glances. Soon after, Xianglan returned to personally refill their tea. She said to Jiang Xiyun with a smile, "Second Mistress is simply straightforward and speaks her mind. Miss Xi, please don't take it to heart. It was merely a misunderstanding where words were taken the wrong way. Now that it's cleared up, we should all remain harmonious in the future."
Jiang Xiyun laughed, her manner both charming and innocent. "Look at what Sister Xianglan is saying—it was actually my fault for angering Second Cousin-in-law."
Thus, the matter was lightly set aside. The four in the room tacitly agreed not to mention it again. Jiang Danyu curled her lip slightly and took a sip of tea. Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a man's blue satin court boots and the hem of a robe embroidered with Sea tooth embroidery at the doorway connecting the eastern chamber to the rear bedroom. The boots paused briefly before retreating into the bedroom. Jiang Danyun's heart immediately began to race. She knew—Lin Jinlou had returned.
(Xiao He's Weibo: Search "He Yanshan" to find it.)
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