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?
Yet 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 stunningly beautiful.
Xianglan’s heart raced wildly. Cao Lihuan and Zhao Yuechan had been the nightmares of her early days in the Lin family. The former had long perished, and the latter had faded from her life, but today’s encounter made Xianglan realize that Zhao Yuechan had left a shadow in her heart, making her tremble with fear at the sight of her and eager to avoid her.
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. That’s right, Zhao Yuechan had divorced Lin Jinlou and was no longer the Da Nǎinai of the Lin family. She no longer had to cater to her whims, so why should she fear her now? With this realization, Xianglan smiled, straightened her back and neck, and gave a reserved nod to Zhao Yuechan before turning her face away.
Jiao Shi whispered, “Who is that? She doesn’t look familiar.”
A matron from the Lu family said, “I don’t know. She came with the Lin family from Jinling. Perhaps she’s Master Lin’s wife?”
Zhao Yuechan’s expression shifted.
Suddenly, another commotion arose at the festooned gate, and a clear female voice called out, “You clumsy fools, let my husband come help me.”
Then someone laughed and said, “Oh, cousin, even as a mother now, you still have such a temper. Only a gentleman like Yi Fei could tolerate your willful nature—anyone else would have given up long ago.”
In a daze, Xianglan heard the name “Yi Fei” and immediately turned to look toward the festooned gate. A carriage had stopped at the entrance, and a tall figure stood with his back to the door—it was Song Ke, someone she would never mistake. Beside him was another man, taller and more robust, dressed in luxurious silver-gray and peacock-blue robes. While speaking, he glanced into the inner courtyard, and his gaze met Xianglan’s, carrying a hint of meaning. Suddenly, he smiled at her. It was Lin Jinlou.
Lin Jinlou looked past Xianglan and spotted Zhao Yuechan, momentarily taken aback. Zhao Yuechan abruptly tightened her grip on her fan, but 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 Red Gold Double Happiness Ring reached out and slightly lifted the curtain. Zheng Jingxian saw Lin Jinlou and couldn’t help but chuckle warmly, saying, “I wondered who kept calling me ‘cousin’ here, trying to claim kinship. So it really is you, Cousin. Eldest 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 and cupped his hands toward Lin Jinlou, saying, “My wife is just teasing me and making jokes. Brother Yingyang, please don’t take it seriously.”
Lin Jinlou patted Song Ke on the shoulder and said with a smile, “We’re all family. If there are good things, naturally we’ll prioritize our own. Whether Cousin says so or not, it’s only right. Why be so polite, Yi Fei?”
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 had styled her hair into an extremely simple matron’s bun, adorned with a Kingfisher Feather Inlay, Pearl Flower, and Good Fortune Golden Hairpin, without any cumbersome decorations like dangling pearl hairpins. She wore a brand-new autumn-fragrance-colored embroidered jacket with triple cuffs and sleeves, woven with gold thread and five-colored clustered floral patterns, paired with a pink brocade skirt. A long-tasseled palace sash 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 radiant. For a moment, she outshone other ladies and madams who were 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 little sister-in-law today. Let me introduce you." With that, he turned slightly and waved to Xianglan, saying, "Come here."
Xianglan’s face instantly turned pale. She wanted to pretend she hadn’t heard, but then Lin Jinlou raised his voice behind her, "I’m talking to you! I said come here!" His tone brooked no argument.
Xiao Juan turned her head and saw Lin Jinlou’s face darkening. Terrified, she tugged at Xianglan’s sleeve and whispered, "Madam, the Eldest Master is calling you... You know, a wise man knows when to yield..."
Xianglan reluctantly turned around, lowered her head, and slowly shuffled over. She lifted her eyes and saw Song Ke standing beside Lin Jinlou, dressed in a dark green kesi tapestry satin straight gown, a brand-new belt inlaid with eight treasures, mother-of-pearl, and gemstones cinched 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 dazzling like a radiant rose.
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 little 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 glanced at Xianglan and was visibly startled, clearly recognizing her. She quickly glanced at Song Ke and, seeing her husband looking distraught, frowned slightly. Still, she maintained a smile and said to Lin Jinlou with a meaningful tone, "Look at you, Cousin, if you treasure her so much, why bring her out? You should’ve kept her hidden indoors, away from prying 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? If I don’t entrust her to you, who else should I ask?"
Zheng Jingxian shot Lin Jinlou a glare and said, "Eldest Cousin, are you praising me or mocking me? You make me sound like some kind of shrew."
The two of them bantered back and forth, while Song Ke remained silent the entire time. Xianglan kept her head lowered, staring fixedly at the silk tassel on her waist, feeling utterly humiliated and distressed. She glanced up slightly and noticed Song Ke’s hand, clenched into a fist at his side, had turned pale. 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, "You've been a wild girl since childhood. Whether you're a tigress now is for Yi Fei to say, but our little Xianglan is extremely timid, so don't frighten 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. Brother Yingyang is very thoughtful; we've received the congratulatory gifts you sent. Last year when my sister got married, Brother Yingyang specially prepared gifts as well. 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, "Song Lang 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. He whispered to Zheng Jingxian, "Madam..." meaning to suggest she say less. Although he had some prestige 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 smiled and said, "Civil officials are far better than us who wield spears and clubs. The Emperor has always valued civil over military affairs. Yi Fei is young and promising. Shou Jie'er, you've found a good husband." "Shou Jie'er" was Zheng Jingxian's childhood nickname. When she was young, she was frail and sickly, and Wei Shi feared she wouldn't live long, so she gave her the name "Shou," meaning longevity. Now that Lin Jinlou used this nickname, it conveyed a sense of closeness.
These words struck a chord with Zheng Jingxian. She covered her mouth with her sleeve and laughed softly, her eyes glancing at Xianglan once or twice, feeling somewhat unsettled. She knew all too well about the past between Chen Xianglan and Song Ke. But over such a long distance and such a long time, Chen Xianglan had long been pushed to the back of her mind, leaving only a vague impression.
But today, suddenly running into her, that vague impression from the past suddenly 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 affairs. It made Zheng Jingxian unconsciously feel a twinge of jealousy.
Zheng Jingxian said to Lin Jinlou with a half-smile, "This little sister-in-law is more beautiful than your previous Concubine Lan and a hundred times better than that previously seductive sister-in-law. Cousin, you really have good taste."
Lin Jinlou only smiled and said to Song Ke, "Look at that, such a sweet tongue. I just praised her for finding a good husband, and she turns around and flatters me like this."
Upon hearing this, Song Ke suddenly laughed, staring at Lin Jinlou's face and said calmly, "What she says makes sense. Brother Yingyang indeed has good taste."
Lin Jinlou patted Song Ke on the shoulder, smiling as he said, "In my opinion, you have even better taste. A wife like Shou Jie'er—you must have burned incense in a previous life 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 with her head bowed and eyebrows lowered, listening to the three of them exchange pointed compliments as if she didn't exist.Just then, new guests arrived, and the Song family's carriage could not block the entrance for long. Lin Jinlou and Song Ke went ahead to the front, while Xianglan returned to the courtyard with Zheng Jingxian. Their maids, Yue'er and Xiao Juan, hurried forward to support their respective mistresses.
Qiuye, the head maid serving Lin Dongwan, approached with a beaming smile, offering her arm to Xianglan. "The Eldest Young Lady is occupied with guests at the front," she said, "but upon hearing that the Concubine had arrived, she specially sent me to escort you." She then led them into the garden.
After walking for a while, Xiao Juan suddenly heard Xianglan sigh in an almost imperceptible whisper, "This is good. Now he wears a brand new eight-treasure belt around his waist—no longer like before, when the belt was washed until it faded, and he couldn’t bear to spend silver to replace a lost agate, substituting it with a worthless carnelian instead..."
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