Xianglan felt a warmth in her heart and grasped Lin Dongqi's hand, saying, "This matter cannot be rushed. Matters of descendants are a matter of fate..."
Lin Dongqi said, "You are a kind-hearted person. When you first entered the Lin family, you suffered greatly. Xiao Juan and Wu Mama have told me about your experiences. You saved me once, and Madam previously held prejudices against you, treating you poorly, yet you still saved her and Fourth Miss. In this household, you neither speak too much nor too little. If an ordinary person received such favor from Eldest Master, wouldn't they act arrogantly? It's rare that you always step back from opportunities to show off, just like today's wedding banquet—you did all the hard work, but others took the glory. I am well aware of all this."
Xianglan sighed and said, "Second Miss, you exaggerate. I am merely fulfilling my duties. Everyone sees me as prosperous now, but who knows what the future holds? You know Eldest Master's temperament—I am just taking things one step at a time. Everything I eat, drink, wear, and use here belongs to the Lin family. It's only because Eldest Master currently favors me that I must know my place. How could I possibly act arrogantly?"
Lin Dongqi said, "Don't say such things. This is your home too. You are my brother's woman—isn't it only natural for you to eat his food, use his things, and drink his tea? You are a sensible person; why would you speak like this?"
Xianglan thought to herself, "I absolutely cannot stay here long-term as a concubine." But on her face, she merely smiled faintly.
Lin Dongqi comforted her, saying, "I know what you're worried about. At today's banquet, several families inquired about my brother remarrying. I will look into it carefully for you. If it's someone difficult, I will never let her marry into the family. I will write to Madam about it."
Xianglan was touched and said, "Second Miss, there's really no need for this. You treat me so well—I truly have no words."
Lin Dongqi smiled and said, "Since I married here from Jinling, although I've made a few close friends among the young ladies in the capital, some have married far away, others have grown distant, and some have changed in temperament, so there's no one to talk to. But I can chat with you to pass the time. I know you are a good person, and we can comfort each other and have someone to talk to. Later, when I am further along in my pregnancy, it will be hard for me to go out, so you must come visit me more often."
After chatting for a while longer, Xianglan left her gifts and took her leave, then headed to the bridal chamber.
Lin Dongqi leaned against the headboard. Shortly after, Xiang Yun came in and sat at the foot of the bed, massaging her feet. She said softly, "I inquired up front. The groom had too much to drink and has already taken sobering soup and is resting. There are servants taking care of him up front, so Second Mistress need not worry."
Lin Dongqi hummed in response, lost in thought. After a while, she asked, "You've seen both of our Lin family's daughters-in-law today. What do you think?"
Xiang Yun said, "Second Mistress Xuan has a lovely appearance, but she is too eager to outshine others and must always show she is outstanding in everything. It's a good thing Fourth Miss wasn't here, or the two of them together would be quite a scene. Third Mistress Ting seems like a shrewd and formidable person. I feel that Eldest Miss has changed somewhat from before. She used to speak in a way that inevitably irritated people, but now she is much softer, speaking in a way that lifts others up, which is pleasant to hear."Lin Dongqi smiled faintly and said, "If I hadn't married well, why would she bother flattering me like this? When she married into the Lu family, she thought she had climbed to great heights and couldn't be bothered with her own family. Only after stumbling did she realize how much her natal family supports her, and now she's rushing back to curry favor. She wasn't originally like this—now she's full of sycophantic words, which shows she must have suffered plenty in private." After a pause, she added, "What do you think of Xianglan?"
Xiang Yun said, "She's truly a beauty. When she stands in a room, the whole place brightens. No wonder Eldest Master Lin dotes on her exclusively."
Lin Dongqi sighed, "It's a pity that those blessed with good looks often meet tragic fates. But judging by how she manages her subordinates, she truly carries herself like a well-bred lady—generous and kind, giving ample rewards, and showing genuine concern for those under her. These two traits may sound simple, but not everyone can manage them. Some well-born young ladies are so stingy they wouldn't part with a penny, or they're only generous to themselves while treating others as if it were torture to give anything away. Xianglan came from humble origins, yet she remarkably doesn't fuss over such things. Then there are those noble ladies who treat maids and servants as less than human—scolding and insulting them, or pretending to win them over while secretly looking down on them, or treating them like pets. Today I heard Xiao Juan praising Xianglan endlessly to others, saying Xianglan set a rule that maids aren't allowed to do needlework after the lamps are lit, for fear of straining their eyes."
Xiang Yun laughed, "Xianglan started as a maid herself. Back when she served the young mistress, she often burned the midnight oil doing needlework, so of course she knows how to show consideration for those below her now."
Lin Dongqi smiled, "Second Aunt said the same thing when she heard, but she doesn't consider that many who suddenly find themselves in power end up mistreating their subordinates even more, thinking that since they endured such hardships, others should too. Or they quickly put on airs, afraid of being looked down upon. Think of Huamei, Qinglan, Luanr—weren't they all like that? Xianglan has won over those serving her so completely that they're willing to work tirelessly for her. While Eldest Master's authority plays a part, if she lacked any skill, she could never manage things so seamlessly, let alone handle someone as shrewd as Shu Ran. Now she's organizing Third Young Master's wedding banquet—though it's conventional, remarkably, there's not a single misstep. The better she performs, the more I worry for her. When a proper mistress enters the household someday, who would tolerate someone like her..."
Xiang Yun said, "You see things so clearly, Madam. We common folks don't understand these matters."
Lin Dongqi replied, "What use is clarity alone? I'm far from matching my mother. She said long ago that Xianglan was no ordinary person—quiet as she may seem, with her looks and cunning, if she stirred up trouble, it wouldn't be minor. I didn't believe it at first, seeing Xianglan as gentle and reserved, not seeming particularly shrewd or formidable. But look now—hasn't it come true? Eldest Master, who used to be fickle and restless, now has only her in his chambers, treating her as if she were priceless."
After chatting for a while longer, Lin Dongqi grew weary and leaned against her pillow, drifting into drowsiness.
Xiang Yun stepped forward quietly, draped a light quilt over her, extinguished the lamp, and softly withdrew.It is said that Xianglan went to the bridal chamber. From afar, she could see the room brightly lit. Since the wedding ceremony had not yet taken place, Lin Jinting stayed overnight in Lin Jinxuan’s courtyard, while the bride resided here. As Xianglan stepped into the courtyard, she saw maids and elderly women still bustling about in small groups, and laughter occasionally drifted from inside the room. A young maid of the Lin family spotted Xianglan and hurried inside to announce her arrival. A married woman lifted the door curtain, and Xianglan entered to find seven or eight female relatives standing in the room, all dressed in luxurious attire. Seated on the bed was a woman wearing a ceremonial robe. Though she was beautiful and dignified, her looks were not particularly striking—she had delicate eyebrows, large eyes, fair skin, a plump figure, and a round face that carried an air of authority.
Xianglan thought to herself, “This must be the new bride, Lady Li, whose maiden name is Yingru. Her grandfather served as the Right Vice Minister of Revenue, and her father held the position of Assistant Prefect in Zhejiang. Raised by her grandfather as if she were a boy, she is exceptionally clever and quick-witted. Lin Jinlou mentioned that the Old Master found Second Madam Wang Shi too meek, which is why they sought a daughter-in-law with a stronger temperament, hoping Lin Jinting would have someone decisive to rely on in the future. They say one’s character is reflected in their appearance, and this Lady Li clearly has a fiercer disposition than Tan Luhua.”
Lin Dongwan, who had been chatting with the others, warmly approached Xianglan upon her entry, linking arms with her and saying, “Come, let me introduce you to the beauties of our family. This is from my elder brother’s household, and today’s banquet couldn’t have been managed without her.” She pointed out the noble ladies in the room one by one for Xianglan to recognize. Aside from the female relatives of the Lin and Li families, there were also several others, all connected to the Lin family by marriage. Xianglan and Li Miaozhi exchanged greetings, with Xianglan presenting a pair of bracelets as a gift, and Li Miaozhi reciprocating with a pair of hairpins.
The noble ladies in the room came forward to make conversation, but Xianglan kept her head lowered, feigning shyness, answering only one question for every four or five asked, speaking very little. After standing for a while, she took her leave and returned home. There, she found Lin Jinlou had already returned and was sitting in the room drinking tea. Seeing Xianglan, he asked, “Are you back from Third Brother’s wife’s place?” Xianglan nodded and fetched her everyday clothes to change into.
Lin Jinlou inquired, “What do you think of her?”
Xianglan replied, “She seems like a formidable person.”
Lin Jinlou stroked his chin and said, “Exactly. She has been well-versed in poetry and literature since childhood. When she was a girl, everyone in her household called her ‘Miaoge,’ and she often lamented the injustice of heaven and earth, wishing she had been born a man so she could take the imperial examinations and achieve fame. Third Brother has married a formidable woman—he’s in for quite a time.” After some casual conversation, the two extinguished the lamp and went to bed, and for now, no more need be said.
The next day, Lin Jinting set off early with his wife for Jinling. Everyone saw them off, but no more need be said of that. After the wedding banquet, all the decorations and items used were tidied up, and it took a full day of busy work to complete the task. Xianglan carefully checked the account books for the valuable items, collected the Tally, stored the remaining jars of wine in the warehouse, and distributed the leftover dishes, pastries, and unconsumed wine as rewards. She arranged for the most hardworking maids, married women, elderly matrons, and stewards to take turns on leave and additionally rewarded them with dishes, bringing joy to everyone in the household. While Xianglan had no time to rest, Tan Luhua was exceptionally relaxed. She had made a splash with her small contributions to the banquet and knew it was because she was a daughter-in-law of the Lin family that others flattered and curried favor with her. Nevertheless, she felt quite pleased and found herself treating Lin Jinxuan with a bit more patience and tenderness.Since the beginning of summer, Lin Jinxuan's ailment had slightly improved. He spent his days sitting beneath the grape arbor in the courtyard—sometimes reading, sometimes adorning flowers and competing with grasses, other times admiring fish and insects, or playing chess with Tan Luhua. The days passed in tranquil solitude. However, after a few days, Tan Luhua grew restless. Whether coming or going, she felt listless and gloomy. In the depths of midnight, her dreams would drift back to that scene she had once glimpsed in the rear courtyard of the Hall of Flourishing Spring: two bodies entwined in fervent passion, with Lin Jinlou's broad shoulders and powerful arms... A fire seemed to ignite within Tan Luhua's heart. She turned to look at Lin Jinxuan, noting his handsome yet pale and frail face. She recalled how their rare moments of intimacy always ended hastily, leaving Lin Jinxuan with weakened legs the next day—a sign of his deficient constitution that invited Concubine Yin's endless gossip, much to her vexation.
Tan Luhua let out a long sigh and lay awake until dawn, feeling languid in both body and spirit. After lunch, Lin Jinxuan retired for his nap, and Tan Luhua amused herself by playing chess with her maids. Just then, someone announced: "Third Young Master Rong of the Dai family has arrived."
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