Just then, Xia Gugu arrived with her maids. Xianglan quickly invited her in. Xia Gugu said, "I've come to take Fourth Miss back."
Lin Dongxiu pleaded, "Dear Gugu, all the sisters are here. Let me enjoy myself a little longer."
Xianglan then said, "We'll chat a bit more. Gugu, please rest in the next room for now. Second Mistress is also there selecting embroidery patterns."
Xianglan thought to herself, "Madam Lin's intention is twofold: first, to have me teach Fourth Miss, and second, to observe the character of the two Jiang girls. It would be better to stay and observe further, to live up to their earnest request and that generous amount of silver." Having thought this, she agreed verbally and was led by Ling Qing to Tan Luhua's room.
At that moment, Jiang Danyun suddenly stood up and walked toward the qin placed horizontally in the corner of the room. She lightly plucked the strings with her fingers and said to Xianglan with a smile, "This qin is quite nice. May I give it a try?"
Xianglan smiled and replied, "Since Miss Danyun is in the mood for elegance, we shall have the pleasure of listening."
Jiang Danyun, with a reserved expression, sat down, played a few notes, adjusted the strings, and began to pluck and strum. The music flowed like drifting clouds and flowing water, resembling the long cry of a lone wild goose. She played "Wild Geese Alighting on the Sandbank" with great flair, employing techniques such as plucking, lifting, hooking, and picking, showcasing extreme skill and brilliance.
Xianglan thought to herself, "Jiang Danyun truly plays the qin excellently. 'Wild Geese Alighting on the Sandbank' is extremely difficult, yet she handles it with such finesse, clearly having studied it meticulously."
When the piece ended, everyone clapped and praised her.
Jiang Danyun's cheeks flushed slightly, but she glanced toward the door. Not seeing Lin Jinlou standing outside, she felt a faint disappointment. Jiang Xiyun, unaware that Lin Jinlou had returned, found it strange that her sister kept looking outside. At that moment, Lin Dongxiu nudged her and said, "Since Sister Danyun plays so well, Sister Xiyun must also be quite skilled. How about playing a piece for us?"
Jiang Xiyun declined with a smile, "Fourth Sister is the most adept at playing the qin among us sisters. My skills are clumsy, and it's better to hide my shortcomings than to embarrass myself."
Lin Dongxiu repeatedly urged Jiang Xiyun to play a piece, but Jiang Xiyun politely declined each time. Jiang Danyun took a sip of tea, glanced at Xianglan, and said with a faint, teasing smile, "Sister Xianglan has a qin in her room, so you must be knowledgeable in music as well. How about playing a piece for us?"
Seeing the implicit challenge in her expression, Xianglan felt no need to make polite excuses and simply said, "My playing is naturally not as good as Miss Danyun's. Let me just add to the fun and entertain everyone." With that, she sat down and played a short, light piece. The melody was subtle and serene, with uncomplicated fingering, yet it had its own unique charm.
After she finished, everyone praised her incessantly. Jiang Danyun covered her mouth with a light laugh and said, "You played quite well indeed." However, her eyes held a hint of disdain, and her expression was full of self-satisfaction.
Xianglan merely smiled. In her previous life, the Shen family had hired a highly skilled qin master to teach at home, and she could still play "Wild Geese Alighting on the Sandbank," but her skills had long since grown rusty in this life. It was better to play a fresh, light piece for her own enjoyment.
Soon after, Ling Qing and Ling Su came in again to replenish the fruits. As Ling Qing was leaving, she whispered in Xianglan's ear, "Eldest Master has returned. He said for you to entertain the guests and not mind him. He'll be leaving again shortly."
Xianglan nodded. She saw Lin Dongxiu sit back down by the qin and begin plucking the strings. Jiang Danyun moved closer, and the two of them discussed the five notes and six modes, then compared the difficulties of different schools' interpretations of "Guangling San," getting along quite harmoniously. Relieved, Xianglan turned and went into the warm chamber to comfort Tan Luhua and chat with Xia Gugu.Jiang Xiyun sat in the room feeling utterly bored. Her family had hired a music teacher to instruct her and her sisters in playing the qin, but after half a day of listening to the five-note scale and dozens of finger techniques, she found it dizzying and had little interest. Moreover, she believed that true connoisseurs of the ancient qin were few, and as a mere concubine-born daughter in the family, mastering it would be of little use. Thus, she cast it aside. Taking a sip of tea, she glanced up and saw Lin Dongxiu playing "Three Variations of Yang Pass." Though the melody was intermittent and not entirely smooth, it still resembled the piece. Finding it dull, Jiang Xiyun stood up and went to the courtyard to ease her restlessness.
Since guests had arrived at the Hall of Flourishing Spring, the senior maids were all attending to them, leaving only one or two junior maids occasionally in the courtyard. Jiang Xiyun noticed exotic grasses and vines planted there, along with several rockeries, complemented by peach, plum, and crabapple trees, creating an elegant scene. Strolling slowly to the rear courtyard, she saw layered artificial hills, clusters of orchids, and pots of various orchid varieties.
Standing there, she was unaware that Fangfei, Xia Gugu's young maid, was behind a rockery plucking balsam flowers to dye her nails, nor did she know that a bedroom window faced this spot. Lin Jinlou, reclining on a low couch hidden behind a soft curtain, could see her clearly. Squinting slightly, Lin Jinlou observed that Jiang Xiyun had a fair complexion without makeup, her jet-black hair framing a bright and lovely face. Looking further, he noted her plump, delicate hands and full figure—a stark contrast to Xianglan's slender fingers and willowy waist.
Jiang Xiyun peeked into the rear courtyard but then stopped and turned back, only to see her personal maid Ruoqing approaching. "Why are you here?" she asked.
Ruoqing replied, "I was worried the young lady might feel overheated, so I brought a bottle of Snowmint Elixir."
Jiang Xiyun smiled. "You're so thoughtful, but it's not that hot." As she spoke, she took the small bottle of elixir.
Ruoqing asked, "Why is the young lady here?"
Jiang Xiyun sighed. "Those two inside are discussing how many ways there are to play 'Guangling San.' It's terribly dull, so I came out."
Ruoqing laughed. "The young lady has never been fond of such things. When the family hired a lady to teach qin before, you'd doze off after just a short while."
Jiang Xiyun said, "What use are poetry, songs, qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting for a woman confined to the inner chambers? They can't fill one's stomach. If I were a man, I could study these to achieve something, even take the imperial exams. But as a woman, should I emulate my eldest sister and gain a reputation as a talented lady? She became famous and married into nobility, but if I learn these, I might end up as a concubine."
Ruoqing asked doubtfully, "I don't understand what the young lady means."Jiang Xiyun said, "The skills young girls learn in the inner chambers since childhood—whether it's needlework, household management, literacy, or accounting—are all for practical use in married life, to help manage the household for their future husbands. Even if one becomes a talented woman like Eldest Sister, skilled in poetry and couplets, it's merely for the sake of reputation, to secure a better husband. But Eldest Sister was born from Madam's womb, so naturally she married well, the eldest son of the Loyal and Brave Count. I don't have such good fortune. Even if I learn these flashy skills, I can't compare to Eldest Sister. It's better to focus on practical needlework. Concubines rely on their looks to please men, so they learn these things to flatter the masters. Didn't Concubine Lu gain Father's favor precisely because she was skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting? That's why she made Fourth Sister learn all those frivolous things. For a woman, being too well-read or skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting isn't necessarily a good thing. It's better to master needlework thoroughly—it's both a practical skill and earns a good reputation. Why not do it?"
Ruoqing laughed and said, "Oh, my dear young lady, no wonder Old Madam always praises you as the most clear-headed. You've perfectly summed up all the principles under heaven."
As they were speaking, Xianglan came out looking for someone, and Jiang Xiyun followed her back inside.
At that moment, Ling Qing entered to bring Lin Jinlou a hot towel. She saw him leaning on the Arhat Bed, stroking his chin, lost in thought. Not daring to disturb him, she quietly retreated.
Lin Jinlou stood up and walked to the bed, lifting the curtain. De Ge'er was sleeping inside, covered with a small rhombus-patterned quilt, his cheeks flushed from sleep. Lin Jinlou picked up De Ge'er and wiped his face with the hot towel. The child woke up, rubbing his eyes with his small hands, still looking drowsy.
Lin Jinlou whispered in De Ge'er's ear, "Don't sleep anymore. Do something for your uncle, and I'll reward you handsomely."
De Ge'er, half-asleep, mumbled, "I'm so tired... let me sleep a bit longer..."
"Tsk, you silly child. I said I'll reward you handsomely. I'll take you horseback riding later."
Upon hearing "horseback riding," De Ge'er immediately perked up, his eyes wide open.
Meanwhile, Jiang Danyun and Lin Dongxiu were discussing musical skills. Jiang Danyun played several pieces on the qin in succession. Noticing Jiang Xiyun wasn't particularly interested, Xianglan changed the subject and ordered a maid to brew strong tea for everyone. Jiang Xiyun wanted to take her leave, but Jiang Danyun, knowing Lin Jinlou had arrived, was eager to show off her talents. In her delighted state, she was unwilling to leave. Spotting a set of purple clay tea utensils with banana and landscape patterns on a side table in the corner, she said, "Sister Xianglan has such a set in her room, so you must appreciate fine tea. Though untalented, I'm somewhat skilled in this. Why don't we have a tea competition for fun?"
Jiang Xiyun facepalmed inwardly, thinking, "Fourth Sister, even if you're desperate to marry Lin Jinlou, you shouldn't bully his beloved concubine like this. Knowing you're inferior in painting but superior in music, you keep trying to overpower her and gain the upper hand. Now you want to compete in this too. The more you want to marry him, the more you should befriend his beloved concubine. Otherwise, if she whispers a few words in his ear, you'll be in trouble."
Xianglan smiled and said, "Miss Dan is a person of refinement. I don't know how to compete in tea. I just saw this set in the storeroom and remembered reading about the elegant tea competitions of the Tang and Song dynasties, so I displayed it to appear cultured."Jiang Danyun gently waved her fan and said with a light laugh, "What a pity. The arts of tea dividing and tea competitions are rarely practiced nowadays. I thought I had finally met a kindred spirit."
Lin Dongxiu, being somewhat friendly with Xianglan, couldn't help but frown upon hearing this. Just as she was about to speak, Xianglan discreetly tugged at her sleeve, making Lin Dongxiu swallow her words. At that moment, rapid "tap-tap-tap" footsteps approached, and a small child lifted the door curtain, revealing a round, dark little face. After scanning the room, his eyes settled on Xianglan, and he called out in a soft voice, "Aunt Lan."
Xianglan was both surprised and delighted to see him. She quickly rose and went forward, leading De Ge'er into the room while saying, "Weren't you said to be ill? Why aren't you resting at home instead of coming out?"
De Ge'er climbed onto the Arhat Bed by himself and said, "I had a fever last night, but I was fine by daytime. My father went on official business to the outskirts of the capital, and Uncle Lin said I should stay here for a few days."
Xianglan was overjoyed, now feeling De Ge'er's forehead, now wondering what to offer him to eat. After bustling about for a while, she finally remembered to introduce him to the others, saying, "This is Marquis Yongchang's youngest son, De Ge'er."
Lin Dongxiu's expression became somewhat awkward. Aware that the Jiang sisters were secretly watching her, she stepped forward and, suppressing her discomfort, forced a smile as she patted De Ge'er's cheek, saying, "What a good child."
De Ge'er felt a bit shy and lowered his head without speaking. Suddenly remembering something, he looked up at Xianglan and asked, "Aunt Lan, I want to ask you—music, chess, calligraphy, and painting can't be eaten or drunk, so what's the use of learning them?"
Xianglan was taken aback. Next door, Xia Gugu, who had just picked up a teacup, paused her hand upon hearing this.
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