Lin Dongqi exclaimed delightedly with a string of praises, “This one is excellent. You all should concede your drafts.”
Knowing her own poetic talent was merely average and couldn’t be rated as superior, Lin Dongxiu was happy to boost Xianglan while also adding some vexation to others. She pursed her lips and chuckled softly, “Xianglan excels in both calligraphy and painting. I never expected her poetry to be so remarkable as well—she truly outshines us all.”
The Jiang sisters looked on with astonished gazes, and their eyes toward Xianglan grew complex. Noticing everyone’s attention fixed on her, Xianglan felt somewhat uneasy. She was not one to seek the limelight; today’s display was entirely forced. She placed great importance on selling her paintings under the name “Recluse of Orchid Fragrance.” Only by making this reputation widely known could her future works command high prices. For the same painting, those signed “Recluse of Orchid Fragrance” and sold through Lin Jinlou fetched several times the price of those sold secretly under another name. With Lin Jinlou about to marry a wife, she would inevitably be unwelcome in the Lin residence. She had to make thorough preparations so that if one day she left the Lin household or Lin Jinlou grew tired of her, she could still rely on her skills and the reputation she had built to support her family, standing on her own feet rather than clinging to a man for survival.
She was not like these noble-born young ladies and esteemed ladies present, who had married into prestigious families. They were delicate orchids nurtured in embroidered towers and splendid halls, while she was merely a wild grass growing in clusters by streams and roadsides. Competing for fame and glory was their refined game of intrigue; what preoccupied her thoughts the most now was how to live well in the future.
Xianglan smiled faintly and said, “My poem’s conception is rather cliché after all. Miss Xi’s phrases like ‘the moon plays with light clouds,’ ‘fragrance drifts beyond the west window,’ ‘brocade flowers flourish,’ and ‘secluded grasses grow’ have perfectly captured the essence of ‘appreciation.’ Second Young Madam’s ‘frost drizzles’ and ‘rain ceases’ are both used excellently. Miss Dan’s ‘the flavor within’ and ‘without end,’ and Fourth Miss’s ‘startled melancholy’ and ‘deep forbidden courtyard’ are all deeply evocative and better than mine. I’ve merely raised a grand banner without substance.”
Lin Dongqi laughed, “Good is good. Why are you being so modest?” She nudged Lin Dongwan and said, “Eldest Sister, don’t you agree?”
Lin Dongwan hesitated, first glancing from afar at Qin Shi’s expression, then at Lin Jinlou’s, unsure whom to praise. Seeing Qin Shi’s indifferent demeanor and Lin Jinlou sitting on the embroidered stool beside Qin Shi, looking at Xianglan with a proud expression, she decided to praise Xianglan first and said with a smile, “Younger Sister Xianglan’s poem is well-written; it pleases my eyes to read it. But Fifth Cousin’s poem is not bad either—both are excellent poems.”
Her words seemed to say nothing at all. Lin Dongxiu curled her lips, thinking to herself, “Eldest Sister has always been slippery. Clearly, she doesn’t want to offend either side. If that’s the case, why bother judging the poems? Offending neither side actually means offending both.”
Jiang Danyun merely wore a smile, holding a cup to sip tea, her eyes glinting with schadenfreude as she glanced at Jiang Xiyun and Jiang Feiyun. She hadn’t noticed Jiang Feiyun secretly passing a note earlier and was greatly surprised that her younger sister had suddenly become so skilled at poetry, feeling inwardly stifled. Only when Xianglan’s poem emerged did Jiang Danyun finally heave a long sigh of relief, secretly laughing to herself, “No matter how flowery your poem is, you still can’t compare to a mere concubine. What a slap in the face!” Yet, seeing Xianglan’s beauty and talent, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy.Jiang Feiyun was inwardly shaken, thinking, "What background does Lin Jinlou's concubine really have? With such looks and poetic talent, and the composure to hold her own in this setting, she's truly a formidable figure. Although Fifth Sister is clever and sharp, she's still young. With such a beautiful concubine around, I'm afraid she might be at a disadvantage!" She then examined Xianglan's poem more carefully, and a surge of pride welled up within her. She thought, "This one isn't much. Later, I'll compete with her again and definitely outshine her!"
Jiang Xiyun simply found it all uninteresting. Her gaze swept around and happened to catch Lin Jinlou with his arms crossed, half-squinting as he watched Xianglan without even blinking. She felt a tightness in her chest, thinking that the man she might marry in the future actually favored this scholarly, talented type. Would she have to learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting just to please him? Yet these were precisely the things she disdained—all that romantic fluff and affectation, what was the point? It was nauseatingly pretentious... But then she looked at Xianglan again, and her heart felt as if covered with an oilcloth, stifled and heavy. Although she was merely a daughter of a concubine, among her sisters and the young ladies from relatives' families she had met, none could compare to her. Wherever she went, she was praised for her "beauty," "elegant demeanor," "sincerity," "charm," and "grace." Yet here in the Lin household, this concubine of humble origins seemed to subtly outshine her. Being perceptive, she could tell it wasn't intentional on Xianglan's part. Simply by sitting there quietly, Xianglan exuded a profound aura, as if imbued with long-nurtured literary elegance and the noble bearing of a distinguished scholar. Even though she was just a lowly, insignificant concubine, her self-respect and dignity made it hard for others to look down on her.
While everyone harbored their own thoughts, Lin Jinlou felt quite pleased. He thought Little Xianglan was indeed sensible and considered whether he should take her poem to the front to show the other men, thus further enhancing her reputation. But then he worried about what to do if those fellows insisted on seeing Xianglan. On second thought, he decided he simply wouldn't let them—after all, those scoundrels had no means to infiltrate the Lin family's inner quarters.
Just then, Mother Jiang said with a smile, "What poems have you all written that you're discussing so animatedly? Bring them over for us to see and share in the fun." She then instructed her personal maid, Liu Su, to fetch the drafts.
Qin Shi also looked on, nodding slightly when she came to Jiang Xiyun's poem. But when she saw Xianglan's, she paused, frowned, then sighed softly and shook her head.
Mother Jiang finished reading the drafts as well, looked up at Qin Shi with a meaningful gaze, and said with a faint smile, "As expected of someone trained by the Lin family, to be able to write such fine poetry."
Qin Shi replied with a smile, "In terms of uniqueness, Xianglan's poem naturally stands out, but when it comes to delicacy and subtlety, Xiyun still takes the lead."
Mother Jiang understood perfectly. Anyone with even a slight knowledge of poetry could tell which poem was superior, but who was ranked first was secondary. What Mother Jiang wanted was merely Qin Shi's attitude. Initially heavy-hearted and displeased, her expression softened upon hearing these words.
Everyone in the pavilion heard this clearly. Lin Dongwan, quick-witted and sharp, immediately chimed in, "If I were to judge, Xianglan and Fifth Cousin are equally matched."
Lin Dongqi still felt that Xianglan's poem was better, but she glanced up at her mother, hesitated, and ultimately said nothing, lowering her head instead.Tan Luhua was the first to feel displeased. She had originally established the poetry club to showcase her talents before her in-laws. It was one thing for Chen Xianglan to outshine her in writing, but why should Jiang Xiyun, who clearly had someone helping her cheat, also surpass her?
Jiang Xiyun blushed and murmured, "I... I didn't write that well. Sister Xianglan's is much better."
Lin Jinlou raised his eyebrows slightly but remained silent. Mother Jiang smiled affectionately and said, "Silly child, your aunt is praising you."
Just then, a maid came forward to serve fresh tea and refreshments. Qin Shi smiled and said, "This is Anxi Tieguanyin, a famous Fujian tea brought by Xiyun. It tastes sweet and delicate. She's such a filial and sincere child. I heard there wasn't much of this tea, yet she gave me more than half because she knows I love tea. She even specially made honey-preserved dark plums for me when she heard I have poor digestion in the summer. No one could be more thoughtful than her."
Lin Dongwan, understanding the implied meaning, realized that Jiang Xiyun had been outshone in poetry and that Qin Shi was deliberately changing the subject to praise her and save her face. She quickly seized the opportunity and said, "Indeed, as soon as I arrived today, Fifth Cousin gave me a colorful 'Immortal Gathering' bellyband for my Hui'er. She said she embroidered it stitch by stitch herself. The needlework is so fine, and her thoughtfulness is unmatched. Such a gentle girl is truly hard to find."
Lin Dongqi, who had known Jiang Xiyun for some time and found her adorable and kind-hearted, added with a smile, "Fifth Cousin is extremely considerate. She also made a tiger-head hat and little shoes for my child."
Jiang Feiyun chimed in, "My younger sister has been honest, sincere, filial, clever, and understanding since she was little. I could spend days and nights listing her virtues."
Lin Dongwan continued to praise Jiang Xiyun's good judgment, making Mother Jiang feel honored and growing even fonder of her. Qin Shi also felt she had silenced the crowd and glanced toward Lin Jinlou, who was toying with a magnolia jade pendant, a lazy smile on his face.
Lin Dongwan laughed and said, "Since I'm here to join the fun, let me ask Fifth Cousin: what is your birth date and time? I have an excellent match in mind for you! Don't you all agree?" As she spoke, she winked at Lin Jinlou. Everyone noticed and burst into laughter.
Lin Dongwan took Jiang Xiyun's hand and teased, "How about becoming my family's daughter-in-law?"
Another wave of laughter followed. Only Jiang Danyun stared blankly at Lin Jinlou twice before her eyes reddened, and she turned her face away. Tan Luhua's expression remained indifferent as she took Xianglan's hand and whispered, "Ignore those foolish people. Let's talk by ourselves."
Jiang Xiyun flushed crimson, her small hands twisting nervously. She lowered her head and murmured, "Eldest Cousin, please don't say such things..." Like a startled bird, she timidly glanced at Lin Jinlou, only to find him completely unfazed, as if the banter had nothing to do with him. He half-closed his eyes, quietly observing her. The man was so tall, his gaze sharp and imposing. Even seated, he resembled a resting beast.
A sudden sense of powerlessness washed over Jiang Xiyun. She felt utterly transparent in his presence, and the sensation was deeply unsettling.At that moment, Jiang Feiyun chuckled and said, "Fifth Sister, since Eldest Cousin helped Second Brother, didn't you have a token of gratitude prepared? I noticed you've been busy with it for days—is it ready now? Why not show us all?"
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