After Lin Zhaoxiang met with Lin Changmin that day, he fell ill and required quiet rest. Lin Jinlou, full of questions, found no opportunity to ask them. Though he wished to attend at the sickbed, Lin Zhaoxiang refused all visitors, keeping only Lin Jinyuan by his side for amusement. Lin Jinlou made discreet inquiries, and Geng Tonggui quietly revealed that Lin Zhaoxiang’s illness was entirely due to anger provoked by Lin Changmin. Lin Jinlou privately marveled at this—not that he looked down on Lin Changmin, but because his second uncle, though shrewd, lacked great capability. His ambitions were considerable, yet he utterly lacked the courage to take responsibility for major affairs. At most, he schemed for petty advantages and dabbled in affairs with women—what serious trouble could he possibly stir up? Thus, Lin Jinlou thought little of it.
Meanwhile, Lin Changzheng returned from Shanxi. Lin Zhaoxiang summoned him for a long discussion, and in the afternoon, Lin Changzheng entered the palace. Burdened with official duties, he was constantly occupied. The emperor specially ordered him to inspect various counties in the capital’s suburbs, a task that would keep him away for over a month. Qin Shi, concerned, inevitably had people prepare various necessities for him.
As the weather warmed, Lin Old Madam’s birthday approached. Qin Shi and others discussed arrangements for the celebration. Since the family had observed mourning during the New Year, the festivities had been subdued. Lin Zhaoxiang also decreed that the birthday should not be grandly celebrated, so it was decided to hold a family banquet for everyone to enjoy together. Lin Old Madam was delighted upon hearing this and eagerly sent invitations to Lin Dongwan, Lin Dongxiu, and others, personally selecting an opera troupe. Seeing the old madam’s joy, everyone joined in the cheerful bustle, busily preparing dishes, fruits, and delivering messages and invitations.
On the day of the celebration, Xianglan had no choice but to attend. Xiao Juan had combed her hair sleek and shiny early in the morning, adorning it with hair ornaments and floral decorations. Hua Shan opened the chest and selected a pomegranate red embroidered jacket with colorful embroidered plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum patterns, paired with a white polished silk brocade skirt. Once dressed, Xianglan went to Qin Shi’s courtyard, where Qiao Hui escorted her to the side room. There, Lin Dongwan, Lin Dongqi, and Lin Dongxiu were sitting together chatting, all dressed in luxurious attire. Upon Xianglan’s entry, they greeted her warmly and hurriedly offered her a seat. Lin Dongxiu stepped forward to take Xianglan’s hand, seating her beside herself, and had maids serve tea. Xiao Juan, witnessing this, couldn’t help but sigh. Wu Mama pursed her lips and drew her outside, whispering with a smile, “On such a fine day, why are you sighing?Xiao Juan replied, "It's nothing, just a sigh." I entered the mansion with Xianglan and know how she endured beatings, scoldings, and hardships. Later, she barely managed to become half a mistress but was still treated with contempt. Back then, only Second Young Lady treated her somewhat kindly. Who would have thought the tides would turn? Now these mistresses and ladies actually respect her one after another.”
Wu Mama said, “Tsk, tsk, no wonder I boast—my eyes are sharp. I may not boast about much else, but with all the various maids in the mansion, I can roughly predict their futures after just a few glances and words. The moment I saw Xianglan, I knew she was a phoenix, different from those clucking chicks. She carried that aura about her, and sure enough, I was right. In my opinion, given the Master’s enthusiasm, she has even greater prospects ahead.”
Back in the side room, Lin Dongwan was the most skilled at witty banter, engaging only in light conversation—typical of wealthy family women’s chatter. Qi and Xiu merely echoed. Xianglan, being clever, gradually began to sense something amiss.In the meantime, Lin Dongwan went to visit Lin Jinxuan and took her leave first. Once she was gone, Lin Dongxiu set down her tea bowl, wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, and said, "Finally, she's gone. How dare she sit there so shamelessly."
Lin Dongqi sighed and said, "Enough, enough. Let's have some tea." She personally went to refill Lin Dongxiu's tea.
Lin Dongxiu said angrily, "Second Sister! I'm standing up for you, yet you're as soft as a dumpling—unlike Father or Taitai. No wonder you get taken advantage of and bullied!" She turned and saw Xianglan, adding, "You don't know what that eldest sister has done. She visited our families, saying that her husband now holds a position in the Ministry of Revenue and could facilitate maritime trade for our benefit, urging us to invest in goods shipped by sea. Thinking she was family and wouldn't cheat us, we placed orders and advanced the silver. But when it came time to settle, the prices were the same as those from private merchants, and she even passed off inferior goods as high-quality, charging more than the market rate! The extra silver went straight into her pocket. I was a bit more cautious and only lost a few dozen taels, but Second Sister trusted her completely and lost nearly two hundred taels in this deal."
Lin Dongqi sighed, "Some of the goods were for my sisters-in-law in my husband's family. Earlier, when she visited my home, if she liked any of my fabrics or jewelry, I gave them to her. I thought that, out of family affection, she wouldn't overcharge and would offer a better price than outside, so I claimed all the orders were for myself. It seems I overestimated my own importance."
Lin Dongxiu sneered, "She told me that the prices at her shipping source were higher than elsewhere, and that the varieties and patterns were hard to find, claiming they were only obtained through her husband's connections. Little did she know, the more she explained, the more she exposed herself—as if everyone else were fools. Anyone from the Ministry of Revenue could easily verify the actual prices of these goods. For such a small amount of silver, she's truly thrown all decency to the wind."
Lin Dongqi sighed again and said, "What's done is done. If we confront her directly, all sisterly affection will be lost. Her husband's family is now just an empty shell; her husband is idle and useless, and she's too proud, so life is hard for her. Now that her Concubine has passed away and her second brother is ill and unreliable, perhaps these circumstances drove her to such thoughts." She shook her head and added, "Enough, let it be."
Xianglan smiled and said, "Second Young Mistress is truly magnanimous and tolerant. With such a generous heart, you'll have long-lasting blessings in the future." Seeing that Lin Dongxiu was still fuming, she advised, "As the saying goes, 'Leave some room for reconciliation.' In family matters, being too precise can make life unbearable. Since you can't bring it up, don't dwell on it and add to your distress." She thought to herself, people nowadays are all too shrewd; acting this way only blocks one's own path forward. Lin Dongwan, by sacrificing integrity for petty gains, thinks she's clever but is truly losing more than she gains. She also silently praised Lin Dongqi for enduring the loss and grievance while still considering others' difficulties, refraining from exposing the wrongdoing. Though not as sharp and capable as Qin Shi, her conduct in dealing with people carried a certain dignity that surpassed Qin Shi's.
Lin Dongxiu said with a stern face, "I know, but it's just hard to swallow this anger."Lin Dongqi shot Xianglan a meaningful glance, and together they raised their tea bowls, smiling as they said, "Today is Old Madam's auspicious day, let's not dwell on such matters. Drink tea, drink tea." With this casual chatter, the matter was brushed aside.
Presently, Qin Shi sent someone to summon Xianglan, calling her alone into the side chamber. Qin Shi sat on the large Heated Brick Bed, holding Xianglan's hand. She first inquired about her well-being, then praised her attire for the day: "This is how you should dress to look vibrant. I have a set of jewelry that would perfectly match your outfit. I'll have Hongjian fetch it for you to wear." Her eyes crinkled with a smile as she added, "You mustn't refuse, or I'll be cross."
Xianglan was about to decline when she heard this and quickly replied with a smile, "Taitai truly dotes on me." Her eyes remained fixed on Qin Shi, sensing there was more to come.
Sure enough, Qin Shi patted Xianglan's hand and gradually adopted a troubled expression, hesitating to speak. Xianglan thus asked, "What troubles Taitai?"
Qin Shi sighed, "Ah, this is difficult for me to say—it's about Old Madam. She said since it's her birthday celebration, her maternal family should be invited to join the festivities. But the only relatives remaining in the capital are the Jiang Family. Old Madam sent someone to invite them over. I tried to dissuade her for quite some time, but she wouldn't change her mind, insisting that Old Master had agreed too. This, this, this—ah—"
Xianglan understood completely, her heart clenching in immediate discomfort. She quickly composed herself, took a deep breath, and after a moment said to Qin Shi, "I understand. After all, they are Old Madam's maternal family. With such strained relations, she must be concerned. Today is her special day, and I will certainly prioritize harmony. Taitai need not worry."
Qin Shi gazed at Xianglan's pale, delicate face, her heart filled with complex emotions. Old Madam's actions were clearly meant for outsiders to see—that the Lin and Jiang families had reconciled, thereby clearing the sisters of the Jiang Family from their unfounded unsavory reputations. Yet this came at the cost of Xianglan's grievances. Qin Shi asked herself: if she were in Xianglan's place, she probably couldn't handle it with such calm and grace. She had prepared to comfort a sobbing Xianglan or soothe her resentment, but Xianglan's current composure only made Qin Shi cherish her more. Clutching Xianglan's hand, she repeated, "You child—ah, you child—" and actually drew her into an embrace, patting her gently.
Meanwhile, Xue Ning stood outside the side chamber, peeking furtively from behind the curtain. Lu Lan saw her and tapped her shoulder, asking, "What are you doing, sneaking around like a thief?"
Xianglan started, whipping her head around and patting her chest as she said, "You scared me to death!" She held up the sachet in her hand and explained, "Our new concubine forgot her sachet when she came over. I'm returning it. Since she's speaking with Taitai, it's not convenient for me to interrupt. Could you please give this to our grandmother?" With that, she shoved the sachet into Lu Lan's hands and hurried away.
Lu Lan muttered under her breath, "Delivering a sachet so sneakily..."
Xue Ning left the courtyard and hastened toward Youshi Hall. Lin Zhaoxiang was sitting in a wicker rocking chair outside, teasing a bird. Xue Ning hurried over and recounted what had just happened inside—how Qin Shi had spoken, how Xianglan had responded—to Lin Zhaoxiang. After observing Lin Zhaoxiang's expression, she added, "The new concubine has always been broad-minded—" Lin Zhaoxiang waved a hand, and Xue Ning fell silent.
Lin Old Madam, standing nearby, laughed and said, "My child, you're the clever one."
Xue Ning smiled obsequiously and replied, "I was taught by Old Madam herself. Even if I were foolish, I'd have absorbed some of your wisdom."
Lin Old Madam smiled and said, "Go now, keep a close watch. Do this well, and I won't let you down."Xue Ning repeatedly agreed and left.
Lin Old Madam asked, "What exactly are you trying to do—do you think she's pretending, or does she genuinely not mind? If she's pretending, she's far too cunning. But if she truly doesn't mind, then she's truly foolish."
Lin Zhaoxiang placed the birdcage in his hand on the small side table and said leisurely, "Lou Ge'er has suffered his whole life because of women, and now he's taken a fancy to this one. I must keep an eye out for him. There's no need for you to ask—I have my own plans."
OpenNovel