Against the Current

Lin Dongqi slumped her shoulders and said, "I can neither cry nor laugh in front of my mother-in-law. Whatever I do, she finds fault with it, sending people to make sarcastic remarks and criticize me indirectly. On the surface, she treats me kindly, but it always ends up making me cry. I’ve kept all of this to myself and haven’t even told my mother, afraid she’d worry and get upset. Besides, I can’t hide under my mother’s protection forever. I already feel guilty for not being able to care for her properly now, and adding to my parents’ troubles would only make it worse. I don’t know how I’ll manage in the future. My husband has passed the imperial exams and entered the Hanlin Academy. In a year, he’ll be assigned to a post outside the capital. I’ve inquired and heard that my mother-in-law plans to keep me at home and not let me accompany him."

Li Miaozhi gritted her teeth and said angrily, "I’m also afraid that Su Meiru, that seductive fox, will stir up trouble. Just the other day, she was spouting nonsense, saying that my husband and father-in-law were hiding disloyal intentions, perhaps embezzling silver from the household. She claimed the accounts must be mismatched. My father-in-law flew into a rage and, without even checking the facts, struck my husband. His back is still covered in bruises."

Miao and Qi exchanged a glance and sighed in unison. Li Miaozhi said, "Enough of this, let’s have a drink."

Jiang Xiyun looked at Lin Dongqi, then at Li Miaozhi, and lowered her voice. "I’ve heard two recent pieces of news that might amuse everyone. Perhaps after hearing them, all your troubles will be resolved."

Li Miaozhi asked curiously, "What news?"

Jiang Xiyun said leisurely, "The Vice Minister of Personnel, Wang, has ventured into the world of courtesans in his old age. Two years ago, he took a new Concubine and dotes on her excessively. Not only does she overshadow his wife of several decades, but even his own children have to take a back seat in her presence."

Li Miaozhi laughed and said, "Sounds just like my father-in-law. Those two ought to meet and become sworn brothers."

Jiang Xiyun continued, "The Vice Minister’s wife tried everything—crying, making a scene, even threatening suicide—but nothing worked. It wasn’t until her brother brought an even more beautiful 'Yangzhou slim horse' and gave her to Vice Minister Wang as a Concubine that things changed. The woman’s contract is held by the Vice Minister’s wife, and the two are now united in their efforts. As the saying goes, 'One only hears the laughter of the new favorite, never the tears of the old.' With this new rival competing for his affection, Vice Minister Wang’s attention has been split in half. He no longer listens to the first Concubine in everything, and the household has finally found some peace."

Li Miaozhi, being clever, caught on immediately. "You mean—I wonder if my mother-in-law would mind if my father-in-law took another Concubine—"

Jiang Xiyun said calmly, "Rather than suffering day and Night under Concubine Su’s provocations, it’s better to find her a worthy rival. Your mother-in-law has your husband, her eldest son, as her support for the future. Right now, she just needs an ally to help her breathe easier for a few days. Why fear taking on another Concubine? Besides, if we let Concubine Su continue to sow discord, driving a wedge between father and son, the family will fall apart!"

Li Miaozhi thought for a moment, then clenched her teeth and said, "You’re right. What you suggest is a solution. Tomorrow, I’ll return to my parents’ home and discuss it with my mother. She’s on good terms with my mother-in-law; it would be safer for her to bring it up."

Lin Dongqi widened her eyes as Jiang Xiyun looked at her and said, "There’s another piece of news circulating outside. In the Hanlin Academy, Academician Zhao’s daughter-in-law often clashed with his wife. Zhao’s wife is fierce and domineering. But then Academician Zhao became infatuated with the famous courtesan Hua Yuchi and spent a thousand taels of silver to remove her from the courtesan registry and bring her home. Since then, Zhao’s wife has had no energy to quarrel with her daughter-in-law, focusing all her efforts on competing with Hua Yuchi. The daughter-in-law often comforts Zhao’s wife, and the two have actually grown closer."Lin Dongqi was taken aback for a moment before immediately understanding, murmuring, "This—my father-in-law isn’t the type to be fond of women—"

Jiang Xiyun said, "Duke Zhenguo only has two elderly concubines by his side, and he’s still in the prime of life. If his siblings step in to arrange for him to take a new concubine from a respectable commoner family, it wouldn’t be out of the question. Aside from this, is there any other solution? Given the blood ties, your mother-in-law is scheming against you. As a junior, you can only endure it. If you dare talk back even once, you’ll be blamed for being disobedient. Are you willing to endure this for the rest of your life?"

Lin Dongqi bit her lip and remained silent.

Jiang Xiyun paused before continuing, "Why not seek help from your eldest brother? I heard he once saved the life of your father-in-law’s second brother during the war. Their relationship is extraordinary. Go to him and pour out your grievances, exaggerating them ten or a hundred times over. He’s very protective of his own and will surely stand up for you by approaching Duke Zhenguo’s second brother. It’s quite common for brothers to gift concubines to one another. Once that’s done, the matter will be settled—"

Lin Dongqi felt tempted but also sensed something amiss: "But—doing this—isn’t it wrong—"

Then she heard Jiang Xiyun sigh softly: "As women, we should have seen through this long ago. First, hold onto your silver tightly, treat yourself well, and raise your children properly in the future. Everything else is illusory. In this life, one’s own happiness is what truly matters."

With these words, the three fell silent, hearing only the strains of music and song from outside. No one noticed that Lin Dongwan, lying on the large heated brick bed, had quietly opened her eyes a slit, glanced around, and closed them again.

Meanwhile, Xianglan had been standing in attendance for half the day. Once Qin Shi and the others finished their meal, the banquet was cleared, and fruits and pastries were brought out. Qin Shi then told Xianglan to go and eat. The maids had already set up a table for her under the corridor. Xianglan had just sat down and picked up a bite with her chopsticks when she saw Lin Dongqi and Li Miaozhi approaching.

Lin Dongqi hesitated halfway and said, "Forget it," turning to go back.

Li Miaozhi quickly grabbed her and said, "Weren’t we just discussing this? I’ll accompany you. If you can’t bring yourself to speak, I’ll help smooth things over." She added in a low voice, "Xianglan is your eldest brother’s treasure. Ask her to put in a good word for you, and it’ll be even more foolproof, won’t it?" With that, she pulled Lin Dongqi along. Seeing her still hesitating, she added, "Come on, this is for your own good. It’s like the emperor isn’t anxious, but the eunuch is."

Xianglan, seeing the two whispering to each other, knew something was up. She set down her chopsticks and stood up, saying, "Second Young Mistress, Third Mistress, is there something you need?"

Li Miaozhi smiled and said, "Indeed, there’s a matter. We’ve come shamelessly to ask a favor of you." She then pulled Lin Dongqi over.

The two also sat down at the table. The three of them exchanged glances, and Li Miaozhi kicked Lin Dongqi under the table, giving her a meaningful look. Lin Dongqi’s face flushed slightly, and after mumbling a few words, she finally said, "Xianglan, there’s something I need to ask of you now."

"Mm, Second Young Mistress, please go ahead."Lin Dongqi glanced at Li Miaozhi, hesitated for a moment, then steeled herself and said: "My mother-in-law—treats me with extreme harshness. Nothing I do pleases her. She says I lack wit and am not clever, so much so that even the old servants in the household put on airs in front of me. I’ve endured all this. But next year, when my husband is assigned to an official post elsewhere, my mother-in-law refuses to let me go with him. Instead, she wants to promote one of her own maids to be a Concubine and send her along with my husband. I—" As she spoke, Lin Dongqi was genuinely overcome with grievance. She couldn’t help wiping her tears with a handkerchief, took a breath, and continued: "Just now, someone suggested an idea to me—to find a new Concubine for my father-in-law. That way, my mother-in-law would be preoccupied with watching someone else and wouldn’t be able to control me. My elder brother is very close with the second brother of Duke Zhenguo. I thought of asking him to have Duke Zhenguo’s brother take charge of arranging a banquet to take in a respectable Concubine. I must trouble you to plead with my elder brother on my behalf—I know it’s absurd for a daughter-in-law to suggest taking a Concubine for her father-in-law, but I—I have no other choice—" As she spoke, she began to weep again.

Xianglan was startled by these words. Li Miaozhi, standing nearby, said: "Indeed, Second Sister is in such a difficult situation now. We must ask you to put in a good word with Elder Brother."

Xianglan pondered for a moment before speaking: "I’m sorry, Second Young Mistress, but I’m afraid I cannot help with this."

Both Qi and Miao were taken aback.

Lin Dongqi asked: "Why not?"

Xianglan said: "In the Four Books , Zigong asked if there was one word that could serve as a guiding principle for life. Confucius said: 'It is reciprocity. Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.' Second Young Lady, you know how painful it is when your mother-in-law forces a maid upon your husband. Since you do not wish to endure it yourself, do not inflict such trouble upon others in return."

Li Miaozhi said: "That is the way of the gentleman, and how one ought to interact. But Second Sister’s mother-in-law—her actions are utterly despicable. When dealing with such a petty person, one should repay her in kind and let her taste her own medicine!"

Xianglan laughed upon hearing this: "'Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire' should not be divided into categories of petty persons or gentlemen. Let’s consider this idea: would bringing in a respectable Concubine really resolve the matter? Perhaps the Duchess would grow even more resentful and angry. If she is already unhappy, she might vent her frustrations on her daughter-in-law and torment Second Young Lady even more. Moreover, there are no walls that don’t leak. If we keep it tightly concealed, it might be manageable, but what if her mother-in-law later finds out that our family was behind the idea? That would be disastrous. The enmity would likely last a lifetime without resolution. If it spreads outside, we would lose all face, inside and out. What if it escalates beyond control? Taking a step back, even if we repay her in kind due to her mother-in-law’s tyranny and bullying, it would only provide momentary relief. Once such causes are planted, it will inevitably lead to factions forming, opposing sides, mutual harm, and escalating cycles of revenge and resentment. The desire for retaliation knows no mercy. To live day after day in conflict, in a world of slander and sabotage—would such a life bring any happiness?"

Lin Dongqi nodded slightly and couldn’t help asking: "Then what should I do?"

Xianglan said: "First, stop the wrongdoing. Do not harbor hatred. When hatred grows, it leads to endless cycles of harming one another. First, you must have the magnanimity to endure."

Li Miaozhi said: "If we endure everything, wouldn’t that make us cowards? What if the other party becomes even more aggressive and bullies us outright?"Xianglan smiled again and said, "In family life, using evil to combat evil is ultimately a temporary solution, not a cure. Besides, she is an elder. As the saying goes, 'One does not strike a smiling face.' Few are so deranged and unreasonable as to be utterly heartless—most people still possess compassion. Close one eye to her faults and open the other only to her virtues. Treat her with sincerity. If she errs, don’t confront her head-on; find a roundabout way to handle it. 'Three feet of ice is not formed in a single day'—the same applies to human relationships. Trust is built gradually, bit by bit. That is the way to lasting harmony. If you retaliate tit for tat, even if you win temporarily, you’ll sow seeds of future trouble. Only by stopping evil with a tolerant heart can you find true peace." After a moment’s thought, she added, "At any rate, the posting abroad won’t happen until next year. First, try to move her with sincerity. If it doesn’t work by then, Taitai and the Master won’t stand by idly, and I will certainly help as well. As for how to proceed, I urge Second Young Mistress and Third Mistress to think it over carefully."

Lin Dongqi took a deep breath and said, "What you’ve said—I—"

Xianglan looked at her earnestly and said, "Every word I’ve spoken comes from the bottom of my heart, some born of personal suffering. Life in this world inevitably brings hardships. Filter out the bitterness and malice—don’t stir them up and let them spread. Treating others with kindness may be difficult at first, but it makes life easier as time goes on. Retaliating with resentment may offer momentary satisfaction, but it breeds more enemies and makes life increasingly hard."

Lost in thought, Lin Dongqi slowly stood up and began walking back. Li Miaozhi quickly followed. After a short distance, Lin Dongqi suddenly stopped, turned around, and said, "I’ve decided to take Xianglan’s advice. 'Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.' I will start with tolerance and patience."

Li Miaozhi was momentarily speechless, watching her without a word.

Gazing at the faint clouds on the horizon, Lin Dongqi said slowly, "You know, Taitai didn’t treat Xianglan well initially. She thought Xianglan was too delicate and ambitious, fearing she wouldn’t be content. Even though Xianglan once saved me, Taitai still found many ways to suppress her. Xianglan never complained and even acted with great benevolence to save Taitai and Fourth Sister. Though Taitai treated her slightly better afterward, she remained guarded and never opened her heart fully. Yet Xianglan never uttered a word of resentment. I used to think it was because 'one must bow under another’s roof'—that she couldn’t afford to offend Taitai and buried any resentment deep inside. But hearing her words today, I realize she truly never held any grudge. I was the narrow-minded one. My mother is extremely shrewd, and her current fondness for Xianglan is entirely due to Xianglan’s consistent sincerity and forgiveness in her daily conduct. If she can do it, so can I."

Though still struggling to fully accept it, Li Miaozhi was ultimately a sensible person and nodded slowly. Thinking of Jiang Xiyun, she suddenly sighed.

Meanwhile, Su Meiru, supported by two young maids and holding her belly, walked gracefully toward the main Flower Hall. On the Covered corridor, she saw Lin Dongwan approaching with a beaming smile. "Let me take a look! Oh, your belly is even bigger than a few days ago. It must be quite taxing, isn’t it?"

Su Meiru smiled in return and said, "Thank you for your concern, Eldest Young Mistress. I’m feeling quite well. The tonic you brought back from overseas last time has been very beneficial." But inwardly, she thought, "Shameless creature! Insatiably greedy for bargains—who knows how much silver she’s squeezed out of me under the guise of trading? If I didn’t need her, I wouldn’t bother with her at all!"Lin Dongwan smiled like a spring breeze: "Of course, these medicinal herbs are extremely precious." As she spoke, her smile gradually faded. She glanced around, and Su Meiru immediately understood, dismissing the attendants before asking: "What is it?"

Lin Dongwan said: "I heard something—please don't tell anyone I told you—I had too much wine earlier and was resting in the inner room when I overheard Jiang Xiyun and Li Miaozhi plotting to persuade the elders to take a new concubine for Second Uncle, to divide his favor from you. Ah! I broke into a cold sweat upon hearing this—how dreadful! Thinking of you, I rushed over to deliver the message."

Su Meiru flew into a rage at once, her willow-leaf eyebrows shooting up as she sneered: "That worthless little frozen mouse dares scheme against me? She doesn't know her place! I'll make sure she learns my methods soon enough!" Then, softening her expression toward Lin Dongwan, she smiled: "Thank you for telling me. If you hear any such rumors in the future, please do inform me. Otherwise, with no one to rely on and these vicious people scheming against me, they'll devour me alive. Next time you have goods shipped in, I'll place another order. I'll give you fifty taels of silver as a deposit first."

Lin Dongwan thought to herself that this meant silver was coming her way, her face blossoming into a smile: "Don't you worry, I know what to do. You must take care of yourself. Once you bear a son, with Second Uncle's affection for you, you could even strut through the second household—don't ruin your health over this anger."

Su Meiru feigned a sigh: "In this entire mansion, you're the only one who truly cares for me. Others may show respect on the surface, but I know what they're thinking—watching from afar, stirring trouble, making insinuations, and cursing indirectly—they've mastered every trick and harbor nothing but ill intentions, all waiting to see me fail. I've only found one kindred spirit in you, yet you're often not by my side."

Lin Dongwan sighed: "Isn't that the truth."

Su Meiru said: "Dear sister, I beg you to quickly alert me whenever they say anything in the future, so I don't end up dead without knowing why."

Lin Dongwan hurriedly replied: "Naturally, you don't even need to ask."

They conversed a while longer before Su Meiru bid Lin Dongwan farewell and entered the Flower Hall through a side door. Wang Shi spotted her immediately, her face darkening at once. Li Miaozhi quickly stepped forward, leaning in to whisper in Wang Shi's ear: "Taitai, please don't show your displeasure. With so many eyes watching now, even sworn enemies must act sweet as honey—especially since this is the Old Madam's birthday. A stern face reflects poorly on the Old Madam. The more such occasions, the more magnanimous we must appear."

Wang Shi forced a nod, squeezing out a faint smile as she said to the Old Madam: "Look at her—we all said she shouldn't come in her condition, yet here she is. Come sit." Then her face fell again.

Li Miaozhi couldn't help sighing inwardly. No wonder her mother-in-law was disliked—she was too straightforward. On such occasions, one should at least put on airs. Her own mother had advised her that in dealing with others, one should be sweet-tongued but firm-hearted, always allowing people to save face. Her mother-in-law did the exact opposite—harsh in speech but soft at heart, ending up bullied and blamed by all.

Lin Old Madam glanced at Su Meiru and responded with a faint acknowledgment.Su Meiru appeared completely unbothered, as if she hadn't noticed anything. She stepped forward and gave a slight bow, saying, "I wish the Old Madam boundless happiness and longevity like the South Mountain." Then she added with a smile, "I should have knelt to pay my respects, but given my condition, I hope the Old Madam will forgive me."

Lin Old Madam replied, "Of course, we don't blame you. Please sit and enjoy the opera."

Beaming with joy, Su Meiru took her seat. Tea and fruits were immediately served by the attendants. She happened to be sitting next to Xianglan and gave her a slight, friendly smile. Xianglan recalled the rumors that had reached her ears recently in the mansion—Su Meiru was apparently Lin Jinlou's former lover. Seeing her now made Xianglan somewhat uncomfortable, but she forced a smile in return before turning her gaze outward, ignoring her further. Su Meiru tried to strike up a conversation several times, but Xianglan only responded with faint smiles, unwilling to say more. After a while, Su Meiru stopped trying and simply helped herself to peanuts and melon seeds.

The opera on stage had not been playing for long when someone announced, "The Old Master is here!" At this, everyone in the room stood up in surprise.