Against the Current

Lin Jinlou returned to the Hall of Flourishing Spring at dusk. Jiang Shangxian had spoken with him for quite some time earlier, appearing sincere as he bowed in apology and offered a large sum of silver as compensation. Lin Jinlou sneered inwardly; Jiang Shangxian was indeed a capable man, handling matters with a certain dignity—it was a pity he had been born into the wrong family.

He walked around the screen into the bedroom, where only Xue Ning and Ling Qing were keeping watch. The two hurriedly stood up as Lin Jinlou lifted the bed curtain. Xianglan was still fast asleep, so he asked, "How is your mistress?"

Xue Ning replied, "Doctor Zhang instructed that she take medicine every two hours. She just had a dose and drank a few sips of jujube tea before falling asleep again."

Lin Jinlou nodded, hung the bed curtain on a small silver hook, and sat down. Ling Qing served him tea before withdrawing with Xue Ning. The flickering candlelight from the gilded orchid lamp cast a warm glow on Xianglan’s face. She still leaned against the brocade pillow in a rosy haze, her dark hair spread out, making her face appear even smaller—like a piece of pure white jade, delicate and beautiful. Wrapped in an embroidered quilt, she lay there like a flower battered by a storm, fragile and weary.

Lin Jinlou gazed at her for a long time, his anxious and irritable heart gradually calming. Who would have thought such a delicate girl could be so generous and strong-willed, with insight and breadth of mind far beyond ordinary women? He had always found it strange—how could a servant couple like the Chens raise such a daughter? She was like an orchid blooming in ruins and mud, enduring countless hardships yet remaining resilient, evoking in him a sense of reverence. Now he finally understood why Xianglan wanted to leave, but even with a knife to his throat, he could not grant her wish!

He couldn’t resist reaching out to touch her face, brushing aside the stray hairs at her temple. Xianglan stirred awake, blinking drowsily. When she saw Lin Jinlou, she was startled, her eyes widening. Given his unpredictable temper, she feared he would be furious after she had openly declared her intention to leave. To her surprise, Lin Jinlou spoke gently, "Awake? Are you hungry? There’s red date porridge simmering in the small kitchen. How about a bowl? Doctor Zhang said you need to replenish your energy and blood."

Xianglan thought she was dreaming, staring blankly at Lin Jinlou for a moment. Noticing the slight smile on his face, he added, "You should eat something to settle your stomach before taking medicine." He then fetched a pillow to prop her up and brought a bowl of jujube tea to feed her.

Bewildered, Xianglan wondered if the man had lost his mind from anger. She watched as Lin Jinlou set down the teacup, called Ling Qing in, and ordered a bowl of porridge. He personally fed her spoonful by spoonful, his eyes fixed on her the entire time.

Feeling uncomfortable, Xianglan reached out and said, "Let me eat by myself. It’s not like my hands are injured."

Lin Jinlou refused, "No, you rest properly. Let me take care of you for once." Then, raising an eyebrow, he grinned, "I’m treating you so well—are you moved? Happy?"

Xianglan found it utterly childish and tedious. Feeling unwell, she couldn’t be bothered to humor him and couldn’t resist retorting sarcastically, "To think you’d lower yourself like this—you definitely can’t be the Lin family’s Eldest Master."

"Oh? Then who am I?"

"A ghost wearing a painted skin, a male fox spirit in human form."

Lin Jinlou burst out laughing, "Alright, calling me a painted-skin ghost and a fox spirit—you’ll be the death of me yet."

Xianglan smiled faintly, "No need to be angry, Eldest Master. Who knows how many people outside are cursing me as a fox spirit nowadays? I’ve already avenged you."After these words were spoken, Lin Jinlou could no longer smile. Xianglan remained pale, weak, and haggard, the room filled with the scent of medicine. The anger in his heart flared up again. He set the bowl aside on a small table, took Xianglan’s small hand in his and squeezed it tightly. Only after a long while did he finally speak: "Jiang Xiyun has come to apologize to you and will also compensate you with five thousand taels of silver."

"Five thousand taels? I never imagined I’d be worth so much..."

Hearing this, Lin Jinlou felt a pang of discomfort. He pressed his index finger to Xianglan’s lips and said after a long pause, "You’ve suffered an injustice in this matter, and I will naturally stand up for you. If you can bear children in the future, then so be it. Otherwise... hmph. Good deeds stay behind closed doors, but scandals travel a thousand miles. Those who are clever will surely see through the truth. With this stain on their reputation, the Jiang family will find it even harder to regain their standing in the future. The Lin family will absolutely not extend a helping hand again. If Jiang Shangxian proves capable, the Jiang family might still have some hope."

Xianglan lowered her eyelashes and remained silent.

Lin Jinlou watched her for a long time before suddenly asking, "How do you know so much about the Shen family’s affairs? You weren’t even born when the Shen family met with disaster, were you?"

Xianglan lifted her eyes to look at Lin Jinlou and said, "I had a dream. In my past life, I was the eldest daughter of the Shen family and had even been betrothed to you. But the marriage never came to pass, and I later married someone else. After the Shen family became embroiled in calamity, I also met a tragic end."

Lin Jinlou stared at her wide-eyed, his expression inscrutable. The two gazed at each other for a long time, the room so quiet one could hear a pin drop.

Xianglan forced a faint smile and said, "I was just teasing you, Eldest Master. How could such a thing be possible? My master, Dingyi Shitai, was once the daughter of an official and had ties with the Shen family. I heard it from her."

Lin Jinlou suddenly leaned down and kissed Xianglan on the lips. Startled, she looked up. Lin Jinlou grinned and said, "Perhaps that really was your past life. It seems you were destined to be with me all along. If you followed someone else, you’d meet a bad end."

Xianglan forced another smile and lowered her head. Seeing her troubled expression, Lin Jinlou unconsciously furrowed his brow and squeezed her hand again, more firmly this time.

Early the next morning, Jiang Xiyun came in person to apologize. The memory of Xianglan’s questioning that day still echoed in her ears, making it a scene she was unwilling to revisit. Standing outside the screen, she performed three formal bows, then hurried away with her maid, as if a ghost were chasing her. Ling Qing sneered, "The Jiang family got off far too lightly."

Xue Ning whispered, "The Jiang family’s carriage is waiting outside. They’re leaving immediately! Their luggage was packed overnight. Old Madam Jiang is likely on her last breath—she coughed all night long. And Fourth Miss Jiang, since returning yesterday, has been burning with fever and babbling nonsense."

Ling Qing sighed and said, "This truly proves the saying, 'Do not harbor deceit in your heart, for heaven watches above.' They thought they could gain advantage through scheming, but in truth, the heavens have eyes."To cut a long story short, Xianglan was recuperating from her illness in the mansion. Lin Dongqi sent people over with gifts every few days, while Tan Luhua and Lin Dongxiu occasionally came to visit. The two of them vaguely guessed the reason behind it all, but whenever they asked Xianglan, she would never answer, merely smiling and letting the matter drop. If pressed too hard, she would say, "Madam and the Eldest Master have forbidden me to speak of it," using this as an excuse. However, Tan Luhua overheard the maids mentioning that Xianglan had drunk a potion made from the "Childlessness Elixir," which shocked her greatly. She realized it was the very packet she had lost, picked up by the Jiang sisters. She couldn't help but feel grateful that she had already sold Qianluo and Caiping far away. After a few days of anxiety without any rumors surfacing, she gradually set her mind at ease, and for the time being, let the matter rest.

Before long, more than a month had passed. On this day, Xia Gugu was instructing Lin Dongxiu when Xue Ning entered, carrying a foreign-lacquered tray with seven or eight exquisitely crafted snow-white boxes. She smiled and said, "These are newly arrived cosmetics from outside, in various styles. The Concubine said that since the young lady is about to become a bride, she should pick two boxes first."

Lin Dongxiu opened each box to examine them. Inside were purple powder made from rice flour, butterfly-attracting powder from finely ground millet, jade maiden peach blossom powder mixed with musk and motherwort, pearl powder made from jasmine seeds, and jade hairpin powder crafted from jade hairpin flowers, among others. The powder blocks were shaped into circles, squares, octagons, or sunflower petals, pressed with raised or sunken patterns of plum blossoms, orchids, and lotuses, all wrapped in silk cloth and emitting a fragrant aroma.

Lin Dongxiu exclaimed delightedly, "So exquisitely made, they're absolutely perfect! Please convey my thanks to your Concubine." She selected two boxes, and Xue Ning took her leave to deliver the rest to Tan Luhua.

Xia Gugu remarked, "There should be reciprocity. Since the Concubine has gifted you two boxes of cosmetics, you shouldn't simply accept them without returning the courtesy."

Lin Dongxiu agreed, "That's only right." She retrieved two exquisitely crafted scented sachets and instructed Qiangwei to deliver them.

Xia Gugu smiled slightly and nodded in approval.

Not long after, Lin Dongxiu overheard Qiangwei chatting outside the window with Tan Luhua's maid, Caifeng. Qiangwei said, "Just now, when I went to the Hall of Flourishing Spring to deliver something, I saw a box of jewelry that the Eldest Master had just had made for the Concubine. My, it was so dazzling I could hardly keep my eyes open. I reckon even the vinegar bottles in her room are made of agate."

Caifeng, who had been scolded by Tan Luhua over the lost medicine incident and had even missed out on being promoted as Lin Jinxuan's concubine, felt resentful upon hearing Qiangwei's words. Unable to hold back, she vented her frustrations: "Don't blame me for saying something unpleasant, but Chen Xianglan comes from a servant's lineage yet acts like a young lady. The Eldest Master holds a high position and power—ordinary people don't even catch his eye. For him to elevate her to concubine is like 'a fool topping the imperial exams'—her ancestors' graves must be smoking with luck. But she still puts on airs, acting all high and mighty. What does she want? Does she dream of becoming the Da Nǎinai? She's delusional!"

Qiangwei laughed, "Don't say that. Who knows what fate might have in store for her in the future?"

Caifeng sneered, "No matter what happens, she's still born to a servant. She got the wrong womb from the start. Even if a snake wants to become a dragon, it must know its place. Even if it manages to climb up, it's still just a dish on the table!"

Before she could finish, a teacup was thrown out of the window, shattering on the ground with a loud "crack," startling both of them. Lin Dongxiu scolded, "Who's gossiping out there?"

Caifeng didn't dare say another word, stuck out her tongue, and quietly slipped away.Lin Dongxiu sneered, "How dare they gossip about their master's affairs like this? Second Sister-in-law should really put a stop to it." Because Xianglan had treated Lin Dongxiu with genuine sincerity, the two had gradually grown closer, and even Lin Jinlou began to treat Lin Dongxiu with a kinder expression, adding considerably to her dowry. Today, upon hearing someone speak ill of Xianglan, Lin Dongxiu felt compelled to defend her.

Xia Gugu thought to herself, "'You can't wrap fire in paper.' As soon as Xianglan fell ill, Jiang Jia hastily moved away, not even mentioning the previously arranged marriage. I can probably guess a thing or two about the unsavory matters involved. Tsk, tsk, it's truly pitiful for Chen Xianglan. These days, I've been quietly observing her—a genuine pearl covered in dust, her fate beyond her control. But in this world, there is no circle that cannot be broken. Servants have narrow perspectives; how could they know that Xianglan might not rise to prominence one day and truly become a proper mistress? It's a shame I'm of low status and my words carry little weight, otherwise I would certainly help her." But enough of that.

Another month passed, and a messenger from Jiang Jia brought news of Jiang Mu's critical illness and subsequent death. At that time, the Lin family was adorned with lanterns and colored banners, with drums and music resounding in celebration—Lin Dongxiu was getting married.