The carriage swayed as it exited the gate, then came to a halt. Xianglan lifted the thick felt curtain and peered through the cloud-patterned window gauze, catching sight of Lin Jinlou mounting his horse, surrounded by over twenty guards. He wore a black feathered fox-fur cloak and a large sable hat. When his gaze met hers, his brow furrowed slightly as if unwilling to acknowledge her. Gripping the reins, he turned his horse and rode out, followed closely by his entourage of guards.
A moment later, Shuangxi hurried over, hands tucked into his sleeves, his face nearly frozen stiff yet forcing a smile as he greeted them outside the carriage. Xue Ning opened the window, and Jixiang said, "This time, the Fourth Son-in-law and Fourth Daughter-in-law are bringing Young Master De along to admire the plum blossoms."
Xianglan hadn’t seen De Ge’er in some time and was delighted by the news. Leaning toward the window, she asked eagerly, "Really? In such cold weather, won’t it harm the child?"She smiled and added, "Thank you for specifically telling me."" She then took out a handful of coins and instructed Xue Ning to give them to Jixiang, saying, "It’s freezing—buy some wine to warm up."
Though the dozen or so copper coins meant little to Shuangxi, the recognition from the highly favored Concubine was a rare honor, making him beam with pleasure. He quickly added, "The Eldest Master ordered me to inform you, madam."
Xianglan was taken aback. Shuangxi, still smiling obsequiously, continued, "The Eldest Master also said that once we arrive, you may stroll to your heart’s content. However, since we’ll soon be entering the bustling streets with many eyes about, he advises you not to open the window, lest unwanted onlookers catch a glimpse."Hearing this, Xianglan glanced ahead and saw Lin Jinlou seated tall and straight on his horse, his back figure upright like a pine." She pursed her lips, thinking to herself, "It's not easy to get out like this, even if I'm seen through the window screen, it's not really clear. It's more troublesome than a nagging mother, such a difficult person to deal with."" With a huff, she let the curtain drop.
Jixiang, who had been standing by with his hands tucked, noticed Shuangxi rubbing his nose and snickered, "What’s wrong? Did the Concubine give you a hard time?"
Shuangxi shoved him playfully, "Go on, I’m in no mood for this."
Jixiang smacked the back of his head, "Getting bold, are you? I’m your elder brother, and you dare call yourself 'young master' in front of me? You fool, the Concubine hasn’t stepped out since arriving in the capital—she’s thrilled today. By delivering the Eldest Master’s message, you’ve just spoiled her mood. She’s the apple of his eye; lately, our master has been postponing all sorts of external affairs, braving this icy weather just to please her... Learn quickly, will you? Look at Gui Yuan—younger than you but sharp as a tack. He has recognized Xiao Juan as his elder sister, and now all the Concubine's external matters rest on his shoulders. Not long ago, she quietly bought a manor, and I heard he’s managing it too."
Shuangxi exclaimed in surprise, "When did that happen? Tsk, tsk, wasn’t the Concubine recuperating from illness recently?"
"Tsk, tsk, don’t underestimate her. Without some skill, how could the Eldest Master be so devoted? After her incident, I heard Jiang Jia compensated a hefty sum. She’s clever—bought a small manor and had Gui Yuan handle it."
"Does the Eldest Master know about this?"
"How could he not? The Concubine doesn’t realize it, but that manor originally belonged to him—he sold it to her at a discount."
"Why not just gift it to her outright? That would have made her happier.""Tsk, you're such a dimwit. Would Concubine ever accept something like that? By giving it to her almost as a gift, when she later learns the truth, she'll surely feel deeply touched in her heart. How could she not remember Eldest Master's warmth and consideration?" Jixiang said, glaring at her brother. "You, you! We may share the same clever looks, but you got none of the wit!"
For a while, nothing happened. The carriage rocked and swayed. Xianglan sat inside, holding a hand warmer, feeling drowsy herself. Having risen early that morning, she grew increasingly sleepy now, dozing off and on as she leaned in the carriage. When she woke again, she saw Xue Ning open a pouch and toss two banana leaf-shaped osmanthus incense cakes into the hand warmer. After replacing the lid, Xue Ning tucked it back into Xianglan's embrace, signaling that an hour had passed. Xianglan lifted the curtain and saw they had long left the city. A team of guards accompanied the carriage, along with local officials who had specially dispatched soldiers and attendants to escort them along the way.
After another two cups of tea's time, they arrived at the foot of a mountain, where a magnificent estate stood. Steward Xu Fu was waiting at the entrance. Seeing the group arrive, he hurried forward, kowtowed to Lin Jinlou, and said, "This humble servant welcomes Eldest Master." He repeatedly ordered others to take the horses and guided the carriage inside first.
Xianglan alighted from the carriage, and several matrons immediately came forward to usher her into the house. The bedroom already had a heated kang prepared, along with two braziers burning silver-thread charcoal. Lotus-shaped censers emitted styrax incense, making the room as warm as spring. Xianglan let out a long sigh. Xue Ning helped her remove her cloak and went to pour tea. Having been jostled in the carriage all the way, Xianglan felt sore in her back and legs, so she walked to the kang and sat down. Not long after, Lin Jinlou entered, having removed his cloak and hat. He held a thick stack of documents and said, "It's too cold this morning. We'll go out later and wait for Fourth Sister and the others. You rest for now and warm up." With that, Lin Jinlou sat by the kang table and buried himself in the documents. Some time passed until noise and the laughter of children could be heard outside—likely Marquis Yongchang had arrived with his family.
Lin Jinlou pinched the bridge of his nose and looked up, only to find Xianglan had fallen asleep against the kang. Her head tilted to the side, body curled up, her fair, rosy cheeks slightly flushed, and her crimson lips gently closed. Her expression was innocent and serene, as if carved from jade, resembling a figure made of jade. Lin Jinlou couldn't help but smile, his heart softening. Gently, he pulled a quilt over Xianglan.
Xue Ning happened to peek in while carrying a cup of tea. Seeing Lin Jinlou covering Xianglan with the quilt, she tactfully retreated, thinking to herself, "Eldest Master, who's used to giving orders, has never stooped to such humble acts or devoted himself to a woman like this." She shook her head, feeling that Chen Xianglan had truly endured much to reach this point.
The movement woke Xianglan. She opened her bleary eyes and saw Lin Jinlou gazing at her. He asked, "Awake?"Lin Jinlou had always been domineering and fierce, yet at this moment his expression was exceptionally gentle, carrying an indescribable emotion. Xianglan was speechless. She stared blankly for a long while, not daring to look at him again. As she propped herself up to rise, he pulled her into an embrace the moment she lifted her head, his lips pressing down to kiss her. The scent of pine, mint, and soap beans clung to Lin Jinlou—a fragrance Xianglan knew all too well. For so long, day and night, this was the aroma that filled her pillow. From initial panic and helplessness, she had grown accustomed to it. This man was so overpowering, branding layer upon layer of marks upon her heart and bones, until her past life, even her former husband from a previous existence, and Song Ke—whom she admired in this life but could never reunite with—slowly faded into vague shadows. Time and again, he had saved her; time and again, he had humiliated her. To this day, he remained the shackles that bound her, yet he had also shielded her repeatedly, stepping forward to shelter her from wind and rain in her most desolate moments.
For some reason, Xianglan suddenly felt sorrowful, as if something were stuck in her throat. Tears welled up and rolled down. After hesitating for a long time, she finally raised her arms and wrapped them around Lin Jinlou’s shoulders. Lin Jinlou shuddered, his heartbeat accelerating abruptly, thumping like a trapped rabbit. He lifted his face and whispered, "What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Is it because you’re too happy?" Without waiting for her reply, he wiped the tears from her face with both hands and kissed her again.
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