Against the Current

Bao'er responded verbally, deliberately dropping his horsewhip near Guiyuan. He dawdled and whispered to Guiyuan, "Second Master has tied up Miss Xianglan in the carriage." After saying this, he picked up his horsewhip and left.

Guiyuan was greatly startled, thinking he had misheard, and was half-convinced and half-doubting. However, when he saw Bao'er glance at him with an expression full of anxiety, he couldn't help but believe it a little more and grew anxious himself. Just as he was about to speak out, he noticed Xingge's fierce and menacing appearance, along with the two or three guards and attendants standing nearby, and swallowed his words, thinking to himself, "If this is true, it's terrible. This is the side gate leading to the Second Household's street, and the people guarding the area are all Second Master's men. My cries for help would be useless and might even make things worse." Thinking this, he first walked back inside the gate, then broke into a run, darting all the way to the front. There, he saw a banquet in progress in the hall, but Lin Jinlou was not present. Grabbing a young servant to ask, he was only told that the Master was in the Master's study.

Guiyuan hurried to the study and peered through the crack in the door. Sure enough, Lin Jinlou was inside, along with another official seated to the side. The three seemed to be in conversation. Guiyuan could no longer care about anything else. He pushed the door open, knelt on the ground, and said, "Master, it's bad! Madam Xianglan has been tied up and is now in a carriage at the western side gate."

Upon hearing this, Lin Jinlou's face instantly changed dramatically, and he exclaimed, "What?" Without waiting for a reply, he abruptly stood up and turned to leave.

Lin Changzheng's face darkened as he said, "Stop! Where do you think you're going?"

Lin Jinlou paid him no mind. Enraged, Lin Changzheng shouted sternly, "You wretched beast, stop right there!" He then called out to his personal guards, "Guards, stop him!"

Sure enough, seven or eight guards rushed out from outside the door to intercept him. Lin Jinlou began to fight back, but these guards were also skilled, and for a moment, he couldn't break free. Lin Jinlou's eyes reddened with desperation as he struggled to charge forward, gritting his teeth and shouting, "You bastards, get out of my way!" Shuangxi, standing guard outside, saw the situation deteriorating and thought to himself, "This is terrible! They're actually fighting!" He hurriedly sought someone to deliver a message inside.

Just then, Yuan Shaoren came in from the front hall and was greatly shocked, not knowing what had happened. He only thought that with guests present, causing a scene would make them a laughingstock. To keep the peace, he took advantage of Lin Jinlou's distraction, sneaked up on him, and used a grappling technique. Lin Jinlou, caught off guard, tried to block with his hand, while other guards swarmed in, grabbing his limbs, pressing their knees against his legs, and twisting his arms. Yuan Shaoren pressed his hand against Lin Jinlou's waist, tripped him with his foot, and pinned him to the ground, rendering him immobile. All the while, he kept saying, "Eagle Soar, let's talk this out properly. What are you doing?"

The official seated nearby, Minister Wei, was stunned by the scene and felt extremely awkward. He stood up, repeatedly cupping his hands in salute, and said, "I must take my leave, I must take my leave." He hurriedly left, flicking his sleeves.

Lin Changzheng was so angry that his entire body trembled like a sieve. He even forgot to exchange polite remarks like "family disgrace" or "forgive my shame" with Minister Wei. Thinking that family scandals should not be publicized, he pointed at the door with a stern face and said to the guards, "Step back and close the door!"

Lin Jinlou lay on the ground, struggling incessantly, his eyes nearly bulging with bloodshot intensity. He strained his neck and shouted, "Let me go! Xianglan has been tied up!"

Lin Changzheng roared in fury, "That's right! I ordered your second uncle to tie her up!"

"What? Why?""Why? You still dare question me? It's all because of you, this worthless son! Count how many times you've stumbled over women, yet you still haven't learned your lesson! Now you're even more willful and temperamental. I'm your father – if I don't teach you properly, it's my failure as a parent. I absolutely cannot indulge you in committing such foolish acts that would become the laughingstock of the world!"

Lin Jinlou gritted his teeth and said, "What exactly do you want? Where are you sending Xianglan?"

"Simple. Once you agree to the Wei family marriage and complete the wedding, I'll naturally send her back. During this time, she'll be well provided for with good food and drink – she won't suffer any hardship. My word is my bond."

"Bullshit!"

"You... you... what did you say?!" With a "smack," an inkpot was thrown at Lin Jinlou's face, immediately causing blood to stream down his temple.

Yuan Shaoren was greatly alarmed and quickly said, "Father-in-law, please calm your anger!"

The veins on Lin Jinlou's forehead bulged: "I said bullshit! Not even if the sky falls!"

Lin Changzheng flew into a rage: "That lowly woman – ah, what's so good about her that has you so bewitched? You're abandoning family, career, future, and reputation! If not for her past kindness to the Lin Family, she'd deserve death!"

With blood on his face, Lin Jinlou glared furiously, nearly grinding his teeth as he said, "Father, don't push me too far." Turning his head to Yuan Shaoren, he said, "Old Yuan, if you truly consider me a brother, let me go."

Lin Changzheng was about to explode with anger and shouted, "Don't let him go!"

Yuan Shaoren hesitated.

Lin Jinlou said to Yuan Shaoren with hatred, "Do you want Xianglan to end up like Lianniang?"

Yuan Shaoren immediately froze, his grip loosening. Lin Jinlou sprang up like a carp leaping from water and rushed toward the door again. Just then, Qin Shi supporting Lin Old Madam hurriedly pushed the door open and ran straight into Lin Jinlou. The moment the two women saw blood streaming down his temple, they were horrified, their hearts aching so much their faces trembled. They cried out "my flesh!" and "my son!" in alarm, then burst into tears, both embracing Lin Jinlou and weeping.

Though Lin Jinlou was burning with anxiety, his mind remained extremely clear. He thought to himself: "Xianglan was taken on Father's orders by Second Uncle. As they say, 'to catch bandits, first catch their leader.' If I can subdue my father first, Xianglan will naturally return. Otherwise, even if I chase after them now, the carriage would likely be long gone." Thinking this, he changed his demeanor, turned back into the room, tears in his eyes, and knelt on the ground saying, "Father, if anything happens to Xianglan, don't blame me for being unfilial – I'll truly shave my head and become a monk."

When Lin Old Madam heard this, she felt as if her heart had been torn out. With a sob, she bent down and embraced Lin Jinlou's head, crying, "Lou Ge'er, are such words meant to take my life?" Her trembling hand wiped the blood from his head. Qin Shi stood to the side wiping tears, also weeping softly.

Lin Jinlou, red-eyed, said, "Grandmother, my father has taken Xianglan away, I don't know where—"

Lin Old Madam looked down at Lin Jinlou, her face full of heartache: "Good child, get up first, the floor is cold. Does the wound on your head hurt?" She glared fiercely at Lin Changzheng and said sharply, "Hateful that at my age I didn't raise a good son! Did you cause this blood on his head? You're actually driving my grandson to become a monk! What sin did I commit in my past life!" Covering her face, she wept uncontrollably.Lin Changzheng was so frantic he wanted to tear his hair out. Stamping his foot, he said, "Mother, you... you know nothing about this! You have no idea what shameful things this scoundrel has done! I'm disciplining him for the sake of our ancestors' dignity!"

"I haven't seen what shameful things he's done, but I've seen you beating him until his head bleeds! Is this how you maintain dignity?" She then looked down at Lin Jinlou, her voice full of tenderness, "Quick, apply the medicated cream, poor child—" Tears rolled down her cheeks again.

Lin Jinlou looked at Lin Changzheng and said, "Father, every word I just said came from the bottom of my heart. My life was saved by Xianglan, and even the lives of over a hundred people in the Lin Family were saved by her. If anything happens to her, I'll become a monk and chant sutras to atone for her!"

Lin Changzheng flew into a rage, "Madness! Absolute madness! Over a hundred lives? What nonsense are you spouting?"

"I'm not mad!" Lin Jinlou gritted his teeth, seeing that only family members were present in the room, with no servants or guards around. "I never wanted to bring this up—I intended to let it turn to ashes and rot in my stomach. Two years ago, I found the crown prince."

This statement struck like a thunderbolt, stunning everyone in the room. Lin Changzheng staggered back a few steps, exclaiming in disbelief, "What? What did you say?"

"At that time, the crown prince was hiding in a temple, having renounced the mortal world. I met him once and sent trusted aides to escort him beyond the pass to the Western Regions. Unexpectedly, Zhao Jin caught wind of it, investigated thoroughly, and recorded everything. Later, that fatal evidence fell into Zhao Yuechan's hands."

Lin Changzheng seemed to have been struck by a paralysis spell, his face ashen as he stumbled backward and collapsed into a chair.

Lin Jinlou continued, "If it weren't for Xianglan—who, on the night of the rebel uprising, saved her several times despite past grievances—and if she hadn't been moved by Xianglan's compassion and handed that letter to her on her deathbed, someone would have surely found it when searching her corpse. By now, the entire Lin Family would have been executed. How could we still be here wielding power and enjoying such grandeur? But after Xianglan obtained the letter and read it, she secretly tore it up and never mentioned it again. If I hadn't happened to be awake and witnessed it secretly, no one would have known. The entire Lin Family remains unaware that we owe her such a profound debt! Father, how can we repay it? How?"

Lin Changzheng stood up, feeling dizzy and seeing stars before his eyes.

Lin Jinlou raised his head, looking at Lin Old Madam with a hoarse voice, "Grandmother, as a son, I dare not resent Father for his actions. If I cannot fulfill my filial duties in the future, please take good care of yourself." As he spoke, two streams of tears rolled down his cheeks.

Naturally, Lin Jinlou had no real intention of becoming a monk; he was merely countering his father's move. But Lin Old Madam couldn't bear it. This eldest grandson, whom she had raised with such affection—how many years had it been since she had seen him in such a state? She couldn't help but recall how, as a mischievous child, Lin Jinlou would hide in her arms for protection when his father chased him to punish him. She pulled Lin Jinlou's head into her embrace as if he were still a six- or seven-year-old boy, trembling as she pointed at Lin Changzheng and said, "If you still acknowledge me as your mother, send that Xianglan back at once!"

Lin Changzheng said, "Mother, this scoundrel wants to marry that low-born servant girl—"

"Whom he marries is another matter. For now, you must return Xianglan safe and sound."

Lin Changzheng gritted his teeth, "No! If he has the nerve, let him go ahead and become a monk!"Upon hearing this, Lin Jinlou drew a dagger from his boot and was about to cut off the hair from his topknot. Yuan Shaoren, quick as lightning, seized Lin Jinlou’s wrist, startling Lin Old Madam so much that her heart nearly leaped out of her throat. She wailed in anguish, "Lou Ge'er! My dear grandson! What are you doing? Do you want to kill me—"

Qin Shi stepped forward, tugging at Lin Changzheng’s sleeve and shaking it desperately, tears welling in her eyes. "Master! Please bring Xianglan back! We must not forget kindness—she has always been a good child—"

Lin Changzheng trembled all over, his heart sinking into despair. He let out a long sigh and sat down again, as if he had aged several years in an instant. After a long pause, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice, "I’ll have my second brother take her to Duke Zhenguo’s Manor in the outskirts of the capital."

At these words, Lin Jinlou immediately stood up to leave, but Lin Old Madam blocked his way, crying and pleading, "Now that we know where she is, just send someone to bring her back. What if that head injury of yours turns into something serious? You mustn’t go—you’re not allowed to go anywhere!" Qin Shi had already gone out herself to fetch medicine.

Yuan Shaoren whispered to Lin Jinlou, "Don’t worry, I’ll go personally with some men to fetch her." With that, he turned and left.