He spoke: "Whether alive or dead, a girl like Third Sister wandering outside with neither wits nor skills to rely on will likely come to no good end. I now consider her dead. Whether performing good deeds or holding memorial services, it's merely to ease my conscience. Don't mention this to Second Aunt - I fear she couldn't bear it."
Xianglan nodded, unconsciously letting out a soft sigh.
For a while, the two conversed casually. Lin Jinlou shared interesting anecdotes from his travels outside, then said: "I have something to show you." He gave orders, and someone brought in a box. Upon opening it, they found stacks of papers inside - some were correspondence, others were small unframed paintings and calligraphy works. When Xianglan unfolded them, she was startled to discover they were letters and artworks left by her grandfather and father from her previous life. Shocked, she abruptly looked up at Lin Jinlou.
Lin Jinlou explained: "Shen Gong had excellent penmanship. I kept some of his letters originally to use as calligraphy models. Later when the Shen family met with misfortune, most correspondence with them in our household was burned. The elders forgot I still had these. With time, I forgot about them too, leaving them to gather dust in this box. I only rediscovered them while organizing my study a few days ago."
As Xianglan browsed through the letters, tears suddenly welled in her eyes. Lowering her gaze, she clutched the paper and said: "Please give them all to me. These are the only mementos I have left—"
Lin Jinlou watched her silently. Xianglan looked up and asked: "Do you want to hear about my connection with the Shen family?"
Lin Jinlou was taken aback, then nodded.
"In my previous life, I was the legitimate eldest granddaughter of the Shen family, named Jialan. When I told you before, it wasn't just some absurd joke."
"Really?"
"Truly. When grandfather was convicted, our family was raided and fell from grace overnight. By the next day when I received the news, my marital home was already surrounded by troops. Later when we were taken to prison, my mother and sisters were already in another cell. I didn't dare speak or call out to them. The jailers were shouting fiercely, so I could only look back helplessly. Poor me, still naive at that time, thinking I could eventually see my family again. Little did I know that glance would be our final farewell."
"I heard Madam Shen and her daughters committed suicide at the Imperial Entertainment Bureau—you didn't go there?"
"No, I was exiled along with my husband's family. I still remember hearing on our departure day that grandfather and others had been executed at the Meridian Gate. That day was truly bleak and miserable - my tears never dried. Later during our journey, we rested at a dilapidated Guanyin Temple. I knelt before Guanyin Bodhisattva and prayed wholeheartedly: whoever could collect the bodies of my Shen family members and give our ancestors' souls a proper resting place, I would serve them as a slave or maid in my next life, repaying the debt forever." She glanced at Lin Jinlou and sighed deeply, "I never understood why I became a maid in your household this lifetime until I saw your family's ancestral graves, then it suddenly made sense."
"What happened after?"
"Later, my husband from that life fell ill and died during the journey. Soon after, I too succumbed to poverty and illness on the road." Xianglan hesitated momentarily, ultimately not revealing that Song Ke was Xiao Hang, "When I woke up as if from a dream and opened my eyes, I had become a maid in the Chen family. Sometimes when I recall my previous life, I wonder if it was just a long dream I had - but I was so immersed in it that I took it for reality."
"So that's how it was."
"Do you believe me?""I believe you, of course I do. I'd believe anything you say." Lin Jinlou looked at Xianglan with a resolute expression. He thought to himself: No wonder Xianglan specifically went to pay respects at the Shen family ancestral graves, knows all the old stories of the Shen family like the back of her hand, and her calligraphy and painting style are exactly like Grand Secretary Shen's from back in the day. If she hadn't been personally tutored by her grandfather from childhood, who could have inherited such authentic skills? He had originally wondered how a couple like Chen Wanquan could raise such a daughter - exceptional in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, needlework, manners, demeanor, and social conduct. So the root was here. Some minor officials' daughters who later rose to prominence, or some maids pretending to be young ladies from wealthy families, only learned superficial airs and material consumption. But the accumulated refinement of centuries-old great families is ingrained in flesh and blood - how could it be replicated by merely imitating the surface?
Hearing Lin Jinlou's words, Xianglan forced a smile and slipped her small hands into his, as if drawing strength from his touch: "At first I thought if my grandfather and the others were reborn like me, we might meet again in this life. But later I learned about the veil between lifetimes, and considering the vast sea of humanity and life's impermanence, even if people from my previous life were to meet me now, they wouldn't recognize me. Even if we did recognize each other, who knows if it would be a blessing or a curse. I just regret... ultimately, I never got to see my closest family members one last time."
Lin Jinlou saw Xianglan gazing wistfully out the window, her brows furrowed with delicate sorrow like dew-laden lotus flowers. He couldn't describe the complex emotions in his heart. Xianglan had confided her deepest secret to him, placing her complete trust in him. He felt both heartache and some relief as he wrapped his arms around her. After a long while, he finally said: "Whether you were originally a maid or a young lady of the Shen family, to me, you're just you - my wife. There's no difference. But it pains me to think of all the suffering you've endured. What happened to the Shen family remains a sensitive topic even now. The Crown Prince once privately lamented that the punishment dealt to the Shen family was too severe. When the new emperor ascends the throne, he will surely restore the Shen family's reputation."
After he finished speaking, Xianglan remained still for a long time. When he finally looked down, he saw her quietly nestled in his arms, her face already streaked with tears.
Lin Jinlou took a handkerchief and wiped her tears, holding her and gently rocking for a while. Looking out the window, he noticed the sky had darkened - it was already time to light the lamps. He said: "It's the Ghost Festival today. Why don't we go out? There's a temple fair outside - very lively."
Xianglan replied hoarsely: "But there are so many people outside, we might get crowded—"
"How could I take you somewhere crowded? Come, I'll take you to a wonderful spot."
After giving orders to prepare what they needed, and since Xianglan was feeling melancholy and genuinely wanted to go out to refresh her mind, they both changed into outdoor clothing. Xianglan took a sedan chair out through the side gate of the residence, passing through bustling markets and streets filled with endless vendor calls. The sedan chair was carried straight to a nearby small hill where Lin Jinlou had already ordered soldiers and guards to clear the area and open the path.Xianglan stepped out of the sedan chair, and Lin Jinlou took her hand as they ascended the stone steps together. Soon, a pavilion appeared halfway up the mountain. Ling Qing, Ling Su, and Xue Ning were already there, with several red candles burning in candlesticks and delicate palace lanterns hanging overhead. The stone benches were covered with thick, glossy satin cushions, while a gilded silver censer with animal-shaped handles on the stone table emitted fragrant smoke from incense cakes to ward off mosquitoes. Wisps of blue smoke curled upward, and seasonal fruits were arranged alongside an array of candied treats and pastries in pale pink official kiln dishes—almonds, pinellia, layered fragrances, olives, mint, cinnamon, yam cakes, water chestnut flour cakes, toad pastries, goat cheese, rose preserves, and more. When Ling Su noticed their arrival, she hurriedly brewed hot tea, its aroma filling the air with a steamy mist. At Lin Jinlou’s wave, the three women quietly withdrew.
“Well, isn’t this place lovely? I’d originally planned to bring you here for the Mid-July Festival moon viewing.”
“It truly is a wonderful spot,” Xianglan nodded.
They stood side by side, the autumn crickets chirping softly in their ears. Below the hill lay a bustling market, brightly lit as if it were daytime, with a steady stream of people coming and going. The sky hung low, the night so deep it seemed impenetrable, yet sparse stars twinkled, and a icy moon hung in the heavens like a jade plate. The earthly and celestial realms mirrored each other, evoking a sense of transcendence. Though clearly part of the mortal world, this secluded nook felt detached, as if the universe had shrunk to just the two of them.
Lin Jinlou wrapped an arm around Xianglan, and she rested her head on his shoulder. They stood in silence, both immersed in the intimate understanding and warmth between them.
After a while, the faint strains of opera singing drifted to their ears. Lin Jinlou frowned and said, “Beyond this pavilion, there’s a Moon-Viewing Tower where other nobles are enjoying the moon and merriment. They must have hired actors to perform.”
Xianglan smiled. “It’s quite beautiful—it’s the ‘Dreams Retained’ scene.”
Lin Jinlou rubbed his nose and muttered, “Why must they sing that particular piece?” Originally, after The Legend of Lanxiang Jushi spread among the people, someone expanded it from twelve to eighteen scenes, adding episodes such as Xianglan’s earlier mutual affection with a young scholar and Lin Jinlou’s coercion by saving her father to force her into the mansion as a concubine. The revised version, set to new music, was renamed Lanxiang’s Destiny . Its elegant lyrics and moving melodies quickly made it popular, even surpassing the earlier Dream of Mandarin Ducks in fame. When Lin Jinlou found out, he brooded for days. Xianglan suppressed a laugh and said, “The revised version isn’t entirely untrue, Master. Why trouble yourself over it?” Lin Jinlou grumbled resentfully, “If I ever find out who fabricated this nonsense, I’ll have them destroyed!” Seeing Xianglan’s barely concealed smile, he could only sulk in frustration. This “Dreams Retained” scene depicted precisely the episode where Lin Jinlou compelled Xianglan to enter his mansion as a concubine.The melody, with its intricate twists and turns, seemed to voice all the grievances she had felt upon first entering the mansion. Hearing it now, memories surged forth like a tidal wave, carrying her back to the day she had entered the Lin Family as a maid. She had encountered a cruel master, faced constant harassment, and later bid farewell to her past to save her father by becoming a concubine, only to suffer further schemes and betrayals. Every step had been against her will, and at each desperate juncture, she thought she could not go on. She had shed countless tears and made many foolish mistakes, yet she always found the strength to rise again. Each step was marked by blood and tears, but with each obstacle overcome, she grew more resilient and mature. Gradually, she shed her clumsiness and sharp edges, polishing her crude and arrogant heart into a gem as exquisite as fine jade. Returning to her original self, she now viewed the world with the greatest kindness, humility, and harmony.
Lin Jinlou suddenly spoke, "When I think of how I treated you back then, I realize I was truly a scoundrel."
Xianglan was taken aback and turned to look at him. In the flickering candlelight, his face was half in shadow. She said, "I've long since forgotten the ways you mistreated me." She reached out, took his large hand, and placed it over her abdomen, gazing into his eyes. "What matters is the long future ahead of us, and besides, we have him now." With a carefree smile, she added, "All those past hardships were merely due to my unresolved karma."
That faint smile was far more captivating than any radiant grin. Lin Jinlou's expression shifted, touched by a mix of emotion, sorrow, and joy. He stared intently into Xianglan's eyes, as if trying to see into her very soul and etch her into his bones and blood.
He grasped her hand and said, "Come with me." Leading her outside the pavilion, he ordered a servant to bring a tray. Pointing to it, he explained, "Today, by custom, we should release lotus lanterns on the river, but there's no river here. So, we'll use these instead—they're Heavenly Lanterns, for making wishes and dispelling ill fortune." The lantern, made of red paper, stood nearly half a person's height and was exceptionally large. Together, they held it as Lin Jinlou took out a fire starter and lit the oiled paper inside.
The flickering flame within the lantern made Xianglan's White Jade-like face appear even more enchanting, her starry eyes glistening and her peach-blossom cheeks flushed. Lin Jinlou was nearly entranced before snapping back to reality and saying, "Let go." They released their grip, and the lantern drifted lazily into the sky. Lin Jinlou then lit another one with her.
Together, they lit ten Heavenly Lanterns and ordered the guards and maids to light over forty more. The moonlight, clear as water, cast a silvery glow, and the lanterns rose into the night sky like scattered stars, shining like gold—a magnificent sight. Many commoners at the foot of the hill stopped to watch, pointing upward in awe.
Xianglan marveled, unable to tear her eyes away.
Lin Jinlou asked with a smile, "Do you like it?"
Xianglan nodded.
He then picked up a white Heavenly Lantern and said, "This one is for the deceased. Write whatever you wish to say to your loved ones from past lives. It's said that the departed can see it from the underworld."
Xianglan took up the brush, thought for a moment, and with a heart full of tender emotions, wrote only a few brief lines: "Separated by life and death, my longing is etched in bone, tears flow freely. Though past and present lives may never meet again, we will never forget each other. I am well and hope you take care." She personally lit this lantern and, together with Lin Jinlou, sent it soaring into the sky.
Xianglan watched as the lantern drifted farther away, the Night breeze stirring her disheveled hair.
Lin Jinlou removed his cloak and draped it over her shoulders, holding her close as they gazed into the distance. He asked, "What did you write just now?"
"Nothing much, only that I am well now and hope they are all well too.""Feeling better now?"
"Yes, much better."
"Then let go of all regrets from now on. Consider this your farewell to loved ones from past lives. Whatever happened before—be it stormy, rainy, or tragic—quickly turn the page. From now on, you have me." Lin Jinlou lowered his head and kissed her temple.
Xianglan felt something lodged in her chest, as if past attachments had truly faded into fragility, ready to shatter with a breath of wind. She had countless words to pour out to Lin Jinlou, yet they stuck in her throat, leaving her speechless, staring at him in a daze.
Lin Jinlou straightened with solemn dignity and spoke in a steady voice: "I desire nothing more."
Neither did she.
She gazed at him, the two facing each other in tranquil stillness.
In this corner of the world, vibrant and clamorous, it was filled with sky lanterns, resonant opera songs, heavenly melodies, and the bustling noise of the market crowds below—myriad mortal delights, all brimming with earthly vitality. Yet the entire world also felt profoundly silent and illuminated, as serene as mountains, as tranquil as emerald peaks, as quiet as an autumn breeze, as still as the frost-like full moon perched on a treetop. All things had reached nirvana, entering the realm of non-birth.
A rising wind stirred Xianglan's sleeves and skirts, making her momentarily dazed, utterly uncertain whether she was dreaming or awake, in a past life or the present. She had no idea where she was, and in all directions, only this person filled her vision, leaving no room for anything else. In a state of complete self-transcendence, she repeatedly called her beloved's name in her heart.
(End of Main Text)
OpenNovel