This was the first time Xianglan had seen Lin Zhaoxiang lose his temper, and she couldn't help but recall Lin Jinlou's fierce, glaring expression. She actually felt a bit like laughing and thought to herself, "Before, I thought everyone in the Lin family were scholars, refined and gentle. I had no idea where Lin Jinlou got his domineering temperament from, but now I've finally found the source." Suddenly, she froze. Initially, Lin Jinlou had been a master she had no choice but to serve in her heart, but gradually, his flaws had faded bit by bit. Especially after that stormy night when he was in dire straits, he stubbornly clung to life just to ensure her future was secure before he could close his eyes... After spending so much time together day and night, now when she thought of this person's faults, she could actually laugh from the bottom of her heart. Then her heart sank again, and she closed her eyes.
Just then, she heard Lin Jinyuan still sobbing beside her, and Xianglan snapped back to reality. She spoke up, "Old Master..."
Lin Zhaoxiang waved his hand and said, "Quiet, I'm asking him."
Lin Jinyuan was clever; seeing the situation, he knew he couldn't avoid it. It was better to confess frankly. He sobbed twice and said in a small voice, "The bracelet... it was me playing around and taking it out, and I lost it... It has nothing to do with anyone else..." After saying this, he started crying again, weeping while secretly glancing at Lin Zhaoxiang and then at his grandmother.
Lin Zhaoxiang snorted and said, "You little troublemaker, at least you're honest!" He handed the water pipe to Geng Tonggui and added, "Bring it here." Xuezhan then presented a gold-painted tray, on which, resting on red velvet, was clearly a string of Karna wood rosary beads.
Xianglan and Lin Jinyuan were both stunned. Geng Tonggui, slightly bowing, smiled and said, "This bracelet was picked up by this old servant. Early this morning, when the Fourth Young Master was going out with the Third Young Master, his pouch fell off at the second gate as he was mounting his horse. Only one young attendant was with him, and in the rush, he didn't notice and left. This old servant happened to see it and thus handed it over to the Old Master."
Only then did everything become clear. Xianglan suddenly understood and thought to herself, "So the Old Master was testing Yuan Ge'er by deliberately claiming the bracelet was lost."
Old Madam Lin, feeling sorry for her youngest grandson, quickly said, "Since everything's been cleared up and Yuan Ge'er has admitted it, let him get up quickly. The floor is cold."
Lin Zhaoxiang, his face stern with anger, snapped, "Let him kneel! All these years, he's supposedly studied the classics of the sages—has it all gone to the dogs? This useless thing only knows how to play petty, low tricks, disgracing our ancestors! If we don't discipline him strictly, he'll surely become a disaster in the future!" His face as dark as the bottom of a pot, he said to Ruizhu, "You tell it."
Ruizhu stepped forward and said, "This servant happened to be there at the right time. I was in front of the flower trellis and overheard a few things." She then recounted how Xianglan and Lin Jinyuan had spoken and how Lin Jinyuan had replied, and it was pretty much accurate.
Lin Jinyuan's face turned red and white with shame and remorse. He hung his head, tears streaming down his face.
Old Madam Lin didn't dare to plead further, and Xianglan didn't dare to speak. The only sound in the room was Lin Jinyuan's soft sobbing. Lin Zhaoxiang let out a deep sigh, turned his head to look at Xianglan, and his tone softened slightly as he said, "You stand up. I have a few questions for you."
Xianglan had no choice but to stand.
Lin Zhaoxiang half-squinted, looking her up and down a few times. He tapped the kang table with a few fingers of his left hand, stared at the painting on the wall for a moment, and suddenly said, "I've long known about your affairs with the young lady of Jiang Jia."
Xianglan was taken aback, unable to hide her astonishment.Lin Zhaoxiang said, "Not only does she know, but she probably knows even more than you do. She's fully aware of every move those young ladies have made." He picked up a small square towel from the table and wiped his hands, speaking slowly, "The Jiang family's young lady conspired with her sister to harm you. Now that such a perfect opportunity has arisen, why not frame her? First, it would vent your hatred, and second, it would earn you a favor. This matter could be done without a soul knowing. If I don’t have Ruizhu follow Yuan Ge'er, naturally no one would find out."
Xianglan blurted out, "My own conscience would know." Seeing Lin Zhaoxiang’s sharp gaze fixed on her, she grew somewhat flustered, lowered her head, then raised it again as if to reaffirm her words, and softly repeated, "My own conscience would know."
Lin Zhaoxiang stared at her with hawk-like eyes and said, "Let me ask you this: if Yuan Ge'er refused to admit his mistake today, would you truly take the blame yourself? Even if you repay malice with kindness like this, Jiang Xiyun wouldn’t know about it. Don’t talk about having the magnanimity to embrace all rivers or the capacity to tolerate others—how many sages have there been since ancient times? We are all ordinary people, subject to joy, anger, sorrow, fear, and surprise. How could such things not affect the heart?"
Upon hearing this, Xianglan curved her lips into a faint smile. In her previous life, when she had met Lin Zhaoxiang, she had found his speech smooth and modest, like a gentle breeze, but she hadn’t expected his words at home to be so piercing and direct, revealing an entirely different side of him. She also recalled how the Shen and Lin families had been close in her past life, and how Lin Zhaoxiang had once held her on his knee, guiding her small hand to write the eight characters: "Rectify faults and correct errors, virtue alone shines bright." A mix of emotions welled up in her, and she said, "When I was young, I scoffed at the phrase 'repay malice with kindness,' thinking, if you repay malice with kindness, then how do you repay kindness? I believed that acting on impulses of gratitude and revenge was the essence of life. But as I grew older and experienced more of the world, I realized my earlier perspective was due to a lack of breadth of mind. 'Repaying malice with kindness' corresponds to three levels of understanding in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism."
Everyone was taken aback by Xianglan’s words. Lin Zhaoxiang, however, grew deeply interested. Having once served as Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, he was well-versed in the teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, but this was the first time he had heard a woman discuss them in his presence. Even Old Madam Lin listened attentively.
Xianglan stood as straight as a pine tree, her back erect, her voice gentle and refined: "The first level is what Confucius said: 'Repay malice with justice, and kindness with kindness.' It draws a clear distinction between the two, offering the satisfaction of worldly fairness. Most ordinary people operate at this level—if someone insults them, they resent it and retaliate, let alone in more serious matters."
Lin Zhaoxiang nodded slowly and said, "True. A single misplaced word can create enmity."
Xianglan continued, "The second level is from Laozi: 'When great grievances are reconciled, some resentment is bound to remain. How can this be considered good? Therefore, the sage holds the left tally but does not blame the other party. The virtuous keep to their pledge, while the virtueless exact their due. The way of heaven shows no favoritism, but it always sides with the good.'"
Lin Zhaoxiang said, "This is from the seventy-ninth chapter of the Dao De Jing."
Xianglan smiled slightly. "The Old Master is truly erudite." She glanced down at Lin Jinyuan’s bewildered expression, as if explaining it to him: "This means that even if deep hatred is reconciled, resentment will inevitably linger in the heart. Can repaying malice with kindness truly resolve it? It is like a virtuous person holding an IOU but not harshly demanding repayment, while a virtueless person nitpicks and insists on collecting the debt. The great way of nature always aligns with the good." She paused before adding, "The wrongs others have done to you are like IOUs in your hand. Those of profound virtue do not harshly demand repayment but instead use virtue to dissolve the debt. It is better to resolve enmity than to perpetuate it, and heaven and earth are just—those who are often willing to suffer losses will surely receive abundant rewards."Lin Jinyuan tilted his head in thought, sniffled as if somewhat ashamed, and lowered his head again.
Lin Zhaoxiang’s eyes brightened as he asked, “And the third level?”
Xianglan replied gently, “The third level belongs to the Buddhist path: ‘Heaven and earth are within grasp, all transformations arise from the mind.’ In this world, grievances beget grievances, conflicts and disputes arise all for the sake of fame, profit, face, status, and that one breath we cannot swallow. Therefore, to let go and see through, to relinquish self-attachment—when others treat us with malice, we do not harbor resentment but instead cultivate compassion, pitying them for the karmic retribution they will suffer for their wrongdoing. This is the highest state. It requires profound cultivation, refinement, and compassion to hold no hatred in one’s heart, to be broad-minded, open-hearted, and free.” Her words, neither hurried nor forceful, fell clearly upon the ears.
Lin Zhaoxiang was visibly stirred, his eyes widening as he exchanged a glance with Old Madam Lin. Both wore expressions of astonishment.
Old Madam Lin could not help exclaiming, “This is truly…” She looked Xianglan up and down several times before adding, “Have you now attained such insight and detachment?”
Xianglan shook her head and smiled. “Not at all. Just now in the flower hall, when I saw her, I still felt intense hatred. Perhaps in a few years, when the resentment in my heart has gradually faded, I might be able to treat her with kindness. As the Old Master said earlier, we are all ordinary people—how can we not be affected? In the end, she is the one who harmed me, leaving me likely without descendants in the future. Asking me to treat her with kindness now would be forcing the impossible. I simply do not wish to dwell on it anymore. If I cannot reach the highest state, I can at least achieve the middle one. Besides, what’s done is done. No matter how much I hate, the abortifacient I drank cannot be vomited up. Holding onto hatred only makes me suffer. If I were to falsely accuse or seek revenge, how would that differ from her previous actions? I will simply treat her with fairness and calm—without hatred, yet without forced affection. Upholding a clear conscience, I wish to live with integrity.” Having said this, she glanced down at Lin Jinyuan, who was kneeling dejectedly and unsteadily on the ground, tear stains on his cheeks, pitiful as a kitten. She then lifted her head and continued, “Earlier, the Old Master asked me whether, if the Fourth Master had not come, I would have admitted to the fault. To be honest, I never considered it. At the time, I merely intended to provoke him. The Fourth Master is an extremely intelligent and perceptive person—he would certainly take responsibility.”
After hearing these words, Lin Zhaoxiang remained silent for a long while before finally letting out a sigh. “I never expected to hear such words today, and from someone like you.” He sighed repeatedly, shaking his head and nodding, and said, “A pity, a pity… yet admirable, admirable…” His expression toward Xianglan had softened, his eyes glimmering with complex emotions. After a long pause, he remarked, “With such breadth of mind, no wonder you could paint those paintings. It reminds me of an old acquaintance.” Then, he personally picked up the teapot, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to Xianglan, saying, “After speaking for so long, you must be thirsty. Have this cup.”
Everyone was astonished, and their regard for Xianglan shifted markedly. Geng Tonggui thought to himself, “In all my years serving the Old Master, this is the first time I’ve seen him pour tea for a woman—and she’s a Concubine who started as a maid! Tsk, and she’s the Eldest Master’s favorite. There’s surely more to this.” He pondered whether he ought to send word to Lin Jinlou.
Xianglan was taken aback but quickly accepted the cup with both hands, giving a slight curtsy as she said, “Thank you, Old Master, for your kindness in bestowing this tea.”Seeing Lin Zhaoxiang's expression soften, Old Madam Lin seized the opportunity to say, "Why not let Yuan Ge'er rise now, or at least give him a cushion to kneel on? The weather is still chilly, and it would be terrible if he truly fell ill. He has already acknowledged his mistake, hasn't he?"
Lin Zhaoxiang's face immediately hardened again. He shot a stern glare at Lin Jinyuan, who dared not even breathe loudly. Suddenly, Lin Zhaoxiang sighed and said, "This is my fault. I only focused on teaching you to study before, neglecting to properly instruct you in how to conduct yourself. I took pride in how many passages from the Four Books my youngest grandson could interpret and how many essays he could write at such a young age, but I forgot that virtue and talent must go hand in hand—with 'virtue' coming before 'talent.' Otherwise, no matter how much one reads or how talented one becomes, if one is full of base tricks and lacks moral integrity, bringing shame upon our ancestors, it would be better to have him beaten to death!"
Before he could finish speaking, wailing cries were heard from outside. Just as Lin Zhaoxiang was about to send someone to inquire, a maid announced that Second Aunt had arrived. Lin Dongqi entered, her face full of alarm, and said, "Old Master, Old Madam, something terrible has happened in the side chamber. Please come and take charge, Old Master."
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