It is said that Lin Jinlou did not return home until the early morning of the next day. Qin Shi, unable to rest easy, rose during the hour of Shen to worship Buddha and chant scriptures. Upon hearing a maid report that Lin Jinlou had returned, she hurried to the Hall of Flourishing Spring to see him. Without announcing herself, she quietly hid behind a screen and peered inside. There she saw Lin Jinlou, still in his travel-stained clothes, unwashed and unshaven, sitting on the bed staring blankly as if in a trance. In his hand, he clutched a piece of fabric. Qin Shi looked closely and realized it appeared to be a pair of men's socks.
Qin Shi stood at the door for a long while, but Lin Jinlou remained motionless, barely even blinking. Qin Shi thought to herself, "This is bad—he's bewitched." She quickly entered the room, cautiously approached Lin Jinlou's side, and gently nudged him, saying, "Lou Ge'er, Lou Ge'er?"
Lin Jinlou seemed startled and looked at Qin Shi in confusion. "Mother, why are you here?"
"I came to check on you," Qin Shi replied, reaching out to touch his face with concern. "Where were you last night? And your second uncle..." She hesitated, noticing his expression, and decided not to press further, especially avoiding any mention of Xianglan. Instead, she said, "Let the maids fetch water for you to wash up. Lie down and rest for a while." When Lin Jinlou remained silent, she took it upon herself to arrange for his ablutions.
Soon after, maids brought in a silver basin. Qin Shi personally wrung out a towel and wiped Lin Jinlou's face. He remained silent and allowed her to tend to him. As she moved to wipe his hands, she noticed the socks in his grasp and asked, "Why are you holding these? Oh, these socks aren't even finished yet. What are you doing with them?"
Lin Jinlou seemed to snap out of his daze and replied, "Xianglan was making these for me." He then smiled and added, "Mother, you have no idea how difficult it used to be to get her to make anything for me. I had to swallow my pride, alternating between threats and pleas, and she'd still grumble and act indifferent. When she finally made me a pouch, it was done half-heartedly, which infuriated me. But gradually, she improved. Now, whatever I ask for, she makes. And look at these socks—I didn't even have to ask. She noticed the change of season and started making them on her own. Isn't she especially considerate?"
Qin Shi was dumbfounded, her mouth agape for a long moment before she managed to say, "Ah, well... yes, she is quite considerate..." Internally, she thought, "Isn't my eldest son acting like a fool? Countless women are eager to make clothes and socks for him, yet he never paid them any mind. Instead, he shamelessly begs this one girl, and now he's over the moon about a mere pair of socks."
"Exactly," Lin Jinlou continued. "She's sincere at heart, not the type to deceive with sweet words or flattery. When she cares for someone, it comes from the depths of her heart." He looked down at the socks, gently smoothing out the wrinkles, and murmured, "I wonder where that silly girl has gone. Why can't I find her? She still needs to finish these socks..."
Hearing this, Qin Shi felt a lump form in her throat. Afraid of upsetting Lin Jinlou further, she held back her tears and quickly placed the towel on the table. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Are you hungry? The kitchen has been simmering your favorite dishes on low heat. Would you like to eat something?"
Before she could finish, Shu Ran announced from outside, "The Old Master and the Eldest Master have requested the young master to come to the study."
Upon hearing this, Lin Jinlou stood up to leave.
Qin Shi stopped him, saying, "You've been busy all night. Have something to eat first and rest for a while. You can go to the study later."Lin Jinlou shook his head and said, "Second Uncle lost half his life last night and was carried back. There must be an explanation for Grandfather and Father." Having said this, he still went ahead.
Upon entering the Hall of Veracity, Lin Zhaoxiang and Lin Changzheng were both present. After paying his respects, Lin Jinlou recounted the incident of Lin Changmin’s injury from the previous night. He omitted the part about Lin Changmin colluding with river pirates to take his life, only mentioning lightly that his second uncle had been injured in the neck while assisting him in suppressing the bandits. Lin Zhaoxiang could not help but feel troubled and sorrowful, worrying for a while. After leaving the Hall of Veracity, Lin Jinlou finally revealed the truth to Lin Changzheng. Lin Changzheng was so shocked he was left speechless, then flew into a rage: "That treacherous scoundrel! How dare he..." He quickly scrutinized Lin Jinlou and asked, "You weren’t hurt, were you?"
Weariness written all over his face, Lin Jinlou waved his hand impatiently and said, "Father, I still need to go out and search for someone. I’ll take my leave now." With that, he strode out.
Seeing his son’s cold demeanor, Lin Changzheng knew that resentment still lingered in his heart. His expression darkened, and though he wanted to call out to him, seeing how haggard his son looked, he merely moved his lips and ultimately said nothing.
Lin Jinlou went to the front study, deploying his available men to search for the missing person. He also ordered the news to be spread throughout the city, offering a heavy reward and alerting people from all walks of life to join the search. Shortly after, Shu Ran entered with a cup of strong tea. Lin Jinlou rubbed his face vigorously, picked up his horsewhip from the table, and was about to leave again when Jixiang hurried in and said, "Eldest Master, Bao’er has returned!"
Lin Jinlou jolted and asked, "Where is he?" Without waiting for a reply, he pushed past Jixiang and rushed outside. There, Bao’er stood with his hands at his sides by the study door. Seeing Lin Jinlou emerge, he quickly knelt on the ground. Lin Jinlou glanced around and asked, "Where is Xianglan?"
Bao’er stammered, "Madam Xianglan, she... she... didn’t come."
"Where is she?"
"I... I don’t know..."
"What?"
Bao’er stole a glance at Lin Jinlou before quickly lowering his head again.
It turned out that Bao’er was Yingge’s younger brother, originally named Zhao’er. His name had conflicted with Lin Zhaoxiang’s taboo, so it was changed. Because of his clever and adaptable nature, he had caught Lin Changmin’s favor and was usually tasked with handling horses and carriages.
That day, Lin Changmin had ordered Lai Xing and Lai An to tie up Xianglan. Lai Xing, feeling uneasy and suspicious of everyone, commanded Bao’er to prepare the carriage, scolding him, "You useless fool, dragging your feet like you don’t understand human speech. Today, the master has important business—capturing the heart’s desire of someone in the mansion. If anything goes wrong, we’ll all pay dearly." Hearing this, Lai An immediately pulled him away. But Bao’er had heard every word clearly and thought to himself, "‘The heart’s desire of someone in the mansion’—could that mean Xianglan?" So, under the pretext of moving a flowerpot, he followed the two from a distance, hiding behind a house. Sure enough, he saw them tying up Xianglan. Horrified, he turned to leave and report the matter, but it was already too late. In his panic, he spotted Gui Yuan, knowing he was Xianglan’s trusted aide. Pretending to pick up a horsewhip, he passed the message along.After the men were bound and loaded onto the carriage, once they had left the city, Bao'er deliberately slowed the pace, earning him curses from Laixing. Bao'er intentionally grumbled and argued back incessantly. Enraged, Laixing climbed out of the carriage and sat on the shaft to exchange insults with Bao'er. Seizing the opportunity at a bend, Bao'er suddenly reached out and gave a fierce push. Caught off guard, Laixing let out a cry as he was shoved off, tumbling straight to the roadside. His head struck a rock, and it was unclear whether he lived or died. Bao'er shouted and whipped the horses into a gallop, racing an unknown distance before finally halting. He then entered the carriage and rescued Xianglan.
Bao'er recounted the entire sequence of events and added, "Madam was terribly frightened. At the time, there was a Guanyin nunnery not far away, so I accompanied her inside to ask for water. Madam said she wasn't feeling well, so I hurried out to find a physician. When I returned, she was already gone, leaving only... only this letter... I was scared out of my wits and searched there for a full day and night. When I truly couldn't find her, I came back..." As he spoke, he drew a letter from his bosom and presented it with both hands.
Lin Jinlou hastily took the letter, pulled out the contents, and unfolded it. It read:
"To the Esteemed Lin,
As time passes, three full moons have waxed and waned. I recall when I first entered your noble household—you did not disdain my humble origins, and I served by your side. The world is ever-changing, and after many twists and turns, I was undeservingly favored by your misplaced affection. Reflecting alone in the quiet of night, my shame and regret are beyond measure. Yet, my body may be flawed, unfit for the responsibility of bearing descendants in the future. Moreover, this deep mansion is a prison, where others are right and I am wrong. Entangled in worldly snares and mundane conflicts, I have never found joy residing here. In the stillness of night, I often ponder: wealth and status are but a dream. My only wish is for a tranquil and simple life, fading away amidst the misty seas. After much deliberation, I bid you farewell. I hope you will always eat well and take good care of yourself. With nothing left but my earnest prayers for your well-being.
Respectfully wishing you peace in these times.
Your humble servant,
Chen Xianglan"
The elegant, flower-adorned regular script was unmistakably Xianglan's handwriting.
Lin Jinlou held the letter in silence. Jixiang dared not even breathe heavily. After a long while, his master's hand, still clutching the letter, began to tremble, his face ashen. He took several deep breaths, as if unable to believe what he was reading. Suddenly, he grabbed Bao'er by the collar, his expression eerily calm as he said, "Nonsense. Where is Xianglan? Where is she? Where?"
Terrified, Bao'er waved his hands and stammered, "I truly... truly don't know, I really don't..."
Lin Jinlou stared blankly before releasing his grip, and Bao'er immediately collapsed to the ground. Lin Jinlou's face turned livid. Of course—he had forced Xianglan into the household in the first place. She never wanted to stay here for a moment; this place had brought her nothing but suffering. She must have been desperate to leave. But what about him? Hadn't she said she no longer hated him? After all their time together, did she not have even a shred of genuine feeling for him? Was she truly so heartless as to leave without a word?
He had painstakingly maneuvered, deploying troops and strategizing, even reaching the emperor's ears. He had gone out of his way to please his grandfather, begged the Old Madam and his mother, and stood up to his father in fierce arguments. What had it all been for? Huh? What had it been for? Staggering backward, he nearly tripped over the doorframe before retreating into the room. He gazed around in confusion, his eyes finally settling on the set of The Story of Hermit Lanxiang placed on the table. The play now seemed to pierce his heart and eyes with unbearable sharpness. Chen Xianglan had never intended to stay with him for the long haul. Deep down, he had vaguely understood this, yet he had pretended not to see it, believing she still held some affection for him. But now it was clear—from beginning to end, it had all been his own wishful thinking!He felt as if a knife were twisting in his heart. The long-healed wound on his chest seemed to fester anew, his temples throbbed with pain, and his mind went completely blank—unable to recall or conceive of anything. Utterly defeated, he felt as though he would shatter at the slightest touch. As if in a dream, he walked to the small table, swept his arm across it, and with a crash, sent the opera scripts along with the teacups and tea set crashing to the floor. With his back to the main door and shoulders slumped, he forced out through clenched teeth, "Since you’ve left, never come back. Never, ever come back!"
Like a lost soul, he drifted dazedly toward the inner rooms.
Shu Ran’s eyes reddened, and she called out in a choked voice, "Eldest Master…"
Lin Jinlou murmured, "I’m dreaming. Don’t call me. Let me sleep a while."
Outside, silence reigned. The crowd stood frozen for a long moment before Jixiang stepped forward to help Bao’er up and said with a strained smile, "You can stay. Go rest in the side room for now."
Meanwhile, Shu Ran, concerned about Lin Jinlou, waited a good while longer before tiptoeing into the inner study. Peering inside, she saw Lin Jinlou lying on the kang with his back to her, his body trembling faintly as if he were crying.
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