Spring lingered lazily. Though it was late spring, the weather had suddenly turned cool. After several drizzles, the grass and trees grew even more lush and verdant.
Xianglan tucked her valuables close to her body and placed two changes of clothes into a peony-patterned bundle. With light steps, she walked out of the Hall of Knowing Spring. This was her first visit home since arriving at the hall. Qinglan was in high spirits because Lin Jinlou had taken his meal in the eastern wing, so when Xianglan mentioned visiting home, she readily granted her leave for the next day. She even said that if it grew too late, Xianglan could stay overnight and return when the mansion gates opened the following morning.
Naturally delighted, Xianglan hurriedly prepared and left the mansion early the next morning. Her home was in the alley behind the Lin residence. Since she had been promoted to second-rank maid, an elderly maid was assigned to accompany her through the inner gate. The maid, surnamed Cai, was short and wiry, and treated Xianglan with marked attentiveness. She smiled and said, "Young lady, you came from Concubine Lan's side. How is the concubine's health? Our entire household hopes she'll give the Eldest Master a son—that would be the greatest joy."
Xianglan smiled faintly. "The concubine is in excellent health. Thank you all for your concern."
While chatting with Xianglan, Cai Mama ordered a sedan chair prepared. Xianglan quickly stopped her, saying with a smile, "My home is just in the alley behind the mansion—very close. It's only a short walk. Why go through the trouble of preparing a sedan?"
Cai Mama chuckled. "My dear girl, what respectable maid leaves the mansion without taking a sedan? Those going farther even need carriages! Take Yindie from your Concubine Lan's household—she was only a third-rank maid with no airs, but she still slipped the gatekeepers some coins, claiming her legs hurt so they'd prepare a sedan for her return. Everyone knew the truth—it wasn't about pain, but about putting on airs... Besides..." Cai Mama watched Xianglan's expression and grinned, revealing slightly yellowed teeth. "Besides, young lady, since you live in the alley behind the mansion, you must be a family-raised servant, right? Taking a sedan brings face to your parents. Those in the back alleys are all snobs—returning in style makes them look up to you."
Xianglan hadn't wanted to ride in a sedan initially, but Cai Mama's words changed her mind. She silently praised the old woman's perceptiveness. Soon enough, Cai Mama had a two-person green oilcloth sedan prepared, which swayed as it carried Xianglan away.
Sitting inside, Xianglan occasionally lifted the curtain to look outside, feeling the short distance had become unexpectedly long. Some alleys were so narrow the sedan had to detour before finally arriving. Children were playing at the alley entrance, while several old women sat gossiping together. They squinted at the approaching sedan, and when they saw Xianglan step out, they began whispering among themselves.
Xianglan gave some coins to the sedan carriers and Cai Mama, asking them to return at 5:45 in the evening. Pushing open the courtyard gate, she saw Xue Shi with her back turned, hanging laundry in the yard. Xianglan walked over briskly and called out, "Mother!"
Xue Shi turned quickly, overjoyed at the sight of Xianglan. Wiping her hands on her apron, she exclaimed happily, "How come you're back? Quick, come inside!" She grabbed Xianglan's hand and pulled her into the house, where she busied herself pouring tea and fetching snacks—one moment urging Xianglan to drink freshly brewed hot tea, the next offering spiced melon seeds bought yesterday, along with two pieces of rock sugar and sesame balls from the neighbors' wedding last month—bustling about in cheerful confusion.Xianglan felt a warmth in her heart and stopped Xue Shi, saying, "Mother, don't trouble yourself. Let's have a good chat." Then she asked, "Where's Father?"
Xue Shi replied, "Your father is still at the shop. He'll be overjoyed to see you when he returns at noon. Last night we were talking about you—he's been blaming himself for not stopping you from entering the mansion. We've been worried sick, not knowing if you're doing well there or if you've suffered any mistreatment. Last time you came back, your face was sallow and pale, which gave us such anxiety. We asked around and heard you were sent to serve the cousin young lady... but that young lady is no good person. Your father and I were so troubled we couldn't sleep all night..." She clasped Xianglan's hands, looking her over with tender concern. "You do look better than last time, though you're still thinner than when you left home."
Xianglan's nose tingled with emotion. In the Lin mansion, she had been enduring hardships alone, treading as carefully as if on thin ice, almost forgetting she was still someone's beloved child. While others might treat you like a plaything to be trampled at will, your parents would always hold you as the most precious part of their hearts, cradling you carefully in their palms. She hugged Xue Shi's arm and swayed it playfully, cooing, "I'm perfectly fine in the mansion, so please don't worry. Cao Lihuan has already been driven out by Madam. Now I'm serving under Eldest Master's concubine and have even been promoted to second rank."
Xue Shi exclaimed joyfully, "Really? You've been promoted to second rank?"
Xianglan nodded with a cheerful grin. "The concubine is kind-hearted and has rewarded me with many things."
She led Xue Shi to sit on the kang bed, unwrapping her small bundle to show the contents item by item. Softly, she explained, "These are all the rewards I've received since entering the mansion."
Xue Shi first held the jade bracelet up to the light to examine it, then admired the agate hairpin and coral earrings. Beaming with delight, she said, "You're just a maid serving a concubine, yet you've received such generous rewards—how honorable!"
Xianglan explained, "Eldest Master dotes on the concubine—he even gave her a private shop! Not to mention the regular gifts and extra monthly allowances. These silver pieces are nothing more than a drop in the bucket for Concubine Lan." She slipped the bracelet onto Xue Shi's wrist, smiling. "I brought these back for you. Pick whichever you like to wear."
Xue Shi quickly removed the bracelet and pressed it back into Xianglan's hand. "I'm always washing, mending, and doing chores—such fine things would be wasted on me. You're at the age where you should enjoy pretty things. We can't provide much for you at home, so you should keep what your masters have given you. Having been in the Lin mansion myself, I know how snobbish those people can be—they'll look down on anyone dressed poorly and seize any chance to step on them."
Xianglan laughed. "I have more for myself—these are specially for you. Besides, I don't really care for wearing such ornaments." She took out some needlework from her bundle. "I made you both a pair of shoes in my spare time, using leftover silk from the concubine's summer dresses. It's excellent material—very cool to wear in summer. Mother, you're getting older—please don't strain your eyes by staying up late doing needlework to supplement our income. This pouch contains my monthly allowance—it should cover household expenses for a while. But don't let Father know, or he'll just take the money to drink and carouse with his worthless friends." She pressed a small embroidered pouch into Xue Shi's hands.
Xue Shi clutched the pouch firmly. "I'll save all this money for you... for your dowry."Xianglan felt somewhat uncomfortable upon hearing the words "dowry" and lowered her head without speaking.
Xue Shi picked up the silver ring Qinglan had rewarded her and examined it repeatedly, clasping her hands together and chanting "Amitabha" before saying, "Your Concubine truly has the heart of a Bodhisattva. You must remember her kindness and serve her well."
Xianglan fiddled with the scattered jewelry on the bed and said, "Since she treats me with such affection, I will naturally repay her properly."
Xue Shi glared at Xianglan and said, "What do you mean by 'repay properly'? You're her maid, and loyalty to your master is your duty."
Xianglan took a sip of hot tea and said carelessly, "It's just a matter of being born into the right family. This distinction between master and servant has never meant much to me. If she treats me well, I'll respond with genuine devotion; if she treats me poorly, why should I remain blindly loyal?" She secretly thought about how alarmed Xue Shi would be if she knew she had twice betrayed her mistress to report to Qin Shi, and sighed softly. "Right now I'm just a servant, but who knows what might happen in a few years? Perhaps someday they'll all be addressing me as 'Madam' or 'Mistress'."
These words pleased Xue Shi, who smiled and spat lightly, saying, "Quite ambitious, aren't you? Your father and I don't expect you to become any madam or mistress. We'll be content as long as you're safe and sound." After a moment's thought, she hastily added, "Don't repeat what you just said to anyone else."
Xianglan chuckled and said, "Of course not. I only say such things at home."
The mother and daughter chatted and laughed together for a while.
By noon, Xue Shi was busy around the stove, cooking several dishes that Xianglan loved. When Chen Wanquan returned home and saw Xianglan, he was naturally overjoyed. Upon hearing that Xianglan had been promoted to second-class maid in the mansion, he was so delighted that his eyes disappeared into smiles. Straightening his back, he drained his wine cup in one gulp and laughed heartily, "No wonder Sister Ma said Xianglan has some destiny! She hasn't been in the mansion long, yet she's already been promoted to second class. The Gong family's second daughter has been there for years and is still only third class—and she still boasts and puts on airs in front of me. Pah! Look at my Chen Wanquan's daughter... my child, perhaps you'll soon become a deputy young lady."
Xianglan rubbed her forehead and said, "Father, you mustn't talk nonsense outside."
Chen Wanquan glared and said, "Tsk, how can you call it 'nonsense'?"
Xianglan said helplessly, "If Father goes around showing off, won't it make people resentful? Besides, there are plenty of second-class maids in the mansion. Boasting about this will only make people laugh at us."
Chen Wanquan grew even more displeased: "Why can't I talk about it? This is good news—am I not allowed to properly share it?"
Xianglan sighed silently. Her father in this life, though kind-hearted by nature, was weak and timid, loved to boast, and often exaggerated one thing into ten. He was thoroughly vulgar. Because of this temperament, despite his talent for appraising antiques, he could only serve as a third shop assistant. Xianglan wanted to admonish him further, but seeing Chen Wanquan's face full of pride and contentment, she held her tongue, thinking to herself: "I rarely return home from the mansion. Why make Father unhappy over this? Besides, he's just boasting to his drinking companions anyway."Xue Shi placed a portion of vegetables in Xianglan's bowl and said with a smile, "Now that Lan'er has been promoted to second-class maid, her marriage prospects will be quite different. Those shopkeepers' sons like Manager Liu's or Manager Huang's are no longer suitable... Just the other day, our neighbor Xia Ersao wanted to arrange a match with our family and mentioned her nephew... Though he's just a commoner, I heard he studies diligently and aims to take the imperial exams to become an official. He's currently studying hard at home to become a xiucai. I initially thought his family was too poor and worried that a scholar might look down on our Lan'er, making her suffer after marriage. But now that Lan'er has been promoted to second-class maid in the mansion, she's even more accomplished than ordinary young ladies from respectable families. The Xia family would surely be delighted!"
Xue Shi grew more cheerful as she spoke, her face beaming with joy: "When the opportunity arises, I'll go take a look at that young Master Xia. If he's decent-looking and has a good temperament, we should secure the match early."
Chen Wanquan frowned and said, "The Xia family's circumstances are worse than ours. What's the use of just being book-smart? He'll probably reek of poverty. Let's wait until young Master Xia passes the xiucai examination first."
Xue Shi snorted, "By the time he passes the exam, it'll be too late—countless families will be eager to propose matches then. Besides, not everything can go exactly as you wish..."
Xianglan found the conversation increasingly inappropriate and quickly changed the subject, bringing up why Cao Lihuan had been expelled from the mansion. She omitted her own role in reporting the matter and the incident where she was nearly assaulted by Si Shunr. Her parents expressed shock and sighed, discussing Cao Lihuan at length, temporarily setting aside the matter of young Master Xia.
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