Lin Jinlou left the house the next day, and Zhao Yuechan personally saw him off at the inner gate before returning. The concubines from various quarters, intimidated by Madam Zhao’s authority, dared not approach directly. Instead, they discreetly sent their trusted servants to wait outside the inner gate to deliver small gifts to Lin Jinlou. Qing Lan, ever mindful of Lin Jinlou’s health, sent a bottle of restorative pills. Ying Ge, fond of romantic gestures, wove a decorative knot with a strand of her hair and multicolored threads, symbolizing "love-sickness in every direction." Hua Mei, straightforward as ever, sent her own crimson embroidered mandarin duck waistcoat, the one she wore closest to her skin.
Xiao Juan gathered information about the gifts from each household and returned to gossip secretly with Xianglan. Xianglan silently assessed: Concubine Lan was the most virtuous, Ying Ge the most poetic, and Hua Mei the most... bold. She also privately speculated which gift Lin Jinlou would favor most. After some thought, she concluded that given the Master’s temperament, he would probably prefer Hua Mei’s crimson mandarin duck waistcoat.
As Xianglan and Xiao Juan chatted while doing needlework, Yin Die walked in, holding a cinnamon-pink everyday jacket. She tossed it toward Xianglan and turned to leave.
Xianglan picked up the jacket and called out, "Wait a moment." She stood up and handed it back. "Did you sew this? The stitches are so rough and uneven—how can this be presentable? Take it back and redo it."
Yin Die snorted, "This is the best I can do. If you don’t like it, sew it yourself."
Xiao Juan flared up, "How dare you talk like that? This is your responsibility, and you have the nerve to act this way when you’ve done a poor job?"
Xianglan held Xiao Juan back and said calmly, "It’s fine if you’re not skilled yet. I’ll teach you. Go fetch the sewing basket."
Yin Die glanced at Xianglan. "I have other tasks. Sister Chun Ling asked me to air the books." With that, she turned to leave.
Xianglan stepped forward to block her. "Xiao Juan can handle the books. You focus on the sewing. I’ll speak to Chun Ling."
Yin Die started to argue, but Xianglan’s expression darkened. "This task was assigned to you three days ago. You’ve delayed long enough, and the work is shoddy. Now that I’m offering to teach you, you keep making excuses. What exactly do you want?"
Yin Die had always thought Xianglan meek and easy to bully, but the sudden authority in her voice took her aback. Xianglan thrust the jacket at her. "Go on, redo this. Let me remind you, this fabric is top-grade tribute satin. If you ruin it, the cost will be deducted from your monthly allowance. Understood?"
Yin Die’s face flushed red with anger. She glared at the jacket but refused to take it, leaving them at an impasse. Just then, the door curtain lifted, and Chun Ling walked in. Taking in the scene, she smiled faintly. "Well, what’s going on here?"
Xiao Juan spoke up quickly, "Yin Die did a poor job sewing, and Xianglan wants to teach her, but she won’t listen."
Yin Die sneered, "Of course you’d side with her—you’re close." She glared at Xianglan. "Don’t think we don’t see through you. Just because the Master gave you some imperial ointment, you think you’re above everyone else now? Pah! Above you are still the Mistress and the concubines. Do you really think you can climb higher? Look at how smug you are, nitpicking over nothing!" With that, she shoved Chun Ling aside and stormed out, slamming the door curtain behind her.Xianglan was stunned for a moment. Xiao Juan stamped her foot angrily, saying, "You black-hearted little wretch! If you have the guts, go get the Master to reward you too! Clearly, you're just jealous." She then took Xianglan's hand, adding, "Let's ignore her. What nonsense!"
Chun Ling secretly gloated but pretended to cough lightly and comforted, "Indeed, Yin Die is still young and can't help being sharp-tongued. I'll talk to her later." With that, she left, turning her head to say before going, "Concubine Lan said you don't need to serve inside these next few days. Just focus on making a few pieces of children's clothing."
Reading between the lines, Xianglan, perceptive as she was, immediately understood—Concubine Lan was deliberately slighting her. Ever since Lin Jinlou had gifted her the facial cream, the atmosphere in the east wing had turned strange. Qing Lan, who had once treated her warmly, had grown distant, now even keeping her from close attendance. Wu Mama, however, had become increasingly affectionate, switching from calling her by name to addressing her as "Miss Xianglan." Chun Ling was more polite but subtly distanced herself by two degrees. Yin Die made no secret of her displeasure, openly showing her disdain and even refusing to assign her tasks. Only Xiao Juan remained as friendly as ever.
Suddenly feeling disheartened, Xianglan sighed deeply and sat back down, tossing the jacket in her hands aside.
In the east wing's reception parlor, Hua Mei sat on a chair, leaning slightly forward as she spoke to Qing Lan: "...Actually, Second Miss has always been one for elegance. She used to love organizing poetry clubs and chess clubs, though they were paused for a few sessions due to Old Madam Zeng's mourning period. Now she's regained the enthusiasm and is inviting everyone to join. If you're interested, sister, why not go and relax a little?" Her hair was coiled into a glossy bun, adorned with an agate cloud-dragon hairpin. Her face was still heavily made up, enhancing her allure. She wore a sapphire-blue BeiZi embroidered with floral patterns and trimmed with indigo, paired with a snow-white skirt that faintly revealed the pearls on the upturned toes of her embroidered shoes—playful and novel.
Qing Lan reclined on the luohan bed, idly toying with a pot of orchids on the nearby green sandalwood stand. She smiled faintly and said, "I don't understand anything about poetry, wet or dry. Besides, I'm feeling rather tired. You all go ahead."
Hua Mei laughed. "The poetry club sometimes even draws Taitai to join in the fun. Why not go, sister? What's the point of staying cooped up at home? Besides, several official ladies and young misses who frequently visit the inner quarters will be there. It’s good to get familiar with them... Even that ogress from the main house, though she barely knows a few characters, will probably show up. Normally, Ying Ge and I don’t get along, but I feel a connection with you, sister. Let’s go together and keep each other company."
Though Qing Lan had grown up in a scholarly family, she was naturally indolent and had never taken an interest in reading. She was utterly unskilled in music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, only knowing a few characters and having studied texts like The Collection of Virtuous Women . Hearing that Lin Dongqi was organizing a poetry club, she feared embarrassment and hesitated to agree. But when Hua Mei mentioned "Taitai will attend" and "official ladies and young misses who frequently visit the inner quarters," her interest was piqued.Hua Mei observed Qing Lan's expression and took a sip of tea with a smile. "Besides, sister, you come from a scholarly family, a hundred times more refined than the rest of us. Surely you're not afraid of composing a poem? I bet you'll outshine everyone once you show your talent! Why don't you take the lead in organizing this Poetry Club session? A little display of your skill, and your reputation will spread far and wide." She then enthusiastically recounted how a certain concubine had organized a Poetry Club, handling everything flawlessly and earning the highest praise among the Taitais, outshining even the main wife. Another story followed about an illegitimate daughter whose excellent poetry spread her fame, leading to a marriage with a promising scholar. But in Hua Mei's eyes, none could compare to Qing Lan's intelligence and knowledge. If Qing Lan could organize a Poetry Club while she was still light on her feet, she would not only gain Taitai's favor but also elevate the status of her unborn child through her own achievements.
This flattery left Qing Lan dizzy with delight. She thought to herself, "Hua Mei is right. Though I'm just a concubine in the Lin family, I come from a respectable background and entered with proper ceremony, unlike the others. Now, though I have some standing, I lack reputation. If I succeed with this Poetry Club, my name will spread, and everyone will praise me—worthy of the child in my womb."
Carried away by the moment, she immediately agreed, "Very well, I'll speak to Second Miss and take charge of organizing this session."
Hua Mei beamed, clapping her hands. "Sister, you truly are decisive, a heroine among women. If this succeeds, not only will Taitai and Master hold you in higher regard, but even the officials' wives will praise your talent and virtue."
She continued chattering, lavishing more praise on Qing Lan before finally taking her leave.
The moment Hua Mei stepped out of the eastern chamber, her smile vanished. She cast a cold glance back and sneered under her breath, "Foolish woman, so deluded you'd agree to this. You'll regret it!"
Thank you to yu21yu21 for the zongzi, Junxi812 for the zongzi and rating tickets, Huaxiyuexi for two zongzi, and Bantai's Diary for two zongzi. Much love =3=
I've been working overtime lately, and my health is struggling to keep up, so updates have been sparse. Apologies—once things settle, I'll write more.
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