The title is indeed novel and exquisite. Xianglan thought for a moment and said, "I can write one, but I'm afraid it won't be good enough, and the Concubine won't think much of it."
Wu Mama said, "My dear, just write something to make up the numbers!"
Xianglan thought to herself, "It mustn't be too good, nor too poor, nor too profound. I'll just write some plain words." For some reason, she suddenly recalled the poem Song Ke had inscribed on a fan: "The bright moon, an old friend far away, / The secluded orchid, its fragrance lingers in vain. / From the small tower, a night flute is heard, / The deep silence has reached the third watch." Gazing at the orchid plant before her, she fell into a daze for a moment, then picked up her brush and swiftly wrote a matching verse: "Whose white magnolia, / Left behind in the spring breeze, / Alone guarding a thread of fragrance, / Tangling the dreams of a past life."
She stared at the poem, then silently changed "past life" to "fleeting life," copied it out again, and handed it to Wu Mama, saying, "Mama, please don't tell anyone I wrote this."
Wu Mama grunted in agreement and hurriedly took it to Qinglan. Qinglan unfolded the paper and immediately frowned. "What kind of poem is this? It doesn't even rhyme, and it's only four lines—far too short. Second Miss and the others all wrote regulated verses with seven characters per line. Mama, have someone write another one," she said, thrusting the paper back into Wu Mama's hands.
Suppressing her anger, Wu Mama replied, "There isn't another one. This is the only one. Either the Concubine uses it, or this old servant can do nothing more."
Qinglan pouted, displeased. Seeing her still acting like a petulant child, Wu Mama sighed inwardly. She wanted to offer some advice, but the words rolled around in her mouth and remained unspoken. Shaking her head, she left.
Afraid that Qinglan might assign her more troublesome tasks, Wu Mama detoured around the Jade Gathering Residence and headed for the Hall of Knowing Spring, planning to hide away for a while. As soon as she entered the eastern wing, she heard snoring from the bedroom. Going in, she saw Lin Jinlou sprawled on the bed, haphazardly clutching a pillow in his sleep.
Wu Mama quickly fetched a thin brocade quilt and tiptoed over to cover him with it. However, Lin Jinlou, trained in martial arts and long accustomed to military life, was a hundred times more alert than ordinary people. The moment Wu Mama approached, he woke up. Wu Mama hastily set down the quilt and said hurriedly, "Eldest Master, you must be tired. When did you return? Rest a while longer. If you're hungry, there's fresh congee in the kitchen."
Lin Jinlou sat up, rubbing his eyes, his voice still hoarse. "I just got back. Seeing no one in the room, I lay down on the bed and dozed off without realizing."
Seeing Lin Jinlou travel-worn and weary, Wu Mama felt a pang of heartache. "Today, Concubine Lan is hosting a poetry club, so everyone from the Hall of Knowing Spring has gone. The remaining young maids have no sense of duty—they've all sneaked out to play," she said, deftly brewing a cup of tea and offering it to him.
Lin Jinlou waved it off. "No need." He frowned. "Poetry club? What poetry club?"
The mention of the poetry club stirred Wu Mama's frustration. She forced a bitter smile and said, "Eldest Master, you may not know this, but Concubine Lan, egged on by Huamei, insisted on organizing a poetry club for Second Miss. But she's heavily pregnant and has no experience in such matters—hardly the right person to run a poetry club. Ah, these days, the eastern wing has been in chaos, all because of this affair of hers."
Lin Jinlou picked up his tea bowl and found Wu Mama's words amusing. "What poetry club? It's just a game to amuse herself. If she wants to do it, let her. It's no big deal."When Wu Mama heard this, she stiffened her neck and said, "What do you mean 'nothing serious'? It's a big deal. When the Eldest Master has time, he should go and teach her a lesson. A pregnant woman should focus on resting and nurturing the fetus—that's the proper way. What's the point of all this pointless fussing? What if she harms the child? Besides, if she wants to make a fuss, she should at least have the capability. She doesn't know how to manage the household affairs yet gives random orders, and later simply ignores everything, leaving all the work to this old bag of bones..." Grumbling, she wrung out a towel and handed it to Lin Jinlou to wash his face.
Lin Jinlou was impatient with Wu Mama's complaints, but he still respected his wet nurse deep down. He laughed it off and said, "Alright, alright, I know you've been working hard these days. I'll have the accounts office give you ten taels of silver later so you can buy some good food to nourish yourself... I also brought back a fine bolt of cloth for you..." He took the towel and wiped his face.
Wu Mama said, "It's not just me—that little maid named Xianglan deserves a good reward too."
Lin Jinlou paused. "Xianglan?"
"Yes, the one whose face was scalded, and you gave her ointment to apply," Wu Mama said with a smile. "She's been helping me manage everything inside and out, making things much easier for me. That girl is not only capable but also has vision and insight. She's thoughtful and handles everything meticulously. She knows where to save and where to spend generously... But what's most commendable is her character. She doesn't compete for favor or push herself forward. Even though she's the one managing things, she told me not to say anything and to credit the Concubine with the credit. Ah... I've been quietly observing her, and she's better than the young ladies in the mansion. It's a pity she's destined to be a maid..."
Lin Jinlou laughed and said, "She's just a bit prettier and cleverer. How can she compare to the young ladies in the mansion?"
Wu Mama was determined to praise Xianglan's virtues. "Lou Ge'er, don't you doubt it," she said, taking a crumpled piece of paper from her sleeve and handing it to him. "Take a look at this."
Lin Jinlou opened it and saw a poem titled "Fragrance Left Behind." He asked, "What is this?"
Wu Mama explained, "That Concubine you hold so dear insisted on joining the young ladies in composing poetry, but she couldn't come up with anything. She urgently asked me to find someone to write one for her. I remembered that Xianglan is literate, so I thought I'd give it a try and ask her. Who would have thought that as soon as she saw the topic, she wrote this poem without a second thought. My goodness, it only took her the blink of an eye."
Hearing that it was written by Xianglan, Lin Jinlou couldn't help but examine the poem more carefully. He chuckled and said, "It's a bit short and seems ordinary."
Wu Mama snorted, "Even something this ordinary, Lan Yiniang couldn't write it. My lord, you really need to discipline her properly and make her behave. If she wants to act arrogantly, she should wait until she actually gives birth to a son."
Lin Jinlou murmured in agreement and asked for some Qingfen lily incense to be burned in the censer. Wu Mama went out to find the incense on her own, while Lin Jinlou took out the paper again and studied it repeatedly. He thought to himself, "The poem may not be exceptional, but what's remarkable is the handwriting—a delicate 'fine calligraphy' style." It would take over a decade of practice to write such neat and elegant characters." He flicked the small note with two fingers and murmured, "'Whose white magnolia, left behind in the spring breeze, guarding a wisp of fragrance, tangling in the dreams of this fleeting life.' Hah, I wonder whose dreams this orchid is stirring." Thinking of Xianglan's delicate and beautiful face, he felt a warmth rise in his chest.At that moment, Wu Mama entered the room, placed three or four lily incense cakes into the bronze censer and lit them, covering it with a lid. As she worked, she remarked, "To be honest, Xianglan is truly a fine girl—far better than those in the young master's quarters. In my opinion, she ought to be taken in... Ah, but forgive my boldness, Eldest Master, a girl like her deserves the respect of being a proper wife. Making her a Concubine would be a disservice..." She continued muttering incessantly.
Suddenly, Lin Jinlou stood up and strode out of the room without warning. Wu Mama hurried after him a few steps, calling out, "Where are you going, Eldest Master?"
Lin Jinlou offered no reply, his long legs carrying him swiftly away.
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