Xianglan hid for a while before cautiously returning to find the Pavilion of Joyful Ease empty, letting out a sigh of relief. By then, the poetry club was winding down. Qin Shi stood at the garden gate with several Lin family young ladies to see off the guests. Once everyone had left, she gave a few instructions before retiring to her quarters.
At Gathered Verdure Residence, the crowd gradually dispersed. Qing Lan, claiming exhaustion, leaned on Chun Ling as they departed. Soon, only Wu Mama, Xianglan, and Xiao Juan remained. Wu Mama grumbled angrily, "Look at her—always first to claim credit but quick to vanish when work needs doing!" Raising her voice, she called, "Yin Die! Where's that little wench run off to now?"
Xiao Juan pouted. "Who knows? Call her to work, and she's nowhere to be found. But shout 'silver's being handed out!' and she'd leap out first."
Wu Mama couldn't help laughing and tapped Xiao Juan's forehead. She then summoned a few maids and matrons to tidy Gathered Verdure Residence. After everything was put away, Wu Mama pulled Xianglan aside and pressed a small silver ingot worth two taels into her hand. "Here, this is what you've earned."
Xianglan was startled. "So much? Didn't you say just an extra month's allowance?"
Wu Mama smiled. "You've done well—you deserve more. Take it. You've worked yourself thin these days. I'll speak to the concubine about giving you half a month off."
Xianglan stopped refusing and thanked her repeatedly. Following Wu Mama's instructions, she first delivered some items to Huifeng Study. On her way back, passing through a dense bamboo grove, she suddenly heard faint sobbing. Pausing, she peeked and saw Yin Die weeping bitterly on her cousin Han Fang's shoulder.
Han Fang, a second-tier maid in Lin Dongling's quarters, held some status. Tall and fair-skinned, though not as striking as Yin Die, she had her own charm. Dressed in a jade-colored floral-patterned BeiZi with a gold droplet hairpin, she looked quite elegant.
Yin Die sobbed, "...Who knew the Master would slap me without a word? How can I face anyone now... wuwuwu..."
Han Fang lifted Yin Die's face and sighed. "You really shouldn't have provoked that living demon." Glancing around, she added, "He struck so hard—this swelling won't fade for three or four days. Let's find some medicated cream to soothe it..." Mentioning the cream reminded her of something. "Didn't Xianglan in your room receive a box of Crystal Jade Orchid Snow Cream from the Master? They say it works wonders. Ask her for some—the marks will fade faster."
This only made Yin Die cry harder. "I'd rather die than beg that little wench! Ever since she got that cream, she acts superior. As if I'd use her things—ugh! Don't you see how she fawns over Wu Mama? It makes me sick! Sister, she's no good—pretending to be modest while scheming to stand out. What business does she have helping with the concubine's poetry club? She just wants to show off, to catch the Master's eye again! Disgusting!"Han Fang immediately raised her eyebrows and said, "Xianglan may have delicate features, but I can tell she’s no good. Just as I expected! A maid should know her place—how dare she receive a box of ointment before the mistress even gets one? I heard Concubine Lan keeps her distance now too. Such arrogance! No wonder she’s unpopular!"
Listening to their back-and-forth, Xianglan curled her lips into a faint, cold smile. What use was helping the concubine with the poetry club? Oh, it was very useful indeed!
Her father was a timid, submissive third shopkeeper, barely scraping by on the Lin family’s meager wages, often forced to bribe the head shopkeeper just to keep his job. Her mother earned pennies by sewing and washing clothes for others. Xianglan longed to free her family from servitude, but that required money for their manumission! And even if they escaped their lowly status, how would they survive? Whether her father wanted to open a shop or simply support their old age, they needed capital. Now that she couldn’t paint in the Lin household, she’d lost a source of income. She hadn’t wanted to take on the poetry club at first, but when Wu Mama offered an extra month’s wages, she couldn’t refuse. While she dined on fine meats in the mansion, her parents ate poorly, only indulging in meat when she visited. She said nothing, but her heart ached. With this silver, her mother could sew fewer garments, wash fewer clothes, and her parents could afford better food to nourish themselves. Yin Die and Han Fang came from well-off servant families—their wages were spent on cosmetics and fine clothes. How could they understand her struggles?
Moreover, ever since the Master gave her that ointment, the east wing had turned strange. The sneers, the collective hostility—even Qing Lan grew distant. Only Xiao Juan remained innocent and friendly, while no one else spoke up for her. Even Yin Die, a mere third-rank maid, dared to defy and provoke her. Why? Because Yin Die’s family were long-established servants with influence in the Lin household! Qing Lan had repeatedly wanted to expel Yin Die from the east wing but never dared act.
Though Xianglan was kind-hearted, she refused to be bullied. Back with Cao Lihuan, she had no choice but to tread carefully every day. If she had to endure her mistress, must she now suffer a lowly maid’s insolence too? Yin Die only bullied her because she had no allies in the Lin mansion. Without backing, meekness would only lead to ruin. So Xianglan found herself a patron—Wu Mama.
Wu Mama was a senior servant of the Lin family, originally Qin Shi’s attendant. Unlike others, she had nursed Lin Jinlou in his infancy, earning her the highest respect among the old servants. Yet she carried no airs—warm, approachable, but with undeniable authority. Xianglan’s diligence these days had won Wu Mama’s favor. With Wu Mama speaking for her, Qing Lan grew warmer, and Yin Die became more restrained. Besides, everyone assumed the poetry club was Wu Mama assisting Concubine Lan. For Qing Lan’s sake, Wu Mama wouldn’t reveal the truth behind it.
This poetry club venture had earned her silver and secured a powerful ally—killing two birds with one stone.But today, Lin Jinlou came looking for her again, and Xianglan felt uneasy. She planned to ask Wu Mama for leave later, to go home for half a month to avoid trouble and cool Lin Jinlou's ardor. Moreover... she still held a faint hope in her heart—that Song Ke might take her away. If that happened, it would be much easier to shed her lowly status later—perhaps Song Ke might even release her with a single command.
Within the Lin household, she carefully plotted her future like a game of chess, thinking several steps ahead. Such intricate thoughts were far beyond the comprehension of narrow-minded fools like Yin Die.
Xianglan overheard Han Fang muttering about her, saying she was "not the likable sort" and such. She couldn't help but shake her head. She had never considered how to be an ingratiating, smooth-talking servant who pleased her masters at every turn. She merely wanted to make her life in the Lin household as comfortable as possible, earn more silver, and leave servitude as soon as she could.
Whoever wanted to be a likable servant could go right ahead—Chen Xianglan would have no part in it!
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Xiaohe is grateful for everyone's support and love for The Fragrance of Orchids and is hosting a small event to thank all the readers. Log in to Xinlang Weibo, repost the The Fragrance of Orchids post on Xiaohe's page, and tag three Qidian readers for a chance to win beautiful postcards from Xiaohe ^_^. After reposting, tag @He Yushan and send a private message with the Qidian IDs of the readers you tagged. There are plenty of postcards, so come and receive Xiaohe's blessings~~ Three draws will be held each month, with ten winners each time~~
Check my Xinlang Weibo for details~
This chapter ended up here unintentionally, so Master's scene will have to wait until next chapter... but it will definitely be there next time! clenches fist
Also, my health hasn’t been great lately, so please allow me to take a day off tomorrow. Thank you so much =3=
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