Against the Current

"How could your earrings possibly be on my bed?" Xianglan said coldly as she walked over to straighten the disheveled quilt and pillows.

Yin Die rolled her eyes and forced a smile. "I was so anxious about losing my earrings that I rummaged around in a hurry. Don't be angry, dear sister."

Xianglan ignored her and busied herself gathering the wet clothes under the bed. Yin Die sidled up to her and asked, "What did Concubine Lan say to Hua Mei before she passed? Did you hear anything?"

Xianglan glanced at Yin Die, then picked up the wet clothes and walked out without a word. Yin Die trailed after her, pestering, "What did she say? Tell me, won’t you?"

Xianglan suddenly stopped and turned around, her expression blank as she stared at Yin Die. "Nothing much. Concubine Lan just said she resented not seeing Master one last time before she died." With that, she walked away without another glance.

Yin Die spat behind her back. "Little frozen rat, what’s there to be so smug about!" Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, she took out the Eight-Treasure Red Gold Ruby Hairpin and muttered bitterly, "This must be something Master gave that little hussy!" Delighted, she tucked it into her hair and admired her reflection in the water vat, muttering, "You weren’t lucky enough to wear something like this—better it stays on my head."

Suddenly, she noticed Bai Lu standing by the green gauze window, waving at her and pointing toward the main house.

Yin Die’s heart skipped a beat. She scurried over and knelt before Zhao Yuechan. "Reporting to Mistress, I searched the room thoroughly, but none of the indigo booklets I saw were the one you’re looking for."

Zhao Yuechan had been sitting with her eyes closed as Ying Shuang massaged her shoulders. Now, she opened them and said, "Oh? You couldn’t find it? And yet you swore up and down earlier that you’d definitely find it, didn’t you? I thought you were clever enough to bring into my service after Concubine Lan’s funeral, but it seems even this small task is beyond you."

Yin Die forced a smile. "It’s been chaotic today—people coming in to change the bedding, others delivering candles and paper offerings, and Hua Mei hovering around the whole time. With so many hands about, I only had a quick look around Concubine Lan’s bedroom. Please, Mistress, give me another day or so to search properly." She stole a glance at Zhao Yuechan, whose peach-blossom eyes, usually so alluring, now gleamed with a cold, intimidating light. Yin Die shrank back, already regretting ever getting involved with the main house. But there was no turning back now. Desperate to extricate herself, she quickly devised a plan and said, "Actually, I suspect Hua Mei and Xianglan might know something. Before Concubine Lan passed, she whispered to Hua Mei for a long time—probably about that booklet. Xianglan was standing right beside them. And just now, when we were tidying up, those two stood guard in the room like door gods. Who knows what they’re hiding?"

Zhao Yuechan frowned.

Hua Mei had been sent to Lin Jinlou as a concubine by his superior. As the saying went, "When you beat a dog, you must consider its master." Hua Mei was different from the other bedchamber servants in the household. Moreover, her brother, a military householder, had been promoted to a minor officer after she became Lin Jinlou’s concubine, which added to her status. Hua Mei was also shrewd and slippery—Zhao Yuechan had tried to pin her down before but could never find an opening. Even when she pressured her openly or covertly, Hua Mei seemed unfazed. If that account book had fallen into Hua Mei’s hands...

Xianglan, on the other hand, was a house-born servant. Punishing her wouldn’t be an issue—except Lin Jinlou was currently infatuated with her. This situation was truly thorny.Zhao Yuechan's brows knitted tightly. As her gaze swept around, she suddenly caught sight of the Eight-Treasure Red Gold Ruby Hairpin in Yin Die's hair. Her eyes widened instantly, and she sprang to her feet, striding over to Yin Die. She yanked the hairpin out and held it in her hand, demanding sharply, "Where did this hairpin come from?"

Yin Die was petrified, stunned into silence.

Zhao Yuechan slapped Yin Die across the face and pointed at her nose, shouting, "Speak! Where did this hairpin come from?"

Too terrified to even cry, Yin Die trembled and stammered, "Th-this is... mine..."

Zhao Yuechan grabbed Yin Die and jabbed the hairpin toward her face, cursing, "You damned little wretch! How dare you play tricks in front of your mistress! This hairpin is yours? Bullshit! You’re not even fit to wear it! If you don’t tell the truth, I’ll stab your mouth to shreds!"

Yin Die shielded her face with one hand, which had already been jabbed several times, and wailed in pain, "Spare me, Mistress! Spare me! I found this hairpin on Xianglan’s bed!"

At these words, Zhao Yuechan's hand stilled. She slowly released Yin Die, like a bowstring gone slack, her gaze vacant. This hairpin was part of the set Cao Lihuan had given her, which she had entrusted to Qian Wenze to sell—eight pieces in total, flipped for five hundred taels of silver. Who would have thought that, after all this time, Lin Jinlou had gotten his hands on them, spending a fortune to please some little maid! Even that little bitch Qing Lan had never received such extravagance from Lin Jinlou!

If Lin Jinlou was this invested, then this little wretch couldn’t be allowed to stay. Qing Lan had just died, and Zhao Yuechan had finally glimpsed a few good days ahead. She couldn’t let one tiger leave only for a wolf to follow.

Zhao Yuechan's temples throbbed, her palms slick with sweat as she gasped for breath.

Ying Shuang hurried forward to support her, whispering, "Don’t upset yourself, Mistress. Your health is what matters most." She helped Zhao Yuechan sit in a chair and hastily poured a cup of tea.

The room fell silent, save for Yin Die’s quiet sobs.

Zhao Yuechan exhaled slowly, grinding out each word through clenched teeth, "Xianglan... that little whore has some tricks up her sleeve."

Yin Die shuffled forward on her knees and said, "You’re absolutely right, Mistress. She’s utterly shameless. Last time when the Master went to the east wing, she poured him a bowl of hot tea and even scalded your hand."

Ying Shuang leaned in and murmured, "Don’t stoop to her level, Mistress. She’s cunning. Don’t you remember? When Xianglan first entered the household, Master drew a circle next to her name. He must’ve taken a liking to her even then."Yin Die vaguely heard the words "Master" and perked up, hurriedly wiping the tears from her face. She added fuel to the fire, saying, "Last time Xianglan scalded her face, the Master specially sent someone to deliver a box of... what was it called... Crystal Jade Orchid Snow Cream. It was said to be a precious gift from the palace earlier this year, incredibly valuable, and the Master gave it to her without a second thought. Ever since that little wretch got her hands on that cream, she’s been walking around like she owns the place, barely even looking at us properly. I couldn’t stand it, so I gave her a few words of warning, telling her that the Master only gave her that face-saving gift out of respect for the Mistress, and she shouldn’t get carried away. Guess what she said to me? She told me, ‘The Master doesn’t just give face to anyone. If he didn’t have some pity for me, why would he give me a palace-bestowed cream?’ Listen to that, just listen! Is that the kind of talk a decent person would say? Now the Master wants to promote her again, and she’s even more full of herself, barely doing any work at all, just copying some nonsense scriptures all day, acting like she’s already a lady of the house. And Concubine Lan is too soft-hearted, not like the Mistress who can’t tolerate a speck of sand in her eye—she just indulges that little wretch. Ugh, just thinking about it makes my chest ache with anger!" Yin Die noticed Zhao Yuechan’s expression growing darker and darker, and her heart swelled with glee. Why was it that when she tried to give the Master a pouch or straighten his clothes, she was met with jealousy and exclusion? She got slapped for trying to warm up to the Master’s cold indifference. Yet Xianglan, that stupid, clumsy girl, was being favored by Lin Jinlou. She just couldn’t accept it!

Zhao Yuechan said to Yin Die, "Enough, you may go. I’ll give you one more day to find that ledger for me. Make sure no one else knows, or you’ll regret it!"

Yin Die secretly sighed in relief and was about to leave when Zhao Yuechan called out again, "Wait. Go and bring Xianglan to me. Do it quietly—don’t let anyone see."

Yin Die acknowledged and left.

By now, the eastern wing had been draped entirely in plain white, and the small hall had been set up as a mourning chamber, brightly lit with candles. Xianglan had changed into white hair ribbons and wrapped a plain sash around her waist. She was sitting on a small stool, keeping vigil for Qing Lan, when suddenly Yin Die walked in and said to her, "Come with me. The Mistress has some questions for you."

Seeing the hostility in Yin Die’s expression, Xianglan’s heart skipped a beat, and she vaguely sensed that this summons boded ill. She thought to herself, "Why would the Mistress call for me out of the blue?" Raising her eyes, she noticed that aside from her, there was no one else in the hall—only the faint sound of Xiao Juan and Chun Ling chatting in the inner room.

Xianglan had no choice but to follow Yin Die. When they reached the main house, she saw Zhao Yuechan sitting upright on the large kang bed inside the green gauze cabinet. Her dark hair was piled high, adorned with a pair of turquoise phoenix hairpins with pearl tassels that swayed with every movement. Her face was heavily powdered, and her ears dangled with teardrop-shaped white jade earrings, exuding an alluring yet imposing aura. Ying Shuang stood silently by her side, waiting with bated breath.

Xianglan trembled with fear as she knelt and kowtowed, saying, "I greet the Mistress for your eternal blessings."

Zhao Yuechan didn’t speak, deliberately leaving Xianglan kneeling as she scrutinized her from head to toe. She noticed Xianglan was still dressed in old clothes, without any flashy adornments that might suggest arrogance from favor. Her face was beautiful, though her eyes were slightly swollen from crying, giving her a pitiable charm. But now, seeing her cowering like this, she seemed even less lively than Yin Die. Zhao Yuechan finally said, "Do you know why I called you here?"

Xianglan shrank back, kneeling with her face lowered to the ground. "This servant does not know."Zhao Yuechan sneered, "She looks like a sick kitten, yet she's quite the temptress, skilled at luring men."

Xianglan was taken aback and glanced at Yin Die, wondering what slander she had spread. Before she could react, Zhao Yuechan continued, "Let me ask you—Ying Shuang dropped an indigo booklet in the garden. Do you know where it is?"

Xianglan thought to herself, Why is she asking me this? Aloud, she replied, "I do have two indigo booklets for copying Buddhist scriptures. Concubine Lan borrowed one, and the other is still in my room."

Seeing Xianglan's bewildered expression, Zhao Yuechan realized she was likely innocent. She scoffed, "Forget the booklet. You have filthy hands, daring to steal from your masters!" She then revealed the eight-treasure gold and gem hairpin. "Where did this come from?"

At this, Xianglan kowtowed and said, "This was a gift from the Master! I swear I would never dare take even a blade of grass from the master's quarters. Please, Mistress, see the truth!"

Hearing "a gift from the Master," Zhao Yuechan's hatred flared. She spat viciously, "You shameless wretch! Still lying to my face? Do you think I’m easily fooled? It seems you won’t confess without punishment. Ying Shuang, go slap that mouth of hers!"

Thank you to Pride and Yin Zi for the Peace Talismans~~ Also, thank you to everyone who voted with pink votes^_^ Keep them coming—more pink votes mean more updates! Please support with a legitimate subscription!!!