Xianglan drifted in and out of consciousness and had a dream. In the dream, she was back in her previous life, wearing a bright red wedding dress. The wedding procession was grand and bustling, stirring up half the street as people leaned out to watch. Before she stepped into the bridal sedan, her mother held her hand, shedding tears and saying, "My child, from now on, life won’t be the same as at home. I’m only afraid you’ll suffer grievances…"
She stared at her mother’s face, gripping her hand tightly but unable to speak. Suddenly, the face seemed to transform into that of Xue Shi. The dream shifted, and she saw Xue Shi and Chen Wanquan being sold off together by Zhao Yuechan, while the faint sound of her parents’ weeping echoed in her ears. Anxious and desperate to save them, she struggled violently and woke up.
Her eyes met dark green bed curtains. Xianglan stirred, feeling utterly drained. A cloth strip was tied around her forehead, and her head still felt heavy. The pain on her face was no longer as searing as it had been the previous days. She reached up to touch her cheek and felt a layer of ointment. Struggling to sit up, she pulled aside the curtains and saw a maid sitting on an embroidered stool by the bed. The girl wore a silver-red lined jacket and a dark green skirt, her head bent over her needlework.
Noticing the movement, the maid quickly set aside her work and came forward. "Amitabha, you’re finally awake, miss! You’ve been asleep for two full days," she said, placing a hand on Xianglan’s forehead and murmuring, "Still a bit feverish, but better than last night." She deftly brought over a bowl of warm water and fed Xianglan sip by sip with a small silver spoon, then dabbed the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief.
Before Xianglan could speak, the maid put down the bowl and hurried out like a gust of wind. Not long after, Song Ke entered and sat beside her, speaking gently, "Are you feeling better? The physician came and said you’ve caught a chill, your qi is stagnant, your organs are congested, and your mind is overburdened. That’s what brought on this illness. A few doses of medicine and proper rest should set you right."
Seeing Xianglan’s bright eyes fixed on him, he coughed lightly and added, "The injuries on your face are superficial. The physician said it’s fortunate the person who hit you wasn’t too strong, or your face would have been ruined." He glanced at her and, noticing she was still staring intently, thought to himself, "Young women care about their looks. She was originally a beauty—if her face were truly disfigured, she’d be heartbroken, and her recovery would be harder." So he continued, "Two types of ointment have been applied to your face: one is a high-quality wound-healing medicine, the other is a flesh-regenerating balm from Qianjin Hall. The swelling has already gone down a bit these past couple of days. I think it’ll heal completely in a few more days."
Xianglan nodded. When she tried to speak, her face hurt, so she traced the character for "thank you" on the quilt with her finger. It took Song Ke a moment to decipher it, but then he smiled and said, "It’s nothing. I had intended to bring you to my side anyway, but Lin Jinlou refused to let you go."
Xianglan continued to gaze at him, and Song Ke thought he detected a faint smile in her eyes. His own heart lightened. "There’s some congee in the kitchen. If you’re hungry, ask Yuexi or the others to warm a bowl for you."
Xianglan shook her head and traced two more characters on the quilt: "parents."
Song Ke nodded, thinking to himself that even in such a state, Xianglan still worried about her parents and family. He hadn’t misjudged her—she was truly filial and kind. "I’ll arrange to bring your parents here as well," he said. "I’ll speak to Xiuhong in a moment and have him ask the Lin family’s First Madam for them on my behalf."Xianglan finally felt relieved. Though her heart swelled with gratitude, she couldn't find the words to express it. Having exhausted all her energy, she tilted her head against the pillow and fell asleep.
Song Ke was startled. Being somewhat knowledgeable in medicine, he checked her pulse and realized she had merely collapsed from exhaustion. He immediately summoned the maidservants, gave them some instructions, and then quietly withdrew.
Thus Xianglan settled in, residing in the side chamber adjacent to Song Ke's bedroom. Song Ke had only two maids in his quarters, named Junxi and Yuexi, who were biological sisters. They appeared clever and refined, neither being gossipy types, and attended to Xianglan with utmost care, occasionally sharing bits about the Song family.
The next day, Song Ke specially came to tell Xianglan, "I've already secured your parents' release. Your father now serves as the assistant manager in the family's antique shop, and your mother has joined him there. However, given your poor health, reuniting now would only distress them. Once you've recovered somewhat, I'll arrange for you to go home for a few days." As he spoke, he produced a brand new jacket, saying, "Your mother just finished making this and asked me to bring it to you."
Xianglan looked and recognized it as Xue Shi's needlework. Tears welled in her eyes as she silently clutched the jacket to her chest. Struggling, she climbed out of bed and kowtowed to Song Ke from the mattress.
Song Ke hurried forward to support her, saying, "You're still unwell—why torment yourself like this? Haven't you had enough medicine? Lie down quickly!" Just then, a servant from the front courtyard reported that a guest had arrived to see him. Song Ke had no choice but to leave, but before going, he instructed Junxi and Yuexi to keep a close watch.
Song Ke had assumed that now that Xianglan had news of her parents, her condition would improve. However, the long-held tension in her heart finally released, and her entire being seemed to collapse. As the saying goes, "Illness strikes like a landslide, but recovery is as slow as unraveling silk." This illness brought forth all the ailments she had accumulated during her time in the Lin family. While the wounds on her face gradually healed, she remained lethargic, her fever persistently unabated. Song Ke grew increasingly anxious, having changed three physicians in succession without any improvement.
One evening, as Junxi and Yuexi were tending to her in the room, they suddenly heard Xianglan mutter, "The Crown Prince was forced to death by the Eighth Prince... our family will be executed to the last member... Grandfather, father, mother, younger brothers and sisters, you must run faster... Don't be caught..." Then she said, "Cousin, this servant was wrong, please stop beating me..."
Hearing the words "executed to the last member," the two girls were startled. They quietly approached, gently shook Xianglan, and called softly, "Sister Xianglan, Sister Xianglan." Finding her delirious and her forehead burning to the touch, they realized she was raving. Then they heard Xianglan say, "Cao Lihuan, I'm not afraid of you! If not for circumstances forcing my hand, why would I endure your insults? Zhao Yuechan, your heart is truly venomous! Do you really not fear retribution in the underworld?"
Junxi and Yuexi exchanged horrified glances, their hearts pounding. They drew the bed curtains and Junxi remained by the bedside while Yuexi went to knock on the study door.
Song Ke was diligently studying for the following spring's imperial examinations when Yuexi entered. Setting his book aside, he asked, "What is it?"
Yuexi replied, "Sister Xianglan isn't doing well—she's talking nonsense. I'm afraid the fever might damage her body."
Song Ke immediately went to the side chamber, drew back the curtains, and saw Xianglan with her eyes tightly shut, appearing critically ill. His heart sank, and his lips pressed into a tight line.
Junxi thought for a moment and said, "Eldest Master, perhaps you could use your card to request Lin Third Master to send Physician Luo from the Lin family's Ji'an Hall for a consultation. His medical skills are truly exceptional."Song Ke hesitated for a moment. He knew Physician Luo was highly skilled, but this doctor practiced at the Lin family's pharmacy and frequently visited their inner quarters, making him quite familiar with the household affairs. If he had seen Xianglan before, another encounter now would be inconvenient. Song Ke had originally planned to hide Xianglan in his residence until he passed the imperial exams next year. Then he would secure an official post and take his entire family to his new assignment, freeing them from the Lin family's influence before making further plans.
While he was still hesitating, he suddenly heard Xianglan murmur, "It hurts..." A tear slid from the corner of her eye.
Song Ke's heart ached, and his hesitation vanished instantly. He immediately wrote a note to Lin Jinting. Before long, Physician Luo arrived. Seeing the bed curtains drawn tightly and the hand extended from within covered with a handkerchief, he assumed it was either an unusual maid in Song Ke's household or a young lady of the Song family. After taking her pulse, he prescribed a new formula.
Yuexi went to prepare the medicine while Junxi approached and whispered, "Did you hear what Xianglan said earlier? Something about 'the Crown Prince,' 'the Eighth Prince,' and 'execution of the entire family.'"
Yuexi was startled. She glanced around and lowered her voice, "If you heard it, pretend you didn't. Keep it to yourself—she's delirious from the fever."
Junxi stuck out her tongue and said no more.
After taking two doses of Physician Luo's prescription, Xianglan's symptoms eased. Song Ke naturally instructed the kitchen to prepare various nourishing soups for her. During this time, Xianglan learned three pieces of news from the servants: first, Lin Dongqi was engaged to the second son of Duke Zhenguo's family, with the wedding ceremonies to take place after Old Madam Zeng's mourning period ended; second, Lin Jinlou's bedchamber maid Huamei had returned home for a short stay, but a fire broke out in her house, after which both Huamei and her maid Xique disappeared without a trace; third, Qinglan's funeral had concluded. Although she was buried with some dignity, as a concubine she could not be interred in the Lin family ancestral grave. Instead, she was buried in a scenic spot with favorable feng shui.
Xianglan sighed deeply. Her health gradually improved, and the swelling on her face had mostly subsided, though bruises remained, making her appearance less frightening than before. When Xianglan regained her strength, Song Ke arranged for her to meet with the Chen couple in a small room near the inner gate. When Xue Shi saw Xianglan's condition, her tears fell like rolling melons. Chen Wanquan's eyes also reddened.
The three of them sat in silence for a long time before Xianglan held back her tears and smiled, "We're all fine now, reunited as a family. Why are we still crying?"
Xue Shi said hoarsely, "What do you mean fine? Look at your face..." As she spoke, tears streamed down again.
Seeing no one else around, Chen Wanquan whispered, "What exactly happened? There were rumors earlier that the Eldest Master had taken a liking to you and planned to elevate you to mistress. How did you end up being bought by Master Song instead?"
Xianglan lowered her gaze. "Precisely because the Eldest Master favored me, Da Nǎinai couldn't tolerate me. She had me severely beaten and planned to sell me to a brothel. Fortunately, Master Song purchased me... But this matter must be kept secret. You must keep your mouths shut too—if Da Nǎinai finds out, it will be disastrous."
Upon hearing the word "brothel," the couple gasped in horror, shaking their heads like pellet drums. "No, no, we must never speak of it. Master Song also warned us—even if we slip up, we must not reveal a single word."Chen Wanquan said, "Don't worry. After leaving the Lin residence, your mother and I moved to the alley behind the Song residence. That place is very quiet, and there aren't many people who know us there."
Xue Shi sighed and said, "Eldest Master Song is truly a compassionate man. He bought your father and me just to keep our family together. Later I must kowtow to thank him for his great mercy." As she spoke, she looked at Xianglan again, her heart aching as if it were being torn apart.
Chen Wanquan also felt his heart wrench with pain as he gazed at his beloved daughter. He secretly came to his senses and wiped his eyes, but then put on a stern face and said, "This is all the trouble you brought upon yourself with your stubborn and willful nature. If you hadn't entered the residence back then and had obediently married Manager Liu's son, how would you be any different from a respectable madam of an ordinary family now? Why would you have to suffer like this! But you looked down on the Liu family for also being servants of the Lin residence, and you disliked that their son was foolish. Yet you don't take a look at your own father—also born a servant—what wild fantasies were you having? And now, see what's happened—you've brought suffering upon yourself!"
Xue Shi immediately embraced Xianglan and shoved Chen Wanquan, saying, "You talk less! Can't you see our daughter has suffered so greatly, and you still say such heart-wrenching things? You really are a clueless old fool!"
Xianglan lowered her eyelids. Despite having endured numerous hardships and suffering since entering the residence, she had never once regretted it. The Lin residence was indeed difficult to endure, but if she had accepted being a servant for generations and obediently married, that kind of despair would surely have killed her. She constantly dreamed of removing her servant status and was determined to give it a try, even if what lay ahead was a mountain of fire—she would still tread through it.
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