Xianglan and Song Ke released the lotus lanterns together. As the night deepened, they did not linger and both returned home. Xianglan had pleasant dreams all night. The next day, Song Ke still went to the academy to study. Xianglan tidied up inside and outside the house, took all the clothes from the trunks, folded them neatly one by one, divided them into several piles, and placed them in the wardrobe.
Yuexi smiled and said, "I've long wanted to sort out the Eldest Master's clothes but never found the time."
Xianglan replied, "Some of these clothes are so worn that the edges have turned white. While simplicity is fine, it shouldn't be to this extent. The Eldest Master spends his days receiving guests and dealing with scions of noble families, as well as distinguished officials and local gentry. There's nothing else to worry about, but the most detestable are those snobs who judge people by their clothing. We mustn't let others look down on him." She pointed them out one by one: "These few are new and should be placed on top for the Eldest Master to wear when receiving guests. These slightly used ones can be refreshed by replacing the collars and cuffs, then sprinkled with hot wine and ironed to look like new. These three are damaged—mend the holes where possible, and where they can't be fixed, embroider a flower to cover it up. The most regrettable is this fur coat, which has been moth-eaten. Tomorrow, we should ask the steward to bring a camphorwood chest. As for these others, they're either too faded from washing or have oil stains on the front. We should ask the Eldest Master—if he no longer wears them, they can be given away as rewards."
Yuexi clasped her hands and said, "The Eldest Master has three or four seasonal outfits made each year, but they're just stored in the trunks. Some are forgotten after being made. It's fortunate we took them out to check." She then called Junxi to help Xianglan sort the clothes and find suitable fabric for mending and patching.
Yuexi suddenly sighed and said, "Ah, if the old master were still alive, the Eldest Master wouldn't have to wear such clothes. He'd have several new outfits tailored each year, and such old ones would have been discarded long ago."
Xianglan said, "Wearing old clothes isn't necessarily bad, as long as he's not receiving guests in them."
Junxi added, "The Eldest Master is saving money to use for networking and bribes after he passes the imperial exams. Those officials in the capital are all corrupt—without greasing the wheels, how can the Eldest Master secure a good post?"
As they were speaking, someone called from outside the window, "Is Miss Xianglan here?" Xianglan leaned out to look and saw Guo Mama standing outside the room. She quickly put down her work, slipped on her shoes from the couch, and went out, saying, "Mama, what brings you here? Please come in and sit."
Guo Mama beamed with a forced smile, took Xianglan's hand, and said, "It's nothing. I came today to apologize to you. My daughter is ignorant and offended you with her words. Please forgive her for being crude and inexperienced, and don't take it to heart. I'll discipline her properly when I return."
Xianglan immediately understood that Song Ke must have spoken to Guo Mama. She smiled and said, "Mama, what are you saying? It's my fault for being tactless, not knowing what should and shouldn't be said. I beg Sister Fangsi to be more forgiving."
The two exchanged hypocritical pleasantries for a while. Guo Mama handed over a food box she was holding and said, "These are newly steamed cloud slice cakes I made this morning, brought for you all to eat."
Xianglan smiled graciously and said, "You've gone to too much trouble, Mama." She then went back inside, fetched a box of eight-treasure preserved fruits, and had Guo Mama take it with her.Xianglan, however, was unaware that early this morning, Song Ke had gone to pay respects to Song Yima. After exchanging a few pleasantries between mother and daughter, Fangsi, who was standing nearby in attendance, seized the opportunity to say, "The trousers I made for Eldest Master are finished. Please take a look, Eldest Master, and if there's anything unsatisfactory, I'll make adjustments." As she spoke, she presented the trousers to Song Ke.
Song Yima smiled and said, "Fangsi stayed up two nights to finish these. You're not allowed to complain they're not good enough."
Song Ke bowed slightly and replied with a smile, "I wouldn't dare." He then glanced at Fangsi and added, "You've gone to a lot of trouble."
Fangsi's face immediately flushed red. She gave Song Ke a coy, shy look but, despite her usual eloquence, found herself at a loss for words and slowly retreated to stand by Song Yima's side.
Song Yima and Guo Mama exchanged glances, both wearing knowing smiles. Song Ke noticed this and lowered his head slightly. After a moment, he said, "Fangsi has served Mother diligently all these years, working hard and achieving much. However, she's getting older now. Mother, please keep an eye out for a good match for her. When the time comes, I'll also contribute to her dowry."
Before he had even finished speaking, Fangsi's face turned pale, and tears welled up in her eyes. Song Yima was taken aback, glanced at Guo Mama, and looked somewhat embarrassed. Still, she didn't want to go against her son's wishes and said, "You're right, of course. We mustn't treat Fangsi unfairly."
Song Ke did not stay longer but stood up to take his leave. Guo Mama saw him to the door, where he suddenly stopped, turned around, and said, "After all, Fangsi is a maid in Madam's household. In the future, when doing needlework, she should prioritize Madam's tasks first. I can't bear the thought of her ruining her health making trousers for me. Moreover, if she falls ill, who will handle the duties in Madam's quarters?"
Guo Mama's heart sank again, and she repeatedly agreed, "Eldest Master is absolutely right. From now on, Fangsi will only do needlework for Madam."
Having made his point, Song Ke turned and left.
Guo Mama sensed something amiss in Song Ke's tone. When she entered the side room, she found Fangsi inside, wiping away tears. Upon questioning, she learned that Fangsi had quarreled with Xianglan the previous day. Guo Mama said anxiously, "I told you to avoid provoking Xianglan, but you wouldn't listen! Now you've left yourself no room for maneuver!" She hurriedly brought pastries to apologize to Xianglan. Upon returning, she sighed deeply and said to Fangsi, "Today, I took a closer look at Xianglan's appearance. She's as beautiful as a fairy, and her words and actions are impeccable—no wonder Eldest Master holds her in such regard. Since she's openly broken with you like this, it's clear she's not one to tolerate rivals. When Eldest Master marries Da Nǎinai in the future, Xianglan will have her own hardships to face. Why must you compete with her now? Listen to your mother: from now on, stay far away from her and don't provoke Eldest Master's displeasure again."
Fangsi choked back sobs and agreed, but in her heart, she resented Song Ke's coldness and blamed Xianglan for ruining her plans. For the time being, she kept these thoughts to herself.
Meanwhile, after tidying Song Ke's room, Xianglan painted a picture of insects and plants, inscribed it with the words "Recluse of Orchid Fragrance," took out a seal, dipped it in ink, and pressed it firmly below the inscription. Her paintings were elegant in color and brushwork, though occasionally vibrant and vivid. Her floral motifs were often freehand, while the insects were meticulously rendered in fine detail, creating a style that was both refined and lively, unique in its charm. Because such tasteful paintings were rare in the market, they were highly favored by ladies and young misses in inner chambers.A while back, because Xianglan had entered the Lin residence and had no time to paint, only two or three works were sold by Chen Wanquan before they became scarce. This drove up the price of her paintings severalfold, to the point that imitations began circulating in the market, though none could match the charming artistic conception of Xianglan's originals. Though Chen Wanquan was unreliable, he was shrewd and eloquent, exaggerating the paintings' merits until even a small piece sold for seven or eight taels of silver. He was so delighted he felt as if his bones had turned to air.
Xianglan, however, refused to paint more, producing only one or two small works at a time. The moment Chen Wanquan hung them in his shop, they sold out instantly. Soon, the name "Recluse of Orchid Fragrance" gained renown, and literati and connoisseurs took pride in owning one of her works, further increasing their value.
After finishing a painting, Xianglan felt stifled by the heat in her room. Peering out the window, she saw dark clouds gathering and knew rain was imminent. She quickly fetched an umbrella and called Ludou to the corridor, saying, "The Eldest Master likely didn't take an umbrella when he left this morning. Take this to the academy—go quickly and return soon." Ludou took the umbrella and left.
Xianglan put away her painting, thinking it unwise to leave it in the Song residence. She took an umbrella and slipped out through the back door to return home. Finding Chen Wanquan absent, she handed the painting to Xue Shi with instructions: "Mother, give this to Father in half a month. Don't sell them too frequently—once they become common, their value will drop. In a while, I'll stop painting insects and grasses and switch to landscapes. If those can fetch a high price too, that would be ideal." She added, "Father initially said I painted these, but he must not do so anymore. Have him claim he misspoke and was just boasting—that the paintings were actually done by a wandering scholar who stayed at Tranquil Moon Temple, gifted me a few pieces, and I've kept them hidden until now to sell."
Xue Shi repeatedly agreed and carefully stored the painting, saying, "Your father mentioned that with a fine ebony scroll mounting, such a painting could command an impressive price."
Noting the sky had turned as black as a pot's bottom, Xianglan briefly exchanged a few more words with Xue Shi before heading out. Just after stepping outside, thunder rumbled overhead, and raindrops as large as beans began pelting down. Xianglan hurriedly opened her umbrella, lifted her skirts, and quickened her pace. At the back gate of the Song residence, she spotted a scholar in a blue cotton robe sheltering from the rain under the eaves.
Approaching for a closer look, Xianglan recognized him as Xia Yun.
It turned out that after hearing from his sister-in-law about Xianglan, Xia Yun had felt somewhat displeased. In his leisure time, he and his classmates often discussed young ladies from various families, and even courtesans from the pleasure quarters. With his handsome features, elegant demeanor, and scholarly status, many families favored him, and young women in the neighborhood enjoyed chatting with him or secretly gifting him pouches or handkerchiefs. Once, while strolling with classmates, Xiaocuixian from the Yihong House leaned over her balcony rail, laughing and cracking melon seeds, then plucked a flower from her hair and tossed it at him. This sparked envy and admiration among onlookers, who teased him playfully. Though he blushed at the time, he couldn't help feeling a surge of pride. Glancing up, he was struck by Xiaocuixian's voluptuous beauty—a single flutter of her eyes held endless allure. Even as he tried to maintain composure, his heart softened irresistibly.Since meeting Xianglan, he had come to feel that even though Xiaocuixian was charming and beautiful, she ultimately fell short, far less elegant and noble than Xianglan. With such thoughts swirling in his mind, he could no longer focus on his studies and decided to go out for a stroll. Passing by Chen Wanquan's pawnshop, he noticed a painting on the wall titled Cabbage and Cherries, created by Xianglan. The brushwork was delicate and graceful, exuding a refined freshness that stirred his heart. He mused to himself, "Only someone with profound inner depth could produce such a masterpiece." His admiration for her grew even stronger.
Leaving the shop, he unconsciously wandered to Xianglan's doorstep, as if hoping to catch another glimpse of her. Finding her absent, he felt a pang of disappointment. Lingering in the alley for a while, he refused to give up. Unexpectedly, the sky suddenly opened up with a heavy downpour, and he hurriedly took shelter under the eaves of the Song residence's back door.
Just moments earlier, he had spotted a girl approaching with an umbrella and sensed it might be Xianglan. As she drew nearer, the umbrella tilted slightly, revealing a lotus-like face and a pair of eyes as dark as black onyx. Xiaoyun's heart instantly felt as if a dozen little rabbits were thumping wildly inside.
OpenNovel