Against the Current - Chapter 110

Chapter 110 - Caught in the Act (Part 3)

Lin Jinlou fetched a brush, ink, an inkstone, and paper from the monastic quarters, wrote out a formal letter of release for his wife, and handed it over to Zhao Xuede. Zhao Gang rubbed his hands together and asked, "Even though it is a separation by mutual agreement, it still ultimately damages her reputation. Look here..."

Lin Jinlou said indifferently, "Not a single word containing 'no' concerning the Zhao family will ever cross our lips. You may spin the narrative however you please, with only one strict condition: the reputation of the Lin family must not be tarnished."

Zhao Xuede let out a sigh of relief. Lin Jinlou speaking in such a manner was equivalent to covering up Zhao Yuechan's illicit affair. Casting a glance at Hao Qing, he asked further, "How should this fellow be dealt with?"

A mocking smile played across Lin Jinlou's face as he replied, "Leave his disposal to the Zhao family." With that, he strode away without even looking back.

Stung to the heart by the smile on Lin Jinlou's face, Zhao Xuede glared fiercely at Zhao Yuechan and snapped, "Hurry up and put your clothes on!" With a venomous expression, he turned his gaze toward Hao Qing. Trembling from head to toe, Hao Qing stammered, "Have mercy on my life, Your Honor! Spare my life, Your Honor!"

Zhao Gang stepped forward, grabbed a bundle of garments, and tightly plugged Hao Qing's mouth. He leaned close to Zhao Xuede's ear and whispered, "In a moment, we'll stuff him into a sack, tie a heavy stone to it, and toss him straight into the river. That way, everything will be done without a soul knowing."

Zhao Xuede gave an imperceptible nod and said, "Make sure your men are clean and efficient about it."

Receiving his orders, Zhao Gang immediately found a sack, stuffed Hao Qing inside, and we shall leave that matter aside for the moment.

Returning to the narrative, Lin Jinlou walked outside and summoned his trusted personal guard, Hu Lai, drawing him close to ask in a low voice, "Where are the people now?"

Hu Lai lowered his voice and replied, "Word was just sent over. At this moment, they have already crossed Jiangsu and are about to reach Anhui."

Lin Jinlou nodded and let out a long breath. Back when Zhao Xuede first approached Lin Jinlou to discuss capturing the crown prince, Lin Jinlou had taken it merely as a joke. Yet as he investigated more closely, he was profoundly shocked to discover that the crown prince was indeed residing within this very city of Jinling, having shaved his head to become a Buddhist monk who wandered the four directions with an alms bowl. In his youth, Lin Jinlou had entered the palace and caught sight of the crown prince, remembering distinctly that he possessed a bright red blood-mole just above his right eyebrow. Seeing him now, it matched with absolute perfection. He had immediately fallen into a difficult dilemma: the Eighth Prince had firmly secured the imperial throne with his wings growing increasingly full, making it exceedingly difficult for the crown prince to ever make a comeback; thus, placing stakes on the crown prince was bound to be a misstep. Yet the crown prince had once treated the Lin family with great kindness, and a person must never be ungrateful and forget past favors—fitting the old saying, "The deposed king showed us grace, yet the current sovereign cannot be defied."

Lin Jinlou was, after all, a man capable of decisive, ruthless judgment. Seeing that the crown prince had inscribed the eight characters "The rivers and mountains remain the same; as we age, all becomes empty" on paper, he understood that the crown prince harbored no further ambitions to rise in revolt. Consequently, he had bestowed gold, silver, and wealth upon him, ordering his trusted men to pack provisions and escort the crown prince's party safely out of the city to settle down beyond the border passes.

Turning back, he had set his plans into motion. Over the previous few days, he had left early and returned late, purposely staying away from home while dispatching men to keep a quiet, watchful eye, uncovering the full extent of the scandalous deeds Zhao Yuechan had committed outside. Originally, he had planned to catch them in bed and settle the score with a single blade. Yet doing so recklessly would have disregarded the broader picture and ruptured the amicable relations between the Lin and Zhao families. Now, with this ready-made excuse, Lin Jinlou had simply orchestrated a trap to lure the Zhao father and son in, tearing the matter wide open right before their eyes. Afterward, he would have Lin Zhaoxiang send another letter to Zhao Yuechan's grandfather, Zhao Jin, to clarify the situation, ensuring that the fallout was restricted solely to Zhao Xuede's immediate branch while preserving their ties and old affections with the other branches of the Zhao family for the future.

Having finally shaken off the clingy dog-skin plaster that filled him with such profound disgust, Lin Jinlou felt his entire body surge with lightness. Everything he laid eyes on appeared pleasing, and with a pretense of solemn duty, he ordered his subordinates to search the Ganlu Temple thoroughly.

Xianglan had stood out in the biting wind for a long time until her hands and feet were completely numb with cold. Seeing Lin Jinlou suddenly emerge from the quarters and initiate a massive sweep, she felt a wave of startled confusion, thinking, Could it be that Lin Jinlou wasn't here to catch an adulterous pair after all, and there really are rebels hiding in this temple? Yet, gazing into the distance, she noticed Lin Jinlou wore a look of utter leisure, lacking the grim, life-or-death tension of hunting down rebels, which only deepened her suspicions. Fearing he might spot her, she quietly slipped away and hid behind a cluster of plum trees.

At that moment, a burly soldier with thick eyebrows and large eyes, wearing respectable military attire, walked over and demanded, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Xianglan hurriedly curtsied and said, "This humble young lady is a visitor who came to the temple to burn incense. I was originally drinking tea in the guest hall, but seeing several plum blossoms blooming splendidly in the courtyard of the monastic quarters, I came over to take a look. However, the military officers suddenly arrived and guarded the gates to prevent anyone from leaving, leaving me no choice but to stay here."

The one questioning her was precisely Hu Lai. Giving her a quick head-to-toe appraisal, he saw that the young woman before him wore a blue-green satin cloak edged with fur and spoke with cultured refinement. Though her hood was pulled down to shroud half her face and conceal her features, she clearly possessed the air of someone from an affluent household, perhaps even the young daughter of some prominent family. Waving his hand, he said, "Be off with you then. This place is where monks reside; a young lady like you should rarely frequent such quarters in the future."

Xianglan was only too eager to leave. Offering another curtsy, she turned to depart. Just then, a voice rang out from behind: "Hold on!"

Xianglan's entire body stiffened. That voice belonged unmistakably to Lin Jinlou!

How could Xianglan dare to "hold on"? Instead, she quickened her pace, only to see her path suddenly grow dim as Lin Jinlou strode forward in two quick strides to block her way. Due to his towering stature, he cast a shadow that completely enveloped her.

Xianglan suffered a severe jolt of fright, her legs turning to jelly and trembling slightly as she kept her head stubbornly bowed. Suddenly, a hand appeared right before her holding a silk palace ribbon tied with a five-colored auspicious sachet. Lin Jinlou asked in a lazy, unhurried tone, "Does this belong to you?"

Taking a look, Xianglan recognized it instantly as the item dangling from her skirt. Evidently, the ribbon had loosened earlier, causing the sachet to drop to the ground. Lowering her voice into an indistinct murmur, she said, "Many thanks, Your Honor," and reached out to take it.

Initially, Lin Jinlou had simply intended to return the sachet, but as he watched the young girl—though hidden beneath her hood—reveal a delicately curved chin and a pair of flushed, cherry-red lips when she raised her face slightly, a wave of familiarity washed over him. In a fleeting moment of distraction, he recalled that the maidservant previously named Xianglan had possessed just such a mouth, pink and alluring enough to make a man want to press a kiss upon it.

Lin Jinlou abruptly furrowed his brows and asked, "What is your name?" He reached out his hand, intending to push back the hood covering Xianglan's head. At that exact moment, the door of the monastic quarters swung open, and Zhao Xuede walked out, calling out, "General Lin, have the rebels been found?" Having already delivered the letter of release, Zhao Xuede, thick-skinned though he was, could no longer bring himself to address him as "good son-in-law" and instead addressed him formally as "General Lin," though a bitter taste lingered in his mouth—what a splendid marriage alliance this had been! Lin Jinlou had been invested as a fourth-rank general at such a tender age with a boundless future ahead of him; Zhao Yuechan, that disastrous wretch, was originally destined to hold the title of a fourth-rank lady of rank, making him the father-in-law of a fourth-rank general. To think she lacked the fortune to enjoy it!

Seeing Lin Jinlou chatting with a young woman in the blink of an eye, holding his arm high as if about to touch her, Zhao Xuede grew even more displeased. Letting his voice drop, he urged, "I ask General Lin to prioritize matters of greater importance."

Xianglan's heart hammered frantically against her ribs. Seizing the opportunity, she took half a step backward and lowered her head even further.

Displaying clear irritation, Lin Jinlou thought to himself that there weren't any damn rebels in this temple—the whole affair was merely a setup to bring him here and watch how his daughter stole away to dally with a thief. Still, he needed to grant Zhao Xuede a shred of face, so he withdrew his hand and replied expressionlessly, "Lord Zhao can rest easy. This place is sealed up like an iron barrel; the rebels wouldn't be able to sprout wings and fly away."

Zhao Gang chimed in, "We ask General Lin to take charge of the overall situation and step aside for a word." He walked forward, grabbed Lin Jinlou by the arm, and claimed that someone had discovered a piece of calligraphy and painting that might have been crafted by the rebel himself. Before leaving, Lin Jinlou cast one final glance at Xianglan, stating, "Stand right here and wait!" Before his voice had even faded, he was pulled away by Zhao Gang, who acted like a sworn brother.

Xianglan let out a soft sigh of relief. Stealing a glance to confirm that Lin Jinlou had walked far away, she gathered her skirts and broke into a sprint. Running out from the courtyard of the monastic quarters, she spotted Old Mother Wang still waiting anxiously near the guest hall. The moment Old Mother Wang caught sight of Xianglan, she beamed as if a phoenix had descended from the heavens, hurrying forward to greet her with, "My good girl, wherever did you go?"

Xianglan rushed up, grabbed Old Mother Wang by the arm, and urged, "There are soldiers and officers inside, saying they're here to capture rebels. Swords and spears have no eyes, so we had better leave quickly."

Old Mother Wang had already caught sight of the soldiers earlier, and upon hearing the words "capture rebels" and "swords and spears have no eyes," she panicked as well. Together with Xianglan, she hurried frantically toward the outer gates. Stepping out past the mountain gates, they spotted Old Man Wang sitting on the carriage shafts with his hands tucked into his sleeves. Xianglan and Old Mother Wang climbed aboard the carriage and ordered an immediate return to the Song residence.

After the carriage had traveled a short distance, Xianglan finally dared to cautiously lift the curtain and peer outside. Seeing that the surroundings were completely quiet and noting that no one was pursuing them from behind, she let out a long breath of relief and slumped softly against the carriage wall. Only then did she realize that a cold sweat had soaked right through her undergarments, while a fine layer of beads stood out across her forehead. Xianglan pulled out her handkerchief to dab at her brow, but when she glanced down and saw her skirt-band entirely empty, she felt a pang of regret over the lost palace ribbon and sachet. Yet, reflecting on the matter, losing those worldly trinkets was infinitely better than being captured by Lin Jinlou, which brought her a measure of comfort.

Once they entered the city of Jinling, Xianglan looked back once more and, seeing no sign of pursuing soldiers, finally set her mind at ease. Upon returning to the Song manor, they bolted the doors and shut the gates, devoting themselves heart and soul to preparing for the New Year.

Returning to Lin Jinlou, he was dragged along by Zhao Gang for quite a while, feeling thoroughly annoyed, yet forced to keep his ears open and listen. When he finally broke free and returned, he discovered that not a trace of a shadow remained beneath the plum tree in the courtyard. Enraged, Lin Jinlou summoned the nearby soldiers and demanded, "Where is she? Where is the person who was standing beneath the tree?"

The soldier stared blankly, completely clueless as to who Lin Jinlou was referring to. Hearing Lin Jinlou's furious bark, Hu Lai hurried over and reported, "That young woman has already departed."

Lin Jinlou's expression darkened instantly. Bound by a mountain of miscellaneous duties, he had no choice but to temporarily push the matter aside.

The entire grounds of Ganlu Temple were searched from top to bottom, but naturally, no trace of any rebels was discovered. However, in one of the rooms, they unearthed a landscape painting bearing just a few sparse brushstrokes, with the couplet "The rivers and mountains remain the same; as we age, all becomes empty" inscribed in the blank space, stamped at the bottom with an imperial seal—appearing unmistakably to be the handiwork of the crown prince. Treating it as if it were a rare, priceless treasure, Zhao Xuede reacted as though injected with adrenaline, summoning all the monks of the temple to question them one by one. Upon inquiry, they learned that the man was a traveling monk who had taken lodging there half a month prior and had long since departed to parts unknown.

Zhao Xuede hurriedly dispatched this written message via an eight-hundred-li urgent courier to his grandfather, while also planning to launch a thorough search throughout the city of Jinling. Lin Jinlou offered an inward sneer—the crown prince had long since been sent away by his arrangement to a foreign province; within a few days, after crossing Anhui, he would enter the borders of Henan, heading all the way northwest to pass beyond the borders, where his tracks would vanish and he would become impossible to trace. Even if Zhao Xuede turned the city of Jinling upside down, he would never find him.

Busy with various affairs throughout the entire day, Lin Jinlou did not return home until the hour of Shen (around 3 to 5 PM). Because Zhao Yuechan was absent, Yingge seized the opportunity to step forward and wait upon him, serving a bowl of wolfberry soup she had prepared herself. Noticing that Lin Jinlou was hungry, she instructed the kitchens to reheat some dishes. Lin Jinlou partook of a hasty meal and prepared to change his clothes, intending to report the matter of his separation from Zhao Yuechan to the elders. As Yingge served him by removing his heavy outer cloak, with a crisp "slap," the sachet tied with the orchid palace ribbon rolled out from his sleeve and dropped onto the floor.

Yingge quickly stooped to pick it up. Lin Jinlou, however, frowned, snatched the sachet straight out of her hand, and strode directly out the door to command the errand boys waiting along the corridor to summon Shuangxi and Jixiang. Speaking in a stern, sharp voice, he ordered, "Go and investigate! Find out which human trafficker purchased that maidservant named Xianglan previously, and where she is right now. Within three days, you must track her down and report back to me!"