Against the Current - Chapter 118

Chapter 118 - Troubled Hearts 

Song Ke only felt a deep sense of frustration, pacing about his home day in and day out, restless and ill at ease. Lin Jingting came to see him in secret and said, "Your current situation is looking quite grim. I've sent people to inquire about it everywhere, and it turns out that Li Jia was instigated by someone to stir up trouble. Originally, I thought that since he was just greedy for money, giving him a bit more silver would make him change his tune. Who would have thought he'd be completely impervious to reason."

Song Ke frowned and said, "Naturally, someone instigated him. Otherwise, how could such a trivial matter have escalated to the point where an imperial censor submitted a memorial to impeach me? I am utterly wronged, yet I've been slapped with the crime of 'oppressing the common folk.'"

Lin Jingting said with a worried expression, "I don't know who you've managed to offend, but it's just hateful that my position is low and my words carry little weight, leaving me unable to help you investigate. Tomorrow, I will go beg my eldest uncle to see if he has any connections or methods."

Song Ke let out a long sigh. "I can only hope this storm passes sooner rather than later." After conferring with Lin Jingting, there was nothing more to be said.

However, the situation only grew more severe. When the Emperor heard about the matter, he was displeased and ordered Song Ke to confine himself at home for self-reflection, decreeing that he would not be permitted to enter the capital until he had repented. When the news reached him, Song Ke felt as though a thunderbolt had struck from a clear blue sky; he was completely stunned. The Emperor's decree was tantamount to severing his bright future. Over a decade of burning midnight oil in bitter study and his grand ambitions were reduced to nothingness all at once. Overwhelmed by sudden rage and distress, he fell ill and took to his bed, running a high fever and raving deliriously. Aunt Song and the others felt as though they had lost their pillar of support, weeping day and night amidst a bleak and dreary gloom.

Lin Zhangzheng had originally intended to submit a memorial speaking on Song Ke's behalf, but Lin Zhaoxiang stopped him, saying, "His Majesty has just ordered him to stay at home and reflect. If you submit a memorial now to plead his grievance, wouldn't that be slapping His Majesty in the face? Lou'er is currently working on things for you in the capital, trying to secure you the post of Shanxi Governor with an upgraded rank, and the official appointment is right on the verge of being issued. At a time like this, prioritizing stability is crucial; you must not act rashly. Once a year or two passes and this matter fades from memory, it won't be too late to bring it up then. If His Majesty shows displeasure, you can simply bring the Song family lad along to Shanxi and put him to important use—that won't be too late either."

Lin Zhangzheng had no choice but to comply. He instructed Lin Jingting to send a generous assortment of top-grade medicinal herbs to the Song residence and quietly relayed Lin Zhaoxiang's intentions.

Xianglan also caught wind of the matter, but finding herself utterly powerless to help, she could only worry in secret. Under the pretext of visiting Song Chain, she brought some items over to pay a call at the Song residence, managing to catch a glimpse of Song Ke in secret. She found him newly recovering from his grave illness, his complexion deathly pale and his appearance weak and listless.

Xianglan's heart ached, and tears nearly spilled from her eyes. She hurriedly forced a smile, lifted the food box she was carrying, and said, "I cooked a few dishes for you at home; see if you can have a taste. Junxi and the others told me your appetite hasn't been very good these past few days, but you really must eat something, no matter what." As she laid the dishes out one by one, she continued, "Back when I was a maid in the Lin family, you used to have Ludou secretly send food to me in the Luocui Pavilion. Well, look at that—now the tables have turned, and it's my turn to repay your kindness." She handed the chopsticks to Song Ke and said, "Have a taste."

Song Ke managed a single bite before putting the chopsticks back down.

Xianglan sighed and gently consoled him, "Back when I was in the Lin family, I always felt as though I would never see the end of my hardships. Being a humble maid was like being a mere blade of grass that anyone could trample underfoot. Who could have imagined that in the span of a single year, I would manage to work my way out of the Lin household? You should set your mind at ease, too. Right now it might look like a dead end, but if you just wait a little longer, won't things suddenly open up into a bright new vista?"

Song Ke gave a bitter smile. "How could I not understand that logic? It's just that there is no one in the imperial court speaking up for me. Even if a year or two passes and the head of the Lin family helps me clear my name, I will have ultimately incurred the Emperor's displeasure, casting a shadow over my future prospects." With that, he closed his mouth and turned over to lie down on the bed to sleep.

Xianglan stared at Song Ke's retreating back for a long while. Knowing he was in a foul mood and that it wasn't appropriate to stay long, she quietly withdrew.

From the Song residence, Xianglan went straight to Jingyue Nunnery to burn incense and draw a divination lot for Song Ke. To her surprise, it was an auspicious lot reading "After the darkest night comes the dawn," indicating a fortune that was steadily growing more prosperous. Xianglan could not help letting out a sigh of relief. She then drew a lot for herself, shaking the tube for a long time before a single bamboo slip dropped out. Vaguely, Xianglan saw the characters "Inseparable birds sharing the same forest" written on the bamboo slip. When she reached down to pick it up for a closer look, she saw the slip being stepped upon by a pair of monastic shoes. Raising her head, she found Abbess Dingyi standing right before her.

Xianglan hurriedly pressed her palms together in a salute and murmured softly, "Master."

Abbess Dingyi bent down, picked up the divination lot, examined it, and slipped it into her sleeve. "What were you divining just now?" she asked.

Xianglan blushed and softly replied, "Matters of the heart and marriage."

Abbess Dingyi was startled. Letting out an "oh," she stared fixedly at the green bamboo swaying outside the window for a long moment before saying, "You need not ask about such things. In your past life, your allotted lifespan was not yet exhausted, and your remaining blessings had not yet been fully enjoyed, yet you died an unnatural death due to a calamity. Your marriage in this lifetime was predetermined long ago; there is no need to ask further. Set your mind at rest."

Xianglan had always treated the abbess with deep reverence. Though her heart was brimming with curiosity, she did not dare press the matter any further. Yet she remained constantly worried about Song Ke, visiting the Song residence every few days. Fortunately, Aunt Song was weeping and wailing all day long and had no spare energy to pay attention to her, while Song Chain was more than willing to let her comfort Song Ke. Moreover, the servants were on good terms with Xianglan, so things remained peaceful for the time being. Only Song Ke remained perpetually gloomy and desolate. Later on, as his physical health gradually improved and his spirits picked up somewhat, a hint of a smile occasionally returned to his face, yet he was still a far cry from his former bright and cheerful self, frequently staring blankly at the scholar's four treasures on his desk all by himself. Xianglan tried every trick in the book to cheer Song Ke up, but to no avail.

While Song Ke's troubles brewed, another person was driven to distraction by anxiety. Upon hearing the news, Zheng Jingxian was instantly seized with panic and fury, pestering Zheng Baiyuan day in and day out to speak up and clear Song Ke's name. Unable to bear her endless badgering, Zheng Baiyuan snapped, "It's obvious that the Song family lad has offended someone; someone is sticking a knife in his back from the shadows. Why should we stick our necks into this messy business? There's no shortage of fine young men in this world—let's just pick another family for you!"

Zheng Jingxian stared at him with wide, angry eyes and declared, "I've set my heart on him and him alone! In my heart, I am already his wife. If I can't marry Song Ke, I'll shear off my hair and become a nun!"

Trembling with rage, Zheng Baiyuan pointed a shaking finger at Zheng Jingxian and spluttered, "You... you... how can you utter such a shameless thing!"

Zheng Jingxian threw her arms around Zheng Baiyuan's sleeve, cooing and wheedling, "Father, this is the only person I've ever set my eyes on. He's talented, he's capable, and he achieved his jinshi degree at such a young age—didn't you say yourself that his prospects are boundless? Just humor me out of your appreciation for true talent, and put in a few good words for him. Consider it granting your daughter a single heartfelt wish." With that, she dragged Zheng Baiyuan over to the writing desk, picked up a writing brush, dipped it in ink, stuffed it into his hand, and urged, "Father, hurry up!"

Zheng Baiyuan dropped the brush with a sigh. "Do you think it's that easy?"

Zheng Jingxian planted her hands on her hips and arched her brows. "What do you mean it's not easy? Didn't that sworn brother of yours previously have a son who forcibly seized people and bullied the common folk? When an imperial censor filed a complaint, you found someone to pull strings and manage connections behind the scenes, and didn't he walk away without a scratch in the end? Master Song has definitely been wronged; Father, you just have to say a couple of words for him!" Seeing that Zheng Baiyuan still hadn't agreed, Zheng Jingxian's stubborn temper flared up. She rounded her eyes and threatened, "If Father won't help, I'll go find my eldest and second brothers!"

Zheng Baiyuan hastily grabbed her back, saying with a helpless sigh, "Alright, alright, alright. I'll handle it, I'll handle it." He promptly dispatched people to investigate the ins and outs of the affair. As expected, he discovered that the person who had instigated Li Jia behind the scenes was none ofv other than Wu Liang. That Li Jia had originally been a hanger-on who followed Wu Liang around indulging in drinking, gambling, and whoring. He had gone to purchase the Song family's estate under false pretenses and intentionally made a boisterous scene, provoking the Song family steward into striking and injuring him. Li Jia had seized the opportunity to make a massive fuss, extorting a tidy sum of silver from the Song family. Meanwhile, Wu Liang had colluded with one of his father's former subordinates—who was currently serving as an imperial censor in Jinling—to submit a memorial accusing Song Ke of wrongdoing.

Wu Liang had originally intended to stir up this trouble merely to cause Song Ke some disgust and annoyance, but he never anticipated that because Song Ke had placed as the top scorer of the second rank in the recent imperial examinations and attracted considerable public attention, the incident would blow up into such a massive storm.

Once Zheng Baiyuan figured out the full story, the puzzle pieces fell into place in his mind. He mused inwardly, "Although Wu Youwei is a regional inspector and counts as a figure of some local consequence, in the vast expanse of the imperial court he is at best a mere leech, utterly not worth mentioning. Because of the previous business with Song Fang, Song Ke has harbored a grudge against me. If I help him wipe this slate clean, it will make him deeply grateful and allow me to pull him into our camp. Besides, since Xianjie has set her heart on him, there's an eighty percent chance this fellow will become my son-in-law."

Outwardly, however, he said to Zheng Jingxian, "It's not that we can't help the Song family lad, but has he ever shown any affection for you? If he has no romantic intentions toward you, why should I exert all this exhausting effort just to do him a favor?"

This single question left Zheng Jingxian dumbfounded. She felt a twinge of resentment toward Song Ke as well; her mother and the female relatives of the household had dropped heavy hints to the Song family more than once, yet the Song family had played dumb and refused to give a definitive response. Given her usual temperament, she probably would have harbored intense hatred and washed her hands of the matter long ago, but toward Song Ke she simply couldn't muster any malice, pinning all her hopes on him with desperate yearning.

Now that Zheng Baiyuan had put it that way, Zheng Jingxian went straight to the Song residence and spoke directly to Song Chain: "We can actually help a bit with your older brother's predicament, but my father is hesitating and can't make up his mind. If... if our two families were to become one family, then naturally... then this would be a family affair, and my father would naturally throw his full weight behind helping him." Before she finished speaking, her face was burning a fiery red.

Song Chain was a clever girl; with the words having reached this point, how could she fail to understand? She immediately reported the conversation to Aunt Song. Aunt Song felt as though she had caught hold of a life-saving straw. She summoned Song Ke to her presence, laid the whole matter out before him, and said, "My boy, Xianjie has already laid her heart out like this—what are you waiting for? Given our family's current situation, being able to marry a daughter of a noble house is already the fortune of a lifetime, and the Duke of Xian can lend you a powerful hand. What more could a silly boy like you possibly want?"

Song Ke lowered his head and kept silent.

Aunt Song asked him several times in succession, but Song Ke remained as silent as a wooden stake. Overcome with grief and frustration, she beat her chest, stamped her feet, and wept aloud, "You are trying to drive me to an early grave! After all these years of bitter study for your official career, it's all about to be ruined. Now that a heaven-sent opportunity has fallen into your lap—a magnificent chance to gain both a brilliant match and power—you refuse to take it to heart. Ever since your father died, I've prayed day and night, pinning all my hopes on you making something of yourself so your sister and I would have someone to lean on. Who would have thought you'd be so utterly ungrateful and spineless... If your father died early, why didn't he just take me along with him!" Rolling her eyes back, she actually fainted dead away.

Song Chain panicked, rushing forward to rub Aunt Song's chest and soothe her breath, crying as she pleaded, "Brother, please... please just agree to it!"

Song Ke's eyes turned red as well, and he choked out, "I..."

Song Chain murmured softly, "Although the Duke of Xian isn't an entirely honorable man, Lady Xian is truly a wonderful person..."

Song Ke clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails nearly dug deep into his flesh.