Against the Current - Chapter 154
Chapter 154 - Morning Encounter
As Lin Dongqi's wedding date drew closer, the entire Lin household grew increasingly busy, making Zhixin Lodge paradoxically the most leisurely place in the estate. Xianglan spent her days either taking walks in the courtyard or returning indoors to pick up her brush and paint. Every now and then, she could hear the strains of the pipa and vocal exercises drifting from Luan'er's room, while Meifan would occasionally strum her zither and sing a tune. Just before bedtime, as Xiaojuan tucked in Xianglan's bedding and watched her lie down, she lowered her voice, peeked at Xianglan while dropping the bed curtains, and said, "The eldest master loves listening to tunes more than anything, Sister Xianglan. You displeased him before he left; why don't you practice a song too? If you sing it for him, I guarantee everything will be smooth sailing..."
Xianglan closed her eyes and ignored her. Finding nothing more to say, Xiaojuan blew out the lamp and left.
Xianglan kept her eyes wide open in the darkness. Ever since Lin Jinlou had left, she had moved back to live in the eastern inner chamber. At night, she didn't allow any maids to stay on night watch, preferring to lie alone in bed clutching her quilt, tossing and turning for hours before finally drifting off to sleep. The people around her—Chunling and Xiaojuan—both hoped she would win Lin Jinlou's favor and had offered no shortage of advice, both overtly and covertly. Yesterday, two matrons from outside the estate had come to take her measurements, explaining that for Lin Dongqi's wedding, Lin Jinlou had sent word back instructing that festive new garments be made for all of them.
Xianglan had no desire to be measured for new clothes. What did Lin Dongqi's grand wedding have to do with her? In truth, she admitted to herself that deep down, she harbored a deep sense of envy—and even a trace of jealousy—toward this Second Young Miss of the Lin family. Lin Dongqi was like her former self in her past life: possessing a respectable family background, grandparents and parents who doted on her, a lavish procession of dowry gifts as she was married off in glory, and a gentle, capable husband. Seeing someone else celebrate such a joyous occasion only served to highlight her own wretched desolation. Though she refused to wallow in self-pity, she had no wish to join in the bustle of the festivities either.
Both Chunling and Xiaojuan had urged her to have the new clothes made. Xiaojuan had chimed in, "Everyone else only gets two outfits, but the eldest master said that since you just arrived at the estate and lack proper provisions, you can have as many outfits tailored as you like. Hmph, when Luan'er found out, she immediately dropped her face and slammed her door hard enough to shake the mountains."
With a troubled look on her face, Chunling said, "Since the eldest master gave the command, we really ought to make a couple of outfits. With autumn right around the corner, it's the perfect time to add seasonal clothing. The silk tapestry and sheared wool materials are of the absolute highest grade, and they've hired tailors from the Nieshang Studio whose craftsmanship is simply superb."
Since Lin Jinlou had issued the order, it carried the weight of an imperial decree; these clothes simply had to be made. Chunling ushered in two women in their thirties carrying measuring tapes, who approached Xianglan with deferential expressions.
One of the women, who was slightly plump and exceptionally glib, beamed and said, "My goodness, I've stepped in and out of countless inner residences and seen all sorts of pretty young beauties, but finding a place with as many gorgeous women as the Lin family is truly rare. Just a few moments ago when I went to see Miss Yingge and Miss Luan'er, I thought they were great beauties, but only after seeing the concubine-mistress in the eastern wing did I realize what it means when they say there's always someone better. I thought I'd seen it all, but looking at this mistress here, I finally understand what a fairy descending to the mortal realm looks like."
Xianglan offered only a faint smile, thinking to herself: People who constantly frequent inner residences and cater to the wealthy have their own set of worldly tricks. From their living arrangements, anyone can tell that Yingge and Luan'er are merely privileged maids, whereas Meifan holds the title of 'concubine-mistress' and naturally stands apart from them. These two women knew that Lin Jinlou hadn't taken a wife since separating from the Zhao woman, and seeing me live in the main quarters, they couldn't be entirely sure of my status. But since guests must be flattered, they simply slapped the title of 'mistress' on me and showered me with breathless praise.
The other, leaner woman respectfully asked Xianglan what kind of garments she wished to have made. Xianglan replied, "Just make a lined jacket and a thicker skirt—something I can wear regularly."
Deeming that insufficiently prestigious, Chunling protested, "How could such a meager amount possibly be enough!" She then proceeded to negotiate further with the tailor.
Knowing that Chunling loved to show off her competence, Xianglan let her be and simply sat on the daybed, gazing out the window. Although the leaves were still a rich, vibrant green, the wind carried a distinct chill—autumn truly was arriving.
After Chunling finished discussing the garments and fabrics with the two tailors, Xianglan took a look and saw narrow-sleeved lined jackets, slender-waisted skirts, and bright red chest-binders—every single piece chosen specifically to match Lin Jinlou's preferences.
Xianglan understood that Chunling meant well; she was merely baffled as to why someone as ruthlessly tyrannical as Lin Jinlou still inspired so many maids throughout the household to yearn for a chance to climb into his bed. She only wanted to escape far away. Since escape was currently impossible, she needed to devise a way to return home and brief her mother before plotting her next move.
After letting her thoughts wander for a while longer, Xianglan finally drifted off to sleep. In the middle of the night, hearing a commotion outside, she groggily sat up and lifted the bed curtains to peer out. Seeing only pitch-black darkness, she dropped the curtains back down and went back to sleep.
The next morning, Xianglan woke up exceptionally early, before Chunling, Xiaojuan, and the others had come to wake her. She casually draped a purplish-red jacket over her shoulders, slipped into her shoes, and got out of bed. The sky was still a dim twilight, and everything was dead quiet; none of the maids had risen yet. However, a pot of piping-hot tea was already set out on the table in the parlor, and the door stood wide open.
Just as Xianglan was wondering about this, she heard footsteps. Turning her head, she saw a tall, robust man striding into the room. He was bare-chested with a powerfully built, muscular upper body, wearing only a pair of single-layered dark green silk trousers that made his legs look all the more sturdy and long. On his feet, he wore a pair of satin court boots, and he carried a sabre in his hand. He radiated a fierce, overbearing aura of murderous intent, with sweat streaming down his neck.
Shuangxi followed closely behind him, frantically rushing to hand him a hand towel and a small teapot. Taking them, Lin Jinlou wiped away his sweat while cursing, "Those few good-for-nothings must have spent the days I was away eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling! I only tested them through two moves this morning, and their calves were already shaking. Who knows which wench they were fooling around with yesterday to have their legs turned to jelly? Are guards like these kept just to eat free meals? A bunch of good-for-nothing cowards, every last one of them deserves to be beaten with military staves!" As he raised his head, he caught sight of Xianglan and froze in his tracks.
Xianglan had never expected Lin Jinlou to materialize out of thin air. Terrified, her face turned pale and she stood dumbstruck, her legs going completely weak. She instinctively took two quick steps backward, nearly knocking over the ornate porcelain vase resting on the table.
Lin Jinlou saw only a young woman standing there wearing a loose jacket over her inner undergarments, her dark hair cascading down and her face breathtakingly lovely. The morning light falling across her features made her skin look as translucent and smooth as jade, and she appeared as delicate as a faint, ephemeral shadow. Her expression was one of absolute panic, flustered and helpless, radiating a heart-wrenching vulnerability. Just as he was about to speak, out of the corner of his eye he noticed that Shuangxi had not yet left and was also staring blankly at Xianglan. Enraged, Lin Jinlou barked, "What are you still standing around for! Get the hell out!"
Startled back to his senses, Shuangxi gave a violent shudder and bolted outside in a panic.
Frightened like a startled little rabbit, Xianglan instinctively tried to retreat behind a chair.
Lin Jinlou, however, looked her up and down twice, calmly helped himself to the tea prepared on the table, and walked past her with steady strides. Just as Xianglan was about to exhale a sigh of relief, Lin Jinlou paused in his steps, tossed a single remark over his shoulder, "Get yourself cleaned up and come have breakfast with me," and leisurely headed toward the inner bedroom.