Against the Current - Chapter 158

Chapter 158 - Singing a Tune

Lin Jinlou chuckled, "What sort of beauties haven't the lot of you laid eyes on? She's just an ordinary person."

Refusing to drop the matter, Liu Xiaochuan protested, "What kind of precious treasure are you clutching to your chest that you won't let anyone else see? Today I simply must satisfy my curiosity and catch a glimpse."

Lin Jinlou replied, "She's a sheltered woman and gets easily flustered around strangers, plus she's caught a chill these past two days—I'll have her come out another time. I do have someone else in my quarters who can sing and play instruments, though; shall I invite her out to play a tune for everyone to liven the mood?" Glancing at Liu Xiaochuan, he added, "She sings even better than Little Cuixian; don't you want to hear it?"

Lin Jinting brightened up at once. "Big brother, that must be Luan'er from your quarters. She sings exceptionally well. Back when she was still in grandmother's quarters, she would always come out to sing and offer birthday blessings during grandmother's celebrations. It's just a pity we haven't had the blessing to hear her since."

Taking a sip of his wine, Lin Jinlou smiled. "So you've still been missing her voice, have you? Today, you can take advantage of your brothers' hospitality to hear her perform once more."

With eyes wide in disbelief, Liu Xiaochuan scoffed, "Are you boasting? Could she really sing better than Little Cuixian?"

Tugging at Liu Xiaochuan's sleeve with a laugh, Lin Jinting retorted, "Don't go doubting it—she truly does sing better than Cuixian, with a voice as sweet and crisp as crystal, and she plays a marvelous pipa too!" Casting a resentful glance at Lin Jinlou, he smacked his lips, torn between envy and pointed insinuation as he said, "There are plenty of pretty young lasses out there, but without a fair bit of skill, how could one ever catch my big brother's discerning eye?"

Sliding an arm around Lin Jinling's shoulders, Xie Yu laughed, "Who doesn't know your Lin family is overflowing with beauties? Just a moment ago, you were saying your grandmother gifted you a maid as well, whom you've now taken into your chambers."

Humming dismissively, Lin Jinting grumbled, "Grandmother is utterly biased; she always saves the absolute best for big brother to pick first, leaving me with whatever scraps he discards."

Bursting into hearty laughter, Lin Jinlou promised, "Fine, fine. Tomorrow big brother will buy you a gorgeous maid to bring home and plug that mouth of yours." With that, he dispatched a servant to invite Luan'er over.

Meanwhile, back at Zhixin Lodge, Nurse Wu had already taken her leave. After finishing her midday meal, Xianglan had gone out to the back courtyard to do needlework alongside Chunling while sitting on stone garden stools. Xiaojuan was busy rinsing and preparing rouge nearby, and the three of them chatted idly back and forth. Inspecting the shoes Xianglan was crafting for Madam Xue, Chunling heaped praises upon her handiwork before softly advising, "You really ought to give serious thought to what Nurse Wu discussed today, Miss. Since the Mistress has already spoken of letting you go pay your respects and kowtow, continuing to drag your feet like this isn't entirely proper..."

Before she could finish her sentence, a voice piped up nearby, "How utterly foul-tempered! Let's go back—someone's already taken the seats!" Raising her head, Xianglan saw Luan'er approaching along the covered walkway, followed by Cunxin, who was carrying a small sewing basket, evidently hoping to do handiwork on the stone benches.

Standing up at once, Xianglan said, "Let's head back inside." With that, she gathered up her sewing supplies.

Luan'er sneered coldly, "You needn't rush off, lest people start gossiping that I came over specifically to chase you away and whispered dirty things into the eldest master's ears."

Furious, Xiaojuan opened her mouth to snap back, but Xianglan caught her by the sleeve and hurried her inside. At that moment, Lianxin arrived and announced, "The eldest master sent someone from the front to ask the young mistress to come over and play a tune."

Luan'er's expression shifted instantly. Knitting her delicate brows, she declared, "My throat is hoarse; I cannot sing." She swung around as if to head back.

Hastily stepping forward to block her path, Lianxin laughed, "How could your throat possibly be hoarse? I just heard you singing earlier."

Luan'er insisted, "Hoarse means hoarse. Go back and report to the eldest master that I cannot sing."

At a complete loss, Lianxin wrung her hands in anxiety. Jixiang, standing nearby, figured that Lianxin lacked the sharp tongue required to persuade Luan'er, so he stepped forward with an ingratiating smile and cajoled, "Miss Luan'er, the eldest master specifically sent me here to personally invite you over. Do hurry and change into a fresh outfit, if you please."

With a cold laugh, Luan'er retorted, "Even if the Emperor of Heaven himself invited me today, it wouldn't do any good. My throat is hoarse, and I cannot sing."

Jixiang reasoned, "You know the eldest master's temper as well as anyone—how can you possibly refuse to go? Besides, they are all his closest friends, and you'll merely be singing from behind a screen. I heard the pageboys say the eldest master was boasting to the others about how wonderfully you sing, declaring that not a single soul in all of Jinling could match your skill. Even the Third Young Master was turning green with envy, complaining that grandmother only gave such a gorgeous and musically gifted maid to the eldest master out of sheer favoritism!"

Soothed and flattered by Jixiang's words, Luan'er's expression softened into a smile as she chided, "Third Young Master really is something, spouting such nonsense right in front of everyone."

Jixiang chuckled, "It's only because you sing so magnificently, Miss. If you go sing a tune from behind the screen today and show off a bit of that talent, you'll secure both face and honor for the eldest master. Once he's pleased, there's no telling what rewards he might bestow upon you." Noticing that Xianglan had already taken her people back indoors, Jixiang lowered his voice and urged, "Aren't you harboring a grievance, Miss? This is the perfect opportunity. Could it be that you actually want the eldest master to spend tonight sleeping in the main quarters?"

Blushing crimson, Luan'er spat out a mock curse at Jixiang. "Peh! Nothing good ever comes out of your dog's mouth—say another word and I'll tear that tongue out!" Yet his words had struck a chord deep within her. With a thoughtful look on her face, she spun around and headed back inside to change her clothes.

Cunxin trailed anxiously behind her, pleading, "Miss, you really shouldn't go. You are a person belonging to the eldest master's chambers; how can you casually go sing tunes to amuse outside men? If word of this spreads, it won't look respectable at all. If the Mistress takes a dislike to it, where will your dignity and standing be?"

Slowing her pace, Luan'er hesitated for a moment before continuing toward her room, muttering, "You saw it yourself—the moment the eldest master returned, he went straight to the main quarters to be with that little hussy, sticking to her like glue. If things go on like this, there won't be an inch of ground left for me to stand on. If I sing a couple of wonderful pieces today, catch the eldest master's eye, and entice him back to our quarters tonight, it will help him remember our past affections and hopefully lead to me conceiving a child sooner." With that, she pushed open her door and began rummaging frantically through chests and cabinets to pick out an outfit.

Cunxin fretted, "If the eldest master truly cherished you, he wouldn't be making you go out to sing like this!" Desperate, she thought of looking for Shuzhan, only to remember that Shuzhan had already gone home for the day after finishing his midday meal.

Luan'er argued, "Jixiang said it's behind a screen where nobody can see me; what's disrespectful about that? Besides, now that the eldest master has told me to go, am I really supposed to throw a tantrum and refuse?"

That final sentence effectively silenced Cunxin, who could only sigh heavily and help Luan'er dress and style her hair.

Jixiang waited outside in the veranda. Before long, Luan'er emerged, arrayed in a pink-green front-opening jacket with interlocking peach-blossom embroidery along the collar, paired with a clove-brown phoenix-threaded skirt. Her hair was adorned with glittering pearls and jade hairpins, her phoenix hairpins half-loosened, and her face exquisitely made up with powder and rouge. Cradling a pipa in her arms, she moved with an exquisite, swaying grace.

Not daring to slack off, Jixiang escorted Luan'er to the floral parlor, entering through the side door and seating her behind a standing screen.

Inside the room, the company heard the crisp, musical clinking of jade ornaments accompanied by a sudden waft of delicate perfume, signaling her arrival. Adjusting the strings of her pipa, Luan'er spoke in a voice dripping with honeyed sweetness, "This concubine is here. I wonder what tunes my lords wish to hear?" Her dulcet tones made everyone's hearts itch with anticipation, leaving them desperately wishing they could peek behind the screen to see what manner of beauty was hidden there.

Glancing around at his companions, Lin Jinlou said, "Just sing the complete suite of 'A Drifting Thread in the Gentle Breeze'."

Plucking the strings of her pipa, Luan'er began to sing: "A floating thread drifts gently through the quiet courtyard, fluttering like a winding thread of spring. Pausing a moment to adjust my floral hairpins, I catch my reflection accidentally stealing half my face, tilting the colorful clouds askew. As I pace through my fragrant chamber, how can I ever reveal my entire self..." Her delivery was exceptionally moving, winding through a thousand emotional nuances with breathtaking grace.