Against the Current - Chapter 175

Chapter 175 - Instigation

Luan'er sighed and said, "I fell ill a few days ago and am only just getting better now, but my energy is still lacking and nothing tastes right in my mouth."

Daoist Priest Cui clicked her tongue in sympathy, her eyes half-closed as she muttered incantations under her breath. Forming a sword finger, she drew out a roll of yellow paper money from her sleeve, circled it around Luan'er's head twice, and carried it outside to burn. Re-entering the room, she declared, "I've just rid you of your bad luck and illness. A good sleep and you'll be right as rain. You've simply hit a rough patch this year with a baleful star presiding over your fate, which is why your constitution is weak. Furthermore, you've crossed paths with petty people, inviting gossip and verbal disputes. While the first half of the year held a few strokes of good fortune, the second half brings unmitigated setbacks and unwarranted calamities."

Every single word struck a chord deep within Luan'er's heart. She nodded hurriedly and exclaimed, "That is precisely it! You truly are a goddess!"

Daoist Priest Cui sighed once more. "Fortunately, you are a person of great fortune and high nobility, which is why you were able to hold your ground. Had it been anyone else, goodness knows what might have happened!"

Luan'er leaned forward slightly, urgency coloring her voice, "Then, immortal master, is there any way to resolve this?"

Daoist Priest Cui crossed her legs on the kang and replied, "That's not difficult at all. The Daoist temple is holding a ritual over the next couple of days specifically dedicated to banishing demons and expelling malevolent spirits. If you donate some incense oil money, your merits will be doubled, the baleful stars will naturally retreat, the auspicious stars will shine brightly, and all blessings, emoluments, longevity, and joy will follow right after."

Luan'er asked, "How much is this incense oil money? I must donate."

Daoist Priest Cui answered, "Two liang of silver is not too much, a single copper cash is not too little—it entirely depends on your intentions. However, donations of one liang of silver or more require a merit plaque to be inscribed with your name and burned, and I must perform a ritual tonight to relay messages and report to the attendants of the Queen Mother of the West."

Luan'er thought for a moment before saying, "Lately, petty villains have been running rampant around me and things have been far from peaceful. I had better donate more and ask the immortal ones to put in a good word for me." With that, she ordered Cunxin to fetch the key, unlock the chest at the head of the kang, and fish out a brocade pouch from the very bottom. From inside, she retrieved a broken piece of silver weighing two liang and handed it to Daoist Priest Cui. The Daoist priest hastily chanted, "Immeasurable Buddha, you are truly magnanimous and righteous, milady!"

Luan'er sighed. "It's merely spending a few liang of silver; I can still afford this much. If holding this ritual truly dispels my disasters and fulfills my trials, it will be my good fortune."

Daoist Priest Cui smiled and said, "Why would milady say such a thing? Anyone can see that Eldest Master Liu is barely twenty-something and already a third-rank official; who's to say he won't be enfeoffed as a marquis or appointed as a prime minister in the future? Milady is destined for nobility, and once you give birth to a noble son hereafter, your blessings for a lifetime will be inexhaustible."

Luan'er gave a sneering laugh. "What noble destiny? Right now, I'm just a withered autumn cattail fan, treated however others please to trample me. It would be one thing if the master favors Meishu—after all, she was sent by his superior, so she carries some face, and since her father and brother both hold official posts, elevating her to a concubine is hardly undeserved. It's just that..." Realizing she had misspoken halfway through, she instantly clamped her mouth shut.

Daoist Priest Cui, a clever woman quick to read expressions and weigh situations, probed, "Is milady unable to stomach Xianglan?"

Luan'er had originally intended to say no more, but prodded by the Daoist priest, the pent-up grievance within her could no longer be contained. She let out a cold laugh. "Who else could it be besides her? The girl acts like an absolute fairy descended to earth. Ever since the master got his hands on this one, everyone else is treated like dirt beneath his feet. She might have a slightly pretty face, but her demeanor is timid, pinched, and reeks of low-class vulgarity—how on earth does she qualify to sit in the great parlor?"

Daoist Priest Cui remarked, "I don't take her for anything good either. I heard that the master took in a newcomer, and when I first came to this courtyard wanting to pay her a courtesy visit, a little maid blocked the doorway and wouldn't even let me in. Forget a cup of hot tea, she didn't even show me the slightest civility. My Buddha and Jade Emperor, aside from the mistress herself, I've never seen anyone put on such airs!"

Luan'er snorted, "Indeed. The master has lost his mind to have taken a fancy to her."

Daoist Priest Cui chimed in, "As the saying goes, 'no flower blooms for a thousand days, no man enjoys a thousand days of favor.' Serving someone purely with physical looks never lasts. In a few days, once the master's initial novelty wears off, he will remember milady's virtues."

Luan'er let out a long sigh. "That's all we can hope for, I suppose. What else can be done?"

Daoist Priest Cui asked, "Why must milady sigh and groan? Isn't there still Sister Shuran? She holds favor in front of the master and wields the most influence."

Luan'er's ire flared up all over again, and she sneered coldly, "Her? When I was sick a few days ago, she only came by once and sent over a few trinkets. Seeing how that little vixen pleases the master, she's been scrambling to suck up to her; she's long forgotten about me!"

Daoist Priest Cui let out a cold laugh. "I figured as much with Shuran. You are her own paternal cousin; she ought to plan and calculate for you in everything and everywhere. If she were willing to put in even an extra ounce of effort, that little vixen wouldn't have been able to run amok to this degree. But speaking of which, since milady lacks an ally, you must plot and scheme for yourself in all things. How can anyone submit to being slaughtered at will? If you don't fight for yourself in matters like this, how do you ever expect to get ahead in the future?"

Luan'er said, "I want to fight, but my strength falls short of my ambition; scheming is not so easily done. I wonder if the Bodhisattvas and immortals care about such matters? If the immortal fairy will pray a few extra times on my behalf tomorrow, once it proves efficacious, I will reward you handsomely."

Daoist Priest Cui chuckled derisively. "Man proposes, Heaven disposes. If milady doesn't plot for yourself, how do you expect Heaven to help you? I can see that milady is clever, blessed with a precious horoscope, and sharp-witted. Since I am willing to form a bond of friendship and lend you a helping hand, you've been cooped up in the inner courtyard too long and don't understand how many great nobles outside rely on old me, traveling between the yin and yang realms, to smooth out their futures. If milady lacks the spine to fight for yourself, then even old me can do nothing."

Hearing this tone of possibility, Luan'er could not help but feel her heart leap. She hurriedly filled Daoist Priest Cui's teacup with her own hands and said, "The immortal fairy has traveled far and wide, entering many grand households; you certainly have experience and insight. You and I have always shared a rapport, and our words always strike the same chord. Now that I've encountered such a difficult trial, I beg the immortal fairy to instruct me."

Daoist Priest Cui demurred, "I wouldn't dare use the word 'instruct'; I simply feel a sense of injustice watching you suffer grievances in vain. However, helping milady once also takes a toll on my mental and physical energy... it might even shave off ten years of my Daoist cultivation and five years of my mortal lifespan!"

Luan'er smiled and said, "If the immortal fairy exerts herself wholeheartedly for my sake, I naturally will not treat you shabbily. Once I become a concubine and bear a son, whatever massive family estate the Lin family holds will eventually have a share for our mother and child, and I will never forget the immortal fairy's kindness for the rest of my life. Even now, I won't shortchange you." Saying this, she opened the chest again, drew out a package wrapped in red silk, and unrolled it to reveal a pair of gold-inlaid red coral earrings alongside a gold necklace with coral pendants, gleaming brightly in a dazzling yellow-gold light.

Luaner handed them over, saying, "These were brought back by the master from outside—merchandise you can't even find in Jinling. Look at how blood-red this coral is. The immortal fairy can take this set first, and there is also a moon-white silk gown whose color I found too old-fashioned, so I've never worn it; you may take that as well. Furthermore, there are ten liang of silver recently bestowed upon me by the master. Take them to spend as you like. As long as you can chase that little vixen out and make the master's heart turn back to me, come back again and I will thank you double."

Daoist Priest Cui had already reached out, snatched the jewelry and silver, and stuffed them into her sleeve while smiling, "Milady is a straightforward person, and old me will not mince words either. This bit of silver is enough to easily get rid of that little vixen, but making the master's heart return to you is afraid still..."

Luan'er immediately said, "That can all be discussed." She fished out several more hairpins, and seeing a few remaining pieces of valuable jewelry at the bottom of the chest, she hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't bear to part with them. She handed only those to Daoist Priest Cui, saying, "These are all the valuables I have left; there are no more. If the immortal fairy's charms truly work, I will bankrupt myself, scrape together funds from my family, and give all the silver to you."

Daoist Priest Cui clicked her tongue without speaking for a long moment before saying, "This bit of silver is truly not enough, but I see milady is a sincere person and the two of us share a lasting bond. How about this: milady can write me an IOU so we have proof for the future."

Luan'er agreed, "That works too." She immediately asked for brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone. Daoist Priest Cui swiftly scribbled down a note, read it aloud to Luan'er, and after Luan'er pressed her thumbprint on it, tucked the paper away. She then fished out two cloth-wrapped bundles and handed them to Luan'er. "The red cloth contains the 'Return of Affection Talisman'. Take a strand of your hair and a strand of the master's hair, tie them together into a knot, place them with this talisman, and press it underneath your pillow; it is guaranteed to take effect within forty-nine days. The green cloth contains the 'Death Talisman'. You must also find a strand of that little vixen's hair, bind it to a paper figurine, and take it to a deserted spot on the fifteenth of next month to burn it. After forty-nine days, she will die without a burial place."

Luan'er gave a start of fright and stammered, "I—I only want to chase her away, I never meant to kill her."

Daoist Priest Cui sneered coldly, "You truly are a fool. If she doesn't die, how can there ever be a path forward for you?"

Luan'er looked hesitant and timid, not daring to take them.

Daoist Priest Cui said impatiently, "Since ancient times, those who accomplish great deeds have never been so irresolute. Does milady want them or not? If not, old me will take them back."

Only then did Luan'er take them. After exchanging a few more words with Luan'er, Daoist Priest Cui took her leave. She then went over to Meishu's room to sit for a short while before finally departing the courtyard.

The following day, the new official robes and jade belt were delivered. A smile finally broke across Lin Jinlou's face, and everyone throughout the Chuntian Lodge breathed a sigh of relief. The Lin family originally kept a troupe of young actors, and coinciding with Lin Jinlou's promotion, they had recently learned a few theatrical pieces. Since Lin Dongling, Lin Dongxiu, and the others were accustomed to being cooped up, they seized the opportunity to request that a stage be set up to watch a play, a request Madam Qin readily granted. That afternoon, the stage was erected in the Jianqiu Pavilion, and all the female relatives of the inner courtyard trooped over.

Xianglan naturally had no desire to go, yet she feared that if Lin Jinlou found out, he would be displeased again and rob her of any peace. After waiting a long time, she finally tidied herself up and headed over. By then, Madam Qin had long grown tired of listening to the opera and had leaned on her maid to return to her quarters. Second Madam Wang sat squarely in the center, flanked by Lin Dongling on her left and Lin Dongxiu on her right. Lin Jinyuan was running back and forth brandishing a large wooden saber while several older maidservants chased anxiously behind to shield him. Wang Wang called out several times, "Good boy, come here quickly, I'll shell some crab meat for you to eat." But Lin Jinyuan acted as though he heard nothing, continuing his wild run, creating a spectacle far livelier than the performance on stage.

Xianglan quietly made her way toward the back, where she saw Meishu, Luan'er, and Yingge all seated at a rear table, each dressed in elaborate, dazzling attire. Meishu's eyes were fixed squarely on the stage, as if she hadn't noticed Xianglan at all. Yingge, however, hurried to her feet, pulled out a round stool from beside her own, and said, "Xianglan has come, sit down quickly." She then bustled about telling the maids to pour hot tea, smiling as she said, "Why did you arrive so late? There were two numbers right at the start that were sung so beautifully—it's a real pity you missed them."