Against the Current - Chapter 18

Chapter 18 - Clash

When Xianglan returned to Luowu Lodge, she stood at the main gate and peeked inward, seeing that the parlor was deathly quiet, while faint sounds of low conversation drifted from the bedchamber. Mother Liu was standing beneath a clump of banana trees, beckoning to her. Xianglan hurried over, and Mother Liu gestured toward the room with her chin, whispering, "Just a moment ago she was still chasing the dog and beating it, but then Miss Qi from the First Branch sent a little maid over with an invitation. It seems Miss Qi is hosting a tea party tomorrow and invited this female rakshasa from Luowu Lodge. As soon as that little maid left, the female rakshasa quieted down and started opening her wardrobe chests to pick out clothes."

Xianglan nodded. Cao Lihuan loved being the center of attention and would certainly never pass up such an opportunity to hobnob with the young ladies of the Lin family. At that moment, Huier called out Xianglan's name from inside the window, telling her to come and alter the dress Cao Lihuan was to wear tomorrow. Xianglan gathered her thoughts and went back to alter Cao Lihuan's garments, but that can be set aside for the moment.

The following day, Cao Lihuan woke up bright and early to ponder her attire, determined with high spirits to outshine all the other young ladies. After finishing breakfast, she busied herself dressing up from head to toe. Xianglan inwardly rejoiced; in an occasion like this, Cao Lihuan would inevitably take Huier along, and once mistress and maid departed, Hairui wouldn't be able to stay cooped up in the room either, inevitably sneaking off to play with her favored companions. A few days prior, she had asked Mother Liu to purchase paper, writing brushes, ink, and rouge. Once Luowu Lodge was left with only her inside, she would finally be able to take them out and practice her drawing.

Sure enough, Cao Lihuan dolled herself up in fresh cosmetics, holding a small folding fan as she sashayed away with Huier. Before long, Hairui also scurried off out of sight. Xianglan laid out her paper and brushes, gathered her focus, and closed her eyes in contemplation for a long while before executing a single branch of peach blossoms in one fluid stroke. Just as she was about to paint the flying birds and colorful butterflies fluttering beside the blossoms, a young maid who had not yet bound her hair entered and said, "The Huan Lady wants you to take that box of stacked-silk flowers from her dressing table drawer and bring it over."

Hearing this, Xianglan had no choice but to hurriedly tidy away the writing implements on the table, walk over to the dressing table, and pull open the drawer. There she found a black lacquer wooden box painted with gold phoenixes. Opening it, she indeed saw five hair-ornaments resting inside. Although they were goods from a common folk workshop, the craftsmanship was exquisite, and the silk gauze was of superior quality.

Since Luowu Lodge was temporarily vacant, Xianglan called Mother Liu from the pantry to keep watch at the door. Tuck-ing the box of floral ornaments into her tunic, she followed the little maid away. Lin Dongqi lived in Huifeng Studio, an area planted with all manner of trees including peach, apricot, pomegranate, pear, and osmanthus, offering scenery to appreciate in all four seasons. A short distance ahead lay a pond, its banks lined with rugged artificial rockery stones that blended seamlessly with the natural shore, creating a remarkably distinctive view.

This was Xianglan's first time venturing into this part of the gardens, and she could not help inwardly marveling. Suddenly, she saw the maid lead her toward the entrance of a rockery grotto. Passing through the cave, the view abruptly opened up before her. Flanked by covered winding corridors, the path led straight to the three main rooms and four projecting wings of Huifeng Studio, featuring jade-mullioned windows, green-tiled roofs, lush verdant trees, and an air of exquisite elegance.

Xianglan mentally praised the place as wonderful. Following the little maid to the doorway, a maidservant wearing a brown piped vest lifted the door curtain and announced, "Huan Lady, the items have arrived."

Keeping her head slightly lowered and her eyes disciplined against wandering, Xianglan heard the sounds of conversation and laughter drifting from the reception parlor. Cao Lihuan was holding forth grandly: "...The last time I went to Xianni Pavilion and spent fifty taels of silver to buy a cloak and a jacket, even at that price the shopkeeper said he was giving me a discount because I'm a regular customer. Altogether, I've spent upwards of two hundred taels at Xianni Pavilion..."

Hearing Cao Lihuan bragging about her wealth yet again, Xianglan curled her lip in disdain and walked in with a submissive, deferential posture. Six young misses were seated inside. Cao Lihuan was sitting beside an eight-immortals tea table; seeing Xianglan enter, her face darkened and she snapped, "Why have you come? Where is Hairui?"

Xianglan replied, "Hairui wasn't in the room, so I came instead. Before leaving, I had Mother Liu watch the door." With that, she handed the box of floral ornaments forward.

Recalling that she had just dispatched Huier to deliver things to Zhao Yuechan's quarters and currently lacked a capable person at her side, Cao Lihuan instructed Xianglan, "Wait here before you leave." She took the box, opened it, and drew out a single ornament, waving it about as she smiled, "This is what I was just telling you about—palace flowers specially commissioned by my older brother to be brought back from the capital, originally inspected and procured by the Imperial Household Department. My brother had someone reserve an entire box for me, and every single piece is in the latest fashion. Come, all of you, pick one to wear." So saying, she extended the box forward toward Lin Dongqi. Lin Dongqi was neither the eldest nor the youngest among them, but as Madam Qin's only legitimate daughter, Cao Lihuan was eager to curry favor and deliberately let her choose first.

Lin Dongqi looked to be around fourteen or fifteen, with a refined and pretty appearance, slightly upturned phoenix eyes, a slender waist, and a straight back. Her deportment and gestures were cut from the exact same cloth as Madam Qin, exuding an air of shrewd capability. She was dressed in proper attire consisting of a white satin jacket and a damask skirt, wearing no other jewelry on her head save for a single silver hairpin. On her wrists she wore a pair of silver bracelets engraved with longevity and prosperity motifs, which set off her wrists as white as snow. Holding a teacup, she smiled gracefully at Cao Lihuan, saying, "Since these are such fine ornaments, Sister should keep them for yourself to wear. I already have plenty."

Cao Lihuan smiled with warm, ingratiating charm. "Why is Sister being so polite? There are four pieces in the box, which is just enough for each of you to pick one. Sister, look at the one in my hand—the stamens at the center are actually made of rice-grain-sized pearls strung together!"

Just as Lin Dongqi was about to decline further, a soft, delicate voice chimed in: "This is someone's kind gesture after all, and she has gone out of her way to let the Second Sister choose first among all the sisters present. Do mind not to trample upon someone else's good intentions." Xianglan had stepped back into a corner after delivering the box, and upon hearing these words, she traced the voice with her gaze. Seated beside the brick-kand table was a girl of around thirteen, possessing an oval face, fine eyebrows and eyes, and a cherry-bud mouth. Though she looked somewhat sickly, she possessed a delicate, pity-inspiring air and exceptionally graceful posture. Her hair was adorned entirely with plain white silver ornaments, and she wore a white peony-patterned damask quilted tunic paired with a white cotton-damask skirt, making her appearance even more striking than Lin Dongqi's.

Xianglan thought to herself, "Tinglan mentioned that the First Branch's eldest concubine-born daughter, Lin Dongwan, was already married out, and there is another concubine-born third daughter named Lin Dongxiu. This must be her. She is undeniably a beauty, but her tongue is rather sharp, publicly making Cao Lihuan lose face."

Hearing this, Cao Lihuan's expression indeed shifted slightly. Eager to flare up but constrained by the other girl's status, she forcibly swallowed her anger, pretended not to hear, and turned to address the other girls: "Come, Little Sister Ling, do pick one as well."

Xianglan cast her gaze sideways to observe. Another girl was seated on the opposite side of the kang table, cracking melon seeds with utter disdain. Looking to be about the same age as Lin Dongqi, she had thick eyebrows, large eyes, a straight nose, and full lips, giving her a dashing, handsome appearance. Her hair was tied into a single topknot with the remaining locks braided into a single plait interwoven with tiny pearls. She wore a white brocade jacket and skirt embroidered with delicate white blossoms, and around her neck hung a sterling silver neck ring inset with a warm white jade pendant. This was the Second Branch's legitimate daughter, the third young miss of the Lin family, Lin Dongling. Seated to Lin Dongqi's left was yet another girl around thirteen, possessing an egg-shaped face, skin like congealed snow and jade, willow-leaf eyebrows, and gentle, reserved features. She wore a semi-worn cloud-wild-goose brocade wide-collared light-blue-violet front-fastening long overgarment, paired with a dark green skirt. Adorned with two or three gold pieces that conveyed not ostentation but rather the refined air of a wealthy noble household, Xianglan did not recognize which family she belonged to, but struck by her beauty, she lingered a few extra glances upon her. In truth, this girl was Song Ke's younger sister, Song Tanchai, who was visiting the Lin estate.

Cao Lihuan pressed the young misses to pick their ornaments, but Lin Dongling had a standing grudge with her and completely ignored her. Song Tanchai was naturally introverted, didn't care much for socializing, and was moreover observant; glancing into the box, she thought to herself, "There are only four flowers in total in that box—they should rightfully go to the Lin sisters, with Lady Huan keeping one for herself. There is no reason for me to step forward and snatch away someone else's ornament to wear, which would be terribly boorish." Therefore, she kept a faint smile on her face and remained entirely still.

After calling out several times with no response, Cao Lihuan began to lose her composure. She pressed on, "These flowers are truly of the highest grade. I'm heparin that making just a single one takes a top artisan a full day's labor. Only imperial consorts in the palace are fit to wear such things; you can't buy them outside for love or money. My brother spent a full twenty taels of silver on this box of flowers alone..."

"Imperial consorts wearing these flowers would be enough to bring disgrace upon the imperial house. Good cousin, you'd better just put them away," Lin Dongling said with a face full of mockery, spitting out a melon seed shell. "Which flowers in the palace dare bear a commercial brand name? There's clearly a merchant's shop mark 'Ming Ji' stamped right on the back of your flowers—I saw it clearly. How dare you let your brother get swindled out of twenty taels of silver for ornaments made in some nameless little workshop? Ah, it's plain to see he was completely taken for a ride."

Lin Dongxiu offered a gentle smile that revealed a pair of dimples at the corners of her mouth, though she lightly covered her lips with her handkerchief as she spoke: "Indeed. Among all the renowned jewelry makers in the capital—Yongji, Wanbao Tower, Yuan Fufang—we've never heard of any called 'Ming Ji.' As for flowers, we already have plenty; last time the palace bestowed two boxes upon us, every single sister received five pieces. My mother even specially sent someone to deliver some to the Third Sister during the New Year—I wonder if you received them?"

Lin Dongling smiled brightly and replied, "Of course I received them, along with clothes and jewelry. Eldest Aunt is thorough and never forgets me in any good thing. Opening the box made it immediately obvious those flowers were from the palace—they are exquisite. No matter how well an outside commercial shop makes them, they can never match the dignity of the imperial workshops."

Every single remark made by these two caused Cao Lihuan's face to grow a shade darker. With soaring ambitions, she was always desperate to climb higher and break into upper-crust elite circles, determined not only to prevent others from looking down on her but to outdo everyone in everything. Coming to this tea party, she had naturally wanted to show off her credentials as a well-traveled young lady with exquisite taste, yet no one was buying it. She had brought out her cherished ornaments with good intentions to curry favor, only to reap a whirlwind of humiliation. Lin Dongling already had bad blood with her, but even Lin Dongxiu was joining in to mock her and strip away her dignity in public!

Cao Lihuan possessed the temper of charcoal caught in a draft; her face turned beet-red and she was on the verge of erupting then and there. Lin Dongqi smiled and intervened, "These flowers are quite lovely indeed, but since we are currently in the mourning period for our Great-Grandmother, neither red nor purple ornaments may be worn. We appreciate Cousin Huan's kind intentions. Besides, Cousin Huan will soon be marrying out; you should keep these pretty flowers for yourself to wear."

Seeing Lin Dongqi trying to offer Cao Lihuan a graceful way out, Lin Dongxiu let out a soft huff. Turning her head to speak warmly to Song Tanchai instead, she said, "Sister Tanchai, if you're talking about truly novel and stunning palace flowers, I have a few branches myself. Since we can't wear them during Great-Grandmother's mourning period, leaving them idle will only collect dust; I'll have someone send them over to you later. There's a lotus-purple one that would match the dress you're wearing today to absolute perfection."

Song Tanchai smiled and replied, "Sister Wan's kind intentions shouldn't be refused, but I don't care much for wearing flowers and powders, so you'd better keep them for yourself, Sister."

Lin Dongxiu affectionately insisted, "Why are you being so formal with me? Just keep them even if you don't care to wear them—there will always be a time when you'll want them."

Lin Dongling immediately chimed in, "I have flowers in my house too—stacked-silk ones, gauze ones, and satin ones, with stamens inlaid with agate and crystal. They are exceptionally gorgeous, made by the most famous craftsmen in Jinling. Sister Tanchai should take those to wear as well; I'll have Dianshi send them over to you later."

These remarks stoked Cao Lihuan's temper to a boiling point. She seethed inwardly, "I am the legitimate cousin and niece of the Lin family, while Song Tanchai is worth squat! She's nothing more than the daughter of the Second Branch Madam's older sister, and her family is declining into poverty to boot. Look at that impoverished outfit of hers—the fabric might be fine, but who knows how long she's been wearing it for. As for those two hateful wretches Lin Dongwan and Lin Dongling, they're clearly trying to step on me and artificially elevate that little Song family beggar just to spite me!" Consumed by rage, her words grew equally barbed and vicious: "Sister Tanchai is truly blessed when two sisters are fighting over themselves to send you flowers—what are you still declining for? Unlike me, who is so unwanted that I eagerly rush to offer gifts to others only to have them despised. If you refuse even these free handouts, people might just start calling you a fool."

Lin Dongling immediately retorted, "We give gifts because we want to; what business is it of yours? You'd better keep a close eye on your own flowers and belongings instead of making a racket about thieves later and slapping me across the face again. My body is delicate, unlike some wild-running creature who doesn't know any better and goes around hitting people; I certainly couldn't withstand brute fists and kicks."

Acting as though she were startled, Lin Dongxiu covered her mouth with her handkerchief and gasped, "Sister Ling was struck? Someone as precious as you—even our Second Aunt wouldn't dare flick a finger against you—how could you possibly suffer someone else's blows?"

Lin Dongling sneered, "Ever since she arrived at our house, how many brawls and scenes has she caused? She hasn't even spared the Old Matriarch any face..."

"Fourth Sister." Lin Dongqi suddenly spoke up, gesturing with her chin toward the floor. "The pearl on your braid has fallen off."

Lin Dongling looked down at the floor, and sure enough, a round pearl lay resting there. She reached up to touch her braided hair and said with utter nonchalance, "Just have the maids pick it up later."

Lin Dongqi's senior maid, Tasha, possessed sharp wits and immediately picked up the pearl, personally placing it back into Lin Dongling's purse. Lin Dongqi scolded playfully, "Fourth Sister's careless habit of dropping things still hasn't been fixed."

Lin Dongling laughed, "It's just a single pearl anyway. If it's lost, it's lost; it's nothing to fuss over."

Lin Dongxiu remarked, "Good grief, only you would fail to feel a pang of heartache over losing a pearl this large."

"Later on, I'll pluck these pearls right out of my hair and have a pearl hairpin made for each of our sisters," Lin Dongling said as she sipped her tea with a beaming smile, glancing over at Song Tanchai. "Sister Tanchai will get one too."

The clear implication was that Cao Lihuan would receive nothing. Xianglan shook her head inwardly, thinking that this cousin of theirs possessed skin thicker than city walls. The Lin young misses made it abundantly clear how much they loathed her, yet she insisted on lingering here. She couldn't help reflecting that a fake aristocratic young lady like Cao Lihuan was worlds apart from truly well-bred young ladies. How had Cao Lihuan boasted about her flowers earlier?—"The stamens at the center are actually made of rice-grain-sized pearls strung together!" She had been so immensely proud over mere rice-grain-sized pearls, whereas Lin Dongling didn't even bat an eye at losing a fingernail-sized pearl, and was even going to have hairpins made for all her sisters. The contrast in class was stark and immediate. The cousin was surely about to snap.

True to form, Cao Lihuan flew into a towering rage. She sprang to her feet with a sharp jerk, her eyes wide as she raised her voice: "You—you people go too far! Time and again you mock and squeeze me out—what on earth are you trying to do?!"

Lin Dongqi hurriedly stood up, hurried over to Cao Lihuan to take her arm, and coaxed with a nervous smile, "Whatever is the matter? Sister Huan, don't be angry, please don't be angry. They were just teasing you for fun; you mustn't take it to heart."

Lin Dongling drawled in a mocking tone, "Oh my, what is all this? Could it be you're planning to beat someone again?"

At that exact moment, a voice echoed from outside: "You're all lively as can be. Who's planning to beat someone?"