Against the Current - Chapter 206

Chapter 206 - Disaster (Part 1)

"Oh, my dear girl, is it too late to be saying this now? ...Alright, stop crying, stop crying. Those seven or eight people in the Lin family have nothing to do with you. Someone in your eldest brother's courtyard broke out with smallpox, what on earth does that have to do with you? Besides, Hanfang is a bonded servant born in your household, and her life is in your hands; for her to sacrifice her all for her master's matters is her good fortune. Not to mention, didn't you handsomely reward her family as well..."

Lin Dongling did not speak, continuing only to weep.

"Good sister, don't blame me for being ruthless; I am doing this for your sake, and for the future of the two of us... I promise you, after this affair, from now on I will listen to you in everything... Stop crying. Do you really wish to abandon me and marry that half-old man?" He coaxed her with gentle and soft words for a long time, then lowered his voice, speaking close to Lin Dongling's ear so that no one else could hear, "Be more alert tomorrow night..." The voice gradually faded into a murmur.

Stretching out her neck, Lin Dongling still tried to peek, only to hear the maid Shutong calling out from outside: "Fourth Young Miss." Clearly, she had come looking for someone. Fearing she would be discovered by Lin Dongling, Lin Dongling hurriedly lifted her skirt and fled out of the Main Hall.

Seeing Lin Dongling dash out of the Three Saints Hall with a panicked expression, Shutong was immediately startled. Before she could even ask for details, Lin Dongling grabbed her by the arm and pulled her toward the guest parlor, heading straight into the inner room where she promptly collapsed into a chair, gasping for breath. Shutong leaned closer, only to see Lin Dongling's face deathly pale; despite the winter chill, a dense layer of sweat had broken out across her forehead. Startled, she asked, "My lady, what is wrong with you?" and drew out a handkerchief to wipe her brow.

Lin Dongling's mind was in utter chaos; she shoved Shutong's hand away, an unceasing chill gripping her heart. Seeing Lin Dongling trembling all over, Shutong grew even more anxious. Originally, Lin Dongling valued Hanzhi, and Shutong had to crawl her way up through exhausting flattery. Now that they had come out to perform Buddhist rites, which of the maids in the rooms wasn't hoping to be brought along? Yet Lin Dongling had bypassed Hanzhi and chosen her directly, making Shutong feel that she was finally on the verge of making something of herself. But if any misfortune befell Lin Dongling, she would be the very first to take the blame. Shutong babbled in a rush of words, "Is my lady feeling unwell? The family brought a doctor along, I'll go fetch him right now!"

Lin Dongling abruptly grabbed Shutong's arm. Clever though she might be, she was ultimately a sheltered young girl raised in a boudoir, still very young, and having just eavespassed on such a scandalous secret, she was completely at her wits' end. She thought to herself, "Shutong is the sharpest and utterly loyal to me. It would be best to tell her; discussing it together might help us figure out a plan." Quietly, she recounted everything that had happened inside the Three Saints Hall.

Shutong's face instantly turned sheet-white, and she thought bitterly, "That little hussy Lin Dongling has truly grown a bear's heart and a leopard's gall! Hooking up with a wild man to harm her own family's lives—she's even worse than a rotten whore!"

Hesitatingly, Lin Dongling murmured, "What is to be done about this? Should we hurry and tell the Mistress? But the Mistress cannot tolerate even a speck of sand in her eye, and the incident with someone dying in the Zhichun Lodge is already severe enough; if she finds out, she certainly won't let it rest. Moreover, this matter concerns Third Sister's reputation... If I report it like this, I'm bound to make an enemy of the Second Branch and needlessly offend people. Besides, my marriage hasn't been finalized yet, and in the future, the Second Branch still needs to contribute to my dowry..."

Shutong had already regained her composure. Rolling her eyes, she stepped closer and said, "This servant has something to say. You might want to slap my mouth for it, my lady, but if I don't say it..."

"Speak."

"I truly have your best interests at heart, my lady."

"I know, go on. You slick thing, when have you ever played these false games with me? Hanzhi may be good, but she's not nearly as quick-witted as you. Why do you think I brought you out instead?"

"Then this servant will speak... In my opinion, my lady, you should let this matter rot right in your stomach and pretend you never heard a word of it! The people are already dead, and the household has generously rewarded them with silver. Even if they find out Third Miss did it, the family will still have to cover it up. If the Second Branch discovers you were the one who stirred this up, they are bound to resent you. Why bother making enemies for nothing!"

"I thought the same... But what did that man mean about tomorrow night? If Third Sister truly commits some disgraceful act of elopement, my own reputation will be implicated, and my future marriage prospects will become difficult."

"Bah! That man is definitely plotting to elope with Third Miss! Once she leaves, just think about it, my lady—now that the Marquis of Yongchang is about to send a matchmaker to settle a formal marriage between the two families, if she runs away, wouldn't that make things convenient for you?"

Lin Dongling started, slowly sitting upright, and said thoughtfully, "It's not that simple."

"My lady, you are only outdone by Third Miss in terms of birth; where else are you inferior? Even though the Marquis of Yongchang holds a lofty and powerful position, he is ultimately a widower and somewhat older—could he possibly pick and choose when it comes to you? If Third Miss runs off, a family of our standing will naturally be concerned with saving face; how could we ever let word of this spread? Yet Old Master is keen on cementing this marriage, and the only unmarried young miss left in the household is you. Furthermore, the Marquis is on good terms with the Eldest Master, so he will certainly be more than willing to marry the Eldest Master's own sister." As Shutong spoke, Lin Dongling straightened her posture, her expression turning solemn.

With a beaming smile, Shutong added, "There is a saying: 'It is better to tear down ten temples than to break up a single marriage.' Since Third Miss has feelings for that actor, why should we play the part of the merciless executioners breaking up a pair of lovebirds? We might as well help them become a couple, adding one more fine romance to the world. And you, my lady, will get your wish and marry a glorious, noble husband—isn't this a wonderful outcome where everyone wins? In my opinion, if this were written into a play script, it would be praised for ages to come."

Lin Dongling let out a sudden giggle, poked Shutong, and said, "You with your oily tongue—you always know just how to talk." Then, losing her smile, she frowned and said, "Let me think on this."

Knowing that Lin Dongling had taken her words to heart, Shutong said no more. Imagining the day when Lin Dongling would truly become a marquise and her own daily ambitions would finally find a stage to play upon, a wave of secret delight washed over her, and she quietly stepped back to the side.

To dispense with superfluous words.

Presently, the Buddhist rites concluded. Madam Qin and Madam Wang went off to attend to Old Madam Lin, while Xianglan and Hongjian stood in the outer room, catching each other's eyes and smiling. Hongjian stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Are you tired? Go take a rest; I'll stay right here. There's also Xuezhan and Shanhuhu inside—more than enough to serve."

Xianglan replied, "I'm hardly tired. I'll go check the guest parlor, and if the vegetarian meal is ready, I'll bring it over." Just as she turned to leave, she saw Zidai walking toward her from the opposite direction, holding two small serving boxes and heading straight for Old Madam Lin's rooms. Lifting the door curtain, Zidai smiled and said, "These are pastries sent by the temple's abbot for Old Madam and the Madesses to enjoy. They're all uniform butter-fried wheat pastries; I don't know how they taste, but they look so delicate and translucent, quite exquisite. Old Madam should at least have a taste..." With that, she stepped inside.

Xianglan and Hongjian exchanged a look.

Pausing for a moment, Hongjian said, "Mother Han was originally supposed to come, but her old ailment flared up, so she had Zidai take her place."

Xianglan nodded with a sudden flash of understanding, then pursed her lips into a smile and remarked, "Sometimes when I look at her, I feel exhausted just watching her." She exhausted all her efforts playing the humble servant, currying favor on all sides, wearing a smiling face even when cursed at and humiliated, and clinging desperately to Madam Qin's coattails. Xianglan asked herself, and she could never bring herself to bend that low.

Hongjian smiled as well, saying, "You aren't her; perhaps she doesn't feel tired at all, and instead finds a great deal of satisfaction in it."

"That's true, too." Xianglan nodded and smiled, "The fish in the river knows best whether it is happy." She tied her cloak, lifted the curtain, and stepped out.