Against the Current - Chapter 217

Chapter 217 - Exposure 

Qian Wenze cast his eyes over the painting and saw that it was indeed a "Goddess of the Luo River." The goddess depicted upon it possessed slender eyebrows and fine eyes, with her robes fluttering in the wind. She truly captured the ethereal grace of "swift as a startled swan, graceful as a swimming dragon." Clear, refined, and otherworldly, it possessed both form and spirit, making it an exquisite work of art. At the bottom, there was no signature, only a vermilion seal stamped in its place. Looking closely, the seal bore only a single seal-script character: "Lan." Qian Wenze couldn't help uttering a cry of praise, showed the painting to Chunyan, and repeatedly exclaimed, "Actually, this painting itself is quite ordinary, but I think the Goddess of the Luo River on it was drawn from the exact same mold as you. If anything, she might even fall a bit short compared to you." Chunyan was thoroughly pleased by this flattery, shot Qian Wenze a sidelong glance, and pulled out her silver to purchase the painting.

When they returned to Yicui Pavilion, right as they reached the main entrance, they ran into some rowdy guests who had drunk too much and were shouting and making a ruckus. Seeing Chunyan arrive, the procuress was overjoyed, hurriedly pulling her over to coax the guests, saying, "My lords, please don't be upset. Look, Yan'er is back now. In a moment, I'll have her pour wine for you gentlemen and offer a formal apology."

The person causing the disturbance was none other than Han Guangye, the son of the magistrate Han Yaozu. As it turned out, his family had latched onto the powerful backing of the Lin clan, and Lin Jinlou had promoted Han Guangye to a low-ranking eighth-class official post. Though Han Guangye lacked any real learning or skill, he was exceptionally adept at social maneuvering, possessed a thick skin, and was well-versed in the ways of officialdom. Moreover, he was the type of person who dared to aim ten steps ahead for every single step he took. Through constant networking alongside his father, he had managed to secure a lucrative post in the Salt Administration Bureau. Although the official rank was not high, the perks and kickbacks were abundant, causing Han Guangye to instantly puff up with self-importance. On this trip to Yangzhou on official business, in order to ingratiate himself with his superiors, he had specifically spent silver to host a drinking party featuring courtesans. Upon arriving, however, he discovered that Yan'er, Yicui Pavilion's most famous courtesan, was nowhere to be found. The expression of his superior turned somewhat sour, and feeling that he had botched a chance to suck up, Han Guangye kicked up a major fuss.

Han Guangye glanced at Chunyan, and seeing her peachy face and apricot cheeks, his heart softened for a moment, yet he sneered coldly, "Did you think coming back would settle things? You stalled us and made us wait an hour for nothing! The ones sent to serve us were nothing more than a bunch of common, painted trash. Are you treating us as country bumpkins from out of town, or do you think this lord doesn't have silver in his pouch?" With that, he glared and slammed his hand down on the table. "You didn't even bother to ask who I am—which person in Jinling city doesn't respectfully address me as 'Grandpa'? Even Prefect Wu of your Salt Administration Bureau has to show me a couple of points of respect, yet today I have to suffer this kind of petty abuse at your establishment!" As he spoke, he flipped over a cup of hot tea on the table, shattering it to pieces with a loud crash. Chunyan shrieked in terror.

Han Guangye repeatedly ordered the underlings accompanying him to start smashing and wrecking the place. The procuress, male attendants, and others tried in vain to hold them back, but having heard Han Guangye's earlier words, they realized he had some influential backing and temporarily dared not escalate the conflict into a total disaster. Qian Wenze, however, was a slick and slippery operator. Hearing Han Guangye mention the "Salt Administration Bureau," his mind immediately started racing, eager to make connections. Seeing the procuress and others at their wits' end, he thought to himself, "This is the perfect chance for me to show off a little." Desirous of displaying his social savvy and knack for handling tricky situations, he stepped forward, grabbed hold of Han Guangye with one hand, and used the other to fan him solicitously while pouring out a torrent of warm, flattering words: "Oh, oh, oh, oh, my dear elder brother! What on earth has made you so furious, upsetting my good brother like this!" With that, he pressed Han Guangye back into his chair with a beaming smile. "The people here simply lacked eyes and didn't know how to speak properly. Brother, please don't take it to heart—just look at me, give me some face!" He shot a glare at Chunyan and barked, "Still standing there stunned? Don't you know how to pour tea and water to apologize to my brother? Are those hands of yours just for show?" He flashed her another meaningful look.

Chunyan shot Qian Wenze a sideways glance and, nursing her grievance, reluctantly and unwillingly shuffled off.

While fanning Han Guangye, Qian Wenze chuckled, "Calm your anger, brother. As a person of such distinction and an official老爷, is it worth your while to lower yourself to the level of a few courtesans? We gentlemen come here strictly to seek pleasure; if you end up leaving with a belly full of rage instead, it hardly seems worth it. Later on, I'll have Lady Yan'er play a few fresh tunes for you—something like 'Spring Dew Heavy, Jade Stamens Open'—and share a couple of cups of wine with you. Heh, I guarantee your anger will vanish entirely. Brother, do this for my sake..."

All Han Guangye wanted was to save face; his smashing and wrecking had merely been a means to assert his dignity. Now that someone had handed him a ladder to climb down, he naturally had no desire to keep up a massive ruckus. He eyed Qian Wenze sideways, noticing that the fellow had a handsome, fair face, knew how to read the room, and spoke with a honeyed tongue. Recognizing him as a seasoned social parasite, Han Guangye was inclined to take the easy way down, yet wanting to maintain his haughty posture and avoid looking cheap, he kept his stern expression and sneered coldly, "Give you face? What kind of thing are you, and how much face could you possibly have?"

Qian Wenze let out a "tsk" and stiffened his expression for a second before blooming into a spring-like smile. "Look down on me? Brother, you probably haven't heard of my reputation yet. Just ask around these streets—anyone who hears the name 'Qian the Fair-Face' knows who I am. Though I am unworthy, your humble brother is a respected man with a recognized name in these parts. I was just passing by when I saw that you were a man of true spirit, far from ordinary—if not born of a noble house, you must be a phoenix among men. That's why I came in to chat with you. Later on, I'll treat you to drinks so we can become friends."

Han Guangye looked him up and down and saw that Qian Wenze was indeed dressed in fine silks and satins, wore a gold-threaded belt around his waist, held a sandalwood-ribbed folding fan, and sported a gleaming gold ring on his finger. The overall air of affluence truly resembled that of a man of standing, so he believed him by half.

Presently, Chunyan personally served tea and offered soft words of apology, while Qian Wenze chimed in with smooth coaxing. Only then did Han Guangye feel his dignity was restored, and the matter was dropped. Soon enough, Chunyan went back to the front to attend to her duties, while Qian Wenze dragged Han Guangye off to a side tearoom for drinks, showering him with endless flattery. Han Guangye's spirits lifted, and after they exchanged some idle chatter, Qian Wenze learned that Han Guangye's father was a county magistrate and that he held a lucrative official post. This made Qian Wenze eager to suck up to him even more. A couple of cups of wine down, Han Guangye let down his guard entirely and blurted out, "I must admit, while that Yan'er girl is a bit wild, no wonder sleeping with her costs five taels of silver a night."

Qian Wenze chuckled maliciously as he poured Han Guangye another cup of wine. "She doesn't even rank among the top tier in Yangzhou. The truly famous Eight Beauties of Yangzhou cost ten taels a night... But if you ask me, even those Eight Beauties can't hold a candle to a young woman I saw today. She is an absolute stunner; a single glance from her could hook a man's very soul. It's just a pity she's a nun practicing austerities." With that, he picked up the roll of painting he had set aside earlier, unfurled it before Han Guangye, and said, "Did you see this, brother? This painting was drawn by her. Surely she deserves to be called a master of both beauty and talent?" He continued heaping praise on Xianglan's appearance. As it turned out, Qian Wenze harbored malicious intentions: he lusted after Xianglan's beauty, but because he didn't know her background and Manifest Victory Nunnery was a renowned establishment rather than some insignificant little temple, he didn't dare make a direct move himself. Instead, he schemed to goad Han Guangye into taking action, figuring that if things worked out, he might get a share of the spoils.

Hearing Qian Wenze praise the young nun as if she were a celestial being whose beauty surpassed the heavens, Han Guangye was deeply stirred. Having chugged a few more cups of liquor and emboldened by the alcohol, he allowed himself to be egged on by Qian Wenze to go check out the beauty. When they reached Manifest Victory Nunnery, the front gates were already tightly shut. Qian Wenze suggested, "No matter, I just heard the bell ring—it's time for evening devotions. Let's go around to the back wall. If you step on my shoulders, you can peer over into the courtyard. The young nun will definitely have to go chant scriptures, and you'll be able to see her." Thus, Han Guangye stepped onto Qian Wenze's shoulders and hauled himself up to look over the wall. Sure enough, he saw small groups of nuns carrying scriptures toward the Buddha-worship hall, and a moment later, he spotted a slender, graceful girl walking slowly past, her hair dark as ink and skin white as snow, though her face remained obscured.

Han Guangye's heart was itching with unbearable desire. He strained his eyes to the utmost, standing on tiptoe atop Qian Wenze's shoulders to look inside. Qian Wenze, whose constitution had long since been hollowed out by wine and lust, how could he possibly withstand being stepped on like this? His legs began to tremble, beads of sweat the size of soybeans streamed down his forehead, and with his neck crooked and teeth clenched, he wheezed, "Brother, I beg of you, brother... did... did you finally see her or not?"

Han Guangye replied, "Almost, what are you yelling for?"

Just then, the person had walked close enough that her exquisite features were momentarily revealed—two pools of autumn water for eyes, and a figure so slender and charming that she was truly a peerless beauty. Han Guangye suddenly widened his eyes as if he had just witnessed something utterly terrifying, and blurted out in a breathless gasp, "This, this, this is..."

By this point, Qian Wenze could no longer support him. His legs gave out from under him, and he collapsed downward, causing Han Guangye to lose his footing as well. Swaying unsteadily, Han Guangye let out a piercing shriek and pitched headfirst over the wall.

Startled by the commotion, Xianglan stopped and looked up toward the source of the sound, but she saw nothing. Quickening her pace, she hurried into the Buddha-worship hall. As it turned out, seeing Chunyan earlier that day had left her deeply unsettled, and she inwardly regretted having removed her hood the moment she entered the shop, worrying about what might happen if someone recognized her. But upon second thought, she figured she hadn't seen Chunyan in ages, and since Chunyan had only known her as a young girl back then, she likely wouldn't remember her. Besides, Chunyan had been sold off alongside her entire family by the Lin household long ago, and had surely severed all ties with them. Thinking of this, she calmed herself slightly, merely reminding herself to be doubly cautious in the future.

Outside the wall, Han Guangye lay sprawled on the ground clutching his back, groaning in pain while a wave of sheer panic washed over him.

The person he had just seen was none other than Lin Jinlou's beloved concubine, Chen Xianglan!

How, how, how could she possibly be in this place?!

All of Han Guangye's drunkenness instantly evaporated into a cold sweat.

Back when Lin Jinlou had pulled Chen Wanquan out of prison, he and his father, Magistrate Han, had frequently visited the Chen household, sending medicinal herbs, silver, and gifts. He had caught a single glimpse of Chen Xianglan back then and had been utterly stunned by her beauty; though he kept a straight face on the outside, inwardly he envied Lin Jinlou for his extraordinary good fortune. Later, he watched as Chen Wanquan's household overnight became wealthy and prestigious purely because of this daughter. Whereas the Chen family had once trembled in fear before them, they gradually fell out of his consideration. He and his father referred to Chen Wanquan with casual camaraderie, even calling him "worthy nephew," utterly carried away by arrogance and the typical small-mindedness of those tasting sudden power.

Though the father and son acted intimately with the Chens on the surface, behind closed doors at home they would smash teacups and curse: "Those dog-shit slave-descendant bastards! The daughter is just someone's concubine, yet they strut around acting like big shots. I spit on them! The moment Master Lin grows tired of that girl, I'll grind that bitch's face straight into the mud!" Yet, upon hearing that Chen Xianglan had genuinely captured Lin Jinlou's affection and won exclusive favor in the inner chambers, his initial resentment subsided by half, and he started running over to the Chen residence even more enthusiastically.

If a favored concubine could whisper a few pillow-talk words in her master's ear, his Han Guangye's future wouldn't be limited to a mere eighth-class petty official post! He might even achieve greater glory than his father, who had passed the imperial examinations only to become a seventh-rank magistrate!

During the New Year holidays earlier that year, he had even visited the Chen household in person, where Chen Wanquan had shown off the lavish gifts sent by the Lin family—items piled so high they wouldn't even fit in the room, including four jars of wine and a chest of furs just sitting out in the courtyard. He knew the Chen family was truly bound for massive wealth.

So why on earth was Chen Xianglan in a temple in Yangzhou?

At that moment, Qian Wenze rubbed his bruised arm and scrambled to his feet, hurrying over to help Han Guangye up as he asked, "My dear brother, can you stand? Did you hurt yourself anywhere?"

Grimacing, Han Guangye climbed to his feet, thinking to himself, "Ever since late last year, the Lin family troops haven't rested for a moment, searching everywhere. They even came to my father's yamen, ordering the bailiffs to hunt down unidentified teenage girls of good looks, capturing a score of them only to release them all again. It created massive panic; some said they were searching for an escaped concubine from a wealthy household, others said a young lady of note was missing. Only the Lin family guards kept their mouths shut tight, refusing to leak a single word. They're still searching all over Jinling right now—could it be... could they have been searching for her?"

A sudden jolt of electricity ran through Han Guangye. First came a cold sweat, followed immediately by a surge of wild euphoria. Because he was too excited, his entire body trembled slightly as he thought to himself, "Heaven helps me! It is destined that I, Han Guangye, shall elevate my family's fortunes and achieve this monumental merit. What else is there to worry about?" At that thought, he threw his hands onto his hips, threw back his head, and burst into hearty laughter. But pulling back too hard pulled on the injured muscles in his waist, forcing him to screw up his face and clutch his back while letting out more groans of pain. Yet unable to suppress the joy in his heart, he started laughing again; the pain in his waist was so agonizing that a couple of stray tears slipped from his eyes.

This bizarre cycle of laughing and crying left Qian Wenze completely dumbfounded. Staring stupidly, he stammered, "I say... I say, brother, you didn't manage to fall and knock your brains loose, did you?"

Han Guangye waved a hand dismissively, clapped Qian Wenze on the shoulder, and laughed, "No, no, my good brother, you truly are my lucky star..." Midway through his sentence, catching sight of Qian Wenze's ingratiating smile, he stopped himself, fished out two taels of silver, and said, "Come, my brother, let's go have another drink together. Whatever you do, don't mention this young lady to anyone else. I have my own plans in mind, and your future rewards will not be small." With that, he dragged Qian Wenze away, though we shall leave their immediate movements aside for now.

Meanwhile, back with Xianglan: once the evening devotions concluded, Abbess Dingyi suddenly summoned her to her side and said, "I told you before that if destiny allowed, you would return to send me off on my final journey. Now my time has come, and the affinity between us runs deep, which is why we still share these remaining days together. I have a few words to say to you. Although this convent is tranquil, it is not your ultimate destination. In the days to come, you will experience several ups and downs; flow with the current of destiny, and do not be too hard on yourself. You have always been generous, kind-hearted, and charitable to others; good days lie ahead of you, and your ultimate destiny rests within the realm of wealth and nobility." Having finished these words, she crossed her legs in meditation and passed away peacefully.

Xianglan was struck with overwhelming grief and burst into bitter tears. The temple held Buddhist rites of passage and chanted scriptures to guide the departed soul, overseeing the grand memorial service. Abbess Dingyi enjoyed a lofty reputation, and having received her grace and benevolence in the past, countless local villagers came in an endless stream to kowtow and pay their respects. Even the prefect and other local officials personally visited to offer condolences, making Manifest Victory Nunnery bustling and chaotic for a time. Fearing she might be recognized, Xianglan retreated to the back vegetable garden to find peace, and thinking of her master, she shed yet another round of tears.