Against the Current - Chapter 229

Chapter 229 - Jinling (Part 1)

Over the past few days, as Lin Jingting went out to amuse himself with Chu Dapeng and the others, he had heard the prominent young gentlemen of Yangzhou city discussing Lin Jinglou more than once. Some envied how young he was yet how high and powerful his position, some held his name in awe, some praised his tactical prowess in military affairs, some called him impossibly fastidious and difficult to serve, while others eagerly relished gossiping about his romantic escapades.

In the past, when guests came and went for social interactions at the Lin household, Lin Jingting had simply assumed they came for the sake of his grandfather and Lin Changmin. But this time, he had witnessed firsthand the immense pomp and prestige surrounding Lin Jinglou when he went out. The fathers of those aristocratic youths came in endless waves to pay visits at the Yangzhou Lin residence, bearing all sorts of gifts, exchanging pleasantries, and exhausting every measure of deference. Both civil and military officials throughout Yangzhou stirred at the news, all rushing to curry favor and forge ties with this formidable young general.

Today, as Lin Jinglou set off, the key officials of the Yangzhou government came in person to see him off. The procession of sedan chairs and fine steeds stretched on in an imposing spectacle, completely blocking an entire street.

Gazing at this grand scene, Lin Jingting stood in a daze, suddenly recalling the day his grandfather ordered him to move to the ancestral estate to study. On his very first day there, his grandfather had reclined in a rocking chair and asked him, "Regarding the matter of Ling'er, do you harbor any resentment toward your eldest brother?"

Did he hate him? Naturally, there had been resentment lingering in his heart. His mother wept day and night, and his father cursed Lin Jinglou to high heaven within the confines of their room. Lin Dongling had been forcibly shoved into a carriage and carried away, her face swollen with injuries, weeping like a broken-hearted person. That very night, a funeral shed was erected before their gates, and from that day on, there was no longer any "Lin Dongling" recognized as a young miss in the Lin family.

He had stammered, unsure of how to answer.

His grandfather had shaken his head and told him, "Bear this well in mind: though the two of you were born of different mothers, Lou'er is a man who values deep bonds of loyalty and affection. As the saying goes, an elder brother is like a father; you must treat him as your own true eldest brother and be close to him in the days to come... Whether you can ever truly rely on your biological father remains to be seen, but your future prospects rest entirely upon your eldest uncle and eldest brother. Think on how you should conduct yourself hereafter. If you can figure this out, it will not have been in vain that I specifically had you confined before my eyes to study."

He naturally understood that his grandfather's underlying meaning was for him to draw closer to Lin Jinglou, yet a bitter taste still lingered in his heart. Later, when Lin Jinglou resolutely made his preparations to head to Yangzhou, Lin Jingting found himself suffocating under his grandfather's tight confinement. Catching wind of the departure, he hastily left a note and slipped away from home, following right behind Lin Jinglou. After these many days, his resentment toward Lin Jinglou had gradually dissipated, and they had returned to their usual easy banter.

Yet today, having witnessed such an overwhelming display of power, he finally comprehended his grandfather's true intention. This elder brother of his was no longer the pampered young master of a decade ago who would take him out racing horses and gambling for coin; he had truly become a figure of immense influence capable of turning the skies and overturning the seas.

Lin Jingting felt a swirling mixture of indescribable emotions in his chest, and could only stare in a daze as Lin Jinglou exchanged smiling pleasantries with the assembled officials, mounting his horse and cupping his hands repeatedly in farewell with a radiant, high-spirited air.

The crowd of officials did not stop to turn back until they had escorted him all the way out of the city gates, and another detachment of soldiers followed along to provide an escort.

Sitting inside the carriage, Xianglan lifted the curtain by a mere sliver, catching sight of the lush green vegetation in the suburban countryside.

Lin Jinglou urged his horse closer to the carriage and said to her, "What are you peeking at? Go back inside and catch a nap, I'll have someone wake you when we reach our destination." With that, he reached out and tucked the curtain down so that it sealed shut without a gap.

Xixiang, while driving the carriage, curled his lip in silent disdain. Their master was merely afraid that someone among the nearby guards might catch a glimpse of Xianglan. But the master didn't stop to think—which of them possessed the bold ambition of a leopard to dare let their gaze wander toward Xianglan?

Left with no choice, Xianglan drew back and leaned against the soft cushions.

Seeing this, Lingsu brought out two small red-lacquered snack boxes and invited Xianglan to partake.

Xianglan demurred, "I just had a couple of pastries this morning, I'm not really hungry. With everything so busy this morning, when did you even have time to make these?"

Lingsu smiled and replied, "The Master had the cooks at Ermei Pavilion prepare them early this morning and send them right over. If milady is feeling bored, she can nibble on a couple of pieces to pass the time." With that, she lifted the lids. One box held two varieties: miniature pastries shaped like peony blossoms and small fried wheat flour morsels enriched with cream. The other box contained four delicate varieties of pastries: sweet dew cakes, snowflake crisps, horseshoe rolls, and amber cakes.

Seeing how exquisitely crafted they were, Xianglan picked one up to taste, and urged Lingqing and Lingsu to eat as well. The two initially declined, but after Xianglan repeatedly insisted, each of them finally selected a piece of pastry. They kept Xianglan company with light chatter to help pass the time.

Lingqing and Lingsu had been terrified that Lin Jinglou would leave the two of them behind in Yangzhou just like the maids at the Yangzhou Lin residence, stranded to watch over an empty garden year after year without ever seeing their master—fated to be forgotten by him and spend their entire lives in desolation. When they saw that he had brought them along upon departure, their hanging hearts finally dropped back into place, making them all the more devoted and meticulous in their service thereafter, details which need no further elaboration.

Meanwhile, within the Lin residence in Jinling, the young servant Hetao walked into the side room, casually reached for a quilt, and went to grab the teapot on the table, only to find that no water would pour out. Lifting the lid to check, he found the pot long since empty, holding only a few withered, dry tea leaves. He sneered toward the kang platform, "You're just courting your own death! Shamelessly shirking work and slacking off, not lifting a single finger, and lying on the kang all day like a corpse waiting for burial—you didn't even have the sense to refill the kettle before it ran dry. Just wait until the momo comes and gives you a beating!"

Guiyuan lay upon the kang, pulling a pillow towel over his head to shut it out, acting as if he hadn't heard a thing. Guiyuan's days were difficult indeed. Originally, he had served in the study, where Lin Jinglou, noticing his quick wits, had assigned him to wait upon Xianglan. Though young, Guiyuan possessed a mind full of calculations. He had figured to himself that the most trusted servants by the Master's side were the brothers Xixiang and Shuangxi, leaving little chance for ordinary newcomers to stand out. Furthermore, there were far too many capable people hovering near the Master, all eyeing promotions and itching for favor, with plenty of backstabbing carried out in the shadows. He owed his entire position to Xixiang and Shuran keeping a lid on things; having been bought midway into service without a powerful backer, his days hadn't been smooth. Moreover, Lin Jinglou possessed a harsh temper and was notoriously fastidious and difficult to serve. In the past, Guiyuan had always had to tread carefully in the study. Thus, when he was reassigned to Xianglan, while everyone else watched him with amusement—believing he had been demoted from a prestigious post to wait upon a newly favored concubine—Guiyuan had secretly rejoiced.

Xianglan was easy-going and generous, handing out generous tips to the servants while remaining unfussy and requiring little work; ten days or half a month might pass without her calling upon him once, making his days leisurely. Besides, it was an open secret that Lin Jinglou favored Xianglan exclusively, and her elevation to the status of an official concubine was only a matter of time. Guiyuan calculated that if he served her with utter loyalty now, when Xianglan eventually bore a child and pleased Lin Jinglou, the master might reward them with a shop or an estate. Then he could ask to be made a steward and secure a bright future for himself.

He had been full of ambitious schemes, yet who could have anticipated that Miss Xianglan would suddenly vanish without a trace! The Lin household claimed only that Miss Xianglan was in poor health and had been sent to a countryside estate to recuperate for a few days before returning, but whispers among the lower servants claimed she had gone missing at a temple and was likely facing grim fortunes.

Guiyuan had beaten his chest in despair, left with tears unshed. His former post in the study had long since been snapped up by someone else, and now he drifted about without any fixed duties, frequently subjected to bullying and exploitation by the other servant boys. His days truly held no hope.

Hetao was still in the middle of his tirade when Guiyuan shifted his position on the bed.

At that moment, the door was kicked open with a loud bang, and Shuangxi rushed into the room, frowning as he snapped, "Why are you still lying around? Guiyuan, your young mistress has returned! Hurry up and get to the front courtyard to report and kowtow!"

Guiyuan jolted upright from the kang in a single motion, his eyes wide as he stammered, "Which young mistress? ...Miss Xianglan?"

Shuangxi was already turning back toward the door as he called out, "Yes, who else? Quick, make it snappy!"

Meanwhile, Xianglan had already been escorted by a throng of older women and maids into the Zhichun Pavilion. Just as she seated herself, Xiaojuan hurried forward to take Xianglan's hand, her eyes welling with tears as she said, "Good mistress, where on earth have you been these past few days? I was worried sick."

Chunling chimed in, "Milady should have at least found a way to send us word, saving us from letting our imaginations run wild."

Following the narrative Lin Jinglou had drilled into her, Xianglan replied, "I wasn't feeling entirely well over the past few days, and fearing I might spread any sickness around the house, I went to stay at the countryside estate for a while. Once I recovered, the Master had to travel to Yangzhou on business and took me along with him, needlessly causing everyone a great deal of anxiety."

Tinglan smiled and said, "What anxiety or not? It was only proper. How can milady be so formal with us?"

Chunling spoke almost simultaneously with a smile, "As long as milady remembers our loyalty, that's all that matters."

Amid the conversation, Shuran lifted the door curtain and stepped inside, smiling as she remarked, "My, aren't you all lively in here." Turning to Xianglan, she conveyed, "The Master said he has pressing military affairs and had to rush ahead, but he told milady to unpack and rest properly, and he will see you when he returns this evening." Then, addressing the others, she added, "Whatever you have to say can wait until you've helped milady wash up and freshened her face, and given her something to eat."

With Shuran giving directions, the group dispersed: some brought tea, some carried warm water, and others held out fresh clothing. Lingqing and Lingsu found no opening to step in, so they simply stood respectfully off to one side.

Chunling glanced over and asked, "Milady, these two are..."

Xianglan spared Chunling a brief look. Her initial impulse had been to tell her to take these two girls away to settle them in and help train them in the future. Yet before the words left her lips, hesitation caught her. She was no longer in her former position; running away from the Lin household a second time would likely prove far from easy. Capable though Chunling was, she was nonetheless born and raised an indentured servant of the Lin family, and possessed a fiery, contentious temper prone to picking fights with others—not always a reassuring or smooth presence to manage. Lingqing and Lingsu were both remarkably sharp, and their servant contracts remained securely in her own hands. It would be far better to keep them by her side directly, cultivating a few people whose loyalties lay solely with her. Turning to Chunling, she said, "These two were sent by Young Master Xie, and they are both exceptionally capable. From now on, one will manage my writing desk and stationery, and the other will oversee food and provisions. I recall there is a small side chamber vacant; have them settled in there first." Then, addressing Lingqing and Lingsu, she added, "You must be exhausted from the journey as well. Go rest for now, and come back this evening to attend to things."

Chunling froze, her expression instantly darkening before she turned and led the two newcomers out.

Shuran stepped closer and lowered her voice to say, "Milady, you should go pay your respects and kowtow to the First Madam first. While milady was away these past few days, the Madam was fretting constantly, sending people over to my quarters several times in secret to ask if milady had returned yet, and even specially lit a grand peace lamp for you at the temple."

Xianglan was taken aback, never expecting that Qin Shi would be such a considerate person. This softened her attitude and added a measure of favorable regard, prompting her to nod and say, "I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Sister."

After drinking a cup of tea, washing her face and hands, changing into fresh garments, and having her hair re-styled, Xianglan retrieved the gifts she had long since prepared for Qin Shi from her chest and set off for the Zhuoshou Garden to see her. Qin Shi had already heard of Xianglan's return and hurriedly welcomed her into her chambers, rising to meet her. Taking Xianglan's hands, she looked her up and down from head to toe before letting out a long sigh, as if a heavy stone finally lifted from her heart. "Amitabha, thank you the heavens, as long as you're back safely." She pulled Xianglan to sit beside her on the couch, where Hongjian poured tea and dismissed the other maids. The three of them sat together while Qin Shi gently inquired where Xianglan had been all this time, how she had fared, and how Lin Jinglou had managed to track her down.

Xianglan explained, "I had been hiding out in a nearby convent. Because I feared that having gone missing for a night my reputation was ruined and I had no face left to show my face here, I originally intended to stay in the temple indefinitely. Who would have thought the Master managed to find out where I was and brought me back."

Qin Shi's eyes grew moist as she sighed, "You silly child, who could ever hold that against you... Hearing you talk like that breaks my heart." Choking up slightly, she was quickly comforted by Xianglan and Hongjian. Wiping the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, Qin Shi murmured, "Very well, as long as you are safely back." She chatted warmly with Xianglan for a while longer, bestowed numerous gifts upon her, and instructed a senior matron to escort Xianglan back to the Zhichun Pavilion.

Worn out from the long journey and the morning's commotion, Xianglan was thoroughly exhausted. Upon returning, she changed into lighter clothes and curled up on the kang in the warm chamber to bask in the sunlight. Though her body ached with weariness, sleep eluded her, and her mind remained in turmoil. Hearing a rustle beside her, she opened her eyes to see Chunling sitting on the edge of the kang. Xianglan propped herself up halfway, intending to tell Chunling to take the gifts brought back from Yangzhou and distribute them among the maids, but Chunling sat there with a furrowed brow, her tone sharply confrontational as she demanded, "Milady, you might as well stop keeping secrets from me. Where on earth were you hiding all this time?"

Xianglan was stunned. Xiaojuan happened to be walking in carrying a tea tray and a plate of pastries; hearing those words, she frowned and rebuked, "Chunling, how can you question milady in such a tone? Where she went—is that something you have any right to demand an accounting for?"

Chunling arched an eyebrow and retorted, "I'm only asking out of concern for milady." She turned back to Xianglan, persisting, "So just where did you go?"

Without a word, Xianglan merely offered a faint, thin smile. Reaching out to take the cup of tea from Xiaojuan's hands, she took a sip and said, "In that blue satin bundle inside the trunk, there's official cosmetic powder, rouge, and hair oil brought back from Yangzhou. Take one set for each person and go distribute them." With that, she lay back down and closed her eyes.

Chunling still wanted to press further, but Xiaojuan pulled her by the sleeve and whispered, "Milady is tired, let her rest." With that, she hauled Chunling out of the room.

Standing in the outer alcove, Chunling snapped angrily, "Why are you dragging me out? Can't I even ask about this? The whole thing smells fishy—she clearly vanished from the temple, so how on earth did it suddenly turn into staying at an estate?"

Xiaojuan sneered coldly, "If milady intended to tell us, she would have told us naturally. If she chooses not to speak of it, she must have her reasons. Is this something for us to pry into? We are merely servants here. Milady treats us with past fondness and deep affection, not treating us like mere menial help but more like sisters, but we must remember our place: milady is, after all, a person of the Master's inner chambers, and word has it she's about to be raised to an official concubine. She is a proper mistress now. No matter how close we are, speaking to her in a tone as if you're reprimanding a junior is completely out of line. We still owe her the proper respect."

Chunling held considerable seniority and was a second-rank maid; she had always been the one scolding Xiaojuan. Stung so abruptly by Xiaojuan's rebuke, she lost face instantly and sneered, "Oh, look at you now! I was only asking out of concern, and you have so many sharp words for me. There are plenty of mistresses in this household, but none whose authority is so grand that a few questions can't be asked." With that, she flung the door curtain aside in a huff and stormed out.

Tinglan and Xueying walked in laughing and chatting just in time to bump into Chunling storming out in a fury. Taken aback, they asked Xiaojuan, "What's wrong with her?"

Xiaojuan let out a huff, "Just because milady brought back two maids and didn't hand them over to her to manage, she's trying to put on a sour face for milady." She muttered under her breath, "Some concern that was—she was just dying to satisfy her own curiosity and gossip."