Against the Current - Chapter 242
Chapter 242 - Encountering an Old Acquaintance (Part 2)
Meeting gaze for gaze, Zhao Yuechan was utterly dumbfounded.
She felt as though her eyes were playing tricks on her, or that she had mistaken the person. The richly dressed noblewoman before her, exuding an aura of absolute prestige and looking like a fairy maiden from the heavens, turned out to be... could it truly be Chen Xianglan, that timid little maid-servant from back then who used to cower and endure her beatings and scoldings?
Yet that face was unmistakably correct. Such breathtaking coloring was hard to find even within a hundred miles, leaving an unforgettable impression on anyone who saw her. Now that her features had fully blossomed, she appeared all the more dazzling and exquisite.
Xianglan's heart hammered wildly. Cao Lihuan and Zhao Yuechan had been the nightmares of her early days entering the Lin household; the former had long since perished, while the latter had faded away from her daily life. Yet meeting again today, Xianglan realized that Zhao Yuechan had left quite a lingering shadow in her heart, making her pulse leap with fright at the sight of this person, wanting nothing more than to avoid her entirely.
Xiaojuan was also startled, instinctively reaching out to grab Xianglan's sleeve.
Regaining her wits and seeing Xiaojuan's slightly panicked expression, Xianglan instead grew calm. That was right—Zhao Yuechan had already divorced Lin Jinlou and was no longer the Eldest Young Mistress of the Lin family. She herself no longer needed to bow and scrape to please her, so why on earth should she fear her? With this realization, Xianglan smiled, straightened her waist and neck, and with a trace of reserved dignity, nodded slightly in acknowledgment to Zhao Yuechan before turning her face away to the other side.
Lady Jiao muttered softly, "Who is that person? She looks unfamiliar."
An elderly matron from the Lu family chimed in, "I have no idea. She came alongside the Lin family of Jinling; could she be the Eldest Master of the Lin family's concubine?"
Zhao Yuechan's expression shifted.
Suddenly, another commotion arose from the pendent-flower gate, accompanied by a crisp female voice calling out, "You lot are so clumsy, have my husband come help me."
Then someone else laughed and said, "Oh, Cousin, you're already a mother and yet you still have such a fierce temper. Only a gentle and refined gentleman like Yifei could put up with your young mistress's disposition; anyone else would never endure it."
In a daze, hearing the name "Yifei," Xianglan whipped her head around to look toward the pendent-flower gate. A carriage was parked at the entrance, and a tall, slender figure stood with his back to the door. It was Song Ke—someone she could never possibly mistake. Beside him stood another man, taller, broader, and more robust than Song, dressed in silver-gray and peacock-blue formal attire. As he spoke, he glanced into the inner courtyard, his gaze colliding with hers. A meaningful look crossed his face, and he suddenly broke into a bright, sweeping smile. It was none other than Lin Jinlou.
Looking past Xianglan, Lin Jinlou caught sight of Zhao Yuechan and paused involuntarily. Zhao Yuechan abruptly tightened her grip on her fan handle, only to see Lin Jinlou casually shift his gaze away, acting as though he hadn't seen her at all.
Zhao Yuechan's face drained to a sheet of white.
A hand adorned with a pure gold double-happiness ring reached out from behind the carriage curtain, gently lifting it. Catching sight of Lin Jinlou, Zheng Jingxian let out a sudden chuckle and said with breezy familiarity, "I was wondering who was here, calling each other 'Cousin' and trying to claim kinship—turns out it really is the Elder Cousin. Eldest Cousin, I hear you've recently been promoted and grown wealthy; if there are any good fortunes, you must keep our family's Lord Song in mind."
Lin Jinlou burst out laughing. A warm, genial smile still resting on his face, Song Ke cupped his fists toward Lin Jinlou and said, "This is just my wife deliberately poking fun at me and teasing. Brother Yingyang, please don't take her seriously."
Lin Jinlou gave Song Ke's shoulder a light slap, smiling as he replied, "We're all family; when there's good fortune, it naturally goes to our own kin. Whether Cousin mentions it or not, it's only right, so why does Yifei need to be so polite?"
Song Ke merely smiled without speaking. Zheng Jingxian had already extended her hand out from the carriage, leaving Song Ke no choice but to assist her down.
Zheng Jingxian wore her hair in a minimalist matron's bun adorned with kingfisher-feather inlaid adornments, pearl flowers, and a gold hairpin bearing the character for 'blessing'; there were no cumbersome hanging pearl tassels or other tedious ornaments. She was dressed in a brand-new, three-fold-collar autumn-fragrance-colored jacket embroidered with gold-threaded five-colored clustered flowers, paired with a water-red dress of formal silk. A long-tasseled palace sash was tightly cinched around her waist, and on her feet she actually sported a pair of satin-faced little boots. Naturally high-spirited and tall, this novel and trendy attire lent her an extra three parts of martial vigor and ten parts of vibrant radiance, instantly eclipsing the young ladies and mistresses present who were naturally more delicately pretty than she.
Out of the corner of his eye, Lin Jinlou caught sight of Xianglan turning as if to leave, so he called out to Zheng Jingxian, "As it happens, your brother brought his little sister-in-law today; let me introduce you two so you can get acquainted." With that, he turned sideways and beckoned to Xianglan, saying, "Come here."
Xianglan's face instantly went pale. Wanting to pretend she hadn't heard, she only heard Lin Jinlou raise his voice behind her, brooking no refusal: "I'm talking to you, the Master tells you to come over!"
Turning her head back, Xiaojuan saw Lin Jinlou's expression turn chillingly cold, and frightened, she tugged at Xianglan's sleeve, whispering, "Mistress, the Master is calling you... Um, well, a wise person submits to circumstances..."
With reluctant steps, Xianglan turned around, lowered her head, and slowly shuffled over. Lifting her eyelids, she saw Song Ke standing beside Lin Jinlou, clad in a dark-green kesi-silk satin robe, with a brand-new belt inlaid with precious treasures, mother-of-pearl, and gems fastened around his waist. He wore only a soft headscarf without a crown. His handsome, scholarly face wore a faint smile—it was the appearance of Song Ke she knew so well, yet it felt somewhat unfamiliar. Standing beside him was Zheng Jingxian, radiating an imposing aura, brilliant and dazzling like a red rose.
As Xianglan drew closer, the smile on Song Ke's face faded. Gradually, the corners of his mouth seemed to freeze, his entire expression grew stern, and his eyes stared fixedly at Xianglan without blinking.
Lin Jinlou glanced at Song Ke, acting as though he hadn't noticed his changed expression. Pulling Xianglan by the arm, he drew her close, smiling with the triumphant air of a spring breeze, and said to Zheng Jingxian, "This is your little sister-in-law. She's timid and hasn't been out much; later on, keep an eye on her and look after her so she doesn't get bullied by outsiders."
Zheng Jingxian glanced at Xianglan and involuntarily paused, clearly recognizing her. She shot a swift look at Song Ke, and seeing her husband looking somewhat absent-minded, she frowned. Maintaining a smile on her face, she spoke with pointed implication to Lin Jinlou: "Look at what Eldest Cousin is saying. Since she's such a precious treasure, why bring her out at all? You should keep her locked up tight in your chambers where nobody else can catch a glimpse of her—why leave it to me to protect her?"
Lin Jinlou laughed. "Who doesn't know that the Zheng family's young lady of the Grand Protector's estate is a heroine among powder and rouge, rivaling the legendary Mu Guiying of old, a woman whose heroic spirit matches any man? If I don't entrust her to your care, whose care should I trust?"
Zheng Jingxian cast a sideways glance at Lin Jinlou. "Eldest Cousin, are you praising me or mocking me? You make me sound like a ferocious tigress."
The two of them bantered back and forth, while Song Ke remained completely silent. Xianglan simply kept her head down, staring fixedly at the silk sash tied around her waist, feeling utterly mortified and agonizingly prolonged. Raising her gaze slightly, she saw that Song Ke's hands at his sides were clenched into fists, his knuckles faintly white. Gathering her courage, she lifted her head; Song Ke was staring intently at her, his slender eyes flashing with an unnamable turbulence of emotion.
Lin Jinlou smiled. "You were always a wild tomboy growing up; whether you're a tigress now is something we'd have to ask Yifei. But our little Xianglan here is terribly timid, so you mustn't frighten her." Pausing for a moment, he added, "Didn't you bring your eldest young master along? I haven't laid eyes on the child yet; I hear he's a handsome little fellow."
Only then did Song Ke speak up. "The child is still too young and can't bear the wind, so I left him at home. Brother Yingyang was most thoughtful; the congratulatory gifts you sent have already been received. When my younger sister got married last year, Brother Yingyang also specially prepared a gift, and this younger brother offers his thanks here." With that, he cupped his fists in gratitude, refusing to look at Xianglan ever again.
Zheng Jingxian chimed in with a beaming smile, "My Lord Song is simply of this courteous disposition. Right now, he's making a name for himself in the Hanlin Academy; many imperial memorials pass right through his hands, and his superiors have praised him more than once, with intentions of promoting him." Pride radiated from every word.
A flush crept up Song Ke's neck, clearly feeling embarrassed, and he murmured quietly to Zheng Jingxian, "My lady..."—implying that she should say less. While he indeed enjoyed a certain degree of prestige within the Hanlin Academy, how could it possibly compare to someone like Lin Jinlou who wielded genuine, practical authority? Mentioning it now only served to make him feel awkward.
Zheng Jingxian smiled. "What are you feeling shy about? Good is good, and Father praised you several times as well."
Lin Jinlou smiled amiably. "These civil officials certainly have it better than us men who brandish spears and clubs. His Majesty has always favored the civil service over the military, and since Yifei is young and promising, Sister Shou, you've truly found yourself a fine husband." "Sister Shou" was Zheng Jingxian's childhood milk name; when she was frail and sickly in her youth, Lady Wei, fearing she wouldn't live long, had given her the name "Shou" (Longevity) in hopes of extending her years. Hearing Lin Jinlou use that familiar milk name now carried an air of absolute intimacy.
These words struck precisely at what Zheng Jingxian was most proud of. She couldn't help covering her mouth with her sleeve to muffle a laugh, her eyes darting over to glance at Xianglan once, then a second time, a rather unsettled feeling stirring in her heart. She knew best about the past affairs between Chen Xianglan and Song Ke, but across such a vast distance and over so much time, Chen Xianglan had long since been cast to the back of her mind, leaving behind only a vague shadow.
Yet colliding with her today, that formerly blurred shadow suddenly burst into vivid clarity. This Chen Xianglan was truly a peerless beauty; not just her face, but the very poise exuding from her entire being commanded admiration—cold, aloof, quiet, and serene. True to her name, she resembled a secluded orchid floating untainted by the mortal world, involuntarily stirring a sliver of jealousy within her.
Wearing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, Zheng Jingxian said to Lin Jinlou, "This little sister-in-law is prettier than the Concubine Lan you had before, and a hundred times better than that flirtatious sister-in-law you had originally. Eldest Cousin still has a fine eye."
Lin Jinlou merely chuckled, turning to Song Ke. "Look at that, what a sweet tongue. I had just praised her for finding a good husband, and right back she goes praising me."
Hearing Lin Jinlou's remark, Song Ke suddenly smiled. Staring straight into Lin Jinlou's eyes, he replied softly, "She speaks the truth. Eldest Cousin truly has an exceptional eye."
Lin Jinlou gave Song Ke's shoulder another pat, curving his lips into a smile. "If you ask me, you're the one with the better eye. A wife like Sister Shou—you rascal must have burned high incense in past lives to marry her."
Hearing this, Zheng Jingxian's face flushed slightly, and casting a gaze full of deep affection toward Song Ke, she covered her mouth with her sleeve and chuckled softly.
Xianglan merely stood quietly to the side with her head bowed and brows lowered, listening to the three of them exchange pointed, mutual flattery as if she didn't exist at all.
At that moment, new guests were arriving, and the Song family's carriage could not continue blocking the entrance. Lin Jinlou and Song Ke headed toward the front quarters, while Xianglan and Zheng Jingxian returned to the inner gardens. Zheng Jingxian's personal maid Yue'er and Xiaojuan quickly hurried forward to support their respective mistresses.
Qiuye, Lin Dongwan's senior personal maid, came forward wreathed in smiles to support one of Xianglan's arms, saying, "The Eldest Elder Sister couldn't break away from greeting guests out front, but the moment she heard the Concubine-Mistress had arrived, she specially sent me to welcome you." With that, she led them deeper into the garden.
After walking a short distance, Xiaojuan suddenly caught the sound of Xianglan letting out an exceptionally faint, barely audible sigh: "It's better this way. He's wearing a brand-new eight-treasure belt now, and he'll never have to be like before, when his belt was washed until it faded to white, and losing a single piece of agate meant he couldn't bear to spend the silver to replace it, having to substitute it with worthless dark-red markings stone instead..."