Against the Current - Chapter 254

Chapter 254 - Managing the Household

Lin Jinlou’s expression remained entirely devoid of emotion. "Oh? How much silver are they supposed to fetch?"

"The madam said at least ten taels of silver each..."

"Hmph, you can go... Wait, come back."

"What are your orders, Eldest Master?"

"In the future, whenever your madam paints anything, bring it directly to me. First, take these paintings to the study."

Guiyuan acknowledged the order, glanced cautiously at Lin Jinlou’s expression, held his breath, and scurried off cradling the silk tubes.

Lin Jinlou stepped into the room, where Xiaojuan was currently dozing off while leaning against an embroidered round stool near the doorway. Seeing Lin Jinlou enter, she snapped to attention. Lin Jinlou gave a slight shake of his head, and Xiaojuan immediately clamped her mouth shut. Bailan was standing by the writing desk, brush in hand, painting, while Lingqing stood quietly to the side attending to the ink and brushes. Bailan looked intensely focused; one moment she applied light washes to lay down color, the next she gently picked up a fine brush to trace and outline with meticulous care. Occasionally, she would stand still to study her work intently before exercising the utmost caution and deliberation with every stroke. Only then did Lin Jinlou realize this was how Bailan went about her painting. Previously, the sort of women he was most accustomed to seeing were those who held lutes or zithers, smiling with alluring, radiant faces, full of vibrant, captivating charm. Yet Bailan’s quiet, serene demeanor right now was enough to make anyone utterly incapable of looking away.

Lin Jinlou stood watching for quite a long time. Eventually, Bailan finished painting and looked up to see him, prompting Lin Jinlou to walk over. Xiaojuan hurried forward to offer tea, while Lingsu went to fetch Lin Jinlou’s everyday house robes. Lin Jinlou stretched out his arms and cast a glance at Bailan. With no other choice, Bailan wiped her hands with a towel, stepped forward, and waited on Lin Jinlou as he changed his clothes.

Lin Jinlou asked, "How is it that you've taken up painting again?"

Bailan removed his outer cloak and went to untie his woven-gold and jasper belt. Keeping her head lowered, she replied, "I was cooped up in the room every day with nothing to do, so I painted a couple of pieces to pass the time."

"Oh, you paint well enough. I've known for a long time that you went by the moniker 'Hermit of Orchid Fragrance,' and your father even used to sell your paintings back then. Paint all you like if it pleases you—having something to occupy your mind is at least better than locking horns with me from morning till night." He stared intently at Bailan’s face. Ever since the last time Bailan had scratched him, she seemed to have changed. Although she had grown increasingly submissive, her thoughts had become as deep as a well, and she spoke less and less. She spent her entire day cooped up in her room, frequently gazing blankly at the Buddha statue for an entire morning at a time. Lin Jinlou figured that little Bailan might simply be homesick, though remaining cooped up in such suffocating misery was no way to live.

Bailan had already removed the belt and was reaching to undo his robes when Lin Jinlou caught her hand, pulled her into his embrace, and held her close. Lowering his head to her ear, he murmured, "Didn't I tell you? Matters in the capital won't wrap up in a moment; we still have to wait a while longer before we can go back. I've been busy socializing everywhere these past few days, but once I have some free time, I'll definitely take you out to have some fun. When you're idle, chat more with the maidservants instead of sitting around in a daze. If you want to listen to operas or storytelling, just tell someone to send out and hire performers."

Seeing Lin Jinlou pull Bailan into his arms, the maidservants exchanged meaningful glances with one another and quietly withdrew on tiptoe. Lin Jinlou probed with a few more remarks, but when Bailan gave no response, he released her, his face darkening. "Speak up. You painted, fine—so why did you want to sell paintings for money? Were you thinking of running off again?"

Bailan was already accustomed to his mercurial moods. Seeing that he was about to grow angry, she hurriedly tugged at his sleeve, shook it slightly, and said in a soft voice, "I wasn't thinking of running off, I just did it to pass the time." She glanced up at Lin Jinlou and, seeing his face still dark with displeasure, couldn't help feeling a wave of fright. Hesitating for a moment, she inched closer, leaned against Lin Jinlou's chest, wrapped her arms around his waist, and said, "I don't care for operas, and storytelling is too noisy. Painting is simply the only amusement I have..."

The moment Bailan pulled on his sleeve, Lin Jinlou's temper had already dissolved, and by this point, he had grown completely soft. He raised his arms to wrap them around her, stroked her back, and after a long pause, said, "I didn't say you couldn't paint. Paint as much as your heart desires. Whatever famous calligraphies or paintings you want, I’ll get my hands on them for you. But think about it yourself—does the household come short on those few taels of silver, that you have to send your paintings out to sell for money? It makes it look as though I couldn't afford to keep you and were treating you poorly."

After pondering for a moment, Bailan said in a low voice, "Even when I paint with all my heart, nobody gets to see them. It's better to sell them so someone who appreciates them can have them; it makes me happy. I'm not doing it for the money, just for the joy of it."

Looking pensive, Lin Jinlou stared at Bailan for a moment, then summoned Shuran and instructed, "Go to the study and bring back those brown-bound ledgers from the desk." Before long, Shuran returned carrying seven or eight thick brown volumes. Lin Jinlou handed the volumes to Bailan, saying, "These are the account books of the Lin Family Army. I want you to go through and audit them carefully over the next few days. There must not be a single error, understood?"

Bailan flipped through the pages and saw that they were filled with massive entries of military provisions and expenses. Taken aback, she quickly closed the ledger, pushed it back, and said, "This kind of thing is terribly weighty. How can you just hand it over to me like this?"

Lin Jinlou said casually, "Why ever not? Aren't you good with an abacus? I originally brought several professional accountants along, but two of them fell ill due to the local climate. You can calculate these for me first."

With no other choice, Bailan took the ledgers back and flipped through them once more, finding two volumes of four-pillar accounts and two volumes of dragon-gate accounts. The enormous expenditures recorded within were startling. After pondering for a moment, she asked, "When does the Eldest Master need these finished?"

Lin Jinlou replied, "There's no great rush. Just have them audited by the end of next month."

Bailan nodded and asked someone to fetch an abacus.

After changing his clothes, Lin Jinlou sat cross-legged on the arhat bed, reviewing various official documents and letters submitted from Jinling, occasionally lifting his gaze to look over at Bailan. She was sitting by the round table, brush in hand, meticulously cross-checking the figures while the beads of the abacus clicked and clattered. Near noon, Bailan finished reconciling a few pages, transcribed the discrepancies onto a sheet of paper, and presented her findings to Lin Jinlou.

Lin Jinlou carefully reviewed the notes several times, then told Bailan to hand him the abacus. Calling out numbers for her to calculate on the beads, he pointed out a few errors, pinched her cheek, and said, "There, that's exceptionally well done. Take a break, it's time for lunch."

Bailan couldn't help asking, "Why are the military procurements so exorbitant? The silver flows out like water, the accounts never balance with the physical goods, and the monthly losses and damages are severe."

Lin Jinlou explained, "Water too clear has no fish, and a person who is overly meticulous has no followers. Procurement offers huge kickbacks, so naturally, there are those with greedy palms. Human nature is just like that—it cannot be completely curbed. Put ten or twenty taels right in front of people, and their hands will itch; let alone stacks of pure gold and silver right before their eyes. No matter how strict the laws are, there will always be those willing to risk execution. But as long as they get things done, these minor losses remain well within my calculations. The Lin Family Army is already exceptionally strict, yet the reported losses are still under half a percent. In other armies, losses running two to three percent are quite common."

Lin Jinlou's original intention had been to find something to occupy Bailan so she wouldn't spend all day letting her imagination run wild. Unexpectedly, Bailan took the task with absolute seriousness, clacking away at the abacus day after day. Whenever she ran into a difficult spot, she would mark it down and wait until evening to question Lin Jinlou. Every day after they finished dinner, Bailan would hold the ledger and ask her questions, and Lin Jinlou would explain everything with infinite patience. Afterward, Shuran would bring writing materials from the study, and Lin Jinlou would review and sign documents at the bedroom desk while Bailan continued auditing the accounts at the eight-immortal table on the other side. The maidservants would bring in a round of late-night refreshments—usually just a small dish of pastries and a small bowl of soup, as eating too much at night was not conducive to health, and nothing extravagant was prepared. Late at night, the maidservants would come in to urge them to rest. Lin Jinlou would call for washing utensils, and after freshening up, the two of them would blow out the lamps and go to sleep, living in quiet contentment.

Believing that he had successfully found a task for Bailan to occupy her mind, Lin Jinlou noticed she only occasionally painted two or three pieces now. Little did he know that whenever he was away, Bailan would spread out paper and paint. The ordinary pieces were handed over to Guiyuan, who then gave them to Lin Jinlou to gather dust in the study. The more exquisite pieces, however, were sent out via Huashan and Xiaojuan to be sold on consignment at a stationery shop near the Temple of Literature. Without using the name "Hermit of Orchid Fragrance," the paintings sold for a slightly cheaper price, yet still brought in seven or eight taels of silver each month.

To make a long story short, a letter arrived from Jinling stating that Madam Wang was recovering from an illness there and that Lin Jinting was already on his way to the capital. Old Master Lin instructed Lin Jinlou to manage Lin Jinting's wedding preparations, hosting a banquet in the capital to entertain close friends and associates, while the new bride would be welcomed back to Jinling to formally and grandly perform the wedding bows.

This task was by no means difficult. Since the wedding ceremony wasn't taking place in the capital, they only needed to set out seven or eight tables to banquet their closest relatives and dearest friends. Lin Zhao祥 had already drafted the guest list, and Lin Jinlou added a few more names, instructing Bailan to take charge of household management while Shuran assisted. Madam Tan had originally intended to step in and help, but Lin Jinlou felt an aversion toward her and simply gave her a cold dismissive line: "Your second younger brother's health is poor, and you are busy serving and caring for him day and night without even getting a proper night's sleep. How could I dare burden you with this as well? I have already arranged everything for this affair. If there are any shortcomings, I will trouble you then." With just a few brief words, he dismissed Madam Tan.

Bailan thought to herself, "With my status, I am neither right nor proper; managing this will likely bring me more blame than praise, and who knows what people outside will say. Why bother?" She had no desire to get involved and lay in bed feigning illness. However, Lin Jinlou stubbornly forced her to take it on, promising her, "Do a good job with this, and I'll find a place for you to sell your paintings. Just go ahead and handle it boldly; I'll back you up in everything." Gritting her teeth, Bailan accepted the task and grew busier by the day. Fortunately, the Lin family had long-standing traditions for hosting banquets, possessing a distinct set of "Lin Family Mansion Dishes." Lin Jinlou ordered the banquet to be prepared according to the "Lin Mansion Guest-Welcoming Swallow Cuisine Full Banquet."

Bailan flipped through the cookbook. That "Swallow Cuisine Full Banquet" was the highest-spec banquet of the Lin family, bearing a strong resemblance to the hosting traditions of the Shen family in her past life. Each table featured a total of 130 dishes, and there were strict rules for arranging dried fruits and pastries. Because it was a celebratory wedding feast, it followed the previous "Blessing, Longevity, and Mandarin Ducks" banquet layout, with rigorous specifications even down to the names of the vessels used for each dish. Bailan ordered the storehouses opened to retrieve various sets of bowls and dishes—porcelain, silver, and wooden—all custom-made as complete sets; if even a single piece was missing, the set could not be matched. The plates were square, ingot-shaped, gourd-shaped, ruyi-shaped, or cloud-patterned, and their placement on the table had to follow auspicious meanings like "rolling wealth" and "rising step by step to the clouds," arranged in precise locations.

Bailan remarked, "Although the Lin family's residence in the capital is not lived in year-round, all the banqueting utensils are completely stocked."

Shuran smiled and said, "At first they weren't entirely complete, but didn't Second Young Master just host a wedding recently? Whatever was missing has all been replenished. It's just that when Second Young Madam married over previously, everything was done in such a rush that many details weren't properly seen to. There wasn't even an elder present during the wedding bows; the Eldest Master had a paternal clan uncle who serves as an official in the capital come over to preside, and the reception was somewhat respectable, making the scene pass by decently. It's just that they were afraid of tiring Second Young Master, so he only came out to toast three cups of wine before going back inside. Outsiders listened to an opera performance and dispersed around midnight after the festivities died down."

Bailan said, "The matter of hiring the opera troupe outside was helped along by Master Chu, Master Liu, and Master Xie. We only need to take care of matters in the inner courtyard. According to old precedent, when the master's household has a joyous event, the servants also get to share a banquet, which has its own rules. We'll set up canvas awnings in the courtyard, lay down new kang mats on the ground for seating, and serve meals with ten large bowls per table. Keep a close eye on this, and only provide one jar of wine per table. The cooks will be too busy, so these tables probably won't get fresh dishes, but the chicken, duck, fish, and meat that are supposed to be given out must not be shorted."

Shuran hastily acknowledged the order.

Lingqing was outside checking the roster and, overhearing Bailan speaking in the inner room, couldn't help sighing, "Doing this sort of work is the most thankless task of all. If you do poorly, people will point at your spine; if you do well, nobody praises you, and they just grow green with jealousy. Especially with our madam's status, doing this is neither right nor proper..."

Lingsu said, "What are you afraid of? It's what the Eldest Master ordered anyway, and previously all the tally tokens were kept with Madam. Sister Shuran wanted to manage things and had to come over to request the tokens."

Lingqing muttered, "Tsk, that's different. Even though they were kept here before, Madam never managed anything and left everything for Sister Shuran to handle, so we didn't bear any particular title. But this time Madam is truly taking the reins herself—didn't you notice Second Young Madam wasn't even allowed to touch a thing? When the Eldest Master had two dishes sent over to her earlier, Second Young Madam wouldn't even give me the time of day; it's obvious she holds a grudge."

"And have any of you thought about another thing? The Eldest Master will eventually take a wife. Since he favors concubine-madam so much, when the new madam enters the house, it would be fine if she's a soft-tempered sort who dislikes managing things, but alas... which idle woman would be happy having such a favored concubine in her rooms? With concubine-madam holding so much power in her hands, it might not necessarily be a blessing in the future." Xue凝 (Xuening) was originally counting on an abacus, but suddenly stopped and sighed.

Xiaojuan, who was busy with Huashan fumigating the quilts, smiled upon hearing this. "Oh, how rare. You're usually such a goody-two-shoes who never offends anyone. I thought you had a padlock on your tongue—it's truly no small feat for you to say something like this."

Xuening only smiled and went back to counting her beads. She had replaced Chunling and followed them to the capital; usually, she just worked hard and spoke little. Xiaojuan and Huashan kept their distance from her, but Lingqing and Lingsu grew close to her over time, and their friendship deepened with each passing day. Watching with a cool eye, she felt that Bailan was admirable and endearing, yet she also worried about Bailan's future, which was why she couldn't help letting those words slip.

Xiaojuan said, "What is there to be afraid of? The Eldest Master is so fierce, he'd never let our madam suffer. It's much more comfortable following Madam. Didn't you see over at Kangshou Residence? Xiluo, who used to serve Second Young Master closely, has now been squeezed out and treated like a rough-chore maid..."

Huashan curled her lip. "Hmph, can she avoid being squeezed out? She was single-mindedly throwing herself at Second Young Master, jumping up and down like a clown. Second Young Madam is so formidable—is she the kind of person to take things lying down?"

Xiaojuan smiled with a pursed lip. "You call her formidable? Little Huashan, you never saw former Miss Cao and Zhao Yuechan. Those two were the real powerhouses. Compared to them, Second Young Madam is just a minor sorceress facing a true wizard."

Xuening put down her brush again and said, "Second Young Madam just likes to put on airs and is picky about her food and clothing; apart from that, she's really nothing much. If it were the former Eldest Madam, Xiluo would have been sold off by her heels long ago. As it stands, out of all the maidservants who originally served Second Young Master, only Xiluo and Luoluo were left behind."

Lingqing blew the ink dry on the name roster and said, "Caiping, Caifeng, Caixia, and Caiming all came with Second Young Madam. Every single one of them is sharp-toothed and aggressive, running off to the kitchen every day demanding food and drink with different tricks, complaining the food is subpar and saying the Lin family is treating the Second Branch shabbily—who doesn't know that our side pays extra out of our own silver for our meals?"

While the group was still chattering away, they suddenly saw Shuran walk out carrying two vases, and they promptly shut their mouths. No more needs to be said of that.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Jinting arrived in the capital, and the wedding day grew closer. The Lin family residence in the capital was draped in red lanterns and festive silks, with the cooks meticulously preparing dishes starting half a month in advance, making everything run smoothly and orderly.

On the day of the wedding, the front and back of the Lin residence were a scene of ceaseless bustle. In the outer courtyard, the sounds of gongs, drums, and shouting carried far beyond the alley. In the inner courtyard, the female guests invited by the Lin family arrived one after another, and two or three esteemed and respected female elders of the Lin clan also made an appearance to hold down the fort. Madam Tan, dressed in bright and gorgeous attire, greeted arriving and departing guests with exceptional competence. Everyone who saw her praised her: "The Lin family has truly gained a fine daughter-in-law this time! Though young, she handles affairs better than anyone else in the world, smooth in speech and proper in manners, and she has the looks of a beauty to boot. With such eloquence and cleverness, she truly puts everyone else to shame—no wonder she was already famous back in her maiden days." Madam Tan heard these praises in her ears and felt immensely proud within, though outwardly she still had to offer a few modest words: "I am young and inexperienced, so please forgive any shortcomings in my hospitality. Praising me like this truly makes me blush with shame."

With her holding down the front and managing relations, Bailan could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She had never cared much for socializing and banqueting anyway, and since she was tied down by managing the household accounts, she stayed in the inner quarters to handle affairs, instructing her personal maidservants to patrol various areas while she sat in the connecting room so that any servants coming to ask for instructions could receive prompt answers.

After the initial flurry of chaos—with matrons and maidservants constantly coming to seek Bailan's instructions—things finally quieted down once the bride was welcomed into the mansion and everyone sat down for the banquet. Bailan rubbed the space between her eyebrows, and Huashan hurriedly handed her a cup of tea, saying, "You've been busy for half a day, hurry up and rest. Is Madam hungry? What would you like to eat?"

Bailan said, "I've been so busy I don't even feel like eating. Let's wait a bit."

Huashan said, "That won't do. Madam has grown thin from all this fatigue over the past couple of days; you must eat something at least. I'll go to the small kitchen and fetch some food." With that, she left.

The small kitchen was blazing with activity as dishes were sent out one after another. Recognizing Huashan as someone favored by Bailan, Mother Wei, who managed the kitchen, hurried up to her with a beaming, ingratiating smile. "Lady Huashan, would you like something?"

"It's not for me, it's for our madam."

Mother Wei became even more attentive. "Oh, so it's for the concubine-madam! I specifically kept one stove running just to prepare meals exclusively for her. If there's anything she wants to eat, just name it. I know the concubine-madam prefers light flavors, so today I specially prepared a few small dishes for her." With that, she lifted the lid of a food box, revealing a plate of clove tofu, a plate of coral cabbage, a bowl of crystal clear soup broth, and a plate of peony delicate rolls, all prepared with exquisite refinement. Huashan had spent the last two days reviewing recipes alongside Xiaojuan and knew them by heart; one look told her that these four dishes weren't from the standard menu at all, but rather special dishes whipped up by the cook to win favor with Bailan. She smiled and said, "Mother Wei is certainly thoughtful. Our madam will definitely love dishes as fine as these."

Mother Wei was waiting for precisely those words and eagerly chimed in, "This is just a tiny token of our sincerity. It's been hard on the madam managing everything single-handedly all these days." She then instructed a little maidservant to pack some congee and pastries into a separate food box along with a few dishes, inviting Huashan and "the other young sisters in the rooms to taste something fresh."

Huashan took the food box and left. Seeing that the dishes looked fresh and appetizing, Bailan picked up her chopsticks and ate a little. Huashan smiled and remarked, "Mother Wei is a sensible person; these four dishes were made specially for Madam, and nobody else has them. Before I came back, she even chattered on and on about how difficult these dishes were to make, saying things like 'they had to be simmered in broth for three hours before absorbing the flavors,' and claimed it was all out of 'heartfelt devotion to the concubine-madam.' Such a clever tongue is truly wasted in the kitchen."

Bailan smiled without a word. She saw through it all as clearly as a mirror: Mother Wei was ingratiating herself every which way simply for the sake of following them back to Jinling in the future. Although there was Lin Xinxuan at the capital residence, how much future could a sickly man have? Mother Wei had two sons and a daughter; sucking up to them like this was also about securing a future for her descendants.

After finishing her meal, Bailan rinsed her mouth, washed her hands, and went out to inspect the grounds. Huashan had the playful heart of a child; hearing an opera troupe performing in the back courtyard, she could no longer suppress her urges, reported to Bailan, and scampered off to watch the show. After inspecting the grounds and finding everything peaceful, Bailan let Xiaojuan go eat and watch the fun while she herself returned to her rooms. The courtyard was dead silent; the matrons, married women, and maidservants had all long since vanished. Upon entering the house, she found only Xuening keeping watch, dozing with closed eyes on the daybed in the outer room. It was clear she had just finished lunch, fallen prey to a post-meal drowsiness, and drifted off to sleep.

Stepping lightly, Bailan entered the inner room, drank half a cup of tea, and checked herself in the mirror. Seeing that her hair and clothing were still neat, she removed a few pieces of jewelry and took out the fresh flowers pinned to her temples. Because it was midday and the weather was growing warmer, she also removed her half-arm vest. Gazing into the mirror once more, she feared waking Xuening, so she quietly slipped out through the back door.

The quarters inhabited by Lin Jinlou were called Changchun Hall. The back courtyard was planted with lush flowers and plants, complete with artificial rockeries for vines to climb over, creating a verdant, leafy haven. Recently, due to the garden renovations, Chu Dapeng had carted in a carriage full of orchids, all of which were displayed within the courtyard of Changchun Hall. A gentle breeze drifted by, filling the air with a faint, elegant fragrance.

Bailan paused in her steps, gazing at the orchids in a daze. At present, she was surrounded by brocade and blooming flowers, her life blazing like a fire; because she was managing household affairs, everyone in the mansion wore a smiling face before her, and all sorts of flattery were offered as if they cost nothing. Who could have imagined that when she first entered the Lin family, she had been a little maidservant who suffered exclusion at every turn, was subjected to beatings and scoldings by vicious masters, and had to work herself to the bone just to buy a single day of peace? Yet who could have imagined that in her past life she had been a noble aristocratic young lady waited on by hosts of servants and cherished with thousands of doting affections? Thus, worldly affairs were completely unpredictable; the more glorious she appeared right now, the more miserable her eventual fall might be—just like these orchids, blooming in all their brilliant splendor when thousands vied to admire them, only to be trampled into the mud once they withered, with no one left to ask after them.

Initially, her desire for change had been desperate; terrified of being treated like a slave for the rest of her life, unable to escape oppression, she had worn a submissive exterior while her inner resolve burned like fire. Now, after undergoing numerous trials, she had been smoothed out, learning to flow with conditions, refusing to struggle against adversity, and learning to let go. She still wanted to leave the Lin family; she still refused to be a concubine. But now she had learned to wait, letting the fruit of her actions mature slowly as she plotted her course at a leisurely pace. This principle was simple to speak of, but exceptionally difficult to practice—especially given her current situation, where her future was shrouded in heavy fog, leaving her standing on the edge of a cliff with no one to lend a hand. Every step she had taken along the way was a pain of growth, and her present tranquility had been forged through every single agonizing day and night of torment.

As Bailan stared blankly at the orchids, a hand suddenly reached out from behind her, plucking the orchid blossom right out of her hair. Startled, Bailan turned her head to see Lin Jinlou standing behind her with a smile, tucking the plucked flower back into her hair bun as he said, "What are you standing here staring blankly for, looking like you've entered a meditative trance?"

Bailan replied, "I wasn't looking at anything... The flower was blooming just fine, why did you have to pluck it?"

Lin Jinlou said, "'Flowers are meant to be plucked when they bloom, do not wait until there are no flowers and break empty branches.' Don't you understand that? Aren't flowers meant for people to admire? I think it looks even better in your hair." Smiling, he reached out to take Bailan's hand. "I remember the first time I saw you, you had a flower pinned in your hair just like this. At the time I was wondering: whose little maid is this, born looking so pretty, how come I've never seen her before?" A thick reek of alcohol wafted onto Bailan's face.

Bailan also recalled that occasion. Lin Jinlou had likewise been reeking of alcohol, suddenly popping out from behind her with his eyes shining brightly like a wolf's. She looked up, meeting Lin Jinlou's smiling eyes, and suddenly sensed that he had drunk too much. His gaze was fixed and unblinking, and the way he looked at her right now carried a touch of simple-minded foolishness. Lin Jinlou had always been shrewd and decisive, carrying an air of authority in the corners of his eyes and brows. It was the first time Bailan had ever witnessed such an expression on him; she was initially stunned, and then couldn't help the corners of her mouth curling upward.

Lin Jinlou was already in high spirits, and seeing Bailan smile—something so exceedingly rare—his heart swelled with joy. He pulled Bailan straight into his arms and murmured in a low voice beside her ear, "These days, because I had to mind you taking your medicine and be considerate of your busyness with managing everything, I've exercised restraint and held back from being intimate with you for a few rounds. The timing today is just right, and I've missed you terribly..." With that, he began pressing kisses down the tender expanse of her neck.

Horrified, Bailan pushed against him frantically. "You're out of your mind, we're outside!"

Lin Jinlou chuckled. "Which blind fool would dare come into the inner courtyard? The maids and matrons are all gone anyway, it doesn't matter."

Bailan beat at him desperately. "How does it not matter? There are guests out front..."

"Little San'er is out there, and Second Brother Chu is covering for him, it won't matter if I'm a bit late getting back."

"That still won't do! If someone runs into us, I'd rather be dead!"

"Tsk, why are you so devoid of romance... Alright, alright, alright, don't cry, don't cry... If you cry every single day, you'll eventually wither away into a dried corpse. It'll be as if nobody's even here, won't it?" As he spoke, Lin Jinlou swept Bailan up in his arms and headed toward the back of the rockery. To her surprise, there was actually a cave hidden within the rockery, its entrance screened by vines, making it quite secluded.

As soon as they stepped inside, Lin Jinlou laid Bailan out on the stone table within, reached out to undo her clothes, and used his other hand to pull down the trousers beneath her skirt, muttering, "Good girl, I've really never seen anyone with so many objections. Are you satisfied now?"

Bailan genuinely could not struggle free. She knew that if Lin Jinlou sought intimacy, she had no choice but to yield to him; otherwise, she would only be asking for unnecessary suffering. To think they were actually in this courtyard—Bailan's face turned so red it seemed ready to drip blood. With her eyes squeezed tightly shut, she could only pray for him to finish quickly.

Meanwhile, among the female guests, Madam Tan was laughing and chatting animatedly, bustling about to arrange food and dishes for everyone, holding a wine cup to toast each table. Busy to the extreme, she won endless praise from all who saw her. At the banquet table, a noble matron remarked, "I've often heard that the Eldest Master of the Lin family has a beloved concubine, and that this banquet was also managed by her. I wonder where she is—might you introduce her to us?" As soon as these words were spoken, the others all chimed in in agreement.

Madam Tan felt a slight prick of displeasure within, though her face showed not a flicker of it. Smiling, she said, "That is only right. I will go invite her personally; our concubine-madam puts on quite a few airs, so everyone please wait a moment." She set down her wine pitcher and departed from the banquet table.

Madam Tan first headed toward the connecting room where Bailan managed affairs, but seeing the room empty, she turned toward Changchun Hall instead. Entering through the back door, she had only walked a few paces when she felt the effects of the wine hitting her, her heart giving a sudden, heavy thump. Frowning, she massaged her temples to pause and rest for a moment, when she suddenly heard an extremely faint sound coming from the direction of the rockery. At first, she thought it was a cat or a dog, but it didn't quite sound like one. Suspicion aroused, she walked over on tiptoe to take a closer look, only to discover a cave behind the rockery, screened by flowers and plants, inside of which a half-naked man was pressing down upon a woman.

Madam Tan was utterly dumbfounded. Emboldened by curiosity, she looked closely and saw that the man was none other than Lin Jinlou. His clothes were half-undone, exposing a honey-colored, heavily muscled torso with bulging arms and sweat trickling down. He thrust forward with fierce urgency, clearly having reached a critical juncture, his facial expression distorted like a handsome, ferocious beast. Bailan lay beneath him, her fair, slender legs propped up over his arms, her peach-pink embroidered shoes dangling and swaying at the ends of her feet. Her face was turned to one side, hairpins and hair disheveled, star-like eyes half-closed, brows slightly knitted as she bit down hard on her lips. Suddenly, Bailan lifted her neck and drew in a sharp gasp of air. Lin Jinlou gave a harsh gasp, hoisted one of her legs even higher, and thrust in with brutal force. Bailan let out a sound like a soft whimpering moan, her hands gripping Lin Jinlou's arms with all her might. Lin Jinlou pulled Bailan's hands away, drew them up to his neck so she would wrap them around him, lowered his head to kiss her lips, and tenderly kissed her cheeks and neck before murmuring in a low voice, "It's just the two of us, let yourself cry out..." The rest of his words grew too muffled and soft to hear. Lin Jinlou spoke a few more sentences, panting heavily as he lowered his head to bury his face in Bailan's rounded bosom.

Madam Tan was left completely stupefied, her face burning hot with heart palpitations. Involuntarily, she retreated two steps, feeling her entire body scorching hot and feverish, her limbs melting into a sweet jelly. She—she—she had never imagined that intimate bedroom matters could look like this! Nor had she ever imagined that a man's body could be so robust and striking! Lin Jinlou's younger brother Lin Xinxuan was pale and sickly, practically showing his ribs, and their moments together in bed lasted only a brief moment, ending just as she was beginning to feel a hint of pleasure. But just now... Thinking of the two bodies intertwined inside that rockery cave, Madam Tan felt her throat go dry and all the blood in her body surge and boil. Though her heart itched with curiosity, she didn't dare peer any further, but simply retreated in a daze, her mind endlessly replaying what she had just witnessed.