Against the Current - Chapter 282

Chapter 282 - Drinking Wine

Distant thunder rolled, the sky was as dark as the bottom of an iron pot, and heavy rain poured down in sheets. Old Madam Jiang leaned against the head of the bed, stretching a hand out from behind the bed curtains while a handkerchief covered her wrist. The imperial physician sat outside the curtains taking her pulse. After a long while, having carefully determined her condition, he went into the outer room to deliberate on a medicinal prescription.

Just then, someone outside announced, "Reporting to the Old Madam, the Madam of the Lin family has arrived."

Old Madam Jiang hurriedly said, "Hurry, invite her in."

Madam Qin lifted the bead curtain and walked inside. Old Madam Jiang struggled as if she wanted to sit up from the kang, but Madam Qin hastened her steps and said, "Aunty-Grandmistress, please don't get up. Rising too suddenly will make you dizzy." As she spoke, she reached the edge of the kang, took hold of Old Madam Jiang's hand, and sat down on the bedding. Looking shocked, she exclaimed, "My dear Old Madam! This morning you were still looking perfectly well, so how is it that in just a short while your complexion has turned like this?"

Old Madam Jiang forced a smile and said, "Once a person reaches old age, the body simply stops cooperating. For the past few days, I haven't been feeling quite right, and I'm afraid I must have caught the summer heat outside earlier, which then surged and festered in my chest."

Madam Qin turned her head and asked, "Has the doctor examined her?"

Jiang Feiyun replied, "He has already looked at her, saying it is a flare-up of an old ailment, and has gone to the front rooms to write a prescription."

Madam Qin remarked, "The summer heat is intense, so the Aunt-Grandmistress must take good care of her health. Whatever you wish to eat or need, just let me know so that I may have the chance to fulfill my filial duties."

Jiang Danyun had just woken from her afternoon nap. Seeing Madam Qin arrive, she hurried forward to greet her and deliberately asked Jiang Xiyun, "I was asleep just a moment ago, and when I woke up, I heard that Grandmother wasn't feeling well. What on earth happened? Weren't you the fifth younger sister who was just tending to her side?"

Jiang Xiyun assumed a picture of proper obedience, her tone entirely innocent: "Earlier, Eldest Brother-in-Law's page came by to say that the Eldest Cousin was giving away paintings of his personal concubine to all the young gentlemen of the various households. I heard those paintings were executed exceptionally well. Although the matter had nothing to do with us, I was just joining in the excitement and wanted to ask for a painting to look at. When I stepped outside to give a few instructions and returned, I saw Grandmother's complexion had turned poor."

Old Madam Jiang glared at Jiang Xiyun for a brief moment, then turned to Madam Qin and said, "Look at this granddaughter of mine—she is mischievously unruly, even meddling in the affairs of men trying to save face for their concubines. If word of this gets out, won't it become a laughingstock?"

Madam Qin possessed a crystal-clear mind and understood the situation instantly. Her expression turned lukewarm; with both hands, she lightly gathered her hairpins and then lowered her head to smooth out her skirt, feeling a stir of inward annoyance. She thought to herself, The Jiang family grandmother and granddaughter are using these words to humiliate me. If they have something to say, they ought to lay it out in the open. Instead, they put on innocent acts and cast veiled insinuations at me, entirely wasting the praise others heap upon them for being 'generous and lovable.' Brother Lou is truly a handful. You dote on Chen Xianglan, and I don't care what goes on behind my back; but to flaunt it so openly—no wonder the Jiang family can't hold up their heads either.

Madam Qin had always been a straightforward person who fiercely protected her own, so she smiled faintly and said, "The Aunt-Grandmistress is upset about this. But when you think about it, it was indeed improper of our Brother Lou. Still, we have taken a fancy to Xi'er, and both families share mutual intentions." Immediately following this, her face bloomed with a smile: "However, it's merely a matter of mutual intention—we haven't even exchanged formal name cards or sent matchmakers with betrothal gifts yet." The unspoken implication was that whether the Lin family would actually go through with this marriage remained to be seen.

Old Madam Jiang was startled, never expecting Madam Qin to break the window-paper first and turn the tables on her instead. For a moment, her face turned a bruised purplish-blue and she broke into a violent fit of coughing. Jiang Xiyun hurriedly stepped forward to stroke Old Madam Jiang's chest, while Jiang Danyun wore an expression of astonishment followed by schadenfreude.

Realizing things were taking a turn for the worse, Jiang Feiyun hastily stepped forward, affectionately took hold of Madam Qin's arm, and chided with a playful smile, "What is my cousin-mother-in-law saying? Marriage is a momentous affair of utmost importance; you can't simply let three or five disagreeable words tear apart a good match." She personally picked up a teacup, offered it forward, and said, "Cousin-mother-in-law, please have some tea."

Madam Qin accepted the cup, used the lid to gently brush away the tea leaves, blew on the rising steam, and took a slow sip. Jiang Xiyun was kneeling on the footrest beside the bed, her head slightly turned. Madam Qin stared fixedly into her eyes for a moment. Madam Qin had always treated her with a warm, spring-breeze kind of affection, and her gaze had never been so cold and piercing before. Jiang Xiyun's heart tightened, and she lowered her head once more. Old Madam Jiang felt burning resentment in her heart, yet she had no outlet to vent it, so she simply closed her eyes and leaned back against her pillows.

Knowing that she had successfully cowed the Jiang family into submission, Madam Qin leisurely continued, "To speak the truth, this matter was indeed handled improperly by Brother Lou. But after all, men are just like greedy little cats when they are young. Chen Xianglan excels in every respect, possessing the character of a true young lady of a good family, so it is only human nature for him to dote on her a little more. Besides, at Brother Lou's age, who doesn't have three wives and four concubines with a house full of children? Right now, he only has one cherished concubine in his quarters, which is a hundred times better than those others. A person must learn to be content—am I right or wrong?" As she spoke, she reached out and gently stroked Jiang Xiyun's head, causing the young girl to shrink back ever so slightly.

Madam Qin withdrew her hand, looked at Old Madam Jiang, and said, "Of course, the Lin family naturally has its own family rules. If Brother Lou were to allow a concubine to override his wife and fail to maintain proper distinctions, I would still invoke the ancestral family rules to punish him."

Hearing Madam Qin's words, Jiang Danyun realized that she still intended to let Jiang Xiyun marry into the family, which left her deeply disappointed, and the emotion plainly showed on her face.

The room fell silent once more. Old Madam Jiang forced her eyelids open, a smile returning to her face as her tone softened. "My dear nephew's wife, I have a few words I wish to speak with you. Once these words are spoken, half of my illness will be cured." With that, she struggled to sit up. Madam Qin and Jiang Feiyun both stepped forward to support her, while Jiang Xiyun retrieved a bolster to place behind Old Madam Jiang's back and prepared to wait on her with a cup of tea. Old Madam Jiang waved her hand, ordered everyone to withdraw, and added, "Xi'er, stay behind."

Jiang Danyun's face displayed a look of vexation, but a single tug from Jiang Feiyun pulled her out of the room.

Madam Qin leaned slightly forward and said calmly, "Please speak your mind."

Old Madam Jiang let out a long sigh, took Jiang Xiyun's hand, patted it gently, and said to Madam Qin, "Nephew's wife, please pay no mind to any offensive things I said just moments ago."

Madam Qin replied, "Aunty-Grandmistress, you exaggerate."

"It's just that Brother Lou's behavior regarding that concubine... is truly too unseemly. I hear that the people in the household address her by dropping the 'concubine' prefix, calling her directly by the title 'Mistress,' and he actually permits it. Tomorrow, if they go so far as to add the character 'Elder' in front of it, where will the legitimate wife find a footing? I've also heard that he currently allows the concubine to sleep in the main quarters. This matter... is completely out of line with propriety and rules, no matter how you look at it. Even a woman with the most generous and tolerant temperament would surely find it impossible to stomach such a concubine." As Old Madam Jiang spoke, she covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed softly.

Madam Qin said with absolute finality, "Aunty-Grandmistress, Chen Xianglan has rendered service and kindness to our Lin family. This person must be accommodated if she can be, and accommodated even if she cannot. If she truly cannot be tolerated by her, then let us speak no more of this marriage."

Old Madam Jiang was startled, looking toward Madam Qin, who half-closed her eyes and returned her gaze. A flash of lightning cut across the sky, illuminating the room in a dazzling white glare. Their gazes clashed back and forth, until Old Madam Jiang finally deflated, her expression haggard and her gaze sincere as she looked at Madam Qin and said, "Nephew's wife, you too have a daughter. Putting yourself in our shoes, you should understand how this feels in our hearts." As she spoke, she reached out to pull Jiang Xiyun's small hand, bidding her to stand up. "This granddaughter of mine—her appearance, her disposition, and her character are all of the absolute highest caliber. Sometimes I would rather drop dead myself than see her wronged."

Jiang Xiyun's eyes welled up with tears as she choked out, "Grandmother..."

These words were spoken with utmost sincerity, coupled with Old Madam Jiang's dejected demeanor and frail appearance. Madam Qin's heart softened as well; she sighed, took hold of Old Madam Jiang's hand, and said, "Aunty-Grandmistress, rest assured. We have always known right from wrong. If we forge a union between our two families, we will certainly not mistreat Xi'er. Nor will our household ever permit Brother Lou to act on his whims and make a mockery of things. Within these next two days, I will have Chen Xianglan move out of the main quarters. From then on, everything about her will strictly match the standard allowance of a concubine, and she will never overstep by so much as a fraction." She paused for a moment before adding, "I have already written home to request that an official matchmaker be invited to call upon you on an auspicious day."

Upon hearing these words, Old Madam Jiang felt satisfied in her heart. Once the concubine had crossed the threshold, there would be plenty of time to deal with her later; for now, having Madam Qin make such a concession was enough. Color returned to her face as she smiled faintly.

Jiang Xiyun stood quietly to one side. Was this... the Lin family backing down? Why did her heart still feel so congested and heavy? The Lin family had accurately targeted the weakness of her family's eagerness to marry off their daughter, forcing her to accept Chen Xianglan. That beautiful, gentle, and brilliantly talented concubine—Lin Jinlou's heart and eyes were completely filled with that woman.

For the very first time, she felt utterly powerless. Lin Jinlou was exceptionally difficult to tame, and apart from her family background, Chen Xianglan fell short of her in no single aspect. Throughout her life, she too had held onto romantic dreams of talented scholars and beautiful companions, yearning for a devoted husband, mutual understanding, and harmonious marital bliss... A scorching, burning heat raged within Jiang Xiyun's chest, and she felt as though she were sinking deep into a quagmire. After Madam Qin departed, she collapsed dejectedly beside Old Madam Jiang, letting silent tears fall in a daze.

Meanwhile, Xianglan returned to Changchun Hall, dismissed the maidservants, and retreated to her chambers alone, where she first gave vent to a bout of tears. Shortly after, Lin Dongxiu arrived with her maids. Seeing the maidservants all standing outside the bedroom doors and peering in anxiously, she asked, "What are you all standing around here for?"

Xueying hesitated and said, "Mistress came back crying and shut herself inside the room alone, refusing to let anyone enter."

Huashan chimed in, "She hasn't even eaten lunch yet."

As they were speaking, Lingqing and Lingsu carried in a kang table laden with several dishes. Lingqing said, "The food has already been reheated twice; we can't let her go without eating."

Lin Dongxiu said, "Never mind, bring the table inside. I'll share a meal with Xianglan." With that, she stepped into the room first.

Xianglan's eyes were already swollen as high as walnuts, and the tip of her nose was bright red. Seeing Lin Dongxiu enter, she hastily wiped away her tears with a handkerchief and asked in a hoarse voice, "Why has the Fourth Young Miss come?"

Lin Dongxiu was startled and exclaimed, "Oh my, why are you crying like this? Who was so bold as to upset you?" She drew closer and asked, "Did Big Brother bully you?"

Xianglan forced a smile and simply directed the two spirits—Lingqing and Lingsu—to set up the kang table on the large kang inside the bead-curtained partition.

Lin Dongxiu instructed her maid, "Apothecary Rose, go back to my quarters and fetch those two jars of fine wine." Then, pulling Xianglan down to sit on the kang, she said, "A single bout of drunkenness cures a thousand sorrows. The two of us have never had a proper drink together."

As it turned out, Lin Dongxiu was also harboring a bellyful of frustration. Upon returning earlier, Matriarch Xia had reprimanded her for her demeanor at the poetry gathering, criticizing her actions as "violating the decorum of a proper young lady," "quarreling over trivial matters and engaging in verbal sparring, which is by no means the behavior of a chaste and noble maiden, but rather the style of a vulgar marketplace shrew." Lin Dongxiu felt deeply aggrieved, yet she couldn't find a single word to refute the accusations, so she had no choice but to hang her head and endure a lengthy lecture. Feeling stifled and short of breath, she had run out to clear her mind and wandered all the way to Xianglan's place, wanting to vent her grievances.

Xianglan was weighed down by her own heavy thoughts and sat silently beside the <i>kang</i> table. Lin Dongxiu stood on ceremony, glanced over the dishes on the table, pointed out a few more of her favorites, and ordered the small kitchen of Changchun Hall to prepare them, remarking, "I've long heard that Big Brother's chef has great culinary skills, but I haven't had much chance to taste them." Presently, Apothecary Rose and the others returned with the wine, having warmed and strained a pot of it. Huashan poured the drinks from the side, and Lin Dongxiu raised her cup to toast, saying, "I propose a toast to you."

Xianglan raised her cup to clink against hers and downed it in a single gulp. That wine was certainly not a mild beverage like fruit wine or yellow wine; it was pungent, fiery, and sharp. Xianglan felt a burning ball of fire course down her throat straight into her heart, causing her intense discomfort, yet it carried an indescribable sense of catharsis. Lin Dongxiu stuck out her tongue and cried, "My goodness, how can anyone consider such harsh wine a delicacy?" Seeing Xianglan refill her own cup, she hastily stopped her, saying, "This won't do. If you get drunk later, Big Brother won't let me off the hook."

Xianglan pushed her hand away and retorted, "Aren't the two of us just looking to let loose today? Since Fourth Young Miss brought the wine, there's no need to fuss and hesitate like an old woman." With that, she personally poured a cup for Lin Dongxiu and dismissed all the maidservants.

Lin Dongxiu sighed and said, "Very well, then." She raised her cup to toast Xianglan, drank it with a frown, and felt her heart thump wildly against her ribs while her face flushed red. As she picked up a pair of chopsticks to sample the food, she suddenly chuckled and remarked, "Three years ago, who would have ever imagined that I'd be sitting here proposing a toast to you? Back then, you were just a timid, cowardly little maidservant whom Cao Lihuan could slap across the face at will, constantly shouting orders and pushing you around. Now, you're dressed in fine silks and satins, adorned with gold and pearls, discussing matters on equal footing with the mistresses of the house, while she has long since rotted away as some nameless wandering ghost. It's truly lamentable... What a stroke of fate..."

"Silks and satins, gold and pearls—do those make a good life? Fourth Young Miss, my heart has always been as clear as a mirror. All this glory I enjoy right now is just skin-deep. Despite talking on equal terms with the mistresses, I am still nothing more than a plaything and a slave. If I fall from grace tomorrow, I might not even amount to that wandering ghost."

"Tsk, that is the one thing about you that isn't endearing. When others praise you, you should simply accept it. Worrying about tomorrow while living today—if you keep thinking like that, a few decades from now both you and I will just be mounds of loess. Aren't you exhausted living like that?"

"Whether I think about it or not, things remain as they are. It's not like living with my eyes covered as a blind person. You can't avoid these things just by ignoring them; I only fear that indulging in transient joy today will lead to an even more wretched end tomorrow... Very well, I won't say any more. Let's drink."

The two of them ate some food and clinked their cups together once more.

As the alcohol rushed to her head, Lin Dongxiu became increasingly talkative. "I used to look down on you. You were just a maid, yet you held your neck stiffer than anyone else. You looked submissive, but deep down you were full of lofty pride, and on several occasions you made me lose face, making my teeth itch with hatred. Over these past two years, watching you, you've become much softer than before. As I've gotten to know you better, I've come to realize you're a good person—not the kind who puts on a smiling face while plotting treacheries behind your back."

Xianglan twitched the corners of her mouth, raised her cup, and said, "For any past offenses, I offer this cup to the Fourth Young Miss by way of apology."

Lin Dongxiu took a sip of wine and continued, "I know why you're unhappy—isn't it because of the Jiang family? You need to look at the bigger picture. Big Brother will have to take a wife sooner or later. Jiang Xiyun is no simple character, but at least the Madam and Big Brother will still offer you a degree of protection. In the future, if you are wronged, you can come to me. You saved my life and treated me well; I keep those things in mind."

By the time Lin Dongxiu finished speaking, Xianglan had already downed several cups. Staring at Lin Dongxiu through hazy, drunken eyes, she asked, "In the future, Fourth Young Miss will be the Marchioness of Yongchang, getting precisely what you wished for. But the Marquis is older, with a house full of wives and concubines, plus an eldest son by a concubine. Aren't you truly bothered by this? What if you had sought out a scholar closer to your own age..."

Lin Dongxiu sneered, "I don't believe in those illusory notions. If this marriage were flawless in every way, how could it ever have fallen to my lot? What I am after is a lifetime of wealth, glory, and stability; I don't feel wronged by this at all."

Xianglan nodded vigorously with a heavy head, clapped her hands in admiration, and praised, "Fourth Young Miss, hearing you say those words, I truly, genuinely admire you..."

Seeing Xianglan's face flushed crimson and her speech slurred, Lin Dongxiu hastily tried to stop her. "Don't drink anymore. Let the maids bring in a bowl of sobering soup. If I'm not careful, I really won't be able to face Big Brother."

Xianglan snatched her wine cup back, chuckled, and laughed aloud. "Face him for what? I've walked on thin ice just to survive to this day, and now that I finally want to let loose for once, who do I have to answer to!" Laughed out loud, tears streaming down her face, she choked out, "My poor, foolish little sister... indulging in transient joy, look at what it brought her, now reduced to some nameless wandering ghost... sob, sob..."

Lin Dongxiu frowned and asked, "What? A sister? Where did a sister come from?" Stumbling as she got down from the <i>kang</i>, she went to pull on Xianglan and said, "This won't do. You're truly drunk." She hurriedly ordered the maids to clear away the wine and bring in sobering soup instead.

Just at that moment, Lin Jinlou returned from seeing off his guests in the front courtyard. As soon as he stepped inside, he saw Xianglan hugging the wine jug and preparing to drink more, while Lin Dongxiu and the maids were gathered around trying to coax her. Lin Jinlou's face instantly darkened as he demanded, "What are you all doing?"

The maids were too terrified to move. Lin Dongxiu stammered, "I... I had a little wine with Xianglan, but I didn't expect her to have such a low tolerance and get drunk..."

Lin Jinlou stepped forward, yanked Xianglan to her feet, looked at her flushed face and the reek of alcohol enveloping her, and frowned, "Where is the sobering soup?"

Xianglan stared at Lin Jinlou through misty, intoxicated eyes, then suddenly began to kick and flail, struggling against him as she shouted, "I don't want to see you! Get lost out of my sight!"

Furious, Lin Jinlou shook Xianglan back and forth until the hairpins fell from her head and scattered on the floor. Gritting his teeth, he barked, "Open your damn eyes and look who you're talking to! Are you trying to kill yourself?"

Lin Dongxiu shrank back in fright and muttered, "Brother, be gentle with her..."

Lin Jinlou shot her a bitter glare, pointed a finger at her, and then snatched the bowl of sobering soup from a maid's hands, attempting to force it down Xianglan's throat. Xianglan struggled desperately and refused to drink, spilling most of the soup as she burst into a violent fit of coughing.

Seething with anger, Lin Jinlou let go and shoved Xianglan back onto the <i>kang</i>, roaring, "You're just courting death! You're courting death! Let's see what you'll do when Madam calls for you later! You've gotten quite bold, haven't you? Earlier today I just built up your standing out front, and here you are pulling this stunt in the back—how can you look me in the eye!"

Lin Dongxiu hurried over to pat Xianglan's back and wipe her face with a handkerchief, coaxing, "Big Brother, she's just drunk; naturally she's talking nonsense..."

Lin Jinlou glared at her. "Why are you still dawdling here? The rain has let up, why don't you get out?"

Not daring to provoke this tyrant, Lin Dongxiu maintained a smile on her face and said, "Then I'll take my leave." Before departing, she couldn't help turning back to say, "Brother, show a little tenderness..." Catching another glare from Lin Jinlou, she scurried away in a hurry.

Watching Xianglan slumped miserably on the kang—alternately crying, laughing, and demanding more wine—Lin Jinlou was so enraged he felt like vomiting blood. His hands shook with anger as he stood up, strode fiercely into the bedroom, and slammed the door shut with a deafening bang. The maidservants bit their fingers in terror, not daring to draw a full breath as they silently waited upon Xianglan. Suddenly, the door swung open with a loud snap, and Lin Jinlou emerged having changed his clothes. With a dark expression, he scooped Xianglan up in his arms, carried her into the master bedroom, and placed her onto the large bed. Seeing Huashan approach with a towel, he snatched it from her hands, wiped Xianglan's face himself, brought another bowl of sobering soup, and pinched Xianglan's jaw to force it down her. Finding the experience unbearable, Xianglan finally retched and vomited, though fortunately Lingqing was standing ready with a spittoon to catch it.