Against the Current - Chapter 299

Chapter 299 - Outing (Part 6)

Lin Jinlou had long since completely forgotten about Qiongzhi, merely casting a glance at the four women. He had seen scenes like this countless times and, feeling utterly bored, lowered his head to eat his food. Yuan Shaoren had no particular taste for the strumming and singing sort, so he remained completely at ease. Xie Yu exchanged a glance with Liu Xiaochuan, cleared his throat, and said, "Being able to find such a beauty to add to the merriment in a place like this shows just how much thought Brother Liu put into this." He wanted to offer a few more flattering words, but Lin Jinlou burst out with a chuckle and said, "Enough, brother. Just a moment ago you said she might not stand out in the capital, and now you're praising her again?" Ignoring Xie Yu's awkward expression, he turned his head to Qiongzhi and said, "Pick a tune you're best at and sing it. If you sing well, there'll be a reward."

The four of them then took their seats while the zithers and silver-stringed zithers played, accompanied by the jade-faced pipa and red ivory clappers as they began to sing. Listening closely, it was a piece called "Flowers and Moon Fill the City," gentle, melodious, and full of charm. When the song ended, Liu Xiaochuan rewarded them with two packets of silver, each weighing one tael, and requested another tune. During the banquet, Jixiang and Shuangxi attended with wine pitchers, making for a harmonious atmosphere for a time. As Shuangxi poured the wine, he looked up and saw Brother De poking his little head in to peer inside the room. He gently nudged Yuan Shaoren and motioned with his chin. Spotting Brother De, Yuan Shaoren left his seat, walked over, and asked, "What is it?"

Brother De said, "I have something I want to ask Father for." He tugged Yuan Shaoren along as he walked outside, bypassing the spirit wall and leading him to a secluded spot by the eaves behind the house near a clump of pines and cypresses, where he saw Xianglan and Xuening standing. Xianglan curtsied deeply and said, "Forgive me for presumptuously asking the Marquis to come here, but there is a single question I must ask, and I hope the Marquis will be so kind as to answer."

Yuan Shaoren said, "Please go ahead."

Xianglan said, "I wonder where Lord Song Ke is assigned for his official posting, and on what day he departs?"

Yuan Shaoren understood immediately. As it turned out, Lin Dongxiu was a great talker; ever since they encountered Song Ke on the road, she had opened the floodgates and told him everything about the time the Song family stayed at the Lin estate. In the middle of it, she brought up Xianglan—how she ended up in the Song family, how she left, and how she came to the Lin family to save her father. At the end, she had remarked, "I could see with my own eyes that Xianglan and Song Ke had feelings for each other. Back then, the look Song Ke gave her could drip two drops of honey. I just don't know why the two of them never ended up together... Though it's a blessing they didn't. What kind of temperament does Zheng Jingxian have? She would have simply ground Xianglan into dust."

Now, seeing Xianglan ask about it, Yuan Shaoren replied, "Song Ke has petitioned to serve as an official in the border garrison lands of Guizhou, and he should set off after the New Year. As for the exact date, I do not know. I will send someone to inquire later and let you know once I have reliable word, Auntie."

Xianglan was momentarily stunned. Guizhou was a distant place across mountains and rivers, and a harsh border region at that; he actually chose such a place. No wonder it was a vacant post that no one else was willing to take. She curtsied once more and said, "Thank you for telling me, Marquis. This man showed me great kindness; earlier, when I was nearly sold into a brothel by the Zhao woman, he saved both me and my entire family. That deep gratitude has remained hidden in my heart for a long, long time without any way to repay it. Now that he is leaving, we may perhaps never see each other again in this lifetime. Another day, I will send someone to his residence to deliver some money and goods; it is only right that I do my utmost." Pausing for a moment, she added, "I hope the Marquis will keep this confidential for me, and please do not mention this matter to our Eldest Master."

Yuan Shaoren gave his word, but as he looked at Xianglan's frost-bitten cheeks and her calm, deep eyes—which seemed world-weary yet remained pure and clear—he recalled what Lin Dongxiu had said. He felt as though the woman before him was like bitter wine contained within a glossy porcelain bottle; bright on the outside, yet having already experienced all the hardships of someone else's entire lifetime. Whether it was pity, respect, an indescribable sense of shame, or a lingering, inexplicable guilt welling up inside him, he quickly turned his head to look at Brother De, who was running back and forth in the courtyard. Perhaps emboldened by the wine, he lost his restraint for a moment and sighed aloud, "Auntie's character is beyond reproach, and I hold you in high regard. To say something presumptuous, sometimes I feel as though Auntie is like me... like an old friend of mine. If she were still alive, how wonderful that would be. Sometimes I think that the unrest in my household today is perhaps my retribution..." Only after the words left his mouth did he realize he had said too much, and he quickly offered an apology.

Xianglan instantly understood the underlying meaning of those words. She ought to have harbored resentment toward Yuan Shaoren because Jiaolian had suffered an unjust death, but seeing him stand in the bleak, chilly wind with a lonely, desolate figure that made him look as though he had aged six or seven years overnight, and glancing at the running Brother De, her heart suddenly softened. She weighed her words twice in her mind before offering consolation: "Marquis, if I may be so bold as to say a few words: only when one is the wutong tree do the phoenixes come to roost; only when one is the vast ocean do a hundred rivers converge. Fragrant flowers naturally attract butterflies. The Marquis must first set his own family household in order, root out abuses while rewarding virtue, act with benevolence and generosity, and treat his wives and concubines kindly—only then will he have a harmonious family and kin, rather than expecting it the other way around. Even teeth occasionally bite the tongue, and biological brothers sometimes fight, let alone family members brought together by blood relations. How can one expect them not to cause trouble or add to one's worries over every big or small matter?" She turned her head to look at Brother De, a very thin film of moisture welling up in her eyes as she continued, " Water flows on and never returns; the Marquis must pull himself together. Brother De's birth mother lost her life at such a tender age, which is truly lamentable and heartbreaking. It is a pity she was still so young and did not know that in times of distress and despair, one must constantly reflect upon one's own faults, broaden one's mind, and slowly let go of the wrongs done by others. Some matters are fundamentally without right or wrong; they are merely matters of differing status and interests. When the Marquis indulged her in every possible way, how could the mistress of the house fail to harbor resentment? Sometimes, even when one has a myriad of helpless circumstances, reality is what it is—beneath another's eaves, one must lower one's head; in another's arena, one must play along... Ah, but saying all this is of no use now..."

A tremor ran through Yuan Shaoren, and he couldn't help but blurt out, "Auntie truly possesses a rare clarity of mind!"

Xianglan smiled faintly. "I only understood these principles after tasting endless suffering and enduring countless hardships. Previously, I prided myself on being clever and sensible, but that was entirely self-deception. One must go through all sorts of vicissitudes, grinding away all one's arrogance and unwillingness, before one truly understands what humility and gentleness mean." With a solemn expression, she bowed deeply to Yuan Shaoren and said, "The Marquis is the head of the household and the main pillar of support. Brother De is still young, and in the future, everything will depend on the Marquis. I ask the Marquis to straighten out his emotions and take good care of himself." Having said this, she called out to Brother De, took him by the hand, and walked back.

Little did they know that during their conversation, the company inside was playing drinking games. Noticing Yuan Shaoren's absence, Liu Xiaochuan told Qiongzhi to go out and look for him. Eager for an opportunity to show her face before the Marquis of Yongchang, Qiongzhi jumped at the chance. Slipping around to the back of the house, she happened to witness the two of them talking, with a maid and a small child playing nearby. Observing closely though unable to make out what they were saying, she thought to herself, Isn't that woman Xianglan? Seeing Xianglan covered in glittering jewels and wearing a crimson feathered-satin cloak, radiating an aura of absolute majesty—attired precisely like a high-ranking noble lady of an aristocratic household, looking even more impressive than Zhao Yuechan had back then—a wave of bitter jealousy surged within her. She thought, Originally, I was the same sort of person as her, and I ought to have enjoyed such splendor. To think she stayed in the Lin family as a concubine, yet a slave-born girl like her has such good fortune—why must my fate be so wretched? Overcome with self-pity, she shed a few tears. Catching sight of Yuan Shaoren walking back, she dared not linger and hurried back to the banquet. When she looked at Lin Jinlou, who was handsome and brimming with heroic vigor, the resentment in her heart grew even harder to suppress. Sliding sideways to position herself in the lamplight, she pulled out a box of rouge paste from her sachet, pressed it onto her lips, smoothed her temples, grasped a crimson silk-embroidered handkerchief in her hand, and stepped up to Lin Jinlou with a cup of wine to curry favor. Picking up a piece of meat, she cooed, "Master Lin, taste this meat." A moment later, she added, "Master, I poured this cup of wine with my own hands; you simply must drink it. If you refuse, I'll be angry with you for the rest of my life." One moment she asked Lin Jinlou to pick a song for her to sing, the next she tried to engage him in a drinking game; this way and that, she simply clung to Lin Jinlou's side.

Lin Jinlou didn't even deign to look at her properly, answering her with half-hearted remarks. He was still nursing his silent anger toward Xianglan, yet when he saw a rare winter dish of stir-fried tender mountain mushroom shoots on the table—knowing that Xianglan loved this delicacy—he thought to himself, Am I just being a glutton for punishment? Even so, he ordered the kitchen to prepare a portion and send it to Xianglan.

Qiongzhi grew even more irritated. Feigning dizziness from too much wine, she put on a sweet, winsome voice and leaned toward Lin Jinlou's shoulder. Yuan Shaoren, thoroughly unimpressed, remarked, "All you've been doing is clinging to him—are you even going to let the rest of us talk?"

Hearing Yuan Shaoren openly strip away her dignity, Qiongzhi's cheeks flushed crimson and she burned with hatred.

Liu Xiaochuan and Xie Yu laughed in unison, "Sister Qiong's little body is just like a piece of enchanted dog meat; she spotted the right person to cozy up to in a single glance."

After drinking and eating a while longer, Yuan Shaoren excused himself and left first. The moment he departed, Lin Jinlou stopped drinking as well, pleading fatigue and asking to be excused so he could return to his quarters. Though Xie Yu and Liu Xiaochuan tried every way to make him stay, Lin Jinlou said, "It's not that I won't give my brothers face, but it's not convenient for me to drink heavily these past two days. Another day back in the capital, I'll invite the two of you to drink your fill." He urged them to eat and drink to their heart's content, instructed the servants to look after them, and had rooms prepared for the two of them to stay in. True to form, the two guests stood on no ceremony, continuing to eat and drink in the hall as we leave them for the moment.

Now, as Lin Jinlou rose and headed out, it threw Qiongzhi into a panic. Seizing an opportunity when no one was looking, she darted out like a flash, scurried up to support Lin Jinlou, and cooed, "Master, walk a bit slower."

Lin Jinlou allowed her to support him, saying lazily, "You really are a little monkey, full of clever tricks."

Qiongzhi chimed in winsomely, "I only ask that the Master teach me more."

Lin Jinlou said, "It's a pity you play the pipa so well and sing so nicely. I've already given orders to reward you with a few taels of silver so you can buy some rouge and powder."

Qiongzhi smiled. "As expected, the Master is the only one who cares for me."

By the time they reached the second gate, Lin Jinlou shook off Qiongzhi's hand and said, "All right, you can go back now. This isn't a place where you belong." With that, he strode ahead to head inside.

Though Qiongzhi feared Lin Jinlou's authority, she had no choice but to throw caution to the wind and make one desperate gamble. She knew full well that relying on her looks to welcome and send off guests in a pleasure house meant that if she was lucky, she might find someone to redeem her as a concubine before her youth faded; but if her luck failed, there was no telling what miserable fate awaited her. This chance encounter with Lin Jinlou was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—she would likely never see him again. She could only hope that Lin Jinlou might remember past ties and lend her a hand or offer some support. Clinging to such a figure and gaining a backing might give her some turn of fortune.

With that thought in mind, she dropped to her knees with a thud, tears streaming down her face like rolling pearls, and wailed desolately, "Does the Master truly not recognize this humble servant anymore?"

Lin Jinlou paused, halting his steps as he frowned and asked, "You are..."

Qiongzhi fabricated a story on the spot, crying, "This humble servant is Qiongzhi, formerly a maid by the Zhao woman's side who later followed her to the Dai family. Just because the master of the house spoke a few extra words with me, the Zhao woman grew jealous and actually sold me into a brothel. Today, seeing the Master once again, my heart... my heart couldn't help but recall the days of the past..." As she spoke, she continuously dabbed at her tears with her handkerchief. Lowering her head with furrowed brows, she managed to make herself look as pitifully tear-stained as a rain-kissed pear blossom.

Lin Jinlou felt a stir of emotion. He remembered how, when he originally took a fancy to Xianglan, it had provoked Zhao Yuechan's jealousy, leading to a brutal beating and an attempt to sell her to a brothel, only for Song Ke to step in and rescue her. Tsk, he had let Song Ke play the hero through his own momentary negligence, leaving that foolish girl to forever remember that fellow's favor. Looking at Qiongzhi now, a degree of pity stirred within him.

Qiongzhi raised her head for a furtive glance and, seeing Lin Jinlou's expression soften, hurriedly scrambled forward on her knees to wrap her arms around his legs, pleading, "This humble servant was utterly devoted and loyal to the Master, serving him with all my heart. I beg the Master to show mercy and let me return to the Lin family. Even if it means sweeping the floors, cooking meals, or serving as a menial drudge, as long as I can see the Master, this servant would gladly die..."

Before her words had even faded, the sound of a child's giggling laughter drifted over. Turning her head to look, she saw Xianglan, Lin Dongxiu, and several maids leading Brother De in setting off fireworks in the courtyard.

Xianglan's gaze met Lin Jinlou's head-on. She looked at Lin Jinlou, then down at Qiongzhi kneeling on the ground and embracing his legs. Qiongzhi's attire clearly marked her as a courtesan, and with the two of them tangled together in such a manner, Xianglan froze for a moment before turning her face away.

Lin Jinlou felt an unwarranted sense of awkwardness. He took two steps back, shook his leg free, and said, "Enough. Since you had some ties to the Lin family in the past, I'll have someone give you a bit more silver to get by." With that, he turned and walked into the courtyard.

Qiongzhi was utterly shocked. She thought to herself, Just a moment ago Lin Jinlou's heart had clearly softened. If it weren't for that little bitch Xianglan, he probably would have kept me and taken me back to the Lin family by now! With the three young masters of the Lin family, wouldn't my looks guarantee me a place? Or perhaps Lin Jinlou could have redeemed me and gifted me to some official under his command, ensuring I wore gold and jade and never lacked for food and clothing for the rest of my life. Her hatred flared up anew. Remembering how Yuan Shaoren had mocked her during the banquet, she lost all discretion and shouted, "Master! This servant has one more thing to say! Just now, when the Marquis of Yongchang left the banquet, this servant went out to look for him and happened to run into Xianglan and the Marquis meeting in secret!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Jinlou stopped in his tracks once more. Qiongzhi stared at Lin Jinlou's back and cried out, "If this servant has uttered even half a falsehood, may I be struck by lightning and die a wretched death!" She watched as Lin Jinlou slowly turned around, his face clouded with a dark, threatening gloom as he began walking toward her step by step. Realizing something was wrong, Qiongzhi was overcome with terror, shivering as she stammered, "It's true... this servant saw it with her own eyes... the two of them stayed together for a long time..."

Lin Jinlou grabbed her by the collar and hoisted her into the air. Qiongzhi screamed in absolute terror. Lin Jinlou said with a venomous snarl, "If you ever dare to wag that tongue of yours again, or let slip a single word of this to anyone outside, I will cripple you. Do you understand?"

Qiongzhi went completely limp, shaking like a sieve with tears welling in her eyes as she nodded frantically.

Lin Jinlou flung her away and barked, "Get lost!"

Qiongzhi scrambled away on all fours, her jade hairpins and pearl strings scattering all over the ground, drawing the startled gazes of everyone in the courtyard.

Lin Jinlou rubbed the bridge of his nose. He trusted Yuan Shaoren's character, and Xianglan—that little pedantic scholar of a woman—would never do anything improper. Still, he needed to get to the bottom of the matter. He strode forward, spotted Xuening standing under the veranda, and beckoned to her, calling out, "You, come here."

Xuening hurried over.

Lin Jinlou said, "Kneel down! I have something to ask you."

Xuening's heart instantly leaped into her throat as she dropped to her knees.

Lin Jinlou demanded, "I'm asking you: today the Auntie and the fourth brother-in-law met in private—is that true or not?"

Xuening was terribly startled and shook her head repeatedly. "No, no! Who on earth is spreading such malicious gossip? I was right there with Brother De too."

Lin Jinlou pressed, "What did they talk about? Why did they stay together for so long? If you dare to tell a single lie, you'll bear the consequences for this!"

Xuening thought to herself, Although the Auntie warned me not to tell anyone, if the Eldest Master mistakenly believes the Auntie has a illicit affair with the Marquis of Yongchang, that would be a disaster. The Auntie merely asked about Song Ke's official assignment out of a desire to repay a kindness, and everything was done out in the open. If I lie to cover it up, it will only make a clean matter look dirty. So she said, "The Auntie was merely asking where Lord Song Ke is going as an official and on what day he departs. Because Lord Song Ke showed kindness to the Auntie, she was afraid he would leave before she could repay his favor, that's all."

Xuening was different from Xianglan's other personal maids; deep down, she still recognized Lin Jinlou as her primary master and had never been truly close to Xianglan. Xianglan's closest maids always spoke of matters behind her back, so Xuening didn't fully grasp the gravity of the situation. She meant well, but she had no idea that Song Ke was still a thorn in Lin Jinlou's heart. These words of hers drove a direct nail into a hornets' nest.