Against the Current - Chapter 30
Chapter 30 - The Birthday Banquet
Three days later was Qin Shi's birthday. Because they were still observing the mourning period for the late Old Lady Zeng, the celebration was not held on a grand scale; instead, only a few relatives and friends were invited to set up a few tables of banquets for a modest gathering. However, Old Lady Lin attached great importance to celebrating Qin Shi's birthday, instructing that the banquet dishes be of the highest quality and specially ordering Qin Shi to rest while leaving others to manage the arrangements. Madam Wang was not adept at managing household affairs, and Lin Dongqi had no mind for it either, so Lin Jinlou took charge. He engaged famous vegetarian chefs from major restaurants to prepare the food, making the occasion quite lively and bustling.
Qin Shi's original intention was not to invite Cao Lihuan, but Cao Lihuan was shrewd and thoughtfully sent over two sets of handmade embroidery as a birthday gift. Old Lady Lin remarked, "After all, we are relatives, and it wouldn't be appropriate not to invite her. It's just adding an extra pair of chopsticks. I will have a few veteran matrons keep an eye on things inside and out, so you can just treat her as out of sight, out of mind." Seeing Old Lady Lin put it this way, Qin Shi had no choice but to invite Cao Lihuan as well.
For two days prior, Cao Lihuan had been pondering what to wear. Rummaging to the very bottom of her chest, she dug out two sets of garments tailored at the Xianni Pavilion that had hardly ever been worn. Now, trying them on before the mirror, she either found the style too old-fashioned or the colors too vibrant to wear during a period of deep mourning. In the end, she reluctantly put back on that tea-white long-length beizi fully embroidered with colorful golden birds and flowers, instructed Hui'ery to comb her hair meticulously, and adorned herself with sapphire hair ornaments. Finally, she ordered Xianglan to go along with her.
Xianglan was surprised. Although Hui'er had been beaten and could not walk properly, such a face-saving good fortune should surely have fallen to Huairui instead. Now that Cao Lihuan was acting so pleasant and asking her to tag along, Xianglan felt somewhat unaccustomed to it. "Your face is far too plain. You should at least put on some rouge, and go back and change your clothes." Cao Lihuan looked at herself in the mirror, holding a pearl hairpin up to measure it against her head, but her words were directed at Xianglan. "Although your aunt-in-law's birthday celebration isn't being held on a grand scale, I hear that many noble households' wives and relatives are coming, along with prominent steward wives. You should dress yourself up nicely; if you can make a modest impression and get yourself recognized, that will be all for the good. This will benefit you endlessly in the future."
Xianglan smiled faintly. "I've never been fond of applying rouge and powder anyway, and besides, the outfit I have on right now is perfectly fine... I do have a dark cyan skirt, but I washed it and it hasn't dried yet."
Looking somewhat displeased, Cao Lihuan cast a sidelong glance at Xianglan and muttered under her breath, "Such an unappreciative wretch, truly impossible to carve into useful timber."
Xianglan heard her clearly, yet pretended she hadn't. Noticing that the little jacket she wore had a smudge from watering flowers that morning, she returned to her room to change. Stepping inside, she saw Siqiao standing nervously by the window; the moment she entered, Siqiao was startled. Xianglan climbed onto the kang, opened the camphorwood chest, and rummaged through her clothes while saying, "Siqiao, why have you been so absent-minded these past two days? Did something happen to you?"
"No, no, nothing at all..." Siqiao hurriedly waved her hands. "I'm doing just fine."
Xianglan pulled out her clothes, took off the ochre-colored little jacket she wore on the outside, replaced it with a frost-colored blouse, and said, "If you run into any difficult trouble, just say the word if there's anything I can help with."
Siqiao looked at Xianglan, her words hanging on the tip of her tongue before she swallowed them back, clenching her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug deeply into her flesh. Xianglan treated her exceptionally well, helping her out with everything and constantly offering comforting words, for which she felt genuine gratitude. Yet, she could not help envying Xianglan for her stunning beauty and exquisite needlework. Moreover, Xianglan was a maid of the Lin household! Once Cao Lihuan was married off, Xianglan could successfully complete her service and continue living a comfortable life of ease within the wealthy Lin estate. But what about herself? Her deed had been transferred by Madam to Cao Lihuan; not only was her mistress ill-tempered and petty-minded, but she was also a tormentor who lacked money yet loved putting on airs. Even if she wouldn't starve in the future, it certainly wouldn't be a good life. She was already living in dire straits now, and who knew how agonizing the days ahead would be.
Yet why should it be like this? If she hadn't been driven out, the maid given to Cao Lihuan should have been Xianglan instead!
Why was she so utterly unlucky?
Why did Xianglan surpass her in every single thing and place?
If—if Sishun's scheme succeeded, then Xianglan would be just as wretched as her—no, no, even worse off than her!
For some reason, thinking along these lines instantly brought a sense of relief to the depths of Siqiao's heart. She lowered her head, then raised it a moment later, forcing a smile as she said, "Of course. If I run into trouble, I'll definitely let you know."
Xianglan smiled back at Siqiao, pushed open the door, and walked out.
After spending quite a while longer dressing up and dabbing a layer of scented balm behind her ears, Cao Lihuan finally consented to set out. All the way to the garden, the banquet had already commenced. Cao Lihuan was seated at a table with Dongqi, Dongling, Dongxiu, and Song Tanchai, while Qin Shi and the others sat closely around an Eight Immortals table, with Zhao Yuechan standing behind them to wait upon them. Taking a quick glance around, Xianglan noticed that apart from Qin Shi, Madam Wang, and Song Ke's mother, Aunt Song, the other three ladies were strangers to her, yet they were dressed in rich silks and glittering with jewels, clearly of extraordinary backgrounds. She obediently stood by the base of the wall alongside the other young ladies' personal maids—only after serving the young mistresses their meal would she find a spare moment to eat her own.
The banquet was being held at the Jianqiu Pavilion, facing the azure lake, red apricot blossoms, and half a pond of lotus leaves, possessing a truly unique charm. A gentle breeze blew leisurely in through the open hollow-carved vermilion windows, refreshing the mind and spirit. Xianglan silently praised the setting. During the deep mourning period for Old Lady Zeng, all string and wind music were entirely prohibited, and a theater troupe could not be invited to perform plays, which meant celebrating a birthday would inevitably be much more subdued. Yet choosing such a scenic location where guests could enjoy the scenery, feed the fish, and play a few rounds of cards later on provided its own delightful pastime. She heard that this feast had been arranged by Lin Jinlou; who would have thought that besides being a lustful and heartless scoundrel, the fellow also had his clever moments.
At that moment, she heard someone laughing and saying, "The three young ladies of your Lin family truly have features and facial expressions where each surpasses the other in handsomeness. Previously, when I saw Eldest Young Lady Wan, I already felt she was a top-tier beauty, but who should know that upon seeing Young Lady Qi, Young Lady Ling, and Young Lady Xiu today, I would finally learn what it means when they say there are mountains beyond mountains and towers beyond towers."
"Elder Sister Zhou flatters them; they are nowhere near as wonderful as you make them sound," Qin Shi said with a smile on her face. "It is your family's Feng girl who is born so striking. She should have been brought along this time so the young sisters could enjoy themselves together."
Lady Zhou smiled and said, "She would only be mischievous if she came, unlike your family's Young Lady Qi, who is poised, graceful, and the very spitting image of yourself. I won't let this go—last time Young Lady Wan was a bit older and didn't cross paths with us, but this time, however one looks at it, Young Lady Qi should be reserved for our family! You've met my eldest boy as well; his character and disposition are top-notch."
"Elder Sister Zhou is praising her own wares, as if your family is the only one with a son! Our family's Hong boy is equally a match for Young Lady Qi in character and appearance." Lady Duan smiled warmly, looking at Lin Dongqi's pretty and refined demeanor with increasing satisfaction.
Qin Shi's smile grew even broader and more delighted.
Lady Zhou continued with a smile, "Not just Young Lady Qi; looking at Young Lady Ling, Young Lady Xiu, and Young Lady Chai, their brows and features each outshine the last. Your household is truly a nest of beauties."
The rest of the ladies chimed in one after another, and for a moment Madam Wang and Aunt Song were also wreathed in smiles. Everyone received their share of praise, save for Cao Lihuan, who was left completely unmentioned, as if she did not exist at all. Cao Lihuan's face darkened instantly.
Although these ladies were not speaking loudly, their voices carried clearly right over to the neighboring table. Lin Dongqi blushed slightly, though she stubbornly put on a composed expression. Lin Dongling's eyes curved into smiles as she nudged Lin Dongqi with her elbow, laughing in a low voice, "Second Sister, First Aunt is looking to find you a husband's family."
Lin Dongqi spat lightly in mock annoyance. "What nonsense are you uttering?"
"How am I talking nonsense? One is from the Directorate of Protocol family, and the other is from the Marquis of Loyal and Brave's family. Both are prominent lineages and well-matched to our house, and they've both set their eyes on you." As long as Lin Dongqi wasn't competing with her for Song Ke, Lin Dongling was happy, and her temperament even turned much milder as she teased, "There's still the wife from the Surveillance Commissioner's family who hasn't spoken up yet, but from the look of it, she seems quite taken as well."
Lin Dongxiu felt a sourness rise in the roots of her teeth as she remarked half-coldly, "Since Sister has Mother planning for her, naturally she's bound to have a bright future." Thinking of her eldest sister, Lin Dongwan, who was blessed with beauty yet cursed with high ambitions—and because of her concubine-born status, she was neither high enough for the best matches nor willing to settle for lesser ones, only managing to marry at eighteen—though it was also an aristocratic lineage, it wasn't nearly as glamorous as it appeared on the outside. She had heard that out of that noble family's sons, not a single one turned out capable; among those serving as officials in the imperial court nowadays, the highest did not exceed the fifth rank, making the household look as though it were in decline. Furthermore, Lin Dongwan's husband did not appear to be an ambitious or promising sort. Every time she returned to her maiden home, her eye corners seemed to harbor frost and wind, and she grew increasingly haggard. Now, as Lin Dongqi discussed marriage, she had all these high and mighty aristocratic households vying for her hand, purely because she had crawled out of the legitimate wife's belly, creating such an abysmal chasm of difference!
When Cao Lihuan heard that the wives seated at that table were either wealthy or noble, her eyes turned red with jealousy and a fresh wave of anger surged within her. Her purpose in coming this time was precisely to steal the spotlight, harboring the secret intention of mingling with the powerful and elite to climb even higher branches. Who would have thought that Qin Shi wouldn't even deign to introduce her to the various ladies, clearly looking down upon her! New grudges compounded with old ones; if she didn't take her revenge now, she would no longer be surnamed Cao.