Against the Current - Chapter 325

Chapter 325 - Undercurrents (Part 3)

Lin Dongqi let her shoulders slump and said, "When I'm in front of my mother-in-law, crying is wrong and smiling is wrong; she can find fault with anything I do. She sends people to use veiled insults and sarcastic remarks, yet on the surface, she still treats me quite affably, always driving people to tears. I keep all of this bottled up inside and haven't even told my mother, for fear of worrying her and causing her blood to boil with anxiety. Besides, one cannot hide beneath a mother's arms for protection for a lifetime. Failing to serve by her side already fills me with guilt; to burden my parents with further troubles would make me all the more culpable. I have no idea how I am to get through the days ahead. My husband placed in the imperial examinations and has now entered the Hanlin Academy; in a year, he will be posted to an official post outside the capital. I made some inquiries and heard that my mother-in-law intends to keep me behind at home and won't let me accompany him."

Li Miaozhi clenched her teeth in anger and said, "I live in constant terror that that vixen Su Meiru will stir up trouble as well. Just a few days ago, it was she who ran her mouth everywhere, claiming that my husband and father-in-law were harboring divided loyalties, perhaps embezzling silver from the household accounts so that the ledgers would never balance. When my father-in-law heard this, he flew into a rage and struck him without pausing to distinguish right from wrong. Even now, my husband's back is still covered in blue and purple bruises."

Miaozhi and Qi exchanged a glance and sighed in unison. Li Miaozhi said, "Forget it, let's drink our wine."

Jiang Xiyun looked at Lin Dongqi, then glanced at Li Miaozhi, and lowered her voice. "I have two recent pieces of news to share with everyone for a bit of amusement. Perhaps once you two hear them, all your troubles will be resolved effortlessly."

Li Miaozhi asked curiously, "What news?"

Jiang Xiyun leisurely replied, "In his old age, Vice Minister Wang of the Ministry of Personnel has plunged back into the world of romance. Two years ago, he took in a new concubine whom he dotes on beyond measure. To say nothing of his principal wife of several decades, even his own biological children have to step back a full fifty paces in front of that concubine."

Li Miaozhi let out a laugh. "That sounds precisely like my father-in-law's script. These two men truly ought to meet and become sworn brothers."

Jiang Xiyun continued, "The Vice Minister's wife cried, made scenes, and threatened suicide, none of which worked—until her younger brother brought back an even more alluring Yangzhou slender horse from outside and presented her to Vice Minister Wang as a concubine. The deed of sale for that woman is entirely in the hands of the principal wife, so the two women have joined forces as one heart. Since ancient times, people only ever hear the new favorite laugh while never seeing the old favorite cry; with this rival for favor in the household, Vice Minister Wang's heart was pulled back halfway, and he no longer obeys that concubine in everything. Their household can now be considered at peace."

Li Miaozhi was a clever person and understood instantly. "Are you saying... I wonder if my mother-in-law would mind if my father-in-law were to take in another concubine..."

Jiang Xiyun said indifferently, "Rather than suffering Su Yiniang's tyranny day and night, it would be better to find an opponent of equal strength to match her. Your mother-in-law has your husband, the eldest son, to rely on for the future; she merely needs to find an ally to spend a few days in peace. Why fear taking in another concubine? Furthermore, if you let Su Meiru continue her instigations and drive a wedge between father and son, their bond will break and the family will fall apart!"

Li Miaozhi thought it over, gritted her teeth, and said, "That makes sense. What you're saying is indeed a viable path. Tomorrow when I return to my maiden home, I'll mention it to my mother. Since she enjoys a good relationship with my mother-in-law, it will be much safer if she is the one to bring it up."

Lin Dongqi opened her eyes wide as Jiang Xiyun looked at her and said, "There is another piece of news currently circulating outside. Grand Academician Zhao of the Hanlin Academy had a daughter-in-law who constantly quarreled with his wife; the Zhao wife was fierce and possessed immense tyrannical power. It wasn't until Grand Academician Zhao became infatuated with the famous courtesan Hua Yuchi, spending a thousand taels of silver to redeem her from humble registry and buy her back home, that the Zhao wife lost all heart to continue bickering with her daughter-in-law, focusing entirely on locking horns with Hua Yuchi instead. The daughter-in-law frequently visits to comfort the Zhao wife, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law have actually grown close as a result."

Lin Dongqi was momentarily dazed, but quickly understood, murmuring, "This... My father-in-law is not a man fond of female beauty..."

Jiang Xiyun said, "The Duke of Zhenguo only keeps two elderly concubines by his side, and he is still in his prime. If you elder brothers and sisters step forward to arrange a new concubine of good commoner birth for him, it might not be impossible. Is there any other way to resolve this? Across the barrier of blood relations, your mother-in-law is currently plotting against you; since you are the junior, your only option is to endure it. The moment you dare talk back even a single sentence, it becomes your fault for being unfilial. Are you willing to suffer like this for the rest of your life?"

Lin Dongqi bit her lip and remained silent.

Jiang Xiyun paused before saying, "For this matter, you might as well ask your eldest brother. I heard he saved the life of your father-in-law's second older brother during the war, and their relationship is extraordinary. If you go to him crying of your grievances, exaggerating your plight tenfold or a hundredfold, he is fiercely protective of his own and will surely step forward to champion you, going to the Duke of Zhenguo's second brother to handle it. Exchanging concubines among brothers is quite common anyway, and once the matter is done..."

Lin Dongqi felt a stirring of temptation, yet still felt something was amiss: "But... doing this... wouldn't it be wrong..."

Just then, she heard Jiang Xiyun let out a soft, mournful sigh. "As women, we should have seen through this life long ago. First, you must tightly grip your silver, treat yourself well, and properly raise your children to adulthood in the future; everything else is illusory. Living in this world, naturally your own happiness is what matters most."

Once these words were spoken, all three fell silent, with only the sounds of stringed music drifting in from outside. None of them noticed that Lin Dongwan, lying on the large brick-bed, had quietly lifted her eyelids to peer through a crack, watched for a moment, and then closed them again.

Meanwhile, Bailan had stood serving for half the day. When Madame Qin and the others finally finished their meal, the banquet was cleared away and replaced with fresh fruits and pastries, prompting Madame Qin to tell Bailan to go eat. The maidservants had already set up a table for Bailan out in the corridor. Just as Bailan sat down and picked up her chopsticks to take a bite of food, she saw Lin Dongqi and Li Miaozhi walking over.

Lin Dongqi hesitated halfway there and said, "Forget it," making as if to turn back.

Li Miaozhi hurriedly pulled her back. "Didn't we discuss this thoroughly just now? I'm right here with you; if you can't bring yourself to speak, I'll help smooth things over." She lowered her voice and added, "Bailan is your eldest brother's precious pearl; if you beg her to put in a few good words for you on the side, won't that make everything foolproof?" As she spoke, she dragged Lin Dongqi along. Seeing the other woman still looking hesitant, she urged, "Come on, you! This is for your own good; you're acting like the eunuch is more anxious than the emperor."

Seeing the two of them whispering together off to the side, Bailan knew something was afoot. She laid down her chopsticks, stood up, and asked, "Second Aunt-in-law, Third Young Madam, is something the matter?"

Li Miaozhi smiled and said, "There is indeed a matter. We've come to shamelessly beg a favor of you." With that, she pulled Lin Dongqi forward.

The two of them also sat down by the table. The three women looked at one another; Li Miaozhi kicked Lin Dongqi under the table and signaled her with her eyes. With a slight flush on her face, Lin Dongqi stammered for a moment before finally speaking up: "Bailan, there is a matter I must ask for your help with."

"Please go ahead, Second Aunt-in-law."

Lin Dongqi glanced at Li Miaozhi, paused, and hardening her heart, said, "My mother-in-law... is extremely harsh toward me, finding fault with everything I do, claiming I have no tongue and lack cleverness, to the point where even the old servants in the house put on airs in front of me. All of this I have endured. But my husband is being posted outside the capital next year, and my mother-in-law refuses to let me follow him; she wants to wedge a maidservant from her own room, elevate her to a concubine, and have her accompany my husband instead. I..." As Lin Dongqi spoke, genuine grievance welled up within her, and she could not help wiping her tears with a handkerchief. Taking a breath, she continued, "Someone just gave me an idea: to have my father-in-law take in a new concubine so my mother-in-law will be too distracted by someone else to bother me. Eldest Brother has an exceptionally good relationship with the Duke of Zhenguo's second brother. I want to speak to him and have his second brother take charge of arranging a banquet to take in a good commoner concubine. This matter still requires you to put in a good word with Eldest Brother for me... I know in my heart that a daughter-in-law scheming to get her father-in-law a concubine is utterly absurd, but I... I simply have no other choice..." At this, she burst into tears again.

Hearing this, Bailan could not help a start of surprise, while Li Miaozhi chimed in from the side, "Indeed, Second Sister's situation is so difficult right now, we simply must ask you to put in a few kind words with Eldest Brother."

Bailan pondered for a moment before speaking up: "I'm sorry, Second Aunt-in-law, but I'm afraid I cannot help you with this."

Both Qi and Miao were stunned.

Lin Dongqi asked, "Why?"

Bailan replied, "In the Four Books, Zigong asks if there is a single word that can be practiced for one's entire life. Confucius says: 'Reciprocity'—do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire. Second Sister, your mother-in-law is forcibly shoving a maidservant onto your husband, and you know how agonizing that is. Since you do not wish to endure it yourself, do not inflict that same trouble on another person, and let the matter end there."

Li Miaozhi argued, "That is the way of the gentleman, and it is how people ought to get along. Second Sister's mother-in-law acts with such thoroughly rotten behavior; toward such a petty person, one should treat her in her own coin and let her taste that bitterness!"

Hearing this, Bailan smiled. "'Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire' was never meant to be divided between petty persons and gentlemen. If we follow this idea, will taking in a good commoner concubine bring the matter to a close? Perhaps the Duchess of Zhenguo will only harbor deeper anger and resentment, venting her unhappiness upon her daughter-in-law and torturing Second Sister even more severely—what then? Furthermore, paper cannot wrap up fire; even if it's kept tightly hidden for now, what if her mother-in-law eventually finds out that our family orchestrated it? The consequences would be unimaginable, and this enmity would likely remain unresolved until the end of one's days. If word spreads outside, we'll lose all our face both inside and out. What should be done if it blows up into an irremediable scandal? Taking a step back, because of her mother-in-law's tyrannical bullying, we retaliate in kind—it only satisfies a momentary urge. But once that seed of karma is sown, it will inevitably lead to faction-forming, mutual hostility, and reciprocal acts of spite where each revenge is crueler than the last, and every resentment runs deeper than before. Living one's days locked in a cycle of spite, refusing to forgive, perpetually caught in turf wars of plotting against one another and tripping each other up—is a life like that truly happy?"

Lin Dongqi nodded slightly and could not help asking, "Then what should we do?"

Bailan answered, "First, check the evil and do not hate. When hatred grows large, it leads to a never-ending cycle where you harm me and I harm you. One must first possess a great capacity for patience and endurance."

Li Miaozhi retorted, "If we endure everything, won't we just become spineless cowards? What should we do when the other party rides roughshod over our heads?"

Bailan smiled again. "When family members live together, using evil to combat evil is ultimately a superficial remedy that treats the symptoms rather than the root cause, especially since she is an elder. As the saying goes, 'one does not strike a smiling face.' Very few people are mad and unruly to the point of complete absurdity; everyone possesses a shred of empathy. Close one eye and choose not to see her malice, while keeping the other eye open to see only her kindness. Treat her well with sincere intentions; if she strays off course, don't confront her head-on, but handle it with tact. 'It takes more than one cold day to freeze three feet of ice,' and the same goes for conducting oneself in the world—trust is gained bit by bit, which is the only way for a lasting solution. Meeting tit-for-tat with a vengeful mindset, even if you win a temporary victory, sows the seeds for future disaster. Stopping evil with a magnanimous heart is the only way to attain true peace." She paused and thought for a moment before adding, "In any case, the posting outside isn't until next year. Try first to move her with sincerity. If things still don't work out by then, Madame and the Eldest Young Master will not sit idly by, and I will certainly lend a hand as well. Please think carefully on how to handle this matter, Second Aunt-in-law and Third Young Madam."

Lin Dongqi drew a deep breath and said, "What you've said... I..."

Looking at Lin Dongqi, Bailan said with absolute sincerity, "Every word I spoke came from the bottom of my heart, and some of it stems from firsthand pain. Living in this world, unfavorable circumstances are inevitable. Filter out the bitterness and malice; don't stir them up inside, and let the bitterness and malice blow away. Treating others with goodwill is difficult at first, but the days that follow grow increasingly light and easy; retaliating with resentment and hatred may easily satisfy a grudge at the start, but the more enemies you make, the harder your days will become."

Looking thoughtful, Lin Dongqi slowly stood up and began walking back. Seeing this, Li Miaozhi hurriedly followed behind her. After walking a short distance, Lin Dongqi suddenly stopped, turned around, and said, "I've decided to listen to Bailan. 'Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.' I will start with magnanimity and endurance."

Li Miaozhi was momentarily at a loss for words, staring at her in silence.

Gazing at the few wisps of pale clouds on the horizon, Lin Dongqi slowly murmured, "You know, originally, Madame did not treat Bailan well. She thought her too delicate and high-spirited, fearing she wasn't a settling sort. Even though Bailan had saved me once, Madame still used many methods to suppress her. Yet Bailan never complained, and with the utmost righteousness, she saved both Madame and Fourth Younger Sister. Although Madame grew somewhat kinder to her afterward, she still guarded against her and never opened her heart completely, but Bailan never uttered a single word of resentment. I used to think she was simply 'under the eaves, having no choice but to bow' and unable to offend Madame, burying any hatred deep in her heart. But hearing her words today, I finally realize she truly never harbored any resentment. It was I who was narrow-minded. My mother is shrewd to the extreme, yet she now cherishes Bailan so dearly—all because Bailan conducts herself with steady sincerity day in and day out, treating others with forgiveness. Since she can manage it, I can too."

Though Li Miaozhi still found it hard to wrap her mind around the idea, she was a sensible person at heart and could not help nodding slowly, thinking of Jiang Xiyun with a sudden sigh.

Over in the distance, Su Meiru, supported by two little maidservants and holding her bulging belly, was walking gracefully toward the grand floral hall. Just as she reached the covered winding veranda, she caught sight of Lin Dongwan stepping forward to greet her with a wide smile. "Let me take a look at you! My, this belly has grown even larger than a few days ago—you must be having a difficult pregnancy, right?"

Su Meiru also smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Eldest Aunt-in-law, I am doing very well. The tonic medicine you helped me have shipped back from the sea last time worked wonders for me." Inwardly, however, she sneered: Shameless creature, her greed for petty gains knows no bounds. Who knows how much silver she squeezed out of me under the guise of trading goods? If I didn't have use for her, I wouldn't even deign to acknowledge her!

Lin Dongwan smiled as brightly as a spring breeze. "Of course, those medicinal herbs are extremely precious." Her smile gradually faded as she glanced left and right. Su Meiru immediately understood, waved the attendants away, and asked, "What is it?"

Lin Dongwan said, "I heard a piece of news, and Yiniang must promise not to tell anyone else that I told you... Just now, as I drank too much wine and lay down to sleep in the inner room, I happened to hear Jiang Xiyun telling Li Miaozhi that she wants to instigate the elders into taking in a new concubine for Second Uncle to split your favor. Oh my goodness, when I heard that, I broke out in a cold sweat all over—how could such a thing be! Thinking of you with worry, I rushed right over to bring you word."

Upon hearing this, Su Meiru flew into an instant rage. Her willow brows arched sharply as she sneered, "A petty little freeze-dried mouse from some low-born nest, and she dares come plot against me? Truly ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth—I'll let her taste my methods soon enough!" Shifting her expression to a milder one toward Lin Dongwan, she smiled, "Thank you for telling me. If there are any such winds stirring in the future, I must trouble you to let me know when you hear of them. Otherwise, with no one to rely on, people like them are fierce and malevolent, each plotting against the other, and they'd eat me alive. Whenever you entrust someone to ship goods out again, I'll order some more items, and I'll send you fifty taels of deposit money upfront first."

Lin Dongwan thought to herself that this meant silver was coming her way, and her face broke into a wide smile. "Rest assured, I know what I'm doing. You must take good care of yourself; once you give birth to a son later on, relying on Second Uncle's affection for you, you'll be able to walk sideways through the second branch without a care. Just don't let this anger ruin your health."

Su Meiru faked a sigh. "In this entire household, only you truly and sincerely look out for me. Outwardly, the others are respectful to me, but I know what they're thinking inside—watching the fire from across the river, sowing discord, speaking in veiled insinuations and sarcastic riddles. They have a whole arsenal of martial arts, and not one of them has good intentions; they're all just waiting to make a joke out of me. I finally found a confidante like you in this vast place, yet you're so often not by my side."

Lin Dongwan sighed, "Who's to say otherwise."

Su Meiru said, "Good sister, in the future, if they say anything, I beg you to pass the word to me quickly, so I don't end up dead without even knowing how it happened."

Lin Dongwan hastily replied, "Naturally. Do you even need to give me special instructions for that?"

After exchanging a few more words, Su Meiru parted ways with Lin Dongwan and walked through the side door into the floral hall. Wang glanced at her immediately, and her expression instantly darkened. Li Miaozhi hurried forward, leaned close to Wang's ear, and whispered in a low voice, "Madame, please don't wear such a dark expression right now. With so many pairs of eyes watching up and down, even if it were an irreconcilable blood feud, we'd still have to put on a sweet facade. Not to mention this is Old Madame's birthday; pulling a long face makes things unpleasant for Old Madame. The more it's like this, the more one must display a magnanimous demeanor."

Wang forced a nod, squeezed out a trace of a smile, and said to the old madame, "Look at her—everyone kept saying she's heavy with child and told her not to come, yet she came anyway. Come sit down quickly." Then she let her face drop again.

Li Miaozhi could not help sighing inwardly, thinking it was no wonder her mother-in-law was never favored—her mind was far too rigid. On an occasion like this, she should at least put on airs and act the part. Her own mother had always instructed her that in conducting oneself in the world, one's words should be sweet while one's heart remains firm, and at all times one must allow others to save face. Her mother-in-law had it precisely backward: hard-mouthed yet soft-hearted, ending up bullied and squeezed out while taking the blame from all sides.

Old Madame Lin lifted her eyes to glance at Su Meiru and gave a faint, perfunctory acknowledgement.

Su Meiru remained utterly unconcerned, acting as if she had noticed nothing at all. She stepped forward, curtsied slightly, and said, "Wishing Old Madame a blessing as vast as the Eastern Sea and a longevity matching the Southern Mountains." She added with a smile, "Ordinarily I should kneel, but since I am heavy with child, I must ask Old Madame to forgive me."

Old Madame Lin said, "Naturally I won't hold it against you. Sit down quickly and listen to the opera."

With a face full of smiles, Su Meiru sat down, and servants immediately served tea and laid out fruit pastries right beside her. Su Meiru happened to be seated right next to Bailan, and she turned to offer Bailan a gentle, radiant smile. Remembering the various rumors that had blown into her ears around the manor recently—to the effect that this Su Meiru was actually Lin Jinlou's former lover—Bailan felt a slight discomfort in her heart. She also hitched the corners of her mouth into a smile toward Su Meiru, then turned her gaze back outward, ignoring her completely. Su Meiru attempted to strike up a conversation a few times, but Bailan only replied with faint, polite smiles and refused to say another word. As time passed, Su Meiru stopped asking and simply occupied herself with cracking open peanuts and melon seeds to eat.

The opera on stage had not been playing for long when someone called out, "The Old Master has arrived!" At this cry, everyone in the room sprang up in surprise.