Against the Current - Chapter 329

Chapter 329 - The Three Realms of Thought

This was the first time Xianglan had ever witnessed Lin Zhaoxiang fly into a rage. It reminded her of the way Lin Jinquan looked when he arched his brows and glared fiercely, and she actually felt a sudden urge to laugh. She mused inwardly, I always used to think everyone in the Lin family was a scholar—refined and gentle—and I could never figure out where Lin Jinquan inherited that overbearing tyrant's temperament of his. Now I've finally found the root of it. Suddenly, she froze. Once upon a time, Lin Jinquan had been a master she was forced to serve against her will. Gradually, however, the man's faults had begun to fade away bit by bit, especially after that snowy night of distress when he had clung to his last breath, insisting on settling every detail of her future before he could close his eyes... Having lived alongside him day after day, she found that recalling the man's flaws now actually brought a genuine smile from the bottom of her heart. But the next moment, her mood plunged, and she closed her eyes.

Hearing Lin Jinyuan still sobbing beside her, Xianglan snapped back to reality and said, "Old Master..."

Lin Zhaoxiang waved a hand. "Hold your tongue, I'm asking him."

Quick-witted as he was, Lin Jinyuan realized the situation made it impossible to escape. He figured he might as well make a clean confession. Sniffling twice, he muttered in a small voice, "The bracelet... I took it out to play because I was being foolish, and I lost it... It has nothing to do with anyone else..." With that, he burst into tears again, weeping while stealing covert glances at Lin Zhaoxiang and his grandmother.

Lin Zhaoxiang let out a cold snort. "You wretched brat, at least you have some honesty left!" He handed his water pipe over to Geng Tonggui and commanded, "Bring it here." Xuezhan stepped forward holding a gold-inlaid tray, and resting upon its red velvet lining was none other than an eighteen-bead bracelet made of agarwood.

Xianglan and Lin Jinyuan were struck dumb with astonishment. Geng Tonggui stepped forward, bowing slightly as he smiled, "This old slave is the one who found the bracelet. Early this morning, when the Fourth Young Master was preparing to go out with the Third Young Master, his pouch slipped off as he was mounting his horse at the second gate. A young page following them rushed off in a hurry without noticing, but this old slave happened to spot it, so I turned it over to the Old Master."

Only now was the truth of the matter laid bare. Xianglan experienced a sudden wave of realization, thinking, The Old Master was merely trying to test Yuan'er, which is why he deliberately pretended the bracelet was lost.

Doting on her youngest grandson, Old Madam Lin hurriedly intervened, "Since everything has been brought to light and Yuan'er has confessed, let him get up quickly. The ground is cold."

Wearing a rigid, stern expression, Lin Zhaoxiang thundered angrily, "Let him stay on his knees! After all these years of reading the sages' books, have they all been swallowed by dogs? Good-for-nothing wretch, who only knows how to pull off third-rate little tricks and brings complete disgrace upon our ancestors! If he is not strictly disciplined, he will surely become a disaster in the future!" His face as dark as the bottom of a cooking pot, he instructed Ruizhu, "You, tell us what happened."

Ruizhu stepped forward and reported, "This servant happened to be at the right place at the right time. I was right in front of the flower trellis and overheard a few things." She then recounted how Xianglan and Lin Jinyuan had spoken and how Lin Jinyuan had replied, matching the actual events with startling accuracy.

Lin Jinyuan's face flushed alternately red and white, filled with shame and mortification as he kept his head bowed, tears streaming endlessly down his cheeks.

Old Madam Lin dared not urge him further, and Xianglan kept silent. The only sound echoing through the entire room was Lin Jinyuan's muffled sobbing. Lin Zhaoxiang let out a deep, heavy sigh, turned his gaze exclusively toward Xianglan, and softened his tone slightly as he said, "Get up. I have a few questions to ask you."

Xianglan had no choice but to stand up.

Half-closing his eyes, Lin Zhaoxiang sized her up from head to toe several times. Tapping a few fingers of his left hand against the kang table, he gazed blankly at a painting hanging on the wall for a moment before abruptly asking, "I've known about your affairs with the Jiang family girl for a long time."

Xianglan gave a start, a look of genuine shock washing over her.

Lin Zhaoxiang continued, "Not only do I know, but I likely know even more than you do. I am fully aware of everything each of those young ladies has done." He picked up a small square towel from the table to wipe his hands and slowly continued, "The Jiang family girl and her sister conspired to harm you. Now that such a golden opportunity has fallen into your lap, why didn't you pin the blame on her to vent the hatred in your heart and win a favor at the same time? This matter could have been handled without a sound; if I hadn't ordered Ruizhu to follow Yuan'er, naturally no one would ever have known."

Xianglan blurted out, "My own conscience would know." Seeing Lin Zhaoxiang fix his sharp, piercing gaze upon her, she felt a brief flutter of panic. She lowered her head, then raised it again as if to reaffirm her stance, and repeated softly, "My own conscience would know."

Staring at her with eyes like a hawk's, Lin Zhaoxiang pressed, "Let me ask you this: if Yuan'er had refused to confess today, would you really have taken the blame upon yourself? Even with such a display of returning animosity with kindness, Jiang Xiyun would never know. Forget about the capacity to encompass all rivers like the sea—how many true sages have been born from antiquity to the present day? We are all ordinary people. With our joys, sorrows, griefs, fears, and frights, how could anyone remain untouched in their heart?"

Hearing this, the corners of Xianglan's lips curved upward. In her past life, when she had first met Lin Zhaoxiang, she had simply thought of him as a smooth, affable man as gentle as a spring breeze. She had never expected that when he spoke at home, his words would strike right to the core with such piercing insight, revealing an entirely different side of him. Remembering how, in her previous life, the Shen and Lin families had been on close terms, and how Lin Zhaoxiang had once held her on his knee and guided her small hand to write the eight characters "Correcting faults, amending errors, and letting brilliant virtue be fragrant," a rush of conflicting emotions washed over her. She replied, "When I was young, I used to sneer at the four words 'repaying animosity with kindness,' thinking that if one repays animosity with kindness, how then does one repay kindness? Living life with fiery passion to exact vengeance for wrongs and gratitude for favors—that was what true life was about. Later, as I grew older and experienced more of the world, I realized that my original view stemmed simply from a lack of broad-mindedness. The concept of 'repaying animosity with kindness' actually encompasses three distinct realms across Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism."

Everyone present was stunned by Xianglan's words. Lin Zhaoxiang, in particular, was intensely intrigued. Having previously served as a libationer in the Imperial Academy, he possessed a profound understanding of Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist philosophies. Yet this was the first time he had ever heard a woman discourse on the subject in his presence, and even Old Madam Lin listened with rapt attention.

Standing straight as a pine with her waist held rigidly upright, Xianglan spoke in a warm, elegant voice: "The first realm is what Confucius described as 'Repay animosity with direct justice, and repay kindness with kindness.' The two sides are clearly distinguished. It is the worldly, straightforward way of finding gratification; most ordinary people live this way. If someone insults them with a single sentence, they fly into a rage and retaliate, let alone anything worse."

Nodding slowly, Lin Zhaoxiang said, "True enough. A single word spoken slightly amiss is enough to forge an enemy."

Xianglan continued, "The second realm is what Laozi spoke of: 'When great animosities are reconciled, a residue of resentment inevitably remains; how can repaying animosity with kindness be considered good? Therefore, the sage holds the left tally of a debt and does not demand payment from others. The virtuous oversee the tally, while the morally bankrupt oversee the collection. The Way of Heaven has no favorites; it is constantly with the good person.'"

Lin Zhaoxiang noted, "This originates from Chapter Seventy-Nine of the Dao De Jing."

Xianglan smiled faintly. "The Old Master is truly erudite and well-read." Lowering her gaze to look at Lin Jinyuan's bewildered expression, she spoke as though explaining it to him directly: "This means that even though deep hatreds and grievances may be reconciled through mediation, lingering resentment will inevitably persist in people's hearts. Can repaying animosity with kindness truly resolve things completely? It is like a virtuous person holding a debt ledger yet refusing to press ruthlessly for repayment, whereas a person lacking virtue nitpicks and constantly hounds others for debts. Yet the great Natural Law always walks side by side with the good." She paused for a moment before adding, "The wrongs others commit against you are like holding an IOU; a person of deep virtue will not hound them for payment, but will instead dissolve the grievance by repaying it with moral grace. Enemies should be untied rather than bound tighter. Since Heaven and Earth are fair, those who are willing to suffer a loss will invariably receive abundant blessings in return."

Tilting his head, Lin Jinyuan pondered her words for a moment, sniffled as if feeling a pang of shame, and once again lowered his head.

Lin Zhaoxiang's eyes brightened considerably as he asked, "And the third realm?"

Xianglan spoke in a gentle tone, "The third realm belongs to Buddhism: 'Heaven, earth, and all things exist within the mind, and all transformations stem from the heart.' People living in this world are locked in endless cycles of vengeance, struggle, and turmoil, all for the sake of fame, profit, face, status, and that single breath of suppressed pride they cannot swallow. Therefore, true liberation comes from seeing through it all, letting go of attachment to the self, and harboring no resentment even when others treat one evilly. Instead, one cultivates compassion, pitying the karmic retribution the evildoer will inevitably suffer for their sins. This is the supreme realm. It requires the highest level of cultivation, self-restraint, and compassion to look upon others with a heart devoid of hatred—vast, open, at ease, and unfettered." Her words flowed without haste or struggle, every single sentence striking home.

Lin Zhaoxiang couldn't help starting in surprise, his eyes widening as he exchanged a mutual glance of astonishment with Old Madam Lin. Both of them wore looks of profound shock.

Old Madam Lin couldn't help blurting out, "This truly is..." She looked Xianglan up and down several times before asking, "Have you truly attained this level of letting go?"

Xianglan shook her head and smiled. "Naturally not. Back in the reception hall just now, when I saw her, I still harbored a bone-deep hatred. Perhaps in a few more years, when the hatred in my heart slowly fades, I will be able to treat her with goodwill. As the Old Master said just now, we are all merely ordinary people—how could anyone remain untouched? Ultimately, she is the one who caused me to lose the ability to ever bear children. Asking me to treat her with kindness right now is probably asking too much of human nature. However, I simply no longer wish to bicker and calculate. If I cannot reach the highest realm, I can at least attain the middle one. Besides, things have already reached this point. No matter how much I hate her, the abortive medicine I was forced to drink cannot be vomited back out. Hating her only brings torment to my own heart. If I were to resort to framing and revenge, how would I be any different from her previous actions? Therefore, I will simply treat her with a sense of fairness and a calm mind. There is neither hatred nor non-hatred; holding fast to a clean conscience and living an upright, open life is enough." With that, she lowered her head to look at Lin Jinyuan. He was still kneeling there in a disheveled heap, looking dejected, with tear tracks clinging to his cheeks, making him look as pathetic as a little cat. Raising her head once more, she said, "Just now, the Old Master asked me whether I would have taken the blame upon myself if the Fourth Young Master hadn't come forward. To be honest, I hadn't thought about it. I merely wanted to spur him into action. The Fourth Young Master is an extremely intelligent person with deep innate wisdom; I knew he would surely take responsibility."

Lin Zhaoxiang sat in silence for a long while after hearing these words. Finally, he let out a long breath and murmured, "Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would hear such words today, let alone from someone of your background." He sighed deeply, shaking his head and nodding repeatedly. "What a pity... what a pity... how lamentable, how lamentable..." The expression in his eyes as he looked at Xianglan had softened entirely, glowing with a complex mix of emotions. After a long pause, he said, "To possess such breadth of mind—no wonder you are able to paint those works of yours. It reminds me of an old friend." With that, he personally picked up the teapot, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to Xianglan, saying, "After speaking at such length just now, you must be thirsty. Have this cup."

Everyone present was struck dumb with shock. Their perception of Xianglan shifted dramatically in an instant. Geng Tonggui thought to himself, I have followed the Old Master for many years, and this is the first time he has ever poured tea for a woman—and this person was even originally a concubine of humble maid origins! Tch, and she happens to be the Eldest Young Master's favorite. It looks like a storm is brewing here. He quietly debated whether he should send word to Lin Jinquan.

Xianglan was startled. She quickly received the cup with both hands, curtsied slightly, and said, "Thank you, Old Master, for your kindness in bestowing this tea."

Seeing that Lin Zhaoxiang's expression had thawed, Old Madam Lin seized the opportune moment to interject, "Let Yuan'er get up now, or at least have him kneel on a cushion. The weather is still chilly; it would be terrible if he actually fell sick. He knows he was wrong now, doesn't he?"

Lin Zhaoxiang immediately pulled a long face again, casting a severe, stern glare toward Lin Jinyuan, who didn't dare to draw a full breath. Lin Zhaoxiang let out a sudden sigh. "This is my fault. Previously, I only knew to push you in your studies, failing to painstakingly teach you how to be a person. I took pride in how many lines of the Four Books my youngest grandson could recite and how many essays a child of his age could write, forgetting that virtue and talent must go hand in hand, with virtue taking precedence over talent. Otherwise, no matter how much you read or how capable you become, if you are filled with base, vulgar tricks and lack moral character, you bring shame upon your ancestors. You'd be better off beaten to death!"

Before his voice had even faded, a chorus of weeping cries echoed from outside. Just as Lin Zhaoxiang was about to send someone to investigate, a maid rushed in to announce that the Second Lady had arrived. Lin Dongqi hurried into the room, her face etched with panic as she cried out, "Old Master, Old Madam, something terrible has happened in the side room! I beg the Old Master to go over and take charge!"