Against the Current - Chapter 331

Chapter 331 - Handling (Part 2)

Li Miaozhi felt a surge of triumphant relief. Seeing that Madam Wang had left and there were no longer any figures of authority to fear in the room, she used her handkerchief to fan herself lightly against her chest, and sneered, "Su Yiniang was putting on quite a fierce display just now, crying and making a scene, and even managed to frighten Madam into fainting. Since you've already vented your anger, is there any need for someone else to dispense justice for you?"

Su Meiru wiped away a tear as she turned her head, looking utterly pitiful as she asked, "What does Third Young Madam mean by those words? I have already been debased to such a lowly state, merely dragging out my days... I know full well that I am an unwelcome presence, and it is only right that Third Young Madam should make me lose face in this manner..."

A rush of anger surged straight to Li Miaozhi's throat. She forced a chuckle and said, "One's dignity is always something earned for oneself; it cannot be twisted this way and that by a pair of flapping lips. Right and wrong are clear as day to everyone here!"

Upon hearing this, Su Meiru covered her face and burst into bitter tears, beating her chest and stamping her feet as she cried, "Fine, fine! Since I am just a cheap, lowly creature, I might as well just die!" With that, she lunged toward the southern wall, intending to smash her head against it. The maidservants and older matrons panicked and scrambled to hold her back.

Li Miaozhi pointed straight at Su Meiru and yelled furiously, "Let her go and smash her head! I refuse to believe she has the guts to actually die!"

The room instantly dissolved into utter chaos. Su Meiru wept with heart-wrenching misery, screaming phrases like "I refuse to go on living!" and "It'll be clean once I'm dead!", before suddenly wailing aloud, "My poor child, come along with me!" Over on this side, Li Miaozhi shrieked in rage, "Let her die! No one is to hold her back!" This made the commotion several degrees more chaotic than before.

Xianglan remained completely composed and unfazed, only knitting her brows slightly. Li Miaozhi was young after all, hot-tempered and unable to keep her cool. From the moment Li Miaozhi and Lin Dongqi had come over to speak with her earlier, Xianglan had already recognized that this woman was petty and unforgiving. Having suffered consecutive verbal jabs from Su Meiru just moments ago, compounded by old grievances, she had now completely lost her patience.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xiyun proved to be quite clever. Hearing Ruizhu mention that Xianglan had come on Lin Zhaoxiang's behalf, her heart sank. Realizing that chaos had broken out, her mind raced through countless schemes in an instant, and within the span of a breath, she assumed a terrified, dumbfounded expression. Trembling as she clutched at her own sleeve, she let the teardrops fall one by one, weeping softly and quietly. Abruptly, she lunged forward to tug at Su Meiru's sleeve, shaking her gently with a weak, powerless motion as she wept and pleaded, "Su Yiniang, Su Yiniang, every single fault is entirely my fault! If you aren't pacified, just come and punish me, but please, you must take care of your health!"

Su Meiru's heart sank, thinking to herself that this vixen was truly a formidable opponent. Before she could even react, Li Miaozhi was already bursting with fury. She stepped forward, grabbed hold of Jiang Xiyun, and demanded, "Why must you demean yourself like this? What is there to apologize to her for? If she wants to die, let her go!"

Jiang Xiyun gently brushed away her tears and choked out, "Good sister, I beg you to persuade Su Yiniang. If any mishap should befall her, even death wouldn't absolve me of the blame!"

With an expression of utter exasperation at Jiang Xiyun's weakness, Li Miaozhi stamped her foot and sighed, "You, oh you! You've had this overly honest temperament since you were a child, and look at how much you've suffered because of it!"

This remark almost caused Xianglan to burst out laughing, though she inwardly shook her head at the same time. She first stepped up to Li Miaozhi and said, "Third Young Madam, the bracelet has already been found. This was never a major matter to begin with, so I beg Third Young Madam not to let it upset you. Today is Old Madam's joyous birthday, and by all reason and propriety, we should make a big issue small. Since the Old Master has sent me here to handle matters, please step aside for a moment, Third Young Madam, and have a cup of tea."

While Li Miaozhi had been boiling with anger, the sound of these words cleared her head by more than half. However, possessing a personality where she had to return ten barbs for every insult she received, she remained filled with lingering resentment and still wanted to speak. Xianglan stepped forward slightly, cast a subtle glance toward the window, and hinted, "Third Young Madam, why not go take a seat for a moment?" Catching a glimpse of a figure lingering near the window out of the corner of her eye, Li Miaozhi suddenly understood. Her expression shifted slightly, her fierce momentum instantly deflating a notch, and she allowed her personal maid to pull her aside to a seat.

Xianglan then turned back to Su Meiru, speaking in a soft, soothing tone, "Alright, please stop crying. What will you do if you fall sick from all this weeping? As your months grow larger, preserving your health and taking good care of the little master in your belly is what truly matters."

Hearing Xianglan's gentle words, Su Meiru felt as though she had encountered a kindred spirit. She slumped against Xianglan's shoulder and wept even more uncontrollably.

Stroke by stroke, Xianglan smoothed Su Meiru's disheveled temples, lowering her voice to murmur directly into her ear, "Su Yiniang, you are a clever woman. You should understand the saying: 'Fine wine is best enjoyed when lightly intoxicated, and gorgeous flowers are finest when half-in-bloom.' In all things, one must know when to stop. Today you've displayed plenty of prestige, voiced enough of your grievances, and secured the upper hand. You would be wise to quit while you're ahead; if you press an advantage for too long, you'll end up suffering for it."

Su Meiru shuddered all over, and her weeping gradually subsided.

Xianglan spoke in a low murmur, "If this blows up into a massive scandal, both sides will suffer. Jiang Xiyun is, after all, a young lady from a prominent family. If you truly tear down every shred of decency between you, it will be like destroying a thousand of the enemy while losing eight hundred of your own men. Why put yourself through that? She is a relative of the Old Madam's house, and today is Old Madam's birthday; you ought to keep a proper sense of proportion in your heart."

Su Meiru's sobs grew fainter still, leaving only her shoulders heaving rhythmically. Taking advantage of the moment, Xianglan guided her to a chair and instructed the maids standing by, "Why aren't you hurrying off to pour a bowl of calming tea for Su Yiniang?"

Straightening up, Xianglan turned around to see Jiang Xiyun still wearing a wronged expression, weeping incessantly. She walked straight over, turned her body to face Jiang Xiyun while keeping her back to the rest of the room, and spoke in a low voice, "Fifth Miss Jiang, let's stop beating around the bush and speak plainly. You and I know full well what happened back then. Leaving things unsaid right now is simply a matter of preserving mutual face." As soon as these words left her lips, Jiang Xiyun abruptly snapped her head up to stare at her.

Xianglan's expression remained serene. "The Lin family is magnanimous. Sending you here today is meant to restore your reputation. For this reason alone, you ought to feel deeply grateful and know when to be content. No matter how lowly Su Yiniang may seem to you, she is currently a member of the Lin family. As the old saying goes, 'Even if you don't care about the monk, you must respect the Buddha.' Let alone the fact that she merely provoked you with a few words, even if she had said something far more unbearable, you should have gritted your teeth and endured it. Don't forget why you came here today."

Jiang Xiyun fixed her clear, round eyes upon Xianglan, biting her lower lip in secret. She had seen Xianglan signal Li Miaozhi earlier, and having sneaked a peek toward the window, she knew that someone was standing there in silhouette—most likely Lin Zhaoxiang himself. Realizing she was caught in a difficult predicament where she could neither advance nor retreat, she could no longer afford to give herself away. Adopting a look of profound sorrow, she lowered her voice and said, "I know you resent me... but I truly was wronged in this matter..." Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks once more.

Xianglan stared at her for a moment before abruptly asking, "Fifth Miss, there is a question I've always wanted to ask you: does your habit of acting spoiled and coquettish stem from your genuine nature, or do you have some other motive entirely?"

This single question completely stunned Jiang Xiyun.

Watching her, Xianglan's gaze held a trace of disdain, but even more so, a profound sense of pity. "Acting spoiled and cute toward those you love and cherish, seeking to please and win affection, is an expression of true nature and is naturally endearing. But if you use it merely as a skill, as a technique to extract unearned benefits and material gains, then it becomes contemptible. How much sincerity truly lies behind your actions is something you know best in your heart. Do you know? Every time I watched you putting on an act around people from whom you hoped to gain favors, I felt a sense of pity for you. Trading away the beautiful things in human nature to use as transactional currency is the saddest thing in this world, and the way you're performing right now is no different."

Jiang Xiyun felt as though she had been struck a heavy physical blow. With reddened eyes, she glared at Xianglan, her gaze growing increasingly fierce, while strings of teardrops rolled down her cheeks. Her lips trembling, she spat out, "What do you know? You understand nothing... You know nothing at all... You think I wanted to..."

Xianglan stated quietly, "Whether you wanted to or not, every path you've walked was chosen by yourself. You don't need to look at me like that; you are shrewd, and even if all the people in this room were tied together, they wouldn't be a match for your wits. You know full well what I am referring to. Since that is the case, you had better dry your tears. If this scandal gets blown wide open, your own reputation won't remain spotless either."

Jiang Xiyun's fair, plump, and tender hands clenched her handkerchief so tightly her knuckles turned white. She bit her lower lip hard, finally halting her weeping.

The room plunged into silence once more, with only Su Meiru's intermittent sniffling breaking the quiet.

Xianglan let out a long breath, secretly feeling grateful that Miaozhi, Meiru, and Xiyun were all clever women who understood a hint the moment it was dropped, with no unreasonable troublemakers in the mix, which saved her an immense amount of effort.

Outside the window, Lin Zhaoxiang nodded slightly. Just a moment ago, the room had been an absolute madhouse, yet Xianglan—despite her awkward status—had stepped inside without throwing around any senior titles to pressure people, without putting on airs of authority, and without resorting to harsh, scolding tones. Although he hadn't caught every word because Xianglan spoke in a low and gentle voice, he had witnessed how her soft speech and amiable demeanor managed to calm a room full of difficult, sharp-tongued women and settle the chaotic situation in just a few brief sentences.

Standing right beside Lin Zhaoxiang to steady him, Lin Dongqi watched her grandfather nod and shake his head in turn, prompting her to ask in a quiet whisper, "Grandfather?"

Lin Zhaoxiang glanced at Lin Dongqi and suddenly sighed, "Third Girl, you must remember this: compared to someone who relies on a booming voice and an imposing, majestic posture to suppress a situation, a person who can make others quiet down and listen simply by speaking in soft, gentle tones is far more formidable. No wonder even that tyrannical Lou fellow let himself be tamed by her."

Before his voice had even faded, Madam Qin hurried over in a flurry, flanked by Hongjian and Shuran. Spotting Lin Zhaoxiang standing by the side room, she quickly stepped forward and asked, "Grandfather, what brings you all the way out here?"

This exclamation startled the occupants inside the side room. With a slight cough, Lin Zhaoxiang, supported by Lin Dongqi, walked slowly toward the entrance. Ruizhu had already lifted the door curtain, and Lin Zhaoxiang stepped across the threshold, with Madam Qin and the others following closely behind.

Lin Zhaoxiang entered the room, took his seat, and swept his cold, piercing gaze across everyone present.

Su Meiru already grasped the situation somewhat; her knees went weak, and she dropped straight to the floor, weeping pitifully as she cried, "Old Master... I beg Old Master to administer justice... To humiliate me alone is one thing, but what is being disgraced now is the face of the entire Lin family..." Before she could finish, her voice choked in her throat, leaving her barely able to draw breath, looking utterly pathetic.

Seeing Su Meiru weeping like pear blossoms in the rain, Jiang Xiyun hastily dropped to her knees on the other side as well. Her face was etched with grievance and distress, yet she forcibly held back her tears as she said, "Su Yiniang and I had a misunderstanding in our words, which made Su Yiniang angry. If her health has been impaired because of this, then I am truly unforgivable... Every single fault is entirely my own fault... Yet I do indeed harbor a grievance in my heart. It was merely a casual, offhand joke, perhaps a slip of the tongue—why did Su Yiniang take it so personally and pin it on herself? What I said concerning Lord Jia's household is common knowledge throughout the capital. If someone else were to bring this up tomorrow, and Su Yiniang took it to heart again, then... then..." Unable to finish her sentence, Jiang Xiyun choked up, turning her head away to cover her face and weep.

Li Miaozhi couldn't help stepping forward to interject, "That's right, Old Master. This matter was originally just a casual remark, spoken entirely without malice as a joke." She glanced at Su Meiru as she added, "It's just that some people perhaps harbor a guilty conscience, so whenever they hear a story, they feel as though it's poking fun at them."

Lin Dongxiu let out a sudden snort of laughter and muttered to herself as if speaking aloud, "Was it a real joke or a fake joke? Does anyone else take us for fools? You can't hear what's what? Only someone completely out of their mind would rush forward to claim insults meant for others and pin them onto themselves."

Lin Dongqi hastily gave Lin Dongxiu a sharp nudge with her elbow. Lin Dongxiu rolled her eyes, but reluctantly shut her mouth.

Su Meiru, however, refused to say a single word. She only shook her head, weeping even more pitifully than before.

Jiang Xiyun didn't sit idle either. Crawling forward a few paces on her knees until she reached Lin Zhaoxiang's feet, she clutched at the hem of his robe. Tears streaming down like broken beads, she wailed in a heart-rending, miserable tone, "Old Master, every word I've spoken comes from the bottom of my heart. I was merely recounting a piece of gossip, and after a brief verbal spat with Su Yiniang, I was fully prepared to apologize to avoid making a fuss and ruining the joyful atmosphere of Old and Young Masters' birthday celebrations. Who would have thought that Su Meiru would actually go and mention this to Second Aunt, frightening her into a dead faint? My heart is filled with guilt, which is why I've been apologizing to Su Yiniang this entire time..." Looking completely heartbroken, she wept miserably, turned her gaze toward Su Meiru, and pleaded mournfully, "Su Yiniang, Su Yiniang, I apologize to you once more! If you aren't satisfied, you can curse me out again, beat me a few times, or kick me a few more. Whatever makes you happy, just do as you please." As she spoke, she wept continuously, looking utterly pitiful and forlorn.