Against the Current - Chapter 339

Chapter 339 - Father and Son (Part 1)

Entering the courtyard where Lin Changzheng resided, they saw maidservants such as Hongjian, Lielan, Cuimo, Baoyan, and Yubi standing beneath the veranda. Catching sight of the two of them arriving, they smiled and said, "Madam was just speaking of you, and here you are." Hongjian said quietly, "The Master and Madam are discussing matters inside." With that, she blinked and lifted the door curtain herself. Lin Jinlou understood her meaning and gave a slight nod. Lielan smiled faintly on the side and asked, "What riddle are you two whispering about?" Hongjian smiled and replied, "Nothing much. Just remember to go in and serve tea shortly."

Lin Jinlou and Xianglan stepped through the doorway side by side. Lin Changzheng and Madam Qin were both seated in the inner parlor, while Concubine Bao held up the door curtain. Lin Jinlou led Xianglan inside, and as Xianglan swept her gaze across the room, she saw that the interior furnishings had been entirely replaced. Every bedding quilt, chair cover, brocade cushion, and backrest was made of top-quality ink-splashed blue satin, though they looked somewhat weathered rather than brand new. On the kang sat a small multi-colored lacquer table inlaid with mother-of-pearl, holding a pale pink official-kiln soup bowl and a celadon ram-headed handled ewer. A black lacquer bracket-footed tray with indented corners held several varieties of delicate pastries, all of which were items meant to clear internal heat and promote bodily fluids. On either side of the platform bed stood lacquer-painted square tables, upon which rested a pair of Song dynasty white glaze vases holding newly snapped orchid flowers and golden lotus blossoms. Hanging on the wall were the four characters "Zhonghe Weiyu" executed in a lean, vigorous, square, grand, and unrestrained calligraphic style displaying immense strength. Below it stood a begonia-shaped table scattered with a few books. There was no burning incense in the room; instead, several small pottery urns were placed near the base of the walls, filled in the center with seasonal fruits that both served as a snack and filled the room with a fresh, fruity fragrance. It was clearly evident that this room had been freshly rearranged to suit Lin Changzheng's personal tastes. While it lacked a flamboyant or opulent appearance—making those who knew nothing of such things mistake it for ordinary—anyone with a discerning eye could instantly recognize the immense value of the furnishings and curios.

Here, Lin Changzheng and Madam Qin were seated facing each other on the platform bed with no one else present. Madam Qin wore an eight-treasures bun on her head with her hair combed smooth and glossy, adorned with gold-threaded hairpins and a warm, lustrous pair of white jade earrings. She wore an amber-colored leno-silk overgown with an onion-yellow damask quilted skirt, holding a teacup in her hands and leaning slightly forward as she spoke with Lin Changzheng. Lin Changzheng wore a grey satin robe without a belt, a pensive expression on his face, and looked over the moment the two entered. Xianglan saw that he had a rectangular face, a pale greenish-white complexion, long eyebrows, narrow eyes, a lion-like nose, and a wide mouth. His gaze was sharp, yet he appeared scholarly, gentle, calm, and composed. Though a smile seemed to linger at the corners of his mouth, it was enough to strike ungrounded terror into a person's heart. He glanced briefly at Lin Jinlou before fixing his stare entirely on Xianglan.

Xianglan felt a slight flutter of panic and instinctively lowered her gaze slightly, steadying her state of mind. She heard Lin Changzheng ask, "What brings you here?"

Lin Jinlou smiled and said, "Your son has come to pay his respects to Father and Mother."

Lin Changzheng sneered, "With guests visiting the household, I can't even command you to help. Do you still acknowledge me as your father?"

Seeing that the situation was turning sour, Madam Qin hurriedly chimed in, "Lou'er has been busy these past few days—one moment attending to imperial duties, the next to Ministry of War affairs. If he were kept at home to entertain guests, what would happen if his official responsibilities were delayed? Now that he is a man who speaks in public spheres, how can he be kept cooped up at home like a child, forced to see whomever people demand?" With that, she turned the conversation, beckoning to Xianglan and saying, "Good child, come here." Once Xianglan reached her side, she took her hand and said to Lin Changzheng, "This is Xianglan, the one I mentioned to you."

Lin Changzheng looked Xianglan up and down, gave a faint smile on his face, and said, "I've heard about you saving Lou'er. To possess such loyalty is truly no small feat."

Hearing this phrasing grated on Lin Jinlou's nerves. Before the words had even fully faded, he furrowed his brow and snapped, "How can this be called loyalty? This is deep affection."

Acting as though he hadn't heard, Lin Changzheng continued to gaze at Xianglan as he smiled, "I heard that your entire family originally belonged to the estate as servants? You are a family-born bondmaid by origin?"

Hearing this, Lin Jinlou found it even more unpalatable. Just as his brow was about to arch in anger, Madam Qin's heart leaped straight into her throat, and she hurriedly flashed him frantic eye signals. Xianglan's face turned pale, her fingernails digging deeply into her palms. Looking back at Lin Changzheng, she saw that his expression remained benign, yet his pair of eyes held an unfathomable look. Composing herself, she gave a light, calm smile and said, "That is correct. My family originally served as bondservants to the Lin family."

Madam Qin gave a slight cough and smiled, "That is ancient history now—has she not long since been struck off the household registry?" Smiling at Xianglan, she tried to pivot the conversation elsewhere. "I heard that a few days ago, Old Madam specially bestowed a set of jewelry upon you, and a most precious one at that. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be granted such face..."

Lin Changzheng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and suddenly interrupted Madam Qin. Looking at Lin Jinlou with a pointed expression, he remarked, "No wonder. Though she may not be frivolous, she is ultimately lacking. It is only natural that she cannot compare to the poise and nobility of young ladies from proper official households."

Lin Jinlou instantly flared up, forcing himself to endure as he retorted, "What kind of look is that on your face? Why is she inferior to anyone else? Her appearance, her character, her conduct in the world, her internal learning—from head to toe she is utterly wonderful. No matter whose young lady you pull out, just bring them forward for comparison—"

Hearing this, Lin Changzheng's expression instantly plummeted. The moment Madam Qin saw trouble brewing, she rushed to smooth things over, but before she could speak, Xianglan said, "His lordship speaks truly." The three of them froze and turned to look at her in unison. Xianglan smiled gracefully and said, "Being a notch lower makes it very difficult to possess genuine poise and nobility, my lord."

Lin Changzheng set down his teacup and looked closely at Xianglan. He saw that her demeanor was serene and unflustered—neither humble nor arrogant—though it could not hide the pallor of her face, which lent her an extra touch of fragility, yet her spine was held rigidly straight. It was plainly evident that she was a clever person who had already grasped the sharp edge hidden within his words. Having humiliated her right to her face on their very first meeting, Lin Changzheng felt a trace of reluctance, but the thought that a person of such lowly status harbored wild ambitions hardened his heart once more. He spoke up, "You are a person who understands propriety, which is excellent. You have rendered service; so long as you serve diligently in the future and show utmost respect to the legitimate mistress of the house, the Lin family will certainly not treat you unfairly. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to speak up. However, should you stir up trouble or harbor ulterior motives—" At this point, he glanced at Xianglan and said with deep significance, "You don't need me to spell out what the outcome would be, do you?"

Xianglan felt a sudden restriction in her breathing and managed to reply, "Yes..." Lin Jinlou wore a completely expressionless face as he grabbed Xianglan's arm, shoved her outward, and commanded, "Get outside."

Xianglan was startled and offered a slight struggle. Still maintaining his dark expression, Lin Jinlou said, "I told you to get out, so go." With both hands, he propelled Xianglan out of the room. Catching sight of the cluster of maidservants whispering and laughing softly beneath the veranda, he pointed to Hongjian and Lielan and instructed, "You two, escort her back properly and make it quick."

Hongjian and Lielan were startled. Seeing the unusual look on Lin Jinlou's face, which was far from his usual demeanor, they hurried forward to flank her. Xianglan could not help tugging at Lin Jinlou's sleeve and murmured, "Master..." She wanted to tell him not to bicker with Lin Changzheng, but with the maidservants standing right beside them, the words were difficult to voice. She could only say, "Today's outcome was entirely expected; I knew it would be like this all along."

Lacking any patience, Lin Jinlou forced a tight smile, patted her hand, and said, "This has nothing to do with you, go back first." Turning back to Hongjian and Lielan, he added, "Escort her back promptly and do not let her wander back. Stay there with her; you are not permitted to return until I come back."

The two maids were sharp-witted and knew something serious was afoot, so they repeatedly answered in assent. Turning back around, Lin Jinlou strode directly into the room and lifted the door curtain. He saw Madam Qin whispering something to Lin Changzheng; seeing Lin Jinlou enter, she promptly clamped her mouth shut, feigned innocence, and smiled, "Your father was just saying he intends to bestow some things upon Xianglan." As she spoke, she retrieved a lacquered wooden square box carved with cranes and deer.

A raging fire burned within Lin Jinlou's chest. Without even glancing at it, he took the box and tossed it aside. Her heart fluttering with anxiety, Madam Qin could not stop shooting him frantic warning glances. Lin Changzheng's expression remained calm as he leisurely poured himself another cup of tea, took a sip, and then another, before finally lifting his eyelids to look at Lin Jinlou. "Just what is it that you want?"

A surge of stifled frustration welled up inside Lin Jinlou as he coolly replied, "What I want is something Father should already know in his heart. Why ask when you know the answer?"

Lin Changzheng nodded. "You had your mother sound out my intentions, and today you drag the person here on purpose. Step by step, you've played quite a fine game of chess."

It felt as though a heavy iron weight had been dropped into Lin Jinlou's chest. He suppressed the fire in his heart time and time again. Because his grandfather refused to take charge of Xianglan's matter from above, he had no choice but to patiently weather this obstacle with his father. Otherwise, Xianglan would have no peace in the future, and any household scandals would invite malicious public scrutiny. Softening his tone, he pleaded, "Father, I am no longer young, and I have long lacked a suitable person by my side. I have made up my mind—it is Xianglan..."

"Wasn't she already a person by your side long ago? Who ever stopped you? If you think highly of her, whether you hold a banquet or celebrate it with great pomp, it is entirely up to your wishes. Let her be carried in through the main gate in a grand little sedan chair; even if she has borne no children, elevate her to the status of a concubine. Who could possibly utter a single word of dissent?"

"Father, she is not to be a concubine..."

"If not a concubine, what is she? What else do you want?!"

"..."

"Speak! What else do you want?!" With a resounding crack, he slammed his hand down onto the table. "You unfilial wretch! Do you intend to turn the entire Lin household upside down?!"

"Oh, goodness me, enough is enough! Is there nothing that cannot be discussed peacefully? Father, have a sip of tea. The weather is dry, so you must take care of your health—don't ruin your voice by shouting." Madam Qin stood up, personally poured a cup of tea for Lin Changzheng, and then hurried to Lin Jinlou's side. Stricken with deep anxiety, she alternated between casting warning glances and pulling her eldest son's arm, lowering her voice to say, "Talk to your father properly, don't lose your temper."

Lin Jinlou's heart hammered like a thunder drum, a rush of blood pounding against his temples. His fists clenched, relaxed, and clenched again until the veins bulged fiercely. "I want her to stay by my side while she lives and share the same burial vault when she dies. I want to give her the status of a legitimate wife. She is worthy of it, and she can bear it."

Driven to fury, Lin Changzheng instead let out a cold laugh. "Worthy of it? You actually dare to say that! You actually dare to utter such words! Lin! Jin! Lou! I am ashamed on your behalf! You have completely disgraced the ancestors of the Lin family! Marriage has always been a matter of parents' orders and matchmakers' words. You—you—you actually dare to marry a lowly bondmaid! Setting aside how this will look once word spreads and how the Lin household will be viewed by outsiders, just place your hand on your heart and ask yourself: how can you ever justify the painstaking efforts and meticulous upbringing the entire family poured into nurturing you?" The more he spoke, the angrier he became. With a wave of his arm and a loud clatter, he overturned the multicolored lacquer mother-of-pearl table onto the floor, sending shattered bowls and spilled soup flying everywhere in a messy wreckage. Pointing his slightly trembling finger at Lin Jinlou, he bellowed, "You unfilial wretch, utterly blinded by female charm! Unfilial wretch!"

Lin Jinlou felt as though a thunderbolt had struck him squarely on the head. For the first time in his life, his hands and feet grew ice cold. Clenching his teeth, he retorted, "She has long ceased to be a mere servant! She has never acted like a servant; she—"

Lin Changzheng was so enraged his mouth twisted askew, glaring fiercely at Lin Jinlou. "Even if she were a celestial being descending from the heavens, she is still the seed of a bondservant! Don't think I don't know—the friction and hostility between the Lin and Jiang clans reached this current state entirely because of her! With her around, when has your inner courtyard ever known peace? What respectable young lady would ever be willing to marry in? Not only is she the seed of a bondservant, she is a harbinger of disaster! Relying merely on a couple bits of beauty and the ability to scribble a few worthless paintings, she has completely addled your brains, casting propriety, righteousness, integrity, shame, filial piety, and fraternal duty to the winds. Truly, the older you get, the more capable you become, ah! Out of consideration for the fact that she indeed rendered service to our family, I turned a blind eye to it all, but who would have expected you to push your luck and demand an inch after taking a yard! I am laying my words right here today: if you want to marry her, you can only do so over my dead body!"