Against the Current - Chapter 37

Chapter 37 - Change of Ownership

Madam Qin acted with resolute swiftness; in less than an hour, Cao Lihuan's luggage was packed, and Lin Jinlou personally ordered a carriage to have it all sent away together. Within a single afternoon, Cao Lihuan vanished from the Lin residence without a trace, like a small pebble tossed into a lake that stirs up a brief ripple before the waters grow calm once more.

Having properly settled the matter concerning Cao Lihuan, Madam Qin dispatched Lulan to inquire after Lin Dongqi's condition, then turned back to the main bedchamber where she resided. Sitting down on the bed, Hongjian immediately brought over a small yellow-enameled lid-bowl and began massaging Madam Qin's shoulders with her own hands.

Madam Qin let out a breath, lifted the lid-bowl, took a sip, and squinted her eyes in comfort, unsure whether it was the refreshing, mellow quality of the tea or the satisfying joy in her heart that felt so pleasing.

Lilin Jinlou lifted the door curtain and walked in, pulling up a chair to sit down. Crossing one leg over the other, he said lazily, "The matter is settled. I originally thought she might throw another tantrum, but after I tossed out a few threats, she didn't even dare let out a peep and obediently cleared out."

Madam Qin glared at him. "Look at the way you're sitting—lacking any proper posture. If your old man sees you like this later, he'll start yelling at you again."

Lin Jinlou flashed a cheeky grin. "My old man wouldn't yell at me over something like this. At most, he'd glare a few times. If he got genuinely angry over this, he'd probably have died of rage long ago."

Madam Qin gave a soft huff of disdain. "The more you speak, the more outrageous you sound." Then, taking on a tone of earnest counsel, she continued, "Now that your superiors are all praising your competence and your ability to stand alone, and they want to promote you a step higher, you mustn't indulge your temper the way you used to. Pull your horns in a bit. Your father is growing older by the day, and as the eldest son, it is only natural that he holds you to a stricter standard. You are not allowed to lose your head and go head-to-head against him."

Lin Jinlou twirled a small teacup on the table, a casual, carefree expression playing across his handsome brows and eyes. "In the military, one must lead by example; among superiors and colleagues, one must put on a facade of pleasantries; and with the stewards at the shops, one must put on a stern face. If a man can't even live as he pleases upon returning home, what fun is there left in life?"

Hearing Lin Jinlou speak thus, Madam Qin felt her heart soften somewhat. Seeing that her son had indeed grown darker from the sun and still appeared somewhat lean, and remembering that the mistress of his own main courtyard was a worrisome sort while the maids he took in were all seductive vixens whom she found lacking in every respect—having finally taken charge to arrange his marriage to a good secondary wife, Qinglan, who was currently with child and unable to attend to him during these days, not to mention that it was still the mourning period for Old Mistress Zeng, making it entirely inappropriate to take in any new concubines for her son—she felt a surge of deep maternal pity. Sighing, she said, "Take care of your health while running about outside. There's no need to push yourself to the absolute limit in military affairs; the family doesn't rely on you to win any greater glory."

Lin Jinlou gave a light chuckle. "I understand." He paused for a moment, then added, "Mother, let me take that little maid who used to serve Cao Lihuan."

Madam Qin was taken aback, her expression turning less than pleased.

Lin Jinlou had originally intended to keep Xianglan to serve by his side. Seeing Madam Qin's expression, the words paused on the tip of his tongue, rolled back down, and he swallowed them to adopt a different pretext. "The maids around Qinglan are all clumsy with their hands and feet. I want to find someone quick-witted, and I heard that girl is good at needlework. She'll be just right to put to use."

Madam Qin picked up her tea bowl and took a sip. "If you're short of maids, just pick one from my quarters. They've all been properly trained and are very well-behaved and obedient."

Lin Jinlou smiled. "The ones by Mother's side are undoubtedly fine, but I just happen to find that Xianglan girl suitable."

Madam Qin furrowed her brows slightly.

Xianglan had saved her daughter's life and, thanks to her, had driven away that sickening little wretch Cao Lihuan. Yet Madam Qin felt that while Xianglan looked honest on the surface, deep down she was not truly submissive or docile. True, Cao Lihuan was a vicious and vile creature, but the fact remained that Xianglan had turned against her master time and time again. For a servant working by one's side, whether one was sharp-witted, clever, literate, or skilled in embroidery—all of these were merely decorative touches. The single most important prerequisite above all else was loyalty. No matter how many faults a master might have, a maid had no business exposing secrets and stirring up trouble. Earlier before Old Mistress Lin, that little maid had appeared pitiful and aggrieved, yet her speech was orderly and articulate, hitting the crucial points every single time. Her entire bearing was completely different from ordinary maids. Moreover, that little girl possessed extraordinary beauty; although she had not yet fully blossomed, her brows and eyes were already as delicately carved as a painting. Such striking beauty paired with such a restless spirit caused Madam Qin to feel a rising sense of wariness.

She had originally intended to assign Xianglan to a place like the kitchens—somewhere with a bit of lucrative perks but minimal direct contact with the masters—simply as a gesture of gratitude. But now that her eldest son was asking for this particular maid, Madam Qin hesitated.

Noticing Madam Qin's expression, Lin Jinlou narrowed his eyes, abruptly stood up, walked over to the doorway, and lifted the curtain. Looking back with a smile, he said, "Mother isn't speaking, so I will take your silence as consent." Ignoring Madam Qin's call, he walked straight outside. Seeing that Xianglan was still standing pitifully under the corridor holding a small bundle, he pointed at her and said, "You, what are you standing there frozen for? Why aren't you following your master?"

Xianglan gave a start. Seeing that it was Lin Jinlou addressing her, a sense of foreboding rose in her heart, but she had no choice except to follow behind him.

Winding through a series of twisting corridors, they unexpectedly arrived back at the Zhichun Pavilion.

Yingge was sitting on a rocking chair beneath the plantain trees, resting with her eyes closed. The maid Dingxiang sat nearby on a small wooden stool, waving a cattail fan lazily to and fro for Yingge. Raising her head and catching sight of Lin Jinlou entering the courtyard, Dingxiang hastily nudged Yingge, whispering, "Mistress, wake up quickly, the Eldest Master is back."

Yingge gave a start, opened her eyes, and sure enough, saw that Lin Jinlou had returned. She quickly scrambled to her feet and called out, "You've returned, Eldest Master."

At that sweet, delicately melodious voice, Xianglan couldn't help shivering slightly. Turning her head, she saw that Yingge's temples were slightly disheveled, her cheeks tinged with a delicate, sickly pallor, and she wore a treasured-blue unlined jacket over a white damask skirt, which only served to highlight an air of absolute, frail vulnerability.

Lin Jinlou offered a slight nod and kept walking. Yingge hurried forward, gently tugging at his sleeve as she said mournfully, "Is the Eldest Master angry with me? Why won't you even look at me... I know it was my own uselessness that failed to protect the Eldest Master's flesh and blood. These past few days, living has felt worse than death to me... Last night I even dreamt of him; it was a chubby little boy who tugged at my skirt and cried, calling me father... I, I..." Her voice choked up, and she began to sob softly.

Dingxiang quickly supported Yingge's arm, playing the part of the fiercely loyal servant. "Mistress hasn't been able to sleep properly these past few days, and she wakes up crying every night. I've tried persuading her countless times, but Mistress still dwells on the child. If this goes on, I truly fear her frail body won't hold out."

Hearing the word "child" instantly stirred a wave of irritation within Lin Jinlou. He cared little for siring children; to him, offspring were merely a formality to ensure someone would kneel and kowtow before his grave a hundred years hence. However, because he was the eldest grandson of the senior branch, his grandparents frequently brought it up, and his parents constantly cared about it as well, turning the birth of a son into a heavy burden resting upon his shoulders. Yingge's child had been aborted because Chunyan drugged her, arousing Lin Jinlou's fury. He had severely punished Chunyan, bestowed gold, silver, and silks upon Yingge, and upon returning home, he frequently visited Yingge's rooms to sit with her. Seeing Yingge weeping previously, he had indeed felt a degree of sympathy and lingering regret, prompting him to offer a few extra words of comfort. Now, however, as Yingge once more grabbed his sleeve to tearfully lament, even though Lin Jinlou felt a growing impatience, he still kept his tone gentle and soothing. "I am not angry with you, and you shouldn't dwell on that upsetting business day after day. Since your health is poor, why must you stand out in the courtyard catching the wind? Go back inside; once I have a moment of leisure, I will come check on you."

Yingge still had a teardrop clinging to the corner of her eye. Seeing that Lin Jinlou appeared somewhat impatient, she forced a smile, curtsied, and said softly, "Then I shall go back and brew a pot of this year's new tea while waiting for the Eldest Master." Turning around, she walked away with a graceful, swaying gait.

Not far away, Huamei sat by the window watching Yingge's retreating figure, sneering, "Bah! Shameless vixen, faking illness again." With a loud clatter, she slammed the propped-up window shut.

Xianglan followed closely behind Lin Jinlou as they walked straight into the east wing of the Zhichun Pavilion. Stepping through the doorway, she was greeted by a warm fragrance. A tall, slender girl was standing inside arranging flowers and plants, with slightly high cheekbones and fine features. Her looks were merely above average, but she carried an air of capable brightness—this was precisely Qinglan's maid, Chunling.

The moment Chunling saw Lin Jinlou arrive, she hastily set down her watering can and chimed in a flurry of words, "The Eldest Master has come. The Second Mistress went out for a stroll and hasn't returned yet. Please take a seat and wait a moment, Master; I'll send a little maid to find the Second Mistress and ask her to come back."

Lin Jinlou replied, "There's no need to call her back. It's rare for her to have the mood to go out and wander." Waving a hand behind him, he summoned Xianglan forward and said, "This is Xianglan, sent here to serve. I hear she is skilled at needlework. Help her get settled, and start her off at the second-class rate."

Seeing that Xianglan had been personally escorted here by Lin Jinlou, Chunling did not dare neglect her, nodding repeatedly. She then added, "We are short of maids for sweeping and cleaning, and as it happens, Yindie—who previously served the girl Chunyan—is currently doing coarse work in the tearoom. The Second Mistress saw that her hands and feet were still nimble, so she asked to bring her over to help, and the Eldest Mistress has already given her nod..."

Lin Jinlou said indifferently, "Such trivial matters don't need to be reported to me." With that, he turned, cast one deep look at Xianglan, and walked out.

Chunling looked Xianglan up and down from head to toe, asking where she had previously served and what tasks she was capable of doing. Her tone was friendly, and upon hearing that Xianglan had originally served the cousin, Miss Cao Lihuan, her eyes lit up with the look of someone eager to fish for gossip. However, noticing Xianglan's dull, vacant expression, Chunling suppressed her curiosity and smiled. "Since you've come to our place, from now on we are all one family. Let me first take younger sister to see her living quarters."

While they were speaking, the maid named Yindie also arrived carrying her bundle. Recognizing her and remembering that she was one of the maids who had entered the manor together and had once been questioned by Zhao Yuechan, Xianglan smiled at Yindie. Yindie, however, simply tossed her head back, turned her face to the side, and acted as though she hadn't seen her at all. Xianglan was momentarily stunned, but she stopped trying to be friendly, picked up her bundle, and followed closely behind Chunling.

Xianglan's new living quarters were located in the side room on the right side of the east wing. There were three beds inside, yet the room did not appear crowded. Each bed was spread with fairly new or lightly used money-patterned brocade bedding of various colors, and beneath each bed sat a chest equipped with a lock and key. A long side table stood beneath the window, holding a round mirror, a vanity case, hair oil, face powder, and other items. Additionally, there were two small foreign-lacquered tables holding teacups and flower vases, with seasonal fresh flowers arranged in the vases and two or three fresh fruits resting on small fruit plates. A begonia-shaped wardrobe stood in the corner of the room, a painting of spring's return hung on the wall, and landscape-patterned embroidered stools and other furniture filled out the room without need for further description.

After leading the two of them into the room, Chunling turned around and left.