Against the Current - Chapter 54

Chapter 54 - Gazing Afar

Now, once Xianglan agreed to take charge of the poetry society matters, she began organizing them day and night. Firstly, she wished to avoid disturbing Qinglan's rest; secondly, since she only claimed to be assisting Mother Wu in handling affairs rather than courting public attention, she simply moved to live in the Verdant Gathering Lodge. She busied herself late into every night, with Mother Wu coming over in the evenings to keep her company.

On this particular dusk, just as the gardens were about to be locked up for the evening, a young page of seven or eight years old came to knock on the door of the Verdant Gathering Lodge. When Xianglan stepped out to check, the little boy was carrying a square, lacquer-painted food box with a wave pattern, and announced, "My master says the elder sister has been busy and exhausted these past few days, and has sent me to deliver some refreshments." With that, he walked straight into the room on his own accord, opened the food box, and drew out a high-stemmed porcelain chalice with inlaid blue-and-white patterns, a small dish of side dishes, and a plate of pastries.

Xianglan lifted the lid of the high-stemmed chalice to take a look and saw that inside was duck soup with wolfberries and red dates, milky-white and delicate, with an enticing aroma. Seeing that the little page boy looked unfamiliar—not one of the pages on duty in the corridors of the Spring-Knowing Hall—she asked, "Who is your master? Concubine Lan?"

The little boy's eyes rolled around in a lively manner as he smiled and replied, "It's not her. Sister Xianglan will know the moment she steps outside the courtyard gate." With that, he picked up the food box and turned to leave.

Xianglan hurried out after him and stood at the courtyard entrance. The little boy pointed far off toward the moon-shaped doorway ahead: "Sister, look over there."

Xianglan craned her neck to look and saw that beside the moon gate stood a dense, lush thicket of bamboo. Someone was standing right behind those stalks of bamboo, faintly revealing half a face and the indigo patterned hem of a robe. Perceiving that Xianglan was looking at him, the person used a hand to gently push aside the bamboo grove right in front of him, and Song柯's handsome, fair-complexioned face instantly materialized before her eyes.

Xianglan was struck dumb, instantly immobilized as if under a binding spell, unable to move so much as a muscle. She opened her mouth, yet no words came forth. Her mind was entirely blank, save for a single voice echoing in her heart: How did he know I was at the Verdant Gathering Lodge? He cares about me... My husband has sent food to me...

Song Ke flashed a bright smile at Xianglan. Only then did Xianglan snap out of her daze. She hastily dipped into a curtsey, folding her hands and offering a graceful bow. A wave of warmth surged through Song Ke's heart as he smiled and nodded slightly in return.

The little page boy was exceptionally sharp. He said to Xianglan, "Sister, take your time enjoying it when you go back. I'll come collect the empty bowl tomorrow. My name is Mung Bean; if Sister has any errands to run or wishes to pass any message to our master, just give me your instructions."

Though Xianglan knew it violated propriety, she could not restrain herself. Fishing a few copper coins from her sleeve, she said, "Please thank your master properly for me, and tell him there is no need to go to such expense in the future—I have accepted his kind intentions."

Mung Bean, however, refused to accept the coins and darted away like a puff of smoke.

Raising her head, Xianglan saw that Song Ke was still standing near the moon gate. She longed to linger and gaze at him a while longer, but fearing that eyes and ears were everywhere and someone might spot them, she had no choice but to walk inside with lingering reluctance and close the courtyard gate. Peering out through a crack in the door until Song Ke and Mung Bean turned and left, she finally gathered her composure and walked back into the room.

Facing the delicate dishes laid out on the table, a turbulent mix of emotions washed over her. Throughout these past few days, she had repeatedly admonished herself to sever those illusory, unattainable yearnings, and she truly believed she had endured enough to forge an unshakeable resolve. Yet when the moment actually arrived upon her doorstep, the sight of Song Ke inevitably stirred memories of their past life—of matching eyebrows raised in mutual respect and the deep devotion of sharing life's hardships together.

Xianglan lifted the high-stemmed chalice. Before the soup could even touch her lips, tears slipped down her cheeks first.

As it turned out, ever since their parting last time, Song Ke had constantly harbored the wish to claim Xianglan for himself, but unfortunately, it coincided with Lin Jinlou's departure away from home. Lin Jingting had originally intended to give Zhao Yuechan a heads-up and take Xianglan directly back with him, but as luck would have it, he learned that this Xianglan had been bestowed a box of imperial Crystal Jade Orchid Snow Ointment by his eldest brother. That made Lin Jingting hesitate. Lin Jinlou's behavior clearly indicated he held a certain level of genuine regard for this little maid named Xianglan; whisking her away without prior notice might prove inappropriate. Thus, he had no choice but to wait for Lin Jinlou's return before making further plans.

Song Ke kept Xianglan constantly on his mind and had asked Lin Jingting to help inquire about her situation. Upon learning that Xianglan had moved to the Verdant Gathering Lodge for the sake of the poetry society, he had dispatched someone to deliver some refreshments, letting Xianglan know that he had not forgotten her. Fortunately, the Verdant Gathering Lodge and the Cloud-Sleeping Courtyard where Lin Jingting resided were located quite close to one another, so he could walk back and forth without arousing suspicion or doubt from others.

"...Sister Xianglan didn't say much else, except to ask the Eldest Master not to go to any more trouble, and that she accepted his kind intentions." Mung Bean scratched his head. "She even tried to give me a few coins, but of course I couldn't take them."

Song Ke heaved a silent sigh, turning his head to gaze back at the small courtyard gate of the Verdant Gathering Lodge, as if he could still catch a glimpse of that slender, delicate figure.

By now the setting sun was dipping below the horizon, and the elderly matron in charge of patrolling the gardens came strolling by. Seeing Song Ke standing near the doorway, she hurried up with a ingratiating smile and said, "Eldest Master Ke, it's time to lock up the gardens. You should come back for a stroll tomorrow."

Casting one final glance backward, Song Ke took Mung Bean and departed.

From that day onward, Mung Bean brought food every single day. Xianglan would stand at the doorway and bow to Song Ke, the two of them gazing at each other across the distance. Though they exchanged not a single word, they seemed to understand each other's deepest sentiments, and that bittersweet feeling of words left unsaid proved utterly intoxicating.

The appointed day for the poetry society finally arrived, and Qinglan personally took the invitation cards to deliver them to Qin. Qin came to the Verdant Gathering Lodge to inspect the grounds and found that the place had taken on a completely new look. Inside and out, over a hundred pots of blooming flowers were arranged in a riot of colorful splendor, while two pomegranate trees in the courtyard were in the thick of their blossoming. Outside the courtyard guarded a clear, flowing stream, several peculiar rockery stones, and a winding, secluded corridor. Although it could not compare to other more refined quarters in elegance, it possessed a distinct and charming appeal of its own.

After Qin asked a few questions and verified that every single detail had indeed been properly managed, she could not help but feel profoundly astonished.

The following day, the female family members from various households arrived in a steady stream of carriages and sedan chairs. Early that morning, Qinglan had changed into a round-collared robe of flesh-pink silk with phoenix-tail patterns in pink and white, edged with embroidered gold trim. She had Chunling style her hair into an exquisite double-loop silver-threaded topknot and applied a touch of powder to her face. Even though her pregnancy was now beginning to show, she was far from bloated; standing amidst the crowd, she still cut the picture of a charming, pretty young bride. Because she was not particularly well-versed in the social niceties of welcoming and seeing off guests, Qin had instructed Lin Dongqi to stay by her side to assist and prompt her. Before long, wives and madams arrived in groups of twos and threes, and the Verdant Gathering Lodge buzzed with lively chatter.

Xianglan cared little for bustling crowds. She simply fetched a small stool and sat toward the back, keeping a close eye on the kitchens as the dishes were being served. Mother Wu walked over on light footsteps, tapped Xianglan on the shoulder, and said, "Why are you sitting out here? It's awfully lively up front, with around twenty guests in total. You should go up front yourself and collect some tips and rewards."

Xianglan smiled and replied, "If I leave, who will keep an eye on the kitchen as they serve the courses?"

Mother Wu asked, "Have you eaten yet?"

Xianglan answered, "I had a bite a moment ago."

Mother Wu continued, "The dishes are practically all served by now anyway; what comes next are just porridges and pastries. I'll have Chunling come over to watch, and you can head up front. I just mentioned to the Madam how much we owe to your meticulous care these past few days, and the Madam said she wants you to come right over so she can reward you handsomely."

Xianglan hesitated slightly.

Mother Wu urged, "Go on. Your efforts here have won tremendous prestige for the concubine. The Madam has bestowed rewards upon every single maid—even Xiaojian and Yindie received red envelopes."

Only then did Xianglan make her way to the front. As she looked across the courtyard filled with the brilliance of pearls and jades accompanied by the melodious sounds of laughter and chatter, she skirted along the base of the wall. There, she noticed a beautiful matron seated right beside Qin, sharing a striking resemblance in facial features, the two of them deep in lively and cheerful conversation.