Against the Current - Chapter 67
Chapter 67 - The Target (Part 1)
To return to the narrative: Once Zhao Yuechan had returned to the estate, she had water brought in to wash up and freshen herself before eating lunch. As the bowls and chopsticks were cleared away, Yingshuang served a cup of hot tea and hesitated, stammering, "First Young Madam, there is something I wonder if I ought to mention or not..." Her eyes darted quietly toward Zhao Yuechan.
Frowning, Zhao Yuechan snapped, "If you have something to say, spit it out. Spare me the nonsense about whether it ought to be mentioned or not."
Yingshuang said, "The Cousin Young Master... perhaps the First Young Madam should stop seeing him. He's only after the First Young Madam's silver and has never been sincere toward you. Otherwise, when the Lin family came to propose marriage, why did he simply play dead and do nothing?"
Sipping her tea, Zhao Yuechan replied, "Do you think I don't know he's after my silver and lacks sincerity? He and I grew up together, and we did share some affection back then. I was utterly infatuated with him at the time, but who would have thought he'd wipe his mouth and slip away? When things came to light, he lacked any sense of responsibility and instead packed his bags and bolted, only to return after getting married. Sure, I've resented him—but so what? Right now, I still have use for him. There isn't a single circle, high or low, that he doesn't know; he gets along smoothly in society, possesses high methods, and handles things thoroughly and discreetly. Without him, how could every single sum of usury money I lend out be returned with both principal and interest? Having him help manage affairs outside gives me peace of mind." With that, she sighed, shifting her posture upward, and Yingshuang hurriedly stuffed another bolster behind Zhao Yuechan's back.
Suddenly, Zhao Yuechan let out a cold laugh. "You all think he took advantage of me, but in truth, I'm the one having fun at his expense—taking advantage of him! You aren't entirely unaware of the situation between the Eldest Young Master and me. Why should he take a new concubine today and favor a new favorite tomorrow, while I'm left to sleep alone on a cold kang? I'm determined to seek my amusement with other men and crown him with a whole stack of green hats to make him the ultimate cuckold! Rest assured, this matter is handled with the utmost secrecy; not a single soul knows."
Hearing this, Yingshuang did not dare to answer back. Then she heard Zhao Yuechan say, "Bring me that dark gold-glazed porcelain jewelry box."
Yingshuang fetched the keys, unlocked the drawer, and took out the box. When Zhao Yuechan opened it, the interior was dazzling with brilliant pearls and jades, brimming with all sorts of gold ornaments. Sorting through them, Zhao Yuechan picked out a kingfisher-feather hairpin set with gold and jade, and followed it with a small phoenix hair-clasp of gold set with precious pearls. She then ordered Yingshuang to bring a white hibiscus low-relief carved fish jewelry box, which was filled exclusively with aquamarine and green jade pieces. From this, Zhao Yuechan selected two jade bracelets and a pair of jade earrings. Finally, she had a chest opened and picked out two bolts of thin silk and two bolts of fine damask.
Zhao Yuechan instructed Yingshuang to place these items on two large trays and deliver them to the east wing, explicitly designating them for Xianglan.
Perplexed, Yingshuang asked, "Why must the First Young Madam put herself out like this, sending such fine things to that little fox-spirit?"
A faint, cold smile touched Zhao Yuechan's lips as she said, "Only the finest things will do. Otherwise, how would everyone else grow green with envy?" She then motioned for Yingshuang to lean in close and whispered a set of instructions. Catching her drift, Yingshuang curtsied with the trays and withdrew.
Meanwhile, Xianglan had spent a restless night weighed down by worries, and at the break of dawn, she quietly slipped away to the courtyard on the northern side of the Lin estate to find Song柯. Upon arriving, she learned that Song柯 and Lin Jingting had already gone off to the academy to study, leaving her with no choice but to return. Pulling a small child's garment from her sewing basket, she stitched away listlessly, one erratic stitch at a time.
Suddenly hearing someone call her name, Xianglan snapped out of her daze and looked up to see Xiaojuan standing beside her, leaning in to whisper, "What's wrong with you? Have you lost your soul? I called you several times and you didn't hear a thing."
Forcing a smile, Xianglan replied, "It's nothing. I probably caught a draft last night, and my head feels a bit achy this morning."
Xiaojuan said, "I just heard Yindie and Chunling gossiping behind our backs, saying you were escorted back last night by Sister Shuran. What's that all about?"
Before she could finish speaking, Yingshuang's bright, ringing voice echoed through the space: "Is Xianglan here?"
Xianglan hurriedly answered and stood up to step outside and see.
Acting as though she hadn't heard, Yingshuang called out a few more times until she had stirred up everyone in the entire courtyard—with even Yingge, Huamei, and others stretching their heads out from their windows to look—before finally striding toward the east wing and coming to a halt in the main hall.
Upon closer inspection, Xianglan saw that Yingshuang had brought two maids with her: one was Tinglan, and the other was Yingliu, who was heavily favored and relied upon by Zhao Yuechan. Both of them carried large trays, and each tray was laden with brightly colored, superior silks and dazzling, eye-catching jewelry of gold and precious stones.
Catching Qinglan out of the corner of her eye as she supported her belly and stepped out of the bedroom, Yingshuang stepped forward to affectionately take Xianglan's hand. Looking her up and down, she beamed with exceptional radiance and said, "My good sister, I always said you were a person blessed with great fortune, but who would have thought your fortune would turn out to be this immense? I must offer you my congratulations right here and now!" With that, she actually performed a formal bow to Xianglan.
Xianglan's heart sank. She knew nothing good could come of this, but since matters had already been forced to her doorstep, she could only respond to ever-changing circumstances with unshakeable composure. Stepping slightly aside, she replied, "I don't understand what Sister Yingshuang is talking about. What congratulations? What sort of auspicious event could possibly involve me?"
With a smile, Yingshuang said, "Oh my, are you still trying to keep it from us? The First Young Madam has said it herself: the Eldest Young Master truly intends to elevate your status! She saw everything clearly last night. At the time, her temper got the better of her and she gave you a scare, but after turning it over and over in her mind, she felt a deep sense of remorse. She specially selected a few of her most cherished pieces of jewelry to present to you as an apology. Look, I've brought everything right here." With that, she stepped aside to let Xianglan get a clear view.
Yingshuang's words hit like a thunderclap in broad daylight. Qinglan was instantly stunned, the color draining from her lips as her body gave an involuntary sway. Chunling, Yindie, and Xiaojuan were all struck dumb with astonishment. Mother Wu paused in a daze, then turned her head to stare hard at Xianglan.
Inwardly, Xianglan cried out that this was bad. Zhao Yuechan's tactic of retreating in order to advance was a deeply venomous scheme. Because Lin Jinlou was shielding Xianglan, Zhao Yuechan couldn't make a direct move against her; instead, she deliberately blew the matter out of proportion, spreading it across the entire estate so that everyone would burn with envy and jealousy, effectively roasting Xianglan over an open fire. Furthermore, since Xianglan was technically Lady Qinglan's maid, Zhao Yuechan making such a grand, public display of bestowing these high-status treasures clearly carried the intent of driving a wedge. This would inevitably plant a thorn deep in Qinglan's heart, meaning Xianglan's days ahead would likely be miserable! Sweeping her gaze across the room, she saw Qinglan's pale complexion, Yindie's jealous and hateful glare, Chunling's complicated look, and Xiaojuan's shocked expression. Finally, when her eyes met Mother Wu's, Xianglan quickly averted her gaze.
Yingshuang wore a smile as bright as a blooming flower as she said to Xianglan, "The First Young Madam also said that once the mourning period for Old Madam Zeng is over, she'll have someone properly clean up Chunyan's old room for you and assign a little maid to your service. If you're short of anything or want something, just speak up without hesitation."
Xianglan simply lowered her head and kept quiet, thinking to herself: In a situation like this, saying more will only lead to more mistakes. Better to say nothing at all. After a long moment, she replied, "The First Young Madam is a deeply considerate person, it's just..." As the others eagerly strained their ears to listen, Xianglan offered a faint, indifferent smile and said, "Never mind." She curtsied to Yingshuang and added, "I'll go pay my respects to the First Young Madam shortly."
Seeing Xianglan's detached and unbothered demeanor, Yingshuang couldn't hide her inner disappointment. She turned on her heel and shifted her attention to Qinglan, smiling brightly as she said, "Allow me to congratulate the Auntie. Our Madam keeps saying you are a blessed person, having conceived a child not long after entering the household to carry on the Lin family's lineage. Look at this—even the person you trained and brought up has turned out so promising."
Qinglan's lips trembled, leaving her unable to utter a single word. Tears swirled thick in her eyes, and though she fought desperately to keep them from falling, she forced a smile that looked far worse than weeping. Suddenly, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted dead away.
The east wing instantly dissolved into absolute chaos.