Against the Current - Chapter 90

Chapter 90 - Undercurrents 

Xianglan thought to herself, "Since I've already run into Xiayun, it wouldn't look good to pretend not to know him. Furthermore, this rain isn't going to stop anytime soon, so I might as well lend him an umbrella so he can head home." Deep down, she held scholars in high regard; seeing that he was willing to copy texts and sell his calligraphy to supplement his family's income added another two points of respect. She offered a slight bow and smiled, asking, "Why, if it isn't Young Scholar Xia, what brings you here to shelter from the rain?"

The speaker meant nothing by it, but the listener took it to heart. Xianglan's question was entirely casual, yet it struck right at Xiayun's guilty conscience—he had come here specifically to sneak a peek at her. Hearing her words, his face flushed crimson, and he stammered awkwardly, unable to string a sentence together.

Xianglan, assuming Xiayun had only caught a brief glimpse of her once before and no longer recognized her, smiled and said, "I am Chen Wanquan's daughter. We met yesterday."

Xiayun hastily cupped his hands in a bow and said, "A pleasure to meet you."

Xianglan then said, "The clouds in the sky are so thick, I'm afraid the rain won't stop for a while. Just wait here a moment, and I'll go fetch an umbrella for you."

Xiayun was longing to spend a few more moments with her; how could he possibly want her to leave to get an umbrella? Eager to impress her and capture her favorable notice, he gave a light cough and said, "As the saying goes, 'rainy days are meant for keeping guests,' and the guests kept are usually honored ones. Let the rain fall as it pleases. The last time I went to offer incense to the Wenchang Emperor, the sky was completely clear, yet a sudden strong wind whipped up and it began to pour just like today. The Daoist priest at the temple told me at the time that it was a sign the heavens wished to keep an honored guest. Therefore, Miss, you needn't bother fetching an umbrella; just let the rain pour to its heart's content."

Xianglan was left blinking in utter bewilderment by this speech. She thought to herself, "What on earth does he mean by spouting such nonsense out of nowhere?" She glanced at Xiayun's stern, reserved expression, and suddenly the realization dawned on her. She inwardly chuckled, 'The heavens wishing to keep an honored guest—does he mean to imply that he's that 'honored guest'?' She wanted to burst out laughing but managed to hold it back, pressing her lips together into a smile as she said, "In that case, the Young Master is truly extraordinary. Even when you go out to burn incense, the heavens themselves must send down rain to detain you."

That was precisely what Xiayun had intended to imply. Having excelled in his studies since childhood, he was well-accustomed to being showered with praise. Everyone always told him he was surely the incarnation of the Wenqu Star of Literature, destined to rise to prominence, achieve great things, and become a high-ranking official. Accustomed to such flattery, he truly believed he was exceptional and destined for glorious achievements, yet he still managed to murmur modestly, "I wouldn't dare."

Xianglan fought back a laugh, thinking, 'This pedantic, poverty-stricken scholar is quite foolishly amusing.' Aloud, she said, "Well, if that's the case, I have all the more reason to get an umbrella for Young Scholar Xia. If such an extraordinary talent and honored guest—one whom even the heavens wish to keep—were to catch a chill, it would be a grave sin indeed."

Xiayun caught the teasing tone in her voice, but instead of taking offense, he only found her clever speech utterly charming. He opened his mouth as if to say something more, but saw Xianglan tap gently on the door. The old woman keeping the back gate opened it and, recognizing Xianglan as someone deeply favored by Song Ke—who had given her strict instructions: 'Xianglan's family lives right in the back alley; if she ever wishes to return home for a brief visit, you need make no fuss, just quietly open the door and let her go'—greeted her with a face full of smiles and asked, "Has the young lady returned from her home visit?"

Xianglan smiled and replied, "Yes, and I must trouble Mother to open the door." With that, she slipped a small flask of wine she had brought back from home into the woman's hands, adding, "This is home-brewed wine, quite unlike what you buy outside. Mother, do take a sip and taste something fresh."

The old woman beamed and said, "Then I shall shamelessly accept." Inwardly, however, she thought, 'Appearance aside, this Xianglan's words and actions are ten times more clever than Fangsi's. She always speaks with a smile, warm and pleasant, and everything she does puts one's mind at ease. Fangsi, on the other hand, always has that haughty, supercilious air about her. No wonder the Young Master has no use for Fangsi.' With that, she turned sideways to open the gate wider for Xianglan.

Xianglan asked, "Does Mother have any spare umbrellas in your room? An old neighbor of mine from back home is taking shelter from the rain outside."

The old woman replied, "As it happens, there is one." She trotted off to fetch an umbrella. Xianglan took it through the crack in the door, handed her own umbrella to Xiayun, and said, "Take this. Whenever you have a spare moment, you can just drop the umbrella off at my house."

Xiayun wanted to say a few more words, but before he could, Xianglan slipped gracefully inside, and the vermilion side-gate slammed shut with a sharp clank.

Xiayun stood there in a daze for a long while, feeling a profound sense of loss. But on second thought, he recalled how in the opera Legend of the White Snake, Lady White and Xu Xian had bonded precisely over a shared rain umbrella. Now, this encounter of theirs seemed to mirror that very classic tale, and joy welled up in his heart once more. He hoisted the umbrella and departed, a matter best left unmentioned for now.

Meanwhile, upon returning to her room, Xianglan changed into a fresh outfit and re-styled her hair before the mirror. Remembering Xiayun's earlier expression, she couldn't help breaking into a smile.

With her paintings now generating a steady income, her financial prospects were looking much brighter. If she kept saving like this for a period of time, her family would be able to buy a house and land. With careful management down the road, and her father acquiring more antiques to sell, there was no reason they wouldn't grow prosperous as the years rolled on. Even though her background was somewhat humble, a solid family fortune paired with her own extraordinary talent in painting and calligraphy meant she was by no means an unworthy match for Song Ke. Although she never forced things, she was never one to resign herself to a subordinate position; even if she could only catch a glimpse of a single thread of hope, she was determined to make her life flourish.

After laughing and chatting for a while with the maids in her room, Xianglan was suddenly paid a visit by Juanhua, Song Tanchai's personal senior maid. Xianglan and the others hurried to offer her a seat and pour a cup of tea. Once seated, Juanhua smiled and said, "Our young lady sent me to ask a favor of Sister Xianglan. Our young lady has been staying as a guest in the Lin estate for many days, and now she wishes to host a banquet at home for the young misses of the Lin family, as well as the daughter of the Duke of Xianguo's household. Hearing that Sister Xianglan is skilled at preparing delicate dishes, we would like to ask if you could whip up two or three specialty dishes for the occasion, saving us the trouble of hiring an outside cook."

Xianglan readily agreed. Song Tanchai was a quiet girl who lived alongside Madame Song, yet she rarely stepped foot outside her quarters; the swing in her courtyard had never once been seen in motion, and she always wore a preoccupied, contemplative expression. Previously, Song Tanchai had been staying temporarily at the Lin estate, but ever since Xianglan was purchased by the Song family, Song Ke had dispatched a carriage to bring his younger sister back home. Out of affection for Song Ke, Xianglan extended her care to Song Tanchai as well, always making sure to set aside a portion whenever she prepared novel treats. Song Tanchai unfailingly returned the gesture with gifts of her own—sometimes a potted flower, other times seasonal fruits—and through this steady exchange of courtesies, they had grown quite amicable.

Not long after, Song Ke returned home, and Juanhua took her leave. Although Song Ke had carried an umbrella, the rain outside had been so heavy that half his garments were still damp. After he retired to the bathing room to wash up, dinner was served in his quarters.

Song Ke ate with hearty relish, and once the dinner plates were cleared away, hot tea and seasonal fruits were set out in their place. Song Ke recounted some of the latest news and gossip he had heard that day, adding, "Xiuhong mentioned today that Lin Jinlou has rendered distinguished service in suppressing the bandits. Though the bandit menace hasn't been completely eradicated, he has already pacified two prefectures. The imperial court's decree of commendation will be issued within the next few days, and His Majesty is greatly pleased. He will likely be promoted to full general."

At the mention of Lin Jinlou, a lingering sense of apprehension stirred in Xianglan's chest. She asked, "It's just suppressing bandits—how could that lead to a promotion to such a high official rank?"

Song Ke shook his head and replied, "That is earned through real steel and bloodshed. Don't underestimate him just because his inner household is a mess and he has a reputation for being debauched and lustful. He governs his subordinates with a firm hand, commands troops with seasoned skill, and has thoroughly mastered The Art of War. Otherwise, even with the protection and legacy of his ancestors, he wouldn't have carved out such a brilliant career for himself at such a young age."

Xianglan thought to herself that Lin Jinlou was far more than merely debauched and lustful; he possessed a violent, tyrannical temper, viewed himself as the center of the universe, and was consumed by greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, and suspicion. Although Lin Jinlou had saved her life once, she had always regarded him as a king of hell. Hearing Song Ke praise him now stirred strange feelings within her, so she remarked, "Since he's so skilled at fighting and killing, the wife he married is equally fierce, acting just like a malevolent yaksha. The two of them make a truly matched pair."

Song Ke couldn't help laughing aloud, saying, "Zhao Yuechan's reputation is well-known among official circles, and the Zhao family's influence is so formidable that it deters anyone from daring to offer concubines and maidservants to Lin Jinlou, lest their cleverness backfire on them."

Xianglan observed, "Evildoers are best dealt with by other evildoers; it must be karmic retribution from a past life, or why else would the two of them have ended up together?"

Song Ke smiled as well, saying, "I feel that you and I must also be bound by fate from a past life, or how else could we have felt like old friends at first sight?" As he spoke, he looked at Xianglan and stealthily reached out to take her hand.

Xianglan's face flushed, and she spat lightly, saying, "Bah! Shameless!" With that, she sprang up and fled into the inner parlor.

Song Ke merely laughed. The night passed in quiet tranquility.

The drizzle pattered on through the entire night, and with the light rain continuing for several days thereafter, Song Tanchai's banquet had to be postponed by a few days. By the morning of the fifth day, the skies cleared up entirely. At the hour of si (around 9:50 AM), two carriages slowly pulled up to the front gates of the Song residence. As it turned out, the young ladies of the Lin family and the daughter of the Duke of Xianguo, Zheng Jingxian, had arrived.

Two servant women hurried out to the entrance, laying down cloth mats to keep the mud away before the young ladies stepped down from their carriages one by one, leaning on the arms of their little maids as they walked inside. Mother Gong personally greeted them at the threshold, offering repeated reminders: "Young ladies, watch your step; the ground is still slippery from yesterday's rain."

The entire party walked as far as the pendent-flower gate. Xianglan quietly concealed herself behind a pillar of the covered winding corridor to peer outside. She saw that walking at the very front was Lin Dongling and her maid Nange, followed closely by Lin Dongxiu and her maid Hanzhi, while Zheng Jingxian brought up the rear with her hands clasped behind her back, accompanied by her maid.

Song Tanchai stood waiting at the pendent-flower gate to welcome them. Seeing them approach, she quickly descended the steps and warmly ushered them into the inner quarters. Lin Dongling remarked, "Second Sister has caught a chill, so she couldn't come today."

Song Tanchai replied, "We happen to have a few medicinal pills at home that work wonders for colds; I'll have someone send them over later with Sister Ling."

Once all the young ladies had walked inside, Xianglan stepped back into her room, thinking inwardly to herself, 'From what I've overheard the servants gossiping about in the Lin estate, all three unmarried young ladies of the Lin family have their hearts set on Song Ke. Now that Lin Dongqi is about to be betrothed, she's deliberately staying away from the Song home to avoid raising suspicions. As for Lin Dongling and Lin Dongxiu, both of them are dressed to the nines today, so they surely still harbor other intentions.'

Just as Xianglan had anticipated, those two indeed harbored ulterior motives. Knowing that Fangsi held a position of favor in Madame Song's good graces, they quietly dispatched their most trusted personal maids to go fish for information from her. While the young ladies chatted animatedly and amused themselves in the inner chambers, Nange, Hanzhi, and Zheng Jingxian's maid Yue'er went off in search of Fangsi to talk.

Nange asked, "Why hasn't your young lady been staying at the Lin estate lately? And what about Young Master Song? He hardly ever comes over to our household anymore either."

Hanzhi chimed in, "Could it be because his studies are keeping him too busy? Even so, he really ought to take better care of his health."

Fangsi, whose heart was already boiling with suppressed resentment, let out a cold laugh and said, "It's not because of his studies. It's because a fairy-like newcomer has arrived in his quarters, completely captivating the Young Master's eyes and leaving him utterly unable to tear himself away."

Nange and Hanzhi exchanged stunned glances and asked in unison, "What on earth is going on here?"