Xiang Lan narrowed her eyes and slowly straightened her back even more. Cao Li Huan approached, fanning herself arrogantly, and said, “Oh, it’s you. What are you doing here? Don’t tell me someone in your family got locked up?”

Xiang Lan pretended not to hear, touching her temple hair and checking the bundle on her arm.

Cao Li Huan raised her voice, “I’m talking to you, can’t you hear?”

Only then did Xiang Lan raise her head and reply coolly, “Madam Cao, I am no longer a maid. Please show some respect. You always claim to be from a noble family, so don’t forget your young lady’s upbringing. Shouting like this is the behavior of a shrew. You haven’t lived among common folk long, yet you’ve already forgotten your manners?”

Cao Li Huan had never been challenged like this before. Her face immediately flushed with anger. Noticing Xiang Lan’s reddened eyes that showed signs of recent crying, she felt satisfied and sneered, “We have a deep hatred between us, why pretend to be courteous? Chen Xiang Lan, your father’s been thrown in prison, hasn’t he?” She stepped closer, eyes wide and face twisted, “When you framed me back then, did you ever think you’d face this day? That you’d fall into my hands? Chen Xiang Lan, you ruined my prospects for wealth and status, so I certainly won’t let you off easily.”

Xiang Lan was secretly alarmed but maintained her composure. With her nose nearly touching Cao Li Huan’s, she raised an eyebrow and said, “It seems Madam Cao has quite some ability now. After a few years, you can even pass judgments for the County Magistrate.”

Cao Li Huan gave a slight cold smile: “Bring out enough silver, and perhaps your father’s dog life might be spared.” With that, she left without looking back.

Xiang Lan was filled with doubt but had no time to dwell on it. She took out three taels of silver and gave them to the jailer, begging him to get a doctor for Chen Wan Quan. The jailer refused to accept it. Xiang Lan added two more taels, but the jailer clicked his tongue and said, “You must be dreaming to have offended Madam Cao. As they say, ‘Take money to solve troubles,’ but I can’t help the prisoners here, so I naturally can’t take the silver either.”

Xiang Lan pressed, “Sir, why can’t you help?”

The jailer picked his teeth: “Everyone knows Madam Cao is practically half the County Magistrate in this yamen. When she gives an order, how can we interfere…” He stopped mid-sentence, shut his mouth tight, shook his head, and left.

Xiang Lan stood there stunned for a moment, feeling a heaviness in her heart, and walked out slowly like a wandering ghost. Just as she left through the side gate, she heard someone calling her name: “Xiang Lan, Xiang Lan!”

Xiang Lan turned her head and saw a woman in a blue cotton shirt hiding at the corner of the wall, waving to her. Seeing Xiang Lan look over, she called out softly several more times, “Xiang Lan!” When Xiang Lan went over to look, she discovered the person calling her was Si Qiao!

Si Qiao is now dressed like a married woman, with a green headscarf. Her face was yellow, her cheeks had lost their flesh, and she looked much more haggard. Not yet twenty years old, she already showed signs of aging. Upon seeing Xiang Lan, she immediately pulled her behind the wall, looking left and right to check if anyone was around. Finally turning back, she said tremblingly, “I came with Cao Li Huan. I saw you from afar earlier and secretly followed… Xiang Lan, Cao Li Huan is the County Magistrate’s mistress, and Magistrate Han does whatever she wants. Last night I overheard her discussing with Hui Er, saying they want to squeeze every last bit of wealth from your family, and within half a day they’ll beat your father to death, leaving your family ruined, with both people and fortune destroyed!”

Xiang Lan was shocked, her face instantly turned pale.

Si Qiao was panicked, afraid of being seen. She looked around again and said, “Xiang Lan, your father… probably can’t be saved. You should try to protect your money…” She turned to leave but stopped, looking back hesitantly, “I’m taking a risk coming here… Consider this repayment for what I owed you, please don’t hate me anymore…”

Xiang Lan’s lips moved, but she couldn’t say anything, only giving a slight nod.

Si Qiao seemed relieved and hurried away.

Xiang Lan felt her legs weaken as phrases like “magistrate’s mistress,” “beat your father to death within half a day,” and “family ruined” kept echoing in her ears. She supported herself against the wall as those words became a deafening roar in her ears.

The sun beat down mercilessly. Xiang Lan felt dizzy and slid down the wall, covering her face. What should she do now? As a mere commoner girl, heaven wouldn’t help her, earth wouldn’t respond, yet she couldn’t watch helplessly as her father was killed. But what could she do now? She wished she could die in Chen Wan Quan’s place and wanted to cut Cao Li Huan into a thousand pieces. Tears flowed through her fingers.

At this moment, she heard someone say, “Miss Xiang Lan, Miss Xiang Lan?”

Xiang Lan looked up to see Shuang Xi standing before her with a fawning smile, slightly bent over looking at her.

Seeing Xiang Lan’s face tilted up, eyes full of tears, truly a sight of “pear blossoms in rain” that would move anyone to pity, Shuang Xi secretly praised her, thinking such beauty no wonder captivated his master. He put on another ingratiating smile and said, “Miss Xiang Lan, my master requests your presence for a talk.” He pointed behind him. Xiang Lan looked in the direction he indicated and saw an oil silk carriage drawn by two horses at the end of the alley.

Xiang Lan stood up forcefully. Shuang Xi quickly moved to support her but suddenly remembered something and withdrew his hand, only saying, “Please be careful, Miss.” But seeing Xiang Lan walk in the opposite direction, he hurriedly blocked her way, smiling apologetically, “Where are you going, Miss? Our master is waiting in the carriage. You don’t know, Miss, but when our master heard about your family’s trouble, he came immediately. If he says something, it would be more effective than a Buddhist scripture. That little Han Yao Zu would be scared out of his wits… Won’t you come, Miss?”

Xiang Lan hesitated upon hearing Shuang Xi’s words, then heard hoofbeats as Ji Xiang drove the carriage over. The curtain lifted, revealing a face both heroic and stern. Xiang Lan felt her chest tighten, and though her face remained composed, her hands secretly clenched into fists. Lin Jin Lou raised an eyebrow, looked Xiang Lan up and down twice, then just beckoned before letting the curtain fall.

Shuang Xi immediately knelt on the ground, while Ji Xiang slightly bowed and extended his arm, smiling, “Please get in the carriage, Miss.”

Xiang Lan had no choice but to support herself on Shuang Xi’s arm and step into the carriage. Lin Jin Lou was leaning against a brocade cushion, a smile playing on his lips. Before him was a small table set with tea and delicate snacks.

Xiang Lan sat far away at the edge and softly called out, “Master Lin.”

Lin Jin Lou nodded with a smile and pushed a cup of tea toward Xiang Lan, saying, “Half a year ago you were still so lively, daring to threaten me with a hairpin, but today you look like a frost-beaten eggplant?”

Xiang Lan glanced at Lin Jin Lou. This man appeared noble and dignified, elegant in bearing, but in reality, he was ruthless in his actions, completely lacking in gentlemanly qualities. Now that her family had fallen into trouble, at their most helpless moment, he had come to take advantage of their misfortune. Xiang Lan kept her hands hidden in her sleeves, her nails digging into her palms.

Seeing Xiang Lan lowering her head without speaking, Lin Jin Lou calmly drank his tea, appearing completely at ease.

After a long while, Xiang Lan, head still bowed, said in a tiny voice, “My father was wrongly accused and thrown in prison…”

This was exactly what Lin Jin Lou had been waiting for, but he remained expressionless, raising his teacup for another sip.

Xiang Lan secretly glanced at Lin Jin Lou, licked her dry lips, and said softly, “Cao Li Huan has become the County Magistrate’s mistress. She hates me to death and wants to destroy my family completely. My father has been beaten and lies barely breathing in prison, and they won’t even let him be treated…” Her voice choked, and she quickly wiped her tears with her sleeve.

Lin Jin Lou lifted her chin with his finger, his voice deep: “Want to get your father out, hmm?”

Xiang Lan uncomfortably avoided his touch. Lin Jin Lou lowered his arm, leaned back against the cushion, and chuckled softly: “This isn’t the way to go about it, little Xiang Lan. Count on your fingers how many times I’ve saved you, and now I’ve come again of my own accord. You ungrateful thing, not only do you fail to appreciate the favor, but you don’t even know what’s good for you.”

Xiang Lan was stunned for a moment. Lin Jin Lou had indeed saved her, and she should be grateful, but this man was too dangerous, his intentions too obvious, making her want to flee far away.

Lin Jin Lou turned to his side, leaning close to Xiang Lan, his breath on her ear, saying, “Listen carefully. Previously, I let you run free and didn’t bother with you, but this time is different. I’ll get your father out of prison, and whoever you dislike, I’ll destroy them to avenge you. But if you act up again, I’ll get angry and have to punish you severely, understand?”

Though he wore a smile, his expression and tone carried an authority that brooked no defiance. Xiang Lan wanted to say she didn’t need his help saving her father, but she truly had nowhere else to turn. The image of Chen Wan Quan lying in prison came back to her, but Lin Jin Lou was demanding an enormous price. Her vision blurred again as she bit her lip hard.

Lin Jin Lou wiped the tears from her face with his fingertip, smiling, “Oh, why are you crying again? Tears of joy?”

Xiang Lan wiped her face, composed herself, and raised her head to look at Lin Jin Lou, saying, “I won’t be a concubine.”

Lin Jin Lou was stunned, then sneered, but before he could speak, Xiang Lan continued, “If Master saves my father, I will naturally… give myself to you. Whether as a maid or a mistress, I only ask that when Master tires of me after three to five years, you’ll let me go… I won’t marry anyone else, and after seeing my parents through their final days, I’ll go to Jing Yue Temple to become a nun, spending the rest of my life with Buddha and candlelight.”

Lin Jin Lou half-closed his eyes, staring at the beautiful face before him. This girl was truly exquisite, like a beautiful flower reflected in water, like moonlight on a cold pond. Even now, facing such misfortune, she sat straight-backed and proper, showing no sign of dejection. Of all the women he’d had – whether seductive and charming, or beautiful as peach blossoms yet cold as ice – none matched her elegant bearing. She was like a quietly blooming orchid, making it hard for him to let go, and even when he occasionally forgot her, she would soon come to mind again. Every woman he favored acted as if it was their family’s accumulated virtue to bring honor to their ancestors, yet this one remained an ungrateful wolf. Lin Jin Lou suddenly felt a surge of anger, leaning forward until his nose nearly touched Xiang Lan’s, saying coldly, “Trying to negotiate with me? Who do you think you are?”