As soon as the words left her mouth, both were startled. Xiang Lan noticed the look of surprise on Lin Jin Lou’s face and felt somewhat regretful. While it was untrue to say she didn’t mind Zi Dai scheming against her reputation, she hadn’t intended to complain to Lin Jin Lou. Yet somehow just now, she couldn’t help but say those words, which carried a hint of complaint, as if she were jealous, though that wasn’t her intention at all. Feeling dejected, she turned around, pretending to reach for her cloak, when she heard Lin Jin Lou say behind her: “Come here.”
Xiang Lan pretended not to hear.
“Playing dumb, are you? I’m talking to you, telling you to come here.”
Xiang Lan kept her head down and turned around slowly, shuffling over while staring at her shoetips.
Lin Jin Lou had sat up and waved off Chun Ling, who understood and immediately withdrew.
Xiang Lan shuffled to the bedside, and Lin Jin Lou took her small hand, making her sit on the edge of the bed, asking, “What’s going on? What’s all this about ‘learning from her’ and ‘learning from you’? Tell me.”
Xiang Lan kept her head down, her other hand twisting the palace cord on her skirt. After Lin Jin Lou urged her again, she finally said, “It’s nothing. Madam favors Zi Dai. She’s Mother Han’s niece, grew up in the mansion since childhood, naturally better at everything, so of course I need to learn from her.”
Lin Jin Lou played with Xiang Lan’s fingers, saying languidly, “Favors? How so?”
Xiang Lan kept her head down without speaking, and after a long while slowly said, “Madam cares for Young Master, feeling your quarters are too quiet.”
Lin Jin Lou’s hand paused, and he looked Xiang Lan up and down with raised eyebrows. Xiang Lan lifted her eyelids to glance at him, saw his thoughtful expression, and quickly lowered her head again. Lin Jin Lou was mercurial, and she couldn’t tell whether he was pleased or displeased at this moment.
Suddenly Lin Jin Lou said, “Alright, you may go.”
Xiang Lan hurriedly stood up and left with her cloak.
Lin Jin Lou took a sip of tea and called out, “Where is everyone?” Lian Xin quickly walked in, and Lin Jin Lou said, “Not you, call that round-faced maid who serves Xiang Lan.” Lian Xin acknowledged and hurried out to call someone.
Little Juan was organizing boxes when she heard Lin Jin Lou had summoned her. Her face immediately turned white with fear, but she dared not disobey. Taking two shuffling steps for each stride, she entered the room, not daring to raise her head, and called out with a trembling voice, “Young Master.”
Lin Jin Lou tapped his fingers on the kang table and said, “I remember you’re the most loyal among Xiang Lan’s servants. Tell me, what’s been happening in the mansion these days while I was away? Has Xiang Lan been wronged?”
Little Juan felt she could hardly breathe in front of Lin Jin Lou. Her knees weakened and she knelt, stammering, “Miss, she, she…” She was afraid of both Madam and Young Master, still hesitating whether to tell everything, but seeing Lin Jin Lou’s intense gaze and imposing presence just from sitting there, Little Juan felt too frightened to conceal anything. She told everything about how Zi Dai had interfered in Zhi Chun Hall’s affairs, how she had bullied Xiang Lan, and how she had schemed against Xiang Lan’s reputation. Finally, kowtowing on the ground, she said, “…Miss says Zi Dai is Madam’s face, so she tolerates everything and won’t speak up. If Young Master doesn’t believe me, just ask Chun Ling and Lian Xin. If this servant has spoken one false word, may my throat grow ulcers.”
Lin Jin Lou was silent for a while. Little Juan was scared into a cold sweat, then heard Lin Jin Lou say, “I understand. You may go.”
Little Juan felt as if granted a royal pardon, scrambled up, and left like a gust of wind.
Lin Jin Lou’s face instantly darkened. He knew Xiang Lan’s nature all too well—soft-hearted, stubborn, proudly clean, and with a streak of foolishness, too stupid to scheme against others, suffering in silence when schemed against, not knowing to make a sound, as if opening her mouth to complain to him would cost her life. Sometimes he wondered how her servant-born parents could have raised such a daughter full of scholarly airs, like those stiff-necked literary officials who remonstrate to death in court, too pedantic to bear. If she hadn’t been severely wronged today, he probably wouldn’t have even heard that “complaint.” But her being this way made her seem especially pitiful, making him unable to help but cherish her more.
“Silly girl,” Lin Jin Lou stood up, muttering to himself, “What couldn’t you tell me about? Did you think I couldn’t stand up for you?” He exhaled deeply. He understood Madam’s intention—if Zi Dai were honest and well-behaved, it wouldn’t matter if he took her in. After all, his mother’s face was involved, and besides, keeping another person in Zhi Chun Hall wasn’t difficult. But what Zi Dai had done disturbed him. Oh, Xiang Lan knew Zi Dai was Madam’s face and tolerated everything; but didn’t Zi Dai know Xiang Lan was his face? Tormenting her to death, ruining her reputation—did that make his face look any better?
Lin Jin Lou rubbed his brow. His father was in Shanxi now, Old Master was advanced in age, his Second Uncle was ineffectual, and the household’s affairs big and small all depended on him. After finishing external affairs and managing household matters, he came home to find someone causing trouble. Lin Jin Lou was irritated. He lifted the curtain and strode out.
Meanwhile, Xiang Lan was in the side room of Madam Qin’s quarters, copying the Four Books in small regular script used for flower arrangement, writing section by section on fine white paper. Lu Lan cut it properly with a small knife and pasted it onto small flower cards.
“Ss—” Xiang Lan’s hand paused as she drew in a sharp breath, her shoulders slumping.
Lu Lan heard the sound and looked over, saying, “Oh my, you made another mistake? That’s the third time today.” She pulled away the paper in front of Xiang Lan and, seeing no one around, teased in a low voice, “Why are you so distracted? Thinking about your man? Isn’t he back now?”
“Pah! You’re the one thinking about men!” Xiang Lan’s face reddened slightly as she spat back.
Lu Lan knew she was shy and laughed, “Alright, alright, you’ve been writing for half a day. Take a break, I’ll bring you a nice cup of tea.” With that, she got down from the kang.
Xiang Lan put down her brush. She was indeed distracted, constantly thinking about her earlier conversation with Lin Jin Lou. She truly hadn’t wanted to complain to him; she had long planned to leave the mansion, and now fewer complications were better than more. Besides, if Lin Jin Lou took in Zi Dai, it would only benefit her. Yet somehow, she had some expectations of Lin Jin Lou, hoping he would uphold justice for her. Lin Jin Lou had asked her a couple of questions but then stopped, even sending her to Madam Qin’s place. She felt relieved, but there was also some disappointment in her heart.
While she was lost in thought, Lu Lan had already brought a pot of fruit tea and a small plate of exquisite pastries, placing them on the table with a smile, “The tea was freshly brewed this morning. Madam tasted it and said it was too sweet, so she had Old Jun Mei brewed again instead. The pastries were taken down from in front of the Buddha Hall last night. Let’s try a couple and get some of Buddha’s divine air.”
Xiang Lan smiled in response and took the white porcelain tea cup from the small table on the kang, pouring a cup each for herself and Lu Lan. Since she had come to Madam’s quarters, the maids and servants had treated her quite well, probably due to Lin Jin Lou’s silver having an effect. Although Hong Jian, Madam Qin’s most trusted maid, wasn’t very close to her, she still treated her with courtesy and helped when possible. Lu Lan was especially friendly with her and didn’t mind others seeing it.
At that moment, they heard “thump thump thump” footsteps outside, and the curtain lifted to reveal a fluffy little head poking in. Lin Jin Yuan called out loudly, “Where’s my mother? Isn’t my mother in this room?”
Lu Lan quickly put her finger to her lips and hushed several times, saying, “Madam is reciting sutras in the back Buddha hall, Fourth Young Master, please lower your voice.”
Lin Jin Yuan made an “oh” sound and strolled in slowly. He looked just like Madam Qin, with red lips and white teeth, bright sparkling eyes, and cheeks as tender as March peach blossoms. He had been born plump, but after his sixth birthday, like a willow branch after spring rain, he had shot up in height, becoming considerably taller than children his age and growing thinner. If one didn’t look carefully, they might mistake him for a pretty girl.
Lin Jin Yuan kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the kang, casually grabbing a piece of pastry and stuffing it in his mouth. Looking at the kang table, he asked, “What are you writing?”
Lu Lan smiled, “It’s for your studies.”
Upon hearing “studies,” Lin Jin Yuan deflated and flopped into Xiang Lan’s arms, saying, “Always talking about studying, how boring!”
Xiang Lan couldn’t help but smile. Lin Jin Yuan didn’t like studying, only loving to run wild in the garden, play dice, and fight crickets. So Madam Qin had ordered passages from the Four Books to be copied onto paper and made into flower cards for Lin Jin Yuan to use while playing dice. “This is how Young Master Lou learned the Four Books back then,” Madam Qin had said. “When Young Master Lou was five and couldn’t sit still, Old Master had people make the Four Books into cards. The two would roll dice to compare numbers, then draw a card, and whoever drew had to recite the passage loudly and explain its meaning, like drinking games, even with singing and dancing. In less than half a year, he had mastered most of it. It’s a pity the old flower cards can’t be found, otherwise we wouldn’t need to make new ones.”
Xiang Lan also thought this method was excellent. She couldn’t help stroking Lin Jin Yuan’s little face, saying softly, “What’s wrong with studying? It helps you become a person, understand principles, and grow up to achieve something.”
Lin Jin Yuan leaned in Xiang Lan’s arms, gesturing with his hands: “I don’t want to study. I want to be like my Big Brother, become a general in the future.”
Before he finished speaking, they heard a commotion outside, then the door curtain was lifted as Lin Jin Lou walked in. Seeing Xiang Lan holding Lin Jin Yuan, he was startled, but Lin Jin Yuan was overjoyed, jumping up with open arms and saying, “Big Brother, quick, throw me up and spin me around!”
Lin Jin Lou laughed, “Good boy, let Big Brother see if you’ve gotten heavier.” Saying this, he lifted Lin Jin Yuan high and tossed him into the air several times. Lin Jin Yuan immediately burst into giggles, while the wet nurse and maids on the side were frightened, repeatedly saying, “Young Master, please be careful, be careful…”
Lin Jin Lou tossed him a few more times, then held Lin Jin Yuan in his arms and sat down by the kang. He said to Xiang Lan, “Madam is reciting sutras inside, why aren’t you serving in there, what are you doing out here?” Without waiting for Xiang Lan’s answer, he started tickling Lin Jin Yuan, who collapsed laughing on the kang, struggling mightily and shouting, “I surrender! I surrender!”
Lu Lan was perceptive and quietly slipped down to brew tea. Just as she lifted the curtain, she ran into Zi Dai. She thought to herself, “This little hussy comes at such a convenient time. She was just serving during sutra recitation in Madam’s room, and as soon as she heard Young Master was here, she rushed over so quickly.”