Qiu Ye led Xiang Lan into the garden, pointing out various scenic spots along the way. Xiang Lan had little interest, merely responding perfunctorily, while Xiao Juan was enthusiastic, looking around and chattering with Qiu Ye. They soon arrived at a lakeside building with a plaque reading “Flowing Water, Lingering Clouds” in large characters. Before they reached it, they could hear opera singers performing inside. Two maids guarding the door quickly lifted the curtains to let them enter when they saw Qiu Ye approaching with guests.
The room was packed with people, a sea of jewels and silk, with various perfumes wafting through the air.
Lin Dong Wan was at the front serving tea to the elders. Seeing Xiang Lan arrive, she hastily put down her teapot and hurried forward with a smile, saying, “We’ve been waiting for you. Come sit inside, Sister Xiang Lan.” She affectionately took Xiang Lan’s arm and led her to a seat in the side hall, farther from the stage. Several young women in bright colors with painted eyebrows sat nearby, along with some older women. Xiang Lan understood these were likely favored concubines from various families or wives of minor officials who had been brought along for social occasions.
Though the Lu family had prospered for several generations, they were now in decline but still maintained some dignity. Today at Lu Gui Yi’s birthday celebration, the main hall could barely accommodate all the titled ladies, let alone someone of her status. Getting a corner in the side hall was already an honor – she had noticed tables set up in the corridor for those without sufficient status to enter and watch the opera.
A small table beside her held a small cloisonné round box containing two kinds of preserved fruits, melon seeds, and pine nut cakes, along with tea cups and other items. Maids bustled about serving.
After Xiang Lan sat down, Lin Dong Wan immediately poured her a cup of tea, apologizing with a smile, “I’m so busy today and fear there may be oversights in hospitality. Please forgive me – I’m apologizing in advance. Sister Xiang Lan, please enjoy the opera first, and later I’ll personally show you around the garden.”
Qiu Ye smiled beside them, thinking how clever her mistress was, able to be both humble and gracious. Though Xiang Lan was just a concubine, the Third Mistress could lower herself to befriend her. If the Third Mistress wanted to please someone, she could certainly make them completely satisfied. Though Xiang Lan’s status didn’t warrant a good seat, Third Mistress’s words were so warm and appropriate that even if Xiang Lan felt unhappy, she should be placated now.
Xiang Lan forced a smile. The chaotic opera performance didn’t register in her ears at all. After Lin Dong Wan left with her teapot, she just gazed out the window at the rocky artificial mountain across the lake, where willow branches swayed in the wind. She thought this was quite good now. Song Ke had a bright future ahead, with a beloved wife and son. Zheng Jing Xian came from a noble family and could help Song Ke’s career. She was both forthright and generous, deeply in love with Song Ke. He truly needed such a capable helper – all things she could never be. No matter how much she refused to accept fate or struggled to improve herself, she could never change her origins as a maid. She had been naive back then – if Song Ke had married her, wouldn’t they also face mockery in situations like this?
Ultimately, she owed Song Ke in this life. He had helped her escape from the fire pit of the Lin family and helped her whole family gain freedom – a kindness like giving them new life. When she faced hardships and setbacks, he provided her with a warm shelter from wind and rain. They had truly loved each other, and she carefully treasured that pure, bright feeling in her heart, helping her endure many difficult days. Now that Song Ke was doing well, she was genuinely happy for him.
But she couldn’t understand why her heart still felt like it was being cut by a knife, hurting so much she couldn’t speak.
It hurt so much…
Xiang Lan’s hand clutched her handkerchief tightly. She quickly took a breath and lifted her teacup, using her sleeve to pretend she was drinking tea. As soon as she raised her arm, two streams of tears rolled down her cheeks and fell into the teacup. She hurriedly wiped them away with her handkerchief. She felt somewhat delirious, thinking how fortunate it was that she hadn’t worn powder today, or it would have mixed with her tears and made her unpresentable.
When she looked up, the opera had changed to a different act. Xiang Lan stared blankly at the performance for a moment, then saw Zheng Jing Xian sitting on the main lohan bed below the stage, holding Old Madam Lu and saying something charmingly and endearingly. The old lady laughed heartily, and the surrounding noble ladies joined in the laughter, saying something that seemed to praise her. Zheng Jing Xian lowered her head bashfully and said something that triggered another round of laughter.
Zheng Jing Xian seemed to sense Xiang Lan’s gaze and sat up straight to look in her direction. Their eyes met, and Zheng Jing Xian lifted her chin high, her expression haughty and somewhat challenging as she coldly stared at Xiang Lan.
Xiang Lan wanted to laugh but couldn’t. There was no need for Zheng Jing Xian to act this way. Hadn’t she seen Song Ke’s gentle smile when he mentioned their son? They were childhood sweethearts who had married young, now a happy family that others could only envy. Was Zheng Jing Xian worried that she might rekindle old feelings with Song Ke? What a joke.
Xiang Lan thought wistfully that her fate with Song Ke probably ended in their previous life. In this life, meeting him once more was already heaven’s grace. If she had become Song Ke’s concubine, having to bow her head to Zheng Jing Xian daily and becoming embittered in the struggle for favor, she probably would have ended up hating him. So this was very good, very good indeed – she only wanted him to be well.
The stage was performing “The Great Birthday Celebration,” with loud noise and percussion like demons running wild, extremely boisterous.
Xiang Lan couldn’t sit still anymore. She excused herself to those around her and left the room. On the outer terrace, the gentle breeze helped disperse some of her irritation and melancholy. Xiao Juan had been in the wings eating snacks and watching the opera with other maids, but seeing Xiang Lan standing outside, she hurried out to attend her.
Seeing crumbs at the corners of Xiao Juan’s lips, Xiang Lan managed a smile and said, “Don’t mind me, I just needed some fresh air. Go back. We’re always confined at home, so now that we’re out, you should enjoy yourself freely.” She took the half-eaten snack from Xiao Juan’s hand.
After Xiao Juan left, Xiang Lan leaned against the railing, feeding the snack to the fish. Suddenly she noticed three to five young noble ladies standing nearby, who, though talking among themselves, kept glancing and pointing at her. Looking closer, she saw Zhao Yue Chan standing among them, fanning herself while watching her with a disdainful expression.
Xiang Lan couldn’t be bothered to care, knowing Zhao Yue Chan must be speaking ill of her, deliberately damaging her reputation among the official ladies. Xiang Lan simply turned her back and continued crumbling the snack into the lake, attracting a group of brocaded carp competing for the food.
Seeing Xiang Lan’s indifferent manner, Zhao Yue Chan became even more annoyed. Though her divorce from Lin Jin Lou had been handled quietly, it was still a shocking event among Jin Ling’s nobility. Her family had to close their doors to visitors, her parents and brothers were worried sick, and seeing she couldn’t stay there, they sent her to her grandfather’s home in the capital to escape the controversy.
When she first arrived in the capital, no one respected her, and letters from home were rare. She suffered some neglect and mistreatment, lying awake at night with hatred, her liver qi stagnant and her breath short, nearly developing serious symptoms. Her family had initially planned to marry her off far away to a seventh-rank official as a second wife. Seventh rank? She wouldn’t even glance at such a prospect. They wanted her to marry into that? Wishful thinking! She refused to accept this fate. She wouldn’t believe that her life was destined to be crushed with no chance of recovery!
Fortunately, heaven doesn’t cut off all paths. Her grandfather’s home frequently received various officials, and coincidentally, her brother Zhao Gang had come to the capital seeking career advancement. Zhao Yue Chan used sweet words and silver, bribing Zhao Gang to keep an eye out for her, finally identifying several respectable families. She secretly observed each prospect and ultimately set her sights on Dai Qing, whose wife had died the previous year. Firstly, Dai Qing was a fifth-rank official in the Hanlin Academy, a prestigious position, and was highly valued by her grandfather Zhao Jin, suggesting good prospects. Secondly, though Dai Qing was forty-five, he took good care of himself and had been known as a “beautiful man” in his youth. Now with his fine beard, he maintained an elegant, scholarly manner. Thirdly, the Dai family had once been prominent – as the saying goes, “a hundred-year insect doesn’t stiffen even in death” – suggesting they still had some resources. After calculating this, Zhao Yue Chan discussed it with Zhao Gang, who shook his head like a rattle drum, saying: “This matter is extremely difficult. The Dai family is now respectable and will surely want to marry a young maiden as a second wife. With sister’s background, if we propose and they politely refuse, wouldn’t that shame Father and Grandfather?”
Zhao Yue Chan knew this meant she hadn’t fed him enough silver and cursed inwardly. At that time, she had bought a rather beautiful maid called Qiong Zhi while in the Lin family, originally planning to share her with Lin Jin Lou. When that didn’t work out, she had brought the maid with her when leaving the Lin family. Such a beautiful woman would cost at least five hundred taels of silver now. She had planned to keep her as a valuable asset for other uses, but now she had to grit her teeth and dress Qiong Zhi up to serve tea to Zhao Gang, promising that if the matter succeeded, she would give Qiong Zhi to him as a concubine. Zhao Gang had long had his eye on his sister’s beautiful maid, and Qiong Zhi was no innocent either – they had been exchanging glances for days. Hearing Zhao Yue Chan’s words, Zhao Gang secretly cursed this cunning woman for not releasing the hawk before seeing the rabbit, but since he could gain something from it, he secretly arranged for Zhao Yue Chan to “accidentally” encounter Dai Qing in the family garden. She opened the embroidery tower window, pretending to do her makeup on the bed, and “accidentally” dropped her handkerchief, which blew down to Dai Qing’s feet.
Seeing her, Dai Qing was stunned by her beauty. Zhao Gang seized the opportunity to say: “Speaking of which, my sister is quite pitiful. She previously married into the Lin family in the capital, but her husband was a tyrant and a bandit. My sister, raised in such refinement, was abused by him. He would beat and scold her at will. After several years of marriage without children, he wanted to divorce her. But everyone knows Lin Jin Lou has no children at all – he has several maids and concubines, yet none have produced even an egg. How could he blame my sister? Things became so unpleasant that my sister couldn’t stay, threatening suicide. Our parents felt sorry for her and spoke with the Lin family about divorce, sending her to the capital to let me accompany her and help her recover.” He went on to praise Zhao Yue Chan’s beauty, intelligence, and gentle virtues, making her sound unparalleled in the world.
Dai Qing was quite moved and understood the implications of Zhao Gang’s words. He thought to himself that Zhao Yue Chan was so lovely, a rare beauty, still young, and was Zhao Jin’s granddaughter. As Zhao Jin’s student, his status wouldn’t dishonor Zhao Yue Chan. If this marriage succeeded, he would gain both a beautiful young wife and strengthen ties with the Zhao family – wouldn’t that be perfect? Besides, he already had three sons and even grandchildren, so even if Zhao Yue Chan couldn’t bear children, he needn’t worry about succession. He smiled and asked, “Since your sister is so wonderful, has she been promised to anyone else?”
Hearing this, Zhao Gang knew there was hope and quickly replied, “Not yet. We fear finding another rough man who would waste my sister’s youth. If we’re looking, we should find someone like you, brother – a scholarly man who knows how to be gentle and caring with age, so my sister won’t face a lonely spring chamber.”
Dai Qing smiled, “Are you teasing me, or are you serious?”
Zhao Gang said, “Of course I’m serious. What are your thoughts?”
Dai Qing smiled again, “It sounds like a good match, but I fear someone of your sister’s quality wouldn’t want to marry an older man like me as a second wife. Your grandfather might not approve either.”
Zhao Gang thought to himself, we’re only worried you, you fool, won’t agree. He just said, “That’s not a problem. If you’re truly interested, just send someone to propose. Leave the rest to me.”
Dai Qing agreed and left, and later truly sent someone to the Zhao family to propose. Meanwhile, Zhao Gang and Zhao Yue Chan had already knelt before Zhao Jin. Zhao Yue Chan first wept bitterly, saying how she had changed, how she had tempered her personality, and how she would conduct herself properly in the future. Zhao Gang also spoke of how well-matched Dai Qing and Zhao Yue Chan were, and how their age difference would lead to harmonious white-haired companionship, speaking with flowery exaggeration. Zhao Jin initially refused, but couldn’t resist his granddaughter’s tear-stained pleading. Thinking she must have changed after her previous hardships, and since both parties were willing, why should he play the role of blocking true love? So he agreed.
Once Zhao Jin nodded his approval, the wedding preparations proceeded at lightning speed. Since it was a second marriage for the Dai family, they didn’t hold a grand ceremony. In just three months, Zhao Yue Chan entered the Dai household. With her sweet words and attentive care, she had Dai Qing completely besotted, making him forget all others in his extreme fondness for her.
Thus, Zhao Yue Chan dressed stunningly at all social occasions, moving in glory, as if trying to reclaim all the grievances she had previously suffered. Today, seeing Lin Jin Lou again, she particularly wanted to show off her success. Back then, he had made her live as a widow in all but name, humiliating her in countless ways, driving her out like a stray dog, nearly pushing her to death. She had sworn in her heart that if she found the chance, she wouldn’t let Lin Jin Lou off easily! But who knew that when Lin Jin Lou saw her today, he didn’t even give her a second glance, treating her as if she didn’t exist – this was harder to bear than if he had given her cold looks or cursed her. Even worse, she had seen Chen Xiang Lan! Hadn’t that little whore been sold to a brothel? How dare she appear here so grandly, dressed in dazzling gold, with Lin Jin Lou bringing her to social occasions and eagerly introducing her to the Duke’s daughter.
Earlier, she had indirectly asked Lin Dong Wan and learned that Lin Jin Lou now had no other concubines at all, only Chen Xiang Lan enjoying his sole favor, with food, clothing, and servants surrounding her – even more prestigious than when she had been the First Madam of the Lin family.
Zhao Yue Chan felt a lump in her throat that she couldn’t swallow, turning even the table full of delicacies into bitter medicine.