The child was only five or six years old, with a round, dark face, thick bold eyebrows, and phoenix eyes. He was sturdily built, wearing a bright auspicious cloud-patterned robe, with a longevity lock and name charm hanging around his neck, and tiger-head shoes on his feet. His head was completely shaved except for a single tuft in the middle, shaped like a peach. He burst in excitedly but froze upon seeing Xiang Lan. He stopped in his tracks, his face instantly turning red with embarrassment, and turned to flee.
Shu Ran laughed and caught the child’s arm, bending down to say, “Where are you going, Young Master De?”
The child struggled while saying, “Let go, let go, I’m talking to you! I didn’t know there was someone else in here.”
Just then, his wet nurse entered the room. Seeing Xiang Lan and recognizing her as a woman of status, she quickly apologized, “Our young master has been rude. Please forgive him, Madam.”
Xiang Lan hurriedly replied, “It’s no matter.” She looked toward Shu Ran.
Shu Ran smiled and said, “This is the Marquis of Yongchang’s younger son, whom we all call Young Master De.” Then to the wet nurse, she said, “This is our Master’s concubine.”
The wet nurse had heard that Lin Jin Lou had a beloved concubine who was quite different from others, and knew this must be her. She quickly paid her respects again and pulled Young Master De to do the same.
Xiang Lan stepped forward to pat his little head and invited him to sit on the edge of the bed. She instructed Shu Ran to prepare some fruit cordial and sent for some fruit cakes and pastries. Young Master De was initially shy, but after eating two pine nut candies from Xiang Lan, he became livelier and reached for the cakes on the table. Xiang Lan quickly stopped him, took a handkerchief to wipe his hands, and asked him his name and age.
Young Master De said, “I’m called Yuan Cheng De, and I’m six years old.” He glanced secretly at Xiang Lan and continued, “My father says my name comes from the ‘Book of Han: Treatise on Rites and Music’ – ‘The decree comforts the accomplished teachers, and the military officials receive virtue.’ My father was fighting beyond the frontier when I was born. My mother said ‘military officials receive virtue’ means that when warriors receive grace, they can be spared from warfare, so she gave me this name. Sure enough, my father returned safely.” He offered the cake in front of him to Xiang Lan, saying, “Sister, you eat too.” He also wanted Shu Ran to eat. Seeing Xiang Lan’s cup was empty, he straightened up and reached out with his chubby little arms to pour her more tea.
Xiang Lan couldn’t help but smile. Seeing Young Master De’s tiger-like vitality and innocent understanding touched her heart, dispersing her earlier grievances. She took out a handkerchief to wipe the crumbs from his mouth, smiling as she said, “You eat, we have plenty more.”
Young Master De squirmed a bit but finally let Xiang Lan wipe his mouth, turning his head and mumbling, “I’m a big boy now, I can wipe my mouth.” He sneaked another glance at Xiang Lan and said, “I’m going to find my father, but I’ll come back later.” He stuffed two more cakes in his mouth and bounced off the bed, skipping away.
Xiang Lan smiled, “This child is so kind-hearted.” Recalling Young Master De’s explanation of his name’s origin, she sighed, “Master Yuan and his deceased wife must have truly loved each other.”
Shu Ran was clearing the melon seeds and snacks from the table with a tray when she heard this and smiled, “The ‘mother’ Young Master De speaks of isn’t Master Yuan’s wife, but his concubine. I heard she was from a prominent official family, but they fell from grace and her entire family – parents, siblings, all perished. Because of her beauty, she was given to the Yuan family and served Master Yuan’s aunt. Though technically a slave, she lived in luxury and didn’t suffer much. She was beautiful and gentle, accomplished in all the arts – zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Later, Master Yuan fell for her at first sight and repeatedly sought to make her his second wife. His first wife was jealous and prevented it, but somehow Master Yuan still took Young Master De’s mother as a concubine, keeping her in a separate residence. After years without an heir, she bore Young Master De but passed away just a year later. Ah, she was truly unfortunate.”
Xiang Lan sighed wistfully, “It’s the child who deserves pity.”
Shu Ran said, “Master Yuan dotes extremely on this child. Perhaps because he lost his mother at such a young age, he’s shown extra love, personally teaching him literature and martial arts, even often taking him along to social occasions.”
Xiang Lan said, “Young Master De is indeed lovable, so understanding at such a young age.” She unconsciously thought of his round dark face with phoenix eyes, which strongly resembled her younger sister Shen Jia Lian. In her previous life, she and Jia Lian looked extremely alike, with similar temperaments, except for their eyes – she had almond eyes like their mother, while Jia Lian had phoenix eyes like their father. Now this child had the same eyes, making her feel naturally fond of him.
Xiang Lan gazed out the window. When the Shen family fell from grace, Jia Lian was only ten years old. She and their mother were sent to the Teaching Division, where they took their own lives that very night. When Xiang Lan received the news, she was just beginning her journey into exile and couldn’t even perform the funeral rites. Looking at Young Master De’s eyes earlier made her feel as if Jia Lian had come back to life. Back then, her sister had been just as well-behaved and understanding, following behind her, copying everything from her hairstyles to her mannerisms, taking away her written characters to practice – like a little tail always following her. Looking back now, those days seemed like a distant dream, all swept away by wind and rain into her heart.
Seeing Xiang Lan lost in thought, Shu Ran didn’t dare disturb her. She quietly prepared a fresh bowl of tea and withdrew, leaving the room silent.
A moment later, soft voices came from outside, and the door creaked open. Soon after, Shu Ran brought in a bowl of medicine and placed it beside Xiang Lan, saying, “Madam, it’s time for your medicine.”
Xiang Lan frowned at the smell of the medicine and didn’t move.
Seeing this, Shu Ran knew Xiang Lan was being stubborn again. She secretly clicked her tongue, recalling how the Master had carried her directly to his study today, his face bearing several bloody scratches while half her face was swollen – clearly, they had fought again. Shu Ran truly admired the woman before her; though appearing gentle and weak, she possessed such inner strength and spirit. Their Master was like a tyrant, only the Old Master could control him, and no one else, including the Madam, dared to go against his will. Yet Xiang Lan repeatedly provoked the tiger, and now she was feeling wronged and wouldn’t take the medicine. Shu Ran smiled and coaxed, “It’s just been prepared, drink it while it’s hot. It’s only a small bowl, one gulp and it’s gone. It’ll be more bitter when it cools.”
Xiang Lan said flatly, “You may go, I’ll drink it later.” Previously, she had taken the medicine out of fear of Lin Jin Lou, but now that they had already quarreled, he might torment her further anyway, so she might as well not drink it.
While Shu Ran was still troubled, suddenly someone said, “You may go.”
Hearing the voice, both women were startled. They turned to see Lin Jin Lou had entered unnoticed. Shu Ran breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it wise to leave such a contentious situation. She didn’t even serve tea before slipping away as if her feet were oiled.
Xiang Lan ignored him and continued staring out the window. She felt Lin Jin Lou sit beside her and lean toward her, following her line of sight outside while saying, “Oh my, let me see what you’re looking at so intently. Is there some Western novelty out there?”
Xiang Lan shifted inward, but Lin Jin Lou moved closer again, laughing, “Tsk, hurry up and take your medicine. If you don’t drink it, I’ll have to force it down your throat.”
Xiang Lan gave Lin Jin Lou an incredulous look. He was grinning at her, showing his snow-white teeth. Not wanting to hear him chattering in her ear, she picked up the bowl and gulped down the medicine in one go. However, the medicine was so bitter, and after her drunken spell her head was still faintly aching, which made her stomach turn. Her face changed color as she forced herself to swallow the medicine. Her stomach churned, tears welled up in her eyes, and she coughed repeatedly.
Lin Jin Lou quickly patted Xiang Lan’s back, clicking his tongue, “I say, aren’t you foolish? If it’s making you uncomfortable, why drink it? Don’t you know how to spit it out? What’s the point of making yourself suffer like this?”
Xiang Lan pushed Lin Jin Lou’s hand away, caught her breath, and poured herself half a cup of warm water. Lin Jin Lou said, “So you met Young Master De earlier? That little one said there was a fairy-like sister in the room who fed him snacks…”
After taking two sips of water, Xiang Lan couldn’t help but say, “How is it that at the Lu residence this afternoon you wanted me dead, and now you’re acting as if nothing happened?”
“Hey, hey, come on now, everything’s fine already, why are you getting angry again?”
Xiang Lan really couldn’t be bothered with him and moved toward the inner part of the bed, lying down with her back to Lin Jin Lou, reaching for the blanket. Lin Jin Lou grabbed the blanket, preventing her from pulling it. After several failed attempts to pull it free, Xiang Lan gave up on the blanket altogether, curled into a ball, and closed her eyes.
Lin Jin Lou burst out laughing and poked Xiang Lan’s shoulder, saying, “Alright now, how old are you to be throwing tantrums like a child?” He tugged at her arm, “Let me see if your hand is better, it needs new medicine.”
Xiang Lan really couldn’t understand how this man could be so thick-skinned. She opened her eyes and looked at Lin Jin Lou’s half-smiling face, saying, “What is the Master doing here? Don’t you have many matters to attend to outside? Even if you want to watch me suffer and cry every day, I’m too tired right now, I’m afraid I can’t cry for you.”
Lin Jin Lou tapped Xiang Lan’s nose and said, “You ungrateful little devil, I’m trying to be good to you, yet you can only think ill of it. Those angry words earlier – you didn’t miss a single one, did you? Tsk, I’ve misjudged you.”
Although Xiang Lan felt like giving up in despair, she didn’t dare truly provoke this tyrant again. She pressed her lips tightly together, turned her face away, and closed her eyes.
Lin Jin Lou crossed his arms and said nothing, examining Xiang Lan from head to toe while stroking his chin. He thought to himself that little Xiang Lan was truly beautiful from head to toe, no wonder even a child as young as Young Master De could see her beauty and praise her as a “fairy-like sister.” Though she was stubborn as a mule, her character was genuinely good. He knew that among all the women in his household and those he kept relations with outside, each cleverer than monkeys, all schemed to gain benefits from him – whether status or money – plotting against each other and willing to use any brutal means. Only Xiang Lan, as he observed coldly, understood everything clearly yet rarely schemed against others. Even when wronged, at most she would speak harsh words directly, never resorting to underhanded methods. Especially that foolishly sincere way she remembered kindness and sought to repay it – it made one’s heart ache. He wasn’t a fool; this woman gave him no pleasant looks yet he still pestered her, simply because being with Xiang Lan made him feel at ease.