Early that morning, after breakfast, Tan Lu Hua helped Lin Jin Xuan take his medicine and ordered the maids to open the windows to clear the medicinal smell. Lin Jin Xuan, wearing casual clothes, reclined against the headboard reading. Cai Ming entered and said, “Two of this season’s newly tailored clothes have arrived. Second Madam, please go try them on.”
Tan Lu Hua hurried out of the room. Passing by the side chamber, she glimpsed two people inside. She stopped and stepped back, secretly peering in to see Concubine Yin and Qian Luo sitting on the kang bed talking.
Feeling guilty about her affair, Tan Lu Hua feared discovery. She quickly went outside and stood in the courtyard, pressing her ear against the window. She heard Qian Luo saying, “…I saw it clearly when passing by the storehouse. Over ten maids and wives were surrounding that Honored Concubine, and with just one look from her, they all scurried about. My, such grand airs! Pardon my words, but with her status, how does she deserve such treatment? Even you, Concubine, with your seniority and having given birth to First Young Lady and Second Master, never acted so presumptuously.”
Concubine Yin replied, “Child, don’t let that tyrant in our household hear such words. You can’t afford to provoke that one.”
Qian Luo sneered, “I only acknowledge Second Master – why should I care about anyone else?”
These words struck a chord with Concubine Yin, who patted Qian Luo’s hand, saying, “I know you’re a good one. Since that person married in, hardly any maids in this courtyard pay attention to me anymore. Only you still visit me regularly.”
Qian Luo just smiled, then after a pause said, “Concubine, please don’t worry… I thought when Second Madam married, you would have some better days. I heard Second Madam was famous in her maiden days, accomplished in both talent and beauty. I thought she’d be skilled at managing the household. If she could run the capital household well, wouldn’t our lives be more comfortable? Who could have expected a dark horse to appear – Chen Xiang Lan coming out of nowhere? A former maid with no children has taken charge of the household, while the Second Madam, a proper mistress, has become a mere decoration. Isn’t it laughable?”
These words resonated with Concubine Yin, who slapped her thigh and said, “Ah my goodness, no wonder we get along so well! Indeed, that mistress in there is just a paper doll, only good for display, and can’t be counted on for anything. Look how Chen Xiang Lan has managed her – she can’t have a say in anything big or small. All she knows is eating delicacies, wearing gold and silver, never satisfied even with ten new outfits, spending money like water, and dolling herself up provocatively every day. She’s not the least bit polite when speaking to others, always making me so angry I can barely breathe. She forgets who gave birth to Young Master Xuan. Despite her noble family background, she’s more vulgar than you are sensible.”
Qian Luo had deliberately led Concubine Yin to say these things and just smiled, saying, “Concubine, please don’t say that. I could never compare to Second Madam…”
As they say, “Words are like tigers on the road.” In this world, few are tolerant and forgiving and many are petty. People especially can’t stand being slighted and fly into a rage at the slightest criticism. Hearing these words, anger rose in Tan Lu Hua’s heart. She thought to herself, “That little hussy Qian Luo is stirring up trouble again. Before, when she kept running to the Concubine’s room, I didn’t bother with it, but now she’s gossiping about me. Fine, fine, fine – you’ll have your days coming! People shouldn’t be too opportunistic. If you’re really unhappy, go argue with the Lin tyrant face-to-face instead of bullying the gentle ones. Let’s see if I’ll stand for this!” After thinking it through, she decided to first establish her authority with Xiang Lan, then come back to deal with these two. She straightened her clothes, beckoned Cai Feng over, and headed to Xiang Lan’s place.
Xiang Lan was busy because Lady Qin was coming. The previous courtyard was being cleaned and decorated again, and Lin Dong Xiu would be staying in Lin Jin Ting’s former new room. Following Lin Jin Lou’s instructions, Xiang Lan reopened the storehouse and, considering Lady Qin’s preferences, selected several items for redecoration. When Lin Chang Zheng returned to Jinling, he had taken all the valuable items with him. The items remaining in the storehouse were ordinary, but fortunately, Lady Qin wasn’t one for luxury. Xiang Lan chose several elegant yet simple pieces and thought about borrowing a few items from Chang Chun Hall.
As Xiang Lan stood at the storehouse entrance, having just selected a pair of vases, she saw a child skipping along with a willow branch, who stopped in surprise upon seeing her. Xiang Lan recognized him as Yuan Shao Ren’s youngest son and smiled, beckoning, “Little De, come here.”
Little De hesitated shyly, so Xiang Lan went over to take his hand and led him to a stone bench in the shade. Seeing him covered in dirt like a mud monkey, she guessed he must have been playing somewhere. Looking at his eyes, exactly like Shen Jia Lian’s, Xiang Lan felt both bitter and tender. She ordered snacks for him, patted his little head, and asked, “Who did you come with?”
Little De swung his legs and said, “My father. He went to talk with Uncle Lin.” He reached for the snacks on the plate, but Xiang Lan stopped him, ordering a basin of water and personally wringing out a handkerchief to clean his face and hands. She first gave him a cup of weak tea before allowing him to eat snacks, all while asking him about what books he had read and what martial arts he was learning.
Just then, Tan Lu Hua arrived. Seeing her angry expression, Xiang Lan knew she hadn’t come with good intentions. She quickly stood up and smiled, “Second Madam, please help me choose what furnishings to use when Madam arrives.” She signaled to Xiao Juan with her eyes, “Go brew some good tea for Second Madam.”
Tan Lu Hua had come full of grievances, but hearing Xiang Lan’s words, her anger subsided somewhat. She said coldly with sarcasm, “I wouldn’t dare. This is what Elder Brother instructed you to do. Even though I’m the proper mistress, I shouldn’t overstep.”
Everyone heard the phrase “proper mistress” and knew Tan Lu Hua had come to make trouble. Xiang Lan pretended not to notice and kept smiling, “Second Madam’s clothes, jewelry, and even the incense you use are the most fashionable in the capital – your taste is impeccable. Master insisted I handle this matter early this morning, but I don’t have such good judgment. I had thought to send someone to invite you over for advice, but Master scolded me, saying, ‘You know Second Brother hasn’t been well these days. Their sister-in-law attends to him at night and is busy during the day. When she has free time, she needs to rest. How could she come? Selecting a few decorative items is a small matter – why make such a fuss?’ Since Master said this, I didn’t dare disturb you. You haven’t yet experienced Master’s temperament – he’s always firm in his decisions. If things are done well, it’s fine, but if anything displeases him even slightly, he’ll get angry. I was worried the items I chose wouldn’t meet Master’s approval and had no one to help me decide. Fortunately, you’ve come.”
Hearing this, Tan Lu Hua’s earlier determination to confront Xiang Lan completely dissipated. She thought to herself, “If I help you choose and Lin Jin Lou isn’t happy later, you’ll push the blame onto me. How clever of you.” She said aloud, “Since Elder Brother asked you to handle this, I shouldn’t interfere. I came here for a teacup – yesterday a clumsy maid broke one, ruining a perfectly good set.”
Xiang Lan smiled, “We have plenty of teacups.” She led Tan Lu Hua into the storehouse, where Tan Lu Hua took a small purple clay teacup and left.
Xiao Juan came over and said, “What was she doing here? She came with such a dark face, looking like she wanted to cause trouble, speaking with hidden barbs. Pah, Madam, why are you afraid of her?”
Xiang Lan replied, “A year ago, I would have talked back in such situations. But arguing over such trivial matters seems pointless now. A few words to please her is enough. We live separate lives – why make enemies everywhere?”
Meanwhile, Yuan Shao Ren stood outside the archway, watching everything. He had come looking for Little De and, seeing the child sitting with Xiang Lan had stopped to wait. He watched as Xiang Lan carefully wiped Little De’s face and clothes and gave him food, showing such genuine affection as if he were her child. His heart trembled.
Upon returning home, Yuan Shao Ren found a handkerchief in Little De’s sleeve. He saw an orchid embroidered in the upper right corner and a lotus in the lower left. Startled, he quickly called Little De over and asked, “Where did this handkerchief come from?”
Little De said, “The fairy-like sister who wiped my face and hands today gave it to me.”
Yuan Shao Ren sat holding the handkerchief in silence for a long while. Truly, there are no coincidences in this world. Jia Lian had previously owned several identical handkerchiefs, with the same pattern and colors. He had asked her, “In this world, people either embroider peonies with magnolias for ‘prosperity,’ or lotus with osmanthus for ‘continuous noble sons.’ Why do you embroider orchids with lotus together?”
Shen Jia Lian replied, “When we were young and making needlework for our parents, my sister would always embroider a cluster of orchids, and I would add a lotus flower below. Now when I make handkerchiefs, not knowing what pattern to use, I just embroider this.”
Yuan Shao Ren held the handkerchief and sighed deeply, thinking, “Lian’er, has a part of your spirit attached itself to Chen Xiang Lan? Why else would her character and bearing be so similar to yours? Though Little De is naturally lovable, such maternal affection isn’t common. Even these handkerchiefs are identical – how can there be such coincidences in this world?” He recalled how at the storehouse entrance, Xiang Lan had spoken with gentle humor, defusing Tan’s anger in just a few words. He shook his head again, thinking, “Jia Lian was playful, loved to laugh and joke – different from Xiang Lan’s temperament. If she had encountered today’s situation, she would have certainly retorted to Tan, lacking such patience. If only she had had a fraction of Xiang Lan’s diplomacy, a bit less temper… things might have been different…”
The sky suddenly darkened, and the wind rose sharply, seeming about to rain.
Little De rushed forward to hug Yuan Shao Ren’s arm, calling, “Father, Father?”
Yuan Shao Ren finally responded with a grunt, stroking Little De’s round, dark face. He stared at those eyes for a long while, then silently pulled his son into a tight embrace.