Lin Jinlou frowned. He certainly remembered Su Meiru. That woman was quite beautiful, with a moonlit complexion and charming demeanor. She was skilled at makeup and accomplished in music and singing. Originally the beloved concubine of a salt merchant in Yangzhou, she had come to him after her husband’s death. He had rented a residence to keep her for a while but later lost interest, especially after Xiang Lan entered his household. He had completely let go, giving that woman some silver and arranging for someone to look after her shop in the city, considering that he had fulfilled his obligations. Now Lin Jinting was bringing up this old history. Lin Jinlou glanced at him and said, “I remember, what about her?”
Lin Jinting sighed, put the medicine bowl on the lacquered table, and said listlessly, “That woman is truly trouble. Tsk, somehow she got involved with my father.” He peeked up and, seeing Lin Jinlou’s calm expression, continued, “My father was bewitched. Because that woman became pregnant, he wanted to elevate her to concubine status. Afraid Old Master wouldn’t approve, he married her secretly. But within days, rumors started spreading, saying the Lin family was beastly and immoral, with uncle and nephew sharing the same woman… Now that woman is pregnant…” His voice grew increasingly smaller as he watched Lin Jinlou’s face.
It turned out that when Lin Jinlou was with Su Meiru, he had once hosted a banquet at that residence for several military colleagues. Since his uncle Lin Changmin also held a middle-ranking fifth-grade position in the military, he had been invited to the gathering as well. That day, Lin Changmin arrived very early, before Lin Jinlou.
He saw Su Meiru wearing a silver hairpin, emerald plum flower ornaments, inch-long jade earrings, a lotus silk gauze shirt, and a white embroidered skirt that revealed the tips of her cherry-red upturned shoes. She stood on the platform inside the second gate, holding a gold-threaded handkerchief. Lin Changmin had heard about his eldest nephew’s romantic nature and his extremely beautiful concubine.
Seeing her in person today, with her jade-like alluring appearance, slender waist, subtle charm, and slightly dark but appealing complexion—a “dark beauty”—which only added to her attraction, her melon seed-shaped face with delicately curved eyebrows left Lin Changmin dumbfounded. He couldn’t help but bow deeply. Unlike ordinary women who might be shy and awkward, Su Meiru looked Lin Changmin up and down, curtseyed, covered her mouth with a giggle, and fluttered her handkerchief before going inside.
Lin Changmin took notice of that first meeting. Later at the banquet, when Lin Jinlou called Su Meiru to perform “Thirty Tunes” on the pipa, her graceful and beautiful performance made Lin Changmin think of her even more, though he couldn’t act because she was Lin Jinlou’s concubine. From then on, he would occasionally send gifts under the pretense of looking after her on Lin Jinlou’s behalf—sometimes food, sometimes perfume, or hair oil. Su Meiru, being clever, understood most of what was happening. She accepted the gifts, and generously rewarded the servants who brought them, but never sent anything in return and never mentioned it to Lin Jinlou. After sending gifts four or five times without any response from Su Meiru, Lin Changmin gave up.
It wasn’t until Lin Jinlou stopped visiting Su Meiru and sent Jixiang with three thousand Taels of silver and a box of jewelry as a final settlement that things changed. Su Meiru cried for several days, but after drying her tears, she still had to live her life. She bitterly resolved, “If a woman wants to live well, she must rely on herself. No man can be trusted—better to trust silver than men! When I marry again, I must marry into a wealthy and powerful family.
Otherwise, how can I justify all the hardships I’ve endured!” Being beautiful and quite wealthy, she had many suitors wanting to make her either a second wife or concubine. Matchmakers came and went daily, but none of the families matched the Lin family’s status. When she finally found someone of a suitable background, he was old and ugly, nowhere near Lin Jinlou’s league.
One day, someone knocked at the door—a servant claiming to deliver fragrance from the Lin family’s Second Master. The housemaid hurried to show Su Meiru the two bottles of fragrance, but this time Su Meiru’s reaction was completely different from before. She invited the servant in to ask various questions, and even wrapped some freshly steamed jujube paste cakes in her handkerchief, saying she made them herself and wanted Lin Changmin to try them.
Within days, Lin Changmin came in person. Su Meiru dressed up in new clothes, wearing blue jade earrings, a lotus-colored gauze shirt, a silver-red lined vest, and a gold-threaded skirt, and invited Lin Changmin to stay for wine. Su Meiru eagerly offered drinks and spoke flirtatiously. Lin Changmin felt his heart-stirring, and thinking about how Su Meiru was a wealthy widow, became even more sweet-tongued, asking her to sing and trying to get physical. Su Meiru was intimate in conversation but physically reserved, saying, “Although I’m of humble birth, I was pampered by matchmakers since childhood, and I won’t sing carelessly for anyone.”
Lin Changmin laughed, “How is it? You sang when my nephew asked, am I not as important as him?”
Su Meiru played with her skirt ties and said, “Back then I was with him, he was my man. Second Master Lin, what are you to me?” Her bright eyes were watery, and although Lin Changmin had seen many beautiful women, he couldn’t help but feel an unbearable itch. Before he could speak, Su Meiru stood up and said, “It’s too late today, Second Master Lin should go back. Come again another day.” With that, she left.
Lin Changmin was stunned and sat there for a while longer, knowing Su Meiru wouldn’t return. He finally left a five-Tael silver ingot with the young maid, saying, “This silver is for your mistress to buy rouge and powder. When I come again tomorrow, I’ll bring two bolts of silk.” Then he left.
When he came again a few days later, he was turned away. The gatekeeper said Su Meiru had gone to burn incense at the temple. On his next visit, she was supposedly visiting relatives. This was Su Meiru’s strategy—if previously Lin Changmin had valued her at seven parts out of ten, now that she was just out of reach, he valued her at twelve parts, making her even more desirable. Finally, on his third visit, he was allowed in.
Lin Changmin first presented a bolt of fine white Songjiang silk worth thirty-eight Taels, two sets of clothes, and fifty Taels of silver. Su Meiru was gently affectionate, holding her pipa and lightly adjusting her gauze sleeves, sang “Falling Plum Wind,” and then offered Lin Changmin a drink. Lin Changmin was overjoyed, but when he tried to get intimate, Su Meiru pushed him away, saying, “I’m grateful for Second Master’s affection, but although I’m a drifting soul, I still have some dignity. Right now, there are two paths before us, one long and one short. I wonder which Master would choose?”
Lin Changmin asked, “Which two? What’s the long path, and what’s the short?”
Su Meiru said, “The short path would be us enjoying one night together. I would repay Second Master’s kindness to me, a fleeting romance, and tomorrow we’d go our separate ways in marriage, unconnected. Magistrate Han’s son Han Guangye has already sent matchmakers, wanting to make me his second wife. Although he’s only an eighth-rank minor official, the Han family is considered well-off and respectable.”
Lin Changmin asked, “And the long path?”
Su Meiru stood up, led Lin Changmin to a chest in the room, and opened it to reveal half a chest of antiques and treasures, along with various silks and satins. Su Meiru said, “I have more things like these, not just these—I also have another shop, and all the furniture in this house is mine. Just this black lacquered bed with carved gilt fortune patterns cost twenty-six Taels of silver. If Master would properly marry me, as husband and wife, all this would belong to us both. We could stay together forever, have children—wouldn’t that be like a divine couple?”
The chest of valuables truly made Lin Changmin’s eyes burn and his heart race. His branch of the family had never matched up to the main branch, and Lin Zhaoxiang didn’t think much of them. Although they weren’t short of silver, Lin Changmin had a gambling addiction, and money always seemed insufficient. He couldn’t squeeze any more silver from his wife Wang, and he had debts outside. He only acted extravagantly in front of others, though internally he was very reluctant to spend money. Now Su Meiru’s wealth truly moved his heart. Moreover, his wife Wang was only of average looks, and age had made her less attractive than before. Wang was also somewhat foolish in dealing with people, unable to read social cues or be understanding—how could she compare to Su Meiru’s grace and clever gentleness? However, he hesitated and said, “The Old Master values reputation above all. After all, you’re ‘halfway trained,’ not originally pure, and with my eldest nephew… if this gets out… I’m not afraid of others, just my father… tsk…”
Su Meiru said, “What are you afraid of, Master? Just keep it completely secret. We’ll build a road in the open while crossing the river in secret—do it quietly, and who would know? After a year or so, when I have your child, how could the Old Master not love his grandson? Besides, we’re already like this—at most he’ll scold you once, what else can he do? I hear your original wife is gentle-natured, unlikely to be unwelcoming.”
Indeed, lust clouds wisdom, and wealth moves the heart. These words stirred Lin Changmin’s heart deeply. At that moment, he forgot about his stern father above and his fierce nephew below, disregarded the family’s reputation, and cast everything aside. He made passionate vows with Su Meiru and began planning earnestly. Little did he know Su Meiru’s true intentions.
She was proud and ambitious, especially after being with Lin Jinlou, who had raised her standards. She looked down on all her suitors, determined to marry into a prestigious family, but all interested parties fell short. Only Lin Changmin, at just forty-three or forty-four, slightly plump, medium build, dark-skinned with narrow eyes—an ordinary man but with some dashing qualities—held a fifth-rank official position.
He was gentle and accommodating, and Lin Jinlou had mentioned that Wang wasn’t very capable of managing the household, with a tofu-like personality—such a primary wife would be easy to control. After much consideration, she found no better option than him, and partly wanting to spite Lin Jinlou, she got together with Lin Changmin.
So the two eagerly planned together. Su Meiru used silver to purchase the rented house, while Lin Changmin spent money on headdresses, clothes, and new wedding necessities like bedding and curtains. On the chosen day, Lin Changmin invited only two close friends and several friendly clan members, held a feast, and formally took Su Meiru as his concubine.