In the third quarter of the You hour (around 6:45 PM), Xiang Lan returned to the mansion in a small sedan chair. The evening meal had just finished, and the garden was about to be locked. Lamps were lit in all rooms, and everywhere was quiet. Xiang Lan chose a cool, secluded path to walk. When she reached the back door of Zhi Chun Hall’s courtyard, she vaguely saw two people talking behind a peculiar rock. As she got closer, in the twilight she recognized them as Ying Shuang and Yin Die.

Xiang Lan was startled and hurriedly quickened her pace to hide around the corner, secretly peeking out. Ying Shuang was quietly instructing something to Yin Die, who nodded from time to time. Finally, Ying Shuang took out some loose silver from her sleeve and stuffed it into Yin Die’s hand. After refusing a few times for the show, Yin Die smoothly tucked the silver into her sleeve.

Xiang Lan thought secretly: “Could Ying Shuang be trying to buy Yin Die’s loyalty? I must be more cautious of her in the future.”

With this in mind, she took a large detour to enter through the main gate, then went to the east wing to thank Qing Lan. Qing Lan was fanning herself, wearing a white silk shirt and a floral silk skirt, reclining on a daybed by the window with her eyes closed, resting. She casually asked about the situation at Xiang Lan’s home. Seeing her lack of energy, Xiang Lan kowtowed once and left.

When she returned to her room, Yin Die was already back, sitting on the bed hugging her knees, and staring blankly into the distance. Upon seeing Xiang Lan, Xiao Juan bounced over, smiling, “You’re back! Is everything well at home?”

Xiang Lan smiled, “Thank you for your concern, everyone at home is fine.” As she spoke, she took out the preserved sweets she had bought from the shop and distributed them to everyone.

Just then, Chun Ling entered the room. After greeting Xiang Lan, she turned her head and saw Yin Die. Her expression immediately turned hostile, and she pointed accusingly: “I already told you, Young Mistress wants to bathe, and you were supposed to go hurry the water. But here you are, sitting on the bed like a master. What, do we need to set up an incense burner to worship you?”

Yin Die jumped in fright and hurriedly got off the bed, rushing out to check on the water. Chun Ling chased after her, scolding: “You tasteless lowborn thing, you think you’re a lady now!”

Seeing the situation becoming unpleasant, and noticing several young maids from the main house already standing in the courtyard peering this way, Xiang Lan pulled Chun Ling back, smiling, “Sister, please don’t be angry. Let me pour you some tea.”

Chun Ling fanned herself with a small handkerchief, saying: “Just seeing her behavior makes me angry! You weren’t in the mansion today so you don’t know, that little hussy went fawning over the Master. She made a purse and tried to get close to him, saying she wanted to adjust his clothes, and her hands were reaching for his body. Unexpectedly, just as she reached out, Mistress Lan caught her. Thankfully our Mistress is good-natured and didn’t humiliate her on the spot. She waited until the Master left before punishing her, withholding her rice allowance for three months.”

Xiang Lan was shocked, her mouth agape: “She… her courage is too great…”

Chun Ling snorted, “It’s not just courage, she’s completely mad. She even privately claims she’s wronged, telling uninformed people ‘I was punished just for adjusting the Master’s clothes.’ She even dragged Xiao Juan and me into her complaints.” She lowered her voice, “Let me tell you secretly, don’t tell others, but I heard from Mother Wu that Mistress Lan plans to summon Yin Die’s parents to the mansion after a while and have them take her back.”

Xiang Lan said, “If that’s true, it would be a great loss of face.”

Chun Ling covered her mouth and laughed, “Indeed, and we’ll have peace once she’s gone.” She then hummed a tune and swayed out of the room.

That evening, Lin Jin Lou came to the east wing for dinner. Qing Lan hurriedly ordered two more of his favorite dishes to be added and had fresh soup made, causing a bustle of activity throughout the east wing. Qing Lan warmed a pot of wine for Lin Jin Lou in a colorful glazed flower-petal wine vessel, while she accompanied him with tea, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Chun Ling eagerly served at the front, so Xiang Lan took the opportunity to stay in the tea room, watching the stove while doing needlework. Suddenly hearing movement at the door, Mother Wu entered and sat on a small stool beside Xiang Lan, fanning herself and saying, “This room is like a steamer, how can you stand sitting here?”

Xiang Lan smiled, “It’s quiet here, I don’t mind the heat.” She lifted the copper kettle from the stove and poured Mother Wu a cup of tea.

Mother Wu smiled so broadly that the wrinkles on her face smoothed out, saying, “The east wing is lively today. The Master has been coming here to rest for several days in a row. The lady in the main house hasn’t paid any attention to it. By the looks of things, he’ll be staying here tonight.”

Xiang Lan asked, “What if the First Madam gets angry?”

Mother Wu snorted, “Who cares if she’s angry or not? The Madam found quite a few issues while checking the accounts and is already annoyed with her. The Master can’t be bothered with her either. Except for Second Madam who has a soft heart and occasionally sends some things over, who in the entire household would pay her any mind?” She leaned close to Xiang Lan’s ear and lowered her voice, “I heard Mistress Lan mention once that the Master seems to be thinking about… divorce after the mourning period ends.”

Xiang Lan was greatly shocked, her eyes widening: “Divorce? This isn’t something to be taken lightly…”

Mother Wu sighed, “I think so too. The Zhao family won’t let it go easily. Though the First Madam’s natal family is only of sixth rank, the Zhao clan is a prestigious one with many officials in court. It would likely cause an ugly scene if things escalated. This is probably just what the Master is thinking… Ah, even if there was a divorce, our Young Mistress might not necessarily be elevated to proper wife status.” Her expression grew serious, “What I just told you must not be repeated to others, not even to Xiao Juan or Chun Ling. I’m telling you this because the Young Mistress favors you.”

Xiang Lan nodded, “Don’t worry, Mother. I absolutely won’t tell anyone.” Before she could finish speaking, Chun Ling ran in and pulled her up, saying, “The Master sent me to deliver something to the Madam, and we’re short a person serving up front. Quickly go to the small kitchen and bring in the desserts.”

Xiang Lan had no choice but to go to the small kitchen, where she took four plates of pastries from the cook on a tray and entered the bedroom. She kept her head lowered as she entered, secretly glancing around. She saw Lin Jin Lou and Qing Lan dining on the large kang bed inside the gauze curtains. A mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer table with gold trim was set up on the kang, fully laden with wine and delicacies. Lin Jin Lou was half-reclining on the inner side, leaning against a dark blue satin backrest pillow. His hair was loose, and he had changed into casual clothes with his collar half-open, revealing his muscular chest. In his hand, he held a delicate porcelain wine cup with auspicious golden patterns, his manner relaxed and unrestrained. Qing Lan sat beside the table, using chopsticks to feed Lin Jin Lou, and when his wine cup was empty, she would hold the pot to refill it.

Xiang Lan carefully walked forward, placed the dessert plates on the table, and cleared away two untouched dishes. When Lin Jin Lou saw Xiang Lan enter, his heart skipped a beat, and he narrowed his eyes. Since their brief exchange last time, for some unknown reason, that bright and pure face kept appearing in his mind. When he came to the east wing again, he couldn’t see that little maid. He had come several days in a row, deliberately mentioning her to Qing Lan. Unexpectedly, Qing Lan was obtuse and couldn’t grasp his intentions, treating his words as passing remarks. He remembered Xiang Lan saying she only did needlework in the back and never came forward to serve tea or water, so he had specifically gone around to the tea room to look but hadn’t found her. Today, he hadn’t expected to see her.

Lin Jin Lou took a small sip of wine and said to Xiang Lan: “You stay here and serve, don’t go anywhere else.”

Xiang Lan was very unwilling but had to obediently stand about ten feet away from the gauze curtains to serve. Lin Jin Lou was particularly annoying, complaining one moment that the wine was cold, the next that the dishes were bland, sending her to do this and that. Suddenly, Lin Jin Lou called out: “I’ve been running around these past few days, my legs are sore. You, come here and massage my legs.”

Hearing this, Qing Lan immediately moved to massage Lin Jin Lou’s feet. Lin Jin Lou quickly stopped her, squeezing her hand with a smile: “You’re with child, how could I let you exert yourself? Let a maid do the massaging.”

Xiang Lan had no choice but to take a massage tool and stand by the kang to massage Lin Jin Lou’s legs. But he wasn’t satisfied with this either, snorting, “Use your hands. The massage tool is too hard, it’s not comfortable for me.”

Lin Jin Lou half-closed his eyes, watching Xiang Lan obediently make fists to massage his legs. Those two hands were like cotton balls, touching his body as if tickling him, yet he found it particularly comfortable. Especially when he sent her to do various tasks, making her busily move around him, it made him feel pleased.

Finally, after the meal was finished, Xiang Lan shook her sore hands and picked up the tray to clear the table. Lin Jin Lou pointed at two plates on the table and said: “These two plates of desserts, along with a bowl of porridge, are awarded to you. Finish eating and come back to serve for grooming.”

Xiang Lan thanked him for the reward and went out to look. She saw the plates contained lotus root honey cake, glutinous rice cold cake, mung bean rolls, crystal pigeon cake, cream pineapple jelly, and pork floss rolls, along with a bowl of bird’s nest porridge with polished rice. All were the finest delicacies. Usually, even leftovers of such dishes would be saved for the masters’ next meal.

Xiang Lan thought to herself: “These two plates of desserts were what he just had me fetch from the kitchen, yet he didn’t touch them at all. I wonder if this Master is being kind to those beneath him, always rewarding with good things, or if he’s wasteful, not knowing how to be frugal, squandering silver like this.” She hadn’t thought of any other implications, and happily took the desserts to the tea room, saved two sweet pieces for Xiao Juan, and finished the rest in one go.

Suddenly, a maid at the door announced: “The First Madam has arrived!”