When Xiang Lan returned, Jun Xi and Yue Xi were already asleep. She quietly lit a candle and took up her needlework. After working for a while, she went to bed but tossed and turned until midnight before finally falling asleep. The next morning, she brought in hot water with the other maids to attend to their master. Song Ke was already dressed, with Yue Xi making the bed and Jun Xi opening the windows. Song Ke washed his face, cleaned his teeth with sea salt, and had a sip of warm tea. Noticing Xiang Lan’s face, he asked, “You have dark circles under your eyes. Did you not sleep well last night?”
Xiang Lan smiled and said, “It was just some insects crawling through the window screen, nothing more than a nuisance.”
Song Ke quickly responded, “I remember we have some insect-repelling incense at home. Tomorrow night, you should burn a piece in the incense burner.”
Xiang Lan smiled in agreement. Soon, Jun Xi brought breakfast, and Song Ke again asked Xiang Lan to join him. After taking a few sips of porridge, Xiang Lan carefully looked at Song Ke’s expression and said, “There’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time and wanted to bring up, but I was afraid it wouldn’t be appropriate.”
Song Ke put down his chopsticks and said, “Go ahead and tell me.”
Xiang Lan said, “Some time ago when Madam Zhao beat me severely and tried to sell me, it still feels like a nightmare when I think about it. It’s my bad fortune that as a servant, I naturally have no freedom or control over my life, having to watch the master’s mood in everything. If I weren’t a servant…”
Before Xiang Lan could finish, Song Ke frowned and said, “Don’t worry, nothing like that will ever happen again. While you’re by my side, no one will bully you.”
Xiang Lan’s heart sank, hearing from his tone that Song Ke didn’t want to free her from servitude. Despite her cleverness, she shook her head and said, “It’s not about me, but I worry that if my parents suffer because of me, I could never forgive myself even if I were crushed to pieces. So I’ve been thinking for many days, and today I’m being bold enough to ask you – my family has some savings, and I’d like to buy my parents’ freedom.”
Halfway through Xiang Lan’s speech, Song Ke understood her meaning. He had been worried she might ask for her freedom, which he absolutely couldn’t allow. To him, Xiang Lan was like a wisp of smoke, sometimes near, sometimes far – he wanted to grasp it, but it kept slipping through his fingers. If he let her go now, he might never catch even a trace of her again. Hearing that she only wanted to free her parents, he relaxed. He had been thinking of freeing Xiang Lan’s parents and supporting them, as it would be more respectable if her family were free citizens when she stayed with him.
After some thought, he asked, “If you free your parents, how will they make a living?”
Xiang Lan’s eyes brightened at these words, knowing success was possible. She quickly replied, “My father could be a manager at an antique shop or pawnshop, and my mother knows needlework – they could certainly make ends meet.”
Song Ke saw her bright eyes, eager expression, and slight nervousness, finding her utterly adorable. He smiled, picked up some vegetables with his chopsticks for her, and said gently, “Freeing your parents isn’t a difficult matter. Between us, why use the word ‘ask’?”
Xiang Lan opened her eyes wide with joy and quickly asked, “Then how much silver would it cost?”
Song Ke smiled and said, “Originally, your parents were given to me by Xiu Hong as a favor from Madam Lin, it didn’t cost much. He gave them to me as a gesture of goodwill, so I can simply free them.”
Xiang Lan was overwhelmed with joy, feeling her heart suddenly brighten. She was too happy to speak. Then she heard Song Ke continue, “Since your father has skills in appraising antiques, after being freed, he could work at my family’s pawnshop. The current manager is seriously ill and retiring, so we need someone. The annual salary is fifty taels of silver, with additional bonuses during festivals – it’s a good position.”
Xiang Lan was stunned. Her intention in freeing her parents was to remove them from dependence on the Song family, but now with Song Ke offering such generous compensation, she hesitated. After thinking it through: “My father earns his living through skill, why should I be narrow-minded and stubbornly proud? Besides, our family savings aren’t much, not enough to start a proper business. It’s better to start at the Song family pawnshop and make plans from there.” She was about to kneel and say, “Master’s great kindness, I could never repay even if I were reborn as grass or carried rings in my mouth.”
Song Ke quickly supported her arm, and seeing Xiang Lan’s smile, he was also delighted. He said, “Let’s not stand on ceremony between us. Today I’ll have the manager go to the government office to exchange the manumission papers.”
Xiang Lan nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick, looking at him gratefully with her beautiful eyes.
Song Ke smiled again, feeling as if his heart was filled with honey. He added several dishes and pastries to Xiang Lan’s bowl, saying, “Eat up.”
Xiang Lan hurriedly served Song Ke dishes and soup. After the meal, she carefully prepared the four treasures of study for his trip to the academy. After Song Ke gave her a few more instructions, he left with a smile.
Standing at the doorway, Xiang Lan lifted the curtain and watched Song Ke walk away, letting out a long breath, unable to suppress her smile. Although she remained a servant, getting her parents freed was an enormous blessing.
By noon, Song Ke’s manager indeed brought the manumission papers. Xiang Lan was overjoyed and looked at them repeatedly, carefully tucking them away. She told Yue Xi, “I’m going home for a while but will be back in time to prepare the master’s dinner.” She gathered a few things and left the Song mansion through the small back gate, heading straight for the back street where her parents lived.
Arriving home, she found both Chen Wan Quan and his wife at home. The couple was naturally delighted, and there were inevitable warm greetings and concern. The Chen couple were simple, honest people with little scheming ability. Seeing their daughter nearly beaten to death and sold by the Lin family, they couldn’t help but worry and sigh, though they had no way to help. Fortunately, she went to the Song family which, though not as prestigious as the Lin family, provided decent food and lodging, giving them some peace of mind.
Madam Xue had quietly discussed with Chen Wan Quan: “I see Young Master Song is kind-hearted. Why don’t we save some silver to buy our daughter’s freedom? If she keeps getting beaten and scolded every day, I might as well hang myself.” Because the family was poor, Madam Xue hadn’t considered other options, but now that Xiang Lan had brought home considerable silver, she thought about buying Xiang Lan’s freedom.
But Chen Wan Quan was short-sighted. Hearing his wife’s words, he said, “Our daughter just moved to a kind family, wearing fine silks and eating delicacies every day – how could she enjoy such fortune if she left? Haven’t you noticed Young Master Song’s intentions? He has taken a liking to our Xiang Lan. If she’s fortunate, she could live comfortably with Young Master Song forever as his concubine. I could die peacefully knowing that.”
Madam Xue worriedly said, “If only it were so simple. I’m afraid Young Master Song might marry a shrew-like the one in the Lin household, and then our Xiang Lan would suffer endlessly.”
Chen Wan Quan thought carefully and felt his wife had a point, but being naturally unclear-headed and living day to day, avoiding trouble when possible, he said, “Perhaps the master will marry a gentle and agreeable wife. Why worry so much about it every day!” So when Madam Xue brought it up again, Chen Wan Quan became angry. Every day after returning from work, he would buy some wine, drink his fill, and fall asleep on the bed, or chat grandly with his coworkers, completely ignoring the matter.
Only Madam Xue worried secretly. Whenever Chen Wan Quan wasn’t around, she would quietly take out the gold, silver, and various jewelry that Xiang Lan had given her to count, planning to discuss with Xiang Lan when she returned to make a decision together.
Now that Xiang Lan was home, Chen Wan Quan was naturally delighted. He asked Madam Xue to cook some dishes, and the family of three sat around the table. Xiang Lan specially poured herself a cup of wine and smiled, “Today there’s wonderful news. This morning I mentioned to Young Master Song about freeing you both from servitude, and unexpectedly, he agreed as soon as I brought it up.” She took out the papers from her bundle.
Madam Xue exclaimed joyfully, “Really?” carefully holding the papers in her hands.
Xiang Lan smiled, “Of course.”
But Chen Wan Quan’s face darkened with anger, “Foolish girl, why did you ask for such a thing? Without a master, where will your father find work? Moreover, after such a request, the Song family might think you’re ungrateful and drive you out – what then?” He continued rambling and cursing.
Xiang Lan was stunned, knowing her father was short-sighted. She silently sighed and said, “Young Master Song said he would hire you as the manager of his family’s pawnshop, with an annual salary of fifty taels of silver, plus year-end bonuses.” She added quietly, “Unless father prefers being a servant? If I’m foolish in the future and offend the master, getting sold away, at least I could seek help from family, unlike this time when I was nearly sold to a brothel and the family suffered because of me.”
Madam Xue nodded and sighed, “That’s right. We all saw how Second Aunt Lu’s family was dragged out and sold, a perfectly good family scattered to the winds, not knowing if they’ll ever see each other again.”
Chen Wan Quan fell silent at the mention of “shop manager” and “fifty taels of silver,” his face breaking into a smile. He thought to himself that Song Ke must have taken a liking to Xiang Lan to offer such a respectable position. If Xiang Lan played her cards right and had children with Song Ke, he would become Song family’s father-in-law, earning respect wherever he went. Thinking this, he felt content, his face breaking into a smile. He drank several more cups of wine and fell asleep on the bed.
Madam Xue quietly pulled Xiang Lan aside and said, “Silly child, why didn’t you ask Young Master Song to free yourself as well?”
Xiang Lan smiled, “I’m afraid I can’t get out so easily for now. Let’s take it one step at a time.”
Madam Xue asked, “Does Young Master Song really… does he have those intentions?”
Xiang Lan thought for a moment and said decisively, “Since mother asks, I won’t hide it. He does have those intentions, but I’m not willing to be someone’s concubine. I originally planned to wait a while before bringing up freeing you both, but now I feel we can’t wait. If he hadn’t agreed today, I was prepared to beg and cry, but surprisingly he agreed readily, which makes things easier. The work at the Song household is light, and I’ve painted several pictures that the father could sell through his acquaintances. We can save money, and if Father works harder at appraising antiques, together with our previous savings, it will add up. I’ll endure for two years and find a way to free myself. If Song Ke is truly sincere, he can send a proper bride price and marry me as his wife. If he only wants me as a concubine, he’s miscalculated, and I’ll find someone else to marry as a proper wife.”
Hearing these words, Madam Xue felt energized but hesitated, “This… can this work? It doesn’t seem so easy?”
Xiang Lan said, “Whether it works or not, we have to try. Mother, please persuade father to drink less and focus more on proper work.”
Madam Xue nodded repeatedly, and mother and daughter discussed in low voices.
At this moment, there was a knock at the door, and someone said, “Is Uncle Chen in? I’m Xia Yun, bringing something.”
Madam Xue hurried to open the door. Xiang Lan looked carefully and saw a tall scholar about eighteen or nineteen years old standing outside. He was fair and handsome, with bright eyes, a straight nose, and slightly thick lips. He had an elegant and cultured demeanor, wearing an old but immaculately clean robe.