Chapter 2: Confrontation

Xianglan calmly decided to stop while the going was good, her face remaining impassive as she handed the kitchen knife to Xue, saying, "You hold this for me." After speaking, she broke away from the others and rushed into the Lü family's house. Aunt Lü's two daughters were peeking into the courtyard from the doorway, and when they saw Xianglan rush in, they were so frightened that they scattered in all directions. Xianglan quickly searched the room and pulled out a piece of fine cloth clothing from under the quilt. She dashed out, holding up the garment, and said, "This piece of clothing was just made for me by my mother. There is an orchid embroidered on the cuffs, and the character '兰' (lan) is a design I personally traced. Which of your daughters is named '兰'?"

Xue let out a chuckle and pointed at Xianglan's forehead, saying, "You were raised in the Buddhist temple since childhood; isn't the Buddha compassionate? How could you think of wielding a kitchen knife? You scared me out of my wits."

Xiang Lan waved her hand impatiently and glared at Chen Wanquan: "Enough, enough. If my father has such a temper, why doesn't he stand up for my mother? He only shows his strength at home, but is completely submissive and honest outside. If my father had any sense of responsibility, why would I have to bear the reputation of a 'shrew'?"

Chen Wanquan had been hiding in the house for half a day. Just now, there was a commotion in the courtyard, and he was anxiously pacing back and forth inside. Seeing Xianglan, he gritted his teeth and said: "You, you, always causing trouble for the master of the house!"

Xianglan made a face and laughed, saying: "The Buddha once said, 'The Fierce Vajra and the Bowing Bodhisattva.' I am merely pretending to be the Vajra to scare Aunt Lu Er. Besides, I know what I'm doing; I will never actually chop, it's just for show to frighten her a little."

Today, Aunt Lü Er happened to charge in headfirst. Her first intention was to vent her anger on her mother, second to intimidate those shameless individuals who usually bully her family, and third to establish her own fierce reputation, thereby postponing the engagement matter and taking her time to strategize.

Aunt Lu Er was extremely resentful towards Xiang Lan, wishing to swallow her alive. However, Xiang Lan seized upon her most vulnerable weakness, making it absolutely impossible for her to admit her fault. With a quick turn of her eyes, she fell to the ground, crying out in despair: "Oh dear! That door latch almost killed me! It has left my back and chest in pain. My dear aunt, if you do not come to my aid, I will have someone stab me to death! Why is my fate so miserable, being ridden by a small beast from a poor and broken family, defecating and urinating on my head... My back and chest are in pain, my dear aunt, if you do not come to my aid, I will have someone stab me to death! Why is my fate so miserable, being ridden by a small beast from a poor and broken family, defecating and urinating on my head..." She rolled on the ground, refusing to get up.

Xiang Lan shouted, "Why didn’t you stop that shrew from scolding my mother just now! My family has suffered great humiliation today. I will first kill her, then take my own life, and at least it will be clean!" Saying this, she attempted to charge forward, cursing, "If you have the guts, bring out your aunt! Bah! What 'aunt'—she's just a concubine, a worthless thing relying on her connections. Today, I will stab you with a white knife and then a red knife, first killing you, then I will cut my own throat!"

Her father had set his sights on the third son of Manager Huang Er from the rice shop, while her mother favored the youngest son of Manager Liu from the silk store. Both of these young men were servants of the Lin family. She had met them all, and although they could barely recognize a few characters, they lacked ambition and insight; they were merely servants from a prominent family, slightly less rustic than others. Mrs. Xue was already happily selecting a match, preparing to finalize the arrangement by the end of the year. During the New Year, she planned to spend money to make arrangements and would ask influential housekeepers to petition the master for a favor, allowing Xianglan to marry, thus fulfilling her own wish.

Chen Wanquan exclaimed in anger: "Is this when you finally thought of it? What about your daughter's reputation? If this gets out, the Chen family's daughter will be known as a violent woman wielding knives and guns at such a young age. How will she ever get married?"

Chen Wanquan sneered, "You are quite imposing, but it's a pity you weren't born as a general in a red robe!"

Aunt Lv let out a miserable scream, feeling as if her internal organs were about to shatter, and involuntarily released Xue, nearly vomiting her bile. Xianglan, still holding the door bolt, attempted to strike again, prompting the crowd to exclaim, "This is serious!" They rushed forward to seize the door bolt from Xianglan, who allowed them to take it away and quickly turned into the kitchen, emerging with a kitchen knife, charging towards Aunt Lv while shouting, "You have been stealing from my family day in and day out, and today you dare to hit and scold my mother. Let’s settle both old and new scores together. I will no longer live, and I will perish with you!"

Aunt Lu Er's face turned pale and then flushed, as she stubbornly said, "My Xiao Er also has clothes in this color; I must have taken the wrong ones"

Shen Jialan had experienced the devastation of a family raid and was aware of the even more tragic fates that awaited the servants once their masters fell into misfortune—she had heard that the few maids who had once been by her side had all entered the brothel. She silently reassured herself that, with the current situation in the court having been settled, the Lin family was observant and should not follow the old path of the Shen family, and that her status as a servant would likely allow her to remain secure for the time being. In her childhood, she had been raised in a Buddhist temple, spending her days with Master Dingyi; although life was poor, it was peaceful and joyful. She silently comforted herself again, believing that the current situation in the court was stable, and that the Lin family would not repeat the mistakes of the Shen family, thus her position as a servant would likely remain secure for now. However, upon returning from the Buddhist temple to the secular world, she suddenly realized the harsh reality: her weak and indulgent father, her frail mother, and the fact that she was soon to come of age, with her family already making arrangements for her marriage.

Xianglan ignored him and directly poured water for Xue to wash her face and groom herself. She took a cup and poured half a cup of cold tea to drink. After Xue finished washing her face, she said while combing her hair: "This commotion is indeed satisfying, but his eldest daughter still has some standing..."

Chen Wanquan only dares to lose his temper at his wife, while he is utterly indulgent towards his daughter, and there is a subtle fear of her; he falls silent as soon as she speaks. Xianglan then said: "Aunt Lu Er is a tough character, unyielding and reckless; what reason can we discuss with her? We can only respond to violence with violence, ensuring she behaves. We are originally a genteel family and would never stoop to fighting with someone like her, as it would only bring us trouble. In the past, we endured some losses, but now she has come to bully us openly. If we do not stand up for ourselves, we will only be ridiculed behind our backs, labeled as weaklings, and she will only become more brazen. Today, she takes a piece of clothing; tomorrow, she might take our gold and silver. We can only respond to violence with violence, ensuring she behaves. We are originally a genteel family and would never stoop to fighting with someone like her, as it would only bring us trouble. In the past, we endured some losses, but now she has come to bully us openly. If we do not stand up for ourselves, we will only be ridiculed behind our backs, labeled as weaklings, and she will only become more brazen. Today, she takes a piece of clothing; tomorrow, she might take our gold and silver. What if she robs us of our silver the day after tomorrow?" She then looked at Chen Wanquan and said: "With such a weak maternal family, what good marriage do you think I can find? If I marry out, I will only be bullied by my in-laws. My parents have no sons, and others look down on us a little. If I do not seize this opportunity to establish a reputation today, who knows how I will be bullied in the future? Even if I earn the reputation of a 'shrew,' what does it matter?"

Everyone followed suit, advising: "Let’s make peace—it's just a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding. What words can’t be spoken among neighbors in the street?"

Shen Jialan fell from the clouds into the mire, and in a single night, her family was shattered and her loved ones perished. She witnessed the harshness and bitterness of the world, accompanying her husband's family into exile for thousands of miles. Enduring cold and hunger along the way, facing exclusion and bullying, her suffering was beyond words. Her newlywed husband, Xiao Hang, fell gravely ill during the journey. To protect her husband and family, she transformed from an elegant young lady into a fierce and aggressive woman. Even so, she ultimately could not safeguard her entire family—her husband passed away midway, and she, having caught a cold and on the brink of death, was abandoned by the officials, soon succumbing to illness.

Xianglan sneered, "Wrongly taken? Who are you trying to fool?"

Xianglan did not want to be a mere plaything for her entire life. After having lived once, she was determined to become a landowner with a house, land, and livestock in this life, to take care of her family, and to live a peaceful and tranquil life. When she was still a child, she had already been planning how to help her entire family gain their freedom while ensuring their future livelihood. Ever since she heard that the contract her father signed when he sold himself was not a death contract and could still be redeemed, her eyes lit up with hope—if she could redeem her father, her own freedom would also be within reach. Moreover, she had heard that the Lin family indeed had servants who redeemed themselves! She had secretly painted a few pictures and had her father sell them at the antique shop, claiming they were painted by nuns from the temple, in order to earn some silver to rebuild the temple. Once the paintings were sold, the shop would take a commission of ten percent. To her surprise, all of these paintings sold within a few days, earning her one or two taels of silver. Xianglan was overjoyed and carefully hid the silver.

The Lin family of Jiangnan, a prominent clan, is well-known to her. The Lin family started their fortune through commerce and later married several daughters of impoverished or illegitimate officials, gradually prospering. Their descendants entered government service, and after three generations, they established a stronghold in the Jiangnan water towns, enjoying immense wealth and status. The head of the Lin family, Lin Zhaoxiang, was astute and resourceful. When she was thirteen, Lin Zhaoxiang intended to negotiate a marriage alliance with the Shen family, proposing her as a wife for Lin Jilou, the eldest grandson of the Lin family, even though she was four years older than him. However, for reasons unknown, this matter later fell through, and Lin Zhaoxiang submitted a petition to retire and return home. Two years later, amidst the bloody turmoil in the court, the Shen family was nearly annihilated, while the Lin family stood firm, thriving even more than before.

Xue held Xianglan affectionately and said, "My daughter has grown up and knows how to stand up for her mother." Chen Wanquan glared fiercely at Xue, shaking his head and sighing. Leaning against Xue's embrace, Xianglan said, "Mother, you need not worry. Although I am a girl, I am no less capable than a man. There is a saying, 'Women are no less than men.' As long as I live, I will not allow you to suffer even a day of grievance."

Xiang Lan walked over and spat fiercely on Aunt Lu Er's face, scolding her word by word: "You have no shame!" After saying this, she pulled Xue Shi into the house and slammed the door with a bang

Xianglan pursed her lips and remained silent. She did wish to be reborn as a general in a red robe; even if she could not become a general, being a man would suffice. Unfortunately, in this life, she is still a woman

Aunt Lv Er originally intended to engage in a verbal fight with Xiang Lan, but upon hearing Xiang Lan say, "I will kill your little brat to vent my anger," and seeing that the other party was clearly prepared to risk their life, she was momentarily intimidated and huddled in the corner of the courtyard, afraid to speak. Xue Shi, seeing her daughter standing up for her, felt particularly vindicated, but when she saw Xiang Lan brandishing weapons, her eyes bloodshot and genuinely ready to fight to the death, she became frightened. Stumbling forward, she embraced Xiang Lan and said, "My child, quickly put down the knife. If someone really gets killed and it leads to a lawsuit, how will your mother survive!"

When everyone saw Xianglan displaying a fierce determination to fight to the death, they attempted to step forward to seize the knife. Xianglan, with a stern and fierce expression, declared: "Whoever takes my knife shall be my enemy! Even if I cannot kill her today, I will do so tomorrow!" This display of authority indeed intimidated those around her. Xianglan then glared at Aunt Lu Er, gritting her teeth and saying: "Vile woman, if you have the guts, come over and die! You insulted my mother, so I will take your little brat's life to vent my anger!"

The kitchen knife glinted dazzlingly under the sunlight, cold and chilling, instilling fear. Aunt Lu Er was taken aback and hurriedly dodged, while the neighbors quickly restrained Xianglan, calling out in unison: "Let's talk this over calmly, quickly put down the knife!"

Xianglan let out a cold snort and said: "If you admit your mistake to my mother, we can let this matter go; otherwise, I will risk everything to expose this to the authorities, so that the madam, the grandmother, and the elder all know that the 'aunt' surnamed Lu has a mother who engages in thievery and deceit"

Xianglan only wishes to let out a long howl to the heavens—she would rather die than marry in such a manner! Marrying a servant of the Lin family means that her future descendants will forever be servants of the Lin family. What is a servant? A servant is a commodity, a servant is the property of the master. A servant cannot take the imperial examination, a servant cannot freely marry, a servant cannot possess their own land or property deeds; a servant is merely the plaything of the master! The master can sell, kill, torture, or give away a servant, and all of this is beyond reproach! A servant is a commodity, a servant is the property of the master. A servant cannot take the imperial examination, a servant cannot freely marry, a servant cannot possess their own land or property deeds; a servant is merely the plaything of the master! The master can sell, kill, torture, or give away a servant, and all of this is beyond reproach!

When she opened her eyes again, she had transformed into a tiny infant, being teased by Xue, who softly called her: "Xianglan." Although she was a natural-born child of the Lin family, she had never felt such gratitude and contentment before.

Xue is a beauty, and Chen Xianglan's appearance is even more exquisite, enhanced by her graceful demeanor. She is well-versed in literature, skilled in needlework, and generally maintains a quiet and gentle disposition, often wearing a sweet smile. Furthermore, the Chen couple are honest people, which has led to a constant stream of visitors eager to inquire, with several prominent stewards from the Lin family also coming to ask.

Everyone widened their eyes: What?! Not only do they want to kill Aunt Lu Er, but they even want to slaughter her child? Who doesn't know that the three daughters of the Lu family had a son just two years ago, cherished like a precious jewel! This Chen family's daughter looks beautiful and gentle, but it turns out she is the most formidable shrew!

In her previous life, she was named Shen Jialan, the legitimate granddaughter of Shen Wenhan, the Grand Scholar of the Crown Prince and a high-ranking official in the Zhan Shi Fu. She had once been praised as "a woman who does not yield to men." The Shen family was a prestigious household, highly valued by the Crown Prince, and their family thrived. From a young age, Shen Jialan was surrounded by numerous tutors, excelling in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and household management. However, the unexpected death of the late emperor led to the Eighth Prince's rebellion, and the Crown Prince went missing, causing the palace to change overnight. The Eighth Prince spared no effort in eliminating the Crown Prince's supporters, and the Shen family was implicated in the power struggle, suffering the consequences that extended to nine generations. As a result, all the direct descendants of the Shen family were executed at Wumen, and the female members were sent to the Imperial Music Bureau. At the age of fifteen, Shen Jialan was already married, but her husband's family was also affected, resulting in their exile three thousand miles away.