Chapter 8: Wives and Concubines (I)

Zhao Yuechan fiddled with the red musk beads in her hand, her expression calm: "I have created such a big commotion and still feel uneasy in my conscience. The parrot is carrying the flesh and blood of the master, and now it is also the person closest to the master. The master has repeatedly warned me so many times to keep a close watch on the parrot. Now that such an accident has happened, if anything happens to this flesh and blood, I would find it hard to absolve myself, even if I were to hang myself or commit suicide. Not to mention the three halls of trial and the martial arts assembly, even if I were to play the role of Xiang Yu at the Wu River, it would be a relief."

Zhao Yuechan slammed the table and shouted: "Enough! Is this ever going to end!"

With a charming smile, she said, "I've said enough, I will keep quiet now." After speaking, she took out a small mirror from her sleeve and began to arrange her hair while looking into it

Lin Jinlou glanced at the parrot, whose pale face was adorned with tears. Upon noticing Lin Jinlou looking at her, the parrot appeared even more pitiable, furrowing her delicate brows and gazing longingly, embodying a look that seemed to plead for compassion. Lin Jinlou then turned to Zhao Yuechan and said, "You have created such a commotion here, transforming the inquiry from a three-hall examination into a full-blown brawl. Have you managed to uncover anything? Who exactly pushed the parrot?"

The spring swallow fell to the ground with a "thud," and with a sobbing tone said, "M-Master, it wasn't me who pushed; someone really pushed me from behind. I lost my balance and bumped into the parrot..." As she spoke, she tried to inch forward to hug Lin Jinlou's leg. However, under Lin Jinlou's stern gaze, she dared not move, awkwardly lowering her hands, her whole body softening as she collapsed on the ground in tears, still crying out, "I didn't mean to..."

As the saying goes, "When one bird enters the forest, a hundred birds hush their voices," the swallows and warblers in the room immediately fell silent. The spring swallow, still perched on the grass, hurriedly climbed down upon hearing the conversation, flustered as she tidied her loose hair bun. Stealing a glance towards the door, she murmured, "Sir"

The thrush seemed to be laughing, covering its mouth with a handkerchief and saying: "Alright, you can use this pitiful act in front of the master, but it won't work here. Don't you always lead the master to your room, complaining about chest pains one moment and stomach aches the next? The master will be back soon, and today you have a golden opportunity with that bump. You should cry in front of the master to gain some sympathy and affection. Maybe tomorrow I will also learn from the parrot sister, get caught in the rain, and call the master to my bed, and who knows, I might end up pregnant..."

Zhi Cao lay half-reclined on the ground, sobbing softly, her hair already disheveled by the spring swallows, with the hairpins and floral ornaments scattered haphazardly among her locks. An old woman went to pull Zhi Cao up, and after two attempts, she finally managed to help her to her feet.

Lin Jinlou squinted slightly, his gaze sharp as a sword, slowly scanning the room. His presence alone was imposing, making everyone feel a sense of pressure, causing them to unconsciously step back. Ultimately, Lin Jinlou's gaze settled on Zhao Yuechan, and he inquired: "What is going on here?"

"Nonsense!" Chunyan glared at Zhicao with gritted teeth, her delicate face appearing somewhat fierce. "You little brat, spouting such nonsense, aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning!" As she spoke, she couldn't help but twist Zhicao's arm a couple of times. Zhicao dodged repeatedly, crying out in pain, with tears streaming down her face.

"Zhicao, clearly it was you who bumped into me, how can you say it didn't happen? Auntie, you must stand up for me." Upon hearing these words, the weeping woman raised her head abruptly; it was indeed Aunt Lu's eldest daughter, Chunyan.

"Grandma, at that time I was standing behind Sister Chunyan, but I truly did not touch her. Somehow, she stumbled forward and bumped into Sister Yingge..." Zhicao is a maid of about thirteen or fourteen years old, her frail body trembling continuously, crying pitifully.

The room fell silent in an instant. Zhao Yuechan turned her head to the side and said, "Parrot, are you feeling any better?"

Zhao Yuechan coldly said: "Hua Mei, have you said enough?"

The spring swallow was startled, retracting its neck and daring not to speak

"Sister Huamei, how can you speak like that... I am only concerned about the well-being of the master’s flesh and blood." The parrot wore a look of surprise and sadness, and tears fell once again.

At this moment, the essence of spring is in full bloom, with the banana leaves deep green, the bamboo leaves a rich emerald, and the peach and apricot blossoms resembling fiery clouds. Occasionally, birds chirp among the trees, and a gentle breeze ripples the surface of a jade-green pond. From time to time, two maids dressed in red and green stroll across the arched bridge, embodying the brilliance of all living things. Xianglan enjoys the scenery along the way, feeling her heart and mind become more expansive.

Xianglan could only move forward, not daring to enter the main room. She noticed a window on the right that was slightly ajar, so she approached the base of the window and leaned in to take a look. She saw Zhao Yuechan sitting on a carved wooden chair in the style of a begonia, with Yingshuang standing beside her on the right. At Zhao Yuechan's feet knelt two women; one had her head lowered, her shoulders trembling, clearly crying, while the other, with a hoarse voice, pleaded, "Madam, I truly did not bump into Sister Chunyan..."

Xianglan nodded and, having clarified the location, took the box and went out. Luo Xuewu was situated at the farthest corner of the Lin family's garden, and Xianglan walked out along the long, winding gravel path with a light and cheerful step

Little Juan smiled and said, "What are you sneaking around here to look at..." Before she could finish her sentence, her expression suddenly became serious. She pulled Xianglan aside and whispered, "Quick, lower your head and stand properly." Xianglan hurriedly followed her lead, bowing her head in a respectful manner. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a tall figure hurrying over, but he did not look in their direction. He pushed the door open and entered the room, speaking in a stern tone, "What is going on here!"

Lin Jinlou found a chair and sat down, his voice cold and hard as stone: "Have you called the doctor?"

Xianglan could hardly contain her laughter, thinking: "The master has three concubines: Chunyan, Yingge, and Huamei. Chunyan is lively and beautiful, Yingge is pitifully charming, and Huamei is alluring and exquisite. This room is filled with a variety of lovely birds, all perfectly categorized. Moreover, with the stunning Zhao Yuechan, Lin Jinlou is truly fortunate in his romantic pursuits. However, among these three, Chunyan is the least clever, Yingge is the best at acting, and Huamei is quite interesting."

The zoysia grass let out a startled cry as it was pinned to the ground and beaten by the spring swallow. The maids in the room were taken aback and hurriedly rushed forward to intervene. The parrot wore a cold smile at the corner of its beak, yet it clutched its belly and exclaimed in pain. The thrush sat in the corner, screaming, "Oh dear, what are we to do? Hurry and intervene! Sister Chunyan, please let go quickly, don't kill that little maid!" The tone of the speaker was clearly laced with laughter.

"You fart! It was clearly you who pushed me hard from behind, causing me to bump into the parrot!" Chunyan pointed at Zhicao, her eyes nearly blazing with anger

Xianglan just discovered a beauty leaning against the wall on a Luohan bed, dressed in a light blue and gold embroidered coat depicting the early spring branches. She wore a red gold double lotus hairpin, her complexion pale, resembling a delicate and fragile beauty. The parrot placed her right hand on her lower abdomen, tears welling up as she said: "I am fine, but I am just worried about the child in my belly... Madam, this is the first child of the master. If anything were to happen, how could I face the old lady and the madam?" As she spoke, two streams of clear tears slid down her cheeks.

Zhao Yuechan raised her eyebrows and said, "The parrot was bumped into by someone, hitting its stomach. I quickly had her rest here and sent someone to call a doctor. At that time, Chunyan and Zhicao were standing behind the parrot. Chunyan said that Zhicao pushed her, which caused her to bump into the parrot. Zhicao then claimed that she did not bump into Chunyan, but that Chunyan bumped into the parrot herself."

Zhao Yuechan stared at the parrot and asked, "Did you see who bumped into you just now?"

Xiang Lan thought to herself: "Among all the women in the room, aside from Zhao Yuechan's unparalleled beauty, she herself is the most striking, exuding an air of elegance that suggests she is certainly not from a humble background."

Zhi Cao suddenly burst into tears: "Grandma, Grandma, it really wasn't me! It really wasn't me who pushed Chun Yan!"

Ying Shuang whispered, "I have already sent someone to invite them; they should be arriving soon."

Chun Yan trembled with anger: "I clearly saw your hands grabbing my clothes, how dare you say it wasn't you! I will tear your mouth apart!" She stood up and lunged at Zhi Cao.

Xianglan patted her chest and said, "So it's you, you really scared me to death"

Xianglan was taken aback, her three souls and six spirits nearly gone. Turning around, she saw a round-faced little girl standing behind her, beaming with a smile. It was the little girl Xiaojuan whom she had met on the day she entered the mansion.

It is not me, it is not me, it really is not me!" Zhicao shook her head vigorously, crying so hard that she was hiccupping, her earrings swinging wildly and hitting her face.

With a sharp gaze, Ying Shuang stepped forward and shouted, "Shut up! The elders haven't spoken yet, so where do you find the audacity to interrupt!"

The parrot hung its head and shook it, saying: "Just now, a few of us came out of the old lady's room. As soon as I reached the back of the steps, I was suddenly pushed hard. If it weren't for Lei'er pulling me, I would have fallen to the ground... But I still bumped my stomach and it hurts a bit." As he spoke, he covered his lower abdomen, furrowing his brows, looking somewhat pained

Xianglan widened her eyes. The fiery temper of Chunyan truly inherited the essence of Aunt Lv Er, as she was ready to resort to violence over a disagreement. She watched as the two people in the room rolled into a tangle, and no one could separate them. Suddenly, she felt a weight on her shoulder, and a voice said: "What are you watching here?"

A laugh came from the corner, saying: "I say, Parrot Sister, in this house, who doesn't know that you belong to the old lady for the master? There's no need to mention the old lady every time, is there? Just rest assured, the madam is sharp-eyed and will surely clear your grievances." The tone was neither too harsh nor too soft, carrying a hint of gloating acidity.

Zhao Yuechan said: "Just lie down and rest; Ying Shuang has already sent Xiao Yao to invite the doctor."

Exiting the garden, to the far east stood the Zhi Chun Pavilion, where Zhao Yuechan resided. The Zhi Chun Pavilion was vast, featuring three grand and elegant main rooms along with four side wings, and the courtyard contained several wing rooms on both the east and west sides. Xianglan cautiously entered the courtyard, only to find it eerily quiet. She called out several times, "Is anyone there?" but no one responded.

On this fine day, Xianglan was just thinking of taking the quilt outside to bask in the sun when she suddenly heard Cao Lihuan calling from the hall: "Xianglan, go deliver these items to Grandma Lou. " She pushed the golden marigold lacquered wooden box on the table and said: "You must personally hand it to Grandma, saying it is from me; she will know as soon as she sees it"

Xianglan followed the sound and saw a girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old sitting in the corner, dressed in a two-colored gold chrysanthemum embroidered jacket. She wore a large phoenix hairpin adorned with red gold and a crimson gold skirt. Her face was oval-shaped, with a slightly pointed chin, bright eyes, and white teeth. There was a small black mole under her left eye, and her appearance was strikingly beautiful. Her face was heavily made up, which would seem quite vulgar on others, yet on her, it appeared remarkably appealing. She seemed somewhat impatient as she extended her hands to admire her newly dyed nails, and the golden bracelets accentuated her exceptionally fair wrists. Bright eyes and white teeth, a small black mole under her left eye, a strikingly beautiful appearance, heavily made up, which would seem quite vulgar on others, yet on her, it appeared remarkably appealing. She seemed somewhat impatient as she extended her hands to admire her newly dyed nails, and the golden bracelets accentuated her exceptionally fair wrists.