WSMTATMC C129

Chapter 129

A maiden’s first stirrings of love are always poetry; so too a youth’s.

From the moment he saw Chen Qingyun, Liu Changyi seemed to lose his soul, thinking of her again and again.

Her every glance and smile etched into his mind, that flutter of pale-green skirts lingering in daydreams and night thoughts; even in class, cheek in hand, he would find himself grinning like a fool.

His tutor, noticing, went privately to Lu Zhongqi and asked him to speak to the disciple—there were still just over three months until the provincial autumn examination, and this would not do.

When Elder Lu learned of it, he summoned the student to ask the cause.

“Changyi, your tutor came to me today. He says you have not been focused on your studies of late. Has something happened?”

Startled, Liu Changyi shook his head in denial. “N-no… nothing.”

“This is a major examination year. You have prepared so long—you must not stumble at the critical moment.”

“Yes…”

Leaving the library, he sat alone on the stone steps outside in a daze. He did not know what was wrong with him; he could not help recalling Chen Qingyun. The sweetness and terror of first love left the youth both delighted and uneasy, unsure what to do.

After thinking it over, Liu Changyi decided to tell his mother on the next rest day and have his parents help discreetly learn whether the young lady was already betrothed.

On the other side, his parents had already thought the same. Master Liu inquired for several days but learned nothing—after all, the Chen family had only lately moved to the prefectural city and seldom socialized.

At last he remembered that Chen Qingyan’s master was close with Elder Lu. Perhaps he could ask through him.

As luck would have it, on the very day Master Liu called, Elder Liang was visiting Elder Lu. Liu Shengzhi and Liang Boqing had met once, and Liu’s elder brother, Liu Yaozhi, had crossed verses with Elder Liang in years past—old acquaintances, of a sort.

They fell into easy conversation. When Lu Zhongqi heard the matter, he said, “You’ve asked the right man—Boqing now lives with the Chens and knows them well.”

Elder Liang recalled the day Qingyun stole a glance at Liu Changyi—so, they had some small thread of fate—and could not help but smile. “Qingyun has not yet been promised.”

“Well now, that is excellent. At least I have something to report back.”

The two elders exchanged a look and burst into hearty laughter.

When Liu Shengzhi returned and told his wife, the couple immediately began preparing gifts and planned to bring their son to pay a formal call on his next rest day.

Meanwhile, Elder Liang went back and told Wang Ying and Madam Li as well. “From what the Lius say, it seems they’re inclined to join families with you.”

Madam Li looked to her son-in-law. “Ying’er, what should be done…”

In recent years she had grown used to letting Wang Ying decide the major matters; her first thought was to ask his mind.

Wang Ying said, “I’ve met Lady Liu several times—she’s a warm and generous woman. I don’t know much of Master Liu’s character. Do they have any other children?”

Elder Liang said, “They have two daughters, both already married in the capital.”

“And Master’s view of Liu Changyi?”

“He’s a bit wooden in manner, but bright at his books. If he can be intimate friends with Qingyan and the others, his conduct cannot be far off.”

Wang Ying already had a sense of things. The Liu family’s standing was better than theirs on paper, with an official uncle above; but the Chens were not lacking either—their own fourth uncle was likewise a fourth-rank official.

With Qingyan, Qinghuai, and Qingsong gradually rising, he believed the Chen family would soon change their station.

Seen thus, it was a match of equal families. “A good match is hard to find. If both sides are willing, let’s find a time to discuss and set the betrothal early.”

Madam Li nodded repeatedly—she, too, felt it fitting. If her daughter married into the prefectural city, visiting would be easy, and she could rest easier.

That evening, Wang Ying told Chen Qingyan.

“You mean to betroth Qingyun to Liu Changyi?!”

“Lower your voice… nothing’s settled. Today Master suddenly mentioned it—the Lius asked whether Qingyun had a prior engagement, and it looked like they had marriage in mind. He told Mother and me specially.”

Once his surprise passed, Chen Qingyan did not object; in fact, he thought it a good match.

“The Lius’ circumstances are solid, and his parents are rare kind, good people. If Qingyun marries in, she won’t be wronged. Better to marry her to someone we know than to a stranger—we at least know the man’s character.”

Wang Ying agreed. “That was my thought as well. I only don’t know Qingyun’s mind. I’ll ask her tomorrow.”

—

The next day at noon, when Qingyun brought lunch, Wang Ying beckoned. “Come—sister-in-law has a question.”

Setting down the food box, she came over curiously. “What is it?”

“Do you remember the young Master Liu who came looking for your eldest brother last time?”

Of course she remembered, but she feigned ignorance. “Which Master Liu?”

Beside them, Lin Sui covered his mouth to hide a laugh—just days ago, Qingyun had pulled him aside to talk about that very young lord; and now she was putting on an act.

Wang Ying did not know the two had talked privately and thought his sister truly couldn’t recall.

“Liu Changyi—the one you led back to our place.”

“Oh, vaguely.” She ducked her head.

“The Lius are asking about joining families with us. It’s not settled, of course. I wanted to ask what you thought.”

Qingyun’s heart jumped; her cheeks flushed. “How would I know… we’ve not even said more than a few words.”

“True, but it’s not bad. He seems a proper young man. And with Lady Liu’s temper, there should be less mother-in-law friction if you went there.”

“Sister-in-law…” She turned away, shy.

This was the difficult part of the age. Unless one was childhood sweethearts, most marriages were blind and mute.

He himself was an example—before his marriage he had never even seen Chen Qingyan’s face, sold off by the original’s parents for a sum.

He was lucky. Though Qingyan had been sickly, life turned out not bad; mother-in-law and siblings treated him well; living together, they were not made hard.

Unlucky were those like Lin Sui—who met scoundrels and suffered harm to the bone.

So Wang Ying took Qingyun’s marriage seriously.

“If you don’t dislike Liu Changyi, I’ll tell Mother. Then if the Lius send a matchmaker, we’ll agree.”

“Let sister-in-law decide…” Qingyun scooped up the bowls and chopsticks, tucked them into the basket, and fled in a puff of skirts.

Wang Ying did not fully grasp a girl’s heart and could not tell whether that meant yes or no. If she disliked him, better to have Mother decline—no need to forge a bitter match.

Lin Sui hurried to say, “Sister-in-law, Qingyun likes him.”

“How do you know?”

“These days she often mentions the young Lord Liu. Every time she does, she blushes—just like I did at first…” He trailed off—mentioning his past had wiped the smile from his face; he bit his lip and lowered his head.

Wang Ying knew the ache. “That’s past; the evildoers paid. Look ahead.”

“Mm. I know.”

“This little imp dared tease me—if she likes him, why not say so? We nearly had Mother refuse!”

—

Elsewhere, on her son’s rest day, Qin Furong had the servants bring him a new outfit at daybreak.

Bathed early, his eyebrows smoothed, and the fuzz at his lips tidied.

“Mother, what are you doing?” he asked, at a loss.

She smiled broadly. “I’ve found you a fine match—one you’ll surely like!”

“Ah?!” He started, pushing away the attendant washing his face. “What pairings are you meddling with now!”

“What are you saying—what ‘meddling’?”

“I… already have someone I admire. Whoever you choose, I will refuse.”

“Refuse?!”

After all her effort, asking around and spending silver preparing gifts—and he would just flap his lips and reject it?

A rush of anger rose.

She was no sigh-and-weeping housewife. Her three elder brothers were men of arms, and she herself had practiced martial forms as a child. Though marriage and years had softened her, dealing with this whelp was like handling a chick.

In three quick moves, she had his arms twisted up behind him and bound with cord. “Orchid, Green Willow—haul him onto the cart! Today, whether he will or not, he goes!”

Liu Changyi’s eyes filled. “Mother, you cannot—didn’t you say you’d find me a girl I liked?”

“You’re ripe for the cowl and beads at this rate—Mother has no patience.”

“Force-bent gourds aren’t sweet!”

“They quench thirst well enough. The first time I met your father, I near crippled him with a whip—and we live well enough now, don’t we?”

“I’m not the same as you…”

“What’s different? Don’t overthink it—listen to Mother. The girl is pretty and poised. You’ll like her.”

A maid bundled him like a baggage roll into the carriage.

He sagged against the wall of the compartment, tears falling in fat drops. From small to large, it had always been thus: once his mother set her mind, neither he nor his father had any right to refuse.

At seven, he had wished to learn to swim. Father had already found a servant to teach him, but his mother, fearful, forbade it. Even now, he could not swim.

At ten, he wished to learn the qin. Mother feared it would distract him from study and smashed the instrument, burning the scores.

At twelve, he got drunk for the first time with friends; his mother whipped him—if not for Father’s pleading, his back would have been flayed.

Why?

He was eighteen—hair bound, a man. Why must she control him in all things?

No—this time, he would not yield. Once there, he’d act a fool if he must and wreck the match.

Seeing her son’s face, Qin Furong knew he was cooking up mischief. What should have been joyous now left her without appetite.

“If you truly won’t, then forget it. The Chen children are all fine. Better not force it and turn friends into enemies.”

He stared blankly—then, after a long beat, stammered, “Mother… who… who is it?”

Footnotes

• Autumn provincial exam (秋闱): The key round of the imperial examination cycle held in the eighth lunar month; success confers the juren (provincial graduate) degree. 
• “Parents’ command and matchmakers’ words” (父母之命媒妁之言): Traditional maxim defining proper marriage procedure, emphasizing parental authority and mediated arrangements. 
• Bound hair (束冠): A rite of passage marking adulthood for males, typically around age fifteen to twenty in traditional contexts.