Chapter 13

Chapter 13 The Scholar’s Wife

Madam Liu nodded, “Indeed. This person knows how to choose at young age, and he is really smart to exchange more than half of his family’s wealth for the safety of him and his younger sister.”

Liu Fang nodded and said with a smile: “Exactly as mother’s words. This person knows how to choose at such a young age. Then why did he become a scholar only now?”

Madam Liu smiled slightly, “That’s right. He must have done it on purpose.”

Liu Fang: “Exactly. It is very clear that he was still young, if he showed extraordinary intelligence from the beginning, then it will be been a disaster rather than a blessing. He will definitely not be able to protect himself and his younger sister.”

Madam Liu nodded in agreement.

“Because of this, he has a good character on the surface, but he is quite resourceful. At the same time, he is restrained, so he has not done anything bad so far. It can be seen that he is an extremely tolerant and scheming person.” Madam Liu added with a smile, “He is also very bold and discerning.”

Liu Fang looked at Madam Liu inexplicably.

“He went to the official media early this morning and planned to come to the Duke’s Mansion to propose marriage.”

[Guan Mei (官媒) Official media refers to the women who served as matchmakers in the old government office] 

Liu Fang: ( ⊙ o ⊙ )! !

In the Duke Liu Mansion, she was the only one who has no engagement and marriage!

Yang An, he really dares? !

……

Yang An really dares!

After tossing and turning all night, he really couldn’t bear the impulse in his heart, and couldn’t control his thoughts, so he simply went all out: He went to ask the official media to propose marriage!

Regardless of whether he succeeds or not in the end, he has at least put his heart into it and worked hard!

Regarding his decision, his younger sister Yang Hui raised her hands in agreement, and kept urging him: “Brother, go quickly, go and marry sister-in-law home…”

Yang An: ╮(︶﹏︶)╭ He also wants to, but it wasn’t up to him! (╥_╥) 

After being uneasy for several days, he finally got a reply from the official media: This matter—it is success!

Yang An: (⊙o⊙)! !

This… he isn’t dreaming, is he? (*^▽^*)

No matter what, in short, the fact that the eighteenth young lady of Duke Liu Mansion was engaged to a poor student became famous in the capital!

If it weren’t for the spring exam, perhaps it will cause a sensation in the whole city.

Some people were surprised, and some people were envious. But no matter what happened to the outside world. Yang An and Liu Fang, the unmarried couple, have finally officially met!

The meeting place was at the Duke Mansion, and Liu Anqing⎯⎯Liu Fang’s twenty-second elder brother, invited Yang An into the mansion to appreciate ancient paintings.

Liu Anqing, eighteen years old, become a Tanhua in the seventeenth year of Emperor Wen, serving as an attendant at the Imperial Academy. Likes traveling in mountains and rivers, painting and calligraphy, talented and intelligent, a young genius, with peculiar muscles and bones, and superb martial arts. However, he has a heart longing for the rivers and lakes and traveling the world.

[Tan Hua (探花) is the title of Jinshi who ranked third in the ancient Chinese imperial examination]  

Therefore, in order to live a happy life in the future, he made an agreement with Madam Liu to get married and start one’s career, complete the major events in life. Get an official title, not letting himself lose the dignity of Duke Liu Mansion. Have offspring (at least three sons). Then he can do whatever he likes.

Therefore, Liu Anqing, the 22nd master of Duke Liu Mansion, was admitted to be a scholar at the age of twelve, a Juren at the age of fourteen, a Tanhua at the age of fifteen, married at the age of sixteen, and had a son at the age of seventeen. It was not long after his first birthday.

He can resign as long as he stays in the Hanlin Academy for three full years and completes the agreement with Madam Liu.

And he was planning to start traveling outside next year.

Let me say one more thing, his wife was a person from the Jianghu, and she was also a chivalrous woman who can’t stay still!

[Jiang Hu (江湖) – literally translates as “Rivers and Lakes”, but figuratively refers to the “underground world of martial arts”. A section of society consisting of martial artists, gangsters, thieves, beggars, prostitutes, merchants, entertainers, and anyone else wanting to operate outside of mainstream society or in the grey area of the law]

So, when he heard that his younger sister was engaged, he was very enthusiastic!

He just wanted to marry his younger sister off as soon as possible so that he could stay outside longer. Otherwise, when his sister gets married, he will have to come back, it’s too much trouble!

That’s right, Liu Anqing was such an off-the-wall funny guy. ╮(︶﹏︶)╭

The same is true for leading Yang An into the mansion this time. After taking Yang An into the inner courtyard to greet Madam Liu, he directly took Yang An to the gazebo in the garden, and said: “Brother, wait a moment. I’ll be right back.”

Then he left!

Just like that, he was gone!

Not taking even a strand of cloud away, he ran away with a breeze in his sleeves!

[The last verse of the poem “Saying Goodbye to Cambridge again” (再別康橋) by Chinese poet Xu Zhimo (徐志摩)]

Yang An: …

Well, He has shown courtesy and was thrown out without even being served the tea. As a future brother-in-law, what else can he do besides accepting it? →_→

When Liu Fang brought people over and saw Yang An was alone, standing pitifully in the gazebo, feeling quite desolate.

Liu Fang: …

She feels like laughing a little bit, how to deal with it? (*￣︶￣)

Yang An turned around and saw Liu Fang, his eyes lit up, and seeing the smile in her eyes, he spread his hands helplessly: “Brother left me here and said, ‘I will be right back’. I can’t walk around at will.” I am afraid I missed out with you.

He only dared to say the last sentence silently in his heart, for fear of offending the beauty.

Liu Fang smiled softly, “My brother has always been unreasonable, I am sorry that I have neglected Mr. Yang.” 

Shu Hua smiled and beckoned people to serve tea. She helped Liu Fang into the gazebo, served the teacup, then led the servants back and stand outside the gazebo, and kept watch.

Yang An sat at the stone table, took a sip from the teacup, realized that he was too eager, put down the teacup quickly, and said to Liu Fang: “I am really thirsty, I hope the young lady will not be surprised.”

Liu Fang shook her head, smiled and said, “It’s okay.”

Yang An took a deep breath secretly, finally suppressed the agitation in his heart, and regained his composure, “Young Lady, I’m really happy to see you today…”

As he spoke, his fair-skinned face flushed slightly, “I didn’t expect that the Duke’s mansion would agree to my marriage proposal, and I didn’t expect that the young lady was willing to accept this marriage. Yang An is really grateful!”

Liu Fang smiled, “Mr. Yang, are you usually talk like that?”

“Ah?” Yang An looked at Liu Fang puzzled.

“It’s so polite, it sounds really uncomfortable to me.”

Yang An: …

It’s probably the first time someone said that to him. Yang An blushed, “I, uh, me, when I get nervous. It will be like this.”

Shu Hua outside the gazebo couldn’t take it anymore and laughed while clutching her stomach.

Liu Fang was helpless, although she also thought Yang An was cute and wanted to laugh, but it was really impolite to laugh in front of him like this.

She turned her head and glared at Shu Hua, then looked back at Yang An and said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Yang. The servant is ignorant and spoiled by me. I hope you will forgive them.”

Because of Su Hua laughter Yang An become relaxed, he regained his composure, and said with a smile, “It’s okay. It’s my fault, uh, I’m too nervous. I didn’t act prudently. I made the young lady laugh and I was rude.”

Liu Fang shook her head. “I didn’t mean that. Seeing Mr. Yan like this, I has relaxed a lot, and I feel at ease.”

Yang An looked at her and smiled slightly, “Really?”

Liu Fang nodded, “Before I met you, I was always worried about why you proposed marriage. Now, I feel relieved.”

Yang An raised his eyebrows, “Putting it this was, is the young lady agreed to this marriage, but you are not satisfied with me?”

Liu Fang shook her head again, and said with a smile, “I’m not dissatisfied. It’s just that I don’t know you well, and we are stranger. It’s normal to have worries and assumptions.”

Yang An nodded, “I understand young lady concerns. Please don’t worry, although I don’t come from a wealthy family, and I may not be able to become a marquis in the future, I can still raise my wife and children, be responsible to them, and cherish them.”

Up to now, there was still an unspeakable impulse in his heart, but Yang An didn’t know if his passion could last forever. Therefore, he didn’t show it, and still restrained his impulse, only saying what he was sure and would be able to do it.

In the final analysis, he was still not someone who promise easily and restrains himself.

But when Liu Fang heard what he said, she felt at ease, sincerely nodded with a smile, and said, “don’t worry, Mr. Yan. Since I have agreed to the marriage, I will sincerely treat you as my future husband. In the future After I get married, I will do everything I should do as a wife. Of course, if the young master treats me sincerely, I will return it sincerely. I will not disappoint the young master, and I hope that the young master can keep his promise.”

Yang An looked at Liu Fang, stand up and solemnly bowed to Liu Fang: “Yang An will live up to his promise!”

Seeing this, Liu Fang quickly got up, and also returned the salute to Yang An, saying: “If you don’t let me down, I will never let you down!”

The two stood up straight and looked at each other. A smile, a touch of warmth and lingering.

But Shu Hua who saw all of this, her eyes turned red, she lowered her head and wiped her tear: that’s great! Miss finally met a confidant.

…

The meeting of the unmarried couple was simple and solemn, but it brought their hearts closer. However, Liu Fang was not yet fifteen and hadn’t performed the hair-pinning ceremony, so Yang An was doomed to wait.

[The hair pinning ceremony is a ritual of the coming of age for a woman. In ancient times, only girls from noble families could hold this ceremony. Often the ceremony was held when a girl turned 15 and was engaged, but sometimes the function was postponed to her wedding day]

But Anhe was about to get married soon.

She came to inquire about the meeting between Liu Fang and Yang An. After Shu Hua finished retelling, she glanced at Liu Fang, rolled her eyes and said: “Both of them are so boring, really boring.”

There was not even a handle, this kind of gossip was really disappointing.

But Liu Fang thought it was quite good, with a slight distance, a slight tacit understanding, it fit her. It’s really comfortable to get along with someone like Yang An.

No matter what, in the middle of March, the spring exam released the results, the number one scholar paraded the streets, and the capital was very lively. Soon afterward, various families held weddings, and Anhe also got married smoothly.

On the day of her wedding, Madam Liu’s eyes were still slightly red. When she turned her head and saw the slim Liu Fang, she felt even more uncomfortable when she thought that she would have to get married next year at the latest.

She said angrily: “Alright, since the bride has been sent, let’s go back.”

Liu Fang: … Mother, are you serious? All the guests are still here.

Of course, Madam Liu was just jesting. She has to entertain the relatives, friends, and guests who came to congratulate her. It took half the night to really quiet down.

Madam Liu handed over the warp up to several daughters-in-law, and slowly returned to the main courtyard by herself.

………

Holding Pei momo’s hand, Madam Liu walked slowly and looked up at the crescent moon in the sky, and said to Pei momo: “Momo, how long have you been with me?”

Pei momo smiled, “It has been fifty-one years.”