Just yesterday, Han Zhi had departed from the Su Family, and today the household was already bustling with preparations for a wedding. Meanwhile, Su Zhen sat in her chambers just as she had the days before, working on embroidery for her dowry.
In the main hall, Su Xun was directing the servants in tallying the dowry items Su Zhen would take with her. Suddenly, he heard voices from the front gate.
"Good brother-in-law!"
He looked up to see three men standing outside: two looked somewhat older, while the youngest was just a youth. These were Su Zhen and Su Shi's two uncles, Cheng Jun and Cheng Xu. Behind them stood young Cheng Zhicai.
Aside from the three men, they were accompanied by a matchmaker wearing a purple *beizi* and purple pendants. Needless to say, this was another party coming to propose marriage.
Su Xun’s brow furrowed slightly, but the expression vanished almost as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a warm smile. "Good brothers, what wind brings the two of you here today?"
Cheng Jun stepped forward with a smile. "We are here to propose marriage, naturally. When we came last time and you refused us, brother-in-law, we didn't press the matter, taking it as your test for us."
"This time, I've brought the finest matchmaker, and the betrothal gifts behind us are all in order. We've come to propose once more."
Madam Cheng emerged at that moment and asked, "Dear brothers, what is the meaning of this visit today?"
"Sister, we have come today to propose," Cheng Jun replied. Coming from a prominent family, he maintained a degree of decorum and spoke with patience.
Madam Cheng exchanged a glance with Su Xun and said, "Dear brothers, Banniang was betrothed just a few days ago. Yesterday, the two of them exchanged tokens of affection and set the wedding date."
A look of astonishment crossed Cheng Jun's face, underlying which was a flicker of annoyance. "Whose fine gentleman is it?"
"The eldest young master of the Fuping Earl Mansion, the recently returned Jieyuan, Official Han," Su Xun answered.
Cheng Xu also frowned as he asked, "We came to propose not long ago—could it be that you turned us down because of this Official Han?"
Su Xun shook his head. "That Official Han only came the day after you two made your proposal. Besides, Official Han and Banniang have met face-to-face, and both were well pleased with each other."
"Are you saying our Zhicai wasn't enough to satisfy your daughter?"
Cheng Jun wasn't truly angry over the match itself; his irritation stemmed largely from wounded pride—having proposed first, only to have another suitor swoop in and snatch the prize.
This was no longer the Tang dynasty, where the imperial court held absolute dominance; their own family was one of the wealthiest merchant households in the region. Now that such a thing had happened, they naturally demanded an explanation.
Su Xun was already reluctant to marry Su Zhen into his in-laws' family, and faced with such questioning, he found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
"Enough!" Madam Cheng finally spoke up. "The refusal was already settled back then; there is no need to bring it up again."
Seeing that their eldest sister had spoken, the two younger brothers naturally did not dare to argue further. Madam Cheng continued, "Furthermore, while we agreed to the proposal from Official Han's family at the time, the final decision still rests on Banniang's own wishes."
"If Banniang does not consent, the two of us as elders naturally cannot force the matter. But now that the two of them have set their hearts on each other, to forcibly tear them apart—wouldn't that make us the villains?"
The Cheng brothers fell silent for a moment before Cheng Xu spoke. "That Official Han passed the provincial examinations as Jieyuan and must travel to the capital for the metropolitan exams. Even if Banniang marries him, she will only be left to a cold, empty chamber."
"Besides, he is an official's son. Once he goes to the capital and secures a high post, who's to say he will remain faithful? Won't that be a grave injustice to Banniang?"
At this, Su Xun spoke up. "There is no need for you brothers to trouble yourselves over that. Official Han informed us that they will be married on an auspicious day soon, and after the wedding, he will take Banniang with him when he goes to the capital for the exams."
At a loss for how to respond, Cheng Jun and the two brothers stood in silence. By some coincidence, Su Shi's voice rang out from the courtyard at that exact moment. "Sister, didn't you say just the other day that Official Han was nothing more than a dissolute rake? How is it that you've written a *ci* poem to present to him now?"
"Such a sharp tongue! If you keep meddling in your sister's affairs, see if I don't sort you out today!" With that, Su Zhen raised her hand as if to twist his ear.
Frightened, Su Shi hurriedly covered his ear and asked, "But Sister, you've only met Official Han a few times—how could you have taken a fancy to him?"
"When you take a fancy, you take a fancy! What little talent do I have? The official possesses such literary grace that I naturally hold him in my heart. There is no need for you to speculate! If you're so capable, why don't you write a verse like 'A biting chill pierces deep through the warrior's robe'?"
Su Shi shook his head hastily. "I can't even compare to my sister, let alone Official Han!"
The two siblings strolled along, "accidentally" talking as they drew closer to where Su Xun and the others stood. Only upon approach did they "discover" the group, prompting Su Xun and Madam Cheng to exchange a glance without a word.
The Cheng family members, however, were rather displeased.
Looking at Su Zhen, Cheng Jun and Cheng Xu felt a surge of rising fury. Yet with Madam Cheng present, they could not vent their anger and could only let out a cold "Hmph" before flicking their sleeves and turning to leave.
As for Cheng Zhicai, he raised his gaze, hoping to catch a glimpse of the beautiful young lady, but her attention wasn't on him at all; she was focused entirely on a scroll in her hands—undoubtedly intended for that Official Han.
Thus, having uttered not a single word since entering the Su household, Cheng Zhicai could only follow his father away in dejection. Su Zhen and the others stood quietly in the front hall, watching the Cheng family depart.
"Sister, that was brilliant!" Su Shi laughed once he confirmed the Cheng family was far enough away.
Su Xun smiled and asked, "Banniang, what brings you here?"
"Reporting to Father, earlier Shier overheard those words and came to find me. Figuring that Father would be pressed by the Cheng family, I came out to put on a show," Su Zhen replied.
Su Xun chuckled teasingly. "Your father actually thought you were speaking from the heart just then."
At that, Su Zhen's face flushed crimson. She hadn't expected her father to tease her in such a manner, and she instantly grew flustered, gripping the scroll in her hands as she wondered whether to stay or flee.
In the end, she bowed to Su Xun and, using the excuse that she still had unfinished business, turned and hurried away as if escaping.
Before she had even fully turned around, another servant rushed over, calling out, "Madam! Official Han sent an item over, saying it must be delivered directly to you!"
Su Zhen turned back to look. The servant was holding a scroll, seemingly meant for her. Glancing at Madam Cheng and Su Xun, she quickly reached out, snatched the scroll from the servant's hands, and fled like a startled deer toward her own chambers.
Racing back to her room and making sure no one had followed her, she let out a breath of relief and bolted the door. Thin-skinned as she was, Su Xun's teasing had nearly made her lose her composure completely.
Setting aside the other notes in her hand, she lowered her gaze to the scroll Han Zhi had sent. Blinking, a sudden spark of anticipation stirred within her. She unrolled the scroll, revealing a remarkably long *ci* poem:
*"From the void of creation, sensing the pulse of spring and autumn; through misty ties and deep devotion, we brush the pen to linger. Sculpting peaks with bones, tracing rivers with grace; gazing upon the chance encounters of four seasons, the fair lady of the western isle... Red silk wraps the cosmos where painted wings and whale tails meet; where feeling leads, the heart roams wild and free."*
It was a love letter!
A genuine, undeniable love letter!
Looking back through the ages, there were few pieces that could rival this, let alone among romantic verse. It was devoid of cloying sentimentality, yet brimming with profound affection; its rhymes and cadence rolled effortlessly off the tongue.
Having finished reading, Su Zhen instantly understood Han Zhi's intentions, and the rosy blush on her cheeks deepened further. Just yesterday she had called him lazy, and today he pulls a stunt like this!
Well-read though she was, she was ultimately a young maiden of sixteen, and how could she withstand such a love letter? Rolling up the scroll, she initially thought to toss it aside casually, but quickly reined in her hand and placed it safely away.
In the end, all her lingering bashfulness dissolved into a single, murmured sigh:
"This wretch... truly has no shame..."