"Zhi'er! Zhi'er!"
Han Zhi was inside his room at the moment, intently staring at a piece of silk fabric on the table while holding a brush in one hand. He seemed to be pondering how to compose a poem and completely failed to notice Madam Han Zhou calling him.
Just then, he heard the sound of the door being pulled open. Startled, he instinctively snatched up the silk fabric from the table and raised his head.
Mother and son locked eyes, both freezing for a fraction of a second. Madam Han Zhou quickly recovered, her gaze falling upon the silk fabric clenched in Han Zhi's hand, as well as the crumpled paper balls scattered across the table and floor, leaving her with an expression of sudden understanding.
"Mo... Mother?"
Only then did Han Zhi let out a breath of relief, carefully tucking the silk fabric into his sleeve. Seeing that he had put his things away, Madam Han Zhou stepped forward, holding an invitation card, and smiled.
"Zhi'er, people from the Su Family have arrived."
Han Zhi blinked, looking rather perplexed as he asked, "My mother-in-law and the others? Are they here to..."
Madam Han Zhou tapped him on the head with the invitation card she was holding. "Of course they are here to arrange the bridal chamber. This room of yours is the nuptial chamber, after all. To bring the bride in like this would cause us to lose face."
Han Zhi looked blankly around his room, then down at his desk, before nodding in a daze. But then he asked, "Then where am I supposed to sleep tonight?"
"Don't worry, a new room has already been prepared for you. You can make do there for tonight." Madam Han Zhou did everything thoroughly, having already considered many details.
Han Zhi nodded hastily, then stood up and said, "In that case, I won't meddle in the arrangements for the bridal chamber."
"Alright, off you go," Madam Han Zhou said. "Take a stroll outside too. Don't just linger at home. The word is already out across the town that Young Official Han is getting married. If you don't go out and show your face, how will everyone know who the groom is?"
"Mm." Han Zhi nodded. Just as he was about to head out, he quickly darted back to the desk, grabbed his writing brushes and paper, and finally left.
Watching him like this, Madam Han Zhou couldn't help but chuckle. Then she turned toward the entrance and called out, "Madam Cheng, we can begin!"
A moment earlier, Madam Cheng had seen Han Zhi rush out with his brush and paper and had been slightly puzzled. Upon seeing Madam Han Zhou, she smiled and said, "Official Han is truly diligent, actually holding his brush and paper even as he heads out."
"Ah, you flatter him, Madam," Madam Han Zhou said, waving her hand with a smile. "He's probably agonizing over the urging-the-bride and unveiling-the-fan poems."
"What's there to agonize over? Official Han is blessed with boundless talent; how could such matters trouble him?" Madam Cheng found it rather amusing, as if the Han Zhi who had been discussing ancient and modern times with her husband just days ago was a completely different person.
"Who knows with him? The boy is full of antics, so we might as well let him be." With that, Madam Han Zhou brought out an inventory list. "These are the bed mats and mattresses we've prepared. You may have a look, Madam."
Madam Cheng also brought out her own list. "You may inspect these quilts and bed curtains, Madam."
After a symbolic glance over the lists, the two mistresses set to work on the arrangements.
***
Han Zhi was wandering the streets at that moment, walking and stopping. Whenever he didn't know what to write, he would look up at the surrounding scenery. But since it was early autumn, none of the available imagery seemed quite right.
He sighed. "Why is writing a poem so difficult?"
He used to think people like Li Bai and Su Shi could casually toss off timeless masterpieces with every word. So why, when it came to his turn, did it feel like something was stuck in his throat?
Unable to figure it out, he tapped his forehead with his brush and continued walking forward.
Over at the Su Family, preparations for tomorrow's wedding were also underway. Su Zhen stood at the entrance, helping Su Xun manage the arrangements. For some reason, however, her mind suddenly drifted, and she instinctively turned her head to look down the street.
Sure enough, at the head of the street, a man dressed in light blue robes was strolling slowly past.
She instinctively called out, "Official Han," and sure enough, it caused the man to turn his head. As luck would have it, it was none other than Han Zhi.
The moment the words left her mouth, a blush crept onto her cheeks because Su Xun was still standing right beside her. Noticing Su Zhen's gaze directed down the street, Su Xun followed her line of sight and suddenly understood.
Displaying great tact, he led the household servants inside, leaving Su Zhen alone at the entrance.
At this point, Han Zhi walked up and offered a polite bow and greeting: "Banniang."
"Official Han."
Seeing that there was practically no one else around, Su Zhen asked, "Why are you out here, Official Han? Why aren't you at home preparing for the wedding?"
"I..."
Han Zhi had no idea what he was doing either, nor did he quite know how to answer.
Seeing his somewhat dazed expression, Su Zhen found it rather amusing and said, "Well, since Official Han has come over, it must mean there's nothing urgent left to worry about on that side."
She then pointed to the brush and paper in Han Zhi's hands and asked, "What is Official Han writing?"
Han Zhi looked down at the brush and paper in his hands, hurriedly pulling them back to hide them behind his back. "Nothing, nothing at all. I... I just wanted to try writing some essays and poetry to see if I could come up with something decent."
Watching him, Su Zhen quickly guessed the truth. Covering her mouth, she smiled and asked, "Could Official Han be fretting over the urging-the-bride and unveiling-the-fan poems for tomorrow?"
Caught red-handed, Han Zhi felt his old face flush, but he stubbornly argued, "Th... That's not it at all. My urging-the-bride and unveiling-the-fan poems have already been written... written."
With that, he swallowed nervously.
Seeing him like this, Su Zhen found him utterly endearing. She glanced back at her home; things were being arranged in a flurry of activity, and there probably wasn't a quiet spot to be found anywhere inside.
She simply gathered her skirts and sat down on the stone steps by the entrance. "Official Han might as well sit down and chat for a bit."
Han Zhi didn't stand on ceremony either, sitting right down beside Su Zhen and pulling his brush and paper back out. However, he quickly crumpled up the topmost sheet and tossed it aside.
Seeing this, Su Zhen simply smiled gently and asked, "What is Official Han trying to compose, anyway? Perhaps this concubine can be of some help."
"This is probably beyond help," Han Zhi said without lifting his head, and began writing on the paper once more.
Once deeply engrossed, he quickly forgot that Su Zhen was sitting right beside him. His brush dipped and paused, paper was written on and discarded, over and over again, until he finally managed to compose a piece:
"Peach blossoms glowing bright reflect a pair,
Red candles side by side for a blessed hour.
Bridal robes and phoenix cloaks are fully prepared,
Waiting only for my fair lady to part her vermilion lips.
The veil fans gently hide a lotus face,
A graceful, fluttering shadow like a heavenly immortal.
An enchanting beauty capable of toppling cities and realms,
Could this be Chang'e descending from the nine heavens?"
After reading it over and over, he still felt it wasn't good enough and reached to throw it away. But just then, a hand reached out. "No need to throw it away. Let's use this one when the time comes."