Proofread by Claire.KK
Lu Zhishan sipped his tea and questioned, “Really? What kind of ‘bone’ does she have with you?”
“She complained that I’m taught with nothing about feminine virtue. I’m neither ladylike nor refined. Besides, she also stated that I’m not good at creating poems or painting. Even my needlework can not be regarded as good. She insisted that I’m a tough girl of Northern Di and my mind was filled with swords and spears.” Mu Nanzhi lowered her voice gradually as she said those words and poked the meatball in the plate into pieces. “She asked me not to take part in the spring hunting which will be held next month. She believed I will show myself off in front of people. I will get married with her son soon so it’s not suitable to participate into this kind of activities. I am supposed to restrain myself and learn needlework and making-tea skills. I was also told to read Female Analects (a book tells women how to behave and discipline themselves). In a word, she just felt unsatisfied with me.”
The wedding ceremony of Mu Nanzhi and Prince Lu Zhinian would be held in August next year.
Lu Zhishan touched the china cup in his hand, paused for a while and then asked, “Don’t you want to marry into Marquis Zhongyuan’s Mansion?”
Mu Nanzhi lowered her voice again saying, “It’s emperor’s order. Do I have the right to refuse?”
Lu Zhishan fixed his eyes on Mu Nanzhi and said firmly, “Just tell me your answer. Yes or no?”
“Of course not! I don’t want to marry such a weak man,” said Mu Nanzhi with great rage. “I have never complained about his illness but they complained so much about me! I never eat or drink anything at their home. How can they be so unkind!”
Seeing the theatrical expression on the little girl’s face Lu Zhishan couldn’t help bursting out laughing and then said, “Yes, our little darling is an excellent girl. How could she make these unreasonable remarks on you?!”
Mu Nanzhi blushed immediately and said bashfully, “Don’t call me with this, cousin. Only my mother would call me little darling.”
“Do you mean that only your mother can call you in this way and I have no right to do it?” Lu Zhishan slightly smiled and picked up a piece of eggplant box (a dish which is made of eggplants and meat) to her.
Mu Nanzhi quickly ate it, her lips covered with oil. She couldn’t deny that it was more delicious than that of her mansion. Then she pointed at the plate and said, “Cousin, you can call me in this way if you give me three more pieces of eggplant box.”
Lu Zhishan burst into laughter and his eyes were narrowed into lines. Then he moved the whole plate in front of the little girl and said, “It’s all yours now.”
Mu Nanzhi happily ate two more and felt satisfied. She picked up some bamboo strips and swallowed. However, she suddenly got sad again and put down the chopsticks hopelessly. “Anyway, cousin, I have to marry to the little prince of their family. I just have one head and can only live once. I dare not to go against the order of emperor.”
Seeing the little girl’s eyebrows furrowed, Lu Zhishan really wanted to help her smooth them. “Don’t worry about this anymore. Taste the lotus leaf soup. It will help you feel better.”
Mu Nanzhi was absent-minded and drank half of the lotus leaf soup. She sat still silently for a while and turned to Lu Zhishan, asking in a low voice, “Cousin, was your marriage with my sister-in-law also due to an order of emperor?”
“Yes, it was.” Lu Zhishan put down the bowl and chopsticks in his hands and wiped his mouth slightly, adding, “The wedding ceremony was held in the twelfth year of Jiasheng.”
“The twelfth year of Jiasheng...” Mu Nanzhi counted in her heart and said surprisingly, “Cousin, so you got married at the age of twenty two!”
Girls of Dali Empire would have adult ceremony at age of fifteen while boys would have it at age eighteen. After the ceremony they could get married. It was really late for Lu Zhishan to get married when he was twenty two as the eldest prince.”
Proofread by Claire.KK
Lu Zhishan sipped his tea and questioned, “Really? What kind of ‘bone’ does she have with you?”
“She complained that I’m taught with nothing about feminine virtue. I’m neither ladylike nor refined. Besides, she also stated that I’m not good at creating poems or painting. Even my needlework can not be regarded as good. She insisted that I’m a tough girl of Northern Di and my mind was filled with swords and spears.” Mu Nanzhi lowered her voice gradually as she said those words and poked the meatball in the plate into pieces. “She asked me not to take part in the spring hunting which will be held next month. She believed I will show myself off in front of people. I will get married with her son soon so it’s not suitable to participate into this kind of activities. I am supposed to restrain myself and learn needlework and making-tea skills. I was also told to read Female Analects (a book tells women how to behave and discipline themselves). In a word, she just felt unsatisfied with me.”
The wedding ceremony of Mu Nanzhi and Prince Lu Zhinian would be held in August next year.
Lu Zhishan touched the china cup in his hand, paused for a while and then asked, “Don’t you want to marry into Marquis Zhongyuan’s Mansion?”
Mu Nanzhi lowered her voice again saying, “It’s emperor’s order. Do I have the right to refuse?”
Lu Zhishan fixed his eyes on Mu Nanzhi and said firmly, “Just tell me your answer. Yes or no?”
“Of course not! I don’t want to marry such a weak man,” said Mu Nanzhi with great rage. “I have never complained about his illness but they complained so much about me! I never eat or drink anything at their home. How can they be so unkind!”
Seeing the theatrical expression on the little girl’s face Lu Zhishan couldn’t help bursting out laughing and then said, “Yes, our little darling is an excellent girl. How could she make these unreasonable remarks on you?!”
Mu Nanzhi blushed immediately and said bashfully, “Don’t call me with this, cousin. Only my mother would call me little darling.”
“Do you mean that only your mother can call you in this way and I have no right to do it?” Lu Zhishan slightly smiled and picked up a piece of eggplant box (a dish which is made of eggplants and meat) to her.
Mu Nanzhi quickly ate it, her lips covered with oil. She couldn’t deny that it was more delicious than that of her mansion. Then she pointed at the plate and said, “Cousin, you can call me in this way if you give me three more pieces of eggplant box.”
Lu Zhishan burst into laughter and his eyes were narrowed into lines. Then he moved the whole plate in front of the little girl and said, “It’s all yours now.”
Mu Nanzhi happily ate two more and felt satisfied. She picked up some bamboo strips and swallowed. However, she suddenly got sad again and put down the chopsticks hopelessly. “Anyway, cousin, I have to marry to the little prince of their family. I just have one head and can only live once. I dare not to go against the order of emperor.”
Seeing the little girl’s eyebrows furrowed, Lu Zhishan really wanted to help her smooth them. “Don’t worry about this anymore. Taste the lotus leaf soup. It will help you feel better.”
Mu Nanzhi was absent-minded and drank half of the lotus leaf soup. She sat still silently for a while and turned to Lu Zhishan, asking in a low voice, “Cousin, was your marriage with my sister-in-law also due to an order of emperor?”
“Yes, it was.” Lu Zhishan put down the bowl and chopsticks in his hands and wiped his mouth slightly, adding, “The wedding ceremony was held in the twelfth year of Jiasheng.”
“The twelfth year of Jiasheng...” Mu Nanzhi counted in her heart and said surprisingly, “Cousin, so you got married at the age of twenty two!”
Girls of Dali Empire would have adult ceremony at age of fifteen while boys would have it at age eighteen. After the ceremony they could get married. It was really late for Lu Zhishan to get married when he was twenty two as the eldest prince.”
