Chapter 2: Steal Bride? Steal Groom?
Let’s start from the beginning. At that time, Pei Yanzhen wasn’t my distantly related maternal uncle. I also wasn’t his distantly related niece.
My Shen family was a business family. It was said that my great great grandpa started the business. At that time, my great great grandpa started out from Huizhou and passed through a valley unaccompanied until he reached Yangzhou. He started as a porter with one bamboo pole and raised the family up until he became the boss of the biggest rice store in Yangzhou. From then on, the business was passed down generation to generation. Money was saved bit by bit until daddy’s generation when the business was flourishing everywhere. Of course, we didn’t have “wealth equivalent to that of an entire nation,” for who would have more money than the Emperor?
Therefore, my Shen family was not noble like the officials and literary families. Daddy always posed as a “coarse man.” When he was happy, vulgar language will spill out and when he was angry, obscenities will fill the sky. The most incomprehensible thing was scholars and poets arguing over idioms.
My name was the best portrayal. The Shen generations had mostly sons and few daughters. So daddy gave me the name “Miao.” When you split it apart, it means “few girls,” which is blunt, easy to remember, and easy to read.
There was a theatrical troupe in the family. During holidays, we did not play classics like “Water Margin.” Instead, we put on plays from “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” and other such martial shows. All the jingling and clanging was very lively.
Thinking back, before I was married off, I loved reading “History of the Three Kingdoms” and such books. Naturally, those were all we had at home…
Which girl will not yearn for love? After hearing and seeing it often, it’s hard to avoid longing for it. At that time, I most admired the ranked 6th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits of “Water Margin,” the Panther Head, Lin Chong. He was heroic and brave. He avoided taboos and treated people sincerely. I thought a real man had those qualities.
Every time the troupe put on a play with Lin Chong, I dropped everything and watched. My aunts panicked thinking I had my eye on the actor and hurriedly approached daddy to lead him to their conclusions indirectly. Daddy on the other hand laughed and said, “If Miao’r took a liking to someone then she only has to tell me. Daddy will take care of the rest.”
My aunts were worried but I was happy. Daddy was this open-minded, of course, I would be happy.
Only, I never thought that once I reached marriageable age when numerous geniuses and young masters knocked on the door to propose marriage, daddy arranged my marriage to the Pei family’s only son, Pei Yanzhen, by himself. When I first heard it, it felt like thunder was crashing down and the world was overturned. I almost cried.
Why did I only like Lin Chong back then? Even Zhao Yun in the Three Kingdoms didn’t catch my eye. I felt Zhao Yun couldn’t even compare to the Black Whirlwind, Li Kui in “Water Margin.” It was specifically because Zhao Yun was a pretty boy. You need to know, I really hated the soft-skinned pretty boys!
Nowadays, I heard Pei Yanzhen was the model for the fair skinned men. Not only that, but he also violated my number one aversion, which was a scholar! A useless scholar who can’t lift nor carry anything.
The Pei family is a famous aristocratic family with generations of court officials. It seemed like they’ve also had a few infamous ministers. In the end, there was only this one son in Pei Yanzhen’s generation so naturally, his family wished he would be more than a regular scholar. Pei Yanzhen, as a matter of fact, also followed tradition and at sixteen, he grabbed first place in the imperial exam. The Emperor bestowed him as the top scorer a position in the Imperial Academy, paving his way to a smooth career.
If only it was just this. Pei Yanzhen was also born with a weak body. After taking up the post for a few days, he was still not acclimatized and fell sick. He requested to resign from his post and return home to recover his health. He became a small magistrate back in Yangzhou and stayed so for a few years.
Daddy evidently never paid attention to him out of all the proposals. Yet once he paid a visit, in one night, daddy abandoned decades of principles as if he was possessed. He resolutely stuck to Pei Yanzhen as his son-in-law and no one else.
At night, daddy consoled me, “I’ve checked this Pei Yanzhen. That youngster is a damn terrifying genius with great potential!”
I was startled. Scholars have many cunning plots. I didn’t know what spell he cast on daddy for him to use abstract phrases such as “terrifying genius.”
As it was, I was also curious what kind of “terrifying” and “genius” can make my daddy give away his only daughter. In the end, I could only consent reluctantly.
You need to know, a good start doesn’t necessarily become a good ending. However, a bad start is bound to bring a worse ending.
There was an accident at the beginning of our marriage.
When we were making our bows, a group of people came in to kidnap the bride.
Except the person they captured wasn’t the bride. They kidnapped the groom, Pei Yanzhen! How was I supposed to handle this…
The Pei parents have never seen this type of situation and immediately fainted. All the guests and servants gathered together.
I was the only one awake out of all the panicking guests. In the confusion, I took off my red veil and watched the kidnappers get away. I ordered my maids to pack up my dowry and prepare to go back home. Maybe I might make it back for dinner.
See, I told you. Scholars are useless. If you knew some kung fu then the kidnappers wouldn’t have such an easy time getting away. I would also be able to see some moves to compensate for this situation.
I was secretly celebrating that we haven’t finished with our bows. We were not considered as husband and wife and I could go back to being a maiden kept at home. Just when I stepped out the door with my luggage, I heard the sounds of horse hoofs and neighs. I looked up to see a man in a red kimono robe on a jujube red horse speeding along at the end of the street. Finally, in one swift motion, he stopped in front of me and smoothly dismounted.
Looking at those wedding clothes…Isn’t this Pei Yanzhen?!
Then I saw him give me a deep salute with the horsewhip in his hands and humbly smiled, “Yanzhen was careless and gave my wife a fright.” That was the first sentence he said to me.
I only had one thought then – regret! Why did I lag by one step, why were the people rubbing against each other with no space to move? I’m done for. Now I really have to marry him…
In truth, the fact that he could return was more unexpected than that he was kidnapped.
I stared at him and blurted out, “Do you still have your chastity?” That was my first sentence to him.
It became silent once those words were out.
Pei Yanzhen was just slightly stunned before throwing out a smile, “Still here. I came back without missing anything.”
There were big red lanterns with the character for “double happiness” hanging everywhere. Bright red fireworks were arranged along the road. Under the red sky, I gave him a smile, and suddenly thought, “The moonlight disappeared and the clouds scattered.”
囍 (Xi) is made up of two 喜 which means happy. 囍 is used as a symbol of good luck, esp. marriage
Could this be the so-called terrifying genius?
During the wedding night, I asked him how he escaped. He calmly told me, “Know the situation and move reasonably.”
I suddenly realized how he defeated daddy. It really is hard to guard against conspiracies. A scholar’s words can sometimes be more dreadful than a military officer with a hundred thousand strong army.
But, was he really weak and sickly? Under the covers, I believed I was the weak and frail one.
When I was recovering my breath, I lamented how little strength I had. Even a cat’s meow was louder than me.
Pei Yanzhen bent down to kiss my ear and quietly said, “Now, does my wife believe that I was pure?”
I scolded him in my heart. Who knows if he was pure or not. In any case, after tonight, my innocence was considered gone.
Chapter 2: Steal Bride? Steal Groom?
Let’s start from the beginning. At that time, Pei Yanzhen wasn’t my distantly related maternal uncle. I also wasn’t his distantly related niece.
My Shen family was a business family. It was said that my great great grandpa started the business. At that time, my great great grandpa started out from Huizhou and passed through a valley unaccompanied until he reached Yangzhou. He started as a porter with one bamboo pole and raised the family up until he became the boss of the biggest rice store in Yangzhou. From then on, the business was passed down generation to generation. Money was saved bit by bit until daddy’s generation when the business was flourishing everywhere. Of course, we didn’t have “wealth equivalent to that of an entire nation,” for who would have more money than the Emperor?
Therefore, my Shen family was not noble like the officials and literary families. Daddy always posed as a “coarse man.” When he was happy, vulgar language will spill out and when he was angry, obscenities will fill the sky. The most incomprehensible thing was scholars and poets arguing over idioms.
My name was the best portrayal. The Shen generations had mostly sons and few daughters. So daddy gave me the name “Miao.” When you split it apart, it means “few girls,” which is blunt, easy to remember, and easy to read.
There was a theatrical troupe in the family. During holidays, we did not play classics like “Water Margin.” Instead, we put on plays from “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” and other such martial shows. All the jingling and clanging was very lively.
Thinking back, before I was married off, I loved reading “History of the Three Kingdoms” and such books. Naturally, those were all we had at home…
Which girl will not yearn for love? After hearing and seeing it often, it’s hard to avoid longing for it. At that time, I most admired the ranked 6th among the 36 Heavenly Spirits of “Water Margin,” the Panther Head, Lin Chong. He was heroic and brave. He avoided taboos and treated people sincerely. I thought a real man had those qualities.
Every time the troupe put on a play with Lin Chong, I dropped everything and watched. My aunts panicked thinking I had my eye on the actor and hurriedly approached daddy to lead him to their conclusions indirectly. Daddy on the other hand laughed and said, “If Miao’r took a liking to someone then she only has to tell me. Daddy will take care of the rest.”
My aunts were worried but I was happy. Daddy was this open-minded, of course, I would be happy.
Only, I never thought that once I reached marriageable age when numerous geniuses and young masters knocked on the door to propose marriage, daddy arranged my marriage to the Pei family’s only son, Pei Yanzhen, by himself. When I first heard it, it felt like thunder was crashing down and the world was overturned. I almost cried.
Why did I only like Lin Chong back then? Even Zhao Yun in the Three Kingdoms didn’t catch my eye. I felt Zhao Yun couldn’t even compare to the Black Whirlwind, Li Kui in “Water Margin.” It was specifically because Zhao Yun was a pretty boy. You need to know, I really hated the soft-skinned pretty boys!
Nowadays, I heard Pei Yanzhen was the model for the fair skinned men. Not only that, but he also violated my number one aversion, which was a scholar! A useless scholar who can’t lift nor carry anything.
The Pei family is a famous aristocratic family with generations of court officials. It seemed like they’ve also had a few infamous ministers. In the end, there was only this one son in Pei Yanzhen’s generation so naturally, his family wished he would be more than a regular scholar. Pei Yanzhen, as a matter of fact, also followed tradition and at sixteen, he grabbed first place in the imperial exam. The Emperor bestowed him as the top scorer a position in the Imperial Academy, paving his way to a smooth career.
If only it was just this. Pei Yanzhen was also born with a weak body. After taking up the post for a few days, he was still not acclimatized and fell sick. He requested to resign from his post and return home to recover his health. He became a small magistrate back in Yangzhou and stayed so for a few years.
Daddy evidently never paid attention to him out of all the proposals. Yet once he paid a visit, in one night, daddy abandoned decades of principles as if he was possessed. He resolutely stuck to Pei Yanzhen as his son-in-law and no one else.
At night, daddy consoled me, “I’ve checked this Pei Yanzhen. That youngster is a damn terrifying genius with great potential!”
I was startled. Scholars have many cunning plots. I didn’t know what spell he cast on daddy for him to use abstract phrases such as “terrifying genius.”
As it was, I was also curious what kind of “terrifying” and “genius” can make my daddy give away his only daughter. In the end, I could only consent reluctantly.
You need to know, a good start doesn’t necessarily become a good ending. However, a bad start is bound to bring a worse ending.
There was an accident at the beginning of our marriage.
When we were making our bows, a group of people came in to kidnap the bride.
Except the person they captured wasn’t the bride. They kidnapped the groom, Pei Yanzhen! How was I supposed to handle this…
The Pei parents have never seen this type of situation and immediately fainted. All the guests and servants gathered together.
I was the only one awake out of all the panicking guests. In the confusion, I took off my red veil and watched the kidnappers get away. I ordered my maids to pack up my dowry and prepare to go back home. Maybe I might make it back for dinner.
See, I told you. Scholars are useless. If you knew some kung fu then the kidnappers wouldn’t have such an easy time getting away. I would also be able to see some moves to compensate for this situation.
I was secretly celebrating that we haven’t finished with our bows. We were not considered as husband and wife and I could go back to being a maiden kept at home. Just when I stepped out the door with my luggage, I heard the sounds of horse hoofs and neighs. I looked up to see a man in a red kimono robe on a jujube red horse speeding along at the end of the street. Finally, in one swift motion, he stopped in front of me and smoothly dismounted.
Looking at those wedding clothes…Isn’t this Pei Yanzhen?!
Then I saw him give me a deep salute with the horsewhip in his hands and humbly smiled, “Yanzhen was careless and gave my wife a fright.” That was the first sentence he said to me.
I only had one thought then – regret! Why did I lag by one step, why were the people rubbing against each other with no space to move? I’m done for. Now I really have to marry him…
In truth, the fact that he could return was more unexpected than that he was kidnapped.
I stared at him and blurted out, “Do you still have your chastity?” That was my first sentence to him.
It became silent once those words were out.
Pei Yanzhen was just slightly stunned before throwing out a smile, “Still here. I came back without missing anything.”
There were big red lanterns with the character for “double happiness” hanging everywhere. Bright red fireworks were arranged along the road. Under the red sky, I gave him a smile, and suddenly thought, “The moonlight disappeared and the clouds scattered.”
囍 (Xi) is made up of two 喜 which means happy. 囍 is used as a symbol of good luck, esp. marriage
Could this be the so-called terrifying genius?
During the wedding night, I asked him how he escaped. He calmly told me, “Know the situation and move reasonably.”
I suddenly realized how he defeated daddy. It really is hard to guard against conspiracies. A scholar’s words can sometimes be more dreadful than a military officer with a hundred thousand strong army.
But, was he really weak and sickly? Under the covers, I believed I was the weak and frail one.
When I was recovering my breath, I lamented how little strength I had. Even a cat’s meow was louder than me.
Pei Yanzhen bent down to kiss my ear and quietly said, “Now, does my wife believe that I was pure?”
I scolded him in my heart. Who knows if he was pure or not. In any case, after tonight, my innocence was considered gone.
