Chapter 13: Betrothal and a Dose in the Tea

Before dawn on the third day of the fourth month, the Su household was already stirring. Madam Wang rose first and went to light the stove and heat water. Madam Li followed, washing rice for porridge and cutting two handfuls of greens. Su Qing drew water in the courtyard, while Su Dashan wiped down the table and chairs in the main room once more.

The Xus were coming to deliver their betrothal gifts. The prospect weighed on the family, but they could not neglect the proper courtesies.

Su Xue was up earlier than anyone. She put on a fairly new pale-pink garment, combed her hair again and again, and found a new red hair tie. She dared not apply powder or rouge for fear of a scolding, so she pressed her lips together to give herself a livelier appearance.

After breakfast, she did not shirk. She swept the courtyard twice, wiped the main-room table three times, and even crouched down to clean the threshold. Madam Wang felt worse watching her. Whenever she had asked Xue to work before, the girl had a headache or aching hands. For Xu Xiuzhi, she was suddenly industrious.

Su Wan entered the kitchen as her mother was adding water to the pot. She took a paper packet from inside her clothes and handed it over. “Mother, I made this herbal tea from several herbs last year. Use it for our guests. We may be a farming family, but we can’t let them look down on us.”

Madam Wang paused, then smiled and accepted it. Some of the gloom lifted from her face. She knew the tea. Su Wan had gathered and dried the herbs the previous year, then blended them herself. It had a delicate fragrance and soothed the throat. Su Dashan was usually reluctant to drink it; only when he was exhausted did Madam Wang brew him a bowl.

She opened the packet and dropped a pinch into the pot. As the water boiled, a faint herbal fragrance spread through the kitchen. Beside her, Su Wan’s eyes flickered.

“Which tea bowls shall we use, Mother?”

Madam Wang considered. “The blue ones? They’re a little old, but none are chipped, and they look clean.”

Su Wan nodded. “A good choice. I’ll wash them for you.”

Madam Wang opened the cupboard. “All right. Wash them well.”

Su Wan carried the bowls to the basin and washed them one at a time. Outside, Su Xue paced the courtyard, glancing at the gate now and then. Her thoughts had already flown to the Xu family.

As Su Wan worked, she felt her spiritual entity stir gently in her mind. Lotus vitality flowed down through her hands and clung to the inside of each bowl. Xu Xiuzhi would certainly sit in the main room and drink tea today. When the time came…

She set the clean bowls neatly on a wooden tray. Just then, voices rose outside, followed by a cheerful call. “Brother Su, Sister Wang, are you home?”

“Coming,” Madam Wang answered. On her way out, she told Su Wan, “Go back to your room and call your sister in too. You girls should both stay out of sight today.”

“All right.”

Su Wan set the tray on the counter and left the kitchen. Su Xue was already at the gate, her eyes shining and her toes edging forward.

“Mother wants us in our room,” Su Wan said.

The delight froze on Su Xue’s face. “Can’t I just look?”

“The elders are discussing the betrothal gifts. Why go out and give them another reason to say you don’t know proper conduct?”

The words struck a sore spot. Su Xue bit her lip, her face darkening, but dared not argue. This was not the day to make a scene. Xu Xiuzhi had come; she could not anger her parents now.

Su Wan walked briskly to the west room, with her sister following reluctantly. As soon as they went in, Madam Wang, Su Dashan, Su Qing, and Madam Li went out to welcome the visitors. The gate opened to a burst of cheerful voices.

Matchmaker Sun’s laughter came first. “Congratulations, Sister Wang!”

“Come inside,” Madam Wang replied, neither warm nor cold.

Then came Madam Qian’s voice. “In-laws, there were misunderstandings the other day. Let’s talk things through today.”

The word “in-laws” grated on Madam Wang, but she could only endure it.

Su Xue pressed herself behind the door and peered through the crack. Matchmaker Sun entered first, followed by Madam Qian, smiling broadly and carrying two packets of pastries. Behind them came a young man in a blue long robe.

Su Xue’s heart leaped. It was Xiuzhi. Why did he look thinner?

Xu Xiuzhi was slender, his hair neatly combed. Though old, his clothes had been washed clean. As he entered the courtyard, he bowed to Su Dashan. “Father-in-law.” His voice was gentle and his manner respectful.

Su Xue gazed at him, unable to keep a smile from her lips. Once the betrothal was settled today, she could marry him. What did a few indignities matter? When he passed the provincial examination and became an official, she would put everyone who looked down on her today beneath her feet.

Su Wan watched her coldly. Su Xue was so absorbed that she did not notice her sister approach. When Su Wan reached the door, Xue spun around, wary. “What are you doing?”

“I want to see what Xu Xiuzhi looks like, the man you’re so eager to marry.”

Su Xue panicked. In her previous life, Xu Xiuzhi had married Su Wan and loved her too. This time, Xue had gone to Xu Family Village first and won his attention, securing the chance to marry him. The knowledge made her uneasy; she did not dare let Su Wan near him.

She blocked the crack at once and whispered, “You can’t look. He’s my fiancé.”

Su Wan glanced at her. “Why are you panicking? I’m not going to steal your man.”

Su Xue flushed. “Who’s panicking? I just don’t want you looking.”

Unwilling to argue, Su Wan pushed her half a step aside. Su Xue reached out to stop her, but feared making enough noise for those outside to hear. She could only stand to one side, biting her lip.

Su Wan peered through the crack. The main-room door was open, and Xu Xiuzhi was following Madam Qian inside. With his head lowered and his manner carefully composed, he bowed to everyone he met. Any villager watching would probably praise the scholar’s good manners.

This was Su Wan’s first time seeing him. The book had described his appearance, but she had never seen him herself. Since she meant to act today, she needed to identify him with her own eyes. She could not risk giving the dose to the wrong person.

After watching for a while, she was satisfied. In the main room, Xu Xiuzhi sat in the second chair on the right, near the door. Madam Li entered with the wooden tray and set out the blue bowls one by one.

Madam Qian smiled. “Your home is so neatly kept.”

Madam Wang managed a slight smile. “In the country, cleanliness is what we can offer.”

Once seated, Matchmaker Sun took up the conversation. “The Xus have come in all sincerity. One tael and two packets of pastries may not be extravagant, but it’s the best they could manage by stretching their means.”

Madam Wang said nothing and looked at Su Dashan. His face set, he asked, “Scholar Xu, do you know what Matchmaker Sun said when she came yesterday?”

A flash of displeasure crossed Xu Xiuzhi’s eyes. Peasants were peasants, asking such a question to his face without fear of embarrassment. But he hid his feelings well, rose, and bowed. “Uncle Su, my mother failed to consider the matter properly and caused your family distress. The fault is mine.”

Madam Qian’s smile stiffened for a moment, though she said nothing. Su Dashan’s expression improved slightly, but he asked, “Was the book *Admonitions for Women* your mother’s idea too?”

The room fell silent. Madam Qian’s expression turned completely cold. Matchmaker Sun hurried to speak, but Xu Xiuzhi answered first.

“Uncle Su, I was the one who supplied the book.”

Silence fell again. Xu Xiuzhi remained composed, his voice measured. “Your second daughter is straightforward, and people may talk. I thought it would be good for her to read in advance and learn proper conduct.”

Madam Wang’s hand shook with anger, nearly spilling her tea. “Are you saying my daughter has no manners?”

“You misunderstand, Auntie. That isn’t what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” Su Dashan asked coldly.

With his eyes lowered, Xu Xiuzhi said, “I only wanted to protect her.”

Sensing the tension, Matchmaker Sun rose with a laugh. “Have some tea, have some tea!” She poured a bowl for each person. As the aroma spread, Madam Qian lifted hers and drank first. The matchmaker drank too.

Su Dashan looked at Xu Xiuzhi. “Candidate Xu, have some tea.”

Xu Xiuzhi accepted the bowl with both hands. “Thank you, Father-in-law.”

Behind the door, Su Wan sensed through her spiritual entity that he had lifted the bowl and taken a sip. Lotus vitality slipped down his throat without a sound. She quietly withdrew the other strands of vitality, smiled to herself, and returned to the bed to continue sewing the quilt cover.

Su Xue remained at the door, straining to see into the main room. She could make out nothing, but knowing Xiuzhi was there filled her with happiness.

In the main room, Xu Xiuzhi spoke a few more polished words. Though unhappy, Su Dashan and Madam Wang could only accept the betrothal gifts.

“The sixth day of the fifth month is auspicious,” Madam Qian said. “What do you think?”

Madam Wang’s heart tightened again. It was too soon. After a long silence, Su Dashan said, “We should check for an auspicious date again.”

Madam Qian smiled without warmth. “Why check again? The sixth is an excellent day. Besides, your daughter and my son are in love. If they marry sooner, everyone can rest easy.”

At “in love,” Madam Wang and Su Dashan exchanged a silent glance. Madam Qian was reminding them of what she could say. However unwilling they were, they could only grit their teeth and agree.