The Song Manor was small but beautiful.
The gardens were full of lush fruit trees and rose bushes. Two lively young women were talking to each other in a secluded area of the gardens.
One of the young women was chomping watermelon seeds.
‘Mistress, you were fifteen when master came to Tong Hua Province to accept his small official position,’ Liu Lu said. ‘Master rode a horse and wore his first rank scholar robe. Master looked like the perfect handsome gentlemen and he attracted many married women and maidens from rich households.’
Qian Xiao Qi chomped on watermelons and widened her eyes.
‘Even married women?’ Qian Xiao Qi asked.
‘Yes,’ Liu Lu said. ‘They were under master’s trance. There were married women who paid more than one hundred silver taels to sit on tavern balconies so they could see master. Even many maidens from rich households couldn’t afford to buy a balcony seat to see master.’
‘What happened next?’ Qian Xiao Qi asked.
‘Mistress grabbed my hands and cried out, Liu Lu, look, he’s smiling at me,’ Liu Lu said.
Qian Xiao Qi choked on a watermelon seed. Liu Lu patted Qian Xiao Qi’s back and the watermelon seed flew out of Qian Xiao Qi’s mouth and onto the table.
Qiao Xiao Qi accepted the cup of tea from Liu Lu and gulped down the tea.
‘What happened next?’ Qiao Xiao Qi asked.
‘Mistress fell in love with master and pursued him for two years,’ Liu Lu said. ‘During the two years, mistress waited outside the front gate of the magistrate court early in the morning. Mistress always brought mooncakes and soybean milk for master too.’
‘Did he accept them?’ Qiao Xiao Qi asked.
‘Master didn’t accept them,’ Liu Lu said. ‘And mistress took them home. At the beginning, master politely declined mistress’ gifts. Later, master silently walked past mistress to the magistrate court. But mistress was persistent for two years. Mistress didn’t care what happened, every day at the rabbit hour (i.e. 5am to 7am) you always waited for master at the front gate of the magistrate court.’
‘Your mistress didn’t care and waited every day at the rabbit hour?’ Qiao Xiao Qi asked.
‘Yes,’ Liu Lu said. ‘It didn’t matter if it was raining or windy. During that time many maidens wore beautiful dresses, and walked around the magistrate court. They all hoped master would look once at them. But master didn’t even looked once at them. Master is a good man.’
‘Then why did he marry your mistress?’ Qian Xiao Qi asked.
‘Mistress’ devoted two year pursuit moved master’s heart,’ Liu Lu said. ‘Mistress, you could have even melted metal. Mistress’ father didn’t like master because he was a small official. But mistress said that you would only marry master. Then master got promoted to be a provincial magistrate and mistress’ father was satisfied and gave his blessing.’
Qian Xiao Qi chomped on dates instead of watermelon seeds.
‘What happened next?’ Qian Xiao Qi asked.
‘Master married mistress,’ Liu Lu said. ‘But on the wedding day, Lady Shang Ruo Pai suddenly appeared, and she wanted master not to marry mistress. Regardless, master married mistress. But master and mistress didn’t get to have a wedding night. Mistress is an understanding person so you didn’t protest. Early in the morning, mistress prepared a meal for master. Truthfully, I think Lady Shang Ruo Pai is similar to mistress. Master is only polite toward Lady Shang Ruo Pai. But mistress was unhappy master took care of Lady Shang Ruo Pai.’
Liu Lu dra

nk a sip of tea. ‘Yesterday when master went to the magistrate court, mistress and Lady Shang Ruo Pai were talking in front of a well. Somehow Lady Shang Ruo Pai fell into the well. Uncle Zhang and guards saved Lady Shang Ruo Pai’s life. But Lady Shang Ruo Pai has a weak body, and she became ill. When master got home, he was angry and I don’t know why he hit mistress.’
‘Do you think your mistress pushed Lady Shang Ruo Pai into the well?’ Qian Xiao Qi asked.
Qian Xiao Qi felt upset on behalf of Shang Ruo Pai.
‘No,’ Liu Lu said. ‘Mistress said you didn’t push Lady Shang Ruo Pai. Lady Shang Ruo fell into the well herself. But master didn’t believe mistress and hit mistress. Mistress was in a lot of pain, and your head fell onto the side of a table. It wasn’t a severe injury, but there’s a big lump on mistress’ head.’
Qian Xiao Qi felt a sharp pain on her head. Qian Xiao Qi rubbed her head and sighed. ‘Liu Lu, is my name Qian Xiao Qi? Why does it sound like a simpleton?’
‘Mistress, in the past you asked me the same question,’ Liu Lu said.
Qian Xiao Qi sighed and tossed another watermelon seed into her mouth.
‘How far is it from here to the Qian Manor?’ Qian Xiao Qi asked.
‘It’s not far,’ Liu Lu said. ‘The Qian Manor is the biggest manor east from here.’
‘Does my father have a lot of money?’ Qian Xiao Qi asked.
‘Yes!’ Liu Lu said. ‘Apart from master, many men wanted to marry the Qian Household’s mistress. If mistress didn’t love master, there are many men you could have chosen to be your husband.’
‘What’s his name?’ Qian Xiao Qi asked.
‘Master’s name is Song Liang Zhuo,’ Liu Lu said.
‘A melon table?’ Qian Xiao Qi asked and scrunched her face. ‘What a strange name.’
‘It’s not strange,’ Liu Lu said. ‘In the past, besides helping mistress’ father’s business, mistress used to write master’s name. Mistress’ locked chest is full of paper with master’s name written on it.’
Qiao Xiao Qi found out she must have been under a beauty trance.
‘Mistress, shouldn’t you go see Lady Shang Ruo Pai?’ Liu Lu asked. ‘Although master forbid us to see Lady Shang Ruo Pai in her bedchamber, the sooner mistress clears the misunderstanding the better. Even Lady Shang Ruo Pai said she was careless and accidently fell into the well.’
‘No!’ Qian Xiao Qi said and pouted her lips. ‘I don’t know her.’
‘Mistress, it’s tradition that you need to visit your family tomorrow,’ Liu Lu said. ‘It’s only the second day since master married mistress, but master and mistress haven’t seen or talked to each other today.’
‘Because he has a lot of duties to perform at the magistrate court,’ Qian Xiao Qi said.
‘Mistress, you have a good heart,’ Liu Lu said.
Qian Xiao Qi picked up all the leftover watermelon seeds on the table, put it in her mouth and smiled.
Liu Lu cleared the table, and passed the plate of dates to Qian Xiao Qi. Liu Lu noticed Shang Ruo Pai coming toward them, she stood and coughed.
Qiao Xiao Qi thought Liu Lu was acting strange. Qiao Xiao Qi turned her head around and saw a young lady in a white silk dress. Qiao Xiao Qi put dates in her mouth and chomped. Qiao Xiao Qi didn’t know why she felt troubled to see the young lady.
‘I heard you hit your head and lost your memory,’ Shang Ruo Pai said.
Qiao Xiao Qi spat out date seeds onto the table. It looked like Qiao Xiao Qi wanted the date seeds to stain the young lady’s white silk dress.
Qiao Xiao Qi was happy the date seeds were obedient and landed on the young lady’s white silk dress.
‘Big brother Zhuo doesn’t love you,’ Shang Ruo Pai said. ‘Don’t overestimate yourself. Soon you won’t even have the title of being big brother Zhou’s wife.’
Qian Xiao Qi smiled sweetly. ‘Big sister Shang Ruo Pai, sit and we can discuss the situation.’
‘Who’s your big sister?’ Shang Ruo Pai asked.
Qian Xiao Qi wasn’t angry and offered a plate of dates to Shang Ruo Pai. ‘Big sister Shang Ruo Pai, taste the dates, it’s delicious.’
***
End of Chapter One