A Willing Mistake, My Lady – Chapter 2
by Little PandaThe Fateful Embroidered Ball
Even when your eyebrows are on fire, you still have to pick a handsome one.
On the second floor of the Jinxiangyu Teahouse, Jiang Chenyu and her little maidservant hurriedly found Matchmaker Wang.
“Auntie Wang, what of the matter I discussed with you? Is everything arranged?” she asked impatiently, the moment she saw the woman.
Three days ago, while her stepfather was away, she had snuck past his spies to contact this matchmaker. Ordinarily, the woman wouldn’t involve herself in the business of a young lady finding her own husband.
But when the girl opened a wooden box, revealing a row of small gold ingots that winked at her like beckoning hands, only one phrase came to mind: with enough money, you could make a ghost turn the millstone1. Forget arranging a matchmaking session—for a price like that, she would get married again herself.
“My dear young lady, you can set your mind at ease. I’ve arranged everything,” Matchmaker Wang said, her brightly painted red lips splitting into a grin as she patted her chest in assurance. “I’ve booked this entire second floor for you today, and I’ve notified all the suitable young men from near and far. They’re just waiting for you to choose!”
“Good. We’ll begin on time, at the Hour of the Monkey2!” Jiang Chenyu took a deep breath. She had to burn her boats3.
There was no other way. She had to marry herself off before her stepfather returned, and it was best if the whole affair became public knowledge so the wedding could happen in the next day or two. That way, by the time he came back, what was done would be done4, and he would be powerless to change it. Compared to her life and safety, what did a little damage to her reputation matter? She had no other path to take.
“Not a problem at all. You just relax!”
“Good!”
After the cart driver brought Shen Hetang into Pingzhou, they parted ways in a place called Qingyuan Town. He kindly gave her three copper cash5, telling her to buy three steamed buns so she wouldn’t faint from hunger on the road before finding her fiancée’s residence.
The driver’s kindness eased her fear of this strange new place. Instead, she began to look around with curiosity. The quaint, antique-style buildings, the vendors hawking their wares along the streets, the crowds of people coming and going—it was all just like what she’d seen on television. She felt as if she were walking on cotton; the unreality of it all was so profound.
It wasn’t until she had wandered the streets for two days, eaten all three buns, and had to ask a kind old woman for water to drink that the harshness of survival set in. Every step felt as if it weighed a thousand catties6.
She had asked at two restaurants if they were hiring waiters, but neither was short-staffed. A small eatery was finally willing to take her, but when they heard she wasn’t a local and had no place to live, they demanded to see her household registration. Where was she supposed to get that? It was a disaster.
And so she spent another two days drifting aimlessly through the streets, not daring to walk on the main roads for too long for fear of being arrested. What a mess!
Shen Hetang walked on, one hand pressed to her stomach, the other on her hip. Ahead, a shop seemed to be holding some kind of event. It was packed with people, both inside and out.
“Hey, big brother, what’s going on in there? Why is it so lively?” She grabbed a young man standing outside the door and asked.
“Well now, little brother, you don’t know? The Eldest Miss of the Jiang family is inside, tossing an embroidered ball7 to choose a husband! If I didn’t already have a wife, I’d be in there trying my luck for sure. They say she has a beauty that could outshine the moon and make the flowers blush8. I heard her fiancé betrayed her and married someone else, which is why Miss Jiang lost heart.”
“Little brother, with looks like yours, it’d be a real shame not to give it a shot. Go on, take a look inside. It’s about to start!” The man chattered on, practically wishing Shen Hetang could go in and compete on his behalf, just so he could live vicariously through the excitement.
“That’s not it, brother. Are there pastries and fruit in there?” Shen Hetang hadn’t heard a single word he’d said about the matchmaking.
“Of course! This is the best teahouse around. How could they not have pastries and tea?” Before the man could finish his sentence, the youth beside him had vanished.
Though she hadn’t eaten properly for two days, Shen Hetang—both in her original body and her past life—had always been blessed with good health. Forcing a path through the sea of people at the entrance and bursting into the main hall was a piece of cake.
She couldn’t hear what the matchmaker was yelling from the floor above. Her mind was focused entirely on the refreshments. And there they were, right on the tables. Her eyes gleaming with hunger, Shen Hetang squeezed her way to a table and lunged for a platter of pastries. People all around were shouting something, but she paid them no mind, single-mindedly stuffing the food into the front of her robes.
From her vantage point on the second floor, Jiang Chenyu had noticed him the moment he entered. Among the crowd of duds, he stood out entirely too much. His figure was tall and straight, his skin like ice and jade. With dark brows, a fine nose, and red lips, it would be no exaggeration to call him one in a million.
But after entering, this person hadn’t spared a single glance upstairs. He was completely absorbed in eating at the side, even stuffing food into his clothes. Jiang Chenyu’s heart pounded. It has to be him!
They were all men with two eyes and one nose, so why not pick a handsome one? She gave her maidservant a look. Chuntao understood her mistress’s meaning at once, went straight downstairs, and squeezed through the crowd to wait by Shen Hetang’s side. She had to admit, her mistress had good taste. The young master’s features were so very handsome; she couldn’t help but steal several glances herself.
Seeing that Chuntao was ready, Jiang Chenyu walked to the spot closest to Shen Hetang and, amid the boisterous atmosphere, lifted the fiery red embroidered ball in her hands. Behind her veil, her beautiful peach-blossom eyes shimmered with moisture.
“Miss Jiang, over here, over here!” others in the crowd below shouted excitedly. Though Miss Jiang wore a veil, everyone knew she was a famous beauty. If she hadn’t already had a fiancé, her family’s threshold would have been worn down by suitors long ago.
Jiang Chenyu waited for what felt like an eternity, but the young master kept his back to her, not even turning around. She stomped her foot in frustration and shot Chuntao another look.
Chuntao’s eyes darted. She reached out, grabbed Shen Hetang, and spun her around. Shen Hetang had just managed to stuff six unidentifiable pastries into her robes when she felt someone pull her arm, whirling her in a circle. Then, with a thud, a red floral ball smacked right into her.
The little maid beside her immediately yelled at the top of her lungs, “Congratulations to this young master for catching my mistress’s embroidered ball! You are now the son-in-law of the Jiang Manor! Young Master, please come upstairs.”
The girl’s shout made Shen Hetang’s ears ring. She clapped a hand over the ear closest to the maid, the floral ball still clutched in her other hand. Exhausted, starved, and empty-headed, she still felt completely detached from the situation.
“Miss Jiang, you deliberately threw the ball to him! I won’t accept it!” a burly, thick-waisted man in the crowd bellowed.
“That’s right, we don’t accept it! You obviously took a fancy to this pretty boy9 and threw it to him on purpose. On what grounds?” The rest of the crowd started to clamor in agreement.
“My good sir, what you say makes little sense,” Jiang Chenyu’s voice was smooth and sweet, like drinking sugared water. “This is my own selection of a husband. Naturally, I can give the ball to whomever I wish. Since this young master entered the Jinxiangyu Teahouse, he is the same as everyone else. Why is it not acceptable to give it to him?”
“But this man looks like a pretty boy, with no more strength than it takes to tie up a chicken10. How can he be a good match? I think Miss Jiang should choose me instead!” As the burly man spoke, he started up the stairs, looking as if he was about to grab Jiang Chenyu.
At that moment, Shen Hetang finally understood what was happening. She’d been caught and was about to be made someone’s husband. Out of all these people, why did they have to pick her?
While she was still thinking of a way to escape, the man had already reached the second floor and was reaching for the young lady. In this era, a woman’s reputation was more important than her life. If she was manhandled by that wretched rogue, what would become of her?
Shen Hetang immediately dropped the things in her hands, took the stairs in two bounds, and grabbed the back of the man’s collar, yanking him back with a sharp tug.
When Chuntao saw Shen Hetang toss the embroidered ball to the floor, she scrambled to pick it up. It couldn’t fall into anyone else’s hands. No matter what, they had to secure this young master for her mistress tonight!
“Alright, you pretty boy, you dare strike your granddaddy? See if I don’t skin you alive!” Enraged, the man used his massive frame to charge at Shen Hetang.
This time, Shen Hetang’s body moved faster than her mind. With a nimble sidestep, she cleared the top of the stairs. The man, having put too much force into his charge, couldn’t stop in time and went tumbling down the staircase, landing flat on his stomach.
“As everyone has seen, we did not strike this gentleman; he fell down the stairs on his own,” Jiang Chenyu declared, her courage bolstered. “As this little girl was tossing the embroidered ball here, I bear some responsibility. Please take these ten taels11 of silver as my apology to him. If this man should cause unreasonable trouble again in the future, I ask all you neighbors and friends to bear witness for this little woman. I will certainly not let you help me for nothing!” The situation had gone beyond her plans. She had to force herself to sound calm, though her fingers were trembling.
Shen Hetang watched the young woman seize the initiative, speaking logically and even knowing how to sway the crowd with the promise of benefits. She became very curious to see what the person under the veil looked like.
“We all saw it! He fell on his own! And he was trying to lay hands on Miss Jiang, we all saw that, right?” Miss Jiang’s loyal fan from before was the first to speak up for her.
A few others then began to speak in her defense. The troublemaker glared at Shen Hetang twice, and seeing that the situation was not in his favor, he took the silver and left.
Once the man was gone, Jiang Chenyu patted her chest in relief. She had been truly terrified. This was a clandestine affair to begin with; if anything else went wrong, what would she do?
Seeing that all was well, Shen Hetang turned to leave. But she had only taken two steps down when a small, soft hand caught her sleeve.
“Young Master, where are you going?” There was a note of panic in Jiang Chenyu’s voice, and the fingertips gripping her sleeve had turned red from the force.
“This Shen cannot accept the lady’s embroidered ball. This one takes his leave,” she said, trying to continue down the stairs.
“No! Since you have accepted the ball, you are my husband. In life, I am your person; in death, I am your ghost!”
“Shall we speak of this elsewhere?” Shen Hetang suggested, seeing that she wasn’t letting go and that people below were still watching the spectacle.
“Mm, I will listen to whatever the young master says!” Hearing they would talk in private, Jiang Chenyu’s voice calmed considerably, though her hand did not release its grip on her sleeve.
The two entered a private room, where Jiang Chenyu finally relaxed her grip and pulled off her veil.
A face like a hibiscus flower, peach-blossom eyes, a fine, elegant nose, and lips like cherry-pink petals. The lashes at the corners of her eyes were long and curved slightly upward. If she had a small peach blossom painted on her forehead, Shen Hetang would have thought she was a flower spirit, every frown and smile carrying a pure sort of charm, a vision of someone alluring without being aware of it.
Shen Hetang was stunned for a moment. One didn’t have to be a man to appreciate a beauty. The girl was still young, her features more innocent than seductive. Give her time, and she would surely have the potential to be a bewitching imperial consort.
“To be honest, this one has lost his memory. I know nothing, have no home, and don’t know where I can go. I am in no position to marry you!” Shen Hetang explained quickly after recovering her senses. She still didn’t know her own identity and didn’t dare reveal that she was a woman.
“Lost your memory? No home?” Jiang Chenyu was taken aback. If he had no home, how was she supposed to leave the Jiang Manor? As she thought, her eyes welled up with a crystalline sheen of tears.
“Hey, don’t cry!” Was she made of water? Why did she have to drop golden beans12 at the slightest disagreement?
“But I have to get married today! Otherwise, what will I do?” Her stepfather would likely be back tomorrow. She only had tonight.
“Hmm… It’s fine if you don’t have a home. You can marry into my family13. I’ll support you!” A spark of inspiration hit her. She remembered that was an option. Wasn’t Wu Daoyuan a matrilocal husband himself?
The young woman looked at her, her eyes full of stars, as if she would start crying the moment Shen Hetang dared to say no.
“I have my reasons for needing to marry today. If you won’t save me from this peril, I will find a beggar off the street and marry him instead,” Jiang Chenyu said, throwing caution to the wind when she saw Shen Hetang remained unmoved.
Seeing her determination, Shen Hetang knew she must be in some kind of trouble. And if she was desperate enough to marry a beggar, she might as well marry her.
“If you truly need a husband, I can help you with this. However, should the day come for us to part, I am afraid the young miss’s reputation will be damaged, and it may be difficult for you to find another,” Shen Hetang laid out the pros and cons for her, so she could make her own choice.
“As long as you help me through this crisis, Young Master, even if we are not fated to be together and must part ways in the future, this little woman will send you off with a generous gift,” Jiang Chenyu promised, her tone urgent and firm.
At that, Chuntao, who had been standing by, quickly stuffed the embroidered ball into Shen Hetang’s arms.
Having thought it through, Shen Hetang looked down at the bright red ball in her embrace. As the saying goes, the road will always appear when you reach the mountain. A golden rice bowl had fallen from the sky. Why not hold on to it for a while?
Footnotes
- Original: 有錢能使鬼推磨 (yǒu qián néng shǐ guǐ tuī mò), lit. 'with money, one can make a ghost push a millstone.' The English equivalent is 'money makes the world go 'round.'
- Original: 申時 (shēn shí). One of the twelve traditional two-hour blocks (shíchen) used to tell time in ancient China. The Hour of the Monkey corresponds to 3-5 PM.
- Original: 破釜沉舟 (pò fǔ chén zhōu), lit. 'to break the cauldrons and sink the boats.' An idiom for committing to a course of action by eliminating any possibility of retreat.
- Original: 木已成舟 (mù yǐ chéng zhōu), lit. 'the wood is already a boat.' An idiom meaning 'what's done is done.'
- 文 (wén). The lowest denomination of currency, typically a round copper coin with a square hole in the middle. Often carried on strings.
- 千斤 (qiān jīn), lit. 'a thousand catties.' A catty is a traditional unit of mass; a thousand catties is roughly equivalent to 500 kilograms, used here metaphorically to mean extremely heavy.
- 繡球 (xiùqiú). A decorative ball made of silk, often filled with seeds or cotton. Tossing it from a height to a crowd of suitors was a traditional, if somewhat dramatic, way for a wealthy young woman to choose a husband.
- Original: 閉月羞花 (bì yuè xiū huā), lit. 'hides the moon and shames the flowers.' A classic idiom to describe a woman of extraordinary beauty.
- 小白臉 (xiǎo bái liǎn), lit. 'little white face.' A derogatory term for a handsome, often pale-skinned young man who is perceived as weak, effeminate, or a kept man who relies on a wealthy partner.
- Original: 手無縛雞之力 (shǒu wú fù jī zhī lì), lit. 'to not have the strength to tie up a chicken.' An idiom describing someone as physically very weak.
- 兩 (liǎng), also known as a tael. A unit of currency and weight, typically for silver, equivalent to about 37 grams. Ten taels was a very significant amount of money for a commoner.
- 掉金豆子 (diào jīn dòuzi), lit. 'to drop golden beans.' A colloquial expression for crying or shedding tears.
- 入贅 (rùzhuì). To be a matrilocal husband, a man who marries into his wife's family and lives with them. Traditionally, such men had lower social status, as the arrangement was often made when a family had no male heirs.
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