Yuan Hao and Nong Bai led their king up until the door of the matchmaker and then stepped back, lowering their heads and trying to look like the servants of a mortal probably would.
An Hei nodded at them and then gazed contemplatively at the house. There was nothing wrong with it per se but it was obvious that this wasn’t the kind of place at which the daughters of a general should look for a suitable partner. If their own house and conversations hadn’t been enough of a hint, this alone would be enough of an indication that the Yang family had fallen on hard times.
An Hei sighed, feeling a bit guilty for not having come back to check on Ling Ling sooner. Ten years were a long time for mortals. He should have expected that things might go wrong. Even if he didn’t come over himself, he should have sent one of the others to keep an eye on her and her family. Well, it was too late now. Things had already happened.
An Hei pushed the thought away and stepped in.
One of the matchmaker’s aides greeted him and showed him inside. She handed him tea and pastries before excusing herself to inform the matchmaker. An Hei nodded absentmindedly, grabbed the cup, and gazed out of the window. What should I say? Straightforwardly 'I want to marry Yang Ling Ling?' Or was it better to only allude to it by mentioning 'I am searching for a suitable spouse. I was told the daughters of the Yang family were fine women and both still in search of a husband'? Maybe I should give free rein to the matchmaker and only state that I am searching for a wife and wait who she’ll recommend to me? He didn’t know how humans usually went about this kind of thing, so he was at a bit of a loss.
The matchmaker was occupied with another guest at this moment. Madam Wu from the capital had brought her second son to find an adequate spouse. Their family was quite good; they didn’t have any political power, but at least sufficient money. The boy’s older brother was even a distinguished scholar and even though the second son himself didn’t have much talent, his future wife wouldn’t have any cause to worry.
The matchmaker made quite a few proposals his mother was in favor of but they weren’t to the man’s liking. His parents desired a wife who could boost their family’s prestige and maybe smooth the way to a higher social standing. The son, however, considered this to be only secondary. He mainly wanted a wife who was easy to look at. His family had enough to live off and his brother would see to their prestige sooner or later. Why should he rely on his wife for something like that? This was why none of the matchmaker’s proposals could catch his eye. He slowly started to wonder if there weren’t any beautiful women in the capital anymore.
The matchmaker was at a loss. No woman came to mind who fulfilled both desires and would be willing to marry him. Every distinguished woman would try to find a husband who could offer her more. I would have to find a woman with status but without money to please this family, she thought while scowling inwardly. But hardly had the thought crossed her mind, did she remember not only one, but two suitable candidates: The Yang-girls! Weren’t they precisely in this kind of situation?
She poured her guests another cup of tea and smiled slightly. "There would be two other women. Their situation isn’t ideal but the family does have prestige and the girls are certainly beautiful." She pulled out the portraits of Jin Jin and Ling Ling and gave one to the mother and son each.
The son nodded satisfied. "This is the kind of girl I imagined as my wife!" He looked at the portrait in the hands of his mother and put the other one down instantly. "She’s even more beautiful!" He took the portrait from her and his smile grew wider until his eyes formed happy slits. "I want her and no one else!"
His mother sighed and looked at the matchmaker. She, too, was happy with the appearance and in the worst case she’d comply with her son’s wishes but, of course, she’d like to see it even more if that girl had all the makings of a good wife. "Who might the young lady be?"
The matchmaker glanced at the portrait and smiled. "Yang Ling Ling, the younger daughter of the late General Yang."
"Ah, the Yang family!" The mother nodded contentedly. After the General’s death, the family was impoverished. This wasn’t a secret in the capital city. Everybody knew. But that wasn’t something the Wu family would worry about. They had more than enough money themselves. It was more important that General Yang was well-known since he had achieved a lot in his life and even sacrificed himself for the kingdom and empire. A lot of people hailed him as a hero which just made it look worse, that his wife and daughters suffered like this now. To take one of them as a wife and enable them to live a good life would certainly benefit their family even though the girl couldn’t enjoy her father’s backing anymore. And not even considering that she was also pretty enough to satisfy her picky son.
Madam Wu smiled. "Why not? If my son likes her, then it’ll be her. Please inform the Yang family that we are interested and arrange a meeting as soon as possible." With how her son was, Madam Wu didn’t dare tarry. The sooner things were organized, the better. Then, he couldn’t reconsider.
The matchmaker nodded. "Of course, of course. I’m sure, Miss Yang will be exalted knowing she can marry your son." The woman could hardly contain her smile. Even though Ling Ling and Jin Jin were the daughters of General Yang, their family’s situation had worried her. Who would marry them after their family had fallen on hard times? She had feared not being able to find a man for either of them and ruin her good reputation as a matchmaker. But now, the first of them had gotten a proposal after just one day and if she didn’t misjudge these customers the dowry was irrelevant. If Madam Yang gave Ling Ling a little less to take into her marriage and Jin Jin got a larger dowry, then she might be able to find a husband for the second daughter as well. How the people would talk about that!
She chatted with her guests for a while, then bid them goodbye. Just as she wanted to call one of her aides to send her to the Yang family the girl already appeared.
"Madam Lin, a new guest arrived just now. He’s dressed really handsomely," she added and smiled.
The matchmaker nodded satisfied. She had just taken the first hurdle of a difficult assignment and now another customer came who wanted her help. She couldn’t explain it without believing that today must be her lucky day. She sent one of her aides to the Yangs and followed the other one into the waiting area. Her eyes widened as soon as she caught sight of the guest sitting there.
An Hei was tall and slim, with a finely chiseled face and snow-white skin. But he was not only a handsome man but also wealthy as her aide had implied: His outer robe was made from black silk that tightly hugged his body. Golden embroidery graced the hems, unobtrusive and noble.
Matchmaker Lin had seen a lot of people: There were the poor ones who saved up for a year or even longer and brought a good piece of clothing to leave a better impression when they visited her. But those people didn’t understand to wear these clothes and obviously felt uneasy wearing them. Then there were the people whose families had come into money recently and who wrapped themselves in pompous garments for that reason but only managed to reveal that they had no taste.
But this man in front of her was something else. This, she could tell at only one glance. He was clearly a man whose family had for a long time possessed wealth to such an extent that they didn’t require to show it. His clothing was noble but tasteful and he wore them as a matter of course that only somebody who wore such robes every day could accomplish.
Madam Lin felt as if she were floating on clouds when she went over. "Welcome, welcome, Mister. How may I help you?"
An Hei raised his head but didn’t get up. The woman was only a human and even if she had been part of his folk, her status would have been so low that it would have been her good luck to even see him. He nodded slightly. "I intend to marry." He didn’t say ’I’m searching for a suitable wife’. Even though it might have been the easiest way he felt like it wouldn’t show the appropriate respect for Ling Ling. He wasn’t searching for a wife randomly like the other men coming here. He already knew whom he wanted to marry. He wasn’t able to say it outright because his circumstances were special but it didn’t change the truth of the situation. As long as he did not need to, he refused to lie.
"Of course, of course. We’ll certainly find the right one for you." Matchmaker Lin gestured for her aide to bring the portraits and sat across An Hei, pouring him a cup of tea herself. "Maybe we already have the information of a girl who is to your liking. If so, then I would inform her family and arrange a meeting, so you can get to know them and make the necessary arrangements for the wedding if both sides are satisfied. If none of the girls are to your liking, I will search for other women that might fulfill your expectations better and inform you as soon as new, suitable candidates have been found. Then, I would invite you over to take another look."
"Mn." An Hei nodded. He didn’t worry. Yang Ling Ling’s mother had presented her here just yesterday and he had found the house soon enough. He couldn’t imagine that anyone would have chosen Yang Ling Ling in this short amount of time.
And even if somebody had, that wouldn’t mean he wouldn’t get her in the end. In any case, Ling Ling would never agree to marry another man. He was sure of that after what he had heard her say beneath the branches of the magnolia tree. So if worst came to worst, he just had to appear in front of her to let her know that he was back. Then, everything else could be sorted out.
Even if it wasn’t her decision alone and her mother would make the final call, he did not believe that Madam Yang would refuse him. Which parent would not wish for their child to marry into a well-off family and have a husband with a high status? In this mortal world, he did not believe that there would be many men who could rival him in either aspect.
