The well-lit rooms were filled with boisterous laughter. Young men in their silk apparels and fresh faces fluttered around. Teenagers and few children were running amok from one place to another, dragging their friends to see the ongoing procession of gifts. Some separated to organize a competition to pass their time. Neither the youngsters nor the women inside the separate inner compounds took notice or heard the voices ringing aloud in the corner of the main courtyard, announcing the arrival of auspicious time. The ceremony preparations began, solemn, rigorous – quite separated from all the young flare of vigor.

In another chamber, all the elder members of the Wei clan took their places with their distinguished guests by their side, entertaining them with tea and carefully crafted delicacies. Looking stately in their well-organized apparels and aged, wise looks. The visitors equally humored the hosts with auspicious words and congratulations on the coming of age of the eldest child and the new heir of Wei Clan.

Master Wei sat separately from the head of the family, his own father who was quite busy entertaining guests and toasting wine at the high table. Besides him sat a master Huo, the newly arrived Chancellor, appointed to the county's yamen. The Magistrate had been quite smitten with this new addition to the town and had but good things to say about him. Of course! With a father as the Head of the Imperial Academy of Capital, his prospects are anything but successful. In fact, being sent to Jinghai was a sign of his lack of favor from his father. Or perhaps, there were other intentions. Master Wei squinted his eyes thoughtfully while caressing the ring on his left hand.

"My lord, there should be no doubt about the auspiciousness of this year for your clan. But is it true, for the words appear to be quite fictitious in their pleasantness as they fall to my unexpecting ears; I heard that his highness the second prince has asked for the hand of your eldest daughter, and you have already promised? Such joyful news! The new trends in the room have left me incapable to believe in anyone, but I will take your words for that, such weighty news being no child’s play. Ha, ha ha!"

"Your son too, I might say. I heard he had been accepted by Master Rong of the Imperial Academy? Congratulations to him! Such bright future you have in your children." Master Wei saluted Master Huo, raising a cup to toast.

"Where, where, he but tries to follow in the precedents of his elders. Yes, my son has just joined the academy, by the recommendation of his grace, his lordship Duke of Weizhou. Hopefully there will be such happy opportunities for him as well further down in life. It might appear abrupt, but for the cheer in the air – what do you say, my lordship, could I have the grace to accept one of your daughter’s hands for this son of mine? I have heard of their reputation spread as far as the capital, no doubt, such houses as of yours can guide but only such talented and capable youngsters!"

The master of Huo clan said this, in a melodious trill and a single breath, quite characteristic of himself; swiftly replacing another wet handkerchief in his hand-pockets. The heat of the moment had started to touch up to him. What else could be hoped of with all the braziers burning, and young and boisterous energy wafting all around in the air? He was just praying that his stout figure wouldn't swoon in the moments heat! That! That would be an embarrassing tale told for years in the Jinghai county! He swiftly clenched his hands and looked around while still continuing the conversation. He needed fresh air! As he needed this marriage.

Apart from his stout figure one wouldn't notice anything cordial about the man, or anything affable. His face, though round, didn't give the feeling of being agreeable to any extent, while his jumping brows always peered with strained tolerance. The calculation could be seen flickering, sparkling in his round eyes. Though such vulgar feeling seldom reigned as it did during this proposal. Accompanied by his almost breathless appearance, which all made not a very pretty picture altogether, making Master Wei who was looking at him a little speechless.

"I take your graces auspicious words, yes. There will be, of course. There will be such opportunities for sure in the future. But I might add, the youngsters are still young and tender, not ready to step into the world. Marriage? I have never thought of that, I confess!" Master Wei's suspicious eyes silently looked down at his hands. ‘Marriage?’ He pondered.

"Master Wei Houyu, there is no need to go so deep into that matter as thus. A promise suffices, I demand but a word of you. A little freedom for the young man and maiden to know each other. But the look in your eyes tell me you still meddle much in your youngster's life, for even that somehow! I say, Master Wei. Let them be and decide who to love now, and such love as their age is but so true and pure of any worldly attachments, you must agree, and they grow up in time, my lordship, as sturdy as bamboo shoots untended but vigorous. Am I right?"

"I hear you, but what can be done? What with the disappearances of quite a few acquaintances of mine now, I can't but be meddlesome. It's been years but there is no solution, no leads whatsoever. Have the Yamen any leads in the case? What with my eldest daughter Hua'er…" Master Wei took a sharp breath and ceased to complete his sentence.

‘Tch, as pretentious as ever.’ Master Huo's eyes flashed with sarcasm but he soon melted it into a sympathetic face looking as the most empathetic well-wisher.

"Yes, I see what you intend. From your protection and strength alone, undoubtedly, your children have gained such upright characters of my lordship. As for leads, hope is all but futile. The previous six years have been but cruel to all the Victims. No sign, and no leads. But sometimes, such sadness, it is the affair of the world. But what with this much worry, will you cease to let your sons out the threshold?"

"A few more years, perhaps, then they will have their own fate! Their own fate to decide, I promise you that, for your worries of my over-protection, my friend. Sigh!"

"Yes, adulthood. Alas! Such is the sad affair of worldly life. I am quite saddened now, Master Huo. With my only son already in academy, such happy relations escape my hands now, unfortunately. I tell myself, though, that I can live with this little disappointment and not over-exert on your sympathies, ha, ha ha. But there must be something happening with such noise coming from the garden, what do you say my Lord? You must know, all the young blood of the four major clans and nine families have joined tonight! Let me a newly arrived guest entertain myself by taking a look at what they are up to. Or you might want to join?" Seeing no lead in the marriage talk, Master Huo ceased to be as enthusiastic as at the beginning. With few more ceremonious exchanges, he emphatically showed his intention to exit the closed chamber.  

Saying his good-wishes, the stout figure skidded off towards the open garden filled with young men without looking back at the dark faced Master Wei, still lost in his ponderings.

Out in the garden, the young men had found many places of amusement. Some were setting up places to compete in their archery skills. Some sat in the nearby pavilion rejoicing the atmosphere in the murky sunless day. For these artistic lads, nothing flickered in their romantic gazes to talk about the weather. How could the melancholic murkiness of wet, sullen day be any good for auspicious words?

As such they hummed and hawed till, they had pretty much dwelt upon all the popular news and academic discussions, conferring a sturdy air of scholarship to this small corner of the pavilion. Later with embarrassment of sudden acquaintance wafting off, topics were skillfully maneuvered towards more colorful, youthful alleys.

What else could substitute such perennial topics as a gentlemen’s courtesy, but maidens and their beauty, their virtuosity, their characters? Their relationships and marriages of course!

"His highness the second prince really appeared at opportune time. Before the flower bloomed it was plucked off. Alas! One can do but raise a toast to a missed fate."

"Nothing unusual. With such caliber, nothing short will suite the status of our "White Lotus of the Western Mountains". Even the "Peony of the capital" would have to lose some to the grace of her ladyship! At such tender age, such learning and such a Confucius spirit."

"Yes, who doesn't know the benevolent heart of the eldest lady of the Wei clan. Whether the sick, or poor, her name rings abound on all the needy soul’s lips and heart."

"Oh, who doesn't. Such Virtues."

With a brief silence another voice went on.

"But I heard, there was a maid found dead in her ladyship’s courtyard? What happened to that? Heard some rumors that some secrets were spilled? What was it? Yes, there used to be an aunt, an illegitimate aunt a few years older than the eldest lady Wei, wasn't there? Hua, something flower it went – quite like the passed away eldest daughter’s name. Beautiful one at that. Never heard of her, elsewhere, though. What a pity! I heard she was more beautiful than the purest of the snow, had hands that could paint of worlds so mesmerizing the world wondered. Even the Duke of Weizhou had collected some of her works before!” The speaker sat shadowed beside a young man. As soon as his words were out, the company descended into silence.

“Tales, I say, some made up story resounding in the market among commoners." Another voice barged in. But he refused to speak more than that. With his lips taut, he picked up the jug of rice-wine and began to pour himself a serving.

“Is that so? But her disappearance doesn’t make you wonder? I wonder.”

 Song Muchen, sitting beside the shadowed youth, drawled as he twirled the porcelain cup in his hands while leaning half-heartedly against the pavilion wall. All of them had been sitting down on the carpet spread against the marbled floor of the pavilion, many silver platters full of porcelain cups and jugs of mellowest wines in them, accompanied by flower shaped pastries put in small plates. A vine of white button rose swept towards the eaves of the pavilion roof, overarching with the bougainvillea's – a breathtaking mix of white and red. But not as mesmerizing as the tale of a fallen beauty.

"Where must she be? Where must she..." He sang in a sing-song manner. 'Lie dead,' he completed the sentence in his heart while thinking, 'as she deserved.' Perhaps amongst the weeds, unknown, forever haunting a mound of forgetfulness. 

This sudden interruption garnered the attention of all the young men sitting there. Many refused to take a part in the conversation while many simply began to pick up pastries, or pouring tea and wine.

"Ceased to exist. Poof! Disappeared." Seeing no one ready to talk, he animatedly swung the empty cup, his eyes crinkled with amusement with unknown knowledge. "Just like the eldest son of the Rongs, isn't it true? The promising youngster fell off the horses and fell so deep that there was left none of his ashes. I heard the now master of Rong family swore that he would have Wei Houyu's head to appease the soul of his dead brother. Such empty words had been never said in the history of the world! What do you say, my friend?"

In reply, the shadowed youth chuckled and raised his hands to get a cup of wine for himself.

There was nothing but silence in the gathering. No one was not aware of the tragic fate of the two. It was also said that the Song Muchen's aunt was once engaged with the erstwhile eldest son of the Rong's who was crazy for beauty Wei CuiHua, the eldest daughter of Master Houyu. A bloody tale of love that left everyone dead. Even hearing Song Muchen’s disrespect to Master Wei, nobody rose a single voice. There was nobody here who was unaware of the deep water running through these incidents.

Song Muchen also thought so. A cautionary tale that he kept hearing till his adulthood, always juxtaposing the warm face of the laughter filled maiden of her childhood memories who ceased to be in his mind. She was so young. And he too powerless.  

"The auspicious time has arrived the ceremony is going to start. Do you want to meet with Wei Yize before he begins the ceremony? I think some of you haven't gifted him yet. Let's go, I’ll show you where he is at the moment." Rong Yichen's figure stood a few steps outside the pavilion at the entrance as he bent his head to lean in while facing his friends, unaware of the little incident.

"Yes, the auspicious time." Song Muchen spoke with sarcasm filling his eyes, but still didn't move. Yes, interest divides the world. The interest assured that the Wei's would always remain brothers of the Rong's. What about a little maiden that washed away in the river of time? Words, Promises, and memories. He believed, but no one else was there to lay their faith on that pretty soul or risk their fortune!     

"We should go."

Somebody finally spoke and rose up taking the lead.

Soon the others filed into the well-lit room. The congratulations rang one after other. Laughter melted into cheers and toasts of wine. The elders had left the aisle for the youngers to have more fun. Soon the garden was separated into two portions and the rhythmic files of maids and servants began from the inner chambers arranging colorful delights that tasted as heavenly as they appeared to be.

Mesmerizing dishes and charming laughter of men and maiden, mingled in the air. The banquet wasn't silent till late night, when the house once more descended in its gloomy appearance. As if the merrymaking had been but a part of the silent mourning that was still enduring on.