“We have not been to the garden. Who told you that?”
“Huan Lang saw it with his own eyes,” Madame Cui pulled back her arm preparing to hit Hongniang.
“Madame, don’t hurt you hand. Please be seated. I’ll tell you everything. One evening while Miss Cui was finishing her embroidery, we started chatting. I suggested we should pay a visit to Scholar Zhang since he had been sick for such a long time.”
“So you went there, well what did he say?”
“He said something about how Madame had mistreated him, and how he’d grown terribly sad. Then he asked me to go back and let Miss Cui stay just a little longer.”
“Why?”
“I thought he wanted her to treat him with some sort of magical acupuncture, I never expected that they would become husband and wife. But they’ve been sleeping together, Madame, for more than a month. They love each other. I think you should let it be. As the proverb says, ‘a grown girl cannot be kept at home for long.’”
“You irresponsible girl!” Madame Cui thundered in desperation. “This is all your faults. Why didn’t you stop them?”
“It’s not my fault, or the Miss’s, or Scholar Zhang’s. The blame is on you, Madame.”
“How can you put this blame on me?”
“Trustworthiness is the most important trait a person can have,” answered Hongniang. “Remember when those bandits besieged the temple. Madame, you promised—in front of everyone—that your daughter would marry the person who could fight off the wicked soldiers. Zhang brought troops, defeated the enemy and rescued everyone in the temple. You, however, did not keep your promise. If you didn’t want them to get married, you should’ve asked him to leave with a handsome sum of money. But instead you promised a marriage and then invited him to move here. The two met daily. How could you have stopped them from falling in love? This is your own fault, Madame. What’s done is done. If you make this public the family’s name would be ruined. Also, what if Scholar Zhang passes the royal examination and is appointed to an official post? Do you think he will stand for this act of ungratefulness? Even if you bring it to the court, you would be charged with not fulfilling your responsibility as head of a family and everyone would know that you rewarded a heroic act with ingratitude. Why not forgive their mistake and accept their marriage? It’s in everyone’s best interest. The young scholar is talented and your daughter is pretty and graceful, they’re a perfect match.”
Madame Cui was silenced by these words. She knew Hongniang was right, that the best course of action was to accept it. She sighed deeply.
“Fine! My daughter doesn’t deserve another man so let her marry Scholar Zhang. Hongniang, call her in!”
Hongniang ran straight to Yingying who was ner vously waiting.
“What happened?”
“I told her everything regardless of the consequence. She was going to find out sooner or later. Now she is waiting for you, and, she’s going to say yes to your marriage. Receive my congratulation in advance.”
Yingying was happy but still a little worried at the idea of facing her mother.
“ What’s to be ashamed of in front of your own mother? Where was your sense of shame when you dated Zhang in the evening and slept together?” Yingying blushed and went with Hongjiang to see Madame Cui.
“I never thought you should act like this! A troublemaker! If I sue Zhang Sheng in the court, it would disgrace the reputation of the Cui family and ruin your father’s name. Noble families such as ours are not expected to do such things. Forget it! I can only blame my ungrateful daughter. Hongniang, go and fetch that brute!”
Hongniang arr ived at Zhang ’s door, and, upon being informed that Madame Cui wanted to see him, he grew nervous. He asked the maid to tell him what had happened and was shocked to learn that Madame Cui had known every thing. Hongniang told him not to worry though, Madame Cui ordered him to see her so that she could betroth Yingying to him. Zhang couldn’t believe what he was told so he panicked. The fear on his face has caused Hongniang jeer at him as she pushed him towards the Madame’s room.
He bowed nervously in front of Madame Cui, and though he knew Yingyin was standing behind her he dared not raise his eyes to look at her. Madame Cui lectured him for some period of time but eventually she promised that Yingying would be his wife, but there was one condition.
The Cui family had for generations never betrothed daughters to common civilians and, currently, Zhang Sheng was just a Xiucai, one who only passed the imperial examination at the county level and had no official position. She demanded that he attend the royal examination in the capital. If he failed he would not be welcomed back. She ordered him to return to his room and pack for he was to leave the next day.
