Tang An is sitting on her study desk as the matchmaker is show in. She greet the young missy. They talk for awhile. Matchmaker Mei had inform Tang An the same information that Xiao En said last night. Finally she hand over the case with the portrait of master Song in it. Tang An's heart is beating fast as Xiao En unroll it on the desk. The picture shows a handsome young man. His hair is tie up neatly with a gold hair piece to hold it in place. His eyebrows are dark like his hair. His eyes seems to be clear and bright. A cherry lips is painted. He have a slim face.
"What is his name?"
"Song Wei Hu, the son of General Song Han."
Tang An who hears this immediately turn around to look for her portrait.
"Missy what are you..."
"Where is my portrait?"
Xiao En hurry to look for it and hand it to Tang An. She look at it and hand it to the matchmaker.
"Do you think this looks like me? Is it good enough?"
Matchmaker Mei is shock but delighted. She look at it and nod her head repeatedly. She look at Tang An and ask in a low voice.
"Miss Tang, you do understand that he have some issues."
"Yes... did he hurt anyone before? Did he beat anyone?"
"NO NO NO. He is gentle just that he have a temple. He never talks to strangers. He takes awhile to get use to strangers. "
"As long as he doesn't beat people up without reason. I think i can handle that. Does he have other bad habits like gambling? Drinking? Going to the brothel? Smoking pot?"
Matchmaker Mei shake her head at each thing mention. She roll up the portraits up and put it in the case. She hand it over to the matchmaker.
"Let me know if his grandmother reply. If i am reject, i need the portrait back."
"Sure! I understand! I will go now to HanYang county!"
Tang An's maid hand over a silver tael which delighted the matchmaker. She watch matchmaker Mei happy walk out with Xiao En. For the first time she feels nervous and hope that there will be good news.
A month pass with a change of season. It starting to snow. Since there is no news, it is probably she is rejected by the old lady Song. She sits in the music room and play her GuZhen with a sorrow tune. Xiao En is busy lighting up the charcoal in the corner of the room. Her father walk in and look at his daughter.
"The tune is too sad. Did somebody you know die?"
"Maybe yes, father."
She continue playing her sad tune. Her father shake his head and walk out of the room. After awhile. another maid comes in and inform her that her parents are asking for her appearance in the hall. She put on her coat and walk to the hall along the long walkway. When she walk in the hall, she finds the matchmaker Mei standing with her parents. She greet her parents and look at the matchmaker who is smiling brightly.
"Young missy! Good news! Old lady Song see your portrait, she is delighted! She did not expect her grandson to have such a good fortune!"
"Oh i thought that i am reject..."
"Nonsense! You are the talented lady of Chang An' ! Who doesn't want a daughter-in-law in this grand manner!"
"Matchmaker Mei, how did you know..."
"Missy look for me about the Master Song! How she knows.. only she knows!"
Her mother look at her with curiosity while her father stand up to look at the portrait of the young man.
"He looks rather handsome. Not too bad. Where is he from again?"
"HanYang county. He is working for the government on land surveying. He had won numerous contest when he was young. Some say he is a genius!"
"Oh sounds like a good match for our daughter!"
"What about his family back ground?"
"Mrs Tang, your daughter is lucky if she marry him. He only have a grandmother who is in very good health. Not sick or anything i know. This young master grows up with a male cousin who is now working the the Yamen in the capital!"
"Matchmaker Mei, how old is this boy?"
"AH he is a twenty two years old man!"
"So old... why did he not get marry early? Is he picky like our daughter?"
Matchmaker Mei look at Tang An and try to say as nice as possible.
"Old lady Song tried to find a match for him since the age of the fifteen. Even thou he have a good reputation, a genius and filial piety. It's difficult to find him a wife..."
"Why is that so? Does he have issues?"
"The Hanyang people have been labelling him as an idiot... but he is not. Honest! I swear to heavens!"
Tang An's mother look at her immediately and pull her hands.
"Why didn't you check carefully before you submit your portrait to the other party!"
"Mother, how can you believe that? There must be an misunderstanding. If a person won most of the contest how can he be an idiot at the same time?"
"Now that is correct! Matchmaker Mei, you need to help clear up this!"
"Well... from what i know. Young master Song is a talented man who won numerous contest. He even pass the state examinations! However... it was said that he had high fever when he was a child. It burnt part of his brain and some how he cannot communicate properly like us. However please be sure that he can do everything on his own. He doesn't need anyone to feed or ... treat him like a sick person."
"Who is his parents?"
"His father is the famous General Song Han and mother Lieutenant Yang Min, they are perish in the war zone. His father was the study partner of the emperor. Thus their living conditions are better than anyone in the county. Also from what i hear, every year the emperor will come to pay his respect to General Song Han."
"But still how can i allow my daughter to marry him! I disagree!"
"Mother! Why are you..."
"Did you hear that? He burnt part of his brain! How serious can that be?! I mean if you have children with him, won't they going to suffer like him!"
"Mother! Why do you only think of the bad part? Did you hear the good part?"
"What good part can he do!"
"Matchmaker Mei, answer the following questions."
She nod her head quickly. She hope that the Tang parents will accept the match so that she can get the marriage done up and she can stop running back and forth.
"Does this Master Song, gamble?"
"No i know of."
"Does Master Song have a drinking habit?"
""No i know of."
"Does Master Song smokes pipe or take drugs?"
"NO!"
Does Master Song spend money and time going to brothels?"
"NO!"
"Does Master Song engage with fights or arguments easily?"
"No never!"
"See mother, he doesn't have all those bad habits."
Her mother wail and her father's eyebrows knitted together. Tang An understand that her parents wants her to marry a normal person. She is thinking of a way to resolve this.
"How about this... let me live in the Song mansion for two months. If he display any bad habits, i will not marry him. However if he is acceptable in my eyes, i will marry him within three months. What do you think... mother and father."