"You've arrange a marriage?" Xiang Qing loudly shouted, "How come I've never heard of it before?"
"Aiyo, look at how excited you are....." Mother-in-law lovingly held his hands, and explained, "Didn't you return home and visited a family about half a year ago? At that time you were twenty something years old, the perfect age for marriage, do you still remember?"
Xiang Qing pondered for a moment, and said, "That seems to be the case."
"At that time you said that your marriage can be decided by me, your mother, that's why I allowed you to freely travel." Mother-in-law's expression was a bit uneasy, "Then could it be that I'm wrong?"
"I....." Xiang Qing was rendered speechless.
"Everything Mother does for you is for your own good. In this period of half a year, she vigorously tried her best to find you a suitable marriage partner," The sister-in-law smiled and said, "The Ye Family is quite well off. Their rules and teachings are very strict as well. Their three sons have quite high prospects; one is a county magistrate in a neighboring county, the second has gone to serve in the army, and the last is a prospering business man who treats the old and young honestly. Their daughter, the only unmarried maiden, is both superior in aspects of class and elegance, and knows art and poetry. They don't request for a son-in-law that is particularly wealthy, just that he is an honest and kind man. You're considered quite lucky. Because you saved the Ye Family's old master from a monster two years ago, when the matchmaker presented your name to the old master, he immediately agreed and was ready to prepare a large dowry to go with her daughter."
The two women intercepted one another in turns non stop. With large beads of sweat, he grabbed me over and interrupted, "The person I want to marry is Hua Miao Miao."
"Wha.....what?" Mother-in-law was shocked. She turned her head and seemed to only just realised my existence. She gave me a glance up and down, and then said, "This miss appears lively and energetic, but.....Qing'er, didn't you say you didn't have a girl in your heart six months ago? That.....how come you've already found someone you fancy this quick?"
"It's all fate. I met Hua Miao Miao about a month ago and happened to help her out. We've already agreed to marry one another, thus I've brought her today to meet Mother."
"You haven't even discussed this matter with Mother yet, so how can you agree? We don't even know about anything!" The sister-in-law's tone of voice was very serious, she fiercely swept me a glance, "And plus, who's family's daughter is she? Her origins don't seem so simple."
I trembled in fear from the surplus of questions that were being asked. My mind was a mess, but I tried my hardest to recall the dialogue that Yin Zi and the others taught me, "Hua Miao Miao greets mother-in-law."
"Which family are you from?" Sister-in-law continued to question.
My heart beat accelerated and I began to fear. I forgot about the detailed teachings that were given to me for a moment, and stammered, "I.....I live at Luoying Mountain, I don't have any parents, and only have a single sister named Hua Yin Zi. Also.....I also have a son named Xiao Mao....."
"A son?" Mother-in-law opened her eyes wide.
Xiang Qing hurriedly approached, pulled me back, and explained, "He is also my child....."
"Qing'er.....this.....how did this happen?" Mother-in-law clutched her chest, as if she was upset.
"Your child is unfilial! Please give guidance to this child!" Xiang Qing hesitated for a moment before gritting his teeth and kneeling onto the ground with a flushed face. He pulled out a lie and explained, "A few years ago, I was on a mission at Luoying Mountain to exterminate some demons. It was at this time, I met Miao Miao and took hospitality with her family. They welcomed me with open hands and even prepared a sumptuous feast with wine and food for me, however, I drank a bit much on that day and everything that happened after was due to my stupidity. A bit more than a month ago, I met again with Miao Miao along with her child who had come to Maoshan Sect to receive divination. The child's and my appearance were exactly the same, and realized that it was all due to my wrong doings that year. Because of the guilt and love I felt towards her, I needed to quickly bring them back and not let them be wronged anymore."
"You.....you.....you inhumane beast!" After listening to Xiang Qing's words, mother-in-law's face turned pale white with anger. She took her wooden crutch and hit him with it while wiping away her tears, "How did I normally raise you up to be? How could you do something so shameful such as this?! And here I thought you were some honest man with good character! I can't believe I even discussed marriage with the Ye Family on your behalf, what a joke! You've even dared to abandon my grandson for so many years, I'm going to beat you to death!"
Seeing Xiang Qing get beaten up, I became worried and hurried to his side to block the attacks. Xiang Qing pushed me aside and said, "Miao Miao, step aside, since I've done such shameful things, it's only right that I am beaten!"
"But.....you didn't....." I hastily explained the truth.
He seized my hands, and the quietly ordered, "Be quiet."
Sister-in-law held mother-in-law back, and constantly persuaded, "Calm down, anger is not good for the body. The reckless and foolish things he's done are due to his young age and mischief. What's done has already been done, even if you're angry, it won't change anything."
I also followed along and persuaded, "Don't hit Xiang Qing anymore, you can hit me instead. I'm not afraid of pain so hit me instead."
The eyes of mother-in-law turned white, and she fainted.
Xiang Qing immediately stood up, carried mother-in-law back inside of the house, and placed her onto an ash coloured bed. Sister-in-law quickly rushed in with hot water and a towel in her hands. I hurried out the doors to the tree where Yin Zi had him and called for him a few times.
Yin Zi's expression had also become very unpleasant. He thought long and hard, but no solutions appeared in his mind. Xiao Mao from a branch above, jumped down, and whispered something into his ears, promptly causing Yin Zi to leave with him. He reminded me to not speak too much, otherwise, I'd be adding chaos onto even more chaos.
I swiftly ran back into the house, Xiang Qing pulled me aside and quietly instructed, "Later on, you don't need to say anything, just leave it all to me."
"But.....you didn't do anything wrong though, why are you saying you've done something shameful? And why does mother-in-law want to beat you?" I raised my head to look at his complicated expression, and asked, "They've even said that they had already arranged a marriage for you, what's going on with the Ye Family?"
Xiang Qing sighed and said, "I've never had too much thoughts about marriage and girls until you came along. When I visited home half a year ago, and because sister-in-law didn't have any children, she became worried and persuaded me to get married sooner. I casually agreed back then because I didn't think too much about the matter, but as you can see, today's results are the consequences of my actions."
"Since you have yet married the Ye Family's daughter, can't you just withdraw the marriage vows?" I offered a simple solution.
"Human affairs aren't so simple.....pride and face are particularly important." Xiang Qing touched my hair and whispered, "If I casually go and retract the marriage vows, then wouldn't the Ye Family's daughter lose all face? She is an innocent bystander so I don't want to harm her reputation."
"Losing face isn't a big deal, I've often lost face many times." I was still a little puzzled.
"There use to be a girl from the village who had her marriage broken off by her fiance for no reason. This caused many rumors about her to be spread such as how she did not have any ethics as a woman or how she had a hidden disease. Because that girl had thin skin, she could not withstand the torment and killed herself." Xiang Qing sighed as he explained to me, "Therefore I chose to disgrace my own name. Firstly, to avoid being forced into marriage by my mother's old age. And secondly, to avoid receiving the other party's disdain and tarnishing the Ye Family's daughter's reputation. However, by doing this, I may have caused some damage to your name."
"So it was like that. It doesn't matter to me," I quickly gave my chest a pat to reassure, "Even if everyone says you don't have morals or that you have a hidden disease, Miao Miao will still marry you!"
"Thank you Miao Miao, for your love." Xiang Qing let out a bright smile.
"Qing'er.....Qing'er....." The mother-in-law on the bed slowly awoke and called out.