Matchmaking was a special profession. It was generally divided into official and private matchmaking. Private matchmaking were also divided into civil society and individuals. Official matchmakers usually dealt with the businesses of large families. They were registered with the government.
If anything happened to the official matchmakers, the offender would be imprisoned and it might even implicate their families.
But with the private matchmakers, it was different. The big families never looked for them. It was basically some civilian business. Sometimes they worked with the local matchmaking agencies.
Some families could not live anymore and might sell their children through the hands of the private matchmakers.
"Back then, when we went to the county office to collect food, we once met a matchmaker who wanted Ah Yu to be a child bride…"
