Chapter 46: Matters Both Laughable and Lamentable

The Lu Residence stood in a bustling part of town, not far from the county office. Li Dong made his way there on foot, weaving through the busy streets and winding alleys, and soon arrived at the imposing gates of the Lu family estate.

Flanking the entrance stood two massive wooden pillars, which Li Dong knew were called “gate posts”—symbols that the Lu family had served as officials for generations. Now, in Lu Ruo’s generation, their glory had faded, and the highest office they held was that of a mere county magistrate. Beside the posts, two large red lanterns hung with delicate tassels swaying in the breeze. Above the doorway, a plaque with a brown background and golden characters boldly proclaimed “Lu Residence.”

Two armed guards stood at attention by the entrance, exuding an air of authority. When they saw Li Dong approaching on foot, their faces lit up with broad smiles, and they hurried forward to greet him. “All well with you? Haven’t seen you in a few days—you look even more dashing than before!”

Li Dong returned their courtesy with a slight smile and clasped his hands in salute. “Thank you for your hard work, brothers. Is Miss Lu at home? Could you please announce my arrival?”

“Of course, of course! Please, come inside!” One of the guards led the way, ushering Li Dong into the residence.

Inside, the ground was paved with blue bricks, each about a yard square. A large ornamental screen stood before him, blocking the view of the inner courtyard. The screen was painted with a beautiful landscape, and on either side were vast pools of clear water, each several yards across, brimming with lotus blossoms and darting fish playing among the rocks—a tranquil and elegant scene.

Circling past the screen, the full grandeur of the Lu Residence unfolded. Corridors arched gracefully to the left and right, their railings intricately carved and winding. This was the first courtyard. Entering the second, a two-story pavilion stood proudly at its center, flanked by side rooms with green-tiled roofs and blue-bricked walls that only made the pavilion seem more stately. The railings in front of the side rooms formed a square maze, adorned with ornamental rocks and flowering shrubs; bees and butterflies danced among the blooms, and a crisp breeze carried their fragrance, making the place feel like a world apart.

As a male guest, Li Dong was shown into the eastern wing by the guard, who then withdrew. Inside, a maid served him tea and water, then watched him with a peculiar expression, giggling softly.

Her laughter baffled Li Dong. He wondered if his attire was in disarray and hurriedly smoothed his clothes, only to make her laugh even harder.

He tilted his head and asked, “What’s so funny?”

The maid blushed and replied, “Please wait here a moment, sir. I’ll inform the young lady of your arrival.”

Li Dong nodded, clasping his hands behind his back with an air of importance as he paced the room. He had visited the Lu Residence more than once and knew every nook and cranny; the servants were all familiar faces. Why was the maid acting so strangely today? He couldn’t quite make sense of it.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the doorway suddenly darkened, and a waft of fragrance heralded Lu Ruo’s arrival. Turning around with a bright smile, Li Dong began, “Miss Lu, I have been awaiting—” but stopped short, his face freezing with confusion. Lu Ruo, too, seemed out of sorts today.

In the past, whenever Lu Ruo heard that Li Dong had come to visit, she would rush over in high spirits and, if no one else was about, even throw herself into his arms. But today, she approached with measured steps, entering the room only to fix him with a cold, unfriendly glare.

A woman’s mind truly was an enigma: yesterday she had clung to him as if inseparable, sweet as honey, and today her brows were knit in anger, her face frosted with disdain. Who could say what mood might seize her tomorrow—perhaps she’d chase him through the streets in a fury. If Lu Ruo had always been capricious, Li Dong might not have found her behavior so strange. Yet, since their acquaintance, she had always been gentle and considerate, with only the occasional mischievous mood that vanished as quickly as it arose. For her to enter and greet him with such obvious displeasure, and with such barely contained anger, was entirely unprecedented.

Li Dong saluted and asked, “Have I done something wrong? Please, enlighten me, so that I may correct my mistake and avoid repeating it.”

Lu Ruo tossed her sleeve and snorted coldly. “Who are you? What business brings you to the Lu Residence?”

Li Dong thought to himself, Who am I? Your betrothed. She must have taken leave of her senses today—or perhaps something has upset her. I need to get to the bottom of this before leaving Zhangqiu; otherwise, when I return, things might be beyond repair.

“I am your intended, your fiancé. Our union was decreed by our parents. If you have regrets and feel I am unworthy, you should say so plainly. There’s no need to treat me with such coldness,” Li Dong ventured.

“Bah! Hold your tongue!” Lu Ruo’s cheeks flushed. “Men can never speak a decent word! And you do remember our parents’ arrangement. But what are we to each other now? You haven’t even sent a matchmaker to propose formally, yet you come by every few days, causing a stir in our home. You may not feel embarrassed, but I do!”

At this, Li Dong understood at last. The maid’s laughter had been at his expense—he had failed to make his intentions clear and had not sent a matchmaker, so Lu Ruo was giving him the cold shoulder. Since arriving in the late Sui era, no one had explained the customs of marriage to him; he must have transgressed some ancient taboo without realizing it.

“I’m not familiar with the proper procedures for marriage. Would you explain them to me so I can make the necessary arrangements when I return?” Li Dong asked sincerely.

“You don’t know? Is your father as clueless as you?” Lu Ruo grew even more exasperated, even dragging in the always-respected Li Hun.

Now Li Dong felt a flicker of anger himself. If he had done wrong, she could scold him directly, but why bring his father into it? “But you’ve never told me anything about these customs before!”

“Parental arrangement and a matchmaker’s proposal—these are common knowledge! Do you truly not know, or are you pretending?” Lu Ruo realized she might have been too harsh; after all, Li Dong was young and might genuinely be ignorant of such matters. She relented and decided to explain.

“Parental arrangement and a matchmaker’s proposal,” Li Dong repeated softly. He knew something of these traditions before his time here, but hadn’t expected them to be so rigorously observed in the Sui era—no wonder Lu Ruo was so upset.

Li Dong now understood that without properly observing all the formalities, his relationship with Lu Ruo remained unofficial and subject to gossip—not just among the servants, but soon all of Zhangqiu would be talking, and even his father would become a laughingstock.

He patiently asked for Lu Ruo’s guidance. After venting her anger for a while, Lu Ruo saw that Li Dong truly didn’t understand and explained the marriage customs in detail. Under Sui law, there were six steps to betrothal: presenting gifts, inquiring about the bride’s name and birthdate, confirming auspicious omens, sending bride price, setting the wedding date, and finally, the formal wedding procession. This would be followed by the well-known rituals—bowing to heaven and earth, entering the bridal chamber, unveiling the bride, and the hair-combing ceremony. Li Dong was astonished at the complexity of it all; by the time one finished, one might well be exhausted.

When she mentioned the “proof of virginity” and the “return of the bride,” Lu Ruo grew evasive, skirting the details. But Li Dong, being a man, could guess well enough: if the bride failed to meet the requirements, she could be sent back to her family.

After her explanation, Li Dong couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement. “So many complicated rituals—it’s enough to wear a man out!”

Lu Ruo, her anger now gone, teased him with a playful scowl, “Complain any more and I’ll lock you in the pigsty, fatten you up, and then eat you!”

Li Dong burst out laughing. Her jest showed she was no longer angry.

He was about to make a witty retort when Lu Ruo suddenly shrieked, leaping into the air and clutching her chest in fright. Eyes wide, she pointed to the corner of the room. “Look, over there! Quickly, look!”

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