Before Liang Xu reached the age of adulthood, he only cared about his bow and arrows, having no interest in marriage.
When he came of age, his mother grew increasingly anxious about his marriage prospects. In the past, she only showed him portraits of young ladies, but now she insisted he meet them in person.
Liang Xu was reluctant, but out of respect for his mother’s authority, he went.
The meeting was arranged by the Lotus Pond beside the Heavenly King Hall of the Great Guo Temple. He and his mother arrived early, but the other party had not yet come.
His mother assured him that the young lady he would meet today was exceptionally beautiful and that he would surely like her.
Liang Xu’s heart, however, was fixed only on his bow and arrows. He thought that diligence breeds skill and idleness breeds neglect. The time spent on this meeting could have been used to practice his archery.
The warm May breeze stirred the first blooming lotus flowers in the pond, adding a touch of sweet freshness to the dense sandalwood-scented air.
At the other end of the Lotus Pond, a pair of elegant and graceful sisters approached. One had serene, gentle features—likely the elder sister. The other had a playful expression, presumably the younger.
Beforehand, his mother had told him that today’s match was with a lady from the Minister of Personnel’s household, Lady Shen. She also had an elder sister who was already promised to the eldest grandson of the Grand Tutor’s residence.
Liang Xu’s gaze fell on the younger sister.
Her face was as pure and radiant as white jade, glistening under the sunlight, even more lustrous than the lotus flowers dusted with morning dew in the pond.
Her eyes were bright and clear, soft and innocent, reminding him of a young deer he had once encountered in the forest.
That deer had looked just like her then—somewhat naive, somewhat curious, staring at him with wide, round eyes.
Perhaps it was those clear, innocent eyes that made him lower his bow and wave his hand, “Go on…”
The deer stood there dumbfounded for a moment before turning and disappearing into the bushes.
Now, Lady Shen stood by the lotus pond, smiling gently at him with her curved eyes.
A breeze passed by, causing the morning dew on the lotus petals to roll down into the pond with a gentle plop, rippling the water’s surface.
Liang Xu’s cheeks grew warm, and instinctively he looked away from her unabashed gaze.
Less than a cup of tea’s time passed before the meeting ended. The two sisters bowed politely and turned to leave.
His mother asked if he was pleased with Lady Shen. He nodded, and she smiled, saying, “Good. Come with me to offer incense and draw a lot…”
However, the fortune slip his mother received for his marriage was not a favorable one.
Picking up the slip, her face darkened. Then, on their way out of the temple fair, they saw Lady Shen struggling with a man. His mother’s expression grew even graver.
Back home, his mother declared the match could not proceed. Though disappointed, Liang Xu did not oppose her decision. At the time, he did not believe in love at first sight and never expected this fleeting affection would bind him for so long.
Though the arrangement with the Shen family was broken off, Minister Shen explained matters to his father personally. At the temple fair, Lady Shen had not acted improperly with the man—she was actually harassed by a scoundrel.
Yet, despite the explanation, the match was beyond salvaging. His father’s words implied Lady Shen was deeply shaken at the fair, and Minister Shen resented his mother’s passive stance during the incident.
His mother was unbothered: “There are many good girls in the capital. If not a Shen daughter, then there’s one from the Wang family or the Zhao family…”
Afterward, his mother took him to meet several other young ladies—sometimes by the bridge, sometimes at a teahouse, sometimes at banquets. But no matter which one, whenever he looked at them, he felt a lingering emptiness, unable to stop thinking about the girl by the lotus pond who outshone the flowers.
After four such meetings, he always declined. His mother seemed to have guessed his thoughts: “Could it be you like girls like Lady Shen?”
He thought about it and realized it might be true. Lately, he often dreamed of the little deer from the forest. When he lowered his bow, the misty mountain deer transformed into Shen Youyuan, staring at him with those wide, round eyes: “Don’t you want me? You really don’t want me? Then I’m leaving…”
Seeing his silence, his mother sighed with understanding: “Girls with her temperament are easy to find, but those with her looks are rare. It’s a pity to regret now—she’s about to marry soon…”
“She’s getting married? So soon?”
“She and her sister both. They’ve been betrothed to the Pei family’s sons—probably hoping for a double wedding, the two sisters marrying together…”
On the day the Shen sisters married, he had just returned from arrow training. On the road, he came across the wedding procession. Two red bridal sedan chairs swayed like swimming dragons in the parade, and the girl from his dream was seated in one of them.
He intended to see her off amidst the crowd, but unexpectedly, a group of bandits abducted the brides, carrying away the two chairs.
Without hesitation, he climbed the high wall and shot at the kidnappers.
His arrows flew in succession, stopping the abductors. He saw the elder sister, grabbed her hand, and ran back.
The brides’ veils slipped down—one veil fell to the ground, trailing beside Shen Youyuan.
Liang Xu stared at the frightened young face for a moment. Seeing enemies approaching, he drew two feathered arrows from his quiver to fend off the pursuers for the two sisters.
Finally, the danger passed. One kidnapper was captured alive, the rest scattered. The startled brides’ veils were redraped.
The groom, leading the wedding procession, clasped his fists in thanks: “If not for your help today, the matter might not have ended well. What is your name? You must come to our home for the wedding feast—I must thank you properly…”
Liang Xu withdrew his gaze, looking at the groom dressed in fine clothes and surrounded by exquisite dishes: Is this the Pei Qi Lang she is marrying?
They did match in appearance, but word was that Pei Qi Lang was a prodigal, loose in conduct. If she married such a man, in time…
If only the misunderstanding at the temple fair had not happened, he would be the one marrying her now.
Liang Xu raised his hand in salute to the groom: “I have business today, so I won’t trouble your household.”
“Where do you live? Come by some day, and I’ll invite you for a drink…”
“A small favor; no need to trouble yourself.” He tightened his grip on his bow and turned to leave.
News soon spread about the Pei family’s wedding mix-up. The abduction caused the two brides to be switched, and the scandal became the talk of the capital’s noble circles for quite some time.
Liang Xu felt increasingly uneasy inside.
For a long time after, he refused to meet any more young ladies. He reflected that those previous girls were indeed quite good in looks and temperament, so why couldn’t he warm to them? After much thought, he suspected the meeting places were wrong.
So when his mother pressed him again, he insisted the next meetings be held at the Great Guo Temple, by the Lotus Pond where he had first met Shen Youyuan.
This time, he refused his mother’s company, not wanting her to draw another fortune slip after the meetings.
But this time, it was no good. Perhaps the weather wasn’t right that day, or perhaps the lotus pond in winter was withered and lifeless. In any case, nothing felt right—the scenery wasn’t right, and neither were the people.
His heart remained unmoved; the meeting ended in failure.
However, on the way back, he encountered Shen Youyuan’s servant, who had been robbed of her purse by thieves.
His previously calm heart rippled again.
He apologized to her and spoke of the earlier misunderstanding, but she had long since let it go.
Then came news that she had been abducted by bandits.
The cause of the incident was somewhat related to the Liang family.
If it hadn’t been for the snow that day, when she was escorting the ninth young lady home, perhaps the bandits lying in ambush nearby would not have kidnapped her.
Feeling guilt mixed with other thoughts, Liang Xu considered that if Pei Huai Jin doubted her chastity because of this and cast her off, he would disregard all others’ opinions and marry her himself, making amends for her.
Yet Pei Huai Jin never gave him that chance. There were no rumors of discord between the couple.
As Liang Xu’s hope faded, he unexpectedly learned of Pei Huai Jin’s incurable condition.
Not long after, he told Qing Luo that Shen Youyuan had returned to her family.
Twice he tried to persuade her to cut her losses and not waste her life on a husband who was beyond help.
Instead, she covered up Pei Huai Jin’s illness.
He finally confronted Pei Huai Jin himself, hoping the man would have the integrity to release Shen Youyuan.
Pei Huai Jin was candid, admitting his poor health: “I’ve been trying to persuade her, but she refuses to leave. Brother Liang, give me some time—I’ll think of a way…”
Liang Xu eyed the upright, refined groom with suspicion: “Are you serious?”
Pei Huai Jin’s tone was firm: “I am.”
Yet he never saw a divorce between them, only one pot of apology wine: “Sorry, Brother Liang. I’m well again now; I can’t give Youyuan to you…”
Liang Xu got drunk, his mind hazy, and confessed: “Brother Pei, I truly liked your wife. When we first met, we were both satisfied…”
Pei Huai Jin laughed wryly: “Fate is hard to resist. Brother Liang, what’s missed is missed…”
Though they had once met and liked each other, once he ignored her when she was troubled, she was no longer his.
Like that forest deer, she had only glanced his way briefly before vanishing.
Liang Xu brooded for some time until he heard from the ninth young lady that Shen Youyuan was pregnant.
When she gave birth to a daughter and held the full-month banquet, she sent an invitation to the Liang family.
Liang Xu attended with the ninth young lady. As a male guest, he did not enter the courtyard to see the child but heard Pei Huai Jin proudly boasting at the feast about how adorable and beautiful his daughter was and how much she resembled her mother.
The guests teased about arranging a childhood engagement for the girl, but Pei Huai Jin smiled and said they must respect the child’s wishes when she grew up.
Watching Pei Huai Jin brag about his daughter, Liang Xu mused: Since he cannot marry his beloved in this life, perhaps he could father a son and have the boy pursue Pei Huai Jin’s daughter from childhood.
If fate allowed the two children to marry, then one day his son could call her mother, and her daughter call him father. That would not be so bad…
He clenched his wine cup: This plan might just work.