Chapter 2

Lin Ruochen sat by the bed, head lowered in silence. Mo Wen stood by the table, looking at the red lacquered wooden tray on it. Inside the tray were two items: one was a pine wood ruyi (a traditional Chinese decorative object) carved with images of a boy and a girl, and the other was a wedding scale engraved with a pair of stars. It was considered unlucky to lift the bride's veil with one's hands; one had to use either the ruyi or the wedding scale. The choice of which to use was up to the bride.

After much hesitation, Mo Wen picked up the wedding scale and walked to the bed, suppressing his inner nervousness as he lifted Lin Ruochen's veil. The moment the veil was lifted, his nervousness turned to joy, for Lin Ruochen, who was a year younger than him, was exceptionally beautiful. Her long, smooth hair was neatly coiled on top of her head, with two strands hanging down on either side. Her oval face was flawless and fair, with willow-like eyebrows, clear phoenix eyes, a nose like a hanging gall, and lips like red cherries. Her bashful look after the veil was lifted only added to her feminine charm.

Lin Ruochen's veil was made of red silk, with a hairpin through the center to secure it, ensuring it wouldn't fall off as she moved. Mo Wen's fingers trembled with joy as he touched the fine red silk, causing the veil to fall again. He lifted it once more, and this time, Lin Ruochen, blushing, looked up and smiled at him. Mo Wen returned her smile, and in their eye contact, he saw tenderness and joy in her eyes.

In life, there is nothing more joyful than finding a partner who loves you as much as you love them. Mo Wen's joy was indescribable. The marriage was arranged by their parents and matchmakers, and he had not known what Lin Ruochen looked like before this. He had imagined her appearance countless times, but he never expected her to be so beautiful and gentle, far exceeding his expectations.

After the smile, Mo Wen wanted to say something but didn't know what to say. In fact, due to the southern invasion by the Hu people, the wedding had been moved forward by more than two months, and he had not been mentally prepared. He had been studying diligently to prepare for the year-end examination, which would determine his rank and future career. The sudden change had thrown all his plans into disarray, and it was only now that he truly realized he was married, and the beautiful stranger before him was his wife, the woman he would spend the rest of his life with.

While Mo Wen was lost in thought, Lin Ruochen took the initiative. She lifted her hand, removed the hairpin, and took off the veil, then walked to the table and poured a cup of tea, which she handed to Mo Wen.

Mo Wen quickly reached out to take the cup. The cup was small, and their fingers inevitably touched, causing both of them to blush.

"Are you hungry?" Mo Wen asked, feeling a bit awkward and asking a rather silly question.

Lin Ruochen shook her head slightly, indicating she was not hungry.

"You rest for a while, I'll go for a walk," Mo Wen said, putting down the teacup and heading for the door. He had been reading Confucian classics and official documents, and had rarely read romantic stories. He was still naive about matters of love and felt extremely nervous, desperately wanting to leave for a moment to calm his nerves.

"Wait?!" Mo Wen had just taken a step when he heard Lin Ruochen's voice behind him.

Mo Wen turned around and saw the shock and worry on her face, clearly misunderstanding his actions.

"Don't misunderstand, having a wife like you is a blessing for the Mo family. I just need to relieve myself, I'll be right back," Mo Wen reassured her and quickly opened the door and went out.

Closing the door, Mo Wen took several deep breaths. The afternoon was cold, and the icy air quickly calmed his nervousness. Once he was composed, Mo Wen began to scold himself. He was well-read, yet the words he had just spoken were all in the vernacular, lacking the elegance of a scholar.

"Forget it, she is my wife. We can speak freely, there's no need to be as formal as when speaking to a teacher," Mo Wen muttered to himself outside the room.

Once he was calm, Mo Wen noticed that his mother and the matchmaker had come to the door of the east wing, both looking tense and worried.

"Son, why did you come out?" his mother asked first.

"Mr. Mo, is something wrong?" the matchmaker asked anxiously. The matchmaker's final task was to help the mother-in-law check the bed sheets for blood, and if the bride did not bleed, the groom had the right to have the matchmaker take her away immediately.

"Mother, it's daytime, how can we perform the rites of Zhou?" Mo Wen said in a low voice, knowing what his mother and the matchmaker were waiting for.

"Oh, Mr. Mo, you scared me," the matchmaker said, patting her chest. "What's wrong with daytime? Go quickly, don't keep the bride waiting."

"Mother~" Mo Wen looked at his mother as if seeking help. Intimacy should come from the heart, and they had just met and were not yet familiar, especially in broad daylight. How could they engage in such private matters?

"Let's do this. Aunt Sun, you go back first. We trust the Lin family's reputation," Mrs. Mo said to the matchmaker.

"That's fine, what a silly child, being so shy," the matchmaker said with a smile, following Mrs. Mo back to the main house, as she still had to collect her fee.

"Reading too much Confucius and Mencius has made you a bookworm," Mrs. Mo teased with a smile.

After they left, Mo Wen had no choice but to return to the room. Lin Ruochen was still sitting by the bed. She had heard their conversation and knew that Mo Wen was just shy and not displeased with her, so her face showed only bashfulness, not anxiety.

"Heaven has been kind to me. To have you as my wife, I will take good care of you and will never mistreat you," Mo Wen said as he sat down by the table.

"To have a husband like you, I am very fortunate. After my hair is combed, I will be a dutiful wife, respecting my in-laws and managing the household for you," Lin Ruochen responded softly.

"Your words are so smooth. How long did you practice this?" Mo Wen asked with a smile, then picked up the cup of tea Lin Ruochen had poured for him and drank it in one go.

"I won't say," Lin Ruochen murmured, lowering her head.

"Your embroidery is excellent. These phoenixes are vividly depicted," Mo Wen said, pointing to one of the wooden boxes on the table. A bride's dowry included personal items that demonstrated her skills, such as food, books, embroidery, and musical instruments. Lin Ruochen's dowry included a box of food, a box of books, a box of embroidery, and a musical instrument wrapped in red cloth, indicating that she could cook, read, embroider, and play music.

"Phoenixes flying, their wings fluttering," Lin Ruochen responded softly.

Mo Wen nodded in agreement. The phrase "phoenixes flying" was a reference from the Book of Songs, describing the intimate flight of a phoenix and a female phoenix, symbolizing a long-lasting marriage. This showed that Lin Ruochen was well-versed in poetry and literature.

"The phoenix has a spiritual root, rising and perching in one place," Mo Wen said, inspired by the imagery. The phoenix was a noble and loyal mythical bird, said to return to its nest at night no matter how far it flew.

"The phoenix has divine feathers, soaring to the heavens on the wind," Lin Ruochen replied.

Mo Wen nodded again. His previous statement was a reflection on the phoenix's loyalty, not a literary reference, but he was impressed by Lin Ruochen's ability to respond so gracefully. However, her response was somewhat grand and powerful for a woman, suggesting that she was not as gentle as she appeared.

Mo Wen did not dwell on it, as having a learned wife was a good thing. After a moment, he pointed to the musical instrument wrapped in red cloth on the table. "Is this a qin or a zheng?"

"A zheng," Lin Ruochen answered. The qin had seven strings, while the zheng had thirteen. Although both instruments produced sounds referred to as "qin sounds," they were different. The qin was more difficult to play, requiring a master, while the zheng was easier to learn but more complex to play, with a less warm and rich high range.

"Would you like to play a duet together? Music can connect our hearts," Lin Ruochen said, looking at the bamboo flute on the wall.

Wealthy families often had one or two musical instruments, either because the owner was skilled in music or to display their refined taste. Lin Ruochen's suggestion was somewhat bold, as it could be awkward if Mo Wen did not know how to play.

"Very well," Mo Wen nodded and smiled. Lin Ruochen was the youngest daughter of the Lin family, from a wealthy background and well-educated, and might have a bit of a spoiled temperament. As long as he could win her respect, they would get along well.

Lin Ruochen, only sixteen, was still a girl at heart. Hearing this, she immediately went to the table, adjusted her position, and tuned the zheng. Mo Wen took the bamboo flute from the wall and wiped it clean. During the Wei and Jin dynasties, scholars were often skilled in music, with the flute and xiao (a type of flute) being the most popular. These instruments were made from bamboo, symbolizing purity, and could be played while standing, adding to the elegance of the performer.

After tuning the zheng, Lin Ruochen sat down and turned to look at Mo Wen. Mo Wen nodded and smiled, then brought the flute to his lips. There were not many duets for the zheng and flute, but the famous piece "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix" was the most suitable. The zheng lacked a high range and had a cold, sad tone, while the flute's warm, rich high notes complemented it perfectly.

Once they were ready, Mo Wen began to play. In traditional Chinese music, the man leads and the woman follows. Mo Wen started, and Lin Ruochen immediately followed. The man stood, symbolizing elegance, while the woman sat, symbolizing beauty. The flute and zheng harmonized, with the flute expressing the man's aspirations and the zheng conveying the woman's emotions. The high notes were led by the flute, while the low notes were provided by the zheng, symbolizing the balance and harmony in a marriage.

Although the flute and zheng blended well, Mo Wen noticed that Lin Ruochen was not as gentle as she appeared. When the music reached a high note, the zheng did not hold back but pushed the flute to play even higher. Each time he struggled to reach a high note, the zheng would become soft and tender. But when the next high note came, the zheng would push again, forcing him to try even harder.

Mo Wen, a scholar, found it somewhat tiring to play such high notes, but he was very happy. A marriage should not be dominated by the man with the woman following; it was good that his wife had her own ideas. With Lin Ruochen managing the household, the family would surely prosper.

Before the piece was finished, there was a sudden sound of hurried footsteps outside the door. Mo Wen lowered the flute, frowned, and listened. The footsteps belonged to Xiao Wu, but he never came to the inner courtyard where the master lived. Such a sudden intrusion must mean something was wrong...