“You shouldn’t look at it like this. Let me ask you: where were you when that bandit Sun Feihu and his five thousands thugs had surrounded the temple? If it hadn’t been for Master Zhang, the entire Cui family would have perished. Who would you marry then? Now that everything’s calmed down you think you can just show up and put up a fight for your wedding. If Yingying had been taken by the bandits would you be put up such a fight with them?”
Hongniang’s words rendered Zheng Heng completely speechless. He thought for a short time then said, “I would cede Miss Cui if she was betrothed to a wealthy man from a noble family. But she’s married to a bookworm dressed in rags! I’m from a noble family and, what’s more, share relations with her. I also have her father’s mandate. Besides, everyone knows I’m a better match for her than that loser. Anyway, could he have fought those five thousand bandits by himself ? All he did was calling his friend to fight for him. This is ridiculous!”
Hearing this, Hongniang immediately saw the contrast between a gentleman and a base person.
“As for the marriage between Master Zhang and my mistress,” she said, “her mother has given full consent with the abbot and General Du as their witnesses. Your quest is a futile one and I suggest you abandon it - the sooner the better.”
Zheng Heng was irritated, “Neither the abbot nor the general, and certainly not you, can persuade me to let go so easily. If you want to play games, I’ll call over a small army myself to put Yingying in a wedding sedan and bring her to my house. Once I make her my wife and turn her from a girl to a woman, no one can do anything about it.”
Hongniang was furious, “You unconscionable person! Despite your noble descent, you’re no better than that bandit Sun Feihu! If you dare to make such a move, it’ll land you nowhere but prison and even your own family won’t be able to help you out.”
Having scolded by merely a maid, Zheng Heng was very upset. “You little minx! Looks like that penniless rat has bought you out already. I’ve got nothing else to say to you but this: I will take Yingying as my wife, heaven as my witness!”
“She will never marry you!”
Zheng Heng decided not to waste any more of his time on Hongniang. He would go straight to his aunt the very next day and pretend not to know of the situation between Yingying and Zhang Sheng. Then he planned to start a rumor about his competitor, telling his aunt that Zhang was married to Minister Wei’s daughter. He knew his aunt could be counted on to believe wild rumors, and besides, his uncle had betrothed him to Yingying and who was his aunt to go back on it? So long as he kept to his guns, he thought, no one would dare stand up to him – especially Yingying.
The next day Zheng Heng went to visit his aunt. She had already heard from Hongniang that Zheng Heng had been asking all about Yingying. Truth be told, Madame Cui was quite fond of Zheng Heng and she had sincerely wished he would become her son-in-law. What’s more, the late Prime Minister himself had made that match. Now she had broken her husband’s word and his wish. She knew Zheng Heng would come over and question her, but she didn’t blame him – the fault all lie with her.
Zheng Heng bowed before his aunt and put on a long face.
“My dear nephew, why didn’t you came and see me first upon your arrival?”
“I am ashamed to see you,” he replied.
“Alas! We were here waiting for you, but you didn’t show up. Then came that terrible Sun Feihu and his frightening bandits. There seemed to be no escape when that young scholar stepped forward with a solution. Because he saved us, I promised him Yingying’s hand. I know this isn’t fair for you, but please forgive me. Your forgiveness is all I can hope for.”
Zheng Heng said in feigned surprise, “I didn’t know that’s how it happened. What a pity. I had sincerely hoped to become your son-in-law and wait on you. But now it seems impossible to fulfill this wish. By the way, who exactly is this gentleman that you speak of ?”
“He’s a native of Luoyang, by the name of Zhang Sheng.”
Zheng Heng pretended to be shocked when he heard this name. “Zhang Sheng? Which Zhang Sheng, exactly? Can’t be the one who won the first place in the imperial examination?”
Madame Cui could barely conceal her pride. “Yes, that’s the one. I didn’t expect so much from him. Anyways, he’s a good match for my daughter, and she for him.”
Zheng Heng let out a long sigh. “Madame, I must tell you. A couple days ago I went to see the list of those with the highest scorers on the examination. I saw this Zhang Sheng’s name at the top of the list, from Luoyang and 24 years of age. Since he was the highest scorer, he was to parade through the streets for three days following his official appointment, as is the custom. So that day I joined the crowd to watch the parade. We were waiting at the entrance of Minister Wei’s residence, beneath their two-storied archway where Miss Wei, a girl said to be 18 years old, was standing atop to choose her future husband from among the passersby in the parade. As the court officials and newly appointed winner passed by, Miss Wei threw the lucky ball into the procession and struck Zhang Sheng’s head directly. Suddenly, a large contingent of maids and servants ran out from the house and pulled him in by force. As this happened, we heard him shout, ‘I’m already married. My wife is the daughter of the late Prime Minister Cui.’ Wei is a powerful man, and no one paid the poor young scholar any attention. Then the minister told him: ‘This grand archway was built by imperial order permitting my daughter to choose her own husband. You cannot defy this order. You will marry my daughter and make Miss Cui to be your concubine. As you and Miss Cui slept together before the official wedding, the marriage is not lawful and she cannot be your wife. You must marry my daughter.’ Madame, this was such a scandalous affair that the news spread like wildfire around the capital, so I remember the young man’s name very clearly.”
Madame Cui’s body trembled with anger upon hearing this story. “Alas, I knew this man would be unappreciative and ungrateful. No wonder he betrayed my poor girl Yingying. How can the daughter of the late Prime Minister be someone’s concubine? How embarrassing! Oh, if only I had taken you as my son-in-law. Now I’m full of regret for consenting to their marriage.”
