The betrothal procession of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion was like a giant python covered in red and colorful ribbons, winding all the way from Zhuque Street to Qingyun Lane, where the Jiang Mansion was located. Ten large red-lacquered carts stopped on the bluestone road, the wheels causing the road surface to tremble slightly. The apricot-yellow silk curtains covering the carts rustled in the morning breeze, revealing the glittering golden outlines underneath. On the front cart, a corner of half a piece of Shu brocade had slipped off, revealing the woven golden unicorn pattern that shone luxuriously in the morning light. The steward at the head, wearing a brand new royal blue satin gown and a jade belt buckle polished to a shine, was shouting out the betrothal gift list in a hoarse voice, the sound of which shook the moss at the base of the wall to fall:

"The Duke of Zhenguo's son is betrothing Miss Nianli of the Jiang family—one hundred taels of gold, 98% fine! Ten hu of South Sea pearls, each one round and plump! One thousand pieces of Shu brocade, including thirty pieces of Yun brocade! Ten Hetian jade ruyi handles, each exquisitely carved! One Dongzhu phoenix crown, paired with a red gold hairpin..."

Siyan squatted on the carved doorpost of the Jiang Mansion, the rosewood abacus clacking against his knees. The clatter of beads mingled with the manager's shouts, like an accompaniment to the grand ceremony of betrothal gifts. His face was flushed, and the tip of his nose was still stained with ink from last night's grinding. The abacus beads shone with a warm patina in the morning light. "Mother!" He suddenly turned his head, his eyes shining like stars. "Ten carts of betrothal gifts, calculated at the discounted price at the pawnshop in West Market, would amount to a full thirty-two thousand seven hundred taels! If we pawned it for cash, we could open three of the largest bookstores on the busiest streets of West Market and hire ten accountants!"

Su Jinli had just tied a new deerskin quiver for Nianli, and when she heard this, she raised an eyebrow and looked at her daughter standing in the corridor. Nianli was biting the wax seal of the new bowstring with her teeth. The red pompom on her ponytail swung like a dancing flame with her movements. When she spat out the wax with a "Pah", there were still some wax crumbs on the tip of her tongue. She picked up the toy sword leaning against the pillar of the corridor - it was a twelfth birthday gift from the young Marquis Su. The four crooked small characters "Number One in the World" were burned on the pear wood blade with red-hot iron wire. Now she waved it with great vigor: "Open a bookstore? Let Si Yan, the little money-grubber, open it himself." She raised her chin towards the door, and the string of peppers swayed at her waist, making a rattling sound. "Take all this junk to the orphanage in the south of the city and exchange it for some cotton wool for the children to wear during the winter."

The steward in the front yard froze in mid-air, holding the gold-stamped gift list. The smile on his face cracked into a spiderweb: "Miss, this is the betrothal gift from the Zhenguo Mansion... The prince prepared it specially for you..."

"I won't marry." Nian Li slammed her broadsword down on the blue brick floor. The jolt of the wooden blade made the grass in the cracks jump up, startling the sparrows nesting under the eaves. She turned and walked away. The newly added string of chilies around her waist was as red as a string of small lanterns, gleaming in the morning dew. "Whoever wants to marry can marry. My broadsword hasn't agreed yet."

Jiang Yan emerged from the study, carrying a cup of freshly brewed Old Eagle tea. The cuffs of his moon-white gown were still stained with ink from helping Si Yan revise his policy paper the previous night. Seeing the dazzling red silk filling the courtyard, his throat tightened and he nearly choked on his tea. He stared at the steward's tearful face, then at the dangling string of chili peppers as Nian Li disappeared behind the Moon Gate. Suddenly, he felt the same nervousness he'd felt when the Emperor called out his name in the Golden Throne Hall. "This is..."

"The son of the Duke of Zhenguo is asking to marry Nianli." Su Jinli took the teacup and gently wiped the ink stain from his sleeve with her fingertips, leaving a small cloud of ink on the moon-white fabric. "Our daughter donated all the betrothal gifts to the orphanage and just asked the doorman to call a taxi."

Siyan suddenly jumped up, the abacus beads clattering against the doorpost: "Mom! I've calculated that donating to the orphanage can offset taxes! At 30%, I can save 983 taels and 4 cents of silver! Enough to buy 308 strings of candied haws, or buy me ten of the best bows!"

"Jiang Siyan!" Jiang Yan rubbed his brow with a headache, looking at his son's eyes shining with excitement, "First, go see if your sister has kicked the people from the Zhenguo Mansion out. By the way, tell the accountant to prepare a reply to the Zhenguo Mansion."

At this moment, Nian Li was squatting in the stable combing the little red horse's hair. The chestnut stallion lowered its head obediently, allowing her to scrape across its back with a horn comb. Hearing footsteps, she didn't even turn around, her voice muffled: "Dad, if that prince comes again, I'll hit him on the head with a big knife. He doesn't seem to be very smart anyway." The comb brought up a small tuft of red hair, which landed on the hem of her gray skirt.

Jiang Yan looked at his daughter's straight back and suddenly remembered the time years ago when he, the top scholar in high school, rode a white horse through the streets and saw Su Jinli roll her eyes at him from the second floor of a teahouse. It was the same dashing look, the same feeling that made his heart skip a beat. He smiled and pulled an oil-paper bag from his sleeve pocket. The fragrance of osmanthus permeated the paper. "Your mother made some freshly made sweet cakes. Fill your stomach with them. Don't starve yourself to death and kick anyone."

Nianli took the candy cake and took a big bite. Her cheeks puffed up as if she had two cherries in them: "Dad, why do people always want to marry me?" The candy crumbs fell on her lapel, and she wiped them away casually.

"Because my daughter is amazing." Jiang Yan helped her straighten her crooked headband, which Su Jinli had made from scraps of fabric and embroidered with a crooked chili pepper. "But if I want to marry you, I have to first ask about the big knife in your hand and the abacus in your mother's hand."

Before she could finish her words, Siyan rushed in, holding an abacus, the beads still clacking. "Sister! The old lady from the orphanage sent someone to say that the betrothal gifts have been received! But there's too much silk and satin, and she asked if you could donate two more truckloads to make winter clothes for the children!"

Nian Li stuffed the last bite of the cake into her mouth, wiped her hands, and stood up, her ponytail brushing against the hay in the stable. "Tell her to have the Duke of Zhenguo send someone over, and also bring Si Yan's account." She patted Si Yan's abacus, and the wooden beads made a crisp sound. "And calculate how much mental damages the person who forced the marriage should be charged. I've been so annoyed these days that I've missed my target three times."

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