Chapter Three: The Matchmaker
Zhuohe Village was still shrouded in thick frost and fog, with a thin layer of white frost covering the withered grass and rooftops.
The Zhang family's courtyard at the east end of the village was quiet, with only wisps of smoke rising from the kitchen chimney, which stood out clearly in the cold air.
Wang, the matchmaker, was wrapped in a half-new maroon cotton-padded coat, with a matching headscarf on her head. Her face was covered with a thick layer of powder, but it couldn't hide her nose, which was red from the cold.
She rubbed her hands together, pacing back and forth outside the slightly dilapidated gate of the Zhang family's courtyard, occasionally tiptoeing to peek inside, her breath instantly dissipating in the cold wind.
The two hot eggs she was carrying were now only slightly warm.
With a thud, the courtyard gate was pulled open.
Zhang Dashan, the butcher, was wearing an old cotton-padded jacket stained with oil, carrying a rough earthenware basin in his hand, and was about to come out to empty the water for washing his face, still half asleep.
Suddenly seeing a figure dressed in red and green standing at the door startled him, and he almost spilled the water in the basin.
"Oh my god!"
Zhang Dashan looked closely and recognized Wang the matchmaker. His brows immediately furrowed and his tone became sharp.
"Old Wang? What are you doing standing at my door so early in the morning? Are you trying to scare me by dressing up as a door god?"
He remembered the lame widower that the old woman had introduced to him last time, and a surge of anger rose within him.
When the matchmaker saw the person in question come out, her face instantly broke into a joyful smile.
She flung aside the gaudy handkerchief in her hand, took a step forward, and raised her voice high and clear, as if to wake the entire village.
Zhang Dashan was even more confused by her display. His hand holding the basin froze in mid-air as he warily looked her up and down.
"Congratulations? What congratulations? Did my Zhang family find a gold ingot or did the pig suddenly become a flying creature?"
His tone was unfriendly, clearly indicating he didn't believe the matchmaker could say anything nice.
"Look at what you're saying! This is an even bigger joy than finding a gold ingot!"
Matchmaker Wang, waving her handkerchief, laughed heartily and squeezed through the door.
"Come, come, brother, let's go inside and talk. It's so cold out there, my toes are freezing!"
She walked towards the main room as if she knew the way well.
Although Zhang Dashan was unwilling, he couldn't hit someone who was smiling, especially since the other party was a woman.
He followed her in suspiciously, put the washbasin against the wall, and without inviting Wang the matchmaker to sit down, he plopped down on the bench and said in a muffled voice.
"Spit it out, stop with the nonsense. I have to go to the Zhao family to slaughter a pig in a bit, I don't have time to chat with you."
Matchmaker Wang didn't mind. She found a stool, sat down, tucked the handkerchief into her bosom, and cleared her throat.
"Arranging a marriage?!"
These two words instantly ignited the anger in Zhang Dashan's heart.
He suddenly stood up, his fierce face, etched with years of slaughtering pigs, instantly turning bright red, and he pointed at Wang the matchmaker's nose and began to curse.
"You old hag! You dare to come back?! What kind of trash did you introduce to me last time? He's crippled and has three burdens at home! Are you trying to disgust my Zhang family to death? You think my Yi'er is unwanted, so you just throw in some ugly ducklings? Get out! Get out of here! If you dare to come to my door again to propose marriage, I'll slaughter you like a pig with a butcher knife!"
He got angrier and angrier as he spoke, spitting all over Wang the matchmaker's face. He turned around and grabbed a long-handled bamboo broom leaning against the wall.
Startled by this sudden outburst of rage, Wang, the matchmaker, shrank back and nearly fell off her stool.
"Captain Xiong...?"
Zhang Dashan's movement of grabbing a broom suddenly stopped.
"Who...whose house are you talking about?"
"The Xiong family! Chief Constable Xiong Zixiang!"
Seeing that it was effective, Matchmaker Wang quickly emphasized it again.
"Brother, this time it's Officer Xiong's mother, Aunt Song, who personally came to me and specifically asked for your Yi'er to be her wife! It's absolutely true!"
Zhang Dashan slowly straightened up, still holding the broom in his hand. The anger on his face subsided slightly, but his brows remained furrowed.
Xiong Zixiang? That Xiong the constable who works in the county government office, exuding a menacing aura, and who is said to be able to take down two strong men with his bare hands?
He had seen him a few times; he was indeed intimidatingly large, like a black iron tower.
His family was indeed among the best in the village, with plenty of good land. Xiong Zixiang worked as a constable in the yamen, earning a stable monthly salary; he was living off the government.
Can……
"The Xiong family... is well-off."
Zhang Dashan spoke slowly, his broom unconsciously slamming against the ground.
“But that guy surnamed Xiong… he’s so big, he’s intimidating to look at. His muscles are bigger than the pigs in my house that are about to be slaughtered! What if he… what if he bullies my Yi’er? She’s my only daughter! I… I can’t beat him even if I’m carrying a butcher’s knife!”
He could almost see his daughter being slapped away by that towering man, and his voice trembled slightly with heartache.
"No, no! This marriage is not going to happen! You...you have to reject it for me right now! Just say my daughter is not good enough for you!"
Upon hearing this, Wang the matchmaker cursed the stubborn old donkey in her heart, but put on an even more earnest smile.
"Oh my! My dear brother! What are you saying! Constable Xiong is powerful! He's capable! He can keep things in order! In the county government, which local ruffian wouldn't be like a mouse before a cat when he sees him? That's what you call imposing! How come you call him scary? Besides, Aunt Song said it herself, her son Zixiang may be a bit quiet, but he's the most reasonable and filial! Think about it, if he were the kind of unreasonable person who would bully his wife, would the government appoint him as a constable? Would the county magistrate trust him? Would Aunt Song be so interested in the girl and eagerly beg me to propose marriage so early in the morning?"
As she spoke, she observed Zhang Dashan's expression. Seeing that he seemed to be softening, she added fuel to the fire.
“Brother, put your hand on your heart and tell me, at Yi-jie’s age, with her reputation… in all the surrounding villages, is there any family more willing to propose marriage than the Xiong family? Constable Xiong is a legitimate official! If Yi-jie marries him, she’ll be the constable’s wife! She’ll have no worries about food and clothing, and she’ll have a respectable life! You’ll also feel proud! As for Aunt Song, you’ve met her before; she’s incredibly kind. She’s very attentive, so how could she let her son bully her? She’d love her dearly!”
Zhang Dashan fell silent.
Yes, she's already nineteen. Girls in the village her age already have children running around.
Because of that incident of blocking the door to demand repayment, coupled with the fact that she had been helping him slaughter pigs for many years, her reputation in the village was completely ruined.
The men who came to propose marriage were either dirt poor or widowers and disabled men.
The Xiong family's conditions... are indeed hard to find even with a lantern.
But he really couldn't rest easy about Xiong Zixiang's physique.
Seeing that he remained silent and his expression was unpredictable, Wang the matchmaker knew there was a chance, so she immediately put on a charming act again, rubbing her knees and groaning.
"Oh dear, it's freezing cold. I've been standing at the door in the wind for ages, my legs are stiff. Old brother, your hospitality is so poor... you can't even afford to give your old woman a cup of hot tea to warm her up?"
She glanced at Zhang Dashan.
Zhang Dashan snorted irritably, but still turned and went to the kitchen.
A moment later, a bowl of steaming hot water was brought out and placed on the broken table in front of Wang the matchmaker.
Here, drink up. There's no tea at home, just this plain water. Take it or leave it.
Tea? That's a precious thing; how could a pig butcher afford to buy it?
Matchmaker Wang didn't mind at all, picked up the bowl to warm her hands, and clicked her tongue in amazement.
"Hey, where's your Yi'er? Why can't I see her in this freezing weather?"
"Going to gather pig feed."
Zhang Dashan replied sullenly, his eyes fixed on the ground, still struggling with his decision.
"Wow! So diligent! You went up the mountain before dawn?"
Wang the matchmaker immediately seized the opportunity and showered her with compliments.
"What a wonderful girl! So diligent and capable! Brother, listen to me..."
Just as she was about to continue her persuasion, footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, accompanied by the soft creaking of a carrying pole.
Zhang Yili is back.
She carried a large bundle of fresh, frosty pig feed on her shoulder, so heavy that the carrying pole bent under its weight.
The cuffs and hems of the cotton-padded jacket were wet with dew and stained with bits of grass and mud.
The stray hairs on her forehead were also damp with sweat, sticking to her smooth temples.
She put down the carrying pole, unloaded the pig feed, and moved swiftly and decisively. Entering the main room, she paused slightly, noticing the clearly unusual atmosphere between Wang the matchmaker and her father.
"Father. Aunt Wang."
She greeted them.
"Yi-jie is back!"
Wang the matchmaker immediately looked like she'd seen a savior, and her face was beaming with smiles again.
"Perfect timing! Your aunt is just telling your father some incredibly good news!"
Dear author, there's no pig feed on the mountain in December. I suggest setting it to chopping wood, or checking hunting traps. Also, "lame" doesn't mean "sloping." I really love the characters in the novel; they're very engaging.
Yes, I remember that when it was quite cold, there would sometimes be a layer of green plants on the ground (maybe it was at the beginning of spring).
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