A Child to Cuddle

The man hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yes."

The carriage traveled along a broad road for about half an hour before finally stopping in front of a residence. Shen Lantang stepped down.

"You can leave me here. The coachman will take me back afterward, so you should head back first."

The man glanced up at the character "Shen" above the gate and cupped his fists. "In that case, I'll take my leave."

"All right. Zhong Fu, take this gentleman part of the way, then come back for me."

"Yes, madam."

After giving her instructions, Shen Lantang paid the two no further attention. She turned and knocked on the gate. As soon as it opened, a servant ushered her inside, calling out as they went:

"Master! Madam! The young miss is back!"

A middle-aged woman came out of the house. Her face lit up when she saw Shen Lantang. "Lantang, you're back!"

"Mother!"

Shen Lantang's expression brightened, and she quickened her steps.

"Mother, I bought these for you and Father. Has Father used up his medicinal patches? I got you new insoles and a sewing kit too, and some Huarong cream. Have you finished the last jar...?"

"Why did you bring so many things when you're only coming home?"

Shen Mother sounded half pleased, half reproachful. Shen Lantang wasn't fooled. Parents who were unhappy when their child came home bearing gifts simply did not exist. They did not.

"Mother, I want your braised pork. I can't get it at the Xie Family's house," Shen Lantang said coaxingly.

"What, Lan Xin and Baozhu haven't made it for you?"

"It doesn't taste the same as yours! I don't care. I want yours."

"All right, all right. I'll make it."

"And I want eight-treasure drunken shrimp!"

"I'll make you both!"

Shen Lantang was a clever girl. Even university students in modern times lost their novelty by their second day home. What would people think if she, a married daughter, came back every few days? What would her husband's family think? Her husband? The neighbors?

It would be nothing but complaints. But if she returned once every ten days, half a month, or even a month, that was different. Then she would be treated like a little princess and could do as she pleased.

So Shen Lantang came home about as often as Xie Jin did. Sometimes, even the closest people needed a little distance to appreciate one another.

"Lantang, you're back?"

A beautiful woman with her hair in a high bun came out of the house.

"Sister-in-law!"

Shen Lantang ran happily toward her.

The woman wore a gentle smile on her delicate face. When Shen Lantang reached her, she raised a hand and brushed the stray hair from her forehead.

"You came back today, and you brought presents too."

"Of course! I brought one for you as well. It's a new rouge, and it's wonderful!"

The woman at the door was Li Xinyi, wife of Shen Lantang's older brother. Xinyi was the name of a medicinal herb, and it also carried the meaning of finding peace after hardship. Her father was a supervising secretary in the Ministry of Rites. Though he held only a seventh-rank post, both her uncles were officials at court, and her ancestors had entered the central government as far back as the previous dynasty. Hers was a family with a long scholarly tradition.

An aunt of hers lived next door to the Shen Family, so Li Xinyi often came to visit. Shen Lantang's brother, Shen Chang'an, was friends with that aunt's son and frequently saw Li Xinyi there.

Before long, Shen Chang'an fell for the dignified, lovely girl with her lively, mischievous streak. Unfortunately, the Shen Family stood a little below the Li Family in status. And while Shen Chang'an was outgoing and good with people, his prospects in the all-important matter of scholarship were much poorer. By conventional standards, they were hardly a suitable match.

Li Xinyi was seventeen then, just at the age to choose a husband. Shen Chang'an confessed his feelings to her, but nerves got the better of him. According to Li Xinyi, she had not understood a word he was saying.

That night, Shen Chang'an went mad with frustration in the family courtyard.

Driven to distraction, Shen Lantang wanted to stuff something in his mouth. But what could she do? He was her own brother, and she was very fond of Sister Xinyi too. So fourteen-year-old Shen Lantang marched up to Li Xinyi, her two pigtails bobbing, and declared:

"Sister Xinyi, my brother has plenty of faults, and I doubt he'll have a particularly illustrious future. If he can secure a steady court position, our family will count its blessings. He certainly can't promise you a life of splendor. The one benefit of marrying into our family is that he will never let his heart wander or become entangled with other women after the wedding. I swear on every ancestor of the Shen Family: Shen Chang'an will never take a concubine. No other woman will be allowed within three yards of him. If he ever breaks this oath, we'll cast him out of the Shen Family and disown the unfilial wretch. Right, Mother?"

Shen Mother, who had been dragged along, froze for a moment before nodding furiously.

Shen Lantang said calmly, "See, Sister? Mother agrees. If she agrees, Father agrees, which means the whole family agrees. If my brother ever betrays you, we'll throw him out, and you'll inherit the share of the family property that would have been his."

Li Xinyi lowered her eyes and considered this for a moment. Then she looked up. "And what if he denies making the oath later?"

Shen Lantang said, "Huh? Ah—no problem!"

At the time, Zhaojing had a Government Office that handled marriage registrations, including the ownership of property. The terms were written out in detail, then signed and sealed by both parties. Common people called the document a marriage contract. Shen Chang'an went to the registration office that very day and had every promise written down. The clerks had seen all manner of extravagant agreements between couples, but this marriage contract, which left its groom no room for retreat, stunned the lot of them.

Whether shocked or moved, the Li Family eventually agreed to the marriage. It was said that Shen Chang'an now slept with the contract beneath his pillow every night, a reminder never to let his heart stray.

"Of course I trust Lantang's taste."

"All right, all right. Look at you, coming outside in this heat. Mother, I'll take her to wash her face first."

"All right."

Li Xinyi took Shen Lantang to the back courtyard. A maid soon brought out a basin of water. Shen Lantang let the maid remove her veiled hat and dipped her hands into the basin.