Ding Youwei's aunt, Madam Wu, came in person to the little courtyard where Ding Youwei lived, her manner especially kindly. She even brought gifts for Chen Caozhi and his nephew and niece: Chen Caozhi and Chen Zongzhi each received two Lantian jade pendants and an exquisite set of the Four Treasures of the Study, while Run'er received a pair of white jade bracelets carved with pearls held in mouths and a child's ivory ruyi scepter.
Chen Zongzhi seemed to sense that this old woman had come to take his mother away. His gaze was resentful, and had Chen Caozhi not kept him in check, the eight-year-old boy would never have accepted those gifts.
After praising the three Chens in exaggerated tones, Madam Wu went into the small sitting room alone with Ding Youwei. Sure enough, she spoke of the marriage proposal from the Qiantang Chu Clan, describing the widower named Chu Wenqian as more handsome than Pan An and more talented than Zijian. Her implication seemed to be that Ding Youwei would be fortunate to marry such a fine man and must on no account refuse and lose this splendid match.
Ding Youwei remained silent throughout. Later, as her aunt's words grew increasingly outrageous, even disparaging Chen Qingzhi to elevate Chu Wenqian, she finally could not bear it any longer. She said evenly, "Aunt, when my late father was alive, he betrothed me to Qingzhi because he valued Qingzhi's talent. So even if I were to remarry, setting family standing aside for the moment, the man would have to possess talent no less than Qingzhi's."
Madam Wu wished Ding Youwei would marry immediately. She hastily said, "The Chu Clan, like our Ding Clan, is a great clan of Qiantang, with poetry and rites handed down through the generations and strict family standards. This Chu Wenqian was renowned as a child prodigy from an early age. His talents are so great that Chen Qingzhi could hardly glimpse his neck from behind."
Ding Youwei asked, "May I ask how old Chu Wenqian is?"
Madam Wu hesitated briefly before saying, "He is said to be forty-four, but he is fair-skinned and handsome, looking like a man of thirty or so."
Chu Wenqian was forty-four, and Ding Youwei twenty-six, a difference of eighteen years. Yet Ding Youwei seemed unconcerned by the age gap and merely asked, "Since he was renowned as a child prodigy and is now over forty, what distinguished and important office does he currently hold? Or what celebrated poems, essays, or other works has he written?"
Madam Wu faltered. "That, this old woman does not know. Your uncle would naturally know."
Ding Youwei said, "I would like to pay my respects to Uncle."
Although Ding Youwei had not agreed outright, Madam Wu thought her manner suggested she was somewhat tempted. Delighted, she said, "Very well, come with this old woman. It is just as well to ask about certain things clearly. I believe that son of the Chu family would not subject a daughter of our Ding Clan to any indignity."
Taking Rain Swallow and A Xiu, Ding Youwei followed her aunt toward the villa's main hall. As she left the little courtyard, she glanced back at Chen Caozhi. He was looking at her too, and nodded with a smile. Her anxious heart steadied a little, and she smiled as well. She waved to Zongzhi and Run'er, took the veiled hat from Xiao Chan, put it on, and lowered the white gauze over her face. With measured steps, she followed her aunt along a winding route through five courtyards to the villa's main hall. They entered through a side door and came to a small room behind the hall, separated from it by a delicate bamboo curtain.
Madam Wu had the steward ask the clan head to come out for a moment. Ding Youwei knelt on the reed mat beside the bamboo curtain to wait. The curtain's openwork was sparse enough that she could faintly hear her uncle conversing with two men whose accents were unfamiliar. Since the hall was bright and the room dark, she could have seen the figures in the hall had she leaned close to the curtain. But Ding Youwei had no thought of looking to see whether Chu Wenqian really was more handsome than Pan An. She simply knelt silently, her slender waist straight, her heart pounding.
Ding Yi, head of the Ding Clan, had once served as a seventh-rank Secretariat Drafter and was now living at home without an official post. Hearing that his niece Ding Youwei had come, he frowned slightly and excused himself to his two honored guests. Rather than enter through the bamboo curtain, he went around through a side door to the little room.
After Ding Youwei paid her respects, Ding Yi, in his black gauze cap and white beard, did not hurry to speak. He merely looked at her, then finally said, "Youwei, your aunt has told you everything, I presume. What... do you think?"
Ding Youwei repeated what she had told her aunt earlier. Ding Yi had always looked down on Chen Qingzhi, though naturally he would not show it so openly before his niece. The corner of his mouth twitched, revealing a faintly mocking smile. "Qingzhi was indeed quite proficient in the Analects and Mao Poetry. Even Governor Lu of Wu Commandery appreciated him. Yet in the Six Arts of a gentleman-rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics-Qingzhi had no outstanding accomplishments. Besides, Qingzhi is already dead. How can you ask Master Chu to compete with him in talent and skill? Would that not make a laughingstock of us!"
Holding back her shame and indignation, Ding Youwei said, "The Qiantang Chen Clan also hands down poetry and rites through the generations. Although Qingzhi has passed away, his younger brother Caozhi was taught by Qingzhi himself and can compete with Master Chu on his elder brother's behalf."
Ding Yi sneered. "The noble clans of lofty houses consider it shameful to associate with common clans of humble origins. A contest of skills? Hmph, what a flight of fancy."
Ding Youwei's voice trembled slightly, but her manner was resolute. "If Uncle will not grant me even this small request, then I would rather die than marry."
Ding Yi knew that his niece was staunch and unyielding, and dared not press her too far. If he truly drove her to her death, the Ding Clan's reputation would plummet a thousand fathoms further. Then he thought that perhaps this was merely an excuse. Youwei was actually willing to marry, but for the sake of her reputation had deliberately put forward this pretext of a contest, to show that she, Ding Youwei, valued Chu Wenqian's talent. Otherwise, Youwei herself possessed considerable talent and skill; why have an underage boy like Chen Caozhi compete on his deceased brother's behalf? He had seen Chen Caozhi two years earlier: fair-skinned and frail, awkward in speech, and known for his filial devotion to his widowed mother. He had never heard that the boy possessed any keen intelligence-
Believing he had seen through his niece's intentions, Ding Yi stroked his beard and chuckled. He thought this was quite good, a truly elegant affair. "Youwei, why speak in such extreme terms! Your father and mother have both passed away, so naturally your uncle must decide matters for you. I can grant this request, but you must think it through carefully. Besides Master Chu, another distinguished personage has come to our Ding villa today. He holds a prestigious and important office at court and enjoys an illustrious reputation. Do you truly wish to have Chen Caozhi come out and compete with Master Chu?"
Ding Youwei thought, Another distinguished personage is present? All the better. Once my young brother-in-law defeats that Chu Wenqian, Chu Wenqian will surely withdraw in shame to save face. She nodded. "Yes."
Ding Yi smiled and asked, "Which skill will they compete in?"
Ding Youwei said, "Calligraphy is one of the Six Arts. Let calligraphy decide the victor."
Ding Yi thought, Sons of noble clans practice calligraphy from childhood. Though Chu Wenqian has no great reputation for talent, he is over forty, so his calligraphy cannot possibly be poor. Surely he would not lose to a boy. He said, "Very well, I will speak to Master Chu now. We shall treat it as a game. But your uncle must make this clear beforehand: if afterward you make further excuses and refuse to marry, then our Qiantang Ding Clan will no longer count you among its daughters!"
Ding Yi returned to the front hall, all smiles, and cupped his hands toward the two honored guests seated there. "Brother Zijing, Wenqian, something amusing has just happened. Chen Qingzhi's youngest brother, Chen Caozhi, came here yesterday to visit Youwei. Learning that a marriage between Youwei and Wenqian was being discussed, he became most indignant and said he wished to compete with Wenqian in calligraphy. Tell me, is that not laughable?"
Chu Wenqian gave a reserved smile without speaking.
The honored guest addressed as Brother Zijing swept the deer-tail whisk in his hand and smiled. "Such a thing happened? Interesting, interesting. How old is this Chen Caozhi?"
Ding Yi replied, "About fifteen, I believe. Truly a boy of humble birth who knows neither the height of heaven nor the depth of earth, daring to compete with Wenqian in calligraphy. Wenqian, why not let that boy see the depth of a noble son's inherited learning and cultivation? What do you say?"
The honored guest holding the deer-tail whisk was clearly very interested. "Excellent. Sorry for the trouble, Brother Ding, but please have that Chen Caozhi brought out. I would like to see what a fifteen-year-old boy knows of calligraphy!"
Chu Wenqian was rather bewildered. What was Ding Yi trying to do? He had come to seek a marriage, yet was being asked to compete in calligraphy with a boy of humble birth. This was simply an insult. How outrageous! But Ding Yi had spoken in such a joking tone that he could hardly show displeasure. Would that not make him seem rigid and ungenerous? Moreover, when it came to calligraphy, he was quite accomplished in the Han clerical script of the Ritual Vessels Stele. With more than thirty years immersed in it, defeating a boy of humble birth would be nothing to speak of. He could only smile and say, "Since both Attendant Quan and Drafter Ding wish to see that Chen Caozhi make a fool of himself, how could I dare refuse to oblige?"
Ding Yi burst into laughter and immediately ordered the steward to summon Chen Caozhi.
Votes, votes! Please lend your support with recommendation votes.
Before you continue