The Rebirth Of The General Who Always Sees Himself As A Replacement

Chapter 71: Marriageable Age.

Eighth lunar month. In the Capital, the summer heat faded away thanks to the Autumn dew.

In the afternoon, Mu Zhiming was sitting in his study, earnestly reading the records from the Ministry of Rites. At one point Caiwei walked into the study with a plate of fruits and green tea. After gently placing them in front of Mu Zhiming, she asked: “Young Master, why have you kept yourself locked up in the study lately? Why don’t you go and visit the General at his Residence, to meet as friends, as you did a while back?”

Mu Zhiming smiled and replied: “I am no longer fit to visit the General’s Residence.”

“Then you should hang out outside with A’Yin.” Caiwei advised. “Look at how A’Yin has been lately. There isn’t a single day when he hasn’t been running outside, and even when he comes back to the Residence, it seems as if his mind is still wandering outside.”

“Let him play like this. It’s not like he has any work to do anyway.” Mu Zhiming laughed.

Caiwei sighed and commented: “Young Master, you’re the same age as A’Yin. How can you be so restrained? I’m beginning to fear that you might die of boredom.”

Mu Zhiming simply smiled up at her and said nothing.

Out of the blue, a young servant called at the door of the Study: “Young Master, the Master and Madam are calling for you to go to the Side Hall.”

“Alright,” Mu Zhiming stood up and said: “I’ll go right away.”

Once Mu Zhiming arrived at the Side Hall, Mu Boren and Madam Gong were already seated on the pear wood couch. After Mu Zhiming courteously greeted them, Madam Gong smiled at him and said: “Lizhu, come and sit next to your mother.”

Mu Zhiming nodded and sat next to Madam Gong. Confused by the sudden summoning, Mu Zhiming asked: “I wonder why Father and Mother have called your son today?”

Madam Gong smiled and said: “There is something important we want to discuss with you.”

“Something important?” Mu Zhiming became more and more puzzled. When he directed his gaze to Mu Boren, Mu Zhiming asked: “What is the event of great importance?”

The expression Mu Boren had on his face looked somehow uncomfortable. To the point where he coughed slightly and winked at Madam Gong, waiting for her to say it.

At that very moment, the clever Mu Zhiming realized what his parents wanted to talk about.

As he expected, Madam Gong smiled warmly and kindly then said: “Lizhu, you have already reached this age, so it is time to talk about your marriage.”

Mu Zhiming was so stunned that he didn’t even know what to respond: “Ah…..”

Madam Gong continued: “We called you here today to ask if you have someone you like. If you don’t, as your parents, we have several candidates in mind. When the time comes right, we’ll find the most famous matchmaker in the Capital, exchange the information cards and have the eight characters calculated1. We will do whatever it takes to find you a happy and harmonious marriage.”

“Father, Mother…..” Mu Zhiming said almost in a whisper: “I…..” However, before he could say anything, his mouth closed again, unable to continue.

“Hmm?” Madam Gong was suddenly rejoicing: “Could it be that my Lizhu has really found someone he likes?”

“I…..” Mu Zhiming hesitated. “I…..”

Mu Boren slapped the chair and said in urgency, “If you have someone in mind, then say it. If there’s no one, then there’s no need to hesitate so much!”

“Oh, dear.” Madam Gong hastened to intervene. “Don’t rush him, the child is being shy.”

Mu Zhiming suddenly stood up and bowed his head: “Father, Mother, can you give your son ten days to think about it? After ten days, your son will give Father and Mother an answer.”

“Alright.” Madam Gong nodded. “Lizhu, Father and Mother hope you can find your fated person. If you have someone you are in love with, tell Father and Mother, alright? You don’t have to worry too much about that person’s family background. Father and Mother just want Lizhu to be happy.”

Without uttering another word, Mu Zhiming performed a deep bow and withdrew from the Side Hall.

At that moment, Madam Gong’s soft voice quietly whispered: “Could it be that this child really has someone he’s in love with?”

Mu Boren shook his head and sighed: “My Lady, don’t you think something seems to be weighing on Lizhu’s heart?”

“Hmm, it seems that whatever is weighing on him is something very, very heavy.”

—

The next day, Mu Zhiming went to the Imperial Court. After presenting a memorial to the Emperor and discussing politics, Mu Zhiming went to the Fengyi Palace to visit the Noble Consort Niangniang.

As soon as the Noble Consort saw Mu Zhiming, she pointed her finger at him, tapping his forehead in complete indignation and accusing him of not coming to visit her more often. Mu Zhiming, for his part, replied helplessly: “Noble Consort, I’ve already been crowned as a young adult2, so it’s not as easy for me to access the harem3 as before. To get in, I need to obtain an edict from the Emperor.”

Despite having lived in the Imperial Palace for so many years, the beauty and unrestrained spirit of the Noble Consort Niangniang had never been defeated. The Noble Consort was still as quick-witted as a mountain deer. At that moment, the Noble Consort rested her delicate hand on her chin and said: “Ah, in that case, I don’t blame you. Lil’ Lizhu, come, come eat melon seeds with me and tell me about the outside of the Palace. Are the lotus flowers of the Yongquan Temple to the south of the outskirts of the City walls still as beautiful as ever? Wait a minute, Lil’ Lizhu, if you are a newly crowned young man, how come you haven’t married yet?”

Mu Zhiming laughed helplessly: “Noble Consort, why are you bringing up this matter all of a sudden….?”

Noble Consort Niangniang tapped the melon seeds against the table and replied, “I heard something about a marriage yesterday, so I just so happened to remember that you were also at the age to get married.”

“Hmm? What marriage?” Mu Zhiming reached over to take the melon seeds so he could eat them.

The Noble Consort replied: “His Majesty the Emperor will summon General Yulin, Gu Heyan, to propose a marriage with Princess Qinghe and make him his son-in-law. Princess Qinghe’s birth mother, Concubine Fei, was overjoyed when she heard about this and has been sing-songing it in our ears ever since.”

As soon as the Noble Consort finished speaking, the melon seeds that Mu Zhiming had just picked up in his hand fell on the table, scattering in all directions.

When the Noble Consort saw this, she was startled: “Hmm? Lil’ Lizhu, is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing….everything is alright.” Mu Zhiming regained his senses, hurried to pick up the melon seeds in a panic, and gave a faint smile to the Noble Consort. As if apologizing.

The Noble Consort simply thought that the melon seeds might have slipped from his hand, so she no longer pursued the matter. Instead, she continued to narrate: “Do you remember the Spring hunt when a young General Gu shot the three arrows into the air, attracting the attention of everyone present? At that time it was already known that this young man would become a great talent in the future. In fact, when Gu Heyan was still 17 years old, His Majesty the Emperor wanted to offer him a marriage. But just that same year, the issue of the war on the Border was even more urgent, so it all came to nothing. General Gu left the Capital and didn’t come back for five years. Now that General Gu has returned, of course His Majesty the Emperor would consider offering him a marriage again. He seems to be very interested in that affair—Lizhu?”

“Hmm?” Mu Zhiming came to his senses yet again and asked: “What did the Noble Consort say?”

Noble Consort Niangniang asked him with obvious concern: “Why are you so distracted today, Lizhu? Are you feeling unwell?”

Mu Zhiming shook his head in a hurry and said: “No, no.”

“Are you really alright?”

“Yes, I’m really well.”

“That’s good then.”

After chatting with the Noble Consort on other topics to relieve his anxiety, when Mu Zhiming returned to the Duke of Yan’s Residence, it was nearly evening. Caiwei asked Mu Zhiming if he was going to eat dinner, but Mu Zhiming shook his head and told her that he wasn’t hungry. However, instead of returning to his wing room to rest, Mu Zhiming walked slowly through the garden of the Residence. When Mu Zhiming reached the Pavilion at the four corners of the bamboo forest, Mu Zhiming seemed to suddenly remember something, so he hurriedly walked to the center of the pavilion, lifted his robe, and slowly sat down on the stone bench.

—

When Wen Heyin returned to the Mu Residence, it was already pitch dark. In his hand, he carried a mahogany food box as he eagerly ran towards Mu Zhiming’s wing room. Yet when he arrived, he couldn’t find him.

Wen Heyin scratched his head somewhat puzzled, so he went to look for Caiwei. When Caiwei saw him, she asked him with a smile: “A’Yin, did you just come back? Did you go to help the Capital Prefecture again this time? Hmm? What do you have in your hand?”

“Pastries from Jiyue Restaurant. Didn’t Young Master like to eat these pastries in his childhood?” Wen Heyin held the box in front of Caiwei’s eyes and laughed loudly: “I passed near there today, so I stopped to buy some pastries.”

“You passed by the Jiyue Restaurant? Why did you go so far away?” Caiwei was taken aback. “It’s several neighborhoods away.”

Wen Heyin’s eyes then moved from left to right, avoiding Caiwei’s inquisitive gaze, ” I, I’m really good at Qinggong. Uh, where is the Young Master?”

“The Young Master is sitting over there in the Bamboo Forest Pavilion.” Caiwei sighed. “I don’t know what’s wrong with him, but as soon as he came back from the Imperial Palace, he went to sit there without saying a word. He didn’t want to eat dinner either.”

“What?! He wouldn’t eat? How can that be?” Wen Heyin became worried.

Caiwei: “He said he had no appetite. Hmm, A’Yin, why don’t we do this? Why don’t you give him the pastries from Jiyue Restaurant? Maybe the cakes will arouse the Young Master’s appetite and he’ll eat them.”

“Mmm!” Wen Heyin nodded and ran towards the Bamboo Forest Pavilion with the food box in his hand. From a distance, Wen Heyin saw Mu Zhiming sitting all alone at the stone table, silently watching as the west wind whispered through the Bamboo Forest. In the empty courtyard, the outline of the Gongzi’s face dressed in black Official robes gleamed with an incomparable beauty, while his gorgeous eyes shone incandescently under the silver moonlight, where the shadows of the bamboo trees gently caressed his figure.

Wen Heyin suddenly remembered seeing a similar scene before.

When he was fourteen years old.

“A’Yin.” Mu Zhiming called softly when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. When Mu Zhiming turned his head, he met with Wen Heyin’s figure who was not far from where he stood.

“Young Master, how can you skip dinner? Isn’t it painful to be hungry?” Wen Heyin approached and placed the mahogany food box on the stone table. “These are the pastries from Jiyue Restaurant that you like so much. I also bought your favorite pastry, the osmanthus cake. Young Master, why don’t you eat some?”

“Alright.” Mu Zhiming smiled warmly.

Wen Heyin asked: “Young Master, what is wrong with you?”

Mu Zhiming hesitated to tell him for a moment, but in the end, he spoke: “Yesterday, Father and Mother mentioned the matter of my marriage to me.”

Wen Heyin’s eyes widened, and his hands rested abruptly on the stone table: “Marriage?!!!!! What? What?!!! This, this should be a good thing. I mean, this, this….. So, this is what you’re worried about, Young Master?”

Mu Zhiming shook his head, but the next second he nodded.

“Are you or are you not? What does it mean to nod and shake your head?” Wen Heyin asked, feeling even more puzzled than before.

Mu Zhiming said: “It’s just that there’s something I can’t understand.”

Wen Heyin: “What is it? Say it and maybe I can help you think about it.”

Mu Zhiming smiled at Wen Heyin and said: “A’Yin, do you remember when we were fourteen years old and one day I woke up in the morning crying my eyes out, only to sit motionless in this very Pavilion in the Bamboo Forest for practically the whole day the next day?”

“I remember!” Wen Heyin was quick to reply. “I remember it clearly. I didn’t know what happened to you that day, but when you woke up, you ran out of bed to find Master and Madam without even changing your clothes or putting on shoes. I also remember hearing you talking a lot of nonsense as you cried. Then, the next day, you just sat here, saying nothing and ignoring everyone. At that time you scared us all.”

As he also recalled such an event, Mu Zhiming said in an extremely soft voice: “In fact, I thought a lot that day. I thought about many things, things I would do in the future. Including who I should marry.”

“Hmm? Who is it?” Wen Heyin asked curiously.

Mu Zhiming: “The Imperial Army. The Imperial Censor. The Thousand Cavalry Guards.”

Wen Heyin was growing more and more puzzled: “But, those aren’t individuals.”

Mu Zhiming smiled. But the smile was very shallow, nothing like his sincere smiles, “They all have Commanders-in-Chief and Military Governors with daughters close to my age.”

“Oh….” Wen Heyin became thoughtful. But the more he thought about it, the more Wen Heyin felt that something was wrong. “Young Master, after hearing this, I can’t find anything strange. What is it that has you so confused, Young Master?”

The lonely ice wheel laid within him, exposed to the cold moonlight. Mu Zhiming turned to face the green bamboo forest and muttered bitterly: “A’Yin, the only thing I’ve been focused on in this life so far has been to protect the Mu Family and you. Once upon a time, I sat on this very cold stone bench and meditated for a whole day on what I should do. From the age of fourteen until now, I’ve been walking on thin ice, trembling in terror of making a mistake and fall….. But now, I’ve reached a crucial point where I shouldn’t hesitate, and yet here I am hesitating. Why do you think that is?”

“Young Master…. I don’t quite understand….” After hearing Mu Zhiming’s words, Wen Heyin felt as if lost in an unintelligible cloud of thoughts. As he scratched his head, Wen Heyin tried to ponder over it for a moment, only to finally ask: “But…. But when you’re hesitating, what are you thinking about, or who are you thinking about?”

Footnotes

换庚贴，算八字 huàn gēng tiē, suàn bā zì; In China, the parents of the Bride and Groom would write the “Eight Characters” of each other, i.e.: the year, month, day and time of birth on a sheet of paper. This sheet of paper would then be exchanged between the two families to make a comparison of the Eight Characters, as well as confirming whether the groom and bride would be a good match. If the characters don’t match, then the marriage will be considered unsuccessful. Everything will depend on the year, month, day, hour and animal sign of both parties to find out if they were born to be together or not.弱冠 ruò guān; The most literal translation would be ‘young crown’. In ancient China, men would be called ‘young crown’ at the age of 20. In this period, the man’s long hair must be tied into a ‘knot’, and he will begin to wear an adult hat (to show his adulthood) after having celebrated the ‘Coronation Ceremony’ where he would be given a Courtesy Name. However, even though the young men may be already considered an adult, their bodies have still not fully matured/become stronger, so they’re still considered to be relatively young. For that reason, they’re differentiated by being called ‘young crown’.The only men allowed in the harem were the Eunuchs. To ensure that any child born in the harem was fathered by the Emperor, males weren’t allowed to serve the women of the Emperor’s harem. The only exceptions to this rule were the Eunuchs (men who had been castrated, thus rendering them impotent).