My Lady Says She Wants to Marry Me - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

As soon as the two arrived at the Shao estate, before they even had a chance to sit down, they were called away separately.

Lu Youming followed Shao Jiechuan. She observed his upright posture; every step he took followed a refined pattern. He possessed the air of a “clean-sleeved” gentleman, perfectly matching her imagination of an ancient scholar.

“Does Youming have a courtesy name?” Shao Jiechuan asked, looking back at his grandson-in-law, who remained half a step behind him. He was satisfied; such details revealed whether a person truly understood etiquette.

Lu Youming had already undergone the capping ceremony, indicating adulthood, but since she wasn’t a scholar, she naturally didn’t have a courtesy name. She shook her head and answered honestly, “Uncle, I do not have a courtesy name yet.”

Shao Jiechuan nodded. “Then, would it be alright if I chose one for you?”

Lu Youming’s heart stirred. Looking into Shao Jiechuan’s deep gaze, she knew he was testing her—deciding whether to truly bring her into the inner circle of the Shao family.

She raised her hands in a respectful salute. “Then I thank you, Uncle. I have had no elders since childhood; my master was the one who performed my capping ceremony.”

“And why did the Taoist Master not grant you a name?” Shao Jiechuan asked as if in passing.

“I am not a scholar,” Lu Youming replied sincerely. Her master had only mentioned that a man must be capped at twenty to signify adulthood; since she wasn’t a student of the classics, a courtesy name hadn’t been necessary.

Shao Jiechuan let out a laugh and patted Lu Youming on the shoulder. His gaze became much more genuine. He now understood her a bit better—at the very least, letting her out into the world wouldn’t bring disaster upon the Shao family. Lu Youming had been granted a substantive official post with actual power. If she acted without discretion, it would implicate those who helped her obtain the position.

They reached the door of Old Master Shao’s study. It was only then that Shao Jiechuan mentioned, quite nonchalantly, that they had “purchased” an official post for her.

Lu Youming was stunned. She listened in a daze as Old Master Shao spoke. “Youming, having an official status will ensure you aren’t oppressed when doing business in the future, and you won’t have to perform corvée labor.”

“I thank Grandfather and Uncle for planning for me and my wife. Your grandson-in-law is eternally grateful.”

Lu Youming bowed deeply in a formal salute. She was truly moved that they had provided her with a platform. At the very least, she was no longer a solitary soul without roots in the Great Sheng Dynasty. She knew she had received this purely because of Su Wanrou; the Shao family wanted to ensure Wanrou didn’t suffer or become the subject of gossip for marrying a “mountain villager.”

By entering the rank of the gentry (Shi), she would no longer be bullied by petty local clerks. For a commoner, this was truly a “leap over the dragon gate.”

“You must report to the yamen the day after tomorrow. It’s in Qinghe County, under this prefecture. You have a foundation in martial arts; serving as the County Sheriff (Xianwei) is a perfect fit.” Shao Jiechuan handed Lu Youming a dossier on Qinghe County.

Having given her a passing grade, Shao Jiechuan turned to his father. “Father, Youming does not yet have a courtesy name. I trouble you to bestow one upon the junior.”

Old Master Shao stroked his beard, looking at the tall, elegant Lu Youming. She looked nothing like a rough hunter.

“Your martial virtue is abundant, yet you lacked formal schooling in your youth. Your master named you ‘Youming’ (The cry of the deer) likely so you would listen to the voices of the virtuous, walk the bright and righteous path, and associate with gentlemen. Your appearance is refined, comparable to a gentleman’s. Since you are now an official, I hope you remain humble and gentle, like a fine piece of jade rather than a crude stone. Let ‘Jin’ (Fine Jade) be your name.”

“You shall be called Zijin,” Shao Yun decided.

“Zijin will never forget Grandfather’s earnest teachings,” Lu Youming replied.

In another room, Shao Yang-shi was questioning Su Wanrou. She asked if the new groom treated her well and, more delicately, if she had been hurt during their wedding night.

“You must know that men only think of themselves in the bedroom. You mustn’t let yourself be injured, do you hear? Otherwise, you’ll be the one suffering,” Shao Yang-shi advised, stroking her hair. “And during these two days you spent back at his home—was he kind to you in private?”

“Everything was very good. He is even more attentive in private and very considerate toward me,” Su Wanrou replied.

Shao Yang-shi was satisfied. She patted her granddaughter’s hand and shared wisdom on how to manage a husband. “The Book of Songs says: ‘When a man indulges in love, he can still escape; but when a woman indulges, there is no escape.’ Do not put all your heart into him, do you understand?”

Having lost her own daughter, Shao Yang-shi had realized that her husband was perhaps the only truly faithful man left. Su Wanrou was moved, leaning against her grandmother like a child.

After the visit, the couple returned home. Two days later, Lu Youming was already settled in Qinghe County. It was a mid-sized county of about 12,000 people, located three hours from the prefecture capital. The current County Magistrate was old and about to retire, as was the current Sheriff.

Shao Jiechuan had hand-picked this location so Lu Youming could safely learn the ropes. On her first day of duty, Lu Youming wore her green official robes with a ceremonial blade at her waist. She had thirty constables under her command, responsible for city gate defenses, patrols, investigating crimes, and maintaining public order. In the county hierarchy, she was effectively the number three authority.

Lu Youming looked coldly at her subordinates, some of whom couldn’t even stand up straight. She called the roll, learned their names, and told them to continue their duties as usual. Soon after, she was summoned by the County Magistrate.

She strode forward with a straight back and vigorous steps. Even in her official “frog robes,” she looked exceptionally spirited. The Magistrate, sitting in his official chair, looked at the vigorous young person before him and felt a sense of relief. He and the other old officials were tired; they needed a young person to handle the heavy lifting while they prepared for retirement.

“A young person,” the Magistrate thought, “still has thin skin—plenty of opportunity to teach him.” It was, in a way, a perfect mutual match.