When she had bought the map, the last piece of her puzzle. So far the most perfect of them all, and the last one which satisfied her needs. One of the largest maps on offer them, and taken up a huge chunk of her cash. Or just a sizable portion of it as well, with it costing just five ingots.
The cash her father passed her was probably quite a lot to him, but just almost nothing in terms of his actual fortune. She didn’t expect anything less, and a map was always the best thing to invest in right now. One of the first things she really needed to have when she needed some help right now.
The map was now in her hands, and she felt her hand through the paper. The rich piece of paper, which was one of the best. Using ink to paint all of it, marked out with words denoting which country or empire they were from. The map itself was just from China, with all the provinces mapped out. And just a few other territories which had their names on there.
Although the focus was on China which had taken most of it at the center right now, no more or less than they could have done it. As much as it was in-depth in terms of where she was. He also included a note on where she was right now, and how she could chose to leave and the various routes and the way to read this map. The old man had taken happily to teaching her when she was inquisitive.
Since he had few customers either way, and mostly worked off commissions which were often small scale, but nothing quite large like this. And one which just made recently before he set up shop here, and happy to see anyone take interest in her. Just as she smoothed out the edges tomorrow, after she had made the payment. And wanted to make it count. As much as possible.
“Chaoyun, there is something looking for you.” She looked up, knowing what to do about it. Before placing it before and rolling it up and placing it into the wooden case. Since he wanted it to be as good a deal as possible for she had just bought his masterpiece. And glad that she was also equally open to listening to him rambling.
“Coming. Who is it?”
“Your fiance.” She gave a small smile, since many thought that she was happy, excited at this prospect. Not certainly afraid, or unsure about her own thoughts regarding this right now. Going down the steps to see him on a table, holding his fan and opening it. With words on them, as all scholars chose to do and like to engrave. In fine calligraphy which was almost unintelligible to anyone else.
He gave a slight wave and closed it when she reached him. Before taking a seat next to him. It was in the late afternoon, with just another hour before she would start working. Enough to have a good chat, although she usually prepared during this time. Her upcoming wedding simply prevented it.
When they needed it no more or anything else which had been necessary now as well, or needed for them to get somewhere at last. He had paper on the top, with papers for them. Just as she raised her own eyes at this, allowing then the chance to do things as they could have done so right now.
“So, why are you here today?”
“Well, we are going to go to the marital bed one of these days. Or are you planning not to?” She shrugged, not having much of the situation while they were here at long last.
“Well, who wants to escape a wedding.” Even as tales of elopement were often common, and she heard that it happened. And sometimes, a romantic gesture. Especially when the match was arranged. Although all of this were under the table tales, nothing that was in the presence of others. But amongst teenage girls, as well as older women surprisingly.
It was the situation as they saw it. She gave a slightly awkward smile in such a scenario. “I mean, yeah sure.”
“I’m not sure for the person who was jilted. Either way, it is a large embarrassment regardless of their gender, and it isn’t as though I can escape it.” But she could since she was quite free, although usually it was far easier for the man to walk back than a girl. Who could only accept the family’s arrangement for them, regardless of what their personal thoughts were.
She truly understood that it was foolish to trust it in the hands of another, since they would always put their interest first and expect them to take one for the family. She was already in such a position even before she was married and never even bothered to know about her own family, and yet she was thrust into this position.
Not because she wanted it at all, but because she was forced into it with few ways out. That was the same as any child, she understood wisdom. But she knew that the decision should be with them. Like how her mother did it. Teaching her what she knew, and having her learn why he made certain decisions. Or perhaps why she did not do anything but she never let her dictate it, but made sure that she was involved.
This was something that she was concerned with, and teaching her that it was never right to ever think that she was worth nothing. That she should not make decisions, there was always that. Just that this was always an indirect thing, something that they needed to influence and build.
But it depended on the relationship, and luck was a factor. Even as so far, her fiance was not nearly as bad as some. He was chatty, easy-going and someone that she could see herself withstanding the marriage with. But she did not want it, but it was tolerable for her right now.
Not as though she wanted it at the end of the day, when she had more choices. But it was her making the best out of it. If she could not imagine a life outside of this and what she knew, then she would settle. But she did not, she never wanted it at the very least.
She knew that outside it could never be as bad, but she would have to give something up for such a life. She would have to be able to take in the various remarks they said, and it was not an easy road. For some, they would have balked if they were to live just one night in the life of a woman on the street.
There were pleasures, but those were of comfort, and never anything else other than that. To satisfy herself with what she has, and never with what they could have had. She still gave a smile.
“But either way, want to write a little?”
“I don’t understand much. Although I can write my name, and also a couple of sentences. But I was mostly taught to read.” Not this, even then she had a better education than most as it was. She was not illiterate and knew how to write simple sentences. Such as what was on her mother’s signboard and what it meant. Thus, she just chose to write their name. On the paper itself.
“Anything else?”
“Not much, never said that I knew much.” Just as he added a little. She did know how to read it, although writing it was a different story.
“So, why this?” An obvious question.
“I just wanted to know you. Given that you’re very different.”
“And where do you think it had came from?” She knew it, and saw how this came to have all sorts of disdain with them. Simply because they were different, they chose to live their live by their own principles.
“Your mother. She is never concerned with anyone else, but she is living better than anyone else here. Because she doesn’t care, but for all of them they seem to simply because they chose to live within the code that a highly revered man gave them.”
“A man who is dead for well over a thousand years?”
“And there you see my issues. Are we all at war with each other, we aren’t. Neither are we separated. We are united, even as some would argue that it was far too long.”
“Although it has always been a curse when they bless that you will live in interesting times.”
“Certainly, I fully agree. I have read some of them, and they are as far as possible for being the best time to live in. But you will gain a good chuckle.”
“What do you study as a scholar?”
“Mostly the classics, which is all what my friends are talking about. And that is far from what I enjoy it as history. Those annals were far more interesting to read, and a lot more bearable. Since they don’t become archaic and you spend more time decoding what it means then actually interpreting it. And how we ignore the times when China was divided. Or rather just prefer to see it as a time when it wasn’t.”
“I think because it was because it was a better place to live.”
“And they made much more contributions to art and writing than any other time. Although the Three Kingdoms era was certainly so, although I generally prefer reading about people doing interesting things.” Rather than about art. “But peacetime certainly has those, except they are quieter and more likely to be left alone. And did you know that in the Northern and Southern dynasties, it was expected that women will wed once they were able to.”
“Because I think people were in short numbers then. And why only those who were interesting survived.” The better it was, the more likely they did not lose. Especially in a time where almost anyone could die, and mortality was often discarded.
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