There are about 10 chapters to this story and we are now at chapter 6. Although Feng Jin is a surprising character, it is actually Shang Guan Jing who shocked me the most in this story because she can bring herself to marry a man whom she doesn’t love. She doesn’t dislike Feng Jin of course, but I think it is apparent that she only feels pity and friendship towards him. If I can ever get over my disbelief, I find this situation pretty good if you ask me. Feng Jin is not an easy man to live with and it helps if he likes her more than she does. Have a happy week ahead!
Chapter 6
Shang Guan Jing blinks and looks around her new bedroom. She has just promised Feng Jin yesterday to spend the rest of their life together then the next day ….. they are married?
When she woke up in the morning, she was still asking Zhu Yu on the whereabouts of the young woman. After after Zhu Yu informed her that the young woman has already left with her father, the maid has laughed at her concern for others on her wedding day (wedding day?!) and shown her a red bridal dress. It is a simple dress, made from soft, silky fabric, without any elaborate embroidery or beaded bridal headgear which usually comes with such outfits. There are some gold-embroidered pattern along the neckline which reminds her of the carvings on her leader’s token. It suits Shang Guan Jing tastes and she likes the dress very much.
Once she has changed into the dress, she was lead to the main house that has been decked with red lanterns of various sizes, giving the hall a festive feel. Like her gown, her wedding is very simple – Zhu Yu and Niu Da are their only guests and Feng Jin takes her hand and leads her through the ceremonial rites.
First, they need to bow to the heavens. Shang Guan Jing feels a tug on her hand and like a puppet, she bows.
The second bow is to their parents. Since she has none and his are not present, they have even 1 less bow than normal weddings.
Third, they need to bow to each other. Like the first bow, Shang Guan Jing follows the tug on her hand dazedly… and she is a married woman.
Throughout the whole ceremony, Shang Guan Jin feels that she is walking on clouds, so surreal is her wedding, and it is only when she follows her husband to their wedding room that she feels that her feet is finally touching the ground. She only came out of her daze when Feng Jin asks her. “Niang zi(wife)? Why are you so quiet? Have you… regretted marrying me?”
She denies it immediately least he gets mistaken and hurt. Seeing that she doesn’t seem to be bolting for the hills, Feng Jin leads her to sit down before a table laden with food and drinks and offers her some sweet cakes. She declines. “I am not hungry or thirsty. Can you sit down and talk with me?”
He complies immediately; his eagerness to please is so apparent, that it makes her smile and think of what she can do for him in return. “I have not regretted marrying you but neither has it crossed my mind that you wanted to get married this soon! At the very least, shouldn’t you bring me home to see your parents and seek their approval?”
“There is no rush to meet your in-laws but it is imperative that we marry without further delay.”
Looking at him, she thinks she understands – he is worried that she will change her mind and he confirms her suspicions with his next sentence. “It is so hard to find someone who does not look at me like a freak and if I do not grab the chance when it appears, where am I going to find another bride if you run away?”
Shang Guan Jing does not like his assessment of the situation nor does she agree with him. She does not mind his looks and in truth, she is rather glad that he is not good-looking that she has to compete with other women for his affections. “You look fine, just fine.”
A shadow falls across her face and the next instant, he has captured her lips with hers. He is rather insistent and she pushes him away with difficulty. “Umm, Feng Jin, shall we take this slowly?” She swears that she has been kissed before, by a man whom most woman would consider handsome, but she has never had this feeling – cornered and out of control at the same time.
“Sure, we shall sit here for a little while.” Feng Jin coaxes softly and sits closer to her. But in the next instant, he has lean over and kissed her again. In the space of a few heartbeats, she is sitting on his lap. Although she would prefer taking things slow, some things in life are beyond her control.
She woke up with his hands wrapped around her and his name came immediately to mind. Night has fallen and the past few hours have been pretty incredible. She is physically very fit, but despite years of training hard at martial, she is almost ashamed to acknowledge to herself that she has next to little or no control over Feng Jin over conjugal matters.
He is a fiery lover and although the description sounds weird, she means it quite literally. It has been a passionate afternoon but at one point in time, she thought she was engulfed in a ball of reddish flames. A phoenix has rose up from the flames and spreads its wings before crashing over her. She remembered the heat, how it has singed her skin and tears to fall. It must have been a figment of her imagination but it has felt very real at that time.
Ay, as if there are not enough unusual happenings ever since she came to Nan Man, even her wedding night is odd.
She stretches her sore muscles and when she groans softly, she hears an amused voice. “Does it still hurt?”
Looking up, she is about to reply when she is shocked into silence. Really, after days of handling unusual situations, she is a little surprise that she can actually be shocked.
Who is this man in bed with her? He is a good-looking man – a devilishly, good-looking man – who looks somewhat familiar. He asks again. “Does it still hurt?”
“You are… Feng Jin?”
She struggles to sit up and he laughs at her confusion. “No, I am not Feng Jin. Oh dear, some other man has taken advantage of you. What is Niang Zi going to do next? Haha! Take a good look. I am Feng Jin. Who else can I be?”
Niang Zi? So he is really Feng Jin? But his face… she traces her fingers over his flawless complexion. “Your red patches… they are… gone?!”
“Yes,” he smiles at her. “Don’t you like it?”
Like it? She stares hard at him. “You mentioned before that your illness will be cured once you marry. Are your patches not birthmarks, but a result of your illness? And if your skin is now normal, does it mean that you would not bleed on every full moon? If so, I am so happy for you!”
He shrugs. “Who knows the behaviour of my illness for sure? For all you know, we must mutually cultivate every day in order to keep it at bay.”
“You should be able to tell since it is your own body. Tell me, do you feel any different?”
“Well, I am feeling very satisfied and comfortable at the moment,” he sounds petulant and sheepish at the same time. “This is my first time and I don’t really have much compare with.”
His embarrassment brings about her own as she reflects on herself. She remembers what he said about being bonded for life and at this moment, it strikes her that they have fused their fates together. She feels a little proud at how she affects him and the feeling is like many happy little bubbles passing through her body. While she may not be able to return his feelings with the same intensity now, she believes that feelings can be nurtured over time and no matter what, she will always be with him.
Smiling, she snuggles closer to him. “At one point in time, I thought you have changed into a fire phoenix. But it must be my imagination and totally bizarre if you ask me. I have never felt anything quite like that except…”
“Except?”
“Except when I was given this token.” She searches among her clothes on the bedside and when she finds her Teacher’s token, she cradles it in her hand and traces its carving with another. “At that time, I have entered our sect’s secret chamber and I can hear Teacher’s voice talking to me when she was not inside the chamber! Surprising, is it not, that she is physically not there but yet I can hear her voice?”
“I heard her telling me to travel south and to take the leader’s token with me. Once her voice faded, the white jade mirror in the chamber shattered and in its ruins, I saw the token.” She shakes her head. “It feels so strange like a dream, but yet all of it is real.”
Feng Jin looks hard at her. “Perhaps it is a spell. The chamber is the lock and you are the key.” He holds her hand firmly. “Once you are in the chamber, the token is meant to reveal itself to you. This is similar to my illness. If you are with me, you will be able to unlock the cure and stop my blood curse.”
She does not comprehend his logic completely but her face turns red as she recalls how she “unlock” his cure. “I have no idea. I am an orphan whom Teacher brought up. She taught me how to read, write, fight, and so much more. But in all my years with her, I have never seen her chant a spell, or dabble in anything that remotely resembles magic.”
Feng Jin is more interested in kissing her and does not answer. Before her brain gets too muddled, she quickly asks. “How…did..you know?”
“Know what?”
“You know, the matters between man and woman. You said that this is your first time isn’t it?”
She has been studying martial arts since young and naturally understands the differences between a man’s and a woman’s body. Plus she has seen and heard a lot of things during her travels. But how is he, a hermit, so experienced in seduction?
He beams proudly at her. “Because this is something which I have given a lot of thought to. A lot of good thoughts and evil thoughts. Now you are in the picture, there is no need to think too much and… just do it.”
She likes to ask him more questions but he leans over… and then, there is nothing much to see. Just do.
Although Shang Guan Jing is now married, she has not forgotten her mission. Over the next few days, she continues to ask people she meets if they know anything about the Diao family. She also tried to visit the traumatized young woman whom Feng Jin saved, but to her dismay, she heard that the young woman has already left the village with her father. Since they have left she can only wish them well in her heart.
Besides, helping the young woman is not the only thing she can do. She has heard from the villagers that they are trying to form a class to learn martial arts. She wants to volunteer her services and when she demonstrated some things she can do, the villagers are very impressed and accept her offer to teach readily. After a round of discussion, it was agreed that she will take charge of training the womenfolk while they will get another coach for the men.
On the way home, she met an elderly woman who chatted with her. “My oh my Miss, yourkung fu is so good! If I am younger by 20 years and can move without all my bones creaking, I will be so tempted to learn from you!”
Shang Guan Jing has came across the old woman on her way home. When she first saw her, the old woman was resting against her wooden cart with small sack of rice and some groceries. She seems to have twisted her ankle and is trying to catch her breath. Shang Guan Jing has walked up to her and offered to push the cart for her. When the old woman accepted her help, she even got the elderly woman to sit on the cart so that she can push both the granny and her groceries home for good measure. “Granny, do you live alone? Do you have family who can help you when you get home?”
“Sure I do. I have a big family. By the way, I heard that Miss is looking for the Diao family and have asked everyone on their whereabouts. Is it true?”
“Yes! Does Granny know about the Diao family?” Shang Guan Jing is very excited that she has finally found a lead. The people of Nan Man are very nice but it would be really great if they can be more forthcoming with information on the Diaos.
To her delight, the old woman nods. “Sure, I know about them.”
“That is wonderful! Can Granny tell me where can I find them?”
“Huh, where? Let me think.” Muttering to herself, the old lady suddenly slaps her thigh. “Aren’t they living right here? I thought you have found them?”
At her confused look, the old woman continues. “The sword on your back – it has the motif of the Diao family on its handle. I have seen it before you know. If you don’t find me long-winded, I can probably tell you stories about the Diao family.”
“Yes, I would love to listen to your stories!”
“Ah, I will happily share what I know…. but can you answer my question first? Is it true that you are staying in the bamboo house at the end of this road? Are you married to the young man who stays there? When was the wedding?”