Lord i and Madam Yu waited in the front courtyard for the arrival of General Bai and his wife.
The four had been good friends for many years, so they looked forward to seeing the couple.
"Dear," spoke Lord i, "while I am extrely fond of Bai Li, and of course I would like nothing more than a connection by marriage to the Bai family, I won't do it at the expense of our daughter's happiness."
"Of course not husband, I completely agree," said Yu Yan. "ili must make a good marriage. The man must be good in all respects. A good provider, a gentleman, kind and able to make her happy."
"Exactly. Bai Li's all of those things, but do you really think he can make ili happy? He's such a serious lad, always has been, ever since he was little. I've never seen him crack a smile. He's a real stone-face, and ili is so sunny-natured and carefree. Are they truly a good fit? I don't want to let these discussions get too far and offend the Bai family if we're not going to accept their proposal."
"We need to tread carefully today," she replied. "You make clear to General Bai upfront that we plan to allow ili to have so say in the decision, and that she'll need ti to get to know Bai Li. I plan to leave her veil on too. I don't want him spreading word of her beauty around the capital if these discussions don't progress."
"I'm sure he wouldn't do that, but we're of one mind dear. She hasn't been through the concubine selection process yet, so we can use that to delay a little. We still need to secure a dispensation from those sohow," he said gloomily.
"She can't go through the selection Tian Yun. We'll never lay eyes on her again, and I couldn't bear to see her in the harem."
"Don't worry wife, I'm working every angle I can to avoid having her enter the palace."
A short distance away, Bai Li and his father General Bai, rode alongside a carriage carrying his mother, Madam Bing, enroute to the i mansion.
"Are you sure about this son?" his father asked. "Once we start these discussions you can't pull out unless the girl gets selected for the palace as a concubine. I'm not willing to offend the i family for you."
"I'm certain father. I would never ask you and mother to have a betrothal discussion if I had any intention of not following it through."
"Good. So long as you know that. They've kept this girl under wraps. Even I've never t her. She's been raised in the inner courtyards. She has a reputation for being virtuous but plain. If they let you et her, you can't change your mind after you see her face."
"I understand father. The i brothers are my good friends. There's no way I would et their sister, then pull out of a betrothal promise."
"So long as you know that. If she is plain, she almost certainly won't be selected as a concubine, so you'll end up married to her."
"That's what I want."
His mother opened the curtain of the carriage and smiled out at them, very excited for the upcoming eting. She was close friends with Yu Yan and couldn't have been happier when her son asked her to arrange a betrothal discussion with the i family's only daughter.
"It's lovely to hear you two talking about a topic that's not martial arts or sword fighting," she said.
"My father's concerned I'll find i ili ugly and try and run out of the eting."
"I don't believe Yu Yan's daughter could be ugly. I think they must be exaggerating. Anyway, looks fade, her heart is what's important."
"I agree mother. Please request her parents to allow to et with her so I can get to know her a little. They're very protective."
"That's a good thing, but I'll see what I can do."
Madam Bing humd happily inside the carriage, smoothing out the new dress she'd worn for this special occasion.
They pulled up at the main gates to the mansion.
A handso red plaque hung over the huge doors, with elegant gold calligraphy reading 'i Family Mansion', decorated with a border of gold dragons and clouds.
Bai Li struggled to suppress the images that ca flooding unbidden to his mind, when he glanced up at the grey tiled rooftops of the i family compound.
His father helped his mother down and the three of them entered the mansion together.
The servants welcod them formally, ushering them through to the front courtyard, where Lord i and his wife waited to greet them.
Yu Yan ushered them into their reception hall, where fresh tea and snacks were waiting. When the pleasantries were concluded, General Bai raised the subject of their visit.
"Lord i. You know why we've co today. What are your feelings on this subject?" he asked respectfully.
"General Bai, we're very honoured that you have considered our i ili as a suitable match for your eldest son. And we would be honoured and pleased to see the i family and the Bai family connected through marriage. However, you know that i ili has not yet been through the palace concubine selections, and she is registered.
Rather than get the children too invested in a marriage with this prospect still hanging over them, we thought they could perhaps get to know each other a little, chaperoned of course. If i ili's not selected to join the harem or marry one of the princes, we can formalise the arrangents.
I know that's not very traditional. You'll have to forgive an old father who's wrapped around the finger of his only daughter. I do wish for her to enjoy the lifeti of happiness that only a good marriage can bring," he smiled fondly at his own wife.
"Lord i," said General Bai, "that sounds like an excellent plan. We are aware that i ili hasn't yet been presented at court for the selections. And we also agree that it would be best if the children are not opposed to this plan for their marriage."
"Good, good," clapped Lord i. "In that case we will bring i ili in."
A servant trotted out of the hall and i ili was duly brought in, accompanied by Manni leading Tricky-Wu on a leash.
ili wore an elegant dress of cream silk, embroidered with the palest pink roses. Her hair had been swept into two buns, each decorated with tiny enal and gold blossoms. She was veiled with a cloth that was not at all transparent. A very conservative wardrobe selection.
Generally, prospective parents-in-law would be pleased to see such modesty, but given the rumours about i ili's looks, the veil did give one cause for concern thought Madam Bing when she saw it.
However, when she looked more closely at the girls' eyes, skin, figure and hair, she drew in a sharp breath and looked quickly at her husband, slightly panicked. He'd already made the sa deduction, just much faster than his wife.
She was a great beauty! Perhaps even a once-in-a-generation beauty, whom the i family had been hiding in their inner courtyards her entire life. No veil could conceal that secret at such close quarters.
The girl curtsied prettily and greeted the Bai family.
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