Widows in the Song Dynasty were easy to marry

Chapter 1

On the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, the Buddha's birthday, more than seventy temples of all sizes in Tokyo held bathing Buddha ceremonies, distributing incense, sugar, and medicinal water called "bathing Buddha water." Among these, the two most lively places were Zenrin-ji Temple at the northern foot of Mount Hachi outside the city and Shokoku-ji Temple in the bustling city center.

Wearing a flowing veil, Wen Danmei was helped down from the carriage by her mother, Madam Qin, by her attendants. Looking up through the semi-transparent veil, she was somewhat surprised to see the vast entrance of Xiangguo Temple already packed with carriages and people. But then she thought, Xiangguo Temple was revered by the imperial family and had been expanded several times. Today was the Buddha's Birthday, and she heard that a high-ranking monk was giving a sermon and distributing water. Bathing in the water would purify the body, dispel bad luck, and bring good fortune. Therefore, everyone in the capital, from high-ranking officials to humble families, flocked to the temple on this day, seeking good luck, especially women. This was the case every year, and this year was no exception.

This was the first time Wen Danmei had seen such a scene. Her steps faltered slightly, but Qin Shi, who was ahead, turned back and urged her to catch up. Her brother and sister-in-law, Liu Shi, behind her, also smiled and nudged her. Helpless, she followed. Servants cleared a path, leading into Xiangguo Temple. Passing through the main hall and the long, flowing corridor to the east, they arrived at Huilin Courtyard, the site of today's Buddhist ceremony. Inside the spacious courtyard, flowers and trees bloomed profusely, and the courtyard was already crowded with people waiting for the Buddhist assembly to begin. Only the front row, near the preaching platform, had been enclosed with soft silk, creating a long row of elegant seats resembling small private boxes. Seven or eight out of ten people were already seated; these were reserved specifically for the ladies of high-ranking families in the capital.

When the monk heard the servant announce the names, he knew that a group of female relatives from the residence of the Grand Secretary of the Jixian Hall had arrived. He dared not be negligent and hurriedly led them to the seats that had been reserved for them. After the group was seated, he respectfully put his palms together and left.

Once seated, Wen Danmei's head maid, Miaochun, deftly removed the veil from her head. With her view less obstructed, Wen Danmei felt much more comfortable. Leaning back in her armchair, she was about to let out a sigh of relief when she suddenly noticed her mother, Qin Shi, frowning at her. Qin Shi, displeased with her posture, sighed inwardly and quickly sat up straight. Qin Shi then leaned closer and whispered to her, "Sincerity is key. You must listen attentively to the lecture later. I will pray for you before the Buddha. After you return and bathe properly with the bathing water, Mei'er, your luck will surely change, and you will find a husband soon."

Danmei had heard these words countless times before, but she never found them annoying. She understood that Qin Shi, as a mother, had good intentions, and so she respectfully responded. Qin Shi was then satisfied and affectionately patted the back of her hand. Her sister-in-law, Liu Shi, who was sitting next to her, overheard these words, and her smile became somewhat strange.

Before the Buddhist ceremony even began, Madam Qin started exchanging pleasantries with the noblewomen seated on either side. On the left was the residence of the Xu family, headed by Hanlin scholar from the capital. Because Madam Xu had dealings with Madam Qin, Danmei had met the women of that family before. After bowing to the older Madam Xu and her three daughters-in-law, she noticed a woman with them who was unfamiliar. Hesitating for a moment, she was quickly introduced by Madam Qin as the newly promoted Madam Lu, a relative of Madam Xu. Danmei politely greeted her in return before returning to her seat, bowing slightly.

Danmei's sudden rise and fall had already attracted attention. Soon, she noticed whispers coming from both sides. A quick glance revealed the ladies in the private rooms casting looks of surprise, pity, and even disdain upon her. Madam Lu, standing nearby, stared intently at her, seemingly lost in thought. When their eyes met, Madam Lu smiled slightly at Danmei. Danmei nodded in return and then, unperturbed, sat there, indifferent to the stares. Qin, however, felt somewhat embarrassed and wished the Buddhist ceremony would begin immediately to divert attention.

Danmei was so eye-catching among the noble ladies of the capital not because of her talent or her appearance, but because, although she was only sixteen years old, she was already a young widow who had lost her husband three times.

Danmei had no recollection of her three previous husbands, only occasionally learning the general outline from the whispers of the servants in the mansion.

This woman, Wen Danmei, was betrothed to the son of a high-ranking official in the capital since childhood. When she turned thirteen and was to be married, the man tragically drowned while boating on a lake with friends in the spring. The following year, Qin arranged another marriage for her, but the groom died suddenly six months later. At this point, her reputation as a jinx spread. Finally, when she turned fifteen, a young man from a family of sixth-rank officials was willing to marry her. Although it was considered a lowly marriage for the daughter of a high-ranking official, Qin still feared he would break off the engagement and promised a generous dowry. On the wedding day, after the couple had paid their respects and entered the bridal chamber, the groom suddenly turned purple and blue, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, turning a joyous occasion into a tragic one. The fifteen-year-old beauty became a young widow. From then on, the reputation of the high-ranking official's daughter as a jinx was firmly established. Fearing her daughter would suffer in the Tongzhilang household, Qin Shi forwent even her dowry, taking her daughter back to her own home and raising her herself. After Wen Danmei returned, she naturally spent her days in tears, and no amount of Qin Shi's attempts to comfort her were of any use. One day, she even attempted suicide by hanging herself when her maid was not looking. Fortunately, she was discovered in time and recovered. However, upon waking, no one knew that Wen Danmei had been given a new soul.

Since arriving here, Danmei discovered that she had become a fifteen-year-old girl, and she had been very careful in her actions, never uttering a word more than necessary. Qin Shi had a son first, and then had no children until she was thirty-five or thirty-six years old when she gave birth to this youngest daughter. She had cherished her daughter dearly since she was a child, and when she saw that her daughter had come back to life, she prayed to all the gods and Buddhas, and was moved to tears. She no longer cared about her daughter's change in personality, and only wished she could raise her as her own heart and soul.

A year has passed in the blink of an eye, and Danmei has gradually gotten used to her place. Every day, she spends her days in her small courtyard learning embroidery and calligraphy, planting flowers and tending to the garden; her life is quite comfortable. The only things that trouble her are her mother, Qin, and her sister-in-law, Liu. Although one genuinely cares for her while the other feigns affection, they both share the common desire for her to marry as soon as possible. However, with her reputation as a "white tiger" (a derogatory term for a woman who is considered unlucky in marriage), who would dare risk their life to marry her? In the past two years, Qin has asked matchmakers everywhere to inquire, occasionally finding a few men who covet her family's status and dowry, but each time, when the time comes, they all back down. Seeing her daughter's marriage failing and being secretly ridiculed, Qin is furious, grinding her teeth in anger. The previous two years, they arrived too late and couldn't get a seat at Xiangguo Temple on Buddha's Birthday. This year, they put in all their effort, donating a generous sum of money well in advance to secure a seat closest to the lecture platform, hoping that their daughter could wash away her bad luck and get married soon. A few days ago, they noticed that Danmei seemed reluctant to come, scolding her for being inconsiderate and forcing her to come. Now, seeing the noble ladies from the capital pointing and whispering about their daughter, they realized that Danmei had anticipated this and was afraid of being gossiped about, which was why she didn't want to come. They felt both angry and regretful. Turning to their daughter, they saw her looking down and calm, as if nothing had happened, which brought them some comfort. They didn't even bother to greet the others and just sat there sullenly.

Soon, the bells and chimes rang out, incense smoke swirled, and the High Master emerged, sitting cross-legged behind an incense table adorned with a bronze incense burner with a needle-shaped tip. The vast main hall of Huilin Temple immediately fell silent. The High Master began his sermon, which consisted entirely of exhortations to do good. Danmei listened for a while, then grew bored, but seeing everyone else so attentive, she reluctantly remained seated. Finally, the sermon ended, and Qin Shi received a white jade porcelain bottle from the guest monk—said to be bath water personally blessed by the High Master—before happily pulling Danmei away. Liu Shi and her maids hurriedly followed. Passing by the nearby Puci Temple, they suddenly remembered a hall inside where one could draw divination sticks, said to be extremely effective, and urged Danmei to go there as well.

Danmei couldn't stand the smell of incense in the main hall and felt a bit nauseous. She finally came out and saw pomegranate flowers blooming, orioles singing, willows swaying, and swallows chirping – a bright spring scene at the turn of summer. She was in a good mood when she heard Qin say that she was going to draw divination sticks. Afraid of smelling incense again, she was initially unwilling, but she couldn't resist the combined efforts of Qin and Liu, and had no choice but to go in.

The place where people drew fortune sticks was also crowded. Danmei breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she could go back. However, Qin Shi was very determined and waited outside for more than half an hour before it was her turn.

Danmei went inside and, as instructed, knelt before the prayer mat, offered incense and prayed to the Buddha statue before drawing a fortune stick. Seeing that Qin Shi's eyes were fixed on the monk interpreting the fortune stick, and that she looked nervous, Danmei felt a little moved and reached out from her sleeve to hold Qin Shi's hand.

"The cool fragrance is so soothing, so pure it feels no chill. The news of spring is near, as night deepens and dusk approaches."

The monk who was interpreting the divination slip read it aloud, a slight smile appearing on his face. He glanced at Danmei before saying to Madam Qin, "Although this is not the best of divination slips, it is still a good one. As long as you do good deeds diligently, good things will naturally come your way."

Qin breathed a sigh of relief, knelt down in front of the prayer mat, clasped her hands in prayer, and donated incense money before happily leading Danmei away. As soon as they entered the Jixian Prime Minister's residence next to the Cao Gate, she repeatedly urged Miaochun to pour the water from the porcelain bottle into the fragrant bath for Danmei. Miaochun complied.

Danmei removed her thin spring dress from behind the screen and stepped barefoot into a large wooden tub filled with warm water.

A year has passed, but Danmei still feels a strange sensation about her current body. The sixteen-year-old girl's body appears not yet fully developed; she is somewhat thin, but her skin is exceptionally soft and tender, and her breasts are gradually developing, feeling like warm, smooth jade to the touch. In another year or two, once her body has become more proportionate, she will likely have a rather nice figure.

Danmei soaked in the bath for a while, then got up from the tub, grabbed a damp towel to dry herself, put on her undershirt, and then went out to unlock the door so that Miaochun and the others could come in to comb her hair and serve her.

Miao Chun was a year older than her and had served her since she was a child. She draped a crimson robe over her and, while combing her hair, said with a smile, "Young lady, you're becoming more and more plain. If you ask me, you don't need to dress so plainly anymore. A few days ago, even Madam couldn't stand it anymore and said that it had been so long, and told me to pick out some brighter colors for you to wear."

Danmei glanced at the spring dress she was wearing and knew that Qin Shi disliked that she was still dressed plainly even though more than a year had passed. So she specially made several bright new dresses for her, all in emerald green, light red, and cherry blossom colors.

She usually prefers to dress simply, not because she's wearing mourning clothes for her ex-husband, as Qin Shi and Miao Chun thought; it's simply due to her psychological age. Now, wearing this crimson dress, she merely smiled slightly when Miao Chun and Miao Xia complimented her on how beautiful she looked.

Wen Danmei was only of above-average looks, a fact she was well aware of. Her only advantage was her skin, smooth as jade. She finally understood what "flawless and delicate" truly meant.

Chapter Two

A few days later, Madam Qin received an invitation from Lady Lu of the Protectorate, inviting her to the residence to admire the flowers and drink wine. At this time, the peonies were in full bloom, and the people of the Song Dynasty loved flowers. Whether they were high-ranking officials or scholars, they all invited each other to enjoy themselves among the flowers. Even Emperor Renzong held a banquet in the Imperial Garden to invite his officials to wear flowers in their hair. Therefore, it was very common for noblewomen to send out such invitations.

Since the day her daughter was secretly laughed at by so many noblewomen at Xiangguo Temple, Madam Qin had been deeply unhappy and had stayed cooped up in the mansion for the past few days, not going anywhere. When she received the invitation, she initially intended to ignore it, but Madam Liu persuaded her. She thought about it and realized that although Madam Lu was the wife of a fourth-rank military officer, she had a close relationship with Madam Xu, the wife of Hanlin scholar. Since an invitation had been sent, it would be impolite to refuse. So, she forced herself to cheer up, tidied herself up, and, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Madam Liu, went as promised.

Danmei had always planted a patch of peonies in her own courtyard. Although they were all common varieties now, like Yao Huang and Xiang Yu, they were in full bloom at this time of year, and with her careful cultivation, they were now in full bloom, their beautiful forms attracting bees and butterflies to dance among them, truly deserving of their reputation as the most beautiful flowers in the country. After tending to them for a while, wearing a sun hat, she noticed that some flowers had withered and faded. She then took the pruning shears that she had specially commissioned from the blacksmith's shop and carefully trimmed away the withered flowers and some dead leaves. If too many withered flowers were left unattended and allowed to fall to the ground, they would rot when soaked by rainwater, not only burning the roots but also easily attracting pests. Seeing that she had almost finished pruning, she felt a little sweaty and went back inside to take off her hat. Miaochun fetched water for her to wash her face and hands, and she drank a cup of honey-infused citrus tea. Just as she was about to rest in the cool air by the flower window, she saw her mother, Qin, and her sister-in-law, Liu, approaching with beaming faces, and she hurriedly went to greet them.

Qin asked a few questions about her diet, and when she heard that she had just finished tending to the flowers and plants, she said somewhat displeasedly, "Why do you always insist on doing such rough work yourself instead of listening to me? If you don't have enough maids in your courtyard, I'll send you a few more tomorrow. Otherwise, you'll wear your hands out."

Danmei knew that Qin Shi had never liked her tending to flowers and plants, so she didn't argue and just smiled as she let Qin Shi chatter on.

Qin read a few lines, but was tugged at the sleeve by Liu, which reminded her of her purpose in coming. She quickly stopped, dismissed all the maids in the room, and then looked at Danmei with a smile, saying, "Daughter, I went to the Protectorate today. I had some doubts in my heart. I have never had much of a relationship with Madam Lu, so why did she suddenly send me an invitation? When I got there, I found out that it was actually a great thing..." She stopped mid-sentence, looking Danmei up and down, smiling without saying a word.

Qin hadn't shown such joy in front of her for a long time, and Danmei was momentarily puzzled upon seeing it. Suddenly, she noticed Liu covering her mouth with a handkerchief, looking extremely ambiguous, and her heart skipped a beat; she became somewhat alert.

For the past year, Qin had sighed and lamented whenever her marriage was mentioned. Now, she was all smiles. Could it be that Madam Lu had arranged another marriage for her?

During the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Tang Dynasty, a decree was issued that men could marry at fifteen and women at thirteen. Therefore, in the eyes of the people of that time, a sixteen-year-old girl like her was already past her prime, especially since she was a widow with a bad reputation. However, after arriving here and learning about her situation, she felt a little secretly pleased. Sixteen years old was far too young in her eyes. She was even willing to remain unmarried, even if she couldn't defy the world and was eventually married off by her parents. A few more years of waiting would be better than nothing. So when she guessed that Qin had already found her a marriage partner, how could she not be anxious? She just suppressed her anxiety and listened to what Qin had to say.

Madam Qin smiled for a while, then took Danmei's hand and sat down on the bench placed in front of the flower window. She stroked Danmei's hand and said, "Daughter, today Madam Lu said she met you at Xiangguo Temple a few days ago and felt an immediate connection. After hearing about you, she felt great pity for you and happened to know a very suitable person, willing to act as matchmaker. That's why she sent an invitation to my mother. I had noticed that person before and secretly inquired about him, but he said he had no intention of marrying, so I gave up. Now Madam Lu says she has a close relationship with his family, and as long as you agree, she can definitely persuade him to marry into our family. Isn't this a wonderful thing? That divination slip is truly effective. If you can get your wish this time, I will definitely go to the Bodhisattva to offer incense every year."

As she had guessed, Danmei felt a little uneasy.

She wasn't particularly concerned about who this seemingly perfect match for her was; all she was thinking about was finding an excuse to decline. As she pondered this, Madam Qin interrupted, continuing, "Daughter, that man's surname is Xu, his given name is Jinrong, courtesy name Ziqing. He's truly one in a hundred. Don't let his curr

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