Madam Yan's Matchmaking Pavilion for Men

10 Another Memory, A Decision for Love

The performances came to an end several hours later and the men looked at the chests below their seats.

Luan Chang Fu raised his brows, took the heap of wooden slips and shoved all of them inside with a chuckle. "It might be difficult this way for Madam Yan but I certainly can't be expected to decide this soon, can I? What about you lot? Which ones did you choose?" He turned to Feng Gui Ying next to him and waved his fan.

Feng Gui Ying smiled and put a handful of slips into the chest. "I think I recognized some of the women. There are several real gems among them. It would be a pity to waste time on any of the others. Of course, if Your Highness decides on one of them, I won't make things difficult."

"Haha, that's a given, that's a given." Luan Chang Fu didn't dwell on it and turned to Ming Ru Shui. "What about you? I saw you eying some of them more closely. Don't tell me your eyes are so sharp that you could see everyone clearly."

Ming Ru Shui shook his head. "No, I ... I have some interest in music so I listened more closely to the ones who played an instrument. I also considered what Scholar Zhang said before. If they really displayed a musical skill because they like me, then I should at least give them a chance." He turned to the other side and nodded at Zhang Shi Lan. Having a wife that shared his interest in music wouldn't be bad. Sure, he would also like a beautiful wife but to him, that was secondary.

Luan Chang Fu sighed and turned to Zhang Shi Lan. "Now you see what you did? The poor guy believed you to this degree!"

Feng Gui Ying nodded. "True, ah! You should take responsibility if he ends up with some talented but hideous woman. And what about yourself? Whom did you choose? I didn't see anyone exhibit any scholarly talents." He laughed but Zhang Shi Lan just smiled.

"Young Master Feng is naturally right. It would be hard in this setup to display anything like that. I merely chose from the general impression I had on them. I am somebody who likes his surroundings to be quiet. I wouldn't want quarrels in my household so I chose the women I thought might have a gentle temperament."

Feng Gui Ying couldn't help but snort. "A gentle temperament? They're all from good families! Which one wouldn't have that? So Scholar Zhang actually chose all of them too? You wouldn't believe that you're on the same level as His Highness, would you?" He glanced at Luan Chang Fu but the prince didn't seem to mind the implications.

"Ah, Scholar Zhang also wants to have all options available. It's not that strange. Madam Yan really made it too hard for us this time." Luan Chang Fu just turned to the person next to Zhang Shi Lan. "What about you, General Yu?"

"Mn? Oh, I ..." Yu Huang Rong pushed a few slips into the chest and smiled at Feng Gui Ying. "I haven't been back to the capital for long so I don't know much about the women or customs here. I merely chose the same ones that Scholar Zhang. I believe he has good taste." His smirk got more pronounced, making Feng Gui Ying tense.

He deeply felt that ... he had somehow offended this General today. Don't tell him ... Yu Huang Rong and that insufferable know-it-all Zhang Shi Lan were friends somehow?! Shit. In that case, he had really made a blunder today. He had thought that Zhang Shi Lan wouldn't have any way to fight back if he made things difficult for him but it seemed he hadn't paid enough attention. Now that he thought about it ... it had been General Yu who brought up Zhang Shi Lan's opinion again and saved him from embarrassment. He should have understood at that moment. Ah, well, there might still be opportunities to turn the situation around again. After all, General Yu really hadn't been back for long. There would be ways to let him know that other allies would be more beneficial.

The other people waited to be asked about their choices but Luan Chang Fu didn't even seem to think about them. He was looking around while waving his fan. "I bet Madam Yan should be here any moment. I am curious about what her next step will be. This event was rather strange but it sure was a novelty. Maybe she'll have some more surprises in store for us?"