A Wuxia Tale: Union

Plans

(JIANG)

The next day, I gathered my family to tell them about my decision.

"I will stay here in the Capital to execute and fulfill my father's last will." I said in a clear tone.

Those words put relief in every faces of the members in my family.

"As you should," my grandmother nodded in approval. "I will order the master's bedroom to be clean so you can move there..."

"I will not be living in this house," I cut into her plan on where to put me. "Mei and I will look for our own place where we can live..."

"Mei?" My aunt gasped. "Your lover will remain here with you?"

I frowned at that, "Of course. Mei is my lover and he will stay by my side where I need him. I don't want to put him here to avoid any uncomfortable tension between all of you and my lover so Mei and I will look for our own place."

Most of my family didn't like that.

"But your father said you should live here," my grandmother is the leader of this protest in my plans.

"Here in the Capital. He doesn't stipulated that I should stay in this very house. I will find a house in the Capital for me and Mei. Probably the farthest house away from all of you." I glared at my family. "And while we are in that subject, I want all of you to stay away from Mei. Do you all understand?"

"No," my grandmother won't make this easy for me. "That boy is a distraction from your true purpose, WuBao."

Ugh! I really hate my first name.

I massaged the bridge of my nose, "I cannot wait to hear my true purpose from you. What is it, grandmother?"

"To have a family of your own, of course!" Grandmother replied like it should have been obvious all along. "To expand this family by having children and teaching them the values and principles of the Jiangs. What else could be your purpose?"

To love Mei and make him smile at least five times a day.

That has been my purpose in the last ten years of my life since I met Mei.

"I will not get married." I said vehemently. "I am the head of this family. What I said goes...isn't that the rule?"

"Yes," my youngest uncle's wife nodded. "But you also have to listen to our advices as your elders. It's only filial that you listen to reason, WuBao. Your status requires you to have a family. A wife and children. Heirs to pass on our legacy."

"My sister is married, let's pass the legacy to her children." I argued.

My sister shook her head. She is good looking and pleasant to look at, like all Jiangs. Prim and proper. She has two sons. "My children are heirs to my husband's family. You cannot steal them, my husband will raise hell if you do."

"Then have more children and give them to our family." I said callously.

My sister took offense. "I am not a breeding pig, Gege." She gave me a hurt look. "I am here to support you but if you cannot respect me then by all means, deal with them by yourself." My sister stood from her seat and marched angrily out of our home.

I tried calling for her but she didn't stop. My grandmother, uncles, aunts and cousins, all seven of them, all gave me disgusted looks.

"You are the pig," one of my female cousin also stood up to leave the house.

"Well done, WuBao. I am so proud," grandmother uttered blandly. "This is the result of your association with that nobody..."

"Mei is not a nobody. Never say that again, Grandmother. Mei brings out the best in me, he is not here that's why I am rude. You all drive me to be like this..."