By The Will of the Gods

The Trial

Running into the small hut with a basket full of plums, Bai Qians red stained dress and grubby face was all her mother caught sight of, rather than the fruit which she had sent her out to gather.

"Qian Qian, can you not pick a simple basket of fruit without ruining your dresses? she scolded her gently before taking them off her.  

She had been waiting all morning for her daughter, because she had baking to do.  The village was celebrating her best friends daughters wedding and as the entire village was catering for the banquet, her pies and tarts had to be the very best and being the sole owner of a plum tree, then of course she would be supplying the sweet treats of which there would be many.

Though going by the way her daughters dress was covered in half the tree, she was actually quite surprised to see the basket full.

"And you've been gone all morning, you know I needed the fruit earlier, now I'm going to be up late baking." she continued to scold her even though there was an affectionate smile on her face.

Her daughter was her only child and having lost her husband to a hunting accident not long after she was born, she raised the girl on her own having vowed never to take another.  She was happy enough on her own, and being well liked by the villagers, she never lacked for friends.  In fact, they were a very close knit community and being a sole mother, she was well taken care of, because her mother was also the villages weaver.  

Blankets, winter coats, scarves, hats and mittens, whatever they wanted, she provided and in return, the little woman who lived alone with her daughter, never needed for anything, because they all took care of them both.  And all Bai Qian had to do was determine who needed what which she would carefully write into her diary which her mother would use to create their necessities which the recipients would find on their doorsteps the next day.

Though not quite unknown to her mother, Bai Qian was having a lot of fun helping her to weave a game of chance.  If a boy needed a pair of mittens and a girl needed a scarf, she would ensure that they got the opposite.  And in no time, she had them both together swapping their items and in the process, creating a nice little match.  In fact, the wedding they were preparing for, was the result of her weaving, as were many others.  

And though her weaving worked on everyone she set about matching up, it never worked for her mother for some reason.  It wasn't as if she wasn't pretty enough, because she was actually very beautiful and being still young enough to remarry, Bai Qian couldn't understand why none of the men showed an interest in her, or at least not enough to want to court her.  She might have been a widow, but she was wealthy enough, so a dowry was no problem, she owned her own home and a little land, but no matter what she tried, nothing worked.

Her mother wasn't exactly immune to what she was doing but she did keep an eye on her.  Bai Qians insatiable desire to see her friends paired up and in love wasn't a crime, and for a while her mother found her match making rather funny but harmless, because the couples she created with their woven garments were good matches, in that love was found and futures blessed with weddings like the one they would be attending the following day.

Or that's what she thought.

"Go and clean yourself up then come and help, we need to get moving, the food will be collected first thing in the morning" she yelled after her as she sped towards her chamber.

"Alright mother, I won't be long." Bai Qian yelled back followed by the slamming of the door.

In her room, she quickly pulled her soiled dress off as her mind once again dwelt on the new man who had arrived in the village a few week earlier.  He was much older than her friends but perhaps a little too young for her mother, but still, he had purchased a large stake of land and was in the process of bulding his home which in their village, did not take a lot of time to build.  In about two months, he would have a nice house and going by his clothing he was well off.  He was also exceptionally handsome and she had already ntoiced the side ways glances the women threw at him, even the married ones.