Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 215 Your Father is a God
"The residence of Lady Sheng, the Silk-Pulling Lady, is just ahead."

The message from the palace was a clear indication, so Haihao didn't delay and immediately took his nephew Yan Shifan out of the Yinglue Society and headed towards the famous matchmaker's house.

Lady Qiansi's surname was Sheng, and she lived next to Longfu Temple in Renshoufang, Dongcheng.

Accompanied by the melodious tolling of bells from not far away, the group rode their horses into the alley. Looking at the mansion from afar, they were taken aback: "Is this the matchmaker's residence?"

The gate, adorned with gilded bronze studs and animal heads, stands over ten feet tall. Above the gate hangs an ebony plaque, its gold paint slightly faded but bearing a signature, clearly the work of someone of considerable status. Eight glass lamps hang from the eaves, wafting wisps of sandalwood incense that permeate half the street with an air of nobility.

From a distance, this mansion exudes an air of extravagance, hardly resembling the home of a matchmaker. Yet, at this moment, there is no noise of carriages or horses, and the entire place is quiet.

"Lady Qiansi is known as the top official matchmaker in the capital. She often arranges marriages for the sons of nobles and high-ranking officials, so she is certainly not short of money. I heard that she arranged a marriage for the son of the Duke of Dingguo, and the couple is still happily married. This wooden plaque was probably written by the old Duke himself!"

Yan Shifan was not surprised by the grandeur of the mansion; it only highlighted the thoroughness of his investigation and the trustworthiness of the matchmaker he had chosen.

But she was puzzled by the atmosphere. Given Lady Sheng's reputation, her residence should be bustling with carriages and horses, and it shouldn't be so deserted...

"Squeak!"

Just then, the gate slowly opened, and a group of servants walked out in orderly steps. The eldest woman at the head of the group bowed and said, "We respectfully welcome our distinguished guest! Please come in!"

After he finished speaking, a servant came forward to take the horse, but Haihao remained seated on the horse, not moving an inch, and asked bluntly, "I've heard that your master is the number one matchmaker in the capital, so why has no one come to visit you?"

The older woman said, "The master has long heard that the auspicious day is approaching, a marriage that is priceless. Therefore, he has dismissed all other guests and reserved this elegant room to await the arrival of our distinguished guest."

Hai Hao raised his thick eyebrows: "Oh? Then tell me, who is this distinguished guest?"

The older woman bowed again: "You are the newly appointed second-place scholar, Young Master Hai. Your master must be the father of this second-place scholar! Your son is exceptionally talented, achieving the second-place ranking. He is truly a gift from heaven. It is an honor for my humble abode that my master is able to arrange this marriage for the Hai family!"

"You're very well-informed!"

Hai Hao's eyes flickered: 'That's more like the style of a江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the martial arts world) figure! Lady Qian Si… I've never heard of such a person in the capital!'

Yan Shifan immediately relaxed, realizing that this Lady Qiansi was indeed extraordinary. Her current wait-and-see attitude was a sign that she recognized the importance of the Empress Dowager's daughter's marriage, which was enough to elevate her status to a higher level.

Seeing that this person lived up to his reputation, once Mingwei's marriage went smoothly, he could ask him to be the matchmaker when he got married in the future.

However, he didn't dare to make the decision himself. He looked at Hai Hao and saw him turn over. Only then did he dismount and have the servant lead him to the stable.

As the two entered the mansion, they were greeted by a pair of intertwined willow trees, their branches entwined like red threads, a fitting omen of a match made in heaven.

Further inside, a richly dressed woman, accompanied by servants, waited respectfully in front of the main hall, saying, "This old woman greets Master Hai!"

Madam Sheng referred to herself as "this old woman," and indeed looked to be over forty. She had an oval face, fair skin, and very faint wrinkles. She wore no heavy makeup, yet possessed an air of elegance. She wore a crimson-purple wide-sleeved long gown over a moon-white cross-collar ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with pearls adorning the collar, and a light-colored shawl draped over her shoulders. She was dressed entirely like a noblewoman.

Like her house, no one who sees it at first glance would associate it with a matchmaker. It just goes to show that in every profession, there are outstanding individuals.

After exchanging greetings, Madam Sheng smiled warmly and spoke eloquently: "Young Master Hai enjoys a high reputation in the capital. His feat of facing Marquis Wuding directly at the Imperial Academy was widely praised by the people! I once wished to find a suitable match for you, but my invitations went unanswered, which told me that you were focused on the imperial examinations. Now that you have passed with flying colors, it is truly a testament to your hard work and well-deserved! And now that Master Hai has come to me to act as matchmaker, it is a perfect coincidence and a match made in heaven!"

These words were indeed comforting. Haihao laughed heartily and said generously, "We are from Qiongshan Island. We are rough men from Lingnan and do not understand the complicated rules of the capital. I will entrust my son's marriage to Madam Sheng!"
Madam Sheng said, "I dare not accept such praise! Please!"

After they were seated and served tea, and exchanged a few pleasantries, Haihao got straight to the point: "I've long heard that Madam Sheng is the top official matchmaker in the capital. I wonder how she differs from ordinary matchmakers?"

"This is all due to the kindness of all parties; I really dare not claim to be number one!"

Madam Sheng modestly said, then covered her mouth and smiled, "When I act as a matchmaker, I pay special attention to the three tests, nine questions, and eighteen aspects. I will carefully examine both parties before I can guarantee their marriage. Among the marriages that have been arranged by me, there are those that are harmonious and loving, and those that are respectful and courteous. To this day, there has never been a couple that has parted ways, let alone the joke of them facing each other in court and becoming enemies!"
"Oh?"

Hai Hao raised his thick eyebrows: "What is the meaning of 'three tests, nine questions, and eighteen signs'?"

Madam Sheng explained: "There is a set procedure for matchmaking, but I have made it more detailed. The so-called 'three verifications' are: first, verifying the family tree; second, verifying the pulse; and third, verifying the handwriting."

Hai Hao asked, "Specifically?"

Madam Sheng said, "Genealogy records are to prevent those with the same surname from being misled, pulse diagnosis is to prevent hidden illnesses, and handwriting can reveal some true talent and learning, so as not to be disturbed by rumors from the outside world..."

Haihao nodded, then asked, "What about the nine questions?"

Madam Sheng said, "The nine questions vary from household to household. I usually ask the wet nurse, the tutor, the classmates, the groom, the cook, the neighbors, and the monks and Taoists..."

'As expected, she's a matchmaker who caters specifically to wealthy and powerful families…'

Yan Shifan clicked his tongue in surprise halfway through the conversation. Ordinary people didn't have these resources; even his own family didn't have that many servants to spare!

Obviously, Haiyue's family wouldn't have that many servants. To avoid embarrassing his uncle, Yan Shifan quickly said, "There's no need for Madam Sheng to worry about these nine questions. We already have dealings with the bride's family and know them very well!"

During the introductions, Madam Sheng already knew that this man was Young Master Yan. With her access to information, she probably even knew the positions of his father's family. But she said without hesitation, "I understand Young Master Yan's intentions. However, matchmakers must make sure they are satisfied with the match. If the match is not satisfactory, it would be very unpleasant to hear the news and would damage the bride's reputation!"

Yan Shifan opened his mouth, but was speechless.

His original intention was that Haiyue and Zhu Yuying already knew each other, so why make things so complicated? They could just go through the motions.

But now, according to this Lady Qiansi, skipping this step will make uninformed people think that there is something wrong with the man and woman, and those in the know will also feel that there is suspicion of a secret engagement. Neither of these are good reputations.

Madam Sheng added, "Please rest assured, Master Hai and Young Master Yan, I have been a matchmaker for over twenty years, and the most important thing I do is keep my mouth shut. Everything I do is for the sake of this marriage, and there will be absolutely no complications!"

"Ok!"

Yan Shifan responded and stopped questioning.

Hai Hao then said, "Three tests and nine questions... truly extraordinary. I won't inquire further about the eighteen physiognomy. If we ask Madam Sheng to act as matchmaker, how much money would it cost?"

That was a very direct question. Madam Sheng smiled and said, "The second-place scholar in the imperial examination is a reincarnation of the God of Literature. How could I dare to ask for a high price to act as a matchmaker for such a person? A hundred taels of silver is enough!"

Yan Shifan was speechless once again.

Good heavens, no wonder she can afford such a luxurious mansion, and her food, clothing and daily necessities are top-notch. She can earn a hundred taels of silver from a single wedding banquet, and judging from the tone of her voice, that's probably not enough. Given the reputation of this Lady Qiansi among the wealthy families in the capital, one can only imagine how much she earns on a daily basis.

To his surprise, Hai Hao shook his head with a regretful expression, "Too expensive! My family can't afford it. Thank you for your hospitality, Madam Sheng. Farewell!"

Yan Shifan was stunned, and so was Madam Sheng.

But Haihao was truly decisive; he stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and walked out.

Yan Shifan hurriedly got up and followed. Madam Sheng didn't know how to persuade him to stay, so she composed herself, bowed, and said, "It seems I am not fortunate enough to do so. See Master Hai off!"

She politely escorted the two out of the house, her expression showing no sign of anything amiss. When they reached the gate, a servant hurriedly brought over the horses, which had already been fed, making it seem as if they had come specifically to freeload.

Hai Hao showed no embarrassment and rode away. Once they were out of the alley, Yan Shifan couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Uncle, are you not satisfied with this Madam Sheng?"

"I'm quite satisfied!"

Haihao turned around and said, "Nephew, you've gone to great lengths to bring me here, and I shouldn't have offended you, but that's just how I am. I hope you'll forgive me!"

Yan Shifan quickly said, "Uncle, what are you saying? I'm just a little apprehensive, worried that there might be something wrong with this Lady Qiansi..."

"Everything she did was fine."

Haihao said, "But for some reason, I just don't want to arrange a matchmaker. Since I have this idea, I'll just go back!"

"what?"

Yan Shifan was bewildered.

What's the reason?
Hai Hao laughed and said, "I'm a rough and uncouth man. I act on impulse and don't bother to think too much. I figured there must be more than one matchmaker in the capital with so many daughters of high-ranking families getting married, right?"

"Yes Yes……"

Yan Shifan outwardly agreed, but inwardly he muttered to himself: 'I thought Mingwei's father was a straightforward and easy-going person, but now it seems he's quite difficult to please. He actually rejected a matchmaker he was clearly satisfied with on a whim and went to find someone else. Isn't that pointless?'

However, just two days later, when Yan Shifan went to Yinglue Society again and met Haiyue, he immediately asked, "Mingwei, where is your father?"

"Father just went out..."

Haiyue noticed his unusual expression: "Donglou, what's wrong?"

Yan Shifan's tone was full of sincere admiration: "Your father is truly a god. It's fortunate that he refused. Who would have thought that this Madam Sheng would die last night!"

(End of this chapter)