Side Story 2: Taking A Look – Luo Gao Couple (Part 1)

Lately Luo Tan’s mood was not very good.

Everyone in the Luo family had moved to Long Ye and was considered settled down. After Shen Miao had become the Empress, she was not as free as before. She had to take care of Chu Yi and Shi Wu and also manage the Inner Palace. Although this was very puzzling to Luo Tan’s eyes. After all there was only Shen Miao in Great Liang’s Inner Palace, so what was there to manage?

Anyways, Shen Miao indeed became busy and Luo Tan felt somewhat bored.

She had always been one who could not sit down thus she simply went out the whole day to the mountains and search for fun.

As such, the married couple of the Luo family’s Second household was not happy.

Madam Ma kept saying all day, “You are not young anymore, Jiao Jiao’s sons are already one years old. Other cannot control as you become a spinster but what about your carefree personalitiy?”

Luo Tan felt annoyed. She felt that being alone was good as she could eat, drink and play herself. It would be troublesome upon marriage as she has to manage this and that and even also control one’s husband’s heart. If the husband was a good one and did not bring in messy females to the inner courtyard, then she would need to quickly have offsprings. When the children were borned, one had to personally educate them. A female’s yourth was short so how could it be wasted on such matters? It would be better to take advantage of one’s youth and go out more. It was meaningful to visit the famous mountains and rivers.

In factthe Luo family was not a inflexible and conservative family and there was no need to worry early on about marry one’s daughter off. It was just that as parents, one hoped that one’s children would have a good home. Moreover Luo Tan was a loud and carefree person and did not seem to like anyone since birth. If one were to talk about like, then anyone that was casually seen on the streets that looked good, be it male or female, she would like. That was no different than liking flowers. One did not know which year or month it would be for Luo Tan to open herself to the matter of emotions.

Madam Ma asked, “Tan-er, tell me honestly if you truly do not have any male you are interested in?”

Luo Tan felt impatient upon the questioning, “Mother, where would the interest in a male be from?”

“Even Qian-er has a female he liked and Qian-er is younger than you.” Madam Ma heard the fustratuion and picked Luo Qian as an example, “There are many good men in the whole, so why do you not have one that you fancy?”

Luo Tan grinned, “There are a lot. I did not just see a few.”

“This cannot go on.” Madam Ma slam her hand on the table, “One cannot let you carry willfully like this. Jiao Jiao is currently the Empress and would know some young talents under Heavens. I will ask her to him to search and you will go and take a good look.”

Luo Tan looked at her incredulously, “Mother, that cannot be it right? It is not like I cannot get married.”

“It is not that you cannot get married. It is that you just don’t understand.” Madam Ma said, “You must go. If you don’t take a look, then watch if I would allow you to leave the house or not?” After finishing, she did not wait for Luo Tan’s reply and got up to leave.

*****

Madam Ma asked Luo Xue Yan to accompany her to the Palace to speak to Shen Miao about the matter.

Although Shen Miao was currently a noble Empress, her temperament had not changed and she would be her usual gentleness towards her family. The Luo family and the Shen family still got along with her as usual as if nothing had changed.

Madam Ma’s head ached upon speaking about Luo Tan as she asked Shen Miao, “Jiao Jiao, you have more contact with noble people normally, can you help Tan-er to look at a few prospective? There is no need for requirements on their family background. The most important thing is the other person character, which needs to be upright. Luo Tan is simpleminded and do not understand all the twists and turns in the household so it is best if that person’s family is simple and clean and there are no complicated relatives around. Oh. It would be best if they are also handsome.” Madam Ma blushed a little, “Tan-er likes good looking things and if he has a good appearance, most likely she would like him.”

Shen Miao was flabbergasted and she looked over at Luo Xue Yan. Luo Xue Yan also said, “Yes. Jiao Jiao, it is better for you to help Tan-er to take a look.”

“It is naturally to take a look but…” Shen Miao asked hesitatenly, “Older Biao Sister does not have anyone she is interested in?”

“With her personality, it would be impossible for her to take the initiative.” Madam Ma waved her hands and put up an expression of not wanting to speak about it, “If Tan-er has half of Jiao Jiao’s mind, I would not be so worried.”

They were all sisters but Shen Miao had an acumen for heros and had decided on such a rare male like Xie Jing Xing when she was young. After marriage, she managed to hold Xie Jing Xing so firmly that a Monarch did not have any other female other than the Empress in the Inner Palace. There were countless of young females that envious of Shen Miao. Moreover Xie Jing Xing’s conditions were as good as they get.

Then one looked at Luo Tan. After living so many years, not to speak about winning a peerless man over, there were no signs of an ordinary man at all. Initially Madam Ma and Luo Lian Tai was thinking that once their daughter grew up, people requesting marriage would break their doors since there would be hundreds of family seeking for a daughter and how lively it would be. But at the end it was so quiet. There was not even a mosquito’s shadow, much less how wrong the entire situation was.

“Does Older Biao Sister agreed to be matched up?” Shen Miao asked.

“She dares to disagree!” Madam Ma continued, “Jiao Jiao, you have a good relationship with her so do persuade her more when you are free. What kind of daughter would visit brothels? She even knows where are all the gambling dens in Long Ye. It truly a misfortune for the family clan.”

Luo Tan had a lively personality and ignored the rules and propriteries. She lived freely but was also easy criticised by others.

Shen Miao quickly replied, “Alright. Then I will start to help Older Biao Sister to pay attention. It’s just that the success of the matter would depend on Older Biao Sister.”

“Many thanks to Jiao Jiao.” Madam Ma was overjoyed.

*****

During the night, Shen Miao was reading the long scrolls that she had and was not sleeping even late into the night.

When Xie Jing Xing finished dealing with all the memorandums and returned to the chambers, he saw that she was still reading and thus asked, “Did one not let you sleep first?”

“There are still some things that are not read.” Shen Miao did not even lift her head and her gaze continued to be stuck on the scroll.

Xie Jing Xing walked over and saw that on each scroll, there was a small portrait of a male, with the male’s name, family background, and official position on it. Even the male’s likes and dislike were also indicated.

Xie Jing Xing closed the scroll and asked, “Why are you looking at this?”

“Open it up.” Shen Miao took the scroll from his hands, “YiMu asked me to look for some reliable for Older Biao Sister to take a look. You better not interrupt.”

“Luo Tan?” Xie Jing Xing’s brows raised, “She wants to marry?”

“YiMu is very worried and it is a matter of convenience.” Shen Miao suddenly thought of something and looked at Xie Jing Xing, “Speaking of which, what is Gao Yang’s intention?”

“What do you mean by intention?” Xie Jing Xing was unable to make heads or tail of it.

“Towards Older Biao Sister.” Shen Miao glared at him, “I see that he like Older Biao Sister but yet did not say things clearly. If one is waiting for Older Biao Sister to understand, one feared that it would not be achieved this lifetime. Older Biao Sister does not know but Gao Yang is a shrewd person. What are his intentions?”

Xie Jing Xing frowned and pondered, “Gao Yang likes Luo Tan?”

Shen Miao nudged his arm, “Are you blind?”

“How would I know what Gao Yang is thinking?” Xie Jing Xing felt wronged.

He was very clear and logical in all his matter but was very slow witted when it comes to the lifelong events of his good friends. Shen Miao had saw it and Xie Jing Xing was one a blind-eyed person who was too lazy to ask him.

However Xie Jing Xing spoke out, “Gao Yang is a clever person but clever people may be victims of their own cleverness.”

Shen Miao immediately understood what he meant. She turned her head and looked at Xie Jing Xing, “You are saying that Gao Yang knows his feeling but deliberately not speak about it, waiting for Older Biao Sister to speak about it?”

“Not everyone is like—— Your husband, who can adapt to circumstances.” Xie Jing Xing’s lips lifted.

“Oh.” Shen Miao glared at him, “Why don’t you say that not everyone is as shameless as you?”

Xie Jing Xing’s face became green as he heard Shen Miao continued, “But you are right. Clever people may be victims of their own cleverness. Gao Yang is one who want to control everyone in his palm and wants Older Biao Sister to understand. One fear that he is wrong.”

Xie Jing Xing had some thoughts, “What do you want to do?”

Shen Miao stared at him, “Of course to help Older Biao Sister.” She then walked menicingly to Xie Jing Xing and threatened, “Don’t tell Gao Yang!”

Gao Yang was one of Xie Jing Xing’s people so Xie Jing Xing would occasionally drop a hint or two. Xie Jing Xing grabbed her hands and smiled, “Then that would depend of Furen’s performance tonight.”

*****

Shen Miao was as good as her words and on the next day, a booklet was made with three names in it and Luo Xue Yan sent it to the Luo residence. Madam Ma felt so grateful that she wanted to go to the Palace to personally give her thanks to Shen Miao but was persuaded by Luo Xue Yan, “One is not sure if Tan-er would like or not. It is better to speak about it until upon success.”

Madam Ma trusted the people that Shen Miao picked. She even let Luo Sui and Luo Lian Tai take a look and both of them kept on nodding their heads. Luo Lian Tai had entered Great Liang’s officiadom and had some understanding of the different officials. The threw people that Shen Miao picked were ranking young talents. Their family lineages were excellent, they had a clean family and most importantly they had an absolutely upright character.

Luo Tan had thought that Madam Ma was only talking aout it and even if Madam Ma had the heart to do it, Shen Miao would definitely lean towards herself and not let her meet with these people. She had not expected that not only Shen Miao followed Madam Ma’s willfulness, she even sent a booklet over. Luo Tan was so angry that she sat in her room lamenting that her Younger Biao Sister no longer loved her in front of the mirror.

Even though her heart was unwilling, Luo Tan still had to meet these three gentlemen. That was because Luo Lian Tai had cut off Luo Tan’s money and did not allow Luo Tan to go out. If she still did not listen, one did not know how long she would be lock up for. Madam Ma’s tears fell in front of Luo Tan and since Luo Tan was one who was amenable to coaxing but not coercion, she felt that she was not filial if she made Madam Ma feel so upset, thus she agreed to meet these three people.

The first one was a gentleman from the family of the highest ranking Minister of the Ministry of Council. He had a stomachful of classic works and was very scholarly but when he spoke, Luo Tan had wanted to doze off. After an entire afternoon of almost nodding off, she told Madam Ma upon her return that if one had to live one’s life with this person, one would definitely be the red apricot tree that leaned over the garden wall (aka wife wil have an illicit lover).

It scared Madam Ma so much that she immediately arranged the meeting with the second gentleman.

The second gentleman was a former Deputy General and was still young. Upon waiting for a few years, there would definitely be better prospect for him. It was just that this young Deputy General was very matured and even though he was handsome, he made others feel cold. Luo Tan said that if she were to marry such a person, she would fear if the person beside her pillow will choke her to death at night as his killing intents were just too overwhelming.

Madam Ma thought about it. Females were all delicate and even though Luo Tan was loud and carefree, if she were to follow a General and if there was some friction, since that person would not soften his approach, won’t it be in chaos, like chicken and dogs flying? She then also rejected the second person in her heart.

On the third day, the final one was finally ushered in.

This was Young Master He, the youngest Young Master of Vice Minister of national security matters. Young Master He was twenty years old and was considered young. Even though his family was a civil official’s, he practices martial arts and was considered to be a talent in both literary and military.

Upon seeing Luo Tan, he praised the little knife that was hanging at Luo Tan’s waist to be extremely interesting.

This was a knife that Luo Tan had used her gold to buy. It was not very eye-catching but it was a precious knife that could cut metal like dirt. Ordinary people would not know the value of good but this Young Master He could see that the knife was a good one with just once glance. Luo Tan’s heart filled with joy and upon seeing that this Young Master He was handsome and had a comfortable atmosphere, Luo Tan was exceptially willing to talk more with him as she was one who like good looking people.

As such she discovered that this Young Master He was indeed one with talent. No only was he knowledgable, he also went to many places. When he spoke about the anecdotes in those places, Luo Tan would listen so intently that she was unable to take her eyes off. Even though his stomach was filled with books, he had never show off or spoke crypticly and just changed another way so that Luo Tan could understand. It was very interesting to listen to his words and unknowingly, both of them talked till the skies turn dark.

This day was unexpectedly more pleasurable than one had expected.

Young Master He seemed to be very satisfied with Luo Tan too and both of them agreed to go out to play tomorrow.