Child Bride

[@][@][@][@][@][@][@][@]

Child Bride

Chapter 1

"Niang," Zong Yi greeted his mother in the customary manner.

"Son," greeted Lady Jin Hong in return, with the smile of a mother's pride. "Old heaven has eyes, my son, and today, you have brought glory to your family and ancestors!"

Flanked by her servant girls, Lady Jin Hong stood up and approached her son. 'The war has ravaged his features,' she noted, a mixed emotion of pride and pain warring in her heart. 'His eyes are still sharp, but it is clouded with sorrow.' Mentally putting the misery aside, she blinked away her tears as she considered her son, whom she had not seen for five years. "It has been a tough life for you, my son," she held his arms, "and I am glad the Emperor has allowed you to return to me for this little while."

"Niang," was all Zong Yi could say. He had no other words for this reunion. His triumphant return from the war that ravaged his country was a mixed victory won by the lives of many men in his charge. Men who had fought bravely against the enemy. Men who had given their lives in loyalty to the Emperor and country. They would never return to receive their due rewards - unlike Zong Yi, the General in charge of the West defence. The innumerable accolades of Zong Yi's bravery, cunning military strategies and sheer determination against the barbarians were regaled in the country far and wide. Even the Emperor bestowed on him riches and titles, and had even charged his ministers to choose a wife for him amongst the titled families of the land.

The reunion of mother and son soon lapse into tears. Lady Jin Hong condensed five years of family history into a short account for her son. "Die died a month after you left for the frontlines. Your sisters have all since married. Only you, my son, I worry about you constantly. Thank heaven for answering my prayers and bringing you home. Now, my son, it is time for you to settle down and raise a family."

"Niang," sighed Zong Yi with a wry smile, "couldn't you wait a day or two before broaching this topic? I'm sure my sisters have satisfied you with enough grandchildren." He teased her gently.

"Oh, those grandchildren are not mine!" she cried empathically. "jia ji sui ji, jia gou sui gou! Your sisters belong to the families they married, so their children naturally belong to their in-laws! You, on the other hand, are the sole heir of the Wei family name. It is your duty to pass the name on."

"Yes, niang," he nodded, resigned. The strategist in him smiled wryly at the battle he knew he would not be able to win against this frail-looking woman.

"The Emperor's edict has settled that you'll be wed on the 8^th of next month. That's only two weeks away. I've hired Madam Zhuo to organise the event. Apparently my future daughter-in-law is one of the fairest young ladies in the land. Lady Feng Ling has even seen her, and she says that the young lady is obedient and accomplished. More importantly, Feng Ling says that she looks sturdy - she will bear many children," the excited woman gushed.

"Niang, I'll leave the preparations up to you," he shook his head with a grin. 'Trust his mother to see the important factors of choosing a bride,' he snorted mentally. "I'm going out now to meet my friends and won't be back until late tonight."

[@][@][@][@][@][@][@][@]

Wei Zong Yi entered into the Emperor's services when he turned 18. He was wen wu xuang quan - a scholar and a warrior. From a reputable family, and he was given opportunities which he was quick to seize and build upon. Due to his diligence and cunning, he rose steadily throught the ranks of the Emperor's army. At 22, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, with a platoon of 100 men under him.

A week after his promotion, his niang dragged him to the Central Temple to thank the gods for their blessing. Whilst waiting for his mother who was accosted by her friends for a chat, Zong Yi walked along the many stalls selling incense, joss sticks and other paraphernalia used for worshipping.

A sign above a table drew his notice. An old man, with sparkling black eyes sat underneath the sign, stroking his snowy white beard. Intrigued by the knowing smile the venerable man gave him, Zong Yi moved towards the empty chair opposite the old man and sat down.

"Ah! Heaven's will!" the old man said, smiling, "We are fated to meet, young man. It's all heaven's will - and no one can escape their destiny."

"I beg to differ, old man. I believe that we make our own destiny."

"You are young, and there is much you still don't know. I can clearly see from your forehead, eyes and nose that you will meet grave danger and hardships. Yours will not be an easy life."

The young man smiled wanly at the Xiang Shi's prediction, "Yes, what you say is vague enough. Hard times has come to our country, and is expected only to get worse. Everyone will have to face danger and hardship."

"Ah, but only you will see a despair and loneliness unlike any other. You are destined to suffer a desolate loneliness for three lifetimes, but in your third, you will be saved by tao hua yun." The sparkle in the old man's eyes turned serious. "Let me see your palm."

Zong Yi placed his palm up on the cushion on the table.

The old man stared at it, tsked, and shook his head, "Just as I suspected. It is confirmed in the palm of your hands. You will be lauded by men far and wide for your scholarly brilliance. But few will know and appreciate your sacrifice in battle. In this lifetime, at least, you might come into a short happiness, but it is fleeting." He shook his head sadly.

The old man looked up again and stared into the younger man's eyes, and nodded, sagely. Zong Yi was sobered by the old man's prediction, and his eyes reflected this.

"Can I have your birth numbers? I'm curious about something..." the old man's twinkling eyes lit up again.

Zong Yi wrote the information using the brush and ink on the table, silently.

"Yes, good strokes. Your penmanship tells a lot about you, young man. A true scholar. Now, let's see..." the old man moved the numbers through an ancient abacus on his table. "Curious..." he muttered to himself, almost inaudibly. "Now, I know I've just seen this..."

Suddenly, the old man looked up with a beatific smile, eyes sparkling with mirth and knowledge. "I knew I just saw the matching birth numbers! It's heaven's will! You are fated to meet up with her today! It has been foretold!"

Zong Yi was startled and confused at the change in the old man's emotions. Who was he to meet? He was beginning to think that the old man was senile and sprouting nonsense.

"Xiang shi," he smiled at the excited old man, "I'm confused by you. I do not understand. Who is this person you are talking about?"

"Your wife!" exclaimed the old man.

"My wife?" asked Zong Yi incredulously.

"Yes. It's in the numbers. She was here just before you came. She should be somewhere on the temple grounds..."

Zong Yi's curiosity was aroused, even if he doubted the old man's sanity. Who was this lady that was fated to be his wife? What did she look like? The Central Temple was crowded today, it being a feast day, and there were many people about. Would he even be able to meet up with her at all? Would he recognise her?

"Yes," the old man's thoughtful voice broke Zong Yi's reverie. "According to my calculations, you should be able to see her soon. Ah yes, there she is!" the old man pointed towards a lady who was just coming out of a recessed door, carrying a bawling baby.

Zong Yi turned towards the general direction and took in a deep breath. The lady whom the old man pointed out was dressed like a merchant's wife. 'No doubt here to pray for prosperity,' he thought idly. She was young - no more than 20 years old and pretty in a common way, but no beauty.

Suddenly, the lady opened her mouth, and the image changed drastically. A shrewish shriek pierced the air, "Tao Xiang, you stop crying now! Stop it! Stop that noise! Stop that bawling!" The baby just wailed louder with her mother's harsh rebuke. The noise had by now, attracted a small audience. A passer-by, who happened to know the lady with the baby, ushered the mother and child towards the great Temple doors, saying, "Aiyah, Madam Chen, is little Tao Xiang unwell? I've never seen her crying so bad before! Is she hungry?" Trying their best to hush the red-faced child, they crossed the threshold and out the Temple grounds.

The old man looked at Zong Yi surreptitiously for his reaction.

"That woman?" Zong Yi spluttered, "That shrew would be my wife? And that annoying brat, my daughter? Old man," he bit out harshly, "What are you about? Are you making a fool of me? What in heaven's name would ever induce me to marry that woman?"

"Oh, I didn't say you'd be marrying that woman," smiled the old man enigmatically.

Zong Yi stared hard at the old man.

"The child she was carrying will be your wife."

Stunned, Zong Yi sat back on the chair and did not know how to respond. He blinked uncomprehendingly. That bawling brat? That annoying wailer? That red-faced little nothing? To be the matriarch of the reputable Wei family? The old man must be insane!

Angrily, Zong Yi stood up. "I've heard enough of your nonsense, Xiang Shi! Marry that red-faced brat!" he huffed, throwing down a few copper coins onto the table for the old man's services.

Striding, with his blue robes billowing behind him, he headed towards the area of the Temple where he had parted with his niang to wait for her. As his mother turned towards him, he saw the lady with the baby hurrying back into the Temple grounds to make a purchase at an incense stall. Catching the eye of his manservant, he told the servant to tail the woman and find out more about the family.

Marry that child! Ridiculous!

[@][@][@][@][@][@][@][@]

The more Zong Yi thought about what the old man had said, the angrier he got.

'Desolation? Loneliness for three lifetimes? Madness! And that ugly pug-like child to be his bride? Ludicrous! I am the master of my own destiny! Am I just a puppet? Heaven's will?' The thoughts ran round and round in his head, one thought chasing the other until Zong Yi was lost in a haze of confusion and ire.

In a pique of fury, he called for one of his trusted soldiers, a man who was skilled in warfare. Giving the man details of the whereabouts of the Chen family, he charged the soldier to assassinate the mother and child.

TBC.

Glossary:

Niang - Mother

Jin Hong - Gold Red

Zong Yi - Loyal Righteous

Die - Father

jia ji sui ji, jia gou sui gou - literally, "marry a chicken follow a chicken; marry a dog follow a dog". It means that once the female marries, she no longer belongs to her family, but belongs to the husband's family.

wen wu xuang quan - being capable in both the scholarly aspects as well as the martial arts aspects.

Feng Ling - Phoenix Bell

Tao Hua Yun - Peach Blossom Blessing (or being lucky in love)

Xiang Shi - Fortune Teller

Tao Xiang - Peach Fragrance

Aiyah - Exclamation. No meaning attached.

A/N: This part of the story was based on an actual Chinese folk story wherein a man tried to go against his destiny by killing a baby girl after a fortune teller told him that he would end up marrying her!

Can you recognise all the characters in HP? One chocolate frog for each correct character detected! Put your answer into the review! *wink*

Also, this is not set in any particular time period. I did not do enough research into this. All I know about wuxia (martial arts) are what I watch on the telly.

A/N2: This story is a submission for a WIKTT challenge:

The Basic Plot:

Severus and Hermione are destined to be together. Their spirits continue to meet up in different time periods, courtesy of reincarnation, and are drawn to one another time and again.

The Details:

The story must contain at least three vignettes. /Each vignette must take place in a different time period. All other details (setting, etc.) are up to you. In other words you could use, for example, ancient Greece and 15th century China or 13th century England and 16th century England. /One of the vignettes must be set during the canon time period with both characters as we see them in cannon. It may be set either during or after Hermione's studies at Hogwarts. /All vignettes must feature, at the very least, romantic tension between Severus and Hermione. /At least one vignette must feature Severus and Hermione becoming a couple (secretly or openly) or confessing their feelings for one another (this 'confession' need not be verbal). /Any rating. Any genre. Side plots involving other characters or pairings welcome. /The basic personality of each character must stay consistent across time periods. All other characteristics (appearance, form, etc.) may change. /You must pick a distinctive object or phrase that will appear in each vignette (i.e. a pink Cadillac, Hermione saying, "The price is wrong, bitch!"). For the purpose of this requirement, anachronistic items are welcome. /The characters may realize or sense the reoccurring nature of events, but they don't need to do so.