Volume 1, Chapter 21: He Could Never Withstand a Punch from That Tigress

"When you went to find a matchmaker, did you even bother to ask around? A young girl working as a hunter, roaming the mountains and rivers all day long—she’s the notorious 'tigress' of Great Nan Mountain! How could you suggest such a person as a wife for Sanlang? Aren't you afraid that once she's married into our home, she’ll tear him apart limb from limb?"

The joy on Mrs. Wang’s face was doused like cold water by her husband's words, and she froze.

She looked puzzled. "Is it really as exaggerated as you say? I thought the girl was quite lovely. When she came to our house yesterday to discuss business with Sanlang, she was nothing but polite, calling me 'Auntie' and greeting the scholar Qiao properly. She wasn't asking for favors for free, either; she didn't seem like the fierce, unreasonable person you describe at all!"

"What? That tigress came to our house? Why didn't you tell me about this yesterday?" Qiao Dashan’s back broke out in a cold sweat. He worried that the Jiang family had set their sights on his son and had come specifically to scout for information.

"We were discussing the family split yesterday, so I just forgot to mention it!" Mrs. Wang replied sheepishly. Seeing her husband’s shocked expression, she tried to persuade him, "Old man, don't just listen to rumors. I think this Jiang girl is quite good; she’s not as mysterious or scary as you make her out to be."

"What do you mean, 'mysterious'? This came directly from Fusheng’s father! You have no idea how vicious Jiang Xian is. Everywhere she goes in Great Nan Mountain, there isn't a single piece of prey she can't catch. Her strength surpasses that of an ox. Fusheng’s father said that when his son first went hunting, he saw that girl kill a massive tiger with a single punch! Tell me, isn't that terrifying? If we marry such a formidable person into our home, we’ll have to treat her like an ancestor and burn incense to her. Don't be so stubborn!"

Mrs. Wang truly couldn't reconcile the image of the delicate, well-mannered girl named Jiang Xian with the "tigress" her husband described. Skeptical, she shook her head. "Is Fusheng’s father just blowing smoke? Jiang Xian is only a little taller than me and looks slim and frail. How could she have the ability to kill a tiger with one punch?"

"How could she not? Fusheng saw it with his own eyes!" Exhausted, Qiao Dashan walked over to the Eight Immortals table, poured a large bowl of warm water, and gulped it down. He looked back at his wife and said, "If you don't believe me, go out and ask around tomorrow to see if it’s true.

"Sanlang is the most promising child in our Qiao family. Even though his luck has been poor lately, he’s still one of the top young men in Junxi County. How can he marry an illiterate tigress? If Sanlang passes the imperial examination and becomes an official in the future, his colleagues will laugh him to death for having such a rustic wife."

Qiao Dashan thought for a moment and suggested, "How about this? After the academy examinations next year, if Sanlang still hasn't passed to become a scholar, we can talk about marriage then. Can't we just wait a little longer?"

"That won't do!" Mrs. Wang shook her head, sat on a nearby stool, and grumbled to her husband, "I’m telling you, Jiang Xian is the kind of good girl you’d struggle to find even with a lantern. My intuition and judgment won't be wrong. Whether you agree or not, we’ve already set the date for the meeting on the ninth day of the twelfth lunar month. If we break our word and don't show up, do you think the Jiang family will let it slide?

"Besides, if Jiang Xian really is the fierce tigress you say she is, wouldn't standing her up be asking for a beating? If she runs over here and gives us each a punch, who in this house could handle that?"

Mrs. Wang remained convinced of her judgment. Moreover, Sanlang was a scholar who valued his reputation above all else. Even when his brothers and sisters-in-law caused trouble, he would just suffer in silence—what else could he do? Precisely because of this, Sanlang needed a sharp-tongued, spirited wife who could keep the household in order; only then would he not be bullied in the future.

Qiao Dashan’s expression stiffened. Thinking of his wife’s words, he felt a wave of lingering fear. If the Jiang family really had their eyes on Sanlang, and they didn't show up for the arranged meeting, would the Jiang family accept that? Wouldn't that tigress come over and land a punch on each of them?

The image of a robust, six-foot-tall woman roaring as she punched a tiger to death suddenly flashed in his mind. Qiao Dashan shook his head violently. No, no—he was getting old and couldn't withstand a punch from a tigress.

Swallowing hard, he looked at Mrs. Wang. "Since it’s already arranged, we’ll go to the meeting on the ninth. But you must find an excuse to talk to Sanlang beforehand. Tell him not to agree to the marriage, and tell the Jiang family that our Sanlang isn't worthy of their girl. No matter what, we must be polite and smooth things over so the marriage proposal just fades away, understand?"

Mrs. Wang couldn't be bothered to argue further and replied dismissively, "Fine. You know your youngest son—if he doesn't want to do something, no one can force him."

Qiao Dashan agreed; with a fierce woman like that from the Jiang family, his youngest son would surely not be interested. He cautioned her again, "Good. Make sure you talk to Sanlang properly. Even if he doesn't like her, we must be tactful. Don't be too blunt and offend the Jiang family. As the saying goes, it’s better to resolve grievances than to create them. We absolutely must not provoke them!"

"Enough, enough, I know! I’m going to the kitchen to see what’s for dinner!" Mrs. Wang was tired of her husband’s constant nagging, like a monk chanting scriptures. How could a little girl have such terrifying abilities? It was embarrassing that her husband, at his age, was so cowardly.

The Qiao family had already split, and the three households shared one kitchen. The older brothers' wives had already set their cooking times, and Mrs. Wang couldn't be bothered to fight them, so she always used the stove last for all three meals. She took a small bowl of white flour from the cabinet, planning to mix it with wild vegetables to make cakes, and perhaps boil a bowl of flour soup with an egg and some green onions—that would be a complete dinner.

The elder daughter-in-law, Mrs. Xiao Wang, had just finished washing dishes and, seeing her mother-in-law enter, immediately stepped forward with feigned enthusiasm, taking the bowl of flour from her hands. "Mother, what are you planning to have for dinner?"

Seeing the look on her daughter-in-law’s face, Mrs. Wang replied indifferently, "Wild vegetable cakes, and a bowl of flour soup with an egg."

"Alright! We just finished eating, and I have nothing to do anyway. Let me help you, Mother; you just sit and tend the fire!"

"Hm, alright." Mrs. Wang was exhausted from a long day, and she wasn't foolish enough to refuse her daughter-in-law’s offer to do the labor.

Mrs. Xiao Wang busied herself at the stove while Mrs. Wang tended the fire. As the two chatted, Mrs. Xiao Wang suddenly asked, "Mother, did you go to arrange a match for Sanlang today? Which family’s daughter is it? How much dowry are you planning to give?"

Mrs. Wang rolled her eyes at her daughter-in-law. "What’s it to you? We’ve already split the family; do you still want to manage how much dowry I give to Sanlang’s wife?"

"No, Mother, why are you like this? I was just asking!"

Mrs. Wang huffed. "I know exactly what you’re thinking. But you and the second brother’s family know how much money I have. If this marriage goes through, we can afford at most ten taels of silver for the betrothal gift, and not a penny more!"

Mrs. Xiao Wang chuckled. "Yes, times have been hard these years, and we still have to support Sanlang’s studies; we really don't have the money. But a ten-tael betrothal gift is considered high in all of Junxi County. My natal family married off a girl last month who was only sixteen, and they only asked for two taels."

Mrs. Wang had heard as much and sighed. In times of famine, everything was cheap, and human life even cheaper. If she had the money, she would certainly increase the betrothal gift for the Jiang family. After all, she and her husband were currently living with Sanlang, and after he married, they would continue to live with the couple. If she had the means, she would naturally want to give more to his household to ensure they were treated well in their old age.

Mrs. Xiao Wang continued to press while she worked. "Mother, which family’s daughter did you find for Sanlang? Why be so secretive? It’s making me anxious."

Mrs. Wang replied impatiently, "It’s that Jiang girl from Taoyuan Village who visited yesterday."

"Her?" Mrs. Xiao Wang had a vague impression of her. She recalled Mrs. Wang saying there was nothing set yet, but now she had already gone to propose; it was clear how much her mother-in-law valued this future daughter-in-law.

"What? Have you heard of her?" Mrs. Wang asked, looking up at her daughter-in-law as if startled.

Mrs. Xiao Wang quickly shook her head, replying casually, "No, I haven't. But that girl doesn't look like she’s very healthy; she’s as thin as a sheet of paper. Why did you choose her?"

"She’s pretty, slim, and most importantly, she’s the only daughter in her family with no sons. She has a fiery temper and knows how to manage a household—much better than you or the second daughter-in-law!" Mrs. Wang replied without hesitation. Mrs. Xiao Wang hummed in agreement, though her mind was already turning.

***

Taoyuan Village, the Jiang family home.

Winter days grew dark early, and it was already pitch black outside just past the hour of the Rooster (7:00 PM). Jiang Shunde brought the last basin of steaming braised carp with tofu to the table. The heat made him pinch his ears, and he called for Mrs. Qian and Jiang Xian to come out for dinner.

The four of them sat around the Eight Immortals table. Seeing the feast of four dishes and one soup, Tangtang looked at Jiang Xian with curiosity. "Mother, is it Chinese New Year?"

The three adults looked at each other and laughed.

Tangtang looked innocent and well-behaved. "But I only see fish during the New Year!"

Jiang Xian smiled and stroked her small head. "Our family doesn't have that rule. Whenever you want to eat it, we can have fish and meat. If there’s anything you want to eat, just tell your grandfather, and he’ll make it for you!"

"So that's how it is! I thought we could only eat fish during the New Year!" Tangtang looked enlightened, and Jiang Shunde and the others laughed again.

Jiang Shunde picked up a piece of fish belly and put it in Tangtang’s bowl. "Eat while it’s hot, Tangtang. See how your grandfather’s cooking is."

"Mhm, thank you, Grandfather!" Tangtang held her bowl and ate slowly, praising the food as she went, making Jiang Shunde’s eyes crinkle with joy. Mrs. Qian also smiled gently as she added food to Tangtang’s bowl.

Since Tangtang had arrived, Jiang Xian noticed that her parents’ smiles had become more frequent. Indeed, a child made the home lively, and the more children there were, the more bustling it felt.

Jiang Xian chatted while she ate. "By the way, Father, Mother, today Tangtang went to Dr. Chen’s house with me, and she seemed very interested in medicinal herbs. I agreed that she could spend half a day there learning medicine; I think having a medical skill is a good thing to have. Also, Village Chief Chen said they’ve invited Qiao Xun to teach at the village school, and it will reopen in two days. Tangtang can go to school in the morning and learn medicine in the afternoon. That way, she won't be bored when the three of us are busy!"

"Oh? Will that be too tiring for Tangtang?" Mrs. Qian’s face immediately filled with concern.