The Marriage Proposal
“Jin Cheong, what thoughts occupy you so deeply? Are you unwell by any chance?”
“Ah. No, not at all.”
Zhuge Ke’s question pulled me back from my wandering thoughts. I needed to steady my mind.
He had come to arrange a marriage with Sun Deng? Hold on. How old was Sun Deng again?
“Thank you for traveling such a long way to bring me this news. I find it hard to believe that His Majesty the King of Wu would consider betrothing his son to me.”
“Ah, I see. That explains it. His Majesty reached this decision only after the most careful deliberation. That is precisely why he sent me.”
As he spoke, Zhuge Ke straightened his shoulders with pride, as if to declare, I am so capable that Sun Quan himself chose me for this task. Just as the histories described—talented, yet arrogant.
“Yes. I understand that His Majesty the King of Wu made this decision with deep purpose. However, I believe His Highness Prince Sun Deng is still quite young. The difference in our ages would be considerable.”
By my recollection, Sun Deng was two years younger even than Liu Shan. That meant a full fourteen years between us.
“Yet His Majesty the Emperor of Shu and Her Majesty the Empress overcame a difference of thirty years to marry. What does a mere gap in age matter?”
“That may be so, but…”
“Could it be that our prince does not please you?”
“No—no, that is not it at all.”
I waved my hand in denial.
Sun Deng. Judged purely as a person, he was fine. No—among all the figures of the Three Kingdoms, it would not be an exaggeration to call him one of the most regrettable losses.
His character and ability were outstanding; he possessed every quality of a sage ruler. Yet he died young, never even succeeding Sun Quan.
And after his death came the disaster that tore Wu apart:
The Incident of the Two Palaces.
With the death of the clear first heir, Sun Deng, the succession fractured into two factions—the party of Sun He and the party of Sun Ba—locked in a vicious mud-slinging war. The result was the deaths of countless ministers, Lu Xun among them.
“Then is there some other obstacle?”
Zhuge Ke pressed again, and I set my thoughts aside to answer.
“His Highness the Prince is still so young. Is it not too hasty? And by rushing, might you not miss a far better match? The world is wide, and people are many.”
“You need not worry on that account. We need not hold the wedding at once; we can simply speak and proceed at a measured pace. Besides, a woman of your caliber, General Jin Cheong, cannot be found even if one searched the entire realm.”
Hmm. He showed no sign of backing down.
“Yet our Emperor and Empress have already married. With two such exalted persons already joined, our family is far too humble for a match with His Highness the Prince. I hope you will take this into consideration.”
“You need not worry about that either. What does family matter? As I said before, your ability and character are so outstanding that lineage is irrelevant. Moreover, this would be an opportunity to raise your family’s name even higher.”
That was the problem. If our house suddenly rose so sharply, some would rejoice—but others would grow wary.
“I hesitate to say this, but until recently the atmosphere between our two states was hardly cordial. And I myself stood in the middle of it. I worry that His Majesty the King of Wu might still feel displeased.”
I lightly mentioned how, not long ago, I had seen through Wu’s schemes in battle and smashed them.
“That, too, is no cause for concern. Even the traitor Cao Cao employed Jia Xu, the very man who caused the death of his eldest son Cao Ang. Our King of Wu possesses a magnanimity greater than Cao Cao’s. How could His Majesty fail to do what that traitor managed? He will set the past aside and place his trust in you.”
Had he rehearsed these lines in advance? He spoke smoothly, elevating his own lord while he was at it.
“It would be a fine thing for you as well, General Jin Cheong. Our prince will one day become master of the Jiangdong lands. When that day comes, you would rise to the position of queen consort. You could live in honor and dignity without ever having to face hardship again.”
That was exactly what I did not want—to be shut away in a palace with no chance for action.
Moreover, if history held true, Sun Deng would never even ascend the throne; he would die young. And if I, left a widow, then faced the Incident of the Two Palaces? The mere thought was horrifying. Absolutely not.
I might change the future, of course—but if I suddenly went to Wu, how much influence could I truly wield?
And I would have to leave the people I had grown close to. Having seen Lady Sun’s melancholy when she was far from home, I wanted even less to go. Besides, this might not be a simple marriage proposal; something else could be brewing behind the scenes.
I sighed inwardly and spoke.
“I have always pursued the life of a warrior rather than that of a woman. I am grateful for the proposal, but in truth I have no intention of marrying. One might say I am already married to the martial path. From childhood, when I first took up bow and spear, this resolve has only grown firmer.”
In the end, I would have to refuse on personal grounds. When I finished, Zhuge Ke replied,
“Hmm. I see. In that case, let us set aside the matter of your betrothal for the moment. There is another reason I have come to Shu.”
“Another reason?”
What else could there be besides the marriage proposal?
“It concerns Her Majesty the Empress. It has not been long since she left our Jiangdong lands, has it?”
“No, it has not.”
“In truth, her mother, the Queen Dowager, said this: ‘As a mother, I long to see my daughter.’”
“Ah. Of course. After so long apart, that is only natural.”
“Therefore, would it not be good if Her Majesty and you, General Jin Cheong, came to Jiangdong for a short while? I have heard that you and Her Majesty share a special bond. She could reunite with her mother, and you could meet our prince once. Though he is still young, his character is beyond praise. Once you meet him, your thoughts may change.”
Zhuge Ke had clearly not expected me to accept at once. He probably intended to have me meet Sun Deng several times over a period, hoping to turn my heart.
“…That is not something I can decide alone. I will speak of this matter to His Majesty and Her Majesty, then follow their decision.”
“Very well. I understand. Then I shall convey this to His Majesty and Her Majesty myself.”
With that, Zhuge Ke rose from his seat.
Sun Ren had often spoken of missing her mother, so her going to Jiangdong seemed a fine thing.
After Zhuge Ke had explained everything to Liu Bei and Sun Ren, I met with Sun Ren.
“Your Majesty. I have heard the full story. You will be going to Jiangdong this time?”
“Yes. After so long, I am returning to my homeland. I will see Mother as well. But…”
The smile that had first lit Sun Ren’s face clouded with a touch of worry.
“There was talk of a betrothal with Sun Deng, was there not?”
“Yes. The marriage itself has not been settled, but I was invited to accompany Your Majesty to Jiangdong and meet him once.”
“I can tell just by looking at your face. You do not wish to marry, do you?”
“…Yes. That is correct.”
Sun Ren nodded as if she had expected nothing else.
“I, too, would prefer that you remain here.”
“That is my wish as well.”
She asked what Liu Bei and my father thought. Neither of them viewed the match favorably.
Liu Bei had said,
“If you marry, you will have to leave for Wu, will you not? I would rather have you continue to serve at my side as a general.”
My father had said,
“If your heart is not in it, you need not do it. I only hope you marry a man who suits you.”
That, at least, was a relief to me.
“Well, that is fortunate. Will you not come with me to Jiangdong for a short while? I very much wish to show Mother that I have made such a fine friend here. And I will explain carefully to my brother that you have no desire to marry.”
“Yes. I cannot refuse outright, so I had already been thinking of going and declining with proper courtesy.”
Relations between the two states were finally showing signs of recovery; an open refusal would be unwise. Better to go and speak carefully—that was my plan.
When I agreed to accompany her, Sun Ren’s face lit with pure delight.
And so I set out with Sun Ren on a brief journey to Jiangdong—to the land of Wu.
Besides the usual companions Yu Eun and Zheng Sui, one more person would travel with us.
“I am Fu Qian. By His Majesty’s command, I have been assigned to attend the Left General. I look forward to serving you.”
Fu Qian—son of Fu Rong, and in the original history a loyal man who died defending a pass to the last during the fall of Shu Han.
Liu Bei, concerned for my safety on this journey to Jiangdong, had clearly attached him as an escort.
Thus Sun Ren and I set out upon the road.