Everything unravelled when Father and brother quarreled during dinner.The meal started out silent,until brother broke the silence.

"Yanchen, have you any suitor in mind?"

 I shook my head.

"You're already of a marriageable age, besides Father is turning 60 next month-"

"Don't use me as an excuse!" Father cut in without looking up from his food.

"Father! We've discussed this before, we don't have time! The Lu's promised to help us in exchange for a daughter-in-law!"

"You're selling your sister off to marry a dead man!" Father roared back. It was as if I wasn't there as the heated quarrel continued on.

"Father please! The Lu's are filthy rich, you would be doing sister a favour! Do you want to send her to a nunnery or worse die unmarried? This is a golden opportunity! Who would marry a mute girl?!!" Immediately Father stood up and slapped brother across the face. With that brother slammed down his chopsticks and left the dining hall. I sat there clenching my chopsticks as tears threatened to spill.

That night as i was preparing for sleep, brother came to my room.

"Yanchen, you know what I'm here for, I hope you understand our circumstances,the business isn't doing well and we need to pay off the incurring debts."

I nodded as brother continued on in a gentler tone.

"Father is already old and should be enjoying life now, because of my uselessness and the war he is unable to do so. Who knows when the fighting will spill over into our town? It's better for everyone this way. The Lu's are rich and influential, you won't have to worry about anything, you will live a better life there."

I understood where Brother was getting to, to be honest I knew it too myself, brother didnt have to persuade me, I knew my place. A mute daughter brought even greater dishonor than an unmarried daughter.I walked over to the desk and took a brush, dipping it in the leftover ink.There on the paper I wrote two words 'I'm willing'.

I gave brother a small smile but i could feel the tears coming back.

After Father knew of my decision, he didn't say a word, no sign of approval or disapproval. Arrangements were made in preparation for the questionable wedding ceremony.The Lu's had already appointed a matchmaker to see through the arrangements, the matchmaker claimed that she specialized in such ghost marriages and assured us a quick and smooth wedding.

The matchmaker,a plump middle--aged lady who wore an absurd amount on rouge on her puffy cheeks,was loud and brash, today she was to take me to the fortune-teller to have the deceased and my horoscopes checked, to see if we matched or if I would bring him and his family calamity.

The fortune-teller was an old bearded man,wrinkles framed his eyes that seemed kind, he hardly spoke as he compared our horoscopes. He finally looked up, he looked at me directly despite the matchmaker sitting beside me fanning herself. "The signs match well, however there is tragedy in your signs, but what is meant to be will be, one cannot stop fate."

"Tch..." the matchmaker waved it off and placed the fees on the table before pulling me to go. Before I left, I turned around still bewildered by his words only to be met with a sad smile from him.