In the Northern Song Dynasty, he started by marrying the eighth daughter of the Su family.

Han Zhi stroked his chin and began to ponder:

Since it's a poem in the form of a couplet, it needs to be in parallel structure and have similar meanings. The other person's poem is clearly a delicate, understated style, a poem for women confined to their chambers; it's impossible for me to write one myself, is it?

He turned to Su Xun and asked, "Master Su, do you have any paper and pen to lend me?"

Su Xun nodded and turned to leave. Han Zhi paced back and forth in the courtyard, pondering the appropriate words.

When Su Xun brought the paper and pen, Han Zhi simply took them and sat down at the door of Su Zhen's room. He was scratching his forehead as he recalled the poem she had just recited.

After pondering for a long time, he finally put pen to paper and wrote three words: "The golden spears have sunk."

Han Zhi didn't hear the slightest movement behind the door. He sat down in front of the door and slowly wrote a poem:

"The golden spears are heavy, the bright moon hangs high, the cold wind penetrates to the bone and soaks the battle robes. The dragon roars, the sorrow of parting fills the sky, the beauty of the grass is hard to describe. The crescent moon is like a knife, the black hair is tied up, the sound of the pine trees closes the door."

But after he finished writing it, he felt something was missing, so he picked up his pen and paper and began to examine the poem carefully again.

"Isn't that a bit too bold?"

"Is it a bit inappropriate for a writer to use such words that have a strong sense of battlefield atmosphere?"

As he was pondering this, Su Xun stepped forward and asked, "Master Han, how is it?"

Han Zhi shrugged and handed the paper to Su Xun, letting the latter read it.

Su Xun examined the poem and then began to compare it with the one Su Zhen had recited. The former was gentle, while the latter was forceful; apart from the common image of the "moon," the entire poem was almost entirely opposite.

The words are good, but I don't know if they'll suit my daughter's taste when they rhyme.

"Eighth Sister, Master Han has already provided the matching poem!" Su Xun called out, then slipped the poem paper through the crack in the door.

Immediately afterwards, Han Zhi also had to stand up. It wouldn't be good if someone saw him sitting on the ground looking so disheveled.

After a while, the door opened, and Su Zhen himself appeared. This was hardly the case of "not yet dressed"; Su Zhen was now dressed very formally, clearly having been waiting for a long time.

She held two sheets of paper in her hand, looked towards the door, but then paused, saying, "Well, well, I was wondering who came to propose marriage? Turns out it was you, you scoundrel."

Upon hearing this, Han Zhi blushed and said, "I... I was just passing by with my mother when we happened to..."

"What do you mean?" Su Zhen looked at Han Zhi and found him rather endearing. "Why don't you just explain yourself clearly instead of stammering and making no sense?"

Han Zhi swallowed hard. Seeing this, Su Zhen stopped teasing him and said, "Han, your second stanza, while not the best, is still a rare masterpiece. It echoes my first stanza."

"I didn't realize that Master Han possessed such a heroic spirit. Why did he imitate others and become a lecher?"

Seeing his daughter still teasing Han Zhi, Su Xun coughed lightly to remind Su Zhen. Upon hearing this, the latter had no choice but to put away the poem and smiled.

"Sir Han is a man of great learning, and I myself am somewhat versed in poetry. If Sir Han has the time, why not come into my room for a chat?"

"This..." Han Zhi understood, and bowed, saying, "Then I'm sorry to have bothered you."

He then prepared to lead Yueping inside, but Su Zhen said in a somewhat sarcastic tone, "Why is it that when Lord Han goes on a blind date, he's not choosing my family, but now he's bringing a maid along?"

"I apologize, I was unaware of this."

Han apologized politely, then took the cloth and hairpin from Yueping and followed Su Zhen inside. Su Xun was very accommodating; after the two entered, he closed the door and left with Yueping.

Sitting opposite Su Zhen, Han Zhi was still holding a bolt of cloth in his arms and a gold hairpin in one hand. Su Zhen couldn't help but laugh at him looking like this.

She put down the poem and then took a bowl of tea and placed it in front of Han Zhi: "My lord Han, this is the tea I brewed this morning. Please enjoy it."

Han Zhi nodded, then casually placed the cloth he was carrying on the ground, while carefully placing the hairpin on the table. He then picked up the teacup with both hands and took a sip.

"Good tea."

Su Zhen smiled and said, "My family is poor, where would I get such good tea? On the contrary, Mr. Han is well-off and a top scholar, why would he come here?"

"I came here to find a spouse."

Hearing Han Zhi's somewhat nonsensical reply, Su Zhen laughed and said, "In that case, I wonder if you, Mr. Han, find me pleasing to the eye today?"

“Eye contact…eye contact…” Han Zhi nodded, his eyes fixed on the hairpin on the table.

"I wonder if Madam Su would find me suitable?"

But as soon as Han Zhi asked the question, he felt like he had asked a stupid one—if someone invites you into their boudoir, how could they possibly look down on you?

He quickly picked up the gold hairpin on the table, stood up, and, holding the hairpin, asked somewhat awkwardly and shyly, "I wonder if I could now make a hairpin for Lady Su?"

Su Zhen lowered her head slightly, revealing the back of her head to Han Zhi. Only then did the latter walk behind her and carefully put the hairpin on her head.

At this point, the two locked eyes. Su Zhen then said, "Alright, now please follow me to the front hall so that my lord can see the result."

"it is good."

Su Xun's house wasn't large, so Han Zhi followed Su Zhen for a short distance before arriving at the main hall. Su Xun and Madam Cheng were already seated in the main seats, and upon seeing the gold hairpin in Su Zhen's hair, they understood the situation.

Even Su Zhen himself has accepted this husband, so even if Madam Cheng wanted to arrange a marriage with her family, there was nothing she could do. She then asked:

"Master Han, you just passed the provincial examination with top honors a couple of days ago. When do you plan to go to the capital?"

"Reporting to Madam..."

Han Zhi was about to speak when he heard Su Zhen cough lightly, followed by her whispered reminder: "Now you should call her mother-in-law."

"Replying to my mother-in-law," Han Zhi quickly changed his words, "I plan to get married on a chosen date. After the wedding, I will take Lady Su with me to the capital to take the imperial examination. Therefore, I hope you will grant my request."

The matchmaker then stepped forward with a smile, handed the cursive script in her hand to Su Xun, and exchanged it with Su Zhen's cursive script.

Su Xun and Madam Cheng exchanged a glance and both agreed that it was acceptable. Su Xun also said, "In that case, we will follow Mr. Han's suggestion."

Han Zhi bowed and then said, "In the next two days, I will have someone consult the oracle, and then I will send the betrothal gifts along with the divination."

"Alright, thank you for your trouble, Master Han."

After exchanging a few more polite words, Han Zhi and Yue Ping left together.