Seeing a chance to reach to her desire, little Victorious-Immortal decided to tell everything.  When she had finished, the very old woman said: 

“Do not be troubled.  I know one of his relations who has spoken to me of him.  He is intelligent and level-headed.  I shall go and see his brother, to make arrangements for your marriage, if you finally wish to marry him.”

“You know very well that I do,” said the sick child with a smile.  “But will my mother consent?”

“Do not be uneasy.  I have my methods.”

She was already out of the room, and saying to the mother: 

“I know what is the matter with your daughter.  If you would like me to make it clear to you, have two cups of wine brought in.”

Kind-Welcome made haste to arrange all on the table.  The healer drank a draught of burning wine and, turning to the mother, repeated word for word what the girl had confessed to her, adding: 

“And now there is nothing for it but to marry her to Erh-lang, for otherwise her death is certain.”

“My husband will be away for a long time yet.  I cannot decide without him.”

“You have only to make the arrangements.  You need not celebrate the marriage until after my Lord’s return.  She must be given her desire; there is no other way of saving her.”

“If the young man is as desirable as all that ...” the mother murmured uneasily.  “But how shall we bring the thing about?”

“I am going to speak to his elder brother.  I will keep you informed.”

Without further delay, the venerable go-between went straight to The Pavilion of the Quick Hedge, where she found Fan behind his counter, and saluted him: 

“Ten thousand happinesses!”

“You come at the right time,” he answered with a bow.  “I was about to send to beg you to do so.  For some days, I assure you, my brother has not been able to take a morsel of food.  He says that his whole body is aching, and now he stays in bed.  Will you, please, feel his pulse?”

“I will see him.  But it is better for me to be alone with him.”

“Then I shall not come with you.”

So the old woman went up into the sick man’s room, and he said to her feebly: 

“Mother Wang, it is very long since I saw you.  Alas!  You come too late!  My life is finished!”

“In what special way are you so seriously ill?” she asked, sitting near the bed and touching his wrist.

After a moment she continued: 

“Shall I tell you the name of your illness?  It is called Victorious-Immortal, little daughter of Chou, and her house is near the Ts’ao Gate.”

The sick man was startled and sat up: 

“How do you know that?”

“Her family has commissioned me to come and arrange your marriage.”

Immediate happiness revived the young man.

He rose and came down with the wise visitor to his astonished brother.