With no such adventure as that which had attended Jasmine's journey to
the capital, they reached Mienchu, and, to their delight, were received
by the colonel in his own yamun. After congratulating him on his
release, which Jasmine took care he should understand was due
entirely to Tu's exertions, she gave him a full account of her various
experiences on the road and at the capital.

"It is like a story out of a book of marvels," said her father, "and
even now you have not exhausted all the necessary explanations. For,
since my release, your friend Wei has been here to ask for my daughter
in marriage. From some questions I put to him, he is evidently unaware
that you are my only daughter, and I therefore put him off and told him
to wait until you returned. He is in a very impatient state, and, no
doubt, will be over shortly."

Nor was the colonel wrong, for almost immediately Wei was announced,
who, after expressing the genuine pleasure he felt at seeing Jasmine
again, began at once on the subject which filled his mind.

"I am so glad," he said, "to have this opportunity of asking you to
explain matters. At present I am completely nonplussed. On my return
from Peking I inquired of one of your father's servants about his
daughter. 'He has not got one,' quoth the man. I went to another, and he
said, 'You mean the "young noble," I suppose.' 'No, I don't,' I said; 'I
mean his sister.' 'Well, that is the only daughter I know of,' said he.
Then I went to your father, and all I could get out of him was, 'Wait
until the "young noble" comes home.' Please tell me what all this
means."