Han Dynasty.

Soldiers were returning from a four-year war...

Beautiful young women, like yourself, were going to the matchmaker so they could be married off and bring honor to their families, fulfilling their role as a woman, a daughter, a wife, a mother.

However, your meeting with the matchmaker didn't go... well. In fact, it was a disaster. "You may look like a bride, but you will never bring honor to your family as one!" The matchmaker had said as she tossed you out. "It'd be a miracle if your ancestors managed to bring a decent bachelor into your life that would take you as his wife!"

That was a few weeks ago...

Now you stand with all of the other young, single women, looking prim and proper and beautiful while young men, soldiers, filed into your village, looking over the women as they passed through. Hopefully you look desirable... If you couldn't get a husband, you wouldn't bring honor to your family. The lowest of the low unfortunates.

Each woman stands in their gorgeous outfit with her face caked with makeup and a tag showing what the matchmaker said about them. Soldiers taking shelter in villages would possibly choose one of the bachelorettes on their journey home.

And you pray that one would pick you, after all, this was the last party of soldiers that would pass through your village. Hopefully, some ugly young man would see your matchmaker notes and know you're desperate for any kind of husband.