Gui Yuanshu’s expression toward Li Chi was one of pure revulsion. Added to the fact that he had just told Gan Daode he wanted to investigate the Shanhai Army’s people, even Gan Daode himself felt it was unsuitable for those two to be standing together.

“General Li, come over here — I have something to say to you.”

Gan Daode smiled at Li Chi, and Li Chi immediately shuffled over in small quick steps: “What would the King like to instruct?”

Gui Yuanshu, seeing Li Chi move away, could not help but let out an involuntary breath of relief.

He had barely finished releasing that breath when he saw Li Chi come shuffling back and press the head of garlic into his hand: “Keep it. For eating.”

Gui Yuanshu looked down at it and thought: fine, whatever.

Li Chi moved to stand before Gan Daode. Gan Daode thought it was still better to at least ask a few things, just to be thorough, and so he asked: “Last night there were some people from the jianghu world causing trouble within Wulai City. I trust they did not disturb your people?”

Li Chi replied: “Not at all. Last night we sensed something was off — the contingent outside our lodgings was reinforced — though we did not know what had happened. We were wondering if there was anything we might help with. So it turned out to be jianghu travellers making trouble.”

Gan Daode made a sound of acknowledgment. “Good that it didn’t affect you. Were any of your people outside last night and unaccounted for?”

Li Chi replied: “Not one person went outside. We have been going out very little lately. In these past few days only one person went out to purchase a few things. Everyone is present.”

This matched exactly what his people had reported, so Gan Daode nodded: “Good that no one went out. Wulai City has been unsettled of late.”

He suddenly thought of something and looked at Li Chi: “Has the young mistress also arrived?”

Li Chi made a sound of assent: “Your underlings sent word commanding everyone to assemble at the King’s residence as quickly as possible — and so the young mistress and the elder head of the family both came.”

Gan Daode thought: everyone has come, and if he did not at least greet them, it would genuinely be impolite — after all, this was a prospective marriage alliance.

Originally he had intended to meet the young mistress first — but the Shanhai Army’s people had said it was inauspicious for the two to meet before the wedding, and so that had been dropped.

After all, the question of auspiciousness was one where most people felt: if you believed, it was real; if you did not, it was nothing. But to disbelieve entirely was equally impossible.

“Please invite the young mistress and the elder head of the family to the main hall to meet.”

After saying this to Li Chi, Gan Daode turned and walked toward the main hall.

Li Chi thought: the fun was really starting now.

So he made every effort to appear unwounded — walking briskly on his way back, though walking like this hurt his wounds — but then he caught sight of Little Zhang Zhenren’s full outfit of flowing skirts and could not suppress a snort of laughter.

A large creamy-yellow skirt, which should have been somewhat fitted at the waist — but Little Zhang Zhenren’s belly protruded, and his backside was broad, making him distinctly front-heavy and rear-prominent, so that the creamy-yellow skirt carried a certain unexpected exotic character.

“Young Mistress, the King of Qingzhou requests that you and the elder head of the family come to the main hall for a meeting.”

Little Zhang Zhenren: “I’m not going. Whoever wants to go can go.”

Li Chi said: “Young Mistress, don’t be willful.”

Little Zhang Zhenren sighed. “What is this young mistress supposed to say? Won’t I give us away the moment I open my mouth?”

Yu Jiuling thought it over beside them and offered him an approach: “A young mistress naturally has a young mistress’s standing. Especially the young mistress of the Shanhai Army — she needs to be a bit forthright. Not too hesitant and coy, or it’ll seem off.”

As the eldest daughter of the greatest rebel force in Yanzhou, she could indeed not be too coy.

Little Zhang Zhenren breathed deeply, urging himself into the role as quickly as possible.

“Easy enough.”

Li Chi found a silk scarf and handed it to Little Zhang Zhenren: “Just say that it’s inauspicious to be seen before the wedding, so you’ll keep your face covered — with your face hidden, you won’t feel as awkward.”

Yu Jiuling said: “Might not be a good idea. The face is really the only worthwhile part — but if you cover that too, I worry Gan Daode will tear it off right then and there.”

Li Chi glanced at Little Zhang Zhenren’s physique and found himself thinking that Yu Jiuling made an excellent point.

He looked at Little Zhang Zhenren: “Young Mistress — be brave.”

Little Zhang Zhenren: “Brave about what? Tell me how to be brave, how to be forthright, how to be bold.”

Yu Jiuling mused aloud: “What should the young mistress say… Right — the young mistress needs presence. The moment you walk in, it’s got to be: *Stand aside — the young mistress has arrived* — and then you look at Gan Daode and say: *Want a round? I’ll see you satisfied!*”

Little Zhang Zhenren: “Go stuff yourself in a rolling bucket.”

Yu Jiuling said: “My elder is gifted beyond compare — but he never told me that. How would you know?”

Little Zhang Zhenren: “…”

After a great deal of coaxing, Old Zhang Zhenren and Little Zhang Zhenren followed Li Chi to the main hall. Little Zhang Zhenren looked genuinely terrified.

And not only him — on the other side, Gan Daode was nervous too.

A man like him — a violent brute, killer of countless, with a ferocious reputation far and wide — and yet the mere thought of meeting his future consort was enough to make his heart pound.

Then he saw Li Xiaoxin usher in an enormous woman, and his heart did not just pound — it stopped.

It truly stopped for a moment, and the color of his face went somewhat purple because of it.

Gan Daode had been in rather good spirits today, to be honest.

He had already been making preparations for a fallback — thinking that if things came to it, he would take his forces to the Jingzhou area, find a new location, and avoid the Holy Blade Sect’s people.

Last night, word had suddenly come that the Holy Blade Sect’s people had gotten into a fight with some unknown adversary.

His people had not managed to catch Yuan Jianli — but they had caught several insignificant minor figures.

Under interrogation, it emerged that Yuan Jianli, a man of that caliber, had somehow been critically wounded by another and had fled into hiding.

For Gan Daode, this was the best news he had received in quite some time.

He had immediately ordered the city sealed and troops mobilized to conduct a sweep of Wulai City, block by block.

He was convinced that the gravely wounded Yuan Jianli could not have escaped from the city. As long as he remained inside, finding him was only a matter of time.

But this good mood — the moment Little Zhang Zhenren stepped through the door, it froze solid, as though encased in ice.

And it was not just the mood that seemed frozen. The man himself seemed to have frozen too.

Good lord — that figure — it could probably fit Gan Daode inside it entirely… just barely filling one bedroom, with a living room left over.

Gan Daode’s very first thought was: *if this thing sits on me, wouldn’t that crush me flat?*

He had not yet paused to wonder why his very first thought was of this thing sitting on him, or why sitting on him was the scenario that came to mind.

Was that the sort of thing you just sat for?

“This…”

Gan Daode stood frozen. Xu Ru quickly tugged at his sleeve from behind, murmuring urgently: “Quickly — invite them to sit.”

Gan Daode coughed several times: “Ahem… Ha ha ha, honored guests have arrived, and I have been remiss in not going to welcome them. Please, Elder, Young Mistress — do not take offense. Please, sit, sit.”

Old Zhang Zhenren showed no particular concern, his expression composed as ever. He smiled, stepped forward, and exchanged several pleasantries.

All the usual things: how we had never had the occasion to meet before — truly negligent — seeing the prospective son-in-law at last, what a fine-looking man he is.

Gan Daode, hearing this, had the immediate impulse to dispatch both of them.

Little Zhang Zhenren had still covered his face with the silk scarf — but the pair of large eyes that showed above it were rather lively.

This was perhaps the one small comfort left to Gan Daode: at least the face was probably not ugly.

After an extended stretch of awkward silence, Gan Daode remembered that he ought to exchange at least a few words with the young mistress, or it would look terribly impolite.

So he smiled and asked: “I still don’t know the young lady’s name…”

Little Zhang Zhenren pitched his voice carefully and answered: “Mei Chenxiang.”

The voice was actually rather captivating.

As for the name — whether it carried any fragrance was yet to be seen, but from appearances, it certainly carried considerable weight.

Li Chi sat at a distance. His position as a mere Shanhai Army general meant he naturally had to keep his distance, leaving the closer seats for Old Zhang Zhenren. It was quite convenient for laughing.

Xu Ru, seeing that Gan Daode was at a complete loss for what to say next, quickly stepped forward: “This subordinate is the King’s advisor, Xu Ru. The King has entrusted all matters of the wedding to me — together with Lord Gui, who was sent by the court.”

He looked toward Gui Yuanshu.

Gui Yuanshu rose with visible reluctance and cupped his fists: “Indeed.”

Old Zhang Zhenren looked toward Gui Yuanshu: “Lord Gui seems somewhat… displeased?”

This single observation plunged the already awkward atmosphere directly to its lowest point.

Even Gan Daode glanced toward Gui Yuanshu, his expression conveying clearly: *please don’t cause a scene right now.*

Fortunately, Gui Yuanshu knew what to say. He bent slightly: “In reply to the Elder — I did not sleep well last night. My spirits look somewhat off, that is all.”

Old Zhang Zhenren said: “Ah, poor sleep. No wonder.”

Xu Ru immediately said: “Elder, you have not yet seen the residence. May I accompany you for a walk through the back gardens? They are in bloom just now.”

Old Zhang Zhenren asked: “Is there somewhere to fish?”

Xu Ru smiled: “There is — there is a small lake in the back garden, full of fish, and quite plump ones at that.”

Old Zhang Zhenren: “You’ve eaten them?”

Xu Ru: “…”

Old Zhang Zhenren said: “How would you know they’re plump if you haven’t eaten them? Come — let’s go have a look. Fishing is the one great love of my life.”

“Father, I’ll come with you.”

Little Zhang Zhenren immediately stood and said this.

Old Zhang Zhenren smiled — sincerely but unmistakably: “You should stay and keep the King company.”

Gan Daode and Little Zhang Zhenren said simultaneously: “Oh, no need, please don’t…”

Old Zhang Zhenren sighed: “This child of mine — always clinging to me, alas… Just thinking about how she’ll be married off here while I return to Yanzhou, and then who knows when we’ll meet again across all those miles…”

Gan Daode thought: *you could take her back with you right now, that would be perfectly fine* — but of course this could not be said aloud. As Xu Ru had put it: you marry her, you don’t necessarily have to spend much time with her. It’s simply a ceremony of alliance. Once the ceremony is done, both sides have more trust and a basis for cooperation — tremendously beneficial for staking out territory in the future.

Gan Daode said: “I still have some matters to see to out front. I’ll come keep the Elder and the Young Mistress company in the back garden in a little while.”

Old Zhang Zhenren nodded: “Very well. Men should put their ambitions first. Women should tend the household.”

He glanced back at Little Zhang Zhenren: “Remember that.”

Little Zhang Zhenren pitched his voice demurely: “Father, I will remember.”

After Li Chi’s group had gone to the back garden, Gan Daode turned immediately and asked: “Which one of you told me that the Shanhai Army’s young mistress had a rare and exceptional appearance, and a figure to match?!”

Xu Ru looked at Gui Yuanshu. Gui Yuanshu lowered his head in shame.

Gan Daode looked at Gui Yuanshu: “No wonder you didn’t want me to meet them. No wonder you wanted to wreck this whole arrangement…”

And remarkably, he was not actually very angry — he even felt a faint, dim gratitude toward Gui Yuanshu.

Gui Yuanshu bowed deeply: “This subordinate is devoted with his whole heart…”

Gan Daode looked at Xu Ru: “Really… really have to go through with it?”

Xu Ru said persuasively: “My King, although she is perhaps ever so slightly on the fuller side, fullness is also a good thing — it speaks of a blessed person. If the consort is blessed, then the King is all the more blessed.”

Gui Yuanshu, watching this man, thought to himself: *the skin of your face when you tell lies — did you study in Jizhou? Because without a Jizhou education, no one should have skin that thick.*

Gan Daode let out a long, helpless sigh: “Forget it — let us not speak of this anymore. Go see to the matter out front — find out who in the world brought a peerless martial artist into my territory.”

At this moment, Gan Daode could not help but begin to suspect: last night’s clash had not been some random incident. Someone had come with a peerless martial artist in tow — and it was unlikely to be a simple matter.

—