◎I’m Making a Sacrifice Marrying You◎

Xie Heng and Li Guiyu’s fight was exceptionally fierce.

Initially, when he and Li Guiyu started fighting, within moments, Zhuque and Qingya rushed over after hearing the news, running right into Li Guiyu’s attendants Qingzhu and Zitang. All six people fought inseparably in the plaza.

When Li Zong arrived with Yang Chun, Li Guiyu was choking Xie Heng’s neck and had crashed him into a stone pillar in the water feature, smashing it and falling into the water. Xie Heng, underwater, used his feet to trip Li Guiyu entirely into the water, then flipped over to kneel on top of him, pressing Li Guiyu’s head underwater.

Seeing this, Li Zong widened his eyes and roared angrily: “What are you doing?!”

Hearing this angry shout, everyone simultaneously stopped their actions.

Xie Heng gasped and looked up at Li Zong. After a moment of silence, he released Li Guiyu, waded out of the pool, and knelt before Li Zong with a cold expression, bowing: “Greetings to Your Majesty.”

As soon as he knelt, everyone else let go and came forward to kneel in succession.

Li Zong looked down angrily, about to scold them, when he saw Xie Heng’s clothes soaked through, his face injured, water droplets falling from his hair to the ground – a rare sight of him in such dishevelment.

The scolding words stuck in his throat. Li Zong then heard footsteps beside him and saw Li Guiyu following up, kneeling before Li Zong while suppressing his anger: “Greetings to Father Emperor.”

“You two…”

Li Zong raised his hand and looked around. Yang Chun immediately realized something and quickly had the young eunuchs clear the surrounding area.

Zhuque, Qingya, Qingzhu, and Zitang all dispersed. As they left, Zhuque and Zitang couldn’t help but glare at each other one last time.

When only Li Guiyu, Xie Heng, and Li Zong remained in the plaza, Li Zong finally lowered his voice and scolded angrily: “What is this about? With so many people watching in the palace, a Supervision Department Director and a Prince fighting like this – isn’t it disgraceful?!”

“It’s this son’s fault.”

Li Guiyu immediately accepted blame, saying hurriedly: “This son heard some rumors and rushed into the palace. I happened to see Director Xie and wanted to inquire, but Director Xie struck without a word. This son couldn’t control himself for a moment…”

Li Guiyu didn’t continue, only lowered his head and kowtowed: “It was this son who was too impulsive. Please Father Emperor punish me.”

This plea for punishment was loaded with implications. If he spoke of being impulsive, how could he, the one who was hit, compare to the one who initiated the violence?

Xie Heng glanced at him without saying much. Li Zong, hearing Li Guiyu’s words, understood the cause and effect, looking at Xie Heng somewhat helplessly: “Tell me, why did you strike?”

“I was holding an imperial edict, and he grabbed me.” Xie Heng replied. Li Zong felt momentarily dizzy, as if returning to when Xie Heng was five or six years old.

Why did you hit him?

He grabbed me.

“You…”

“Moreover,” Xie Heng said calmly, “Miss Luo previously served in the Supervision Department and has now been granted marriage by Your Majesty. Both emotionally and logically, she is someone this subject should protect. The Third Prince spoke wildly, and this subject could not tolerate it.”

With these words, Li Zong completely understood. Li Guiyu probably didn’t just pull Xie Heng – he likely said some unpleasant things too.

He also understood Li Guiyu’s feelings. After all, he’d heard Li Guiyu was preparing for marriage, and suddenly his fiancée was granted in marriage to someone else – his unwillingness was natural.

But Li Zong understood Xie Heng’s temperament even better. Even if it was just for killing Zheng Pingsheng, Luo Wanqing was nominally granted to him in marriage. Until this marriage matter ended, Xie Heng would treat her as his wife with respect. Given Xie Heng’s temper, if Li Guiyu dared speak carelessly in front of him, how could he be easy to deal with?

Understanding the situation, Li Zong’s anger mostly dissipated.

He looked at the two young men, and after a long while, waved his hand and sighed: “Forget it. Let’s pretend this never happened. Heng’er, you go first. I’ll talk with Guiyu.”

Hearing this, Xie Heng bowed and was about to stand when he suddenly remembered something and said seriously, “Your Majesty, the edict was damaged by water earlier. Could you have the Central Secretariat rewrite a copy?”

“Yang Chun, handle this later.”

Li Zong didn’t want to fuss over such details and immediately agreed. After Xie Heng said “Thank you, Your Majesty,” he stood up and left with Qingya and Zhuque.

Only after Xie Heng had gone far with the edict did Li Zong react, frowning: “Why didn’t he return the edict?”

Hearing this, Yang Chun glanced at Xie Heng’s retreating figure and smiled: “Perhaps he forgot. When Director Xie remembers, he should send it back to the palace.”

Li Zong nodded at these words. Considering it wasn’t a big matter, he turned around and looked down at his son kneeling on the ground.

Li Guiyu had his hands braced on his knees, looking particularly thin. His wet hair stuck to his gentle, refined cheeks as he lowered his eyes without saying a word.

After the fight, he seemed to have lost all strength, just kneeling there somewhat wearily: “Didn’t Father Emperor promise to let me marry her?”

“Son, forced melons aren’t sweet.” Li Zong half-crouched down, rather helplessly saying, “She developed feelings with Heng’er in the Supervision Department, and she has a feud with you. If you marry her, who knows when she might put a knife to your throat.”

“She won’t.” Li Guiyu said hoarsely, then added without context: “She can’t kill me.”

“I know your martial arts are excellent, but Heng’er personally requested this marriage.” Li Zong said, raising his hand to pat Li Guiyu’s shoulder gently. “You are the ruler, he is the subject. Over one woman, what’s there for you two to fight about?”

Hearing this, Li Guiyu clenched his fists. He struggled to control his urge to strangle the person in front of him, only saying somewhat sadly: “Isn’t it because Father Emperor favors him?”

“You are my son, he isn’t,” Li Zong said incredulously. “How could I favor him?”

“Then why does Father Emperor grant the young lady to him?”

Li Guiyu looked up, persistently asking.

Li Zong thought for a moment and said slowly, “I just think this way is better.”

“But…”

“Guiyu, don’t develop feelings for a woman whose heart isn’t with you.” Li Zong’s tone became heavier, cutting off all of Li Guiyu’s words. His eyes carried a warning. “And never keep a woman who can wield a blade by your bedside. Do you understand my words?”

Li Guiyu said nothing more. He could see clearly that Li Zong’s patience had reached its limit.

He stared at Li Zong, suppressed all his emotions, lowered his eyes, clenched his fists tightly, and said quietly: “Yes, this son understands.”

Seeing his compliance, Li Zong nodded with satisfaction, then stood up: “Don’t worry. I’ll find you another good match and won’t treat you unfairly.”

Li Guiyu’s expression didn’t change. He only looked at the ground and responded numbly: “This son obeys Father Emperor’s arrangements.”

“Go back.”

Li Zong raised his hand somewhat wearily: “Don’t do such disgraceful things again.”

Li Guiyu knelt on the ground, seeing Li Zong off as he left.

After Li Zong departed, Qingzhu and Zitang quickly came forward to help Li Guiyu up, saying urgently: “Is Your Highness alright?”

“I’m fine.”

Li Guiyu said coldly. He glanced in the direction Li Zong had left, thought for a moment, then immediately said: “Go investigate what happened in the palace. Find out everything about His Majesty, Xie Heng, and the young lady – every word, every action, every movement,” Li Guiyu seemed to slowly understand something, saying icily, “report them all in detail.”

After Xie Heng asked Li Zong for another copy of the edict, he led Zhuque and Qingya to the carriage outside the palace gate. After changing clothes, he headed to the dungeon.

Li Zong didn’t want him to get married, but wanted him to use this as an excuse to bring Luo Wanqing out of the palace for arrangements. Naturally, he wouldn’t care about wedding ceremonies – he just wanted Xie Heng to quickly take her away.

So Xie Heng traveled unobstructed to the dungeon. When he saw Luo Wanqing, she was meditating. Hearing footsteps, Luo Wanqing opened her eyes and saw Xie Heng had already walked to her.

The prison was empty. Xie Heng half-crouched in front of her, smiling: “Meditating?”

Luo Wanqing immediately noticed the abnormal bruising on his face and couldn’t help frowning: “What happened to you?”

“Oh, nothing,” Xie Heng knew he couldn’t hide it and said lightly, “Had a fight with Li Guiyu at the gate. But let’s not talk about that,” Xie Heng smiled, “how have you been lately?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t respond to this, only looked him up and down, sensing his extremely pleasant mood and guessing what had happened.

But she didn’t show it on her face, pretending not to know and picking up his topic: “Not bad. I’ve been adjusting my internal energy lately and feel my qi has stabilized somewhat.”

“That’s good. So…” Xie Heng took out the water-stained edict from his sleeve and shook it: “Want to get out?”

Luo Wanqing looked at the edict puzzledly, then saw Xie Heng hand it over with a smile: “Your husband has come to get you.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing immediately blushed slightly. She took the damp edict, unfolded it, and whispered: “What nonsense are you talking?”

Xie Heng smiled without answering. Luo Wanqing looked at the writing on the edict.

The characters on the edict had already blurred, only vaguely recognizable. Luo Wanqing couldn’t help frowning: “What happened to this edict?”

Luo Wanqing was somewhat worried: “You didn’t forge this, did you?”

“How could I possibly forge this?”

Xie Heng took the edict back from her hands with dissatisfaction and rolled it up methodically: “I fell into the water pool fighting with Li Guiyu and ruined it. I had His Majesty issue a new copy.”

“Then why don’t you return this to His Majesty?”

Luo Wanqing found it strange. Since he had Li Zong issue a new copy, this one should naturally be returned for destruction.

Xie Heng glanced at her rather cautiously: “If I return it and he changes his mind, what then?”

Seeing his expression, Luo Wanqing suppressed her laughter and said no more. She looked at the chains: “Then call someone to open the door.”

Xie Heng didn’t say much either. He stood up and took the keys from his sleeve to open her cell himself.

Then he walked to Luo Wanqing and carefully unlocked the iron shackles on her hands and feet.

These shackles had worn through the skin on her hands and feet, forming scabs. Some scabs had been repeatedly worn open. Seeing this, the smile in Xie Heng’s eyes diminished.

As he unlocked her chains, Luo Wanqing stared at the injuries on his face and couldn’t help asking: “How did you and he end up fighting?”

“Do I need a reason to fight him?” Xie Heng took out a handkerchief from his sleeve to bandage her somewhat infected wounds, saying casually, “Just need an excuse.”

“What was the excuse?”

Luo Wanqing continued pressing. Xie Heng looked up with some dissatisfaction: “You seem quite concerned about him.”

Luo Wanqing was speechless, then quickly reacted and immediately said: “I’m concerned about you, afraid you got beaten.”

Xie Heng could tell she was saying nice things to appease him. He chuckled softly without exposing her, just pulled her outside while explaining: “His Majesty granted the marriage, and he got the news and came over. He said some unpleasant things, so I fought with him at the palace gate. But don’t worry, we knew our limits – just finding an excuse to vent, no serious injuries.”

This sounded as if two ordinary young men had casually fought. Luo Wanqing couldn’t help looking at him and whispered: “Too disgraceful. Aren’t you afraid His Majesty will punish you?”

“He still needs me to handle things. He won’t punish me now. After all, marrying you,” Xie Heng turned to look at her, his face full of smiles, “I’m making a sacrifice.”

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater]

Xie Heng: “Marry Luo Wanqing? Not quite appropriate, but fine. After the marriage, I’ll kill her.”

Li Zong: “You’re making a sacrifice.”

Xie Heng: “Good, then I’ll take my leave. This marriage edict is unclear – you make me a perfect one to take back and collect.”

Li Zong: “I can, but…”

(Looking at Xie Heng’s rapidly departing figure)

Li Zong: “Could you please return the damaged one first?”

Xie Heng: “Return it? You gave me a wife and you want me to return her?”

Li Zong: “I mean the edict.”

Xie Heng: “No difference. I’m getting married – no room for error.”

Li Zong: “What about killing her?”

Xie Heng: “If you believe what I say, you deserve an early death.”