Thinking of this, Lian Siyan said, “The Dowager Princess is in a hurry for this marriage, but Father and Mother absolutely cannot agree. However, if we refuse outright, it will harm the harmony between our families. Why don’t we… say that I’ve fallen ill with an acute condition, breaking out in a rash that can’t be exposed to the wind, and I’m too weak to endure the strain? This way, we can politely decline the Dowager Princess’s pressure to marry, and wait for cousin to return from Jinjia Pass before making further plans.”
Lian Siyan had pondered for a while before coming up with this temporary solution.
When Lian Chu heard this, she couldn’t help but regret not thinking of such an excuse to decline immediately when the Dowager Princess first brought it up.
The Lian family agreed on this story. That day, they invited a familiar doctor and sent maids to buy medicine. Some precious herbs had to be obtained from the prince’s mansion, which conveniently allowed them to spread the news to the prince’s household.
Thus, the news of the Lian family’s young miss falling ill with an acute condition gradually spread.
By the time Dowager Princess Chu recovered from the pain of her son’s impending departure, a day had passed. She solemnly approached her son to discuss the matter of marriage before his expedition.
Cui Xingzhou had been busy these two days mobilizing troops for the northwestern expedition, working from dawn to dusk. How could he have time to worry about such matters? However, if his mother felt better about it, then they could marry earlier. So when the Dowager Princess asked, he agreed.
But when the Dowager Princess invited the Lian couple to discuss the wedding arrangements, only Lian Chu came.
Lian Hanshan was too embarrassed and awkward. Lian Chu feared he might reveal the truth to her sister, so she came alone.
“Dowager Princess, what can I say? Siyan is such a troublesome child. She had been complaining of feeling unwell for some time, and when she heard that Xingzhou was going to the battlefield, she was overcome with anxiety. Her inner fire flared up, causing red rashes all over her body, each one swollen and watery. The doctor said if we don’t take good care of her and the fire reaches her heart and lungs, it will be incurable… Siyan is a hundred percent willing to marry, but as her mother, I know her body can’t withstand the strain. If I agreed despite knowing her condition, and if the excitement worsened her illness… oh, my child… if anything were to happen to her, how could I face myself in the next life?”
As she spoke, the aunt’s tears fell like rain.
Cui Xingzhou had agreed to his mother’s request and made time today to meet with the Lian family. The plan was to marry tomorrow, and he would depart for the northwest the day after.
Unlike his mother, he wasn’t so naive as to believe everything his aunt said. Watching his mother repeatedly inquire about Lian Siyan’s condition, Cui Xingzhou wanted to sneer.
Wasn’t his aunt’s message a polite refusal? She was only worried about him not returning, fearing her daughter would become a widow.
This was understandable human nature, but when it happened to oneself, it was truly unpleasant.
After his aunt left, Cui Xingzhou was about to go to the military camp. However, as he reached the door, he paused, turned back, and called for Manager Gao. He instructed, “Go and investigate when Miss Lian’s illness started and what her condition is like… Be discreet, don’t make it too obvious.”
Manager Gao was shrewd. Seeing Lian Chu come alone today, he understood the Lian family’s intentions. He immediately grasped the situation and set out to complete the task diligently.
While Cui Xingzhou was in the military camp checking the temporarily allocated supplies and provisions, Manager Gao’s subordinate arrived at the camp. After whispering to Mo Ru, he waited outside the tent.
Mo Ru entered to relay the message, speaking softly, “Manager Gao bribed an insider from the Lian household. They said Miss Lian had been fine all along. It was only on the day the imperial edict arrived that Madam Lian hurriedly returned home, called for the master, the young master, and Miss Lian, and they were closeted in the study all night. The next day, Miss Lian fell ill… All the close servants were silenced, forbidden to speak to outsiders.”
This news was not unexpected for Cui Xingzhou, but it still left him feeling angry and stifled.
Since receiving the imperial edict, he had been harboring a suppressed anger. But in front of his subordinates and even his mother, he couldn’t show the slightest sign of frustration.
However, he hadn’t anticipated that his future wife would choose this crucial moment to distance herself from him.
At this moment, the pent-up frustration became unbearable. He suddenly raised his foot and kicked the table in front of him with a loud crash.
The guards and Mo Ru in the tent all lowered their heads and held their breath, not daring to make a sound.
Cui Xingzhou’s character was such that once he made a decision, he never hesitated. Since his uncle’s family had so many concerns and didn’t want to actively break off the engagement, instead making his cousin pretend to be ill, why shouldn’t he be straightforward and spare his cousin from this entanglement?
Thinking this, Cui Xingzhou calmed down slightly. He had Mo Ru straighten the table, lay out fresh paper, grind the ink, and dip the brush. With swift, powerful strokes, he wrote out a document dissolving the engagement.
The reason given for breaking the engagement was noble. He stated that he was going to war for the country with the resolve to die if necessary, and would not return unless the barbarians were driven out.
However, a young woman’s prime years should not be wasted. Therefore, he and his cousin Lian Siyan were not fated to be together, but he hoped they might reunite in the next life. With this, he dissolved the marriage agreement between the two families, hoping his cousin would find a good match and that they would each find their happiness.
The language in the document was righteous and polite, but immediately after, Cui Xingzhou sent Manager Gao to the Lian residence to let them know that their servants’ “accidental” revelations to the prince’s servants had reached his ears.
He wanted the Lian family to know that he was fully aware of their calculations, to avoid any pretense of ignorance when they received the document dissolving the engagement.
When the prince’s document, complete with his seal, arrived at the Lian residence, Lian Hanshan was so anxious he stamped his feet, regretting his lack of firmness in following his wife’s instigation to set up such a clumsy ruse.
Manager Gao personally delivered the document breaking off the engagement, and the implications between the lines were so clear it was hard to face.
“Look at this! You two have nearly ruined our family’s reputation. The Prince of Huaiyang is sacrificing himself for the country on the battlefield, while we Lians are nitpicking and scheming with fake illnesses. How… how will Siyan ever show her face in public again?”
Lian Chu hadn’t expected the Prince of Huaiyang to be so decisive. In a moment of anger, she said, “He’s no saint either! He hasn’t even married yet, but he’s already keeping a mistress in Lingquan Town. We’ve known about this for a long time and have been covering for him in front of the Dowager Princess. Now he turns around and gets upset with our daughter… He… He thinks he’s in the right! I’m going to tell my sister all about this. Is there any justice in this?”
Lian Hanshan angrily slammed the table, “What time is it now? All the young men in Zhen Province are preparing to leave for the northwest. Even young men from other places are eagerly coming to enlist. Those mothers who understand loyalty and righteousness are using ink needles to tattoo words on their sons’ backs to show their patriotic hearts. You, as an official’s wife, don’t understand the bigger picture, and you still want to go to the Dowager Princess to sow discord between mother and son? If this gets out, how am I supposed to face my colleagues?”
Lian Siyan stood to the side, biting her lip in silence.
She hadn’t expected that after her cousin saw through her feigned illness, he would be so ruthless, leaving the Lian family no room for maneuver.
Was he angry with her, or had he been thinking of breaking off the engagement for a long time?
Although Lian Siyan didn’t want to rush into marriage before the war, she had never thought of destroying her engagement to her cousin. At this moment, the feeling of frustration was even worse than if she had received news of her cousin’s death in battle.
Just then, Lian Xuan returned from the government office. Hearing his mother arguing with his father, he anxiously stamped his foot: “Mother, what are you trying to argue about? I don’t know who spread it, but now all of Zhen Province is talking about how the Prince of Huaiyang broke off the engagement to dedicate himself to the country, ready to sacrifice his life. Everyone is moved to tears with admiration. If you make a fuss at this point, won’t it show that you don’t understand the bigger picture?”
Lian Xuan’s words were not false. Perhaps because the servants of both households had let slip some information, and everyone knew that the Prince of Huaiyang’s departure might be a one-way journey, the prince’s decision to break off the engagement was seen by the public as the act of a true gentleman, clearly not wanting to condemn a young lady to widowhood!
What young man, upon hearing of this loyal and righteous young prince, wouldn’t nod in approval?
Hearing her father and brother’s words, Lian Siyan stopped crying.
She knew that the most correct way to salvage the situation would be to rush in front of her cousin’s horse, publicly tear up the document breaking off the engagement, and express her resolve, declaring that she would marry no one but him and would wait for his return.
If she were to do this, even the most skilled writer couldn’t pen a more beautiful tale of devoted love.
But she also felt somewhat resentful.
Her cousin’s actions showed no regard for the Lian family’s face or her feelings. Her little bit of selfishness had been seen through by him, and even if they were to marry in the future, there would always be this knot in their hearts.
For a moment, Lian Siyan thought of that moonlit path she had walked with her cousin. It had looked short but felt long as they walked in silence. He hadn’t walked too fast, but she just couldn’t keep up…
However, she also realized that the reason her cousin gave for breaking off the engagement was quite noble, not damaging her reputation, which showed some consideration for her.
After being angry for a while, Lian Siyan began to console herself.
Given the circumstances, she could no longer worry about maintaining the image of a proper young lady.
She decided to wait until the army departed the next day, then rush to her cousin’s horse with her face veiled to express her willingness to wait for him.
By then, her cousin would already be prepared to leave, so even if she was willing, they couldn’t hold a wedding ceremony.
This way, she could mend the relationship between the Cui and Lian families, regain her cousin’s affection, and most importantly, avoid rushing into marriage before the war, leaving herself no way out…
Thinking of this, Lian Siyan felt somewhat reassured. She quietly waited for dawn the next day, planning to wait by the road leading out of the city for her cousin to pass with his troops.
As dawn broke the next day, the streets were already bustling with crowds gathering from all directions.
The Lian family had secured a spot in a teahouse along the road early on, allowing them to wait for the Zhen Province troops without having to squeeze through the crowd.
From her vantage point, Lian Siyan could see clearly that Miss He Zhen from Lingquan Town had also come. She was eagerly craning her neck, holding bundles of flower garlands in her hands.
The news of her cousin’s broken engagement had reached Miss He’s ears. She held a wreath of flowers, but who did she intend to give it to? She should consider her background. Even if her cousin had broken off his engagement, would he marry a merchant’s daughter in the future?
It wasn’t just Miss He. The road was crowded with young maidens, each holding fresh flowers, ready to offer them to the brave young men.
Lian Silan sneered coldly in disgust.
She was determined to intercept the carriage before Miss He could, to pour out her heart to her cousin. She wanted to convince him not to believe the malicious gossip spread by the servants in the manor. She had indeed been ill, not making excuses to avoid marriage.
To prove her point, she had even taken a special medicine prepared by the doctor. Since last night, red rashes had appeared on her face and body. Surely her cousin wouldn’t be able to harden his heart when he saw this!
Thinking of this, Lian Silan scratched her arm impatiently. The medicine was truly uncomfortable, causing an unbearable itching all over her body. She hoped her cousin would arrive soon so she could weep before him and persuade him to retract the letter breaking off their engagement. Then she could return home and take the antidote…
However, soon after, government officials came beating gongs and shouting, “Disperse! The Prince’s troops departed early last night! Everyone, please disperse…”
Lian Silan was stunned by this news. She sat frozen in her chair, thinking only of how her cousin had left just like that. What was she to do now?
It turned out that after reviewing the route, Cui Xingzhou felt the journey was urgent. So last night, he had packed his belongings and silently departed with his troops.
There was no choice; the Emperor’s edict urged him to set out. Thus, without even holding a proper departure ceremony, they had to hurry on their way.
As he was about to leave Zhen Province, Cui Xingzhou spared a moment to think about Miantang, whom he had settled on North Street.
Although he didn’t want to invite bad luck, realistically speaking, there was a chance he might not return from this journey.
If Miantang lost his protection, she might fall into the hands of the Yangshan cult members, which would likely lead to a dire fate.
Cui Xingzhou didn’t have time to arrange proper accommodation for her before leaving, but he felt that Liu Miantang couldn’t stay long in a place as chaotic as Lingquan Town. It would be better for her to go elsewhere and live in anonymity.
So, without further ado, he wrote a letter of divorce.
In the letter, he stated that with the nation in peril, he had resolutely decided to join the army with a few friends, following Prince Huaiyang’s troops to the northwest. He was embarking on this journey with the determination to sacrifice his life for the country and would surely not return. Fortunately, the Cui family had substantial properties and houses elsewhere that he had never told her about. Now, he was giving all of these to her as a means of support. As for where to go, Mo Ru would take her and settle her safely.
Regarding future marriage, she was free to do as she pleased and live her life leisurely.
Perhaps because he had written two letters ending relationships with women in one day, Cui Xingzhou found himself quite adept at it.
However, for some reason, this second letter didn’t flow as smoothly. He felt some words were too harsh and feared that Miss Liu might read them and cry until her eyes were swollen and red.
So he carefully revised and modified it, which indeed took some effort.
Accompanying this letter was the yellowed marriage certificate retrieved from the fake Cui Jiu, along with a document of separation.
From now on, Cui Xingzhou had broken Liu Miantang’s bond of marriage. She no longer needed to consider herself anyone’s wife and could remarry without hesitation.
Now, at the onset of chaotic times, the battlefield was ever-changing, and no one knew what the future held.
Cui Xingzhou felt this was all he could do for Miss Liu.
As for how Liu Miantang would react, Cui Xingzhou didn’t ponder too deeply.
There’s an old saying: “Husband and wife are like birds of the same forest; when disaster strikes, they fly their separate ways.”
Just like his cousin Lian Silan, who seemed to love him dearly in normal times, but once she learned he might not return, she quickly made other plans, leaving herself a foolproof escape route.
As for why he didn’t reveal the lie and still deceived the young woman under Cui Jiu’s name, Cui Xingzhou had his subtle reasons.
If he truly didn’t return from this journey, he hoped that in Liu Miantang’s heart, she would remember the considerate merchant Cui Jiu, rather than the Prince of Huaiyang who had deceived her with lies.
If he were to die in battle, at least there would be a woman who might shed a tear of longing for him on sleepless nights… As for her loss of virtue in Yangshan, he chose not to mention it – being divorced was better than being defiled by bandits. Why should he burden her with the cruel truth?
However, two days after he set out, Mo Ru hurriedly returned. He said that after receiving Cui Jiu’s letter of divorce and separation, Miss Liu didn’t say a word. She only instructed people to settle matters with the shop and the shopkeeper, then closed the doors, dug up silver, and had the maids and old women pack their belongings.
In short, Mrs. Cui’s actions after receiving the divorce letter were clean and decisive, without any hesitation or the tears of an abandoned wife.
Mo Ru was originally supposed to take Miss Liu to the rural town in another prefecture where the Prince had arranged for her to stay. But suddenly, Miss Liu sent him to buy rope and various other items from the shop. When he returned, the lady, maids, and old women had all disappeared.
However, Old Lady Li left a message with the secret guards for Mo Ru, saying that Miss Liu didn’t want to go to the place arranged by the Prince, so she sent him away and left on her own.
Mo Ru thought that since Miss Liu had secret guards accompanying her, there shouldn’t be any problems, so he came back first to report the situation to the Prince.
Miss Liu’s reaction to prioritizing money in all matters was within Cui Xingzhou’s expectations.
But her calm acceptance of his departure for the gates of hell, without even shedding pretend tears, showing no trace of their past affection, truly made him feel deeply uncomfortable.
In the past, she had called him “husband” so sweetly that it melted his bones.
But in the end, she took the silver and left without any guilt. This showed that Liu Miantang’s nature was such that even with memory loss, it didn’t prevent her from assessing the situation and leaving with the money!
For a moment, Cui Xingzhou felt he could fully understand the feelings of Young Master Ziyu, who had his silver taken…
If he had the time, Cui Xingzhou might have smashed a room full of things and cursed his parents bitterly, but now he didn’t even have time for private complaints.
The army was marching day and night, striving to reach the northwest in the shortest possible time.
Although there were passionate young men who had resolutely joined the army to actively resist the enemy, the army was a mixed bag, and naturally, there were also cowardly deserters. Therefore, cavalry responsible for catching deserters patrolled back and forth constantly during the march.
Once deserters were caught, the army immediately halted its advance. These deserters were stripped of their upper garments and beheaded in front of everyone.
Along the way, deserters were constant, and the execution blade was almost becoming blunt.
Cui Xingzhou remained expressionless and showed no mercy. He also had people spread the word, stating clearly that the names of these deserters would be sent back to their hometowns and posted in the fields and villages. Not only would there be no compensation silver from the court, but their parents and wives would also bear the shame and be unable to face their fellow villagers.
“Like all the officers and soldiers, I have abandoned my home and family, embarking on this journey with the determination to die in battle. It is all to allow our loved ones to live in peace, with homes and fields to guard. If you are unwilling to fight the enemy and choose to desert, you cannot escape death. Since you must die either way, why not charge onto the battlefield and fight the fierce enemy to the death, dying with honor? Moreover, fortune favors the bold! If you want to make a name for yourself, isn’t this vast battlefield the perfect opportunity to achieve merit and fame? ‘Please ascend the Lingyan Pavilion for a moment, sir; which scholar hasn’t become a marquis of ten thousand households?’ Isn’t this the same principle? Do you all want to achieve merit and become renowned ministers and generals of Da Yan?”
After executing a batch of deserters, Cui Xingzhou sat on horseback, standing by the blood-stained road, addressing the officers and soldiers.
He didn’t say much, but every word hit home. Who didn’t know about Prince Huaiyang breaking off his engagement with Miss Lian before setting out, embarking on this journey with the determination to die fighting the enemy?
Prince Huaiyang, noble as he was, possessed immense wealth and vast lands, yet he still led troops into battle. So what did these penniless men with no property have to fear?
Just as the Prince said, “Which scholar hasn’t become a marquis of ten thousand households?” Since they were already heading northwest, why not engage in battle with the enemy? Why choose to be deserters and die miserably on a desolate roadside?
After this demonstration to deter others, the number of deserters drastically decreased. The soldiers from Zhen Province were united in spirit, marching enthusiastically towards the front lines.
However, after five days and nights of marching, the head of the cavalry patrol came riding quickly, hesitantly reporting to Commander-in-Chief Cui Xingzhou: “Reporting to the Commander, there’s a carriage that has been suspiciously following behind our main force. My subordinates suspected they might be spies gathering military intelligence, so they’ve detained the people in the carriage.”
Cui Xingzhou was on horseback, looking at the map of their advance. Without looking up, he said, “Just interrogate them. If they’re suspicious, execute them immediately.”
The head naturally knew this principle, but when they were tying up the suspects, a dark-faced old woman had handed him a waist token from the Prince’s manor, saying she needed to find Cui Jiu – Lord Cui.
However, when the young woman wasn’t paying attention, the dark-faced old woman whispered to him, “Please report to the Prince and present this waist token to him. Otherwise, if you delay an important matter, see if the Prince doesn’t punish you severely!”
The waist token was genuine, and the dark-faced old woman looked quite intimidating when she glared. So the head came to report to the Prince, prepared to be scolded.
Cui Xingzhou looked at the token and realized it was indeed from his manor. From the head’s description, the dark-faced old woman sounded very much like Old Lady Li, who should have left with Liu Miantang.
Cui Xingzhou was stunned for a moment and ordered Mo Ru to go check first.
Soon after, Mo Ru came running back to report: “My… My Lord, it is Miss Liu and her group!”
Before Mo Ru could finish, Cui Xingzhou had already dismounted and was striding towards the rear of the troops.
However, after a few steps, he seemed to remember something. He pointed at the armor of a nearby chiliarch, indicating for him to take it off so he could wear it instead.
After he took off his golden armor and put on the half-worn cowhide armor, he continued to walk briskly toward the end of the line.