A roll of thunder crashed outside the tent, making his eardrums buzz.
Li Yuan Gui’s gaze unconsciously fell on the sword at Cheng Yao Jin’s waist. During the mourning period for the Emperor Emeritus, the imperial guard was also in mourning, but they only wrapped their heads in hemp cloth, removing auspicious colors like red tassels and flags. Their weapons and ceremonial items remained as usual, and commanding generals still carried their swords. Unlike him, who as a mourning son wore complete mourning garb with only a bamboo mourning staff as a weapon, which he had lost somewhere in his panicked rush here… Well, what nonsense was he thinking about?
For a founding general tempered in mountains of corpses and seas of blood, would he even need a sword to deal with him?
That ugly face, like a temple guardian deity, split into a grin:
“Not bad, you’ve got guts, worthy of being His Majesty’s brother, having the courage to come fight old Cheng for his bride… Tell me, Fourteenth Brother, you mean you want me to give up marrying her so you can take her as your princess?”
“I…” This is my life’s greatest wish… but not now.
“That could work.” Cheng Yao Jin waved his hand, brushing insects from his sleeve. “If she’s unwilling to marry me and her heart belongs to another, forcing her to enter my household wouldn’t make sense. Old Cheng has fought and ruled alongside His Majesty, and now I’m a Duke and General – am I afraid of not finding a wife? Why should I get angry with you youngsters? If you want her, take her- Oh, wait, that’s not right…”
The Left General’s face showed mockery: “Old Cheng just remembered something – isn’t the Prince of Wu going to Gaochang to be their prince consort? Huh? Just before you came in, Fourteenth Brother, we were discussing how to arrange your escort beyond the border! And now suddenly, the Prince has taken a fancy to the Wei family’s daughter? Don’t tell me Fourteenth Brother plans to secretly take the minister’s daughter to seek the princess’s hand in marriage? Tsk tsk, you young people know how to play!”
Li Yuan Gui turned his head away, gritting his teeth, not looking at Cheng Yao Jin’s expression, only listening as he continued:
“Well, there’s another thing, not pleasant to say, but it’s the truth. Fourteenth Brother knows that old Wei has been scrounging money everywhere to get his son a Cui family bride. He opened his mouth wide as a lion, demanding I pay fifty thousand bolts of silk for his daughter to marry into my house! Fifty thousand bolts! Even for your Prince of Wu’s mansion, that’s a substantial sum, isn’t it? Who in this world wouldn’t have to cut flesh and bleed to gather such resources? Now if the Fourteenth Brother wants to break this marriage, fine, return the person, but the betrothal gifts must be returned too, right? Otherwise, how will old Cheng find the means to marry another woman? These fifty thousand bolts, who’s going to pay? I know that old Wei Zheng has already sent the betrothal money to the Cui family – even if you break all his old bones, he can’t cough it up. Will you, Fourteenth Brother, take on this debt? Hm?”
Fifty thousand bolts of silk… A flash of insight suddenly crossed Li Yuan Gui’s mind, like the lightning outside striking him.
Cheng Yao Jin was right – fifty thousand bolts was indeed an enormous sum, probably only the imperial treasury could produce such wealth at once. Cheng Yao Jin agreed to break the engagement and free Wei Su Fen, but wanted the betrothal gifts returned to marry another noble lady – it was reasonable. Although the Wei family certainly couldn’t return the money – and wouldn’t agree to break the engagement and return it – this was still… a solution within impossibility.
It’s just money, Li Yuan Gui thought silently. Cheng Yao Jin was fearless, knowing no one could produce such a huge sum, deliberately bringing it up to mock and humiliate him, but since he had spoken it aloud, it had to count – it was just money after all!
“I’ll take on this debt,” Li Yuan Gui ground out between his teeth. “I’ll repay you fifty thousand bolts of silk for Young Lady Wei’s freedom! Whether she wants to marry someone… or not marry at all, wherever she goes, let her decide for herself!”
Cheng Yao Jin’s eyes widened like brass bells in astonishment for a moment, before bursting into loud laughter:
“Really? Hahaha… Maybe Young Lady Wei still wants to marry old Cheng! Won’t Fourteenth Brother regret it?”
He was probably speaking the truth. At this point, considering the family’s face and under strict parental orders, the possibility that Wei Su Fen would still choose to fulfill the marriage contract after careful consideration was indeed quite high. When Li Yuan Gui thought of this, he felt dejected, but his resolve didn’t waver.
He remembered that snowy day in late winter at Lizheng Palace, when he had proposed to take Wei Su Fen as his princess to her face, only to be rejected. At that time, the Wei family’s daughter had said directly that she was tired of these ministers and princes, these great men, presuming to arrange her life, and would rather die than submit to others’ intentions… Since then, times had changed, and perhaps her thoughts had changed considerably too, but Li Yuan Gui still remembered those tear-filled young eyes behind the light gauze of her mourning hat, full of grievance and indignation, yet moving in their determination.
So let her make her own decision. Whether she married Cheng Yao Jin or chose her path without marriage, he would gather fifty thousand bolts of silk to repay this heavy debt, redeeming her life’s independence and autonomy. Perhaps – Li Yuan Gui secretly hoped – with her strong character, once free from worldly constraints, she might seek refuge at places like the Purple Void Temple, peacefully waiting for him, waiting for the day when he could also…
“Tsk, truly worthy of being phoenix and dragon offspring, so wealthy indeed.” Cheng Yao Jin’s words pulled him from his fantasy back to reality, the middle-aged general grinning at his face. “Let’s settle it then. Fifty thousand bolts of silk – when will the Prince deliver them to my house?”
“Uh—”
Right, merely fifty thousand bolts of silk, just an enormous sum of money.
Where would he get this “mere fifty thousand bolts of silk”?
Li Yuan Gui reached behind his head, scratching it, trying to scratch out some feasible ideas… princely stipend… fief income… Wu Prince Mansion assets… second sister’s husband… royal grants for princely marriages… rewards for frontier service… loans… money lenders…
“Within… within three days!” Facing General Cheng’s teasing expression as if watching a show, he could only squeeze words through his teeth, “Give me three days, and I will definitely give you, General, a satisfactory… answer!”
Cheng Yao Jin burst into another round of hearty laughter:
“No rush, no rush! During Emperor Emeritus’s mourning period, the court decreed that commoners could not marry for three months. Young Lady Wei can’t enter the household immediately anyway. Fourteenth Brother can take his time gathering funds. Ah! With such a good deal, what’s old Cheng got to hurry about? Might even end up with both person and money…”
While he, Li Yuan Gui, might lose both person and money and be exiled to barbarous lands… so what exactly had he achieved by rushing here and making such a scene?
He walked out dejectedly into the dimming world where raindrops had begun to fall, his earlier anger dissipated, replaced by bewilderment clogging his mind. Wei Su Fen… engagement… fifty thousand silk… Gaochang prince consort… what should he do?
Suddenly, a large patch of darkness floated above his head, blocking the raindrops, while warmth radiated from beside him.
Li Yuan Gui looked up to see Yang Xin Zhi holding out a straw rain cape, about to drape it over his shoulders, while already wearing one himself.
This was their first meeting since they had been arrested together. They should have been happy to see each other unharmed, but Li Yuan Gui was too burdened with worries to feel joy.
Both donned their rain gear and left the garrison together, with Yang Xin Zhi briefly describing his situation. After the court decided to send Li Yuan Gui to Gaochang, the Great An Palace case was temporarily suspended, and Yang Xin Zhi only received a punishment of censure and labor service, returning to serve as treasurer at the Prince of Wu’s mansion, preparing to accompany Li Yuan Gui on his mission. These past few days, having finished the paperwork, he had also packed his belongings preparing to leave the garrison, and fortunately heard Li Yuan Gui had come, making it convenient to return to the Seventeenth Prince’s residence together.
Li Yuan Gui also related his situation to Yang Xin Zhi. Upon hearing that he had promised to repay fifty thousand bolts of silk to Cheng Yao Jin for Wei Su Fen, Yang Xin Zhi’s eyes nearly popped out as he exclaimed: “Where will Fourteenth Brother find such wealth?”
“I… don’t know yet,” Li Yuan Gui hung his head. “If I sell all my estate and fief holdings, perhaps…”
“You might gather ten thousand bolts!” Yang Xin Zhi scolded him irritably. “The Prince hasn’t even received his establishment allowance, what valuable items are there in the Seventeenth Prince’s residence? If Chief Steward Chen learns of Fourteenth Brother’s boast, he’s sure to faint from anger…”
He continued grumbling and complaining as they walked, while Li Yuan Gui simply ignored it. After they left the garrison gates and reached the main road of the Forbidden Garden, the rain grew heavier, with lightning and thunder constantly around them. Yang Xin Zhi looked at the sky and said, “We’d better find shelter from the rain,” then suddenly slapped his forehead:
“Fourteenth Brother, let’s go to the Purple Void Temple! It’s close by – we can shelter from the rain and try seeking advice from the High Priest!”
At his suggestion, Li Yuan Gui also thought it was a good idea and nodded in agreement. Chai Ying Luo always had clever ideas; no one else could help unravel his current troubles. Then he remembered that this morning at Taiji Palace, Chai Ying Luo had been quite ill and was sent back to Purple Void Temple, possibly unable to receive them or talk… Never mind, it would be good just to inquire about her condition.
Decision made, they quickened their pace toward Purple Void Temple. The temple wasn’t far from the garrison, and the path was familiar – they reached the temple gate before getting completely soaked.
Asking the young temple attendant at the gate, they learned that the Abbess was indeed ill and couldn’t receive visitors. Jing Xuan, who was managing temple affairs, came out to welcome them, leading them to the guest hall, mentioning that there was already another guest in the hall – but not a stranger, also seeking shelter from the rain, so they could chat together.
Indeed, this guest was no stranger. Upon seeing him, Li Yuan Gui’s first thought was:
The fifty thousand bolts of silk were secured.