Xing Pingchun was truly startled. Marry a princess? Become a royal son-in-law? “Y-Your Majesty, this humble one is still young!” Princess Huairou… wasn’t she the daughter of Consort Shu? How old was she—nine? Ten?
“You will soon be sixteen,” said Emperor Yongtai. “Still young? At your age, I already had the Eldest Prince! Huairou may be a bit younger, but she is obedient and sensible. To grant her to you is truly a flower planted in dung.”
Go to h*ll with your flower in dung! Xing Pingchun cursed furiously in his heart. Who didn’t know that Princess Huairou was spoiled and arrogant, venting her temper on palace maids even at such a tender age? And this muddle-headed emperor suddenly wanted to marry her into his household—what scheme was he plotting?
“This humble one is but a lump of dung, how would I dare covet a princess? I beg Your Majesty to rescind the decree! Moreover, I already have someone I care for—my parents have even sent a betrothal gift!” Xing Pingchun had no idea what medicine the emperor was selling in his gourd, but he thought it best to refuse first.
Emperor Yongtai’s face darkened. “Insolence! I, the Son of Heaven, decree a marriage with a princess, yet instead of giving thanks you dare compare her to commoners! Truly, you have learned nothing!”
Xing Pingchun lowered his head in silence, grinding his back teeth hard.
“I’ve no wish to waste words with an ungrateful wretch like you. The Bureau of Astrology has already chosen the auspicious date: the eighth day of the twelfth month. Since you have no close kin around you, I will assign people to instruct you in the betrothal rites. On the day of the wedding, I shall summon your father back to witness it.”
The eighth of the twelfth month! Barely a month away! Even ordinary folk wouldn’t rush a marriage like this. And to summon his father back to Yongan for the ceremony? Xing Pingchun froze, clenching his jaw tighter. Could it be that the emperor wanted to lure his father back just to seize his command token—or… to see him dead?
“Your Majesty, my father is commander at the front, killing the enemy and defending Great Xie. How could he return now and delay the campaign?”
“Hasn’t your father already captured the King of Xili? What tricks could Xili still pull? His health is failing—if there were any other choice, would I have let him take the field ill?”
“But…”
“No more words.” The emperor raised his hand. “Withdraw.”
“Your Majesty…”
“I said, withdraw!”
Zhaohui quickly whispered to Xing Pingchun, “Young Marquis, kowtow.”
Suppressing the blaze in his chest, Xing Pingchun knocked his head heavily on the floor, then retreated from the study.
As soon as he left, Emperor Yongtai turned to Zhaohui. “Go make preparations. Tomorrow take my decree to Pengzhou. I grant you five thousand imperial guards, and a Shangfang treasure sword. If Xing Muzheng refuses to obey, kill him under the charge of defying imperial order. If he yields the command token, remain at the frontier to oversee the army.”
Zhaohui hesitated, but in the end kept his mouth shut, bowed, and withdrew.
***
Even before the decree reached Pengzhou, Xing Muzheng already knew. At that moment, he was in the command tent with his generals, discussing the recapture of Qinan Prefecture, with Qian Jiaoniang also present. Xing Muzheng took the secret report, read it quickly, and passed it to Qian Jiaoniang without change of expression.
Qian Jiaoniang, less composed than he, slammed the table in fury after reading. The generals were startled. “Madam, what has happened?”
Xing Muzheng caught her hand and rubbed it. “Such anger is not worth it.”
But Qian Jiaoniang’s rage did not abate. She turned to him. “This is bullying too far!”
Anxious officers asked again, and Xing Muzheng answered, “The imperial house would have my son wed Princess Huairou.”
Vanguard General Li Zhong, never one for thinking, only charging forward, laughed. “The Young Marquis is to be imperial son-in-law? Why, that’s a grand blessing!”
He roared with laughter, but only his laughter filled the tent. No one echoed him. Realizing the mood, he awkwardly shut his mouth.
Xu Yizhao asked, “Marshal, why would the throne bestow a princess at this time? From what I know, there is no princess of marriageable age.”
Xing Muzheng gestured for Qian Jiaoniang to burn the report. “The imperial decree orders me to Yongan on the eighth of the twelfth month to witness the marriage.”
The tent burst into uproar.
“The eighth of the twelfth month? But we are still at war!”
“What is the throne’s intent—throwing away such an opportunity for nothing?”
“If the Marshal returns to Yongan, who will command us here?”
Questions flew, and soon fell into silence. At such a critical time, the throne was urgently pressing the Xing heir to wed a young princess, and hastening to hold the marriage. This was far too suspicious—almost as if they were desperate to drag the Marshal back to Yongan.
Everyone in camp already knew the throne feared Marshal Xing. First they gave him some ridiculous censor’s title, then withheld reinforcements, delayed supplies and weapons—more like treating him as a criminal than their own general.
And now this marriage decree? Was it because Marshal Xing had again won a great victory, and the emperor feared his merit outshining the throne, thus seizing the chance to strip him of the command token? Or…
Xing Muzheng said calmly, “What do you all think?”
Li Qingquan spoke first. “Marshal, you must not go. This is a trap!”
Li Zhong scratched his head, completely lost on what they were talking about.
Xu Yizhao also said, “Marshal, the throne harbors too much suspicion toward you. My wife has mentioned that Princess Huairou is but nine years old—barely marriageable. To speak of an engagement, perhaps, but a wedding is out of the question. Why then is the throne in such a hurry to marry her to the Young Marquis? Clearly the intention lies elsewhere—the emperor wants you to return to Yongan alone!”
Peng Shi said: “The imperial court has always deeply feared the Grand Marshal. Sending the young marquis up to Yongan as a hostage is one thing, but now they deliberately want the Grand Marshal to go as well. In this humble general’s view, taking the military tally is a small matter—laying false charges and putting the Grand Marshal to death is the true danger.”
“Grand Marshal, you must not go!”
“Find an excuse to refuse, Grand Marshal!”
The generals all stood up, fists clenched, breath heavy, their indignation boiling over.
Xing Muzheng waved his hand lightly to have them sit. He looked at Qian Jiaoniang, then said: “To tell the truth, I too know that if I go to Yongan this time, I fear it will be more misfortune than fortune.”
“Grand Marshal!”
“Grand Marshal!”
“…Yet an imperial edict cannot be defied. I will simply leave it to fate.” Xing Muzheng sighed. He stood, and reached out to lift Qian Jiaoniang up. “That will be all for today. You may go about as you please.”
Back in the carriage, Qian Jiaoniang’s face was still cold with lingering anger. Xing Muzheng pulled her into his arms, pinching her cheek. She lifted her gaze at him.
“It’s fine, hm?”
Qian Jiaoniang trusted Xing Muzheng greatly, always feeling that even if the sky fell, he could hold it up. But this venomous imperial edict had ensnared both father and son. If Xing Muzheng went, he might lose his life; if he did not, then Chou’er would become the scapegoat.
Want to show your support? Go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! Want to read the rest of the chapters in the book in advance? Go to my Patreon to join now! :)
