Chapter 14: Finalize the Marriage
Chapter 14: Finalize the Marriage
There was a rush of footsteps from the corridor, and a palace attendant brought an invitation card written with gold: “Your Highness, the Chief Historian said that General Zhao and the others have reserved Miaoyin Pavilion and are waiting for you!”
Li Zhongqian returned to his senses and accepted the invitation.
Yaoying grinned.
Li Zhongqian’s nature was one that lived in the moment. Visiting brothels on horseback, spending thousands of gold to make beauties smile1. Moreover, he had not yet married a main consort. Excluding times of war, he would often wine and dine all night with his subordinates.
The men of the Li family were all very vigorous.
With the army’s return in triumph, Li Zhongqian was expected to celebrate soon.
Yaoying urged her brother, “Elder brother, don’t have wine on an empty stomach. Have some soup cakes before you drink. Also, have less wine. Excessive drinking hurts your body.”
He would drink a thousand cups of wine, drinking until he was completely wasted every time.
Li Zhongqian listened to her instructions and his fingers curled up, smilingly scratching the tip of her nose.
”I remember, housekeeper.”
Yaoying sent him out.
Li Zhongqian pushed her into the inner hall: “Don’t worry about me. You’ve had a tiring day, settle down early. Tomorrow, elder brother will bring you your favorite mutton hubing from Chongren Square.”
Yaoying’s eyes twinkled and she took the opportunity to lean on his shoulder to request in a spoiled tone, “I also want to have the handmade puff pastry made by Granny Zhang at the fruit store opposite his house.”
(His meaning the person selling the hubing)
Li Zhongqian said without having to think, “Okay.”
Yaoying’s voice was even softer and sweeter: “Elder brother, buy me another pot of Luyi wine, I love rice wine.”
Li Zhongqian raised his eyebrows.
Yaoying shook his arm and stretched her voice: “Elder brother, please!”
Li Zhongqian lowered his head and twisted the tip of her nose: “Don’t even think about it!”
Yaoying scowled.
Li Zhongqian was very obedient to her. Whatever she wanted, he would give, but this was the only thing he was strict about. Even the guards had been warned by him to keep an eye on her, forbidding her from touching wine.
The last time she had wine was last year.
Enjoying while one still could, and also not knowing how long they would live, what’s wrong with having a drink?
He drank wine like it was water, but did not allow her to touch it.
Yaoying let go of Li Zhongqian’s sleeve in resentment and turned around to go inside.
Just two steps away, there was a soft laugh in her ear. Li Zhongqian’s solid arm hooked over and gently wrapped around her waist.
He was used to using double hammers, as strong as an ox. Yaoying’s whole body was carried around and hit the thin armor on his chest head on.
Li Zhongqian held Yaoying steady and touched the small head on his chest.
”Really grew taller.”
Previously, she only reached the carved tiger head on his breastplate, but now she was almost to his shoulder.
Yaoying immediately turned from angry to pleased.
The Li family of Wei County was a military noble family, with strong and sturdy sons and tall and plump girls.
Older brother Li Zhongqian was over six feet tall and Li Xuanzhen was also strong and fit. She was looking forward to growing taller from the time she was young. Every time Li Zhongqian came back from his military campaigns, she pulled him to measure where she had reached.
Yaoying moved closer and compared the top of her head to Li Zhongqian’s breastplate, smiling lightly with satisfaction. She stood on tiptoe and continued to compare upwards: “I can still grow more.”
Li Zhongqian’s face became teasing. He stretched out two fingers and waved them in front of her eyes, pressed her shoulders down and made her stand honestly.
”If you want to grow taller, listen obediently to the imperial doctor. Take your medicine on time, and don’t touch alcohol.”
Yaoying waved her hand decisively, “Don’t touch then don’t touch.”
She knew Li Zhongqian was doing it for her own good.
Li Zhongqian watched her go in with a smile, turning around to leave the palace.
It was already time for night curfew. The city was glowing with lights, the night scene hazy. Silver moonlight sprinkled over all the silent long streets, strewn randomly above the magnificent palace walls above a boundless night sky.
The vast sky full of stars shimmered, seemingly embedded with thousands of silver scales.
The chief historian had long been waiting outside the palace gates. During the silence of the desolate watch shift2 suddenly came the sound of rapid hooves and neighing. He drove his horse forward.
Li Zhongqian, with a white cloak draped over his shoulders, galloped out alone.
The chief historian kept pace with him. Reporting a few important matters, he said: “Your Highness, Xu Biao just now seeked an audience. This old slave sent him away.”
In the dim light, Li Zhongqian’s sharply defined face was now sharp as a knife: “What did he want to see me for?”
Yaoying had already talked to him about what had happened in the day.
The chief historian said, “He came to apologize for his sins.”
Li Zhongqian sneered, “What sin?”
The Chief Historian replied, “Xu Biao said that he knew the law and broke them. Robbing the children of good families, that was one of them. The other was that he frightened the princess.”
The seventh princess could not see blood.
The corners of Li Zhongqian’s mouth tugged: “He had two fingers cut off, did he have words of resentment?”
The chief historian replied with a smile: “No. After Xu Biao sobered up, not only did he not complain, he even laughed out loud. Saying that the Seventh Princess was worthy of being your full-blooded younger sister, he was won over. Xu Biao had given a military order saying, were it not for the princess’s mercy, what would’ve been cut off would not be his fingers, but his head. Although he is a rough man, he also knows a sense of proportion.”
Li Zhongqian gave a faint sound of agreement and said, “He can be regarded as tactful.”
The chief historian understood that Xu Biao’s life was saved.
If Xu Biao had complained about the princess after his two fingers were cut off, Li Zhongqian would never have left this scourge behind.
A few soldiers with lanterns were far behind. The faint sound of singing and dancing and joyous laughter came from deep within the dark walls of the square.
The chief historian then said, “Your Highness, those snatched women have been sent home. The princess also ordered a thorough investigation to see if any generals in the wangfu or the army have violated the ban and harassed the people….”
He paused, wanting to say something.
Li Zhongqian impatiently said, “If you have something to say, say it.”
The chief historian sighed and said his sincere and earnest wishes, “Your Highness, people under your tent such as Xu Biao, Lu Heng, Sun Ziyi and others are reckless people who do not know to write a single word. Unruly, arrogant and unreasonable, frequently openly violating the ban. That damages your reputation, so why do you not take this opportunity to discipline the army? Use Xu Biao’s incident to deter them and make them restrain themselves?”
The chief historian had long wanted to say these words.
……
The Xie family had been in Jingnan3 for generations, having officials that held high positions; a noble family with meritorious service. Great numbers of able people came from their clan, all generations had splendid future prospects, able to be a minister in court or a general outside, proficient in both civil and military.
During the previous dynasty, the vassals were separated, many vied for supremacy, the world was divided, Chang’an changed hands several times, and the plains of Guanzhong were devastated.
In order to expel the fierce and brutal tribes from the Central Plains, several major powers in the Central Plains formed a brief alliance.
Jingnan was not in danger at that time, but without hesitation, the Xie family’s grandfather led the clan’s sons north to fight against the enemy for the sake of the overall situation.
At that time, the old, strong and young, all three generations of the clan went to the battlefield without a second thought. Even the children were not an exception.
The Xie family’s sons had been this way for generations.
They were both skilled in civil and military. From childhood, learning the books and poems as they practiced martial arts, eleven and twelve years olds would be with their fathers and brothers on the battlefield, protecting their family, defending the country, generation after generation.
The Xie family’s prestige did not rely on engaging in politics, but each generation fought on the battlefield, the Xie family’s sons giving their lives!
In times of peace, the Xie family retired to Jingnan, guarding the people.
If there was chaos, Xie family’s sons rushed to the battlefield without exception.
The great rivers and mountains, not yielding an inch!
Old Master Xie went, taking away all the outstanding people of the Xie family and the elite army, leaving only the family generals in Jingnan.
One hundred thousand people.
From the Old Master, the Great General, the Grand Duke, to the eleven through eighteen year old sons; from the veterans weathered through hardships and skilled in the classics, to the newly enlisted soldiers.
Gone forever.
One hundred thousand heroic souls, bones buried in foreign land.
That one decisive, tragic battle preserved Chang’an.
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That started off light and ended up the total opposite… Anyway, happy Chinese New Year! Or Lunar New Year! Extra chapter update in celebration :)
1 Both are idioms. He doesn’t actually spend that much, it’s just emphasizing that he’s extravagant and wasteful.
2 A shift (geng) was a two-hour shift during the nighttime.
3 Not a typo, it’s Jingnan not Jiangnan. It’s located very southwest. I’d also like to complain (like usual), everything after this sentence were idioms. I counted seven used in a row. When I don’t understand a phrase in this novel, I immediately default to opening up Baidu & I’ve never been wrong yet.