It's a battle of wits, let's see who has the upper hand

  When the people in Fang's mansion heard that Jing Wang Fu was coming to propose, they were all excited and happy for Ruoxi, but also envious and jealous. If it weren't for Chen Xiang and Zhou Mama holding them back, they would probably have set off firecrackers to celebrate.

  But as he stood there for a while, he suddenly felt as if his body was in a dream.

  As for the various benefits of Jing Wang Fu listed by Zhou Mama and others, she didn't care about them at all. She only knew that Li Xiong was good at fighting villains, shooting arrows accurately, swimming well, had a high status, and was rich and handsome. Marrying such a man would mean not worrying about food and clothing for the rest of her life. With a high social status, she would have many servants, endless gold and silver jewelry, exquisite clothes, and delicious food like swallow's nest and sea cucumber. Being favored by such a wealthy and handsome man made her want to smile secretly, thinking that her ancestors must have accumulated virtue over ten generations.

  However, if this rich and handsome man is a second-hand goods (his ex-wife was still divorced), and there is also an eldest illegitimate son. (Usually, the eldest illegitimate son of a noble family is the greatest threat to the legitimate mother and later legitimate sons, with a defensive and offensive identity.) There are also many concubines in the house, and the one with the highest status is still the niece of the empress dowager, who can be considered as cousins with Li Xiao. She has already suffered from being a cousin's wife and does not want to go through this again. This consort, who is also the aunt of the illegitimate son, will use the power of the illegitimate son to fight for favor, which would be an easy victory. A person who has only watched but never actually participated in palace struggles can only end up defeated.

  There is already a large pile of beautiful little wives at home, but this guy is not satisfied, and he still goes to the brothel to drink flower wine. Not to mention whether he will drink to bed, but people who often run to the brothel (and have been caught in the act by her) are doing such a thing as a husband, and the wife's face will be very big.

  Here is the translation:

  And again, this man has a bad temper, and whenever he's unhappy, he resorts to violence. The most classic example is when he publicly flogged Princess Fuguo's husband in the street, and tied Prince Rong's son under a horse and dragged him for two miles. He kills people without batting an eye, like when he killed a maid at the age of nine, or slaughtered the entire family of the previous empress at eighteen, not even sparing a three-year-old child. To say nothing of the past, let's just talk about recent events - every time he sees his own son, he always mocks and bullies him. If this is what they call "beating is loving, scolding is caring"...

  But Li Xiao is not just anyone, he's a dignified prince. To get the attention of his beloved girl, would he use such clumsy and unskilled tactics? It's an insult to his royal status and also gives himself too much credit.

  Having lived in ancient times for over a decade, she had long been constrained by the worldly etiquette and social norms, becoming a practical and somewhat cold person. The unrealistic love stories of wind, flowers, snow, and moon had long been cast aside, and she no longer believed in the existence of love, only believing in tangible benefits... The union between the two families would bring benefits to both clans.

  But marrying Li Xiao, what benefits would it bring her?

  ……

  On the twelfth day of the first month, Princess Jing Tai and Old Lady Fu visited Fang's residence together, bringing a large number of precious gifts.

  Fang Jinglan indeed acted as Zhiyi had said, displaying a noble and refined demeanor of a scholar who would rather be shattered jade than remain unbroken pottery. She refused the request of Princess Jingtao to see her, saying: "My daughter has been frightened too much and has contracted a severe cold, she is currently recovering from her illness, I fear that seeing Your Highness would startle her. Please forgive me for this."

  The Empress Dowager Jing Tai said with concern, "Have you invited a doctor? I have brought the imperial physician from the palace to take a look at Ruo Xue first. Don't let her illness drag on."

  Fang Jinglan politely declined, saying that she was no longer seriously ill, just a bit depressed, and would be fine after resting for a few days. Then he turned his head again and looked at the old lady.

  The old lady said, "Now, thanks to the king's gift, my family's granddaughter's reputation is completely ruined. Unfortunately, the royal family is too noble and our Fang family can't afford to provoke them. We had planned to swallow this anger, but I dare ask, Your Highness, what brings you to our humble abode?"

  The King's wife, Jing Tai, put on a sincere face and said: "It's all because of my son, he was spoiled by his father. He did something that can't be undone. I came here today for two reasons: first, to apologize to your family for Ruo Er's recklessness; second, I feel guilty towards you and your family, so I want to find a way to end this matter beautifully." Then she paused and brought up the proposal of marriage.

  Fang Jinglan and the old lady exchanged a glance, and finally Fang Jinglan said: "Old Wangye and the princess are indeed well-bred and considerate of our daughter's reputation. As the ancients said: 'As for the wealth or poverty of one's family, and one's beauty or ugliness, these are not what one should worry about.' My Fang family is humble and lowly, I fear we cannot aspire to such heights. Please, princess, withdraw your command."

  The princess of Jing Tai Wang had long known that the Fang family would make things difficult, and she wasn't angry. She just said, "What's the point of calculating wealth or poverty when it comes to true love? Besides, our Jing Wang Fu is not a place that discriminates against the poor and favors the rich. Please rest assured about this, Old Lady Fang and Lord Fang."

  Fang Jinglan said, "Thanks to the kindness of the Grand Princess in looking upon my humble daughter with favor, but the Prince and my daughter are far apart in age and social status, and it's not a match made in heaven. I fear they won't be able to spend their lives together harmoniously."

  "My son Xiong Er came from a good affinity, sincerely cherishing the thought of harmony, and will not stop until it is achieved."

  Fang Jinglan did not seem to have expected the reaction of the King's wife, and she continued: "The King's words are wrong, the King publicly robbed the bride, ruined the young girl's reputation, and took away someone else's marriage, how can this be a good omen?"

  The Empress Dowager Jing Tai met a soft nail this time and felt that there was nothing she could do, so she had to put down the gift and leave with a sullen expression.

  ……

  After the princess left, Fang Jinglan plopped down into a chair, wiping away the cold sweat on his forehead. His heart was racing with anxiety, wondering if he would offend the Jing Wang Fu by refusing like this.

  ……

  Several days later, Li Xi personally visited their home. This time, Fang Jinglan put on a good show of dignity, and the two brothers who knew courtesy and righteousness also frowned and didn't give him a good face.

  Zhi Yi also gave two punches to vent his anger.

  Li Xiu spoke sincerely, and said many heartfelt words to express his deep love for Fang Jinglan's father and son. He spoke deeply, like a sentimental male lead in a Taiwanese drama, with sincere words and profound meaning. Fang Jinglan was deeply moved, and almost agreed to the marriage on the spot.

  But the two brothers knew courtesy and immediately became embarrassed.

  "For instance, 'As a humble and lowly born woman, who was raised in the inner chambers, how did you manage to climb up? Could it be that you learned from Deng Tu Zi's example of climbing over walls and crawling through windows?'"

  Li Xiu awkwardly said, "That fleeting encounter at the Fang family in Qizhou has been etched in my memory. The brief time we spent together at the Qingchang Hou Mansion has deeply rooted itself in my heart. As for that period of time in Datong where we were at odds with each other, I couldn't help but be drawn to you... Alas, I heard that you already had a marriage arrangement..." He continued to speak sincerely, "Later, when I heard that the Wei family and your family had dissolved the engagement, I was overjoyed. I wanted to rush over and propose, but unfortunately, you weren't in the capital at the time, and I missed my chance. It wasn't until later, when I hastily returned to the capital and sent someone to propose on my behalf, that I was rejected. At the time, I couldn't bear to lose face, so I put it off. Now, thinking back, I feel foolish. As a grown man, if I could have married the woman I loved, what's the harm in losing some face?"

  Fang Jinglan was so moved that she was at a loss for words, and if it weren't for the two brothers Zhi Li holding her back, she would have rushed forward to call out "son-in-law" long ago.

  Zhili didn't understand the inside story and really thought Li Xiao was like that, but Zhiyi understood the inside story very well and wouldn't easily believe his words.

  Li Xiao was also cunning as a fox, seeing Fang Jinglan and Zhi Li were both moved, he turned to fight Zhi Yi. Ah, it's been many years since we parted ways, now that we're about to become relatives, shouldn't we have a good chat and catch up on old times?

  Zhi Yi also had this intention, and was afraid that Fang Fu would be surrounded by many mouths, so he dragged Li Xiao away to find a wine tower outside, and asked for a good private room. He ordered his trusted men to guard the doors and windows tightly, only then did he start forcing him to confess...

  ……

  That evening, Zhiyi returned from outside with a coffin-like face and rushed straight to Fang Jinglan's study.

  Fang Jinglan was just thinking about the various shocks that would come with marrying into the Jing Wang Fu when she saw her second son return, and hastily asked: "How did it go?"

  Zhiyi's face turned green as he sat down without saying a word.

  Fang Jinglan saw that his son's complexion was not very good, and he felt a sudden pang in his heart. He hastily asked: "What has happened again? Tell your father quickly!" This unfilial son loved to keep people in suspense.

  It's not that Zhiyi is intentionally being mysterious, but what Li Xue told him earlier was the truth, which made him both angry and helpless.

  That guy is too shameless, he actually said to the local: "I know you're angry with me, back in Datong... I was also unintentional, but later didn't I make amends with you? And then there's my cousin, I told you about him before, that he wasn't a good match for her. You didn't believe me and scolded me instead. Almost broke off our friendship. What happened in the end? Didn't everything come true?"

  Zhi Yi pressed down the discomfort in her heart and said coldly, "Don't think that just because I'm in Datong, I don't know what's going on in the capital. In those days, Princess Yongning's actions towards Ruxue should have involved you too."

  Li Xiu loudly cried injustice, "Don't wrong a good person. At that time I wasn't even in the capital city, how would I know about these things?" This matter was done by his mother, the empress dowager, what does it have to do with him?

  Zhī Yì stared at him for a while, then said: "That lazy thing, Xiang Jia's cousin, I don't believe you won't have your share."

  Li Xiao falsely shouted: "You're framing me again. That Weigong's daughter really wasn't a trap I set."

  Zhi Yi angrily said: "The Chen and Li families, how can you explain this?"

  Li Xiu frowned: "I really can't understand what you're thinking, the Li family is nothing, but the Chen family, a family like that, you also look up to? Aren't you afraid of being tainted by their vulgar and mediocre air? I didn't do anything, just gave them a better deal, and they immediately betrayed me and ran to hug another family's thigh. This kind of shameless person who forgets righteousness for profit, you dare to want? You're really muddled."

  Zhī Yì scolded: "The Chen family has indeed let you interfere. And what about the Li family? What good deed have you done for them?"

  Li Xiao also followed with dissatisfaction, "Who knew you would act so quickly, putting down the Chen family and then taking a liking to the Li family, I was really at my wit's end and had no choice but to resort to this inferior plan."

  It's really a case of the thief shouting to catch the thief. Knowing the meaning, he didn't get angry but smiled instead, and quietly asked: "Since you've had feelings for Ruoqing for a long time, why didn't you propose to Fangfu earlier? Why did you wait until Ruoqing's wedding day to make such a move?"

  Li Xiao exclaimed, "I had a marriage proposal, but unfortunately it was rejected outright." Then his self-esteem was hurt, and he couldn't swallow the blow, so he gave up. But who would have thought that the hateful little girl would unintentionally re-enter his heart again? And from then on, he realized that this little girl's figure, her smile, every move she made, had already been deeply etched in his heart, and could no longer be shaken off.

  "So you're openly robbing? What's the difference between you and a bandit?"

  Li Xiao helplessly spread his hands, "This is also an unavoidable thing. Who let the He family be a seamless egg? I really can't find any weaknesses to take advantage of." That's why he was forced to resort to elopement.

  He made such a metaphor, but ended up likening himself to a fly that buzzes around people's ears. Zhiyi wanted to laugh, but this wasn't the time for laughter, so he asked again: "You also acknowledge that He's family is indeed a perfect match for Ruxin. Can you bear to ruin her hard-won marriage?"

  This time Li Xu fell silent, and after a long while, he said: "I'm not inferior to the He family either. If Qingshen marries me, she'll be a noble princess no matter what. As long as I'm around, I won't let her suffer any grievances."

  "The He family doesn't have a eldest son born out of wedlock, nor do they have a bunch of concubines, and there aren't so many stinky rules. Moreover, the young master of the He family wouldn't often run to the cellar." Zhi Yi's words were few but each sentence hit the nail on the head, leaving Li Xiao speechless for half a moment.

  Li Xiu's face turned red, and he said bluntly: "I do have a son born out of wedlock, but what does that have to do with Ru Qing? I wouldn't let the child be raised under Ru Qing's name. Ru Qing is my legitimate wife, and those concubines wouldn't dare to be arrogant in front of her. Besides, I've been to brothels before, but only for a drink, and I've never had any physical relationship with the women there."

  Zhi Yi stared at him for a long time and said, "I heard that you also have a cousin who is the younger sister of your concubine. And you are raising an illegitimate eldest son with her, addressing each other as cousins."

  Li Xiao shook his head impatiently, "They are already distant relatives after five generations. The title of Imperial Concubine is just a nice name, don't worry, if Ruqing marries into the Wang family, she will still have to show respect to Ruxin."

  Silent understanding.

  Facing Fang Jinglan's panicked face, Zhiyi said quietly: "This time, I've asked for a month's leave from the top. By the end of this month, I'll be going back, let Ruqing pack up and come with me to Datong."

  Fang Jinglan was taken aback, "What's going on...?" Suddenly thinking of something, her expression changed, "Could it be that you don't want to marry into the King of Jing's mansion?"

  Zhi Yi Dan said: "Li Xiao doesn't have a heart that thinks about emotions. If your sister marries him, she'll only suffer."

  Fang Jinglan was stunned for a moment, furrowed his brow, and hastily asked: "This, this is why?"

  He understood the meaning and remained silent.

  Fang Jinglan was indignant in his heart, pacing back and forth on the spot, suddenly stopping and saying: "Now what time is it? You still want to put on a show as a maternal uncle? You must understand that our family has already ridden a tiger and can't get off. If Ruoqing doesn't marry Li Xiao, who else can she marry?" He thought Zhiyi had figured out Li Xiao's sincere desire to marry Ruoqing, so he wanted to put on a show as a maternal uncle.

  Zhi Yi glanced at his father, knowing he had misunderstood, but he didn't explain and just said: "Anyway, Li Xiao is not a good match for Ruo Xin. If Father insists on marrying her off to him, first he has to get past me." With that, he ignored Fang Jinglan's angry curses and rushed straight to Xie Yi Ju.

  ……

  Some little maids in the courtyard saw Zhiyi, and seeing his expression, they thought of being spanked last year, and were so frightened that their souls flew away, and for a while they ran very fast.

  Disregarding the maidservants, he strode straight into Rong'er's boudoir.

  As early as this morning, Ruxue had learned that Li Xiao had come over. Later, she was dragged out by Zhiyi to have a "quiet conversation". Just as she was worriedly thinking that her marriage with Li Xiao was already settled, Zhiyi strode in, and immediately dismissed the maidservants from the room, ordering someone to guard the doors and windows. Ruxue's heart skipped a beat as she personally poured tea for Zhiyi and softly asked: "Brother, it's so late, is there something you want to talk to me about?"

  At this time, the sky had completely darkened, and the lights in the Yi Yu residence had been lit. Under the bright candlelight, Zhiyi's dark face looked even more gloomy, as if his heart was weighed down by a heavy stone, and he couldn't help but curse Li Xiao, that scourge of humanity.

  "Now that this has happened, you have two paths to choose from." Zhi Yi quietly expressed his own views, staring at the silent and bewildered face, saying in a low voice: "One is to marry Li Xiao, and the other is to follow me to Datong. As your brother, I will make arrangements for you and find a good family for you. You choose yourself."

  After days of mental struggle, she had finally accepted the fate that was about to befall her. Marrying Li Xiu didn't seem like a particularly bad thing either. Even if she were to marry into a high-ranking family and suffer hardships, being treated with disdain, having her eyes gouged out, and being tormented, as a glamorous princess, she would enjoy the envy and admiration of the world, summoning friends and companions, with servants at her beck and call, gold and silver mines, silk and satin, delicacies from land and sea, countless and inexhaustible; enduring her husband's infidelity and the malice of his concubines and illegitimate children... suppressing her true nature, being ground down by the harsh realities of imperial life, becoming a smooth and featureless woman of the inner palace, a mere ornament in the family's ancestral temple.

  She has a modern soul, but she is powerless to change the current situation, and can only go with the flow, forced by worldly pressure to marry a man who is not her ideal match - oh, don't make Li Xiao sound too despicable, he has a house, a car, money, power, and looks, truly a high-rich-handsome guy. In modern times, no matter how many times he's been divorced or has children with different women, there would still be plenty of women who wouldn't care about his status and would chase after him.

  Nowadays, marrying Li Xiao, the only way out, unexpectedly has another not bad choice, and the heart that had long been dormant is lively again.

  "Brother," Ru Qing said softly, trying hard to suppress the excitement in her heart, "do you also think that Li Xiao is not a good match for sister?"

  Zhī Yì fell silent for a moment, then said: "Li Xi is a good person, he's got a strong sense of justice, no airs about him, and a broad mind. He's rough around the edges but also has a smooth side... as a friend, he's not bad. But if he were to be your husband, I think you'd suffer... however..." Zhī Yì paused again, looking at her with a complex expression, seeming to smile yet not quite smiling. "With your abilities, sister, I'm not worried that you'll be bullied. It's just that I have another concern." Then, Zhī Yì expressed his final worry.

  As she thought about it carefully, nodding her head in deep agreement, Li Xiu was actually a person with many good qualities, but most of these good qualities were used to make friends widely. If they were used as a husband, coughing... the pressure would indeed be overwhelming.

  She thought she didn't have the talent to be as good as them, and even if she tried to learn from their true nature, she couldn't quite grasp it. The smoothness of He's family, the boldness of Lin's family, and the endurance of Yu's family - she was a bit off in all these aspects. As for being a queen... she wasn't uninterested, but the problem was that she simply didn't have the ability to take on this role. It's like a department manager suddenly becoming the CEO overnight; it's definitely impressive, but only they themselves can truly understand the struggles behind it. Especially with a living example of success (Empress Jing) standing right there, if she failed, wouldn't that be laughable?

  "Brother's vision has always been good, since brother said that the Wang Fu is not a good match for sister, then sister will listen to brother." With emotions suppressed in her heart, Princess Wang, just like that, let her slip away. Saying she didn't care was fake, she also wanted to recklessly grab the title of princess to try it out, but, forget it, no such luck, won't take on that fragile task.

  He looked at her with a deep gaze for a moment before saying, "You don't have to force yourself. In fact, putting aside his family background, Li Xiong is actually not bad."

  Ru Qing shook her head, "Which woman doesn't want to marry better? But my sister knows that with my status, marrying Li Xiao is not suitable."

  Zhi Yi nodded, "You can think this way, and I'm relieved. I still have more than 10 days off, so start packing your luggage from today. Don't worry, sister, as long as I'm in Datong, I'll definitely find a satisfactory husband's family for you, and I won't let you suffer again."

  Not seeking a lifetime of togetherness, just hoping for the second half of life to be free from worries about food and clothing, with a husband who is responsible and accomplished, not making oneself anxious and fearful. However, I don't want that kind of life as a wealthy housewife, where everything looks perfect on the surface but is actually oppressive, being overly cautious and careful, always considering others' opinions in every move.

  As if delighted, she nodded her head.

  That night, as usual, he took out rice paper and wrote a few beautiful large characters on it: "Thirty-six strategies, retreat is the best strategy."

  Later, Linglong, who came in to serve, learned of Ruoqing's decision and rolled up her sleeves without saying a word. When she inadvertently saw these few words, she was very envious: "The second master is indeed worthy of being a general, the young lady has become a relative, and even Sunzi's Art of War has been used."

  Yuqin was puzzled and asked, "What's wrong with staying here? Why go all the way to Datong?"

  She looked at her disappointment with a smile and explained, "For example, you couldn't stay in your wife's place before, so you came to me. This is also a good strategy."

  Yuqin's face turned red, she smiled awkwardly and quickly walked out with a teapot.

  ……

  When Zhiyi announced his decision to everyone, including the old lady, they were all shocked and expressed their disapproval. Especially Fang Jinglan, who was so angry that he almost jumped up like thunder, but unfortunately, his eloquent words fell flat in front of Zhiyi.

  Although Zhiyi is not as eloquent as Zhili, who can bring the dead to life and kill the living with his words, he still occupies a position of great moral integrity. However, every sentence that comes out of his mouth is sharp as a knife's edge. On one hand, "Is the importance of the royal family's power or the happiness of my sister more important?" On the other hand, "Father has always doted on my sister and would not let her marry into a situation where she would suffer." In conclusion, "All the girls in our family have married well, shouldn't we be able to find one who is just as good?"

  Fang Jinglan was so angry that one Buddha was born and two Buddhas ascended to heaven. This bastard, this bastard, actually hypocritically accused him of being a cruel and selfish father who only sought power and wealth in the palace, without regard for his own daughter's lifelong happiness. It really infuriated him to death.

  He was about to take out his father's dignity to teach this scoundrel a lesson, but Zhi Li also stood on the side of Zhi Yi. This kid just said one sentence: "Men fear entering the wrong profession, women fear marrying the wrong husband, sister's marriage, Father should be cautious." He looked at Zhi Yi and said, "Second brother has been with Li Xiong since childhood and deeply understands this person's character. Since second brother doesn't think highly of Li Xiong, Father might as well give up now."

  Fang Jinglan was so angry that he almost spat blood, but he couldn't think of a single word to refute. He still struggled to make a dying effort and said indignantly: "What do you take me for? If I hadn't inquired about Li Xiu's character from all sides, I wouldn't have gambled with Ruyi's lifelong happiness. That Li Xiu is indeed not very good... But after all, he has a true heart towards Ruyi, and now Ruyi's reputation has been ruined, can she still marry someone else?" Fang Jinglan became more and more angry as he spoke, and scolded: "Moreover, even the Emperor himself is delighted with this union, is there any room for regret? If Li Xiu were to obtain an imperial decree, could we still defy it?" He was also doing it all for Ruyi's good, for everyone's good.

  Zhi Yi said quietly: "That day in the grand hall, the Emperor indeed had a matchmaking intention, but he didn't say that he would issue an imperial decree to grant marriage."

  Fang Jinglan glared at him: "Li Xiao would even dare to rob for the sake of a romantic relationship, if we refuse, will he just let it go?"

  Zhī Yì zhǎn dīng tiě dào: "Just because he snatched the bride, ruining Rú Qíng's reputation, so Rú Qíng must marry him? What kind of logic is this?" He fell silent for a moment, then spoke in a hoarse voice: "If Father really wants to marry Rú Qíng off to Lǐ Xiāo, then the child will have no choice but to enter the palace and pay respects, take on the title of 'Yù Xià Zhèn Guó Jiàng Jūn' (Imperial General Who Guards the Country), and... be dismissed from office and return to the capital."

  Fang Jinglan was both shocked and enraged, "You, you actually dare to threaten me?"

  Zhi Yi hesitated and said: "Father, have you ever thought that since the beginning of our Great Qing Dynasty, it has been clearly stipulated in writing that military generals are not allowed to intermarry with noble families..."

  It seems like there's a rule like this, Fang Jinglan was directly stunned.

  Zhi Yiyu's tone was cold and condensed, "I am a military general, with a strong army in my hands. However, my elder sister married into the Pingyang Hou Mansion, my second sister married into the Yu Guang Wang Mansion, and my third sister married into the Qingchang Hou Mansion. All of my sisters married into high-ranking families with titles. And now, you want to marry Ruxue into the Jingwang Mansion? Father, what do you think others will think? What will the Emperor think?"

  Fang Jinglan suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, thinking of the pros and cons, and was so startled that he let out an involuntary shiver.

  Zhi Yi said, "Fortunately, Father has a good reputation in the official circle, although he has lost power, no one has yet to push him down. But it's hard to guarantee that there won't be any treacherous people who will envy our family and speak ill of us in front of the Emperor, if that happens, our family will be finished."

  Zhī Lǐ gazed silently at Zhī Yì, then quietly said: "Second Brother has spoken exactly what I wanted to say. Father, the power and influence of the Wang Fu are indeed enticing, but one must also consider the pros and cons within."

  Fang Jinglan wiped the sweat from his forehead, and it wasn't until his son said this that he suddenly realized he had unintentionally committed another grave mistake.

  ……

  At this time when no one was around, Zhiyi lightly patted Zhiyi's shoulder and said in a low voice: "Can this method be effective?"

  At noon, the sun shone brightly again, casting a warm glow on people's faces. It was especially comfortable. Zhiyi gazed at the evergreen bamboo leaves in Jingzhuang Courtyard, where servants were busy sweeping with brooms. On the wall and tree branches, several thick hemp ropes were hung, drying children's clothes, which were also supported by specially made bamboo racks to speed up the drying process. This time back in Beijing, Yuange, Shun'er, and Lin'er all brought back some clothes. The cold weather made it difficult for children's clothes to dry, so when there was finally some sunshine, they had to be taken out to absorb some sunlight. In just two days, the entire courtyard was filled with dried little clothes. Zhiyi had excellent eyesight and memory, and most of these clothes were made by Ruxiang herself.

  And these bamboo structures were also designed by Qingshan himself.

  Zhiyi still clearly remembered: a dusty figure with a red face, excitedly and proudly showing off to him, her voice crisp like the yellow oriole on the tree branch, "Brother, sister is clever and skilled, today she has invented a clothes rack, take a look, hanging the little nephew's washed clothes on it, isn't it going to dry faster? And it won't get wrinkled easily." Then, with a treasured expression, she hung the clothes on the bamboo frame, indeed, they were smooth and flat, and actually dried faster than when hung on the rope, and didn't get wrinkled. The clothes also wouldn't have the marks left by drying on the rope.

  "The planning lies with man, but the outcome depends on Heaven." Zhiyi said in a low and solemn tone.

  "What if it doesn't work out?"

  Zhī Yì said in a low voice: "Then we can only make another move."

  Zhili Yaobang clenched his teeth tightly, stared intently for a moment, and then nodded heavily.

  In the capital, Fang's mansion, Yi Songyuan and Jinzhuyuan were no longer as close together as they had been in Qizhou. Instead, they stood at an angle to each other, with the two brothers standing in the middle of the road. The gates of both courtyards were open, and it was clear that the small clothes drying on the racks in Yi Songyuan were full.

  Now that Wen Ge is grown up, he's become very mischievous and changes clothes several times a day. The yard is filled with many small clothes drying on wooden racks, rivaling the grandeur of the Zhī Yì courtyard.

  If I really marry far away to Datong, then this brother will benefit from it.

  ……

  Zhi Li finally persuaded Fang Jinglan, refusing the marriage with the King's household and instead letting Ruoxi follow Zhiyi to Datong. After everything was settled, Ruoxi let out a sigh of relief - she had been worried that Fang Jinglan wouldn't agree after all.

  But all these worries have become a thing of the past, and now she is carefree again, having finally put down the heavy burden in her heart. She no longer has to worry about not being able to find a good husband due to her ruined reputation. As long as she goes to Datong, with Zhiyi there, she won't have to worry about finding a good match.

  But this time, Princess Jingtao came to the door and suddenly found that Fang Jinglan's attitude of refusal was unusually strong. She was shocked and asked carefully, but Fang Jinglan did not say clearly, only saying that the Fang family was humble and did not dare to climb high, and also said that he was weak in temperament and feared that he could not bear the heavy responsibility of being a clan wife as an excuse for refusal.

  The Empress Dowager Jing Tai returned to the palace, feeling utterly bewildered and humiliated after being rejected, and vented her frustrations on Li Xiong.

  "You rascal, you think highly of others, but they don't even think highly of you. You're just being overly sentimental. Anyway, I've already been hit by a nail three times in a row. If you want to marry, go and propose yourself."

  Li Xiu was shocked, they were still talking well with Zhi Yi that day, how did this guy change his mind again?

  ……

  The news that the Fang Mansion refused the marriage proposal from the Jing Wang Mansion spread like it had grown wings, with some saying that the Fang Mansion was truly fearless of the powerful and worthy of admiration. Others said that the Fang Mansion must have been putting on airs, as the Jing Wang Mansion was so influential, only a fool would dare to refuse them.

  Later, it was indeed heard that Ruo Qing had packed her luggage and followed Zhi Yi to Datong. Only then did the crowd come to their senses, with some sighing that Fang Fu was really not clever, actually giving up such a good marriage, and that his brain had been squeezed by the door.

  Some also say that Fang Zhiyi and Li Xiu's relationship has gone wrong, in order to avenge Zhiyi, Li Xiu deliberately snatched the marriage, just to ruin Ruyi's reputation. It was not a genuine request to marry Ruyi.

  It is unknown how it was passed on, but in any case, Li Xiu took revenge on Zhiyi and this led to the rumor of a forced marriage being spread in a mysterious way.

  As if she had heard such rumors, she was both sad and amused at the same time, but didn't explain. Anyway, as long as she left the capital, everything in the capital would have nothing to do with her.

  ……

  But, however, but... in the end still couldn't leave Beijing.

  To avoid drawing attention during the day, Zhiyi suggested they set out at three in the morning. As they faced the dark sky, just as they were about to leave the city, the sky was just beginning to brighten.

  On the straight road heading west, the cold wind howled, blowing the banners all over the sky, fluttering in the wind. Although there were not many people on this trip, only about 200 iron cavalry, but the military was strict and the movements were neat and uniform, making the generals guarding the city gate feel ashamed for no reason.

  Zhi Yi claimed that, fearing the long night and many dreams, he didn't take much luggage, only bringing some spare clothes before setting off. As expected, this time leaving the capital, it's estimated that there won't be a chance to return for several years. She also wanted to move all her private belongings onto the carriage, giving away or selling those that couldn't be moved. But Zhi Yi said: "These are not urgent. Wait until I find you a husband in Datong, then we can come back and pack up together, it's not too late."

  As for the suggestion to bring all the maidservants of the Wu family, Yu Ru said: "The General's mansion has many servants, if not enough, we can just buy some more. Sister, you can just bring a few personal attendants for now, and leave the rest here to guard the gate for sister."

  Following her intuition, Zhiyi thought that something was amiss, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She decided to follow her brother's instructions and only packed a few changes of clothes, bringing along only three personal maids as they set off.

  Just then, when getting on the bus, Zhiyi checked her luggage again and took out a few packages. She strongly opposed it, but Zhiyi explained: "This trip to Datong is only one day and one night's journey, why do you need to make it so complicated?"

  As if there was no choice, he could only nod his head. Later, it was discovered that the younger nephew and niece, as well as Second Aunt Yu, had not come along. He asked again: "Didn't Second Aunt come together?"

  Zhi Yidao said: "She stayed behind to serve her mother-in-law."

  But Li was just a stepmother, why did she need to serve her husband's first wife?

  Besides, she's about to leave the capital, why didn't anyone come to see her off? Last night, Li Shi did express some maternal love towards her, and Fang Jinglan also shed tears in front of her, a benevolent father figure worthy of praise and tears. However... He Shi and Yu Shi didn't even bother to ask about her, not even Old Lady Tai came out to bid farewell, is it really true that once someone leaves, they're forgotten like cold tea?

  But seeing Zhiyi's impatient face, he could only shut his mouth and get on the carriage.

  After passing through Zhengyang Gate, the sky was just beginning to show a faint white dawn.

  Looking back at the black city gate behind him, he suddenly felt a little reluctant to leave. This time when he left, he didn't know what year or month he would be able to enter the capital again.

  Thinking of this, she couldn't help but scold Li Xu countless times. Thinking about her family's reaction to her leaving the capital, her mood sank again.

  If we compare feelings, knowing righteousness is also similar to emotions, and it's hard to say which one is better.

  After leaving Zhengyang Gate, he looked back at the dark city wall behind him and said nothing, continuing to ride his horse forward.

  After walking for another ten or so miles, Zhiyi's gloomy face finally showed signs of cracking a smile. He turned to his trusted aide and ordered, "Pass down the order to speed up our advance."

  "Yes!"

  The commander in the rear of the cavalry shouted loudly: "All officers and soldiers listen to the order, speed up the advance!"

  Before long, the sound of horse whips and shouts filled the air, and dust suddenly covered half the sky.

  After driving for a few more miles, it seemed that someone was shouting something from behind. Zhiyi walked in the front and couldn't hear it, but the soldiers behind heard it roughly and hurriedly rode to Zhiyi's side, shouting: "General... there is someone behind!"

  The team stopped and turned back, with furrowed brows that seemed to be tied in a knot.

  "Halt! Halt! General Quelling-the-State, an imperial edict has been issued. Please dismount and receive the edict."

  Sitting in the back of the horse carriage, Ruo Xue was suddenly awakened from her nap, and she sprang up from the couch, looking around left and right, "Receiving an edict? Receiving what kind of edict?"

  Linglong was also frightened, and hastily poked her head out to see that outside the Zhengyang Gate, a group of light cavalry were rushing forward. The leading eunuch was waving a yellow imperial edict in his hand, followed by over ten heavily armed inner guards dressed as warriors. Judging from their formation, it shouldn't be anything bad.

  The eunuch, with a face as black as the bottom of a pot, stared at the person in front of him, speaking in a breathless tone. With a flattering smile, he said to Zhiyi: "General Town, I have the honor to present this humble servant. The imperial edict is here, please dismount and receive it, General Town."

  Zhi Yi fell to the ground on his knees, and the eunuch began to read in a shaking voice: "By the decree of the Emperor, it is decreed that the General of the Town Country has heard that you are elegant, refined, warm, kind, and have excellent manners. The Empress Dowager and I are delighted to hear this. Now, the King of Jing is deeply in love with you, and at the time of your marriage, a virtuous woman should be chosen as his queen. It happens that Fang Shi is waiting for her marriage in the boudoir, and she is well-matched with the King of Jing, being a perfect couple made in heaven. Therefore, Fang Shi is hereby betrothed to the King of Jing as his queen. All the rituals will be handled by the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Observatory together, and the wedding will take place on a auspicious day."

  "Let it be known far and wide, let all hear of this!" Then he smiled and looked at General Town, "General Town, please accept the edict."

  This eunuch's voice was loud and clear, and since there was no one around to speak, the sound went straight into the ears of Ruoyi in the rear carriage. Ruoyi felt dizzy and her ears were ringing, she couldn't believe it and rubbed her own ears, how could this be? Had the Emperor's head been squeezed or had he gone mad? He actually wanted to give a royal marriage? Zhiyi was a military general with great power, while Li Xiu was the King of Fan. This king and the general were going to be married, wasn't he afraid?

  After receiving the imperial edict, there was a moment of silence, but in the end, nothing was said. He ordered someone to reward the eunuch who delivered the edict and waved his hand - the imperial edict had been issued, this marriage matter could no longer be changed. Forget it, let's go back and discuss it again later.

  Digression

  Nothing to say today, haha, relax and take it easy, everyone, savor it slowly.