On any normal day, Li Yuanying wouldn’t visit the Emperor  for nothing. After all, His Majesty is the ruler of a country and is extremely busy. He wouldn’t have time to meet him for leisure.  

But things are different this time. Gao Yang ran away to Hu County and Yuanying let her stay for a few days and even promised to help sabotage her own engagement. Of course, he had to protect the princesses from the wrath of the Emperor.

When they arrived, the guards said that His Majesty would not grant him entry.

Li Yuanying asked in confusion: “What about Gaoyang and Chengyang?”

 “They can pass.”

Yuanying watched eagerly as Gao Yang and Cheng Yang went in and looked at the strange faces of the guards. After thinking, he understood that His Majesty was angry with him. Although he didn’t know why, his actions show that he’s in anger. Yuanying rolled his eyes and stood obediently outside but shouted: “Brother, since I’m not allowed to walk in, can I climb in through the window?”

At that very moment, Li Er was giving Gao Yang a death stare and wanted to make Gao Yang reflect on her actions. When Li Yuanying shouted such nonsense, he almost lost it.

“Climb all you want!”

When Yuanying heard this, he was relieved. This is just false anger. He smiled smugly at the guards and quickly climbed through the window to sneak into the meeting hall in a grand manner.

When Li Er saw him climbing in with much skills, his face became even darker. One look at this action reveals that this boy has been naughty and is very skilled at climbing trees and walls.

As he got into the hall, Yuanying saw the Emperor in a bad mood and both princesses kneeling next to him not daring to speak. Yuanying ran over and kneel together with the girls and lifted his head.

“Brother, you look thinner. Have you not been eating well? Is your illness back again? Summer is harsh in the palace, so next year let’s retreat to Taihe Palace! Actually, you can already visit in 2 months time. As the villagers were sending us away, they updated that the Chang Chu will be ready for harvest in August or September. Sourish and sweet, they will be tasty.”

Li Er’s face brightens slightly as he listens to Yuanying’s concern for him and the mention of Taihe Palace. He replied calmly: “If I don’t visit, your plans will not work in the future.”

“So what if it won’t work again? It’s not like I will use the same trick twice. Is my brother the Emperor someone that is easily invited? I will just do this once so that the stingy cheapskates will all regret at their lost opportunity!”

He continues to share his thoughts about how sacristy create value. I solemnly swear that I will not use my brother’s name in vain so easily. I need to make my investors feel that their contributions were worth it and the people who didn’t invest to feel deep regret for their actions!

Li Er cannot fathom how Li Yuanying spew so much nonsense but after listening to him talk non-stop, his mood improved and he let the children sit around him.  

Li Er looked at Gao Yang.

Seeing that his brother was obviously going to talk about Gao Yang, Yuanying strike first: “Brother, I don’t think Gao Yang and Fang Jun’s marriage is appropriate.”

His Majesty turned his head towards him.

Li Yuanying faced the challenge heads on: “I think there are four major problems.”

Li Er was annoyed and scolded: “Okay, tell me what are the four major problems!”

Li Yuanying really started listing down the issues: “First, it’s not good for Gao Yang. Both parties cannot tolerate each other, they won’t be happy if they get married.”

His Majesty looked calm.

“Second, it’s not good for Fang Jun. Look at Fang Jun’s preferences in women. When that lady say she was sick, he rushed over. He obviously like people with weak personality. If you were to engage him with someone like Gao Yang, he will hold a grudge in his heart.”

Li Er said with a cold face: “He dares to?”

“Everyone in this world has emotions and desires. Even if they dare not speak out, they can still harbour anger.  Gao Yang sent people to remind him about his conduct but not only did he not listen, but he got worse. Isn’t he angry in his heart?”

Li Er snorted coldly.

“Thirdly, it’s not good for the Fang family. If the situation is already like this before the wedding, can the Fang family be at peace? I heard the mistress of the Fang’s family has a fierce personality. Didn’t you want to give Old man Fang some beautiful woman but he did not dare accept? When the time comes, there will be three people with strong personality in the Fang family and no one will give in. How will Old man Fang live? If you do this, you may end up becoming enemies instead of relatives.”

His Majesty also had a headache thinking about the fierce lady in Fang Xuanling’s family.

Mrs. Lu’s is indeed someone with a strong personality. When the Emperor gifted Fang Xuanling beautiful women, she refused and Fang Xuanling had to decline. When the Emperor insisted and threaten her with death by sending her vinegar masked as poisonous wine. She drank poison with no hesitation! As a result, they had to give in to her and Fang Xuanling became more and more depressed. Look how spoiled their son has become!

“Continue.”

“Number four, it’s bad for you, my brother.”

Li Er looked directly at his younger brother.

“You are picking a match for Gao Yang because you love her and because you cherish important confidants. Regardless which side feels wrong, you will have a hard time. But Gao Yang’s personality is fixed and it’s not like Fang Jun can change his ways easily too. If they really get married, they are going to fight! By then, brother your situation will be similar to Fang Xueling, stuck in the middle of two parties. Although it makes us lose face for calling off an engagement but Gao Yang and Fang Jun are in no hurry to get married. Let them look for their matches and perhaps we will have 2 happy families. On the contrary, if we force them to be together and every few days they have a big fight, we will be the laughingstock of Chang’an and people will wait for more entertaining drama. At that time, although Old man Fang has no complaints initially, he will become alienated from you.”

Yuanying actively lobbied, “Brother, didn’t you also made a u-turn about giving him beauties? Why can’t we do it again?!”

“Zip it, how can both incidences be compared.”

So daring of his younger brother to put a Princess’s marriage and some mere concubines in the same sentence!

Yuanying obediently shut up but secretly thinks that both incidences were similar. Both were caused by his older brother’s silly decisions with his eyes closed.

Li Er looked at Gao Yang and found his precious daughter adorable. Why is Fang Jun mesmerized by an entertainer and do not know how to coax his daughter? If things were like this before marriage, it will  be like what Li Yuanying had said, a laughingstock every 2 to 3 days for the people.

Yuanying saw that his brother has soften up and quickly seize the opportunity to bring up the suggestion of becoming a female Taoist monk. “If she can’t break off her engagement so simply, then let’s ask Gao Yang to fake illness and let master inform that she should become a Taoist monk for a few years to recover so that we can delay the marriage. As for the Fang family, let’s just tell them that it was not right to delay their lives too and so we call off the engagement. After all, you didn’t write a decree on this matter officially, so how is it going back on your words!”

His Majesty sneered: “You are so capable, why didn’t you fool me too?”

“You are my brother and Gao Yang’s papa. Even if I fool the whole world I will not do it to you!”

Li Er did not comment.

Yuanying took Li Er’s hand and continued on about marriage and childbirth: “I heard from Master Sun that it is not good for a woman to get married too early. It is dangerous to have children before her body is fully grown. Look at Changle and the other princesses that married early, they have to serve her parents-in-law, her husband and also manage the household affairs.  She has become quite weak. The last time I check her pulse, it was really worrying. I think it’s better for Gao Yang and Cheng Yang to get married later. They are still children, so why make them have children?”

Hearing his remarks, His Majesty was furious.

 “Okay, you wait 8 to 10 years before marrying your sister Shu.”

Yuanying said proudly: “Anyway, I take Sister Shu with me wherever I go, so why does it matter if I have to wait 8 to 10 years to get married.”

His Majesty wants to throw him out!

Yuanying moved to sit next to His Majesty to brainwash him. He was the king of a country and should not worry about such trivial matters like his children’s marriages. Leave it all to young uncle and he will handle all things properly and no one can find any fault with him.

“Brother, if you don’t have to be some silly Emperor, then no one will dare comment on your children’s marriages. You can marry them off to whoever and call things off whenever. Then we won’t have so many people meddling in our household affairs!

Gao Yang and Cheng Yang broke out in cold sweat upon hearing this.

“You suggesting this is not merely for Gao Yang to break off her engagement, isn’t it?”

“With this identity, Gao Yang can follow me out to gain experience and meet more outstanding people. Let her choose who she likes to marry!” Yuanying looked at big brother expectantly. “If you say yes to Gao Yang moving freely, then there will be no need for Master to lie about being her a monk!”

His Majesty flatly refused: “We can’t set such precedence.”

Gao Yang has a lively personality and he adores her so the Emperor is being unusually patient by listening to such ridiculous discussion. But the other princesses were all betrothed to various  sons of important officials. While he is indeed dissatisfied with Fang Jun, he is fine with the other candidates. How can he allow Gao Yang to set such precedence?  If other princesses were to imitate her and want choose their own husbands, wouldn’t it be a mess? What happens to Gao Yang can only be an exception, not the norm!

Li Yuanying had expected that the Emperor would refuse. He asked that he be allowed to help Gao Yang resolve this bad engagement.

Li Er thought about it, and finally allowed Li Yuanying to give it a try.

As soon as Li Yuanying heard what he wants, he quickly pulled the other children to escape with him.

After being dragged away, Gao Yang couldn’t believe it: “Is it done? I don’t have to marry the second son of Fang anymore?”

Li Yuanying assured her: “It will be done, leave the rest to me.”

The next day, Li Yuanying went to Thousand Gold Hall to look for Sun Simiao with great fanfare and shouted: “Master Sun, you must save my niece! Gao Yang is in trouble!”

Hearing this, the crowd looked around curiously. Li Yuanying pretended to be unaware about the people watching and quickly escorted Sun Simiao into the carriage; leaving people with countless guesses. Some guessed that Gao Yang was so mad at Fang Jun that she died, some speculated that the couple’s Bazi doesn’t match, others shares that Fang Jun was on the verge of death on his travel. Anyway all rumors points to the direction that this marriage was a bad match!

Li Yuanying explained the whole story to Sun Simiao. Initially Sun Simiao was against lying but seeing the boy’s hopeful expression he finally agreed. But he still warned Li Yuanying: “Marriage is destined by fate. If you break this one, you may not be able to find a better one.”

“Even if there is nothing better, it is better than making the house a battlefield every day.”

Sun Simiao stopped his advice.

The next day Li Yuanying visited the Fang family.

Yuanying didn’t care what they think of him and was direct. The Emperor sent him here to inform of that the engagement was off. From here onwards both parties are free to marry others at will.

Mrs Lu was still angry with her husband about this issue and the two of them argued and fought. In the end, Fang Xuanling still said that he can’t bring it up with the Emperor. Hearing Prince Teng speaking about this matter, her attitude changed 180 degrees. She asked passionately if it was true.

The two sat down to discuss further and hit it off immediately. It was decided that tomorrow Fang Xuanling would write a letter stating that his son’s moral character was not good enough for the princess so they request to end the engagement. Same time, the Emperor would issue an edict stating that Gao Yang was in poor health and would need to remain as a female monk for several years. We will not delay Fang Jun’s prospects further. And so both parties saves dignity and settle the matter happily!

Notes from the Author:

Young Prince: I don’t know why the emperor is always angry! (pointing)