Chapter 3

That same day, an edict was issued from the Secretariat: Li Wang was granted the title Marquis of Qingyuan, and Li Shan was named Marquis of Anbei, entrusted with the command of military affairs in Bingzhou. They were rewarded with estates, land, and vast sums of gold and silver.

Two marquises in one household—the Li family basked in unparalleled glory.

After the banquet at the palace, Li Wang returned to the residence, expecting to see his wife at the gate to welcome him. Instead, he found it empty. Frowning, he called over Aunt Li, the housekeeper: “Is Madam in a bad mood?”

Aunt Li gestured, “Earlier, Madam Lu from the Xie family came to visit—it didn’t go well.”

She explained the situation, and only then did Li Wang understand. He headed to the west wing, and upon stepping through the door, found Madam Qian lying down while servants massaged her head. She was groaning dramatically, “Aiyo, aiyo!”

Li Wang asked, “Is it really that painful? Should I summon a physician?”

Madam Qian seized the chance to complain, “You’re the one who told me to receive the Xie family! Those women truly think they’re above us—they looked down on me, treated me like a concubine! And you still want Lilang to marry their daughter?”

Li Wang didn’t bother correcting her unfounded accusations. He sat down and said, “Weren’t you always resentful about the way noble families snubbed us? If our eldest son marries into the Xie family, you’ll finally be able to hold your head high.”

“What’s more, our family’s status isn’t what it once was. We can’t afford to act plain and honest anymore—doing so only invites trouble. We need some standing. The Xies are well-rooted. There’s something to gain here.”

Madam Qian went quiet for a moment before grumbling, “Can’t we choose another family? I think the Wangs are quite nice. They’ve sent over a lot of good gifts lately.”

Li Wang replied, “If we do that, the Li family will become subordinate to the Wangs, just another weapon in their hand. But the Xie family—they’ve been weakened since that war five years ago. If we offer marriage now, it’s as if we’re doing them a favor.”

Madam Qian said, “The Xies already married off Xie Shu—and now they’re sending another daughter? That girl… sigh. She seems obedient, but something’s off.”

She thought of the flawless farewell curtsy Xie Yaoyao had performed. The more impeccable it had been, the more uncomfortable it made her.

Li Wang chuckled. “Girls raised in Luoyang are all like that. Our son can handle her. Besides, since they’re the ones switching daughters, it just makes them look more at fault. I’ll send someone to the Xies—this marriage will be sealed in no time.”

With much coaxing, Madam Qian finally calmed down and asked quickly, “Where’s Lilang? Why isn’t he back yet?”

Thinking of the disagreement with his son, Li Wang snorted coldly. “He vanished as soon as he left the palace. Off riding horses somewhere, who knows.”

Li Wang was keen to seal this marriage, but Li Shan showed little interest. Or perhaps, it was precisely due to Li Shan that the Xie family had hastily married off their daughter in the first place.

At the time, someone in court had deliberately targeted the Li family, cutting off military communication with the capital. But on the other hand, Li Shan hadn’t opposed it either. With the elite precision of the Li army, a breach like that shouldn’t have happened unless tacitly allowed.

Li Wang knew that Li Shan was born with a rebellious streak, always acting on his own terms. But ever since his grandfather, on his deathbed, had made him swear to restrain his temper and heed his father’s advice, Li Shan hadn’t disobeyed him again.

Yet Li Wang had also noticed that as his son grew older, his temperament became increasingly unfathomable.

In the recent victory over the Hu tribes, everyone at court credited both father and son. But the truth was: before the surprise attack, Li Shan hadn’t consulted his father. He stormed into enemy lines, pierced through the Hu rear guard, and only then did Li Wang realize what was happening and scramble to catch up.

So the chief merit lay with Li Shan. But the court didn’t know the whole story, and Li Shan had no intention of claiming the glory. He now resembled a hawk perched high above, waiting for just the right moment to dive—lethal and sure.

Li Wang sighed. He had to settle this marriage while he still had the chance—later, it might become impossible.

—

The very next day, Madam Qian personally brought gifts to the Xie family home—partly to smooth over grievances, partly for the marriage proposal.

The marriage between the Li and Xie families was now official. They skipped the traditional betrothal and moved straight to exchanging birth dates. Their horoscopes aligned—five heavenly stems in harmony—an auspicious sign promising a blissful union.

Xie Zhaozhi was very satisfied. Madam Lu, however, had her worries. These “perfect matches” on paper were always too conveniently auspicious—there was no choice but to wait and see what fate held.

Eventually, both families agreed: in the third month of the seventh year of the Dingyuan reign, the Li family would escort the bride, and the Xie family would marry off their daughter.

The timing felt rushed, but it was still better than what Xie Shu had faced. Besides, Li Shan would soon return to Bingzhou—it was unwise to delay any further.

Yaoyao wasn’t too disappointed. She understood that what had happened—like Madam Lu’s angry outburst the day before—was just a tug-of-war over interests. In the end, the marriage was bound to be settled.

In the Xie family, preparations for a dowry began from the moment a daughter was born. So now, there wasn’t much left to prepare.

Still uneasy, Madam Lu personally oversaw Yaoyao’s bridal trousseau.

“Nanny Zheng was your wet nurse,” she said. “She’s loved you even more tenderly than I have since you were little. With her by your side, I’ll feel at ease.”

Upon learning that Yaoyao was to marry Li Shan, no one lost more sleep over it than Nanny Zheng, save for Madam Lu herself.

Standing nearby, Nanny Zheng said earnestly, “Madam, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of the young lady.”

Besides her, Yaoyao’s most trusted handmaids were Xin Zhu and Mu Lan, both of whom had grown up studying and playing with her. Their loyalty required no explanation.

After dismissing the others, Madam Lu turned to Yaoyao and said, “I’m not worried about the Li family’s matron giving you trouble—her mind is still relatively straightforward. It’s Li Shan that concerns me.”

In the end, it always circled back to Li Shan.

“He’s arrogant and unruly—not someone easy to get along with. Besides, it was our family that broke off the previous engagement. He’s sure to hold a grudge.”

She gently stroked Yaoyao’s cheek. “Once you’re married, if you find his temper unbearable, just cry. In the end, you’ll be husband and wife—your tears are so lovely, they’re bound to soften his heart.”

It wasn’t an ideal solution, but had the Xie family not lost power after that disastrous war five years ago, Yaoyao wouldn’t have had to wade into such treacherous waters.

Yaoyao nodded solemnly.

The year slipped by in a blink. By the time Xie Shu heard that her younger sister was to marry Li Shan, the new year had already arrived.

Xie Shu was quite displeased, but powerless to change anything. While visiting her parental home, she grasped her younger sister’s hand and urged, “If Li Shan dares treat you poorly, just come find me—or better yet, come live with me. The Xue family has more than enough rooms.”

Yaoyao smiled faintly. “That wouldn’t be proper.”

Xie Shu knew it too, but she couldn’t help worrying. In her eyes, the only reason Yaoyao was marrying Li Shan was because she herself hadn’t. She sighed. “In the end, you’re taking my place.”

Yaoyao shook her head. “There’s no such thing. Marriage is about fate, and Li Shan was never meant for you.”

Xie Shu laughed. “Oh, you…”

At that time, everyone believed this marriage would be deeply unfavorable for Yaoyao. Their mother was worried, her sister indignant—yet Yaoyao remained calm as still water.

Not because she looked forward to it, but because this had always been her nature: once she accepted something, she no longer complained.

In Da Qi, it was customary for the betrothed to meet once before the wedding. Typically, this meeting was arranged by the groom’s household. Li Shan, however, had never taken the initiative.

To Yaoyao, this made things easier.

Still, in early February, she unexpectedly caught sight of him. That day, she and Madam Lu had gone to offer incense at the temple. On their way down the mountain, they suddenly heard a rapid *dada-dada*—like the clatter of hooves, but far too swift and crisp for oxen.

Curious, Yaoyao lifted the carriage curtain and looked out. In the distance, a jet-black steed flew across the official road like a shadow slicing through the light.

Yaoyao stared, a little stunned. She knew of horses, of course, but could count on one hand how many she’d actually seen.

After years of war in Da Qi, horses had become rare and precious. Gradually, ox carts had replaced them among the nobility, even becoming a marker of status. For girls her age, horses were almost mythical.

The man on horseback rode with his sleeves billowing, reins in hand, light in movement yet fierce in control. Horse and rider charged forward as one, swift as wind and rolling like thunderclouds. The scene struck the eye like a brush drenched in black ink, suddenly wielded with force—bold, heavy, and sharp, a streak slashing across the landscape.

Madam Lu saw it too. She didn’t need to inquire to know the truth. “Only Marquis Li would dare to ride so recklessly in this area…”

Since returning to the capital, Li Shan had done nothing but indulge—racing horses for pleasure, drinking freely. He seemed intent on enjoying every ounce of reward earned by the blood and toil of war.

Such behavior no longer surprised the noble circles of Luoyang. Men born of humble origin often drowned in power and pleasure the moment they tasted it, abandoning old ambitions. It had always been this way.

In fact, the aristocracy welcomed the current path of the Li family, even encouraged it, just waiting for them to self-destruct.

At that moment, the steed darted through a patch of forest shade, then burst out once more. Up ahead, a few young noblemen waited for Li Shan. He reined in his horse, and cheers rang out from the group.

If Li Shan were just some outsider, Madam Lu would have merely shaken her head. But he was soon to become her second daughter’s husband—her heart sank with a weight she couldn’t name.

Seeing this, Yaoyao lowered the curtain, shielding herself from the scene outside. She turned toward her mother with a quiet smile and said, “Let’s go home, Mother.”

…

Along the official road, Wang Jiu—ninth son of the Wang family—clapped and laughed. “That’s the kind of skill forged on the battlefield. Impressive as ever, Brother Li!”

A young heir of the Xiao family chimed in, “Exactly! Not just in Luoyang—even across the entire Da Qi, if Brother Li claims second-best in horsemanship, no one would dare claim first!”

Those words were clearly excessive flattery—but they seemed to strike right at Li Shan’s ego. With a touch of nonchalance, he smirked and said, “No matter. If someone dares to claim they’re number one, I’ll gladly challenge them.”

The others laughed. “Well, none of us would dare!”

As they spoke, a finely adorned ox cart came slowly down the opposite mountain path, separated by a grove. In contrast to the raucous energy around them, the scene on the other path was calm and quiet.

Wang Jiu, sharp-eyed, said, “That looks like the Xie family’s cart.”

“Could that be Brother Li’s fiancée inside?”

The smile on Li Shan’s face dimmed slightly.

Wang Jiu added, “It’s all well and good that the Xie family is marrying in, but swapping out the elder daughter for the younger? Feels like they’ve slighted you a bit. The second daughter probably isn’t on par with the first.”

Another chimed in, “I wouldn’t be so sure. I once took a wrong turn and ended up at a banquet—I happened to catch sight of the younger Miss Xie. All I can say is…”

He trailed off deliberately, teasing his audience before revealing, “She’s just as stunning as the elder one—if not more.”

“Seriously?”

“I’ve heard that too…”

Listening to them critique his fiancée so casually, Li Shan didn’t show any anger. He narrowed his sharp eyes and said coolly, “Any random mongrel can marry into the Li family now, huh?”

His tone was so arrogantly dismissive that the others froze for a beat. Then, remembering that Li Shan had long floated beyond ordinary airs—treating his family as first-tier nobility—it made sense that he would look down on the Xies.

They followed his lead, jeering, “Exactly! The Xie family’s nothing special!”

…

That day, Li Shan and his companions lingered until midnight. By the time they returned, the city gates had long since closed. But with so much commotion, the Luoyang garrison, no matter how reluctant, had no choice but to open the gate for this newly minted noble.

When Wang Jiu and the others proposed yet another gathering, Li Shan readily agreed.

Back at the Li residence, his adjutant Xin Zhi rushed to meet him.

“General! You’d best not go in right now—Master is fuming, he’s practically stomping in rage over how you’ve been gallivanting about!”