Chapter 29: Another Marriage Proposal

After sending off the delighted and grateful Shi Qian, Zhao Yu suddenly remembered something critical. The men under Fang La—were they mere common bandits? Not at all. They belonged to the Ming Sect, and Zhao Yu clearly recalled that Fang La had rebelled in the early years of the Xuanhe era under the Northern Song.

Springing a bandit from jail was nothing significant, especially since, according to Shi Qian, their attempt had failed. But if Fang La were to rebel, the consequences would be dire.

Fortunately, Fang La and his followers seemed quiet for now. Zhao Yu knew he needed to distance himself from any association with them, or he could easily invite disaster. Of course, he couldn't tell Yang Xu about this; otherwise, Yang would never allow Zhao Yu to get involved.

He was lost in thought in his study when suddenly, outside the door, came the voice of Feng Quan.

“Your Highness, might this old servant enter?”

Hearing Feng Quan’s voice, Zhao Yu felt a headache coming on. It wasn’t that he disliked Feng Quan, but he knew his mother, the Empress, was surely about to arrange another match for him.

It was a helpless matter, to which he had little choice but to consent—he just didn’t know which family’s daughter it would be this time.

He summoned Feng Quan in and, with little energy, said, “Old Feng! Go tell my mother that I’m ill, gravely ill, and every time someone mentions marriage, I fall sick.”

Feng Quan stifled a laugh. “Your Highness, you’ll never guess who’s proposed this time.”

Zhao Yu curled his lip. “Does it matter who? It’s not as if I can’t find a wife.”

“It’s a message sent by the Dowager Empress Xiao of Liao, dispatched with utmost urgency. She wishes to marry her niece to Your Highness.”

At these words, Zhao Yu was stunned. If he guessed correctly, the Dowager Empress Xiao’s niece was surely Xiao Yiyi. This was a joke taken too far.

Previously, Xiao Yiyi and the Liao envoy had secretly come to the capital, hoping to marry Xiao Yiyi to Crown Prince Zhao Huan as his consort. Zhao Huan refused, but when he learned Xiao Yiyi liked Zhao Yu, he considered accepting—only for Xiao Yiyi herself to refuse.

Now, the Dowager Empress once more wished to marry her niece to Zhao Yu. For the Khitans, such matters were trivial, but for the Han, they could not be taken lightly. Moreover, if this became reality, the already strained relationship between Zhao Yu and Zhao Huan would only grow more hostile. What was the Dowager Empress Xiao thinking?

Recalling Xiao Yiyi’s demeanor when she left, Zhao Yu suspected this was the girl’s own idea.

Xiao Yiyi’s pure and lovely figure flashed through his mind, and for a moment, Zhao Yu felt tempted. Yet he knew, too, that things were never so simple.

He masked his thoughts and asked, “What does Mother say? What about Father?”

“I happened to hear His Majesty tell the Empress that Liao was defeated by Jin, so now they seek an alliance with our court to jointly oppose the Jin. But as you know, we and Liao have been enemies for generations—how could His Majesty agree to such a marriage?”

Zhao Yu wanted to tell Feng Quan that the Song’s true enemy was the Jurchens. Liao might stand in the way now, but that would soon change; the Jurchens would become the Song’s nightmare.

But such words would fall on deaf ears—not even Feng Quan would believe him. In fact, it was hard to imagine anyone in the realm would.

Feng Quan continued, “The acting governor of Yongxing, Lord Liu Wenguang, recently paid a visit to the Empress. He has a daughter of marriageable age and presented her birth date and hour to Her Majesty, who was very pleased and has already agreed to the match. She sent me to inform Your Highness.”

Once more, Zhao Yu was taken aback. Now he understood the real reason for Feng Quan’s visit—but who on earth was this Liu Wenguang?

Knowing there was no use in refusing, Zhao Yu curled his lip. “That Lord Liu is certainly quick to act. These opportunistic officials of the capital!”

“Your Highness, you may not know, but Lord Liu has already been appointed as Inspector of the Eastern Hebei Circuit and Prefect of Taiyuan. He will soon take up his post.”

“Inspector of the Eastern Hebei Circuit and Prefect of Taiyuan?”

Hearing the title, Zhao Yu’s eyes gleamed as he quickly calculated.

Ever since he’d come to this world, Zhao Yu had wanted to leave the capital. Of all the lands of the Song, Jiangnan was still safe, but when the Mongols rose, toppling both Jin and Southern Song, he’d be long gone to dust.

But as a spirited Han, crossing over from a thousand years in the future, was he truly here just to enjoy life? The answer was clearly no.

Recently, Zhao Yu had been busy accumulating wealth and had yet to decide where to build his foundation, but it would certainly not be in Jiangnan.

Now, Taiyuan was the largest city near the Song-Liao border. In terms of geography and military resources, it was an excellent choice—a perfect place for quiet development.

Previously, he’d disregarded Lord Liu, thinking him just another official with some empty honorific title—like Zhao Yu himself, with his nominal posts as Acting Grand Commandant and Military Governor of Baoding, both purely ceremonial with only a stipend attached.

But an appointment like “in charge of Taiyuan” was a real, practical office. If Zhao Yu wished to settle in Taiyuan, he would certainly need to rely on such connections.

These thoughts flashed across Zhao Yu’s mind, but he merely feigned helplessness and said, “I have some matters to attend to today. Please inform my mother that I will leave everything to her arrangements. Tomorrow morning, I will enter the palace to thank her and pay my respects.”

Once Feng Quan had gone, Zhao Yu pondered a moment and then ordered someone to summon Yang Xu.

“Brother Yang, do you know this Liu Wenguang?”

At the mention of the name, Yang Xu sneered. “A sycophant, nothing more. He once served under Cai Jing, but when Cai fell ill and could not attend court, Liu gradually shifted his allegiance to Liang Shicheng—a spineless fellow. Why does Your Highness ask about him?”

To think his future father-in-law was such a character made Zhao Yu smile wryly. He recounted Feng Quan’s message to Yang Xu.

Hearing Zhao Yu’s words, Yang Xu burst out laughing. “He certainly moves fast. But if he truly serves Liang Shicheng, this matter may not be so simple.”

Yang’s reminder startled Zhao Yu—Liang Shicheng was Zhao Huan’s close ally. If Liu Wenguang had thrown his lot in with Liang, why would Liang allow him to marry his daughter to Zhao Yu?

Things were getting complicated.

For a moment, Zhao Yu felt his head swell with confusion.

But Yang Xu suddenly smiled. “Do you think this harms you in any way, Your Highness?”

The words snapped Zhao Yu out of his reverie. Indeed, what did it matter whose man Liu Wenguang was? In the end, who was scheming against whom would remain to be seen.

With this thought, Zhao Yu smiled. “Thanks to your reminder, I almost lost perspective. Do me another favor—send someone to find out about this Miss Liu. See if she’s worth my compromise.”

“Your Highness, there’s a young man named Zhou outside the residence. He claims to have urgent business and requests an audience.”

Before Zhao Yu could finish speaking, a maid announced this from outside.

“A young man named Zhou?”

Zhao Yu shook his head instinctively. He couldn’t recall knowing anyone by that name.

He had intended to visit Li Shishi, so he had no plans to see strangers.

“Tell him to leave his card. I’ll see him when I have time.”