Chapter 594: Madam Cai and Luo Cheng’s Ambition |
"More people are coming..."
Having inquired about his eldest brother's whereabouts in the north and unexpectedly learned about such a major event as Chencang's troop withdrawal, Xiang Yan was naturally quite satisfied. He was just about to open his mouth to take his leave when Luo Cheng spoke up, his gaze shifting once again to the outer perimeter.
This was the disadvantage of lacking strength; you'd notice newcomers slower than those with greater power. Xiang Yan inwardly mocked himself before finally looking up.
Two women were approaching from a distance, one after the other. The woman in front looked to be in her early twenties, wearing a summer dress made of blue palace silk, adorned with many accessories. Her gait was light and brisk, and a smile still played on her face. The clothes worn by the woman behind her were made of ordinary Xia silk; she kept her head lowered, and her movements seemed somewhat reserved.
"Sister Mingyue, when did you leave the palace?"
Seeing the attire and demeanor of the woman in front, Xiang Yan immediately knew she must be a close attendant who had lived in the Xia Palace for a long time. He hurriedly lowered his head.
"I came out during the daytime. Lu Dong was on duty then; you hadn't come to relieve him yet. Here is the palace token. Hurry up and let us pass the inspection and go in. This is Madam Cai's honored guest, named Su Xing'er. Be quick about it!"
Madam Cai!
Hearing Mingyue utter these three words, Xiang Yan's mind stirred slightly. He thought for a moment before realizing who this Madam Cai was.
When this news first spread in Xia City, it instantly caused a huge uproar.
It wasn't that polygamy was unacceptable. In fact, as early as Great Xia Year One, when the Xia Rites were first compiled, the Ritual System Section clearly stipulated that Xia people allowed polygamy. Otherwise, the subsequent public event where Department Chancellor Xia Chuan openly married two wives wouldn't have become a topic of eager discussion among the Xia people.
Polygamy wasn't something only Great Xia allowed; it was tacitly accepted by almost all camps. This was because, considering the extreme environment of the Ice Abyss, it was the system most suitable for human survival and reproduction.
Men primarily undertook tasks like exploration, hunting, and collecting resources from dangerous areas. This inevitably meant the male mortality rate was several times higher than the female rate. Therefore, barring some extreme special circumstances, the number of women in almost all camps was inevitably greater than the number of men.
Without implementing such a system, many women who lost their husbands and children would find themselves in exceptionally miserable circumstances.
When Great Xia was small in scale, they could not only guarantee these women a meal but also occasionally distribute some beast meat. However, as Great Xia's scale grew larger and larger, resource consumption increased dramatically. Now, they could only guarantee a full meal, but without basic cultivation resources like beast meat, it was equivalent to losing any hope of turning their lives around. Living would be like being a walking corpse.
In short, in an environment like the Ice Abyss, implementing a polygamous system was inevitable.
However, it must be said that although Great Xia explicitly established the polygamy system many years ago, and Department Chancellor Xia Chuan led by example, logically others should have followed suit. But in reality, not many people in Great Xia imitated him, and those who did were mostly concentrated in the middle and lower strata. It was very rare within the inner city.
The reason was simple: Lord Leader Xia Hong always had only one wife!
Even when Department Chancellor Xia Chuan married two wives back then, it was because the Lord Leader personally gave his approval. Moreover, Xia Chuan's two wives were biological sisters. Madams Xiao Ning and Xiao Yu shared a deep affection, and no unpleasant rumors ever came from the chancellor's inner quarters, which was different from the situation for ordinary people.
Xia Hong's status in the hearts of the Xia people went without saying. Almost all Xia people internally regarded him as a benchmark and role model, especially the veteran Xia people of over a decade from Redwood Ridge, Longyou, and the north bank of the Ying River, who practically revered Xia Hong as a deity.
If the Lord Leader only marries one wife, how dare we marry two?
That was the reason from the male perspective. As for women, it was even more straightforward. No woman was willing to share her husband with others, especially among the upper-class nobility. Although Great Xia was prosperous, the resources allocated to each family were limited. Even if a husband amassed a large family fortune, once there were many children, it would naturally be divided and distributed equally.
"A mother's strength comes from her children" refers to acting for oneself. Even for the sake of their children, the wives of lower-ranking male nobles would also support their husbands marrying fewer wives.
Thus, under the interference of various factors, the vast majority of Great Xia's upper-class nobility only married one wife. This even gradually became a prevailing custom. On the contrary, those in the middle and lower strata, even commoners, would marry two, three, or even multiple wives.
Fortunately, with Great Xia's current resources, as long as an adult commoner was willing to work hard and be diligent, supporting a few extra mouths wasn't a big problem. However, the strain on family cultivation resources was unavoidable.
Why did the Lord Leader only marry one madam?
Reasons varied widely. Men naturally all believed it was due to the Luo Clan's deep affection, hoping all Great Xia men would learn well from this example. Women generally believed it was because Madam Li Xuanling was jealous and had very strong methods. Over so many years, the number of maidservants in the Xia Palace had always been maintained at just over twenty, which was clear evidence.
Most men had a fondness for beauty, and the high-ranking men of Great Xia were no exception. Moreover, they held high positions. Even if they didn't have such intentions, countless women would throw themselves at them. Over time, problems were bound to arise.
But firstly, they dared not overstep, as even the Lord Leader hadn't taken a second wife. Secondly, if they encountered a strong-willed wife at home, marrying a second wife was even more hopeless. Therefore, among Great Xia's top leadership, aside from Xia Chuan who was specially appointed, almost all had only one wife. Even if they had confidantes, they basically kept them as secret mistresses, not daring to bring them home.
Men weren't without private complaints about this matter. After summarizing, they all consistently used the phrase "the husband's authority does not prosper" to describe themselves.
Precisely because of this, the news that Lord Leader Xia Hong was going to take a second wife caused such a huge uproar in Xia City once it spread.
Men, especially those who kept secret mistresses, were naturally excited upon hearing the news, feeling that their spring had finally arrived. Women, on the other hand, each lamented and sighed, crying out that the Madam was confused. Some with more fiery tempers even began to criticize the Lord Leader, saying all men under heaven were the same, not a single good one among them.
Of course, despite the fuss and the rumors, not to mention all Xia people, at least Great Xia's core leadership could still distinguish right from wrong on major issues.
Matters between men and women were just idle chatter after tea and meals. Caiqiu's request for a political marriage alliance with Great Xia had deeper underlying reasons, which they could all see.
Firstly, Caiqiu sought peace of mind, adding an extra layer of insurance to the ceasefire to prevent Great Xia from turning its back and not recognizing the agreement. Secondly, it was to lay a good foundation for future formal contact between the two sides. Thirdly, considering the current situation of the Four Feudatories, the war between Caiqiu and Chencang hadn't stopped. Regardless of the subsequent outcome, Caiqiu's fate of suffering heavy losses was already sealed. Its future status within the region would inevitably be inferior to the other three feudatories. Therefore, it had to find an ally. South of Mo'ao Chuan, Great Xia, which was somewhat distant and whose strength wasn't that overwhelming yet, was undoubtedly the most suitable choice.
Thus, no matter how the conflict between men and women fermented, in the end, the Xia people still unconditionally supported this marriage alliance. The Lord Leader seemed to be in seclusion. In early March, it was Madam Li Xuanling who represented Great Xia in signing the agreement with Caiqiu.
Due to the intense pressure of war, Caiqiu only sent Little Fang Bo Cai Qiuhu. Moreover, rumors said the entire process was exceptionally rushed. On the third day after the agreement was signed, Caiqiu delivered the marriage alliance candidate to Guangning City.
Given Great Xia's current status, the candidate for a political marriage with the Lord Leader naturally couldn't be some simple character. However, Xiang Yan truly hadn't managed to find out her true identity and name. He only knew she was a noble daughter from the Fang Bo's hereditary lineage of Caiqiu, bearing the title of Princess Tianyin. This was precisely the Madam Cai mentioned by the female official Mingyue.
Although Great Xia agreed to the marriage alliance with Caiqiu, and this Madam Cai was even personally brought back by Madam Li Xuanling, the wedding ceremony was handled exceptionally hastily, even sloppily, without any of the grandeur befitting a Lord Leader's grand wedding.
Some said it was Madam Li Xuanling deliberately suppressing this Madam Cai; others said the Lord Leader was in seclusion and not in the mood; still others said this Princess Tianyin disliked bustle and requested it herself. In short, reasons varied widely, and no one knew exactly what was going on.
After this Madam Cai married over, she almost never made a public appearance, always living a secluded life deep within the Xia Palace. Now, she had actually taken the initiative to summon someone into the palace.
Su Xing'er!
Xiang Yan curiously looked at the young woman behind Mingyue, noticing she didn't even look twenty years old, yet her strength was actually above his own. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration once again.
"Miss Su, it's you?"
Setting aside Xiang Yan's internal monologue for now, when Luo Cheng saw Su Xing'er, he felt somewhat embarrassed. He cupped his hands in an awkward greeting.
Luo Cheng's embarrassment had a reason!
At the beginning of the year in Guangning City, the Lord Leader ordered him to bring Su Xing'er and her three siblings back to Xia City. He specifically instructed Luo Cheng to introduce the situation of Great Xia's territory along the way and help Su Xing'er settle down in Xia City.
At first, he didn't think much of it, but later realized the Lord Leader wanted to match him with Su Xing'er. However, during their journey back to the city, the two of them really didn't click. Furthermore, in March, under the arrangement of his uncle Zhao Hu, he hastily married Zhao Yuanwu. Naturally, the matter between him and Su Xing'er was dropped.
His father, Luo Ming, was on a mission in an outer feudatory. At home, there were only his father's remarried wife and two half-brothers. Thanks to the Beining Mountain martial assembly incident in Great Xia Year Seven, Luo Cheng unexpectedly established a good relationship with his uncle Zhao Hu.
Uncle Zhao Hu had long been favorable towards him and had always wanted to arrange a marriage between his daughter, Zhao Yuanwu, and Luo Cheng. Somehow, Zhao Hu learned about the matter with Su Xing'er. He seemed to look down on Su Xing'er's background, feeling that a woman from an outer feudatory without any roots was not a suitable match. Upon learning that the Lord Leader was orchestrating a match behind the scenes, he gritted his teeth and made the decision, directly arranging for his daughter Zhao Yuanwu to hastily marry Luo Cheng.
This was clearly a case of letting the rice cook first to prevent the Lord Leader from speaking later. Once the Lord Leader's golden words were uttered, Luo Cheng wouldn't be able to refuse marrying Su Xing'er even if he wanted to.
Luo Cheng actually understood in his heart that Su Xing'er had no interest in him whatsoever. His uncle's actions were unnecessary. The key issue was that things were handled too crudely. The marriage was so hasty that anyone with eyes could see through it.
Su Xing'er hadn't spared him any ridicule at the time.
Meeting again after more than two months, Luo Cheng naturally felt somewhat awkward.
Su Xing'er, however, was quite bright. Seeing Luo Cheng, her originally somewhat nervous mood about entering the Xia Palace immediately relaxed considerably. She said with a smile, "What a coincidence, Brother Luo."
The Xia Palace gates were guarded by the Dragon Garrison Captains, with ten battalions rotating daily. As luck would have it, she encountered Luo Cheng's Third Battalion on duty today when she entered the palace. It really was a coincidence.
Luo Cheng was still a bit flustered. He nodded, cupped his hands again, hurriedly checked both women, and then gestured for them to enter.
"Lord Luo, this humble one will take his leave now!"
Seeing both women had entered, Xiang Yan finally had the chance to speak up and request to leave.
"Alright, Brother Xiang, take care!"
Luo Cheng nodded, watched Xiang Yan leave, and then shook his head slightly.
An official merchant like Xiang Yan would most likely have little interaction with him in the future. On the other hand, his eldest brother, Xiang Liang, judging by his actions at the beginning of the year in instigating the Caiqiu rebel uprising in Changqing Camp, showed exceptional courage, intelligence, and skill. Although his aptitude was a bit lacking, only possessing an upper-grade Battle Body, he cultivated very diligently. His current strength was also good. He was someone worth befriending.
Being a Xia Palace close attendant only looked glamorous on the surface. The Lord Leader and Madam didn't need their protection. Even when they went out and brought them along, it was for the sake of travel protocol. The real opportunities lay mainly with the two young lords. The key issue was that the two young lords weren't adults yet and had no opportunities to go out. Wanting to earn merits was useless.
Moreover, those who dared to target the two young lords, could they be ordinary people? When such an opportunity came, whether one could seize it was also a problem. If handled poorly, the result would be like the Tiger Nursing Forest case at the end of last year—not only failing to earn merits but also bearing immense responsibility...
Luo Cheng sighed softly. Because of the Tiger Nursing Forest case, the Department Chancellor ordered them to atone for their mistake with merit. Therefore, although the Dragon Garrison Captains performed well on the northern expedition battlefield, in the end, merits and faults canceled each other out, and the military merits they could accumulate were minimal.
During the merit awards at the beginning of the year, among the thousand Dragon Garrison Captains, only Commander-in-Chief Tie Xinchuang, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Yuan Bai, and First Battalion Commander Zhou Yelong were ennobled. The remaining eight commanders, including himself, and other ordinary Dragon Garrison Captains—forget ennoblement, very few had even accumulated over 200 military merits.
"The Madam won't keep the two young lords locked in the Xia Palace forever. The situation should improve a bit after they come of age. So, the Dragon Garrison Captains will most likely continue to expand in the next few years. At that time, a portion should be assigned to be responsible for the two young lords' travels. My opportunity should lie there!"
Looking at the high palace walls, Luo Cheng's expression held a trace of melancholy. This glamour seen by outsiders was not what he truly desired.
Not to mention going to the battlefield to expand Great Xia's territory—after all, such opportunities weren't available all the time—but to go to the Snowy Plains to slay strange creatures and eliminate monsters, to enter dense forests and battle Frost Beasts, to gallop freely across Great Xia's vast territory, and even to see how large the lands beyond Great Xia's borders were...
These were his true pursuits!
"After father established his own lineage, he didn't set up a separate ancestral shrine. Instead, he directly merged his lineage with Director Luo Yuan's, recognizing Director Luo as the main lineage and leading a branch lineage himself. Later, he remarried and had two younger brothers, Luo Yun and Luo Ping. It seems he wants the Luo Clan to continue flourishing within Great Xia. Looking at the increase in his Contribution Points amount in the Camp Supply Department, he's clearly fighting harder and harder in the outer feudatories. The key point is, he transferred all his Contribution Points under my name. This means he's placing all his hopes on me..."
Luo Cheng sighed softly. His father's expectations and his own pursuits had clearly formed an irreconcilable contradiction.
Actually, with Luo An here, there's really no need for me. I'll wait until father returns and have a thorough talk with him then...
Luo An is currently the commander of the Dragon Garrison Captains' Third Battalion. Not only is he younger than Luo Cheng, but his base strength is 54 zong, surpassing Luo Cheng's. Although both belong to the top-tier genius echelon of Great Xia's new generation, it must be said that compared to Luo An, Luo Cheng is still slightly inferior.
Currently, the standard-bearer for the Luo Clan, Hunting Department Head Luo Yuan, is Luo An's father. As for the next-generation pillar of the Luo Clan, whether in terms of status or aptitude, Luo An is a much more suitable candidate than Luo Cheng.
"I wonder if father will be able to listen and understand... Ah..."