Chapter 49: I'm Marrying Feng Ru Nan????? |
After his wife departed, Feng Lin Bo paced for a moment, lost in thought, then waved his hand and said, "Come in!"
A subordinate entered. Feng Lin Bo pointed to the letter on the table and said, "Take this letter to Niu You Dao."
"Understood!" The subordinate immediately took the letter and left.
Niu You Dao was temporarily placed in the guest courtyard under supervision.
By the lamplight, he read the letter's contents several times. Wang Heng? He didn't even know who Wang Heng was. However, in the capital, besides the Song Family, he hadn't harmed anyone else. It wasn't hard to guess who wished him harm.
But that didn't matter. The Song Family would have started scheming against him sooner or later; it was no surprise. What interested him was why Feng Lin Bo had shown him this letter. What was his intention? And surely, he wasn't trying to threaten him with it.
"The Song Family must know, and Tang Su Su failed to deceive them. That old hag, lifting a rock, ended up dropping it on her own feet!" Niu You Dao handed the letter to Yuan Gang.
Yuan Gang looked at the letter and asked, "Who is Wang Heng?"
Niu You Dao shook his head slightly. "I don't know. He must be connected to the Song Family. And since he can speak to Feng Lin Bo in such a tone, his position must be significant. So, it won't be hard to find out who he is."
Niu You Dao raised an eyebrow. "Does that even matter?"
He silently took the letter and held it to a candle, burning it to ashes...
Nights in the mountains felt desolate. From the bamboo huts, over which white flags fluttered, faint melodies of a stringed instrument drifted. Shu Qing sat by a lit bonfire, playing a sorrowful tune in honor of the fallen.
Shang Chao Zong stood beside her, gazing at the silver moon. His thoughts wandered far into memories, back to times of past prosperity, luxury, and glory. And how all of it vanished in an instant. How he had spent several years in prison, as if in a bad dream.
All of this shifted abruptly for him. And now, like a stray dog, he hung by a thread between life and death. But what Chao Zong hated most of all was himself. He hated himself for his helplessness, for not being farsighted enough, and for daring to act foolishly.
Before him stood his younger sister, who was exceptionally intelligent, kind, gentle, sensible, and understanding. She mastered the Four Treasures of the Scholar (qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting) and was also deeply proficient in Shi, Ci, Ge, and Fu (four genres of classical Chinese poetry and rhythmic prose, the main forms of Chinese poetry and rhythmic prose).
Moreover, such a life had made her brave and resilient. And this delicate, refined pearl had to carry a sword on her back, roaming the world with men on horseback. She even managed, enduring all hardships and deprivations, to comfort her elder brother. Such a girl could be called a treasure trove for any man. And now, he felt ashamed before his parents in heaven because of his helplessness regarding his younger sister.
Also, how many bodyguards surrounded him! These were all seasoned and hardened warriors. Even without knowing the future, without knowing their ultimate destination, they had abandoned everything—their families and peaceful lives—just to follow him. And now, he feared he might not live up to their hopes. He didn't know what would happen next. All he could do was press forward, endlessly forward!
Only his future remained unknown. Niu You Dao, who seemed so unbelievable, had left. And it wasn't clear what else he would stir up.
Thus, every night, gazing at the night sky, Chao Zong secretly hoped that dawn would soon break...
The night passed, and at dawn, Chao Zong, leaning against a chair, slept in a straw hut. Suddenly, the hurried footsteps of a person echoed. Waking up, he immediately grabbed his knife, but then saw his own man.
A bodyguard, cupping his hands, reported:
"Prince, several people have arrived outside the temple. They say they are from Kuangai County. Their tutor sent them."
Niu You Dao sent them? Chao Zong instantly woke up. It hadn't been many days, yet news from Niu You Dao had already arrived.
He immediately stood up and shook his legs. Apparently, his legs had gone numb during the night, as he couldn't stand properly for a moment.
Before long, Chao Zong, Lan Ruo Ting, and Shu Qing, leading a crowd of people, emerged and headed up the mountain.
The reason they had stayed overnight near the graves was simple. As Niu You Dao had said, they needed to make it seem as though they were truly paying respects to the fallen.
Shou Nian stood at the head of four people, and seeing Chao Zong and the others ascending the mountain, he felt a little surprised inwardly. "There are rooms, so why sleep outside?"
Shu Qing, as a girl, had mostly stayed at home in the past, so she wouldn't have known Shou Nian. But Shang Chao Zong and Lan Ruo Ting exchanged glances. They had seen Shou Nian many times. During Ning Wang's lifetime, when he wielded power across the entire Yan Kingdom, whenever he passed by Kuangai County, representatives from Feng Lin Bo would constantly arrive with gifts. And Shou Nian had been one of those representatives.
The two men were surprised to see Feng Lin Bo's confidant.
Seeing his masters approach, Shou Nian, cupping his hands around his sword, said:
"This old servant greets the Prince and Master Lan, and must also greet the Grand Princess."
Shu Qing nodded to him, while Chao Zong and Lan Ruo Ting cupped their hands and returned the greeting. Then Lan Ruo Ting, smiling, said, "Brother Shou, it has been years since we last met, yet you remain as elegant as ever!"
Shou Nian raised his head. "Master Lan flatters me."
Lan Ruo Ting asked, "Brother Shou, was Niu You Dao the one who sent you?"
Shou Nian replied, "I was ordered to guard the Prince..." Saying this, he hesitated slightly. "Did the Prince not send Niu You Dao to the Prefect?"
"Uh... yes, yes, we did. I just don't know what Niu You Dao is doing right now?" Lan Ruo Ting nodded with a smile. He spoke vaguely. In truth, circumstances compelled him to act this way. Who knew what Niu You Dao had discussed with Feng Lin Bo, or what conclusion they had reached. Lest they had agreed on something unfavorable.
They were uncertain. Would Feng Lin Bo lend them troops or not? But looking at Shou Nian, it seemed quite real now. Would Feng Lin Bo truly dare to get involved in such matters? And to make matters worse, no news had come from Niu You Dao yet. They didn't even know what to say and didn't dare to ask anything. Lest they give themselves away.
"Niu You Dao is currently staying with the Prefect, awaiting the Prince. It is dangerous here in the mountains, with peril lurking everywhere, so this old servant has come to escort you to the Prefect. Soon, horsemen will arrive to provide you with protection." Shou Nian gestured with a wave of his hand, inviting them.
Chao Zong and the others simply didn't know how to respond. Lan Ruo Ting had just begun to ponder how to extricate themselves from the situation when, suddenly, at the foot of the mountain, they saw a messenger from Niu You Dao.
They immediately asked Shou Nian to wait aside, while they themselves went to question the messenger.
"Is there news from the tutor?"
The bodyguard nodded and said, "The tutor said the matter is almost 90% settled. He asks the Prince to return with the people of Kuangai County to the provincial city. It's inconvenient for him to return just yet!"
90% settled? The three exchanged agitated glances. Could they truly be lent troops? Heavens! Could Niu You Dao truly accomplish this!
Shu Qing's eyes sparkled. Chao Zong clenched his fist in excitement. Amidst the impenetrable darkness, a light of hope had finally appeared.
Lan Ruo Ting then asked, "Is the tutor well? Has nothing happened?"
The bodyguard replied, "The tutor is well, and the marriage proposal is proceeding successfully!"
"Ehh..." Lan Ruo Ting froze. He blinked, thinking he had misheard.
"A marriage proposal?" Chao Zong repeated, "What marriage proposal?"
Shu Qing was also astonished. What marriage proposal were they talking about?
"Is the Prince not marrying the daughter of the Prefect of Kuangai County?" the bodyguard asked, surprised. He had thought Niu You Dao had discussed all his actions with the Prince. But judging by their reaction, it seemed that wasn't the case.
Shang Chao Zong, pointing at himself, asked again, "I am marrying Feng Lin Bo's daughter?"
The bodyguard nodded in a daze. His expression practically said, "Isn't that right?"
Chao Zong asked again, "The tutor said that?"
The bodyguard replied, "The tutor did that. He sent extravagant gifts to the Feng family and announced to everyone that the Prince would marry Feng Lin Bo's daughter."
Shu Qing and Lan Ruo Ting exchanged glances. It seemed things were spiraling out of their control.
Chao Zong, disbelieving his own ears, asked again:
"Which daughter am I marrying?"
The bodyguard, realizing a major problem might be brewing, said hesitantly:
"Prince, does Feng Lin Bo have several daughters? Of course... of course..." He remembered when he and the bodyguards had stood by the decorated carriage and seen Feng Ru Nan furiously walk past them. After seeing her, they all felt sympathy for the Prince.
"Feng Ru Nan? I am marrying Feng Ru Nan?" Chao Zong's eyes widened. Why did borrowing troops turn into a marriage? He slowly uttered, "How is that possible? You just said the matter was 90% settled."
The bodyguard remained silent, but still slowly nodded his head.
Shu Qing and Lan Ruo Ting couldn't understand. Marrying Feng Ru Nan? Why would Feng Lin Bo decide to give his daughter to the Prince?
Lan Ruo Ting, looking at the bodyguard, said, "Tell us everything in more detail. What did you do?"
"As soon as we arrived in the provincial city, we immediately stayed at an inn. The tutor immediately ordered us to go stroll through the city and gather information..." the bodyguard began recounting everything about how they went to the military camp. And how Niu You Dao later came out with a heavy box of gold. How he and Yuan Gang then purchased precious gifts and prepared a bridal carriage. How Yuan Gang joyfully shouted at the top of his lungs about the Prince's marriage to Feng Ru Nan, and other things.
Upon hearing this, the three men somewhat understood the course of events. However, they didn't understand why Feng Lin Bo had agreed. And would he lend them troops?
"Nonsense!" Chao Zong uttered angrily. His face flushed red, then paled.