Chapter Eighteen: Repaying a Life-Saving Debt by Taking Her as My Wife

Altai was in no rush. For years, the Great Yong Dynasty had harbored ambitions of annexing the other three kingdoms to establish its absolute dominance. However, Great Yong’s military forces were lackluster, which prompted the elderly Emperor to entrust the mission to Lin Yuanzhi and his son, hoping they could facilitate the import of the famed Ferghana horses to bolster the nation's military strength.

Yet, even the Northern Rong did not possess an endless supply of these prized steeds; five hundred was the limit of his goodwill.

"Just wait," Altai sneered. "Those two spineless cowards will surely come crawling back to the inn to beg me!"

He had returned in high spirits, but the moment he stepped into the inn, he caught sight of his subordinate, Kaman, covered in blood. Altai’s heart sank. He quickly asked, "What is the meaning of this? Did I not order you to bring the Little Prince to the capital? How did you sustain these injuries?"

"My Lord, it is my failing," Kaman replied. "I thought that by traveling separately, the enemy would not target the Little Prince, but the Eldest Prince actually sent men to ambush us!"

After receiving a brief account of the assassination attempt on the Little Prince, Altai’s expression shifted violently.

"...However, heaven never closes all doors. It was all thanks to that young girl from the Central Plains; otherwise..."

Altai had three children in total. His eldest son had perished in a struggle for the throne, and his second daughter was raised by his mother. This time, as he traveled to Great Yong as an envoy for the Khan, he had been so fearful of further misfortune that he had brought his youngest son along, traveling in separate groups to avoid notice.

Who could have guessed that his own brother would prove to be such a treacherous serpent?

Fortunately, the Little Prince, Aruolang, who sat in the chair, was blessed with great luck. He said calmly, "Father, I am unharmed! It is all thanks to the little sister who saved me today."

"I have been thinking, the people of the Central Plains have a saying: 'A favor of a single drop of water should be repaid with a gushing spring.' Since she saved my life, I intend to visit her home personally. As for the rest, we can discuss it then!"

Altai was speechless. That was a lovely sentiment, but the proverb was clearly meant to be "repaid with a gushing spring," not "repaid with one's own hand in marriage." There was no need to be quite so generous.

***

Still, the fact remained that she had saved his youngest son twice. By any measure of reason or emotion, this was not a debt that could be dismissed with a thousand taels of silver.

"Do you know the girl's name or lineage?"

"The situation was too chaotic. I thought that if the Imperial Guards caught us, it would confirm that they had rescued the Little Prince, putting us at a disadvantage in the negotiations, so there was no time to ask... However, the Little Prince seems to have seen her face."

Aruolang nodded earnestly. "Sister's eyes were like grapes, her nose like the moon, and her mouth like a chili pepper... She even wore a golden lock larger than her own face. She was as beautiful as a celestial being!"

Altai furrowed his brow. A large golden lock suggested a distinguished background; she was likely the daughter of a prominent, high-ranking family. This was a critical juncture in his negotiations, and the slightest complication could drastically alter the situation at the bargaining table. To find this girl, he would inevitably have to seek the assistance of the Ministry of Rites and the Marquis of Qingyuan’s estate. If the other party leveraged this favor to demand concessions in the negotiations...

"Father, haven't you always said that we Northern Rong people value loyalty above all else, unlike these crafty Central Plains people? If I do not pay a visit to thank her, wouldn't it bring shame upon our royal house?"

Besides, when the girl saved him, she had lifted his clothes! It was said that men and women should not have physical contact. If he did not marry her, it would be difficult to justify the situation!

***

Meanwhile, the matter of the Marquis of Qingyuan taking a concubine was trivial to some and significant to others. On the day of Lin Feili’s nuptials, many aristocratic families, officials, and their respective wives and daughters who were on good terms with the Marquis’s estate arrived to offer their congratulations.

Lin Wanyue stood in the rear pavilion, greeting the guests. As a well-bred young lady of the Marquis’s estate who had spent years in the capital, she naturally knew many sisters of similar standing.

Xu Jiaojiao, the daughter of the Minister of Rites, sat down and began fanning herself, deliberately raising her voice. "Oh, do let me see—where is that country bumpkin from your family who loves to embarrass you? Why is she absent on such a grand occasion?"

"Jiaojiao!" Lin Wanyue appeared nervous as she reached out to cover the girl’s mouth, but her words were laced with unkind implications. "It’s not even noon yet. My fifth sister usually sleeps until the afternoon before she wakes to eat. If there is any lack of hospitality, I apologize to everyone on her behalf!"

She moved to bow to the guests, only for Xu Jiaojiao to stop her. "Oh, Wanyue, why are you apologizing? You are just too kind; it’s no wonder you’re always bullied by that country bumpkin! If someone didn't know better, they’d think you were the one sleeping the day away!"

"Exactly. In all of the capital, what noble young lady sleeps until the afternoon? If word gets out, she’ll never find a good husband, and she’ll drag you down with her! She is only lucky to have a big sister like you. If she were in my household, I’d have someone give her a few lashes to teach her some manners!"

"Forget it. It's better that she doesn't come. She wouldn't understand the music, chess, calligraphy, or painting we discuss anyway. She’s nothing but a hollow vessel—just looking at her makes one feel sick!"

"If she bullies you again in the future, just tell us. We’ll teach her a lesson for you!"

The young ladies who were close to Lin Wanyue spoke one after another, their words filled with nothing but contempt and disdain for Lin Zhaozhao. Lin Wanyue finally felt satisfied; her meticulous plotting over the past few years had not been in vain. Just as she was about to add fuel to the fire by mentioning how Lin Zhaozhao had pushed her off the pavilion, Xu Jiaojiao suddenly grabbed her hand.

"By the way, Wanyue, we didn't actually come today just to congratulate your grandfather!"

Lin Wanyue paused. "Then why?"

"Doesn't my father work in the Ministry of Rites? He is handling the Northern Rong affair with your father and brother. The Emperor wants their Ferghana horses, but the Northern Rong are opening their mouths like lions, demanding our grain and supplies. The Emperor fears that if their appetites grow too large, they will turn their weapons against us once they are fed, so the negotiations have been deadlocked! But now, things are different!"

Lin Wanyue was puzzled. She did not fully grasp the political situation, but she knew her brother hadn't returned home for days because he was busy with the Northern Rong, which had prevented her from badmouthing Lin Zhaozhao in front of him—a thought that made her feel suffocated with frustration. Hearing that things had changed, she pricked up her ears, eager for this matter to be resolved so her brother could return home.

She hurriedly asked, "What is different?"

"It is said—I heard it from my father—that a particularly beautiful and kind noble young lady appeared in our capital and saved the Little Prince of the Northern Rong! The Northern Rong have promised to repay the favor, and the Emperor is overjoyed, believing this will make them concede at the negotiating table. That is why he has ordered your brother and my father to find that woman as quickly as possible!"

As Xu Jiaojiao spoke, her excitement grew. "Tell me, 'beautiful' and 'kind'—aren't those the very words used to describe you?"