The Qin fourth miss could never bear to see her mother cry, so she quickly rose to hug née Sun in comfort.
Qin Huaiyuan also brought out a handkerchief and handed it to his daughter, indicating for her to wipe away her mother’s tears.
The Qin patriarch sighed and asked, “Daughter Yi, tell me what you truly think. Do you want to marry Pang Zhixi?”
Née Sun immediately bounced to an upright position. “No! That brute’s brought so much pain to our daughter. I won’t agree to it!”
Qin Huaiyuan patted his wife’s shoulder with a smile. “Don’t be hasty, madame. Let’s listen to what our daughter says first.”
“Marriage has ever been dependent on the orders of the parents and word of the matchmaker. Though our daughter is smart, she’s an unmarried girl at the end of the day. What does she know?” added née Sun urgently. “This is precisely when we need to keep tabs on things, so that she won’t tread down the wrong path!”
“You’re quite right.” Qin Huaiyuan smiled comfortingly in affirmation. “However, our daughter is different from the usual simple-minded girl. We should respect her opinions.”
Née Sun’s voice rose. “Spoiling her like this will be the death of her! What good is there about that Pang Zhixi!”
“Don’t fuss, this isn’t something to be fussed about like this,” replied Qin Huaiyuan with equanimity. “Our daughter is different from those typical noble daughters, and she’s seen more of the world. Thus, she naturally has her own thoughts about her marriage. And another is that we haven’t brought much good fortune to her since young. After so many years of hardship, did she return to us only for her life to be allocated by us?”
Struck dumb by her husband’s rejoinder, née Sun couldn’t find a response.
The man turned to Qin Yining. “My daughter, let’s hear from you. Do you want to marry Pang Zhixi? You don’t need to think too much about other things or matters at court. You just need to think about whether or not he’s worth of entrusting the rest of your life with.”
Qin Yining nodded faintly. “Father, I will marry none other than him.”
“You foolish child, you!” Tears spun in née Sun’s sockets.
Qin Huaiyuan took his wife’s hand with his and patted it, successfully stopping the outburst. He turned back to his daughter. “And you don’t plan on changing your mind?
“To be honest, your future will be more stable with Lu Heng. The Lus are an eminent family more than a hundred years old. The roots of their power are complex and interwoven. Even the emperor must show a few degrees of respect. Lu Heng is genteel and noble without any unsavory habits. Though you’d be marrying a widower, he has no official children. And according to my observations, he seems to be interested in you.
“Marrying Pang Zhixi would mean you face more dangers and hardships. Though he has no military power in hand, his prestige in the army is something that the emperor has always been wary of. Throwing your lot in with him means that you’ll face the same uncertainties and trials. It will be a very tiring life.”
Qin Huaiyuan patiently laid out the pros and cons of each choice, yet refrained from pointing fingers or denouncing either of them. He merely waiting for Qin Yining to make up her own mind; his own attitude was clear. He would unequivocally support her no matter what she chose.
Deeply touched, Qin Yining’s eyes grew moist. “Father, I know everything you say.”
But she still chose Pang Xiao.
Qin Huaiyuan nodded with a smile. “I understand. In that case, I may as well facilitate your marriage. Leave the rest to me. You should go rest for now.”
Qin Yining left after taking a look at her bawling mother and her father doing his frantic best to calm née Sun.
She couldn’t guess at what Qin Huaiyuan would do, but she felt particularly at ease having received his promise.
News of Pang Xiao flipping over a table in the Palace of Benevolent Piety swiftly made the rounds at court. Everyone was guessing at what the Lus would do.
The next morning at court, Qin Huaiyuan cut in front of the Minister of Military Affairs and fell to a kowtow in front of everyone’s shocked eyes.
“Your Majesty, this subject begs that you deliver justice for my only daughter!”
Chapter 396: Bestowing Marriage
Ever since arriving in Great Zhou, Qin Huaiyuan had kept to a low profile and exercised a prudent style.
Though he enjoyed great favor from the emperor, he wasn’t the sort to brim with self satisfaction. Standing forward to kowtow as soon as morning court commenced and raising a fuss for the emperor to deliver justice was a first for the Qin patriarch.
Not only Li Qitian, but an entire court of civil and martial officials looked curiously at Qin Huaiyuan.
Pang Xiao and Ji Zeyu looked at each other, frowning slightly and looking noncommittally back at the minister.
Some speculations sprang into existence in Li Qitian’s heart, but he could only respond solemnly, as befit the occasion.
“Beloved subject Qin, please rise. Tell Us whatever suffering ails you.”
The minister’s eyes immediately reddened and his whiskers trembled. Closing his eyes tight to conceal the tears in them, he rasped out, “Your Majesty, this old subject has no son and just one daughter. Due to unfortunate circumstances, she wandered the outside world in poverty when young.
“After finally locating her, this old subjected treasured her as my most precious valuable, more than my life itself! She is the veritable apple of my eye.
“Much resignation colors the events of the past, and in the struggle between being loyal subject and a good father, I fell short of taking care of my daughter. My only thought was that all would be a new beginning after coming to Great Zhou. I would be able to make things up to her then.
“But who would have fathomed that apart from unforeseen developments along the way, my daughter would be forcefully carried off by the Faithful Prince of the First Rank as soon as she arrived in the capital!? Though she is home now, her reputation is in ruins and countless tongues wag about her!”
Qin Huaiyuan’s forehead was firmly planted on the ground as tears flowed freely. He sobbed, snot and tears flying everywhere.
“This subject begs Your Majesty to uphold justice for my beloved daughter! My daughter is erudite and mannerly, intelligent and dependable—nothing of that frivolous, flighty sort at all! Yet the outside world talks of her in that kind of manner!
“What wrong has my daughter committed for her to suffer thus?? All dishonorable actions stem from the prince! This subject begs Your Majesty to severely punish the culprit and deliver judgment for my daughter!”
The minister howled out each of his words, agony and fury bleeding through each of them. He pressed his forehead deeply into the ground when he finished, overcome by emotion. He even took off the hat as part of his uniform and kowtowed several times, decrying tragically, “Please take matters into your eminent hands, Your Majesty! Punish Pang Zhixi harshly!”
The crowds of officials were stunned by the scene.
It’d crossed no minds that Qin Huaiyuan would actually criticize the Faithful Prince of the First Rank. Rumors had flown for more than a few days, and when the minister had first borne it all in silence, there were those who quietly mocked him for being lily-livered and chicken-hearted. He was too afraid to protect even his own daughter!
But he’d suddenly submitted a petition today, an obvious sign of how infuriated he was by Pang Xiao flipping the table and insulting his daughter. As a father, he was no longer standing for the state of things!
A smile blossomed on the lips of Minister Cheng of the Bureau of Military Affairs. Since they were both censuring the prince, he wouldn’t fight for the honor with Qin Huaiyuan. Cheng Meng scooched off to the side and settled in for the show.
Li Qitian’s hands slowly tightened on the arms of his dragon throne as his forehead furrowed as well. I never thought that matters would develop to this point!
U
nder his orders, the empress dowager had invited the daughters of three noble houses, Lu Heng, and Pang Xiao. His goal was simple: Qin Yining would be dangled to create discord between Lu Heng and Pang Xiao.
The emperor had long since discovered that Lu Heng held some interest for Qin Yining. He also knew that Pang Xiao likewise had feelings for the girl, but was caught over the hurdle of his father’s matter.
No man would be comfortable with the girl he liked and known intimately marrying another. Regardless of whether or not Qin Yining married Lu Heng, the two men would form a grudge against each other.
However, he hadn’t entertained the remotest possibility that Pang Xiao, ordinarily very respectful of the empress dowager, would actually flip over the dining table and infuriate Lu Heng so much that the Lu scion would leave with an angry flourish of the sleeve!
With how serious things had gotten, having Qin Huaiyuan publicly submit a petition was wholly outside the range of Li Qitian’s expectations. This wasn’t what he wanted to happen, at all.
While the emperor remained in deep thought, Qin Huaiyuan kowtowed repeatedly and called out, “This subject begs Your Majesty to deliver justice! If Your Majesty doesn’t harshly penalize the Faithful Prince of the Fourth Rank, then this old subject can proceed no further in my position! I am an official, but my daughter suffers such injustices! I cannot protect her, nor can I seek out justice for her! What use am I then, in this official capacity!?”
Tears streaked down the minister’s face as he respectfully kowtowed again.
Li Qitian recovered in the midst of his subject’s tragic wails and coughed. “Beloved subject Qin, do rise first.”
Punish Pang Xiao? That wouldn’t be entertained at all!
Though the emperor was wary of Pang Xiao, the prince was the only one of his faction who sat on the council.
If he came down harshly on Pang Xiao like Qin Huaiyuan wanted, then the emperor would have none of his own left in the council. Were all of his policy decisions to be dictated by the old Northern Ji officials and aristocracy?
Li Qitian shook his head inwardly. He absolutely couldn’t punish Pang Xiao.
And yet, it really was the prince at fault here.
When his thoughts travelled here, Li Qitian could only cajole in soft tones, hoping that Qin Huaiyuan would come to his senses.
“We can certainly understand beloved subject Qin’s feelings in this matter. But both of you are officials of court and Our left and right hand men. How will you diligently go about your duties if you erupt in internal discord? Beloved subject Qin must keep the greater picture in mind!”
“Your Majesty, if my daughter cannot be accounted for today, then this subject will relinquish this position as minister. I will no longer be colleagues with the prince then! If the prince commits such banditry in front of even Your Majesty, then I will list his crimes out on paper and plaster them all throughout the capital! I will have everyone see his soulless villainy for what it is!!”
A vein throbbed in Li Qitian’s forehead. He’d once employed this strategy against the trash emperor of Great Yan. To think that Qin Huaiyuan would use the same idea to elicit public discourse!
If word of this really got out, how would Pang Xiao find his footing on the council? No, the prince couldn’t be forced out, no matter what!
Chapter 396.2: Bestowing Marriage
Li Qitian felt that he was faced with a difficult problem that he’d never had before.
After a few moments of contemplation, enlightenment struck.
“Beloved subject Qin.” He rose and slowly descended the dais. He reached out with both hands to help Qin Huaiyuan up and ordered Li Guanwen to proffer a handkerchief for the minister to wipe his face.
Qin Huaiyuan swiped at his tears, waiting with head down for what his liege would say.
“Our beloved subject, the Faithful Prince of the First Rank is Our right hand man. He won great distinctions in battle when we fought to establish Great Zhou. Put another way, the prince’s age and talents are a wonderful match with your daughter. Since the two of them share feelings for each other, why not give our blessings to such a lovely couple?”
“Your Majesty, my daughter was forced into it!”
“Ai, the best ending for a girl is to find a dependable husband. Though the prince was muddle-headed before, We trust that he lost control only because he was overcome with emotion. Why don’t we do things this way. We will be the guarantor of this match and decree that the apple of your eye shall be his princess consort. How about that?”
Qin Huaiyuan lowered his head, the epitome of abject suffering.
The emperor continued on patiently. “There is a saying that it’s better to eliminate enmity than to keep it alive. Beloved subject Qin bears no fault for the old personal scores between you and General Pang. The two of you were merely on different sides and served different masters. Why don’t we whittle away a great trouble today and forget past grudges. With Our decree, there will be no one in the world who dares disparage the slightest bit about your daughter. Beloved subject Qin, what say you?”
Qin Huaiyuan compressed his lips with difficulty, seemingly unwilling.
Li Qitian turned to glare at Pang Xiao. “We bestow née Qin unto you as your princess consort. Are you willing?”
The emperor’s face was so solemn that it seemed Pang Xiao would be hauled out for execution if the prince so much as breathed a hint of denial.
Meanwhile, torrents of rainwater flooded mountains, massive earthquakes birthed tsunamis, storms raged and gales howled, and fireworks exploded in front of Pang Xiao’s eyes!
If it wasn’t for stunning willpower, he’d almost break out in hearty barks of laughter and thump to his knees to thank his father-in-law’s facilitation!
This move was much too perfect, one worthy of Wise Pan An alright! He’d taken care of their marriage in such an effortless, elementary manner—and it was settled via imperial edict itself!
As exuberantly overjoyed he was, Pang Xiao didn’t forget the emotions he was supposed to display.
He nodded stiffly with great reluctance. “This subject obeys Your Majesty’s orders.”
The acceptance put Li Qitian more at ease. He turned back to Qin Huaiyuan. “Beloved subject Qin, what say you?”
The minister was silent for a while before picking up his hat, dusting it off, and putting it back on. He performed a solemn bow to his liege. “This subject was brash and caused trouble for Your Majesty. This subject will follow Your Majesty’s arrangements.”
Li Qitian heaved a long sigh and nodded. “Good! Li Guanwen, draft the imperial decree. Yining Née Qin will be bestowed as princess consort to the Faithful Prince of the First Rank. Their wedding date is to be the eleventh day of the next month. The two households can see to their own arrangements.”
“Understood.” The eunuch quickly took down his orders and set to work drafting the imperial decree. After the emperor affixed his royal seal to it, the eunuch quickly sent it out for delivery.
Qin Huaiyuan stood off to the side with his head down, as if still crestfallen and disconsolate.
Cheng Meng, Minister of the Bureau of Military Affairs, stepped out at this time. He’d thought that Qin Huaiyuan would be able to skin Pang Xiao alive, but the old fool lost even his daughter in the end!
That stupid buffoon!
Minister Cheng stepped out righteously to accuse the prince of murdering innocents.
The vein at Li Qitian’s forehead throbbed again. Pang Xiao was causing him further trouble! One matter had finally been settled, but here came another!
The emperor knew what Cheng Meng’s goals were, but the prince had to establish firm footing in the council. Thus, Li Qitian quickly brainstormed a response and readied to shut the minister down.
However, Qin Huaiyuan stepped forward before the emperor had a chance to speak.
“Minister Cheng’s words are grievously erroneous!” he exhorted. “The Faithful Prince of the First Rank is a young her
o who boasts of impressive military accomplishments. He attacked Northern Ji because of a difference in ideology. He has poured forth blood, sweat, and tears to establish Great Zhou. Why is he an unblinking demon of murder when described by you?”
“You!” Minister Cheng rocked back on his heels, flabbergasted. “Didn’t you, didn't you just criticize Pang Zhixi? Why are you going back on your words??”
Qin Huaiyuan flicked a glance at Minister Cheng and responded righteously, “He was my enemy when I criticized him, but my son-in-law now thanks to His Majesty. Should a father-in-law not speak up for his son-in-law? Should I wait for outsiders to pick up the reins instead?”
Minister Cheng had absolutely no comeback to that.
The assembled officials erupted in a flurry of discussion.
Seeing that Minister Cheng was failing, other Lu faction officials jumped out to add their voices to the condemnation.
This was when the origin of Qin Huaiyuan’s nickname as ‘Wise Pan An’ was on full display. His words were clear and methodological, overruling all reproof of Pang Xiao.
Even off to the side, the prince was awed by Qin Huaiyuan’s ability to verbally spar with an army of scholars.
My father-in-law is too amazing!
Even Pang Xiao felt extraordinary pressure at this!
Chapter 397: Preparations
Long before the imperial decree arrived, a pageboy by Qin Huaiyuan’s side caught wind of what had happened. He sprinted from the palace doors to the horse tied up to the tree, jumped onto its back, and sent it in a fast gallop back home.
Qin Yining and née Sun were working on their embroidery within the house when they heard the granny servant on duty at the inner doors exclaim, “Old Dowager! Madame! Miss! Great news! Wonderful news!”
The cry startled everyone inside and the old dowager lifted the door curtains.
“What is it? Out with it!” she demanded anxiously.
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