Chapter 410: Pushed to the Edge

Three days later, an explosive piece of news spread throughout Shang Jing.

His Majesty bestowed a marriage between the Yuanqing Princess from Bei Di and the Third Prince Xiao Wei, and the grand wedding will be held at the beginning of next month.

When the news broke, public opinion erupted in an uproar, and everyone was stunned.

Weren't we told earlier that the Yuanqing Princess from Bei Di was to marry Xiao Yin?

Why was the bride suddenly changed, and then rumors spread that the Yuanqing Princess is a consummate libertine.

On one hand she is to be united with Xiao Yin, yet on the other she is alone with the Third Prince Xiao Wei in a desolate temple outside the city.

The scene looked exceedingly scandalous; back then, when the Qintuo Temple outside the city caught fire from a flood, many rushed to extinguish it and also captured a group of wandering martial folk.

At that time many had witnessed the Yuanqing Princess's disgraceful behavior, and now that the marriage decree has been announced, it confirms what happened that night.

Immediately everyone felt relieved for Xiao Yin, since anyone who marries such a creature would be in for trouble.

She hasn't even married yet and already breaks the virtue of a woman; moreover, this woman has her own issues—everyone knows that after the Third Prince's last mishap their body was ruined, making them unfit for normal life, and no one knows what they aim to gain by associating with Xiao Wei.

In any case, the marriage between the Yuanqing Princess and Xiao Wei has been settled.

Moreover, it is said that after the grand wedding, Xiao Wei will take his newlywed Princess Consort to Quzhou to become an idle feudal prince, with Duke Duan following along.

In name, it is the emperor's favor, granting Xiao Wei a fief in Quzhou and making him a feudal prince.

In reality, anyone with eyes can see that this is a nominal promotion but an actual demotion.

In the Third Prince's residence, a sound of shattered porcelain echoed from Xiao Wei's sleeping hall.

Outside the courtyard, a mass of kneeling servants were huddled in the dark, each pale with fear.

Just now, the Sixth Prince Xiao Zheng came to visit Xiao Wei, even presenting lavish gifts, saying they were to congratulate the third brother on his marriage.

As soon as Xiao Zheng had left, Xiao Wei erupted.

He kicked over and smashed the gifts Xiao Zheng had brought, scattering them all over the ground.

At that moment, several members of the Duan family came to see Xiao Wei, and had to persuade their cousin to step into the main hall to calm down first.

Xiao Wei sat on the chair, his expression so gloomy it seemed he could wring water from it.

The three Duan brothers sat aside, their faces equally unreadable.

Duan family's second son, Duan Feng, who has a violent temper, stood up and shouted.

"It's no wonder the cousin is angry; what kind of person is he? The famed young general of Southern Qi, a great hero, a mighty champion—he would only marry a lady from a prestigious family. How could he marry a broken, defiled wretch that has been ravished by others…"

"Second brother! Shut up!" the eldest Duan son barked sharply.

Duan Feng paused briefly, then obediently sat down.

The third Duan son, Duan Heng, with a grim face, looked at Xiao Wei and asked, "Cousin, what does the emperor really mean?"

Xiao Wei narrowed his eyes slightly, clenched his teeth, and coldly said, "What meaning? Hmph! You just find me displeasing; you intend to treat me as a useless waste!"

As soon as Xiao Wei finished speaking, the three Duan brothers' expressions grew even more solemn.

It seems the emperor is about to move against the Duan family, and even Empress Dowager Ning An will no longer shield them; they may be abandoned.

Indeed, the Duan family has flaunted its power in Southern Qi for twenty years, and now they have become a tall tree that attracts wind, catching the emperor's eye.

If Xiao Wei had still been a decent person before, it would have been tolerable.

The Duan family took a gamble, elevating Xiao Wei to that position, hoping to earn imperial merit.

Now Xiao Wei cannot produce heirs; even leaving a bloodline would not allow him to contend with the Crown Prince and the Sixth Prince.

On top of that, their own daughter is unworthy, and the scandal of Noble Consort Duan's illicit affair with Chen Fu'an, they truly did not anticipate this; the Duan family was caught completely off guard.

Now that it has come to this extent, they truly do not know what to do.

Duan Feng, angry, clenched his teeth and said, "After Xiao Yin's defeat in the Qi Sha Valley battle, wasn't it our Duan family that kept watch over the ambitious Xirong and Bei Di, thereby preserving Southern Qi's realm?"

"It was the Duan family that sacrificed and bled; now that things are stable, the task of killing the donkey and unloading the mill falls on us again? If so, it would be better to…"

The rest of what Duan Feng wanted to say, however arrogant, he dared not utter.

This time even the eldest Duan son Duan Yun did not intervene; the Duan family now harbors a burning fury that is too intense to suppress.

Xiao Wei slowly closed his eyes and asked, "Where is Uncle now?"

Duan Yun hurriedly replied, "Father has also been summoned back by an imperial edict, and is on the way back to the capital."

Xiao Wei's hand instantly clenched into a fist, and in a low voice said, "Uncle is getting older, his health is not what it used to be; on the road he should stop and recuperate, recovery is paramount!"

Duan Yun's eyes flashed; he instantly grasped Xiao Wei's meaning, and his heart fluttered with panic for a moment.

Now the emperor is forcing them to surrender military command, pushing the Duan family into a corner.

In the past the Duan family has offended many; if they truly lose their military authority, even Empress Dowager Ning An may not be able to protect them.

But now, judging by Xiao Wei's intent, they truly plan rebellion; once they revolt, there will be no room for retreat.

He drew a harsh breath and said, "Yes, I'll write a letter to father now."

"But …"

Xiao Wei looked at Duan Yun; this cousin, though, does have some ability and wit, and he was willing to discuss opinions with him.

Duan Yun steadied himself, looked at Xiao Wei and said, "The Duan family's strength in the army is indeed formidable now, but I worry about Xiao Yin."

Xiao Wei furrowed his brows heavily: "Worry about what he does? He's just a useless person, now lying in the Prince's residence, his life hanging in the balance."

Duan Yun's brow twitched subtly, and patiently said, "Xiao Yin enjoys great prestige in the army; although he is not currently serving, the generals he cultivated now hold important posts in the Azure Dragon Army, especially Zhao Lang, who has been on a roll lately."

"It is said that this man's ties with Xiao Yin are deep; if that's the case, any uprising by the Duan family would have hidden risks."

"Zhao Lang's strength is not to be feared; he has only a modest reputation in the army and hasn't yet secured his footing, but if Xiao Yin intervenes, we might find it hard to deal with him."

"The Prince Rui's residence now is like an iron bucket inside and out; no one can infiltrate it, not even the imperial physician sent by the emperor can discern its inner workings."

"I previously consulted Imperial Physician Zhang; Xiao Yin is indeed severely weakened, as if truly poisoned."

"Could it be that he is about to die?"

Duan Yun was also bewildered.

Xiao Wei slowly leaned back in his chair, his gaze icy: "But we will find a way to test him; I don't believe he can keep up the act forever."

The sun shone brightly, and the noble ladies of Shang Jing held a flower‑appreciation gathering in the peach grove outside the city.

Usually everyone is confined to their own mansions, and such events are rare; when one is held occasionally, almost all the noble ladies of Jing Cheng came, and even the newly betrothed Princess Yuanqing rode a carriage to hurry over.