Chapter 236: Bestowal of Marriage

The Prince of Badong was in low spirits.

Ever since he had sent people to deliver three hundred thousand coins to Wang Yang's home, he had kept a dark face and remained silent. Wang Yi made a few more idle remarks, but seeing the Prince of Badong's sullen expression, he tactfully rose to take his leave:

"I still have to go to the Chief Clerk's office to deliver the imperial decree, so I shall not disturb Your Highness any further. Once I return from my mission, it will just happen to coincide with Your Highness's joyous occasion; I shall certainly insist on having a cup of wedding wine then."

The Prince of Badong's expression softened slightly:

"That is only natural. I only hope the Gentleman-in-Waiting does not miss the return journey."

"Not at all, not at all! I love a lively atmosphere the most! Even if I have to risk my old life, I will make it back on time to soak up some of Your Highness's festive spirit!"

The Prince of Badong smiled.

Wang Yang asked curiously: "Is Your Highness taking a consort?"

The Prince of Badong replied distractedly: "Yes." He paused, then looked at Wang Yang, his eyes regaining their spark:

"The fourth daughter of the Xie family—you have met her."

Wang Yang instantly lost all control of his expression and stood petrified on the spot!

"Pfft, hahahahaha!"

The Prince of Badong pointed at Wang Yang, clutching his stomach in laughter.

Wang Yang immediately understood that the Prince of Badong was teasing him. In truth, given Wang Yang's intellect, he would have been able to distinguish truth from falsehood if he had just thought about it for a moment longer before the Prince started laughing. But the Prince of Badong had spoken so suddenly that his brain had simply crashed; by the time it rebooted, he was already drenched in sweat.

The Prince of Badong looked as if he had won a great battle, his eyebrows arched high, looking at Wang Yang with a smug expression; his triumph was bubbling up from the bottom of his eyes, impossible to suppress.

Wang Yi laughed: "Don't listen to His Highness's jokes. It is not a daughter of the Xie family, but a daughter of our own Wang family. She is from the Wuyi Lane branch, the daughter of Wang Bocai, and is of the same generation as you."

Wang Yang bowed to the Prince of Badong, his face full of smiles:

"Then I shall offer my congratulations to Your Highness in advance! It just so happens that thanks to Your Highness's generosity today, my hands are flush with funds, so I must prepare a proper wedding gift!"

The Prince of Badong's mouth twitched, then he smiled with relief:

"There is no need for any wedding gifts. I will be very happy if you can just attend in person."

Wang Yang smiled:

"Both my presence and a gift will arrive. How could I possibly miss Your Highness's wedding wine?"

The Prince of Badong's mood suddenly turned somewhat gloomy. He shifted his gaze away from Wang Yang's face, did not respond to Wang Yang's words, and instead turned to Wang Yi, changing the subject:

"What is the disposition for Liu Yin?"

Wang Yi said: "Dismissed from all official posts, appointed as a Water Works Adjutant (Director of the Water Conservancy Bureau)."

"Still in Jingzhou?"

"Yes."

The Prince of Badong's expression was intrigued.

Upon hearing that Liu Yin had not been transferred out of Jingzhou and that his rank was similar to Jiao Zheng's, Wang Yang knew that this man basically had no way out. In fact, there was no need for the Prince of Badong to even lift a finger. Liu Yin specialized in penal matters and applied the law with such severity that he had offended countless people. Once he lost his power, there were simply too many ways to deal with him, both officially and privately—not to mention how many people were jealous of him for rising to a high position despite his humble origins, or how many despised him. There would likely be no shortage of people ready to kick him while he was down.

"What about Wu Xiuzhi? What is his disposition?" the Prince of Badong asked again.

"Wu Xiuzhi failed to investigate truthfully and judged erroneously; he is fined three months' salary as a warning to others."

The Prince of Badong's face turned cold instantly.

Wang Yi acted as if he did not notice and greeted Wang Yang: "Nephew, will you accompany your uncle for a trip?"

After the two Wangs left, the Prince of Badong ordered: "You may all withdraw. I wish to be alone for a while."

The attendants withdrew.

The Prince of Badong picked up his teacup, took a sip, set it down, and tapped his fingers unconsciously on the table. After a few taps, he sneered: "Nothing more than a street trick..."

Then he looked left and right, and as if nothing had happened, he took the copper coin from his sleeve, threw it onto the table, and gave a disdainful laugh.

He twisted his neck, sat still for a few seconds, then suddenly leaned toward the table, carefully and meticulously straightened the coin, and, imitating Wang Yang, held his palm up behind the coin. He took a solemn breath, and just as he was about to blow, a report came from outside:

"Your Highness! Attendant Kong and Mr. Li are here to see you!"

The Prince of Badong stiffened, his breath caught in his chest, neither out nor in. He couldn't help but curse, then quickly picked up the coin, hid it back in his sleeve, sat up straight, and said: "Let them in."

Kong Zhangyu and Li Jingxuan entered the room and bowed. Seeing that the Prince of Badong looked somewhat agitated, Li Jingxuan said:

"I wonder what is troubling Your Highness? Jingxuan is willing to share Your Highness's worries."

The Prince of Badong frowned: "You?"

Meeting the Prince of Badong's suspicious and contemptuous gaze, Li Jingxuan said calmly:

"Your Highness, although Jingxuan is untalented, I am willing to try."

Although his words were humble, there was a hint of arrogance within.

The Prince of Badong looked at Li Jingxuan and suddenly felt that this man's temperament seemed somewhat similar to Wang Yang's, and he couldn't help but feel some anticipation. He took out the copper coin and placed it on the table:

"Gongyu, if you were sitting in my position, blowing air at the copper coin, what method would you have to blow the coin back?"

"Blow... blow it back?" Li Jingxuan was stunned.

"Just from here—" The Prince of Badong pointed vaguely at the coin with his finger, then swept it back, "—blow it to here."

Li Jingxuan fell into deep thought.

The Prince of Badong asked Kong Zhangyu again: "Mr. Kong, do you have any good methods?"

Kong Zhangyu shook his head and said: "This official is dull-witted and cannot think of any good methods."

The Prince of Badong turned to stare at Li Jingxuan.

Li Jingxuan did not keep the Prince of Badong waiting long and soon gave his answer:

"You could lean your head over the coin and blow back—"

The Prince of Badong impatiently interrupted: "If I could change the direction, would I need you to tell me?"

Li Jingxuan concentrated and thought for a moment, his expression brightening:

"I have it! If you blow air while striking the table hard, you could use the force of the recoil—"

"Why don't I just reach out and take it myself? And you call yourself a strategist! You thought for half a day and came up with this???"

The Prince of Badong glared at Li Jingxuan, speechless!

Sweat beaded on Li Jingxuan's forehead, his brain spinning at high speed, while Kong Zhangyu watched the show with leisure.

Li Jingxuan pondered:

"If you could change the copper coin to an iron coin, it wouldn't be difficult, but if it's copper..."

The Prince of Badong asked curiously: "How so?"

"Iron coins can be moved with a magnet..."

"Shut your mouth."

The Prince of Badong grabbed the copper coin and stuffed it back into his sleeve, gave Li Jingxuan a disdainful look, and thought to himself:

He's like a hammer, that's what he's like!

Not like him at all!

Li Jingxuan's face flushed, and he desperately wanted to salvage his image:

"May I ask Your Highness, what method did Wang Yang use?"

The Prince of Badong became a little interested:

"Oh? How did you know Wang Yang had a method?"

"Jingxuan saw the Wang Fu steward preparing to send three hundred thousand coins to Wang Yang's residence, saying it was Your Highness's order. Jingxuan guessed that this man must have deceived Your Highness with a street trick!"

Kong Zhangyu remained silent, only sneering in his heart.

The Prince of Badong's tiger-like eyes flashed with a hint of mockery:

"A street trick? How do you know it's a street trick?"

"Such minor arts are clever but not elegant enough to be presented in refined circles."

The mockery on the Prince of Badong's face deepened:

"If you don't know, just say you don't know. Why babble about minor arts and elegance?"

Li Jingxuan said calmly:

"Although Jingxuan does not know the solution, Your Highness need not worry about this matter."

The Prince of Badong raised an eyebrow:

"Oh? What is your brilliant opinion?"

"Wang Yang's doomsday is imminent. No matter how much money Your Highness gives him, he won't be able to take it with him. His family is in Jingzhou, and he has no relatives. Once he dies, we can just find a reason to search his residence..."

The Prince of Badong suddenly stood up and walked toward Li Jingxuan.

Li Jingxuan's heart tightened, and he had a bad premonition.

The Prince of Badong walked in front of Li Jingxuan and patted his shoulder lightly.

Li Jingxuan had just breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the Prince of Badong say:

"You may get out."

Li Jingxuan's face turned red, his previous composure vanished, and he stammered, his voice dry:

"Your... Your Highness..."

"Get out!"

Li Jingxuan dared not speak again, bowed with his hands cupped to apologize, bent his waist, and backed out. As he was leaving the door, he almost tripped over the threshold.

After Li Jingxuan exited the room, the Prince of Badong sat back down and gave a light laugh:

"What a piece of work!"

Kong Zhangyu spoke up:

"Your Highness, please calm your anger. Li Jingxuan comes from a poor family, and he views everything through the lens of 'profit.' Sometimes his perspective is inevitably narrow."

The Prince of Badong leaned back and sighed:

"Look at this Zhang Liang of mine; he can't even stand on the stage..."

Then he looked at Kong Zhangyu and smiled:

"Let's talk about serious matters with my Xiao He. Wang Yi wants to wander around Jingzhou for six days first, saying he wants to visit scenic spots. What do you think?"

Kong Zhangyu said: "It may not be true. Let him wander, we will do our own guarding."

"That is my intention as well. So, starting tomorrow, you will accompany him. Go get the money in a while. Whatever he wants to see, you accompany him to see; whatever he wants to eat, you accompany him to eat. Just one thing: keep a close eye on him."

"Yes. Your Highness, rest assured."

After Kong Zhangyu finished speaking, he deliberated for a moment and asked: "I wonder who the candidate for the Princess Consort is?"

"Wang Zao's daughter."

"Wang Zao?" Kong Zhangyu didn't react for a moment.

"The one who married the Jealous Princess during the previous dynasty and was later killed by the deposed emperor because of a male favorite."

Kong Zhangyu suddenly realized:

"This official remembers now. She is the deposed emperor's aunt, the former dynasty's Princess of Linchuan, who was demoted to Lady of Linchuan after the founding of this dynasty. Doesn't she only have sons? Does she have a daughter?"

"Who knows? They say she has always been raised in her uncle's house. Her father and brother died early, and her mother didn't love her. That's quite good; she is a perfect match for me."

The Prince of Badong's mouth curled into an arc, but there was not a hint of a smile in his eyes.

Although he had heard even more taboo things before, Kong Zhangyu was still startled and hurriedly reminded him: "Your Highness—"

Long before the Prince of Badong was enfeoffed, Kong Zhangyu had submitted "Three Admonitions," saying that if the Prince did not agree, he would rather die than continue to scheme for him, because if these three admonitions were not heeded, disaster would not be far off, and it would be better to die early.

The first admonition was not to indulge in violence or beat people at will. The second was that on the first and fifteenth of every month, he must enter the palace to visit his birth mother, Consort Zhang, according to custom, and could no longer claim illness to avoid it. The third was not to speak without restraint, pointing at the sky and cursing the sun, even when only two people were present; this was to prevent the Prince of Badong from developing the habit of speaking carelessly, which would one day lead to disaster from his own mouth.

The words the Prince of Badong just said, to put it mildly, were harboring resentment and slandering his elders; to put it strongly, it was cursing his sovereign and father, and violating moral principles.

The Prince of Badong waved his hand casually, signaling Kong Zhangyu not to be too nervous, and sneered:

"I never had any expectations to begin with. Not marrying Wang Yun's daughter to me is already doing me a favor."

Kong Zhangyu was thoughtful:

"The Son of Heaven intends to use this to win over the old ministers of the previous dynasty..."

The Prince of Badong mocked himself:

"Yes. If it were really a good thing, how could it fall to me? Ever since the marriage discussion failed last time, I thought he had forgotten about me."

"No, this is also a good thing. Although Wang Zao's branch is small, they are, after all, the direct line of the Langya Wang family, descendants of Wang Dao. More importantly, the Lady of Linchuan has considerable prestige among the old ministers of Liu Song. With this relationship, the surviving ministers will naturally feel a bit more closeness to Your Highness. Those noble families who still miss the previous dynasty will also look at Your Highness with new eyes."

The Prince of Badong hummed indifferently:

"Regardless of what her surname is, and regardless of what princess or lady her mother is, as long as she marries over, she must listen to me! If she dares to be as jealous as her mother, I will punch her away!"

Kong Zhangyu:...

——————

Note: The eldest son, Zao, reached the position of Governor of Dongyang. He married the Emperor Taizu's sixth daughter, the Princess of Linchuan, whose personal name was Yingyuan. The princess was jealous by nature, and Zao had a separate love for a servant named Wu Chongzu. During the reign of the former deposed emperor, Jinghe, the princess slandered him to the deposed emperor. Zao was imprisoned and died, and the princess divorced the Wang family. — "Book of Song, Biography of Empresses and Consorts" ===== CHAPTER 237 =====