Chapter 191: Marriage Alliance

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The Khitan women sent for marriage alliance, such as Xiao Pu Xian Nü, and the Liao elites demanded by Zhao Yu, such as Yelu Dashi, were delivered separately.

First to arrive were Yelu Dashi and the other Liao elites.

Zhao Yu knew very well that Yelu Dashi and his group could not possibly be brought under his control yet, so he dispatched men to send them all back to Dongjing Bianliang for proper resettlement.

Xiao Pu Xian Nü, especially the three Khitan princesses, were sent this time under the guise of marriage alliance, similar to how the Liao had married Yelu Nanxian to the Western Xia.

The difference was that Yelu Nanxian went to the Western Xia as Empress; these three Khitan princesses married Zhao Yu only as concubines.

But their essence was still marriage alliance—true marriage alliance.

Zhao Yu's personal campaign not only defeated the Liao army multiple times, trapped Emperor Yelu Yanxi and others within Yanjing City, and stood to reclaim all past tribute payments and interest owed to the Liao, but also forced the Liao to send three princesses for marriage alliance—this was undoubtedly a glorious victory; when news reached Dongjing Bianliang, whether court officials or common folk in the alleys, all would feel a surge of pride.

Yet, Zhao Yu was still on the frontlines, so he could not hold a wedding or celebrate the victory lavishly—would that not turn war into a child's play?

But it was still necessary to appropriately boost the morale of the frontline troops.

Thus, after the matter was settled, Zhao Yu issued an edict under the pretext of the marriage alliance: slaughter sheep and pigs, let everyone—including laborers—eat meat freely, supply steamed buns in abundance, grant one bowl of wine to every officer above squad leader and every supervisor, and hold a three-day feast for the entire army, but forbid overdrinking, lax vigilance, or negligence—any violation would be punished by military law.

Zhao Yu did not personally go to meet Xiao Pu Xian Nü and the three Khitan princesses; instead, he sent Zhang Chun and Xiao Sese, along with relevant personnel, to fetch these women from the Zhai Palace on his behalf.

The Liao side had originally intended to deliver Xiao Pu Xian Nü and the others according to Khitan customs.

But all horses and large livestock in Yanjing City had been seized by the Zhao Song regime, making it impossible to deliver Xiao Pu Xian Nü and the others by Khitan custom.

Later, Emperor Yelu Yanxi and his ministers deliberated and decided it would be better to follow Song Ren customs in marrying off Xiao Pu Xian Nü and the others—after all, Yanjing City had no shortage of bridal palanquins; even if newly made, they could be ready in time.

More importantly, this would further please Zhao Yu.

Thus, the Liao side assembled a massive bridal procession, blowing drums and playing flutes, escorting Xiao Pu Xian Nü and the others all the way from Yanjing City to the Zhai Palace.

Arriving before the Zhai Palace.

There, across the vast plain, wind whipped through banners as a gilded phoenix-laden palanquin advanced slowly; the curtain parted slightly, a vivid crimson spilling forth like molten sunset solidified into brocade.

Xiao Pu Xian Nü raised her hand to part the tassels, her fingertips brushing the crimson gold hairpin embedded with eastern pearls; the pearl strings hanging from her phoenix crown trembled gently against her brow, making her phoenix eyes shimmer with radiant brilliance.

In her gaze flowed both the liveliness and innocence of a maiden and the depth and wisdom unique to mature women; her nose was straight and refined, adding strength and vigor to her face; her lips were full and supple, radiating irresistible charm whether smiling or parting in Zhu Chun; noble, elegant, serene—every fine word seemed fitting for her.

In the three bridal palanquins beside her, the three Khitan princesses each possessed distinct charm—gentle as water, lively and spirited, or bold and vigorous—all dressed in exquisite green wedding gowns, adorned with pearls and jade, like three blooming exotic flowers adding softness and vitality to the vast land.

Twenty-four attendant brides followed closely behind, some holding trays and flasks, others carrying fans or flowers, every gesture revealing refined upbringing and grace.

The entire bridal procession, bathed in the sunset's glow, unfolded like a moving scroll before the eyes of Zhao Song soldiers, drawing glances from all, stirring greed and curiosity within them.

At that moment, countless minds thought: "How wonderful it is to be Emperor!!!"

In one glance, Zhang Chun noticed the difference between Xiao Pu Xian Nü and the other Liao women.

Yes—it was the color of their wedding gowns.

In the Zhao Song regime, there was a saying: "Red for men, green for women"—meaning, on wedding day, the groom wore red, the bride wore green.

Yet there was one special case: a bride could wear a red wedding gown.

Red symbolized joy, nobility, and passion; typically, only women from superior family backgrounds wore red wedding gowns, highlighting their status and signifying they would hold greater influence and better treatment in their new household.

Green, by contrast, was more subdued; when a woman married above her station, wearing green indicated humility and modesty, suggesting she must be more cautious and respectful toward her husband's family and relatives to adapt to her new role and status.

In other words, only a woman marrying down would wear a red wedding gown.

Clearly, Xiao Pu Xian Nü's defiance was deliberate—even provocative.

The Liao side had tried to dissuade her, but Xiao Pu Xian Nü made it clear: if she wasn't allowed to wear red, she wouldn't go.

Emperor Yelu Yanxi and his ministers deliberated and agreed: the three Khitan princesses were the Liao's official marriage alliance brides; their attire and that of the attendant brides already signaled the Liao's stance. Xiao Pu Xian Nü was demanded by Zhao Yu, not sent by the Liao; if they pressed too hard, she might refuse to go—or even kill herself—so they dared not interfere. They could simply explain the matter to Zhao Song later.

Seeing Xiao Pu Xian Nü wearing the red wedding gown even he had never dared to wear, Zhang Chun's lips curled slightly: "I specialize in taming the defiant."

Beside him, Xiao Sese saw that smile and her heart tightened—whenever Zhang Chun smiled at her like that, Zhao Yu would torment her until she was broken, until she finally submitted, only then could she rest peacefully to bear his child…

Xiao Sese looked at Xiao Pu Xian Nü and thought: "You're going to suffer."

Zhao Song officials immediately bestowed gifts upon the Liao bridal party, received Xiao Pu Xian Nü, the three Khitan princesses' palanquins, the twenty-four attendant brides, and their dowries.

Then, Zhang Chun and Xiao Sese led Xiao Pu Xian Nü and the others back to the Zhai Palace.

Finding a moment when Zhang Chun was absent, the three Khitan princesses eagerly asked Xiao Sese: "May we ask, Lady Wen Fei, what is the Song Zhu like?"

Xiao Pu Xian Nü feigned indifference, but actually strained her ears to hear what Xiao Sese—having been there some time—would say about Zhao Yu, the man they both now shared.

Xiao Sese fell silent for a long while before saying: "He possesses heroic wisdom and profound strategy, open-minded and magnanimous, knows men and employs them wisely, selects talent regardless of origin, inspires loyalty, plans without flaw, moves troops without delay—unparalleled since ancient times."

"Hss~!"

Xiao Pu Xian Nü knew Zhao Yu—who had nearly destroyed the Western Xia and pushed the Liao to this brink—must be extraordinary, but she never imagined Xiao Sese, a Khitan, would give such high praise to this enemy.

The three Khitan princesses all showed astonishment, exchanging glances filled with both anticipation and unease.

The most lively and spirited among them—Yelu Beixian, the younger sister of Yelu Nanxian—could not contain her curiosity and whispered: "Is the Song Zhu truly this heroic?"

The other two Khitan princesses and many attendant brides wore expressions of concern, wondering: if Zhao Yu were truly this formidable, wouldn't their homeland, the Liao, be in grave danger?

Xiao Sese sighed softly, saying nothing more.

Beside her, Xiao Pu Xian Nü heard in that sigh that Xiao Sese had no faith in the Liao—indeed, held a quiet pessimism toward its future.

This stirred ripples within Xiao Pu Xian Nü, who had always admired strength since childhood; she understood that a man capable of earning the admiration of an enemy woman must possess extraordinary ability and charisma.

At that moment, Xiao Pu Xian Nü grew even more eager to meet Zhao Yu.

Night fell; lanterns blazed within the Zhai Palace, illuminating Xiao Pu Xian Nü's thoughtful face. She gently traced the intricate embroidery on her wedding gown, each stitch and thread seeming to whisper of the new life she was about to enter.

Yet, to Xiao Pu Xian Nü's surprise, Zhao Yu did not summon her to his bed; instead, he first summoned the three Khitan princesses.

This made Xiao Pu Xian Nü frown deeply.

She was the one Zhao Yu had specifically demanded; the three Khitan princesses were merely added gifts.

It made no sense that Zhao Yu would enjoy the gifts first and ignore her—even if those gifts were Khitan princesses.

Even more troubling, in the days that followed, Zhao Yu summoned attendant brides to his bed—but never once summoned her.

Xiao Pu Xian Nü was baffled, even beginning to reflect: "Could it be… my wearing the red wedding gown displeased the Song Zhu?"

Xiao Pu Xian Nü inquired about Zhao Yu from the three Khitan princesses and the attendant brides who had served him.

Their evaluations of Zhao Yu were uniformly extremely high.

Yet, their focuses differed—some emphasized character, others ability, even physical attributes.

This made Xiao Fengxian even more curious about Zhao Yu. She began picturing him in her mind: "What kind of charm could this man possess, to win the sincere admiration of so many women?"

One day, Xiao Fengxian walked alone in the courtyard, lost in thought. Suddenly, distant laughter and chatter reached her ears. She followed the sound and saw Zhao Yu, clad in a dragon robe, chatting with several low-ranking soldiers about amusing incidents from their marches. Zhao Yu laughed heartily, without any airs—his smile carried the dignity of a monarch yet retained warmth, as if it could instantly bridge the gap between people.

And among those soldiers, none failed to feel both reverence and affection for Zhao Yu, and deep gratitude; whatever he asked, they answered openly.

Xiao Fengxian hid in the shadows, silently observing all of it, trying to judge through Zhao Yu's conduct and speech what manner of man he truly was.

Unfortunately, Zhao Yu did not chat long with those soldiers before a minister arrived to report that a Liao man had urinated into the wine sent to the Song army as tribute; the Song generals erupted in fury, clamoring to teach the Liao a lesson.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yu ended his conversation with the soldiers and went to handle the matter.

Before leaving, Zhao Yu specifically instructed that some fruit and pastries still in his quarters be taken and distributed among the soldiers.

Seeing the small signs, though still not fully understanding Zhao Yu, Xiao Fengxian knew at once that he was no ordinary man.

This made Xiao Fengxian even more eager to meet Zhao Yu.

Xiao Fengxian even grew angry at those Liao men: "If truly heroic, one should poison the wine or draw bow and sharpen sword to fight. But to urinate in Song Ren's wine—what is this but the act of a petty thief? It brings no benefit, only worsens the Liao's dire situation, plunging them deeper into peril—certainly not the act of a wise man!"

In truth, many Liao people resented paying tribute and interest to the Song dynasty, especially after seeing Yelu Yanxi and his ministers hand over all horses, cattle, sheep, camels, donkeys, weapons, and strategic supplies from Yanjing, then continue plundering gold, silver, silk, and brocade from the city to send to the Song.

At the same time, Yelu Yanxi and his ministers went to great lengths to please Zhao Yu—even as resources in Yanjing grew ever scarcer, they still devised ways to send him exquisite delicacies and fine wines.

This filled many Liao people with shame.

Yet these Liao dared not openly resist; they only resorted to petty tricks in secret.

For example, during the transport of silk, they often substituted inferior goods or mixed in low-quality items to deceive the Song.

The Song had long anticipated this and inspected every batch of silk strictly; any substandard silk was rejected outright, counted as if never submitted.

Upon learning this, Yelu Yanxi and his ministers urgently ordered the finest silk to be sent to the Song, and for inferior silk to be declared in advance—two or even three or four bolts to count as one.

Those transporting silk out of the city were Liao troops—the Four Armies—and Yelu Yanxi's personal guard were stationed in various locations to supervise each army. Each army flew different banners for distinction. It was common for army commanders and tribal chieftains to strut proudly, vying to boast to the Song, complain to the Song, obtain permits from the Song, and collect rations from the Song.

Some Liao officers and chieftains even boasted proudly: "Only when I go do I receive payment without return."

From this, it was clear that many Liao soldiers had lost their martial spirit.

But on the other hand, not all Liao were such cowards—some "patriots" despised the Song's aggression and Yelu Yanxi's servile behavior. Now, seeing Yelu Yanxi and his ministers give Yelu Chun's betrothed, three princesses, and twenty-four Khitan noblewomen to Zhao Yu as brides, they were furious.

So some Liao men urinated into the wine sent to Song generals, hoping to vent their rage this way.

But the Song officers receiving the wine detected it.

The Song generals were enraged—they had never expected the Liao to be so vile, using such a method to insult them.

Many Song generals shouted they would level Yanjing.

For a moment, the fragile peace between Song and Liao, barely settled, seemed ready to reignite.

In truth, since the Song army had surrounded Yanjing, though under Zhao Yu's strict discipline the troops had not committed outright atrocities, they maintained strict order; yet even so, their presence had profoundly affected the people of Yanjing.

To pay the Song tribute and interest, Yelu Yanxi and his ministers had ruthlessly plundered the city's people, causing immense loss and suffering.

Moreover, with the army encircling the city, prices had skyrocketed—a dou of rice now sold for twelve hundred coins, a dou of wheat for a thousand; all livestock and poultry in the city had been seized by the Song. As a result, the people could barely survive—no matter their status, nearly a month had passed without meat or fish.

Worse, the weather grew colder; soon they would need fire for warmth. If the Song still blockaded the city then, many would freeze to death.

All this would inevitably fuel the people's bitterness.

Meanwhile, the Song army, enjoying absolute superiority, inevitably grew arrogant—how could they tolerate provocation from those they held as prey?

The situation in Yanjing now resembled a powder keg—only a spark was needed to ignite the already taut nerves between the two nations.

Fearing such a day might come, Zhao Yu hired large numbers of laborers from Yan and Hebei at thirty percent above market price to quickly transport harvested goods back to the Song dynasty, lest a hasty retreat leave them behind.

After hearing the reports from Ceng Bu and Guo Cheng, Zhao Yu named Han Zhongyan to handle the matter.

From the man Zhao Yu chose, it was clear he still wished to defuse tensions—if he had wanted confrontation, he would have sent Ceng Bu or Cai Bian, not Han Zhongyan.

Han Zhongyan immediately sought out Xiao Fengxian.

But Han Zhongyan was not fast enough—Xiao Fengxian was faster. Xiao Fengxian had already arrested over thirty men, executed them all, and hanged their bodies before the city gate as a warning, crucially to give the Song a face-saving explanation.

Meanwhile, Yelu Yanxi specially ordered one hundred jars of fine wine sent to the Imperial Chapel as an apology.

Through restraint from both sides' high commands, the storm sparked by this minor incident was ultimately suppressed.

But the crisis between the two nations had not ended.

On the contrary, a greater trial was coming.

Two days later, the first Liao reinforcements arrived beneath Yanjing…

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(End of Chapter)