Chapter 7: Chapter 3

Yan Yujin, the young master of the State Uncle’s manor, was Xiao Jingrui’s best friend. The three young nobles had originally met Mei Changsu while traveling and intended to journey back to Jinling together. As it happened, the group chanced upon an elderly couple on the road who were being hunted. They learned that the couple was on their way to the capital to file a complaint against the kinsmen of Duke Qing, Bai Ye, for running rampant in their home prefecture of Binzhou, oppressing the common people, seizing farmland as private property, and committing murder. Because the Marquis of Ning’s manor had always been on good terms with the Duke of Qing’s manor, Xie Bi did not dare to meddle in this troublesome affair for fear of his father’s reproach. Yan Yujin, however, was carefree by nature and, stirred by a sense of chivalry, volunteered to escort the elderly couple first. He also insisted that Xiao Jingrui not accompany them, telling him to stay and escort Mei Changsu, who had to travel slowly due to his health, back to the capital.

"How are Old Man Hu and his wife?" As soon as he saw him, Mei Changsu naturally asked about the elderly couple who had gone to file the complaint.

"The petition has already been submitted to the Censorate. Things are stable for now; the Emperor has sent a special envoy to Binzhou under a secret decree. The case won't be heard until the investigation is concluded, so there hasn't been any stir yet. Xie Bi, you don't need to be so quick to distance yourself from me to avoid suspicion." Although Yan Yujin’s tone was cheerful, his words were blunt. "I just wanted to come see Jingrui and Brother Su so late at night; I didn't come to see you. If you're not happy about it, come and bite me..."

"Pah!" Xie Bi spat. "Your skin is so thick, who could bite through it?"

"Alright, alright, no more joking. Let me tell you something serious." Yan Yujin pulled a stool over to the table, grabbed a cup of tea, and downed it in one gulp. "You probably don't even realize how timely your return is, do you?"

"Timely?" Xiao Jingrui blinked, puzzled. "Did we catch something?"

"Haha," Yan Yujin patted his friend’s shoulder hard. "You’ve caught a grand spectacle!"

Hearing him say this, Mei Changsu remained calm, but Xiao Jingrui and Xie Bi both widened their eyes, showing curiosity. They knew Yan Yujin very well; they knew this young master was the person in all of Jinling who loved watching spectacles the most. Wherever there was a spectacle, his shadow was sure to be found. Since he had seen so many, his standards were naturally high, so a "grand" spectacle coming from his mouth would certainly be no small matter.

"Stop keeping us in suspense. Tell us, what is there to see? Is the imperial court holding an extra examination to name a martial champion?" Xie Bi urged.

"It’s more exciting than that," Yan Yujin waved his hand. "Do you remember who we saw outside that small county town where we first met Brother Su?"

"We saw..." Xie Bi recalled slightly. "Ah, that mission sent by the Great Yu to our Great Liang! Weren't they making a scene at the restaurant claiming they had lost their state credentials? Smashing the place and searching people—that arrogance really made one want to teach them a lesson! Have they reached the capital? What are they here for?"

"Hehe," Yan Yujin smiled. "They are here to propose a marriage alliance!"

"So that's what it is..." Xie Bi was somewhat disappointed. "The Emperor will surely examine these envoys according to custom. While it might be interesting, it won't necessarily be that grand."

"Don't be so impatient," Yan Yujin shot him a sidelong glance. "This spectacle involves not just the Emperor and the Great Yu envoys, but a third party you would never imagine! Guess who it is?"

Just as Xiao Jingrui and Xie Bi began to think, Mei Changsu said, "Could it be that the Northern Yan mission has also arrived in Jinling?"

Yan Yujin felt slightly frustrated but quickly perked up again. "Brother Su guessed right. The Northern Yan mission is also quite large. The two sides have been locked in a battle of wits in Jinling for several days now. The Emperor cannot decide, or perhaps he doesn't want to decide at all, so he issued an imperial decree: in three days, outside the Vermilion Bird Gate, there will be a fair competition!"

"That is interesting," Xiao Jingrui raised his eyebrows. "We have already seen at least one Golden Eagle, Chai Ming, in the Great Yu mission. Although we don't know if Tuoba Hao has come with the Northern Yan side, they certainly won't be any less capable. A competition between these two sides is indeed worth seeing."

"It’s not just a competition between two sides, it’s three!" Yan Yujin smiled triumphantly.

"Oh?" the two brothers asked in unison. "Which other mission is there?"

Just as Yan Yujin was preparing to tease them further, Mei Changsu smiled again. "I assume it must be the host. A fair maiden is a match for a gentleman; surely our Great Liang warriors are allowed to compete for this opportunity?"

Facing the questioning gazes of Xiao and Xie, Yan Yujin had to confirm, "Brother Su is right, it is those three parties."

Xie Bi was very surprised. "It is truly strange for the Emperor to issue such a decree. If he didn't agree to the marriage, he could have just refused. If he did agree, why drag our own people into a competition?"

"You don't understand this, do you?" Yan Yujin became happy again. "I told you just now, this is a marriage proposal, not a marriage alliance! You think it's like before, where if the Emperor agreed, he would just pick a princess or a noblewoman of the right age to marry off, and the other side wouldn't care who it was as long as she held the status of a Great Liang royal noblewoman?"

"Judging by what you're saying, do Great Yu and Northern Yan have a specific person in mind for this marriage proposal?"

"Exactly." Yan Yujin said with a mysterious expression. "A specific person. Someone they are willing to fight until their heads are bruised just to win her hand... Do you want to guess who it is?"

Before he could finish, Mei Changsu set down his porridge bowl and said, "I guess it is Princess Nihuang."

Xiao Jingrui and Xie Bi both jumped up, exclaiming, "What?!"

As for Yan Yujin, he stared at Mei Changsu with a look of resentment, grumbling, "Brother Su, although your brilliance is admirable, this habit of guessing everything correctly is truly annoying. It makes one feel very bored and gives one no sense of accomplishment!"

"I apologize, I will reflect on this and not do it again," Mei Changsu laughed. "Please, continue."

"What else is there to continue? I've already said everything that needs to be said..."

"That's all?" Xie Bi said loudly. "What kind of nonsense demand is this from Great Yu and Northern Yan? The Emperor should have refused from the very beginning! Why hold a public competition?! Did the ministers not try to dissuade him? How could Princess Nihuang possibly be married off?"

A faint, barely perceptible cold smile appeared on Mei Changsu’s lips.

Indeed, how could Princess Nihuang be married off? She was no ordinary noblewoman raised in the seclusion of a deep palace; she was a brilliant commander who, as a woman, held command over the one hundred thousand iron cavalry guarding the southern border. Ten years ago, when the powerful enemy state of Chu launched an invasion, Mu Shen, the Prince of Yunnan who was responsible for the southern defense line, died in battle. His daughter, Nihuang, took command in the face of danger, leading the entire army in mourning to face the enemy. She fought the Chu cavalry to the death at Qingming Pass, annihilating thirty thousand of the enemy. After this battle, the imperial court issued a decree ordering Princess Nihuang to guard the south on behalf of her young brother, and the entire southern army was placed under her command. The Princess had once sworn to the heavens that as long as her young brother could not shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the Prince of Yunnan, she would not marry. She was now twenty-seven and still single.