"Then it would be fine for me to marry into the Duke’s household.”

 

That year, on New Year’s Eve, when Fang Duo and Fang Linze returned to the capital, it was even more glorious than the previous year.

Because their family’s second son—the famous young master and most handsome among the sons of the noble families in the capital, renowned for his charm and elegance—had also returned with impressive military achievements.

When the throne of Goguryeo changed hands, the new king colluded with several steppe tribes, bribed the Yanzhou governor, and raised an army to invade the border. Yunhui General Fang Linyuan, sensing something unusual as the enemy approached with a massive force, coordinated with the Fifth Prince Zhao Chu, captured the traitorous rebels, drove the enemy back hundreds of miles, crossed the invading tribes’ lands, and directly pressed into Goguryeo’s most difficult-to-defend frontier.

That year, the aggressive and ruthless new king of Goguryeo was personally captured by Fang Linyuan, replaced, and a new king was enthroned.

The new king immediately submitted to the Daxuan dynasty, pledged that his descendants would serve as vassals, and offered the handsome Third Prince to the Empress’s harem.

This second young master of the Fang family, now the famous newly appointed governor of Yanzhou, was not yet twenty!

He had conquered such a complex and fortified national border in a single campaign!

For a time, Fang Linyuan’s reputation skyrocketed in the capital. Everyone praised him as a young general of extraordinary talent, a modern-day Wei and Huo (NT: Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, two famous generals from the Western Han dynasty, considered as archetypes of exceptional military talent). And who wouldn’t remark, “The Duke of Anguo’s tiger father has produced no dog-like son”?

But Fang Duo could not laugh.

That year, even from far away at Yumen Pass, he had vaguely heard rumors of Fang Linyuan and Zhao Chu.

Those two children—far from being “Boya and Ziqi,” sworn friends of the same robe —these two boys were on the verge of becoming husband and husband!

(NT: Only Ziqi could comprehend the emotions in Boya’s music. When Ziqi died, Boya was so grief-stricken that he broke his guqin and never played again ).

His wife was worried, fearing their child had been forced into hardship, and fearing that after some playful entanglement the two children might fall out and bring peril to the entire family. His eldest son, Fang Linze, sighed for several days, blaming himself for not having noticed any sign of the two children’s attachment when he presented a horse to the capital that year.

And Fang Duo?

When he ascended the Golden Hall to meet the sovereign, he felt both guilty and regretful, barely able to lift his head. After exchanging a few words with Dou Qingyi, he broke into tears, weeping uncontrollably on the ground.

Even Dou Qingyi, calm, composed, and widely experienced, was startled.

“Speak frankly, my dear minister, get up first,” she urged.

But Fang Duo remained lying there, sobbing.

“I have failed in teaching my children and caused trouble for Your Majesty!” he cried. “The sinful child, not knowing the heavens above and the earth below, has committed such misdeeds! The Fifth Prince is the heir to the dynasty—how can he be allowed to behave this way! Once we return home, I will surely break his legs, but I beg Your Majesty, in consideration of my old age and my modest military service, please…”

He could not control his tears. “Please spare his life!”

Dou Qingyi was momentarily stunned: “...Since when did I say I would kill him?”

Fang Duo was also stunned.

Tears streaming down his face, he stared at Dou Qingyi in disbelief.

This… he had turned the sole heir into a cut sleeve—wouldn’t the Empress want to execute him?

(NT: cut sleeve : metaphor for male same-sex love in Chinese culture. It refers to a famous story in ancient China about Emperor Ai of Han and his male lover Dong Xian. One day, Dong Xian fell asleep on the emperor’s sleeve, and rather than disturb him, the emperor cut off his own sleeve to get up without waking him.)

Fang Duo was momentarily dumbfounded, while Fang Linze subtly nudged him under his sleeve, hinting to offer thanks.

But Fang Duo could not resist, and for a moment stammered: “Your Majesty… you mean?”

Dou Qingyi looked at him calmly.

“This matter was originally due to Zhao Chu’s naivety. Fortunately, Linyuan valued him and did not disdain this quiet, uninteresting child,” Dou Qingyi said. “But ultimately, it was his fault. After some days, when he returns to court, I will personally send him to apologize at your residence.”

The empress actually said… it was her child’s fault, yet she praised Linyuan?

But this was her only child!

It should be noted that over the years, the empress had dedicated herself to the foundation of the Daxuan dynasty, exhausting herself out day and night, without ever having her own child.

If those two were truly… then the imperial bloodline would end here!

Unless… unless Linyuan was to serve Zhao Chu alongside another woman…

How could that be tolerated!

For a while, Fang Duo’s expression shifted like storm clouds, only returning to composure when Dou Qingyi sighed lightly with a smile.

She then said lightly: “You need not worry. I will not interfere with matters of children in a household. As for other matters, once that boy comes to your residence, you may inspect and inquire of him as you please.”

When Fang Linyuan returned from Yanzhou to the capital that day, as soon as he entered the residence, the first thing he saw was his father’s scowling face.

His father sat solemnly on the high hall, his eldest brother looked helplessly at him, while at his mother and elder brother’s seat, a handsome unfamiliar young man sat politely and helplessly, giving a bow of apology.

He heard his father snort coldly: “I suppose my child was born into the wrong body. It should have been a child like Li Zhuangyuan, the top scorer, full of poetry and elegance, to enter my Duke of Anguo’s household. As for others, they should go to the palace if needed, or return to Yanzhou if needed.”

Fang Linyuan looked puzzled, and his eldest brother whispered an explanation.

Apparently, this man was Li Zhe, the newly minted royal son-in-law, who had once been saved by Fang Linyuan’s father. This year he topped the imperial examination, entered the Hanlin Academy, and upon Fang Linyuan’s father’s return, specially came to offer thanks.

His father was overjoyed and, hearing that Li Zhe now had only his mother, warmly adopted him as a godson to arrange marriage matters for him.

Now, he had come specifically to vex Fang Linyuan.

Fang Linyuan, helpless, looked up at his scowling father and said:“Then may I leave now?”

His eldest brother tugged at him from the side, whispering: “Father still cares about you. That day in the Golden Hall, he thought His Majesty would be furious and, tears streaming down his face, begged the Empress to spare your life.”

Alright, alright, even his eldest son was here to expose his shortcomings.

Fang Duo’s face flushed red with anger. He widened his eyes and waved his hand: “Go, go, go! Once you leave, don’t come back!”

Fang Linyuan said, “That’s fine, but… Zhao Chu is at the gate. Will you see him?”

Fang Duo froze.

Then he looked at Fang Linyuan in surprise. “What did you say? He just returned to the capital, and instead of going back to the palace, he came here?”

Being a minister at heart, loyalty and etiquette were engraved in his bones. Seeing Zhao Chu’s figure truly appear at the steps, he couldn’t help but stand up.

Seeing his reaction, Fang Linyuan turned to see Zhao Chu walking in, followed by the gifts he had counted at the gate earlier—several trays packed into the courtyard.

Zhao Chu had come to prevent any conflict between him and his father.

Although Fang Linyuan had grown up playing and teasing with his father and wasn’t afraid of any conflict, he could not resist Zhao Chu’s eyes, brimming with unspoken words, and reluctantly agreed to him.

Zhao Chu then stepped forward, clad in silver armor over a gold-embroidered dragon robe, stopped beside him, and bowed to everyone in the hall one by one:

“I, your junior, pay respects to the Duke, Madam, and elder brother and sister-in-law.”

Fang Duo could not find words, hurried forward to support him.

“The Fifth Prince overwhelms me,” he said awkwardly, still unable to smile at Zhao Chu.

“How does this overwhelm you? General Fang, being the backbone of the state and my elder, it is proper, both officially and personally, to pay respect to you,” Zhao Chu said.

Fang Duo’s gaze toward Zhao Chu was full of complexity.

This child was truly remarkable—tall, learned, and at such a young age, already had a formidable reputation at court.

Yet…

Fang Duo’s eyes swept over his own son. After a moment of silence, he spoke rigidly to Zhao Chu: “Your Highness has recognized your seniority too early. You must think carefully. My family’s son cannot serve as your heir, nor should they bow in the inner court to serve alongside another.”

He had already spoken quite bluntly. Even Fang Linze beside him looked worried as he glanced at the Fifth Prince, who was rumored to be cold, severe, and distant.

Yet the Fifth Prince showed a faint smile and looked at Fang Duo: “You misunderstand, General. I have no intention of confining Linyuan to the inner court, nor do I ever wish for anyone else to be at his side.”

His gaze lingered on Fang Linyuan’s profile, softening the smile on his face.

Then he spoke another line, light in tone, but to all present, it was like thunder breaking on a calm plain: “If General truly cannot feel at ease…”

He smiled faintly and looked at Fang Duo.

“Then I may marry into the Duke of Anguo’s household as well.”

 

Translator : DarNan