The Fanyang Lu Family.
The Fanyang Lu Family, a prestigious lineage that had dominated Fanyang for generations, boasted numerous branches, and the family of Lu Zhaolin was relatively inconspicuous. Had it not been for Fang Xuanling’s appreciation of his talent, he wouldn’t have been invited to Fang’s residence.
Therefore, Lu Zhaolin’s return from his academic journey attracted little attention. However, this seemingly insignificant Lu Zhaolin delivered news that left his parents dumbfounded: he wanted to marry into the royal family!
Furthermore, the princess he desired was the very same one who had broken off her engagement with Fang Jun from Fang Xuanling’s family. Even though their branch of the family held a somewhat marginal position, they had heard about Princess Gaoyang’s pursuit of Fang Jun in Pingkangfang.
This debacle was detrimental to both parties. Let’s not even mention Fang Jun, who, even before marriage, frequented Pingkangfang, hardly an ideal match. Princess Gaoyang wasn’t in a better situation either. Which young lady would chase after a man in Pingkangfang like that? They heard that before this incident, they had encountered each other in Pingkangfang and even fought over the same songstress!
“She’s different from the rumors,” Lu Zhaolin said sincerely and gently. Her impulsive, cheerful, and enthusiastic nature was the antithesis of his. Their meeting was like a collision and fusion of two worlds. Lu Zhaolin carefully detailed Princess Gaoyang’s virtues to his parents, his eyes shining as he said, “I know it’s difficult, but I want to try.”
Lu Zhaolin’s father and mother exchanged glances, each seeing the sigh in the other’s eyes. They carried the name of the Fanyang Lu Family, which sounded noble and prestigious, but they also had their own unspoken difficulties. For Lu Zhaolin to marry a princess, it wouldn’t be impossible if the clan leader agreed, but the clan leader would certainly not give his consent.
The main branch would not make this request for Lu Zhaolin.
Lu Zhaolin bowed respectfully to his parents, saying, “Father and Mother, you don’t need to beg anyone on my behalf. As long as you agree, I will do my best to pursue her. I am now learning from Master Wang, and I hold a decent position in Tengzhou. Once I make some contributions in Tengzhou, I will ask Prince Tang to act as a matchmaker, and my chances of marrying Princess Gaoyang will increase.”
Lu Zhaolin had no intention of forcing his parents to beg for help in his pursuit of the princess. He simply wanted their approval, ensuring that they wouldn’t arrange a marriage for him in the meantime, while he planned to take matters into his own hands.
Seeing Lu Zhaolin’s firm resolve, his father and mother sighed, offering no objection. Their son had always been outstanding and ambitious, so diligent that they worried about his health. Now that he had found someone he loved, how could they refuse?
Just as Lu Zhaolin’s parents had agreed to give him time to pursue his dream, a letter from Lady Lu arrived at the Fanyang Lu Family, intended to secure a marriage for Fang Jun with a Lu daughter. No princess? No problem! A Lu daughter would still be the envy of many!
Lady Lu’s calculations were clever, but the letter ignited her sister-in-law’s anger. She had previously suggested two candidates to Lady Lu, both of whom were rejected. Lady Lu clearly desired her niece, known for her inner beauty and captivating appearance, a sought-after maiden, and yet she expected to obtain this rare gem with a casual letter. Dream on! Lady Lu wasn’t satisfied with her choices, and she wasn’t about to help her find a wife!
Lady Lu’s sister-in-law and Lu Zhaolin’s brother quarreled, and the couple tacitly decided to ignore Lady Lu’s letter.
…
The Fanyang Lu Family had been targeted twice, though not successfully, but the attempts were enough to make them feel frustrated. Lu Zhaolin stayed with his parents for several days, paid his respects to his elders, and then set off for Tengzhou, his heart brimming with the ambition to marry his beloved.
In Chang’an, Li Yuanying wasn’t idle. He couldn’t leave the capital, but he could send out his people. He instructed them to investigate the Fang family’s situation, quickly discovering that Lady Lu had taken complete control of Fang Jun’s affairs, aiming to secure a marriage between him and her niece, creating a double bond.
This showed that Lady Lu wasn’t incapable of managing her son or of putting him back on the right path, but rather, she simply didn’t want to marry her son to a princess who would demand constant attention and deference. She had allowed her son to indulge in reckless abandon. This was clearly a blatant disregard for the imperial family!
Li Yuanying had a thorough understanding of the situation, and he began to stir up trouble at Emperor Li’s side. Emperor Li met with Fang Xuanling daily and relied heavily on him, so naturally, he was aware of the Fang family’s efforts to arrange a marriage for Fang Jun.
It had been a year since the engagement was broken off, and Fang Xuanling’s actions were understandable. Emperor Li didn’t want to see the old man worry constantly and certainly wouldn’t blame him for finding another match for Fang Jun.
Initially, Emperor Li was pleased with this development. However, under Li Yuanying’s constant whispers, he gradually began to feel that Lady Lu was behaving poorly. How could she fail to control her son while engaged to Gaoyang, but manage him perfectly when seeking a marriage for her niece?
Of course, without fully understanding Li Yuanying’s intentions, Emperor Li didn’t fall for his tricks, remaining unperturbed as he listened to Li Yuanying’s complaints. Li Yuanying grew increasingly anxious, and finally, Emperor Li asked, “So what do you suggest? Should I order him not to marry?”
Li Yuanying seized the opportunity, immediately replying, “Elder brother, how can you interfere in the affairs of others? You once interfered in the matter between old Fang and his wife, and she, without a word, forced you to drink a fake poison wine. It’s best to avoid meddling in other people’s family matters!”
Emperor Li nodded, “Then why are you telling me all this?”
Li Yuanying said, “You can’t control the Fang family, but Princess Gaoyang’s affairs fall under your jurisdiction. You can decide her marriage with a single decree, much faster than old Fang. Let’s get ahead of them and decide Gaoyang’s marriage, driving old Fang and his wife crazy!”
Emperor Li turned to Li Yuanying with a serious expression.
Li Yuanying remained composed, showing no sign of nervousness. Seeing Emperor Li staring directly at him, he asked curiously, “What? Is this a bad idea? I think it’s a great one!”
Emperor Li asked casually, “Who do you think I should give Gaoyang to?”
Li Yuanying seized the moment, “I actually have a candidate, elder brother. See if you like him!”
Emperor Li raised an eyebrow, urging him to continue.
Li Yuanying said, “Remember Lu Zhaolin? At the poetry gathering in Cuiwei Palace, he wrote a poem that you praised, calling him a talented youth. Imagine this: Old Fang’s wife is still trying to arrange a marriage for Fang Jun with her niece, and we’ve already taken the initiative to give Gaoyang to a Lu family member. Wouldn’t she be furious?”
Emperor Li said, “It does sound good.”
Li Yuanying nodded emphatically, “Of course it’s good! I’ve known Lu Zhaolin for over a year, and I consider myself familiar with him.” He presented his arguments with logic and reason, “He’s clever, reliable, and steady. His personality is the complete opposite of Gaoyang’s, making him the perfect person to accommodate her occasional stubborn streak.”
Emperor Li listened without revealing his thoughts and dismissed Li Yuanying to go play.
Li Yuanying didn’t know whether Emperor Li was agreeing or disagreeing and slunk away, planning to continue his persuasion another day.
Unbeknownst to Li Yuanying, Emperor Li immediately ordered an investigation into Lu Zhaolin, wanting to know when he had first interacted with Princess Gaoyang and whether they had any improper relations.
Li Yuanying’s scheme to orchestrate a match between Gaoyang and Lu Zhaolin was clear as day. He went through all that trouble praising Lu Zhaolin just to influence Emperor Li, and it wasn’t hard for him to see through it. If Lu Zhaolin truly was outstanding, Emperor Li wouldn’t mind giving Gaoyang to him, but only if they hadn’t already engaged in anything inappropriate.
No parent would willingly marry their daughter to a scoundrel who sought to seduce her before any formal arrangements had been made.
If Li Yuanying not only failed to intervene but even dared to play matchmaker, Emperor Li wouldn’t take it lightly!
Li Yuanying remained oblivious to Emperor Li’s plan, diligently going to him every day to stir up trouble. On one occasion, while he was busy slandering the Fang family, he failed to notice Fang Xuanling’s arrival, and the old man caught him red-handed.
Fang Xuanling was furious, “I have no idea what I have done to offend Prince Tang that has caused him to harbor such animosity towards me.”
Li Yuanying hastily replied, “No, no, I was just talking. Don’t take it seriously, old Fang. Just pretend you didn’t hear it!”
Fang Xuanling was seething. This time, he had heard him, but how many times had Li Yuanying slandered him when he wasn’t around? He couldn’t think of anything he had done to wrong Li Yuanying, so why was he constantly going to Emperor Li to spread rumors about him?
Seeing that Fang Xuanling was truly angry, Li Yuanying sat obediently and listened to their discussion. After their deliberations on official matters, Li Yuanying followed Fang Xuanling out, intent on apologizing. He truly had no ill feelings towards Fang Xuanling, it was just a strategic smear campaign!
After days of slander with no discernible effect, Li Yuanying had a new idea. He scurried after Fang Xuanling, trailing him for a while until he finally persuaded the old man to stop and ask what he wanted.
Li Yuanying grabbed Fang Xuanling’s hand, saying, “Old Fang, we were all very disappointed about the failed marriage between Gaoyang and your Fang Jun. It was supposed to be a grand alliance of ruler and minister, a tale for the ages, and yet it ended up like this, a real tragedy.”
Fang Xuanling wanted to shake Li Yuanying’s hand off.
Li Yuanying, oblivious to his annoyance, tightened his grip on Fang Xuanling’s hand, “I have a brilliant idea that can turn this into a story that will be passed down through the ages!”
Fang Xuanling took a deep breath and asked, “What brilliant idea?”
Li Yuanying said, “You should propose on behalf of your nephew, Lu Zhaolin, and let the emperor give Gaoyang to him! This way, your Fang Jun marries a Lu family daughter, and our Gaoyang marries a Lu family son. All grudges disappear, you become related, and it becomes a tale for the ages! What could be more marvelous than that?”
Fang Xuanling was stunned by Li Yuanying’s whimsical idea.
How dare he?!
While Lady Lu might not like her nephew, it didn’t mean she was willing to have him go ask for Gaoyang’s hand in marriage!
What was this?!
Fang Xuanling looked at Li Yuanying, “Have you been working on this all this time?”
Li Yuanying had already spoken his mind and didn’t bother hiding it. He said, “I think Gaoyang and Lu Zhaolin are a good match. What’s wrong with them getting together? If you can personally propose for Lu Zhaolin, it will show that the broken engagement wasn’t due to any other reason, but simply because Gaoyang and Fang Jun weren’t a good fit. If they can each find a spouse and live happily ever after, who would dare say anything about their past engagement? I think it’s a good outcome for everyone.”
Fang Xuanling fell silent.
After listening to Li Yuanying’s explanation, he found his logic compelling. If he could secure good marriages for his son and Gaoyang, no one would ever bring up their past engagement again.
However, Li Yuanying’s suggestion of Lu Zhaolin made him wonder if there was already something between Gaoyang and Lu Zhaolin.
Fang Xuanling subtly expressed his doubts,
Li Yuanying scoffed, “Do they dare? Before anything official, they dare to get involved? I’ll be the first to break their legs!”
Seeing that Li Yuanying wasn’t faking it, Fang Xuanling nodded, “I’ll think about it.” He needed to discuss this with Lady Lu, or else she’d scratch his neck to shreds!
Li Yuanying wasn’t in a hurry, telling Fang Xuanling to take his time thinking.
Fang Xuanling reluctantly made his own request, “Your Highness, please stop slandering the Fang family in front of the emperor.”
Li Yuanying readily agreed, “Absolutely, absolutely!”
He agreed readily, but secretly he didn’t think he was slandering the Fang family. The only member currently holding up the Fang family was Fang Yizhi, who served at his nephew’s side. But Fang Yizhi hadn’t inherited Fang Xuanling’s shrewdness, only his indecisiveness. He could maintain the title, but he lacked the ambition to break new ground.
As for Fang Jun and those below him, none showed any exceptional qualities, unlike someone who might excel in a particular field. Therefore, in his opinion, his comments about the Fang family were nothing but the truth!
Fang Xuanling could tell that Li Yuanying’s agreement was insincere, but he could do nothing about it. He told Li Yuanying to stop following him. Li Yuanying was under house arrest, with nothing to do, but he was busy!
Li Yuanying, having achieved his objective, no longer followed Fang Xuanling. He went back to play with Wei Jiu and the others, patiently waiting for Emperor Li to make his decision.
If all else failed, he’d come up with another plan!
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