Volume 1, Chapter 6: The Rewards for Military Service Have Arrived

Su Manor.

"What? You intend to marry the Tenth Young Master of the Xiao family!"

"Let me tell you, don't even think about it."

In the main hall, Su Jinfeng, a second-rank general, spoke in a cold, stern voice.

Su Lingxue stubbornly retorted, "Why not? I was always destined to marry into the Xiao family; this is merely a change of person."

"The Seventh Young Master is dead. You have no further ties to the Xiao family," Su Jinfeng said, his voice dropping low.

"If the Seventh is gone, there is still the Tenth. I have already given him my word—I will marry no one else in this lifetime!" Su Lingxue’s voice rose in defiance.

"How dare you!" Su Jinfeng was furious.

Su Lingxue’s temper flared as well. "Isn't the Great General Xiao the person you admire most? Why are you so opposed now? Is it because the General has fallen in battle and the Xiao family no longer holds any value? Are you truly nothing more than a sycophant who clings to those in power?"

"Insolent!" Su Jinfeng raised his hand as if to strike her, but seeing the defiant look in her eyes, he ultimately let it fall. "There are things you do not understand. If you marry into that family, you are likely to bring disaster upon our own."

Su Lingxue froze slightly. "Father, do you know something?"

Su Jinfeng ignored her, stating, "If you dare to go to the Xiao manor again, you are no longer my daughter."

...

Han Manor.

Han Ziyun was furiously tearing a painting into shreds. She had been placed under house arrest; her father, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, had locked her away the moment he heard she intended to marry the Tenth Young Master of the Xiao family.

She was incensed but felt powerless. Deep down, she felt a profound sense of sorrow. In the past, when she was betrothed to the Eighth Young Master, her father, Han Gengyao, had boasted of it everywhere, fearing that someone might not know. Now that the generals of the Xiao family were dead, her father’s attitude had shifted entirely.

To Han Ziyun, her father was no different from Chu Aoshuang. When the Xiao family was at the peak of its glory, he had been eager for her to marry into it; now that they had fallen, he was desperate to sever all ties, wanting nothing more to do with them.

...

"My Lady, please, do not be sad," her maid comforted her.

"Xiangtao, find a way to sneak out and go to Sister Lingxue. Tell her to come and save me."

Su Lingxue was the only one Han Ziyun could think of. After all, Su Lingxue possessed exceptional martial arts skills and could spirit her away without anyone noticing. Since she had promised to marry the Tenth Young Master, she would not break her word.

Of the three young women, only Luo Wanying remained unrestricted. The Luo and Xiao families had always shared a close bond, and Luo Yan, who treated Xiao Yichen’s illness, knew his true condition. Though he showed little improvement and remained a cripple, Luo Yan, with his medical genius, was certain he could heal him. Once he did, the martial arts prodigy who had once shaken the capital would reappear before the world.

Luo Wanying had told the doctor about the Chu family breaking off the engagement, which had infuriated him; he fully supported his daughter’s decision.

...

Fu Manor.

The Fu family had been basking in glory lately. Fu Chenxing had performed a great service, and although the official decree had not yet arrived, it was only a matter of time. A constant stream of visitors arrived daily to pay their respects.

At this moment, Fu Chenxing was busy preparing the betrothal gifts. He had requested to marry Chu Aoshuang in exchange for his military merits, and the Empress had already granted his wish, with the imperial decree having already been issued. He was overcome with excitement—he could finally marry Chu Aoshuang.

Though his family felt it was a waste to use military merits for a marriage, as it left him with no other rewards, Fu Chenxing believed it was worth it. Because Chu Aoshuang was Xiao Yichen’s former fiancée, every sacrifice was worth it.

Three years ago, upon returning from his studies, Fu Chenxing had challenged the experts of the capital and won ten consecutive matches, gaining great fame. Carried away by his success, he had challenged Xiao Yichen, hoping to claim the title of the capital’s top martial arts prodigy, only to be defeated by Xiao Yichen in a single move.

For this, he was mocked by the young nobles of the capital for a long time, ridiculed for his overestimation of his own abilities. He viewed this as a humiliating shame and grew to hate Xiao Yichen to the bone. If he was so powerful, why hadn't he warned him? He had let him come to challenge him just to watch him make a fool of himself! And he hadn't even given him the courtesy of a real fight—a hundred rounds would have been fine, yet he had crushed him in one blow. Xiao Yichen had clearly intended to ruin him. How malicious!

From that day on, Fu Chenxing vowed to trample Xiao Yichen under his feet. Later, he was noticed by an influential figure and sent to the military to be tempered. In the recent battle against the Xiongnu, the Xiao army had been wiped out, and it was he who had turned the tide, held the city, and repelled the enemy. In this northern campaign, his merit was the greatest; he would become the new rising star among the generals, while Xiao Yichen was nothing but a cripple.

Even better, Xiao Yichen’s fiancée would become his wife. The feeling of stealing Xiao Yichen’s thunder was intoxicating. When the wedding took place, he would send an invitation to Xiao Yichen, just so he could watch him witness how he and his beloved woman lived in bliss.

The more he thought about it, the more excited Fu Chenxing became. He wished he could marry Chu Aoshuang right now just to see the look on Xiao Yichen’s face.

"General, the betrothal gifts are ready."

"Good. Then let us head to the Chu manor to present them."

With a wave of Fu Chenxing’s hand, the Fu family’s procession departed.

...

Xiao Manor.

"Young Master, I have finally found you! There is a commotion of gongs and drums over at the Chu manor; it must be the imperial reward arriving," the butler, Liu Fu, ran over to report.

Xiao Yichen’s eyes brightened. He turned to Mo Qingqing and said, "Sixth Sister-in-law, I have business to attend to, so I must leave."

With that, he ran off.

...

Chu Manor.

Inside the hall, the entire Chu family was gathered. The Empress’s reward had arrived, and Chu Aoshuang had been named a fifth-rank general. However, the family felt something was amiss.

Outside, the gongs and drums had been sounding for a long time, but the rewards being presented were pitifully sparse.

"Could there be a mistake? How can the reward be so small?" the second young master of the Chu family, Chu Xuan, frowned.

It consisted only of a hundred bolts of silk, ten pearls, and a single piece of coral. There was no gold or silver.

"Aoshuang, what is going on? Is this really your reward? Have you offended the Emperor?" Chu Weiming asked, feeling something was wrong.

He had been present when someone from the Xiao family was once named a fifth-rank general; they had received a thousand taels of gold, ten thousand taels of silver, a thousand bolts of silk, a hundred bushels of pearls, and ten pieces of coral. Why was it so different for the Chu family?

Chu Aoshuang was also bewildered. This was far too little, nothing like what she had expected. When she had returned to the palace, the Empress had summoned her and praised her highly, calling her a heroine among women. Given her great military achievements, the reward should have been substantial. How could it be this meager?

She retraced her memories of the audience with the Emperor, but she could not recall doing anything to offend the throne. The Chu family members felt a bitter taste in their mouths; they had hoped for a wave of wealth and glory, only to be left disappointed.

Just then, the butler hurried in.

"Master, the Tenth Young Master of the Xiao family is here."