Chapter 467 — Marrying Off a Sister

Someone capable of commanding the Embroidered Uniform Guard was no ordinary figure, and Shi Chuan caught the flicker of disdain in Liu Yu's eyes.

Backing the Prince of Liao had always been a gamble staked on the curious and the unorthodox—why should he not keep the prize to himself? Why take such a risk?

Shi Chuan mulled it over, then instructed Liu Yu: "Write me a letter of apology at once. Say that Song Yantang failed to appreciate the honor offered him, that I had meant to seize Song Yantang's sister to force his consent to the match, but that the men I sent blundered and were captured by Song Yantang... Though Song Yantang obtained no confession, with his cleverness he will soon discover who was behind it... Beg the master's punishment."

Liu Yu bowed and answered, "Yes."

Shi Chuan clasped his hands behind his back and slowly descended the stairs.

※※※※※

At the Prince of Liao's residence in the capital, Geng Li flew into a rage when the message arrived. He crumpled the slip of paper into a ball and said to his trusted attendant, "Shi Chuan is not a man we can use! His private ambitions run too deep."

The attendant pondered and said, "But the post of Commandant of the Guard's Zhenfu Office is already in the hands of his men. Replacing him would be troublesome, I fear."

Geng Li paced in circles about the room. "I opposed handing the Zhenfu Office command to Shi Chuan from the start—now that the Office is his, he has the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the palm of his hand! That is deeply disadvantageous to us. Yet the master listened to that cripple Chen, not only replacing the Duke of Yingguo's heir's men but going to great lengths to placate the young duke with a hereditary chiliarch post, needlessly souring him. And now Shi Chuan commits such a reckless, outrageous act..."

He stamped his foot.

Cripple Chen was another of the Prince of Liao's advisors.

Geng Li's attendant frowned at this, hesitated, and said, "The master will surely discipline Shi Chuan. You need not worry too much!"

"No!" Geng Li cut him off flatly. "The master will not only refrain from disciplining Shi Chuan—he will have to clean up Shi Chuan's mess for him!"

Geng Li's attendant thought for a moment and understood.

The Prince of Liao needed Shi Chuan to spy on goings-on in the capital. Whatever Shi Chuan had done, the prince must now forgive him magnanimously and settle his affairs afterward, so that all who had thrown in their lot with the prince would know him for a man of "broad mind and generous regard for the worthy"—and give him their loyalty in return.

He said, somewhat unwillingly, "Is Shi Chuan not afraid the master will settle accounts with him later?"

Geng Li smiled bitterly. "He can always explain to others that he was testing whether the master has the tolerance to bear with him!"

And with that, the Prince of Liao could not touch him at all.

Geng Li's attendant smiled bitterly too.

※※※※※

In the Yizhi Hall of the Yingzhen Ducal Manor, Gu Yu waved his arms, seething with indignation. "Highway robbers—as if anyone would believe that! Who in all of Beizhili, black or white, would dare abduct one of Brother Tianci's people now? Someone is out to get you! Who could it be? Dong Qi? Impossible—he is not that stupid! Then who else?"

Could Song Yan say it was the Prince of Liao?

Surely not!

.

Dou Qu said, "Now that the men who took A Yan have been found, there's no need to fret. We'll investigate slowly. Big as the capital is, with you, Lord Ma, and Lord Jiang here, surely we can get to the bottom of it? Don't be so anxious." Then he asked about his shipyard in Tianjin. "I hear the Ministry of Works sent men to learn from you, hoping to borrow your craftsmen to build a few great ships capable of carrying cannon?"

At the mention of this, Gu Yu was like a man scratched exactly where he itched—indescribably smug.

"That's right!" His tail was practically wagging in the air. "Those fools at the Ministry of Works had the good ocean-going ship plans sitting there feeding bookworms. Now they come to me for instruction. I didn't hold back—I made them trade the old treasure-voyage ship plans for it." At this he grew excited and leaned toward Song Yan. "Brother Tianci, why don't we build a few great ships and go to sea? Those merchants in Jiangzhe are robbers—a cargo worth ten thousand taels, and they'll turn it into a hundred thousand. It's like turning stone into gold!"

Song Yan was glad to see his attention diverted. He smiled and rapped him on the forehead. "Don't covet the food in the pot while you've still got some in your bowl. Build your ships well, and you needn't fear no one will pay good money for them. Doing the work in front of you well is what matters. There's silver enough in the world—how could it all end up in our laps? Eat alone, and mind you don't choke!"

Gu Yu looked sheepish. Just then the wet nurse brought Yuan Heng over. Delighted, he began playing with the boy and put the whole matter out of his mind.

Song Yan and Dou Yan both breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

That evening, after Gu Yu had gone, Dou Yan took Song Yan aside. "Best settle A Yan's marriage early. The Prince of Liao only sought her as a consort, so that's easy to refuse. But if someone petitions to take A Yan as their lawful wife, we can hardly defy an imperial decree from the palace, can we?"

Song Yan was still uneasy at heart, but thinking of how Chen Jia had run himself ragged in the aftermath of Jiang Yan's abduction, he gave a muffled "Mm."

Dou Yan laughed despite himself and urged him, "Don't be like that! Chen Jia will be family from now on. Be a little warmer when you meet him—it'll give Sister Yan some face too!"

At that Song Yan leapt up like a cat whose fur had been rubbed the wrong way. "His ancestors must be smoking in their graves for him to marry my sister! What more could he want!"

Like a child whose treasure had been snatched away.

"All right, all right, all right!" Dou Yan was both exasperated and amused, humoring him as one would a child. "We'll tell him not to darken our door without cause—after all, you're his elder brother-in-law!"

Song Yan snorted a few times, but his expression did soften.

On the day the Chen family came to deliver the betrothal gifts, he was cool toward Chen Jia, but at least he did not show him a sour face.

Chen Jia did not mind; after all, it was the Song family who had him come propose. As for Chen Jia's colleagues, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads. Once Song Yan had left, someone cried, "Pinch me, quick—I just saw Lord Song smile! Am I dreaming? I've been to the Golden Guard on official business no fewer than ten times, and I've never once seen Lord Song smile!" Another said enviously, "Zanzhi, you've really done it now! You've become the brother-in-law of the Duke of Yingguo's heir!"

Everyone burst out laughing.

Song Cen, however, was fit to be tied.

He summoned Song Yan and demanded, "Why did you settle Jiang Yan's marriage without a word to me?"

Song Yan said, "Didn't you say Jiang Yan had nothing to do with you? I figured that since she bears the Jiang name, the consent of the Jiang elders was enough, so I didn't tell you. You're not angry, are you? If you are, then just acknowledge Jiang Yan, and I'll break off this match and find her a distinguished family instead!" Seeing Song Cen's eyes widen in shock and dread, he could not resist needling him. "What a pity! I don't know what the Prince of Liao got wind of, but a few days ago he sent an advisor over saying he wished to take Jiang Yan as his consort. Fearing it would rouse the Emperor's and Empress's suspicion, I had to swallow my pride and decline the match! Just think—had you acknowledged Jiang Yan back then, you'd have a prince for a son-in-law now. How much would that be worth!"

With that, he strode off.

Song Cen stood there for a long while, unable to collect himself.