Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 427: Catching a Son-In-Law

In truth, when Old Cui brought this topic up, he did not feel entirely confident.

The whole world assumed that once Zhao Changhe made it onto the Ranking of Man, this marriage would be a matter of course. Even Cui Yuanyang herself thought so. But the two people who had actually been part of the garden pavilion conversation back then knew things were not quite that simple.

Back then, it was Cui Wenjing playing tricks and guiding the conversation with clever wordplay, which eventually led to the three-year agreement. If not for that scheme, Zhao Changhe would have outright refused.

In fact, Zhao Changhe had gone there to refuse, not as the story went—where people believed he had proposed and was being tested.

Instead, the old fox spun him around until they ended up with a three-year agreement. Cui Wenjing had done it partly for Yangyang’s reputation, and partly because he thought Zhao Changhe might be the crown prince, so keeping a backup plan would be no loss either way.

His calculations had been so obvious that even though Zhao Changhe was inexperienced at the time, he was not entirely unaware of it. Zhao Changhe had even said back then, “When the time comes, why can’t it be the case that I, Zhao Changhe, hold a grudge and do not wish to go ahead with the marriage?”

It would still be an acceptable explanation to the world. After all, why should he be forced to marry after being put through such a trial? If he became a master on the Ranking of Man and did not follow through, it would only make the other party regret it. It was a perfectly sound series of events.

After all, the whole situation was somewhat humiliating. He had been talked about and judged for years, hailed as the “most down-to-earth hidden dragon.” It sounded nice, but in reality, it was embarrassing. He was not the one who desperately wanted to marry their daughter—why should he be ridiculed for it?

So, this seemingly inevitable engagement could just as easily end without issue. It was not as solid as people thought.

If Zhao Changhe were like most ordinary people, seeking power and aiming to become emperor, Old Cui could be more at ease. Who would not be tempted by the full backing of the prestigious Cui Clan? The Tang Clan could not compete in that regard, and the engagement would then be secure.

But the problem was, Zhao Changhe was not chasing after such power. Even Cui Yuanyang could see that her biggest advantage, being the beloved daughter of a powerful clan, was almost meaningless in their relationship, and Old Cui understood this even more clearly.

Fortunately, Zhao Changhe was loyal and valued relationships. He would not easily abandon Yangyang. Otherwise, Cui Wenjing would be in the same boat as Tang Wanzhuang, wishing he could go back to a year ago and slap his past self for thinking his schemes were oh so intelligent. That’s what you get for scheming too much!

In short, at this point, Old Cui wasn’t as confident anymore and had to rely on Zhao Changhe’s sense of loyalty. It made Cui Wenjing feel both amused and helpless.

Giving up was not an option. Honestly, he could not bring himself to do so. How could he let such a prodigy, someone at the center of this rising storm of power, slip away? A capable patriarch would never stand by and watch that happen. Simply letting things go would be the real reason to slap himself.

So, he had to set aside his pride and shamelessly try to seal the deal quickly.

After all, entering the Ranking of Man was still a notable achievement. This was basically an old-fashioned way of capturing a son-in-law from the rankings. It was a tradition, and there was no shame in that.

Besides, he had already laid the groundwork. He had already told Zhao Changhe that he did not mind if he had multiple wives. If he was going to be emperor, there was no way that he would only have a single wife anyway. As long as the empress was from their family, that was all that mattered to him.

Zhao Changhe knew exactly what Old Cui was thinking. Sitting on the bed with his hands clasped, he stared at Cui Wenjing, who was leaning on the door bolt, staring back at him.

They stared at each other for a while. Finally, seeing that Zhao Changhe was not going to speak first, Cui Wenjing sighed. “I never expected you to rise to such heights so quickly. Our Cui Clan has not done much to help you, and now we’re asking for the position of main wife. In essence, we’re taking advantage of your feelings for Yuanyang... So, how about this: if you have any requests, you can make them.”

Zhao Changhe shook his head. “I have no requests.”

Cui Wenjing was a bit taken aback, only to hear Zhao Changhe continue, “Maybe it’s because I come from the Zhao Family Village, and our way of thinking is different from most people’s, especially from aristocratic families... But I’ve never felt comfortable treating matters like this as transactions. All of you, however, seem quite used to it.”

Cui Wenjing replied, “At its core, this is indeed just like a business transaction. The marriages of noble sons and daughters have always carried significance. It’s just that Yuanyang happens to have feelings for you, which makes it a happy coincidence for all. But even if she didn’t, these negotiations would still take place.”

Zhao Changhe sighed. “I understand, but I don’t like it.”

“No matter. All that matters is whether you’ve decided to marry her or not,” Cui Wenjing said, holding his ground. “Remember, my Cui Clan isn’t just relying on you. If you’re not interested, then we can simply go our separate ways.”

“You make it sound like I’m the one proposing to you.”

Cui Wenjing raised the door bolt, ready to put it through Zhao Changhe’s stupid head.

“Wait, wait...” Zhao Changhe surrendered, raising his hands. “Yangyang and I are in love. I’m definitely going to marry her. If you tried to stop me, I’d fight you over it.”

Cui Wenjing relaxed slightly. “Is there something else you’re trying to say?”

“Uncle, if we’re using this business-like mindset of yours... What if I told you I really don’t want to be emperor, and in fact, I can’t become one? In the end, Yangyang would just be traveling the world with some wandering martial artist. How would you feel about that?”

Cui Wenjing froze, then he frowned deeply.

Zhao Changhe continued, “That is why I said that I don’t want to think of it like a business transaction. My feelings for Yangyang are our own affair. I want her by my side as I journey through the world, and I don’t think that’s what you had in mind.”

Cui Wenjing frowned as he looked at Zhao Changhe, and the old fox understood the underlying message in his words.

If Zhao Changhe is just a wandering martial artist, there can be no talk of main wife or second wife. That distinction would not matter at all. They might even end up arranging things by age instead.

But if he’s just going to be a wandering martial artist, what right does he think he has to be collecting wives left and right? Never mind whether I’d agree—does he think that Tang Wanzhuang would agree?

Though, to be fair, that little fool Yuanyang would probably be fine with that.

What a headache.

Seeing Cui Wenjing’s expression, Zhao Changhe chuckled, “Now then, Uncle... shall we set a wedding date?”

“Sure.” Cui Wenjing remained stoic. “I don’t believe you’ll just wander the world.”

Zhao Changhe slowly said, “I’d like to advise you, Uncle... The world is changing. The old ways of the aristocratic families might need to change too. With the return of gods and demons, focusing solely on family affairs might leave you behind.”

Cui Wenjing squinted at him for a long time before replying, “Some things will never change. Even in the era of gods and demons, there would have been aristocratic families among them. And even the most wayward will eventually need a home.”

Zhao Changhe thought for a moment. “Perhaps.”

Cui Wenjing continued, “Yangyang told me about the Wang Clan’s involvement with the Sea Tribe. What’s your take on it?”

“The Wang Clan may not have realized the extent of the Sea Tribe’s infiltration in the past, or even if they did, they thought it was controllable. Or so we thought. But now that they have openly used yin qi to control the Lianshan Sword, it shows that they’re clearly aware of its dangers yet still chose to proceed. Do you think that Wang Daoning is fully under the control of the Sea Tribe, or is there something else at play?”

Cui Wenjing said, “I’ve known Wang Daoning for decades. I find it hard to believe someone like him would be easily controlled, so there may be more to it. But for him to openly raise an army and join the struggle for power is equally baffling. Especially with the empress still around, it just doesn’t make sense.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “I don’t have much time to focus on the Wang Clan, so I’ll have to rely on you to keep an eye on things. I need to enter a secret realm, and I might be away for a long time. I just hope that by the time I come out, the world will not have changed too much.”

Cui Wenjing said, “Then let’s set the wedding date for after you return.”

Zhao Changhe readily agreed. “Fine, it shall be as you say.”

He had already made it clear that he did not care about rank or status, so how they perceived it was up to them.

A smile appeared on Cui Wenjing’s old face, and he softened. “You’ve asked me a few times to look into certain things. In the end, we found the answers, but Ying Five always seemed to beat me to it, which was a bit embarrassing.”

Zhao Changhe laughed. “Is it really necessary to care about that?”

“It is. He’s on the Ranking of Heaven, but am I not? Does his brotherhood have more influence than my Cui Clan?”

“Ermm...”

Cui Wenjing continued, “I don’t know which secret realm you’re heading to, but I can guess that it’s related to this recent battle with Maitreya, which is why, even though you’re still injured, you’re already so eager to go.”

Zhao Changhe admitted, “You’re right, there is a connection.”

“Is it related to witchcraft? This wasn’t just corpse puppetry, after all—the possession that took place here also relied on witchcraft. However, since the remnant soul had been hiding in the secret realm for so long, it probably could not cultivate that many different types of insects, leaving it limited in its methods.”

“Exactly.”

Cui Wenjing nodded thoughtfully. “Ying Five specializes in secret realms, so he might know more about these things than we do. But their foundation is still lacking. They may know the leads but not have anything concrete. Here, take this. It’ll be useful on your journey.”

He handed over a small protective amulet, something like a heart-protecting mirror. “It’s imbued with pure energy that connects to the mountains and rivers. It can help guard against witchcraft. It won’t completely shield you, but it will aid in resisting it and reveal hidden insects and the likes. How about that? Useful?”

Zhao Changhe was ecstatic. “Very useful! This is perfect!”

Cui Wenjing, hands clasped behind his back, strolled away leisurely. “Not relying on power? Wandering the world? Hah... Such childish words. Make sure you come back and prepare for the wedding.”

Zhao Changhe: “...”