In early April, the young Emperor, moved by the “deeply touching” story of Song Fan and Huang Wan’er, was in tears and immediately approved the marriage between the Marquis of Ding’an’s residence and the Huang family, with the Emperor himself presiding over the wedding, an unprecedented event in the Great Zhou Dynasty.
However, the two families involved in this grand affair were far from at peace.
Huang Shilang was in despair, thinking how his daughter had just been rescued from the wolf’s den only to be sent back. Before he could even voice his objections, the Marquis of Ding’an had already preempted him, lodging a complaint with Empress Dowager Chu, accusing the Huang family’s daughter of being unchaste, pregnant before marriage, and unfit to enter their Song family!
It turned out that Empress Dowager Chu’s father had a good relationship with the Marquis of Ding’an. Without hesitation, she agreed and went to question the young Emperor about how he could be so frivolous, bestowing marriage to such a disgraceful family when the Song family was of noble lineage.
The young Emperor looked at his mother with a face of innocence. “But the child Huang Wan’er is carrying is Song Fan’s. If she doesn’t marry Song Fan, who should she marry?”
Empress Dowager Chu then realized she had been used. Song Yi, that old man, had only mentioned that Huang Wan’er was pregnant, without revealing the child’s origin, leading to this mess today. It made her seem heartless, and she had become the laughingstock of others.
She immediately decided not to interfere further. If Song Yi came again, she would avoid him. If the heavens wanted to rain and the mother wanted to marry off her daughter, whoever wanted to deal with it could do so.
Upon hearing this, Huang Ting was also furious. He hadn’t even held Song Fan accountable yet, and here the Song family was, accusing them first. Deciding to go all out, he agreed to the marriage on the spot, thinking whoever’s child it was, they should take care of it themselves!
The young Emperor, still unable to get over the lantern being snatched by Song Fan, was particularly enthusiastic about this wedding, constantly urging the Ministry of Rites to set a date. The Ministry, annoyed by the constant pressure, decided on the fifth day of the next month as an auspicious day for the wedding.
For a time, the streets, teahouses, and brothels were all abuzz with talk of this marriage, spawning several versions of the story. The more respectable ones spoke of a chance encounter at the Wanqing Pavilion, a romantic connection at the Caotang Temple, and a happy ending. The less savory versions included tales of long-distance love, secret meetings under the moonlight, and an uncontrollable passion. There were even fantastical versions where Huang Wan’er was said to be a fox spirit reincarnated to repay Song Fan for a past life’s kindness, moving the heavens to bestow the marriage through a dream to the Emperor.
In short, there were all sorts of bizarre interpretations.
Given the situation, Song Yi, no matter how unwilling, had to accept it.
Unfortunately, Song Fan did not.
That night, the Marquis of Ding’an’s residence was in chaos, with Song Fan roaring at Song Yi, “Are you insane? Marry her?!”
Song Yi calmly sipped his tea. “You couldn’t control your lower half, and now you’re complaining? Who’s to blame?”
Song Fan lowered his voice. “Don’t forget who I am!”
“I haven’t even blamed you for bringing such a disgrace to our Song family’s name!” Song Yi slammed his teacup down, emphasizing each word. “I only promised to keep you alive, nothing else.”
Song Fan sneered. “What do you think that person would think if they knew you arranged such a fine marriage for me?”
“You brought this upon yourself,” Song Yi snorted. “Besides, I owe you nothing.”
“I owe you nothing?” Song Fan approached, his peach blossom eyes curving with a bewitching smile. “Has Father forgotten about Lu Xiaoliu? Forgotten about those two hundred and eighty-seven lives?”
“You!” Song Yi stood up abruptly, the chair scraping sharply against the floor, his finger trembling as he pointed at Song Fan’s smiling face. Finally, he could only wave his sleeve and leave. “I can’t handle this matter. You deal with it!”
And Song Fan did deal with it. The day before the wedding, he severed ties with Song Yi and left.
After all, the Emperor had bestowed the marriage on the young Marquis of the Marquis of Ding’an’s residence. Whoever wanted to be the Marquis could marry her.
The capital was in an uproar.
At first, the young Emperor didn’t believe it, sending Su Cen, the Assistant Minister of the Dali Temple, to personally investigate at the Marquis of Ding’an’s residence. Confirming Song Fan’s departure, he consoled Song Yi with a pained expression and issued a nationwide manhunt, vowing to find Song Fan and complete the marriage.
For a while, the entire country was swept up in the fervor of finding Song Fan. Some were there for the spectacle, others for the reward, and some were Song Fan’s old enemies, now free to seek revenge without worrying about the Iron Certificate since he had no connection to the Marquis of Ding’an’s residence anymore.
By June, Huang Wan’er gave birth to a young master, with thin lips and peach blossom eyes, clearly Song Fan’s child. Although Song Fan hadn’t been found yet, the young Emperor stated that such formalities didn’t matter. The child was the heir of the Marquis of Ding’an’s residence, and when Song Fan was found, they could just hold the wedding ceremony.
The Huang family was overwhelmed by the honor. Not only was Huang Wan’er’s reputation preserved, but the child also had a status. They repeatedly thanked the Emperor for his grace and had the child recognize Su Cen as his godfather. Su Cen had indeed played a role behind the scenes, and the Huang family, not being fools, knew that Su Cen was currently favored by the Emperor. This connection would be beneficial in many ways. Moreover, if the child truly inherited the title, he might even help Su Cen in return.
Su Cen, unable to refuse, suddenly found himself with a godson.
By the end of June, the heat hadn’t subsided, but several days of rain brought some relief. Su Cen was in the lakeside pavilion, eating red bean jelly, listening to the rain pattering on lotus leaves, the scent of lotus filling the air, enjoying the ambiance.
The Dali Temple hadn’t had any major cases recently, allowing Su Cen some rare leisure time. He often came to the Xingqing Palace to escape the heat, finding the lakeside pavilion an ideal spot, surrounded by water, shaded by willows, and with bamboo curtains for added comfort.
After eating, he was about to take a nap when he saw Qi Lin, carrying an urgent document, rushing towards Li Shi’s study. The yellow seal, indicating extreme urgency, was particularly noticeable.
This was already the third time in half a day.
Su Cen wondered if there was an invasion at the border or if rebels had risen. He couldn’t recall any major events in the court recently. What could be so urgent? His sleepiness vanished, and he followed to find out.
When he arrived, it wasn’t raining, so he hadn’t brought an umbrella. With no one around, he casually picked a lotus leaf to use as a makeshift umbrella and ran out into the rain.
The rain wasn’t heavy, but the distance was considerable. By the time he reached the study, he was soaked through. Su Cen didn’t mind; in the summer, a little rain was harmless. He shook off the water and entered.
Li Shi was reading the document, his brows slightly furrowed. Qi Lin stood by, waiting. After Li Shi finished reading, he looked up and asked, “What should we do?”
Li Shi raised his head to see Su Cen, looking like a drowned rat. The thin summer clothes, now wet, clung to his body, revealing his figure, adding an ethereal charm. Li Shi’s words stopped at his lips, his expression darkened, and he told Qi Lin, “Close your eyes and leave.”
Qi Lin, not realizing what had happened, knew that the Prince’s command was law. He closed his eyes and strode out.
“Has something happened?” Su Cen was eager to know about the urgent document, completely oblivious to any unusual behavior from Li Shi.
Li Shi put down the document and walked over, his expression indeed looking troubled. Su Cen held his breath, only to hear Li Shi say, “Something big has happened.”
Li Shi took off his outer robe and wrapped it around Su Cen, asking in a low voice, “Who saw you?”
Su Cen was stunned for a while before he understood what Li Shi was referring to, then he couldn’t help but laugh and cry. “No one saw. If someone had, would I still be without an umbrella?”
Li Shi’s expression softened a bit, wiping the water from Su Cen’s face, then tugging at the clothes that clung to his body. He frowned. “Don’t wear such thin fabric in the future.”
The smoke gauze was the lightest and coolest fabric for summer, but it was also quite transparent. Su Cen found it amusing but agreed, “Alright, I’ll only wear brocade silk from now on, even if it means getting heat rash all over, you’d be happy.”
Li Shi finally smiled, tapping Su Cen’s forehead. “Go change your clothes and then come see me.”
Su Cen obediently returned to his quarters to change, making sure there were no more issues before returning. Li Shi seemed to have dealt with the matter, as Qi Lin was just leaving when Su Cen entered.
Su Cen frowned, wondering if it was Li Shi’s intention for Qi Lin to report when he wasn’t around.
He approached and asked, “What exactly has happened?”
Li Shi pointed to the corner of the table where a bowl of ginger soup was already prepared.
Su Cen resignedly picked it up and drank it in one gulp, breaking out in a sweat. Only then did Li Shi open his arms to him. “Come here.”
Su Cen sat on Li Shi’s lap, familiar with the gesture, and saw Li Shi press his forehead, sighing. “Heavy rain in Xuzhou, I’m afraid it’s beyond saving.”
Su Cen was shocked. “The rain in Xuzhou hasn’t stopped?!”
Half a month ago, during a court meeting, he had heard about the continuous heavy rain in Xuzhou. Now, after half a month, the rain was still falling! Xuzhou was surrounded by water on three sides, at the confluence of the Si and Bian Rivers, with the Yellow River flowing into the Si and then into the sea right beside the city. If the flood breached the levees, tens of thousands of residents would be displaced, not to mention the vast fields, livestock, and homes that would be submerged. The thought was chilling.
“These three documents are all…”
“Three days ago, the Cao Village in Puyang Prefecture breached, flooding forty-five counties. The river has shifted south, splitting into two streams. One merges with the North Qing River into the sea, the other—” Li Shi pursed his lips, “merges with the South Qing River, entering the Huai.”
Su Cen’s heart sank. “The levees in Xuzhou were already struggling, and now with this additional flow, that means…”
Li Shi nodded. “Today’s three documents were all sent by the Prefect of Xuzhou. The water level is rising daily, causing panic among the citizens, requesting the deployment of the Imperial Guards to fight the flood and maintain order.”
Su Cen felt a pang of sorrow. The Imperial Guards were not under the command of the Prefect but directly under the court. It seemed they were truly out of options. And everyone knew the real purpose of deploying the Imperial Guards was not just to fight the flood but to suppress any potential unrest. At such a time, if there were riots, the situation would become even more uncontrollable.
“Has it really come to this?”
“It’s already been approved.”
Su Cen nodded. In the face of a natural disaster, human lives were at stake, and this was the only way.
Li Shi said, “The court will likely send someone to calm the people. At this critical time, we absolutely cannot afford any instability or panic.”
Su Cen looked up. “Who will be sent?”
Li Shi countered, “Who do you think is suitable?”
Su Cen thought for a moment, frowning. “This kind of task requires someone with enough authority to command respect, but it’s also a grueling job. Someone too old wouldn’t do, as they might collapse before doing anything. They also need to understand the people’s hearts, be perceptive,” he smiled, “I think I’m quite suitable.”
“You’re not suitable,” Li Shi interrupted, cutting off that line of thought. “You’ll stay in Chang’an, not going anywhere.”
Su Cen straightened up. “Among the civil and military officials of the fourth rank and above, I’m the most suitable. You can’t let personal feelings interfere with official duties!”
Li Shi chuckled, pinching the back of Su Cen’s neck. “I already have someone in mind.”
The next day, Prince Ning, with great pomp, set off for Xuzhou to calm the populace.
Su Cen was so frustrated he could barely eat for days, feeling tricked. Li Shi hadn’t been discussing the envoy’s selection with him; he had already made up his mind, just informing Su Cen to stay put in the capital and not act rashly.
Feeling outmaneuvered, Su Cen was anxious, closely following the news from Xuzhou.
He wasn’t the only one concerned about Xuzhou. With Prince Ning’s departure, it was a significant event in the court, and various factions were making their moves, each with their own agenda.
During the morning court session, the matter of Xuzhou was brought up again, causing unrest and debate among the officials, with the young Emperor looking distressed, unsure of what to do.
Liu Chen’s face darkened. “The Prince is too reckless. Does he think there’s no one else in the court?” He glanced at Su Cen, then added, “If anything goes wrong, who will take responsibility?”
Huang Ting, the Vice Minister of Revenue, wiped his sweat and bowed. “There shouldn’t be any issues, right? Last year, the Ministry of Revenue allocated fifty thousand taels for river repairs in Xuzhou. The newly built levees should last for a hundred years without collapsing.”
Su Cen silently exhaled in relief. As long as Xuzhou was safe, Li Shi should be at no risk.
That night, an urgent message from Xuzhou arrived: the flood had breached the levees, and the dam had collapsed.
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
![Flying Dust [Fei Chen]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/9k.png "Flying Dust [Fei Chen]")
