Chapter 67
Chapter 67
[The Male Chauvinist’s Victory – 8]
Did Li Dongshan himself want to marry both daughters to the same man?
They were daughters of the illustrious Li Family of Jiangdong!
Given Yan Hongguang’s present momentum, marrying Jiangyue could be called a match between equals. But Jiangxue was the Li Family’s legitimate daughter and the Wei Family’s granddaughter. With such distinguished birth, she was fit to become a prince’s consort. Yet because of some previous affection, she was willing to share one husband with her sister. The humiliation in Li Dongshan’s heart was immense!
“What?” His displeasure made him redirect his anger. “Are daughters of my Li Family somehow unworthy of you?”
Liu Che thought Li Jiangyue was one thing. She was beautiful and sensible, so he did not mind marrying her. But what was he supposed to do with Li Jiangxue?
Bring her home to make trouble for him?
Did her own father truly not understand what kind of creature she was?
Still, marrying her as well offered one benefit. The Wei Family was powerful. Using the opportunity to ally himself with Madam Wei would be advantageous.
As for love…
What use was love? You couldn’t eat or drink it, and holding it only risked dropping it on your own foot. How could it compare with real gold, silver, and power?
After weighing the matter, Liu Che said with difficulty, “Honored Father-in-law’s favor is too great for this son-in-law to refuse. But before this campaign, I exchanged birth charts with your family, and five of the Six Rites are already complete. Only the bridal procession remains before I marry Jiangyue. His Majesty graciously bestowed the marriage, and the decree also names Jiangyue. Now you say you wish to give me both daughters… What status would Jiangxue hold? I cannot imagine what outsiders would say.”
Li Dongshan knew how humiliating this was. If it truly happened, the Li Family would lose both face and substance.
The birth charts named Yan Hongguang and Li Jiangyue, and the imperial decree named the same pair. If Jiangxue married him, she could only become a concubine. Even resurrecting the Zhou custom of accompanying brides and granting her status second only to the principal wife could not conceal the truth: the Li Family’s legitimate daughter would be another man’s concubine.
If Old Master Li still presided over the household, Li Jiangxue would be doomed. He would rather let his shameless granddaughter truly die than allow a legitimate Li daughter to become her brother-in-law’s concubine. But Old Master Li was dead. Li Dongshan now made the decisions.
His mind was less clear than his father’s, and he lacked foresight. He doted upon his eldest daughter and feared the Wei Family. Though he knew the decision would provoke controversy, he pinched his nose, swallowed his disgust, and intended to fulfill his daughter’s devoted love.
Li Dongshan also felt guilty. If he had asked one extra question while settling the marriage with Yan Hongguang instead of confusing his daughters through a bizarre misunderstanding, perhaps matters would not have reached this state, and his eldest daughter would not have attempted suicide in despair.
After repeated consideration, Li Dongshan decided to fulfill her infatuation. He sighed helplessly. “Jiangyue’s name appears on both the birth charts and the imperial decree, so Jiangyue must be the principal wife. That cannot change. But Jiangxue innocently lost her marriage through a twist of fate. You must never slight her. Apart from Jiangyue, no one may stand above her…”
His brows drew together in worry. “I discussed it with Madam Wei. Our dynasty honors the left. Jiangyue will therefore be the Lady of the Left, and Jiangxue the Lady of the Right.”
Liu Che hesitated in silence. After a long while, he shook his head. “Jiangxue is the Li Family’s legitimate daughter. This would wrong her too deeply. Moreover, Jiangyue will likely find it painful as well. Jiankang’s great clans contain many fine young men. Why not carefully select an excellent one for Jiangxue and consider the matter gradually after her health recovers?”
Li Dongshan snapped, “Do you think I don’t want to?”
Liu Che feigned surprise.
Li Dongshan’s face filled with helpless misery. “I will tell you the truth. Jiangxue cut her wrist in her room last night. Fortunately, I discovered her in time. Otherwise…”
“Ah!” Liu Che looked shocked. “How could she be so foolish?!”
“Worthy son-in-law, honestly, I have no other choice.”
Pain filled Li Dongshan’s face, displaying a father’s helpless grief. “Jiangxue is my first daughter. She has come to this because of me. Could I watch her die?”
Liu Che nodded understandingly.
Li Dongshan continued, “Before you arrived, I already told her of this plan. If you refuse, what am I supposed to say to her?”
With matters stated so plainly, further refusal would look like deliberate posturing. Liu Che no longer declined. He nodded, then said, “But I fear Honored Father-in-law will need to persuade Jiangyue.”
Thinking of his beloved concubine Lady Yu and his obedient, sensible third daughter, Li Jiangyue, Li Dongshan sighed again.
Everyone had been wronged.
A perfectly good marriage had ended in this mess. Jiangxue was wronged, Madam Wei was wronged, the Li Family was wronged, and Li Dongshan himself was wronged. But were Lady Yu and Jiangyue not wronged too?
As her father, Li Dongshan knew Jiangxue’s nature. She had always been vicious and domineering and often bullied her sister. Once the sisters married the same man, could she restrain herself and obey Jiangyue as the mistress of the household?
Jiangyue had been happily preparing her wedding clothes. Now she would learn that her husband planned to take a concubine the moment she entered the household-and that concubine was her legitimate elder sister, whom she could neither strike nor scold. How could Jiangyue feel happy?
The longer Li Dongshan considered it, the worse it tasted. Examined carefully, the Li Family had suffered a grave loss. The only one to profit was his future son-in-law, Yan Hongguang, seated before him with concern on his face.
He gained both women, a beautiful wife and lovely concubine. What a triumph.
He also gained the Li Family’s support. If he encountered trouble at court and Li Dongshan refused to help, both his principal wife and beloved concubine would make their father pay!
Even the Wei Family would have to show some care for their granddaughter’s husband. Damn it-the more Li Dongshan thought, the angrier he became!
Yet matters had reached this point through no fault of Yan Hongguang. Li Dongshan glared fiercely at the son-in-law who had profited while pretending reluctance, then rose in anger. He ordered a family banquet that evening, though without great fanfare. Only Madam Yu and her daughter needed to attend.
Hearing this, Liu Che knew that after persuading him, Li Dongshan intended to persuade Madam Yu and Li Jiangyue. Understanding that no obstacle remained, he felt wonderfully relaxed.
Emperor Gaozu asked, “Will Li Jiangyue agree?”
“Surely not,” Zhu Yuanzhang said. “She was happily preparing to marry a golden son-in-law, and now she must give half of him to her own sister. That sister has always been domineering and previously shared affection with her husband. Why would Jiangyue bury such a danger beside herself? I say she refuses!”
Li Shimin smacked his lips. “That’s difficult to say.”
He turned to Ying Zheng. “Shi Huang, what do you think?”
“I don’t know, I’m not watching, and I don’t care,” Ying Zheng replied indifferently. “I am neither a woman nor have I ever taken a concubine for my husband. How would I know what she thinks?”
Liu Che scoffed and planted his hands on his hips. “You understand warfare; I understand women’s schemes. Li Jiangyue will certainly agree. Don’t believe me? Just watch!”
He spoke with utter certainty, but none of the emperors accepted a wager. Only Li Shimin asked, “Li Dongshan said Li Jiangxue tried to kill herself. Do you think that’s true?”
Liu Che sneered. “It is true, but also false.”
Before Li Shimin could ask, he explained, “It is true because Li Dongshan certainly witnessed Li Jiangxue’s suicide attempt. He knows she acted to kill herself, and it deeply affected him. It is false because the attempt was undoubtedly a performance by Li Jiangxue. She meant to force her parents aside and successfully marry me, even if she had to become a concubine.”
“After rebirth, her first instinct was to cling to a powerful patron rather than consider how to break her predicament. How much thought do you expect from such a woman? Her husband in her previous life killed her, so she could never marry him again. But Li Jiangxue herself aims high while possessing little ability. She cannot control power or alter her family’s fate, so she placed her wager on me. As long as she attaches herself to the future emperor, the Li Family will inevitably rise, and she will enjoy endless wealth and honor.
“She discarded all shame and devised every means to create the appearance that she would rather become a concubine than give up marrying me. Naturally, that is not because love drove her mad. She loves the lofty phantom of the emperor from her previous life. She endures humiliation today solely for tomorrow’s glory. You think she has lost her senses, but she is lucid-at least relative to the life plan she designed for herself.”
He shrugged. Zhu Yuanzhang nodded. “Most importantly, her plan succeeded.”
“Only temporarily. It could never remain hidden for a lifetime.”
Contempt filled Liu Che’s face. “She needed to deceive both Li Dongshan and Madam Wei before she could force them to yield. In other words, she staged the entire suicide attempt alone, without Madam Wei’s involvement. With her brains, could she possibly make it flawless? If Madam Yu discovers the truth and exposes it before Li Dongshan and Madam Wei… Tsk, even I cannot bear to imagine what follows.”
Li Dongshan would certainly rage, and even Madam Wei, Li Jiangxue’s birth mother, would likely be bitterly disappointed.
Though all the emperors had possessed harems, none could decipher women’s thoughts as clearly as Liu Che.
Li Shimin looked at him with admiration and nodded. “Indeed, when it comes to understanding women, Zhi’er remains superior.”
“Naturally.” Liu Che looked proud. “What would you hopelessly straight men know?”
Li Shimin: “…”
The emperors: “…”
Oh?
They stared meaningfully.
Liu Che: “…”
Embarrassed into anger, he cried, “Hey! Why are you all looking at me like that?”
Li Shimin casually brushed it aside. “No reason.”
“No reason?” Liu Che erupted. “You plainly mean something!”
Ying Zheng chuckled. “We merely remembered a few anecdotes about Han emperors.”
Li Shimin: “Such as Emperor Wen and Deng Tong.”
Zhu Yuanzhang: “Or Emperor Ai and Dong Xian.”
Ying Zheng added meaningfully, “Or, for another example, Emperor So-and-So of Han and So-and-So Yan.”
Liu Che: “…”
Liu Che glanced at Emperor Gaozu, who stood aside enjoying the show, and tried to explain to the only emperor not from their world. “Don’t listen to their nonsense. Rumors stop before the wise…”
“Oh.” Ying Zheng looked as though he had only just remembered. “There were also Emperor Hui and Hong Ru. Is this another traditional Liu Family art?”
Li Shimin: “Hee hee hee!”
Zhu Yuanzhang: “Hee hee hee!”
Folding his arms, Li Shimin asked Emperor Gaozu, “Brother Li must have heard something of these matters?”
Liu Che looked over hopefully, praying Emperor Gaozu would stand with him.
Emperor Gaozu gave Zhi’er a pitying look, his voice regretful.
“…I have heard a little.”