Past noon, the taverns in North City were all packed with talented scholars and beautiful ladies.
This was especially true for Fengchun Building, where Li Huai'gu was. All three of its floors were packed, each more crowded than the last.
There were Confucian scholars toasting one another, demure beauties, and even some of Shu State's famous personages and great scholars.
Among them, the one with the highest status was Liu Si, the man Xiao Wuge called "Uncle Liu." He was the Prefect of Shu State Prefecture City.
Leveraging this connection, Chen Yi and Xiao Wuge joined the main table.
As Chen Yi made a deliberate effort to befriend him, he and Li Huai'gu quickly grew familiar with one another.
The two chatted and laughed across Xiao Wuge, discussing everything from the recent imperial examination to the goings-on in Shu State, Jiangnan Prefecture, and the Capital Prefecture. In conversation, they seemed to be a perfect match.
As their conversation grew more animated, Li Huai'gu even switched seats with Xiao Wuge.
Although Li Huai'gu's own knowledge and experience were extraordinary, he was still a far cry from Chen Yi.
Often, a simple sentence or two from Chen Yi was enough to fill Li Huai'gu with admiration. 'The rumors from Jiangnan Prefecture about him being "both loyal and filial, and exceptionally talented" are no exaggeration,' he thought.
For instance, regarding the policy essay topic from this metropolitan examination—"A boat is on the water, why does it capsize?"—Chen Yi had gotten straight to the heart of the matter with a casual remark: "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it."
Li Huai'gu felt ashamed of his own inferiority. His approach had been to tackle the theme from the perspective of "going with the flow," emphasizing the Daoist principle of natural inaction.
Compared to Chen Yi's statement, the difference in their caliber was immediately apparent.
Even the Prefect of Shu State, Liu Si, who was listening in on their conversation, was somewhat alarmed.
Originally, he had thought little of Chen Yi. After all, Chen Yi was merely a son-in-law who had married into the Xiao Family; composing a single birthday ode couldn't change that fact.
But hearing him now, Liu Si found himself agreeing with the former Governor of Shu State, Sun Fu. 'It's a pity for a man like this to have married into the Xiao Family.'
Just then, Li Huai'gu said with a sigh, "Brother Qingzhou, it's a real shame you didn't participate in the examinations this time. That brother of yours, Yunfan..."
Before he could finish, Liu Si on the other side coughed. "Fang Gui, let's not engage in idle chatter. I think we should wrap things up here."
Chen Yi secretly raised an eyebrow and smiled. "The Lord Prefect is right. Today is Brother Huai'gu's joyous day; he should return home soon to celebrate with his family."
'These influential figures of the Imperial Court certainly know how to avoid suspicion,' he mused.
It was obvious Liu Si didn't want to offend the Chen Family. Even though Shu State was thousands of miles from Jiangnan Prefecture, he didn't want to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings.
From this, however, Chen Yi knew there had to be more to the story of his "brother," Chen Yunfan, becoming the top scholar.
Li Huai'gu hesitated. "I will follow my teacher's instructions."
Liu Si nodded in satisfaction and looked at Xiao Wuge. "Send my regards to your grandfather. This uncle will teach you more when I visit later."
After saying this, he whispered a few instructions to Li Huai'gu, then rose and left.
The surrounding guests respectfully watched him go, and only after he had left the private room did the atmosphere liven up again.
Xiao Wuge looked around, bored, and said, "Brother-in-law, let's head back, too."
Chen Yi paused. Just as he was about to get up, Li Huai'gu grabbed his arm.
"Brother Qingzhou, we've had such a wonderful conversation today. Why don't you come home with me and be a witness?"
"Oh?"
Li Huai'gu glanced at Xiao Wuge out of the corner of his eye, knowing that with the Young Master present, his chances would be better.
He immediately said with sincerity, "There's something I've always wanted to do but never dared. I was hoping to take advantage of today's auspicious occasion to finally fulfill this wish."
Chen Yi knew what was on his mind, so he decided to go along with it.
Xiao Wuge, Xiaodie, and the Armored Warriors were bewildered, but seeing Chen Yi's happy smile, they didn't say a word.
「Not long after.」
The group followed Li Huai'gu back to his home in Luoyi Lane, on the outskirts of North City.
Chen Yi scanned his surroundings. His gaze swept past the old courtyard walls and the verdant trees, finally landing on a figure in the distance.
It was a petite young woman with her hair in two braids. She wore a fine cloth kerchief on her head and a simple dress, and her features were pretty, if not stunning.
When she saw them arrive, her face flushed shyly, and she unconsciously wrung her hands.
Li Huai'gu strode forward with a brilliant smile, took her hand, and introduced her to Chen Yi and the others.
"This is Yun Xiang, my bride-to-be."
Chen Yi glanced at him but didn't call him out. He, along with Xiao Wuge, Xiaodie, and the others, greeted Yun Xiang.
Yun Xiang's face and neck flushed crimson at Li Huai'gu's words, but she only gave a shy murmur of acknowledgment and didn't contradict him.
She let him continue holding her hand.
Before anyone could speak again, a voice called out from nearby:
"Fang Gui, since when did your mother arrange a marriage for you?"
"Er."
Everyone froze. A respectably dressed woman walked out of a nearby courtyard, frowning at them.
Li Huai'gu turned to the woman, his expression awkward. "Mother, I..."
Yun Xiang's face went pale, and she dared not lift her head.
Chen Yi, however, remained calm. 'I had a feeling a loving couple was about to be forcibly separated.'
'I just didn't realize Li Huai'gu's feelings ran so deep he'd drag us here to be witnesses, only to not even get a chance to introduce us.'
Only Xiaodie, Xiao Wuge, and their retinue watched on in confusion.
Just then, Li Huai'gu finally remembered Xiao Wuge and his companions. "Mother, these are..."
"You, be quiet!"
Before he could finish, Mrs. Li shot him a glare. She turned to the cowering Yun Xiang and said in a flat, indifferent tone:
"Lady Yun, today is a joyous occasion for Fang Gui. I didn't want to say much, but you are becoming increasingly presumptuous."
Li Huai'gu grabbed his mother's arm, pleading, "Mother..."
Mrs. Li ignored him and kept her eyes on Yun Xiang. "Let this aunt be blunt."
"Now that Fang Gui has become the Third Place Scholar, even if he doesn't find a bride of equal social standing, she should at least be well-read and sensible. You, on the other hand, are illiterate. I will never let Fang Gui marry you."
By the time she finished speaking, Yun Xiang's face was a mask of misery.
Seeing her so heartbroken and dejected, even Xiaodie and the others felt a pang of pity, to say nothing of the deeply devoted Li Huai'gu.
Fighting back the stinging in her eyes, Yun Xiang still managed a respectful bow and said in a choked voice:
"I wouldn't dare. I just hope... that Aunt Li isn't angry."
With that, she hurried past them, wiping her eyes as she ran.
"Yun Xiang!"
Seeing this, Li Huai'gu forgot everything else, wrenched his hand from his mother's grasp, and chased after Yun Xiang.
Mrs. Li was stunned. "Fang Gui!"
But the two had already disappeared into the distance.
Only then did Mrs. Li finally seem to notice Chen Yi and the others. Her anger subsided somewhat as she forced a smile.
"You are... Fang Gui's friends?"
Xiao Wuge, Xiaodie, Wang Lixing, and the others all frowned at her in silence.
Chen Yi, however, shook his head. He looked at Mrs. Li and said gravely, "Forgive me, but I'm afraid it would be difficult for us to be friends with your son."
"..."
Before Mrs. Li could reply, Chen Yi gave a slight bow and led Xiao Wuge and the others after Li Huai'gu.
Watching their retreating backs, Mrs. Li's mouth fell open.
"Who needs you anyway?"
A few moments later, Chen Yi's group found Li Huai'gu and Yun Xiang just outside Luoyi Lane.
But compared to the tender affection between them moments before, a vast chasm now seemed to separate them.
Yun Xiang kept her head down, her slightly calloused hands clutching a piece of jade. She spoke softly:
"Mr. Li, the hunter next door wants to marry me. He sent a matchmaker over the other day. The bride price is enough to buy two sheep."
"You... you should listen to Aunt Li. Find a bride from a family of equal standing..."
Before she could finish, she thrust the jade into Li Huai'gu's hand and ran off without a backward glance.
Li Huai'gu watched her retreating figure, not chasing after her this time. The pads of his fingers traced the indentations carved into the jade.
「After a long while.」
Li Huai'gu looked over at Chen Yi and the others. "Sorry you had to see that."
Chen Yi frowned. "Brother Huai'gu, what are you going to do?"
Li Huai'gu gave a bitter laugh, his expression bleak. "Brother Qingzhou, it's said throughout Jiangnan Prefecture that you are 'perfect in both loyalty and filial piety.' But... is it also possible to be perfect in love?"
Before Chen Yi could answer, Li Huai'gu shook his head, walked past him, and began to mutter:
"I want to be with you, for our love to never end, not until the mountains crumble..."
As Chen Yi's gaze followed his retreating figure, a screen of text appeared before his eyes:
[You have witnessed the Third Place Scholar, Li Huai'gu, part ways with his childhood sweetheart, to be forever separated. Reward: The Medical Canon, "Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases," and +20 Opportunity.]
[Evaluation: You were present, you heard their words, you witnessed the scene, yet you did nothing. You are a cold and unfeeling person.]
Chen Yi read the evaluation on the light screen and said nothing.
Just then, a suppressed sob came from his side. Chen Yi turned to look.
Xiaodie, noticing his gaze, tried to wipe her tears with her sleeve, but they just kept falling.
"They... are they...? But they were so clearly... Young... Young Master, can we help them?"
Xiao Wuge looked at Chen Yi. "Brother-in-law, I don't really get it, but I can tell those two... they should be... husband and wife."
Wang Lixing and the others were also conflicted. The more temperamental Ge the Third's eyes were red as he cursed under his breath:
"This damn world is a real piece of shit."
After a long silence.
Chen Yi looked up at the afternoon sky and let out a long breath.
"Who needs to believe in the heavens? I only believe in one thing: Man's will can conquer destiny!"
Xiaodie looked up, her eyes swimming with tears. "Young Master...?"
Chen Yi reached out to wipe the tears from her face and said with a smile, "This time, I'm going to need your help."
"Me?"
"We have to first find out if that hunter actually offered a bride price, right?"