Volume One, Chapter Two: The Empress Grants Him a Marriage Proposal
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“System Daddy?”
As these words burst forth from Li Jize’s mouth, the civil and military officials, noble scions, and even the Empress on the dragon throne were all utterly baffled.
What was going on?
The illustrious Prince of Qin, a supreme general with unparalleled achievements and honors beyond measure—had he gone mad? How could he spout such nonsense?
“Ungrateful son! How dare you spout nonsense in the imperial court! Kneel and confess at once, lest you disgrace the Li family name!”
General Li Jin, seeing his son Li Jize babbling mad words and causing ridicule among the court officials, could no longer contain himself and stepped forward to reprimand him.
In his eyes, family honor was paramount!
A subject must die when the sovereign commands!
After eighteen years, he was a fine man again; feigning madness and foolishness would only ruin the Li family’s reputation.
Yet unexpectedly...
Li Jize turned around, looking at Li Jin with a dazed expression, and his very first words were...
“Uncle, who are you?”
Silence!
Those words were like dousing a pot of boiling oil with a bucket of cold water in the court.
The Great Qi governed by filial piety!
This Li Jize had no respect for his sovereign above or his father below—was he truly mad?
Or...
Was he pretending? Trying to escape his fate by feigning insanity?
Immediately, the Grand Chancellor, Ye Xiangao, stepped forward, bowed deeply, and exclaimed, “Your Majesty! I believe Li Jize is feigning madness even at death’s door! His crime deserves execution!”
“I second that!”
“I concur as well!”
The court erupted with fervor, officials clad in civil robes voicing their agreement one after another.
The Empress remained unmoved, instead glancing at Li Jin, then at the armored, silent military officials who lowered their heads.
Clearly, it was the civil officials who demanded Li Jize’s death, while the generals remained silent.
After a long silence...
As the civil and military officials held their breath, awaiting her judgment, the Empress finally spoke.
“Royal Physician!”
“I... I am here, Your Majesty!” The royal physician stammered, startled but quickly kneeling in the hall.
“Examine Prince Qin. Is he truly mad, or only feigning?”
Countless eyes turned to the royal physician.
Lying prone on the floor, beads of sweat trickled down his spine, for he knew...
The life or death of the supreme general of the Heavenly Strategy, Prince Li Jize, rested on his words.
Feigning madness was a crime of treason against the sovereign!
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With no choice, the royal physician gritted his teeth, turned, and tremblingly...
Reached out to take Li Jize’s pulse.
After a moment...
He glanced at the Empress on the dragon throne, then at the dazed yet “foolish” expression of Li Jize, and made up his mind.
“Your Majesty, I report!”
“How is it?”
“Your Majesty, Prince Li Jize has been exposed to scorching sun for three days and nights. His body is frail! Coupled with his inability to withstand the shock, he has indeed... gone mad!”
A stir!
The royal physician’s diagnosis shocked the court officials, and the Empress’s eyes widened in astonishment. She even rose from the throne in excitement.
Mad?
Li Jize was truly mad?
The civil officials exchanged glances, their lips curling in subtle, restrained sneers.
The generals and some veteran ministers sighed deeply, lamenting the sad state of Great Qi.
How disheartening!
That was the Empress’s childhood companion, her betrothed!
That was the supreme general who, at Barbarian Pass, led three thousand wolf riders in a desperate, unyielding battle to defend Great Qi!
That was the Prince of Qin who, amidst natural disasters and calamities, led troops to fight floods and aid the people, a true patriot!
Yet all because of one ridiculous dream of the Empress!
He was forcibly driven mad!
How ironic! A tragedy of the highest order.
The Empress stood motionless, her exquisitely beautiful face flickering with conflicted emotions.
Was she rejoicing quietly that she had effortlessly broken the power of the “influential minister” Li Jize without bloodshed?
Or was there a hint of regret for the once vibrant young man—the “Brother Ze” she once cherished—becoming the “foolish” Li Jize?
“Your... Your Majesty!” whispered Grand Eunuch Gao, prompting the Empress to snap back to attention.
She cast one last cold glance at Li Jize in the court and said, “Since Prince Qin is now insane, grant him permission to retire from military service. Bestow upon him a thousand taels of gold and a hundred acres of fertile land.”
As she spoke, a thought seemed to strike her.
Her gaze swept over the officials, finally resting on the royal physician.
The royal physician froze, terrified, and immediately prostrated himself, pressing his head to the ground.
“Royal Physician!”
“I am here, Your Majesty!”
“I have heard that your daughter Wang Yuanya is one of Great Qi’s two unparalleled prodigies.”
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“Ah, this...”
The Empress’s words left the royal physician utterly perplexed, like a monk confused by a riddle.
In the imperial court, those who had climbed to such heights were all shrewd.
Hearing “two unparalleled prodigies,” they all chuckled quietly, covering their mouths.
They had already guessed what the sovereign intended.
Sure enough, the Empress’s gaze finally fixed on Li Jize.
That look...
Was laden with complexity, containing so much unspoken meaning.
“From this day forth, I shall play matchmaker! Issue an edict to marry Royal Physician Wang’s daughter, Wang Yuanya, to Prince Li Jize as his wife!”
With these words, she gave Wang Yuanya’s father no time to respond and swept away with a flick of her sleeve.
“Dismiss the court!”
At Grand Eunuch Gao’s loud call, the officials stifled their laughter and knelt in unison.
“Farewell, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor! Long live! Long, long live!”
After the court dispersed, the royal physician remained dazed, while the officials rose one by one to congratulate him. Having Prince Li Jize as a son-in-law was an immense honor.
In truth, everyone knew the Empress was playing a masterful game!
Not only had she driven Prince Li Jize mad, but by ordering the marriage, she forcibly matched the supposedly insane Li Jize with the “talented” Wang Yuanya, effectively nullifying her previous engagement with Li Jize.
In other words, the Empress was divorcing Li Jize: “Go marry someone else. Once you do, our prior betrothal is void.”
The royal physician sighed amidst the officials’ laughter.
He turned his head to look once more at the motionless, foolish Li Jize.
Unable to help himself, he sighed and smiled bitterly, “I once admired the Heavenly Strategy General for his patriotism and thus lent him aid. Who would have thought... that I would end up sacrificing my own daughter.”
With a heavy sigh, he left.
Everyone departed, leaving only Li Jize—the “unlucky one” and “pitiful soul” in everyone’s eyes.
He stood motionless in the hall, his expression vacantly foolish, as if truly mad.
Yet...
As Li Jize slowly lifted his head, his gaze followed the exquisite marble floor upward, finally resting on the golden dragon throne at the hall’s center.
He smiled!
After gazing for a while, he turned and mumbled something as he disappeared into the Feng Tian Hall.
If anyone could hear him, they would shudder.
For Li Jize said, “Are noble lords and generals born of noble blood?”