Chapter 149 Riding the Tide of Profit

Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, a policy of promoting civil administration and suppressing military affairs had been strictly enforced. Consequently, the status of military officers, generals, and ordinary soldiers declined day by day until they were completely subjugated by civil officials.

The vast majority of the empire's armed forces were placed under the command of civilian officials, a practice that had become established custom. Ironically, seasoned military commanders and officers were barred from holding military commands and were forced to subordinate themselves to civilians.

Therefore, leaving aside a humble and insignificant private soldier, even high-ranking military generals had to walk with their tails between their legs whenever they encountered a civil official. Military men invariably felt three inches shorter in stature than their civilian counterparts, behaving much like frightened, cowering grandchildren.

At this very moment, however, a soldier suddenly caused a massive commotion right outside the residence of Li Gefei. He beat the household servants of the Li family black and blue, sending them scrambling in absolute terror. Passersby immediately flocked to the gates of the Li estate to watch the spectacle, pointing, whispering, and feeling an extraordinary sense of novelty. When had these soldiers, who had always lived so subrepentantly, ever become so formidable and fiercely imposing?

One had to bear in mind that this was the residence of Li Gefei, an Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and Imperial Inspector of Justice for the Jingdong Circuit.

While the crowd gathered to watch the excitement, they also felt a twinge of worry for Shan Kui. Having caused such a tremendous uproar at the Li residence, would Li Gefei let him off lightly?

Some sharp-witted individuals had already faintly guessed that this incident must be connected to the matrimonial affairs of the Li household.

"The young master is coming out!"

"Young master, please avenge us!"

"Ouch, it hurts so much! Young master, that dark brute hit us much too hard."

The commotion outside the gates finally alerted the people within the estate. The grand doors swung wide open, and a young man in his twenties, wearing a long scholar's gown, walked out.

This man was Li Yi, the cousin of Li Qingzhao.

When the servants of the Li family saw Li Yi emerge, they rushed forward to pour out their grievances, exaggeratingly displaying their various bruises and wounds. They hoped to use Li Yi to exact revenge while simultaneously proving their loyalty in exchange for a generous reward.

"Silence!" Li Yi cast an impatient and annoyed glance at the crying servants. "Useless pieces of trash! What good is weeping?"

Hearing this, the servants obediently stepped back, their faces flushed with shame.

Indeed, for dozens of men to be beaten to the point of wailing like babies by a single person—and with Shan Kui fighting entirely bare-handed—was thoroughly pathetic.

"Who are you people? Why are you causing a disturbance outside my gate? And what is the meaning of forcing your way in? If you cannot give a proper explanation today, I, as the young master of this house, will have you arrested and sent to the authorities!" Li Yi asked, his face dark with anger as he turned his gaze toward Fu Erniang and Shan Kui.

"Our mistress wishes to see your young mistress, yet these unkillable slaves dared to speak insolently. Sent to the authorities? Today's matter has nothing to do with our mistress; just take me to the authorities if you wish!" Shan Kui stepped forward, towering over Li Yi like a black pagoda, and spoke in a chilling tone.

Shan Kui's massive, dark physique intimidated Li Yi into taking two steps back. He stammered, "Where has this crude woman come from? We are complete strangers. Why would sister Qing want to see her? What qualifications does she have to request an audience with my sister?"

"She is an esteemed guest at the Prince's Manor. Do you still say she lacks the qualifications?" At that moment, a short, stocky, and sharp-looking man stepped out from the crowd and spoke.

"Gao Er, why are you here?" Fu Erniang, who had been feeling utterly flustered, was overjoyed at the sudden sight of Gao Er.

"Old lady, His Highness was worried about you, so he sent me to check and see who was blind enough to bully you," Gao Er sneered, glaring at Li Yi and the others.

Gao Er's attitude was arrogant to the extreme, which infuriated Li Yi immensely.

Li Yi happened to recognize Gao Er quite well.

Cuju was all the rage in the capital, especially after the Prince of Duan's manor introduced a new style of playing the game, which made Gao Er a household name.

Yet, no matter what, Gao Er was still a domestic servant of a prince's household. Although it was an old saying that a prime minister's servant held the rank of a seventh-grade official, Gao Er was ultimately just a slave of the Prince of Duan's manor, wasn't he? How dare a mere servant run up to the doorstep of a senior court official to interrogate people? Furthermore, he had spoken insolently and uttered humiliating words, causing Li Yi and the others to seethe with rage.

Flesh and blood could only endure so much. Li Yi glared at Gao Er and snapped, "You are nothing more than a mere cuju team captain! What qualifications do you have to question me? You claim she is an esteemed guest of the manor, but is she really? Hurry up and tuck your tail between your legs and get out of here, lest you bring shame upon your master the Prince."

Scions of wealthy and powerful families were born with an inherent sense of arrogance; no matter what they did, they always insisted on hierarchy and status.

"Does he lack qualifications? What if it is me? Do you all think I am qualified?" At that exact moment, Zhao Ji, the Prince of Duan, stepped out from the crowd.

When Gao Er and Fu Erniang saw that the Prince of Duan had come in person, they were utterly astonished, yet secretly overjoyed, and quickly stepped forward to pay their respects to Zhao Ji.

Zhao Ji waved his hand dismissively and said to Li Yi, "Do you suppose even I lack qualifications?"

"Y-Y-Your Highness... P-Prince... w-why have you come?" Seeing Zhao Ji arrive in person, Li Yi immediately lost three parts of his arrogance and stammered nervously.

People from prominent families were usually excessively arrogant on ordinary days, but this attitude was reserved solely for commoners. The moment someone superior to them in nobility, status, or power appeared, their true colors would instantly vanish, and they would shift roles to behave just like cowering, fearful grandchildren.

"Audacious! Why do you not bow and pay respects upon seeing His Highness?" Gao Er chimed in, basking in borrowed prestige and barking at Li Yi.

"This humble one pays respects to Your Highness the Prince of Duan," Li Yi said, bowing reluctantly. His expression had become utterly dejected, tinged with a thick layer of servile flattery.

"Rise." Zhao Ji ignored Li Yi, looked toward the gates of Li Gefei's residence, and shouted loudly, "A guest has come to visit, yet the master hides away and refuses to show himself. What kind of reasoning is this?"

"Your Highness's arrival brings immense honor to this humble official. I wonder what brings Your Highness to condescend to visit my humble dwelling?" Now that the Prince of Duan had arrived, Li Gefei could no longer remain hidden and was forced to come out to greet him. However, Li Gefei was not like Li Yi; he did not lose his composure over such a scene. Stepping forward, he asked neither too humbly nor too arrogantly.

After all, the Prince of Duan, Zhao Ji, was merely a commandery prince without any real power or influence, so there was no need for Li Gefei to abase himself.

Groveling was simply not Li Gefei's usual style; offending the powerful and influential was something he had done on numerous occasions in the past.

"Heh," Zhao Ji chuckled and said, "I was merely passing by the Assistant Minister's residence and wished to beg a bowl of tea. I wonder if the Assistant Minister is willing to grant it?"

"Your Highness jests. Since Your Highness is thirsty, how could this humble official be unwilling? I only worry whether the tea in my humble home is refined enough to please Your Highness's esteemed palate. Your Highness, please enter." Seeing that Zhao Ji had put it this way, Li Gefei had no choice but to invite him inside.

He suspected that things could not be as simple as merely begging a bowl of tea, Li Gefei thought to himself with a heavy heart.

Zhao Ji nodded and instructed Gao Er and the others, "You take Erniang back to the manor first. I will handle matters here."

...

Zhao Ji was escorted by Li Gefei into the study within the estate.

Generally speaking, studies incorporated many exquisite designs, adhering to the principle that "simplicity is preferable to complexity." From ancient times to the present, there had never been a rigid rule for a study's layout. The wealthy might build an entire pavilion specifically for it, while the impoverished might have a room no larger than a single mat. Some featured carved beams and painted pillars, while others possessed walls as stark and bare as a prison cell.

Li Gefei's study was relatively simple. The walls were constructed of intricately carved, hollowed-out wooden panels, with a "Three Friends of Winter" painting hanging against the wall. Aside from collections of books, the room contained only a couch, a small table, an incense burner shaped like a Boshan mountain, a writing brush, and an inkstone. Outside the study window grew a clump of newly planted bamboo from the southern mountains, giving the entire setting an extremely elegant ambiance.

Once the host and guest were seated, Zhao Ji picked up a bowl of tea, took a sip, and remarked, "This study is furnished with a fresh and unconventional elegance. The Assistant Minister is truly a man of vast learning and refined taste."

"Your Highness flatters me undeservedly; this humble official is deeply terrified," Li Gefei replied with a faint smile.

Zhao Ji then set down his teacup, changed the subject abruptly, and said, "I have long heard that the Assistant Minister is an upright, incorruptible, and fiercely principled official. Why have you suddenly turned into a opportunist chasing after wealth and influence?"

"What does Your Highness mean by this?" Li Gefei asked in return, his expression completely unchanged.

"Let me ask you this," Zhao Ji said. "Where does my brother fall short of matching the young mistress of your household? Why would you marry her off to someone else? Are you aware that they have already made a lifelong pledge under the moonlight?"

Zhao Ji had originally not wished to meddle in this messy affair of Li Sanjian's. However, Li Sanjian was still far away in Lingnan and had "entrusted" his mother to his care. Under the circumstances, Zhao Ji had no choice but to step forward and resolve the matter.

Most importantly, this was a critical juncture, and Zhao Ji needed his subordinates to fight for him. If his people were bullied and he did nothing, he had to demonstrate that righteousness came first. Only thus could he give his followers hope, prevent them from becoming discouraged, and ensure they would willingly allow themselves to be driven by him.

"Your Highness's brother? Who might that be?" Li Gefei asked with a perplexed expression.

"The Assistant Minister need not play the fool while knowing the truth. How can you possibly claim not to know whom I am referring to?" Zhao Ji said indifferently.

Li Gefei nodded and replied, "A lifelong pledge? The command of one's parents is a matter of natural justice and heavenly principle. Secret promises of affection cannot be taken seriously, and matters of marriage are far too important to be treated as child's play. Furthermore, I am acting for the sake of my daughter's future. Only by securing a favorable destination can a woman attain lifelong happiness. Making a marital alliance with the Zhao clan is a match made in heaven. How can that make this humble official an opportunist?"

When had Li Sanjian become the sworn brother of the Prince of Duan? Li Gefei wondered inwardly with mounting astonishment. According to his understanding, Li Sanjian was merely an indentured servant in a prince's manor. Why, then, did the Prince of Duan refer to him as a brother? This detail filled Li Gefei with quiet bewilderment.

The fact that Li Sanjian was a servant in a prince's household had been one of the primary reasons Li Gefei had ruled him out.

What kind of future could a mere domestic servant possibly have?

"If she marries my brother, will she fail to find happiness?" Zhao Ji retorted.

Zhao Ji had caught a glimpse of Li Qingzhao during a previous Ullal poetry gathering and had been deeply struck by her beauty. However, by now he had already learned of the connection between Li Sanjian and Li Qingzhao. According to the code that a friend's wife must not be violated, Zhao Ji had dismissed those romantic thoughts; otherwise, he would have long since taken Li Qingzhao as a concubine, leaving no room for Zhao Mingcheng at all.

*If I had only known, I should have made my move first,* Zhao Ji thought to himself regretfully.

"A mere commoner—what future can he possibly speak of?" Li Gefei answered coldly.

"A mere commoner? The Assistant Minister is mistaken. My brother is indeed a commoner at present, but will he remain a commoner for the rest of his life? The day will eventually come when he soars straight up to the clouds! The Assistant Minister would do well not to regret it when that day arrives, for by then, it truly will be too late!" Zhao Ji laughed.

"I take my leave." With those words, Zhao Ji left the dumbfounded Li Gefei behind and strode out of the residence.

Zhao Ji's final remark left far too much room for imagination, rendering Li Gefei utterly thunderstruck.

*Could it be that I was truly in the wrong?* Li Gefei sat alone and dazed in his study, pondering in silence.