Volume Three: Southern Expedition and Territorial Expansion Chapter 114: Breaking the Marriage

Entering the Yanying Hall, Li Xi paid his respects with deep deference. Emperor Zhaozong immediately asked in a cold voice, "I have heard that you have secretly arranged a marriage alliance with the Marquis of Fufeng. Is this true?"

Li Xi’s heart jolted. Struggling to maintain his composure, he replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, it is indeed true. However, it was not an alliance I sought out. My second son became acquainted with the Marquis of Fufeng while in Hedong. The Marquis proposed the marriage to my son, and my son, without sufficient consideration, accepted. Once the engagement was made, it would have been improper for me to go back on his word, so I simply delayed further action."

"The Marquis of Fufeng visited your residence recently, did he not?" Zhaozong asked coldly.

"The Marquis did visit my residence, but I intentionally refused to meet him. I have never once met with the Marquis of Fufeng," Li Xi answered.

Having prepared himself mentally, Li Xi had already distanced the engagement from any involvement with Wei Zhaodu, aiming to simplify the situation as much as possible; he knew that involving Wei Zhaodu would only make matters graver. Even if the Emperor discovered that Wei Fufeng was of the Jinzhou Wei clan, Li Xi was prepared to deny it vehemently, insisting he had no knowledge of such a connection. Yet, in his heart, Li Xi knew that the truth about Wei Fufeng’s lineage could not be hidden for long.

Zhaozong’s irritation dissipated somewhat upon hearing this, yet he could not tolerate the betrayal of a court official colluding with a regional warlord. He said calmly, "I believe you did not intend to form an alliance with a border warlord. Since it is only an engagement, are you willing to annul it?"

Li Xi was stunned. He had not expected the Emperor to demand the dissolution of the marriage—this was an unreasonable interference in a private family matter, elevating it to the level of a state affair. Li Xi hesitated, remaining silent, while Zhaozong watched him with a cold gaze.

After a moment, Li Xi said, "Your Majesty, the reason I did not meet the Marquis was to delay the matter. If I were to break the engagement suddenly without a cause, it would damage my reputation."

Zhaozong replied coldly, "Ancient wisdom says that a gentleman serves his lord with sincerity; it is indecisiveness that truly damages one's reputation. I do not favor officials with divided loyalties. Go back and make your choice. You may leave."

The Emperor’s words were sharp and piercing. Terrified, Li Xi had no choice but to answer, "I am loyal to Your Majesty and am willing to dissolve the engagement."

Zhaozong nodded and said, "Good. You need not feel troubled; you may tell the Marquis directly that this is my command. There is no need to hide the reason for the dissolution."

"I thank Your Majesty for your leniency," Li Xi replied with a heavy, respectful heart. He understood now that the Emperor was asserting his authority to warn the court against colluding with external powers.

...

Back at his residence, Li Xi summoned Li Xian and Li Ji. Upon hearing that the Emperor had forced the dissolution of the engagement, the two were left speechless, finding the news difficult to accept.

After a long while, Li Xian said, "Father, by breaking this engagement, not only is our previous investment wasted, but we will also offend the Jinzhou Wei clan."

"We have no other choice. This is the Emperor’s decree; as a subject, I must obey. Or would you rather I abandon my office and defect to Jinzhou?" Li Xi said irritably.

Li Xian was silenced. Li Xi continued, "I have thought it through. The Jinzhou Wei clan cannot be trusted. They value the power I hold; if I were to lose that power, they would likely be the ones to break the engagement."

"That is not true. Fufeng is not a man of such low integrity," Li Ji blurted out in defense.

"Then are you suggesting I resign my post?" Li Xi asked, looking at Li Ji.

Li Ji was startled and quickly added, "No, I only believe in Fufeng’s character."

Li Xi turned to Li Xian and asked, "Li Xian, tell me, can the character of a ruthless warlord like Cao Cao ever be trusted?"

Li Xian hesitated and replied, "Fufeng cannot be compared to Cao Cao."

"Even if he is not quite Cao Cao, he is still a rebellious warlord. Warlords are all driven by profit; we cannot expect a warlord to be a gentleman," Li Xi stated.

Li Xian and Li Ji remained silent. Li Xi continued, "Although we live in chaotic times, the Imperial Court remains the hope of the world. Regional warlords are constantly warring with one another. Even if the Jinzhou Wei clan gains power, there is no guarantee they won't be destroyed by another faction. By comparison, the Xuanwu Army occupying the Central Plains, and Li Maozhen in Xichuan and Fengxiang, both have the strength to destroy Southern Sichuan and Jinzhou."

"Father does not believe the Jinzhou Wei clan can last long?" Li Xian asked.

Li Xi nodded. "Since ancient times, forces that unify the world have generally been those occupying the Guanzhong region and the Central Plains. Emperor Gaozu of Han started in Hanzhong and was able to defeat Xiang Yu of Chu because he seized Guanzhong when the opportunity arose. The current Jinzhou territory is, in fact, merely a part of the old Chu region."

"Father may not think highly of the Jinzhou Wei clan, but we cannot afford to offend them either. They are, after all, a branch of the Jingzhao Wei clan, which holds great influence in Chang'an," Li Xian said, clearly unwilling to let go.

"We should not offend the Wei clan, but we must not provoke the Emperor. Think about it: the Emperor is already angry that we formed an alliance with the Marquis. If he learns that the Marquis comes from the Jinzhou Wei clan, his wrath will surely fall upon us, and the consequences would be the destruction of our family," Li Xi warned. Having already told the Emperor he would break the engagement, he had no choice but to commit to that path.

Li Xian nodded helplessly. "If the Emperor is this insistent, we would truly be in great danger if we did not comply."

Li Xi said, "The Emperor is a capable ruler. Since taking down Yang Fugong, he has regained control over the military and political affairs of Chang'an. With the forces in Xingyuan, he has emerged from the shadow of his failures in Hedong and is now filled with ambition."

Li Ji and Li Xian remained silent. Li Xi added, "Do not worry about offending the Jinzhou Wei clan. The Emperor said we could cite his decree as the reason. His intention is to warn the court against collusion. We will explain the truth to the Wei clan—that we were forced."

Li Xian nodded, and Li Ji looked sullen and silent. He did not want to break the engagement, but his father had already made the decision; to oppose him now would be unfilial, and it would look as though he valued his position as prefect more than his word.

...

The next day, Li Xian had it announced that the engagement with the Marquis of Fufeng had been dissolved "by imperial decree," expressing the Li family’s loyalty to the Emperor.

Shortly after, the Emperor responded by promoting Li Xi to Minister of Rites and Chancellor (Pingzhangshi), while removing Li Ji from his post as Prefect of Fuzhou and transferring him to be the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

...

When the Prefect of Jinzhou received the handwritten letter from Li Xi annulling the engagement, he frowned and summoned Wei Xuan and his son to the prefecture office.

In the inner hall, the two men read the letter with surprised expressions. Wei Fufeng’s face darkened immediately, while Wei Xuan remained calm, merely shaking his head with a sigh.

"Tenth, what do you make of this?" his grandfather asked.

"One cannot blame the Li family for this," Wei Xuan replied.

His grandfather gave a disdainful smile. "Calling it 'forced'—it is clear that Li Xi does not believe in our future and does not want to share our fate. He is a willow in the wind, only willing to cling to the strong."

Wei Xuan mused, "Breaking the engagement does not seem to hinder us."

"The hindrance is minimal. We simply cannot obtain the latest movements from the court, but for our current needs, we do not require official appointments from the Ministry of Personnel," the grandfather replied.

Wei Xuan nodded. His grandfather looked at Wei Fufeng and asked, "Fufeng, what do you think?"

"I have no opinion, other than that Jiuniang and Shisiniang are my women. Li Xi’s annulment is nothing but dog shit," Wei Fufeng answered coldly, his voice dripping with anger and resentment.

His grandfather frowned, displeased. "Those who achieve great things must not let their emotions rule them, especially not over women. The last time you risked everything for a woman, it was extremely unwise."

Wei Fufeng remained silent. His grandfather shook his head and added, "Fufeng, I believe the Fufeng Army should leave Chang'an. There is no need for them to be stationed here. This is a good opportunity to withdraw."

Wei Fufeng paused, then thought for a moment. "Withdrawing is fine. We should also clear out our residence in Anyi Ward. Eldest Lady is still in Chang'an; we must send word for her to leave immediately."

His grandfather nodded. "Fufeng, what is your take on the Emperor’s actions?"

Wei Fufeng shook his head. "I have no thoughts. The Emperor is overreaching."

His grandfather shook his head. "The Emperor is merely showcasing his absolute supremacy. It means that after the failure in Hedong, his behavior had become conservative, but now he has regained the urge to assert himself."

Wei Fufeng nodded, his mood souring, and he had no desire to discuss it further.

His grandfather continued, "I know you are resentful. You may vent it. Have the departing Fufeng Army smash the gates of Li Xi’s residence on their way out, then pass by the Daming Palace before leaving Chang'an through the Tonghua Gate."

Wei Xuan was shocked, and Wei Fufeng looked at his grandfather with surprise.

Wei Xuan hesitated. "Father, is that really appropriate?"

His grandfather sneered, "Since the Emperor is acting shamelessly and aggressively, we will slap his face in return to make him burn with rage."

"Father, will such an act affect our appointments as Jiedushi?" Wei Xuan asked, worried.

His grandfather replied calmly, "The Emperor is in the wrong this time. Southern Sichuan is remote; he has no way to punish us. Even if he issues a decree to strip you of your office, he cannot take Southern Sichuan out of Fufeng’s control."

"Will the Emperor use this as a pretext to form a coalition to invade us?" Wei Xuan continued to worry, now that he was in a position of power, he had learned to analyze the situation.

"Fufeng, are you afraid of a coalition attack on Southern Sichuan?" his grandfather asked.

"The Emperor is wary of Li Maozhen growing too powerful, and Li Maozhen is worried about the Emperor seizing Fengxiang. A coalition attack on Southern Sichuan is unlikely, unless the Emperor recruits the forces of other strong warlords," Wei Fufeng replied, focusing on the likelihood rather than his own fear.

His grandfather nodded. "While resting and building up strength is good, a peaceful life can also lead to a complacent military. Li Maozhen occupies the Chengdu Plain; once he establishes a firm foundation, he will pose an overwhelming threat to Southern Sichuan."

Wei Fufeng said, "Grandfather, you intend to provoke the Emperor into sending a coalition to attack Southern Sichuan. I do not believe Li Maozhen will follow the Emperor’s decree."

His grandfather replied, "If Li Maozhen does not follow the decree, it becomes an act of open defiance. If the Fufeng Army smashes the gates, it will weaken the Emperor’s prestige."

Wei Fufeng hesitated. "Smashing the gates is easily criticized."

"Your concern is nothing more than your reluctance to let go of the Li family's daughter. But let me tell you: you cannot reason with those pedantic scholars who speak only of morality. Only when you strike them with a fist will they feel fear and reveal their weakness," his grandfather said bluntly.

Wei Fufeng was stunned. Wei Xuan’s expression flickered with slight embarrassment, and Wei Fufeng wisely remained silent.

After a pause, his grandfather added, "After the stick, we must offer a carrot to avoid revealing our true secrets. I will have someone tell Li Xian that the gate-smashing was done so that the Emperor would stop being suspicious of Li Xi."

Wei Fufeng nodded. "I understand, Grandfather."

"As long as you understand," his grandfather said. "Smashing the gates is to make Li Xi shut his mouth."