IDWBE -Chapter 130 An Arranged Marriage

Moreover, in Baiyun City, most of the time his work counted as voluntary labor.

There were simply too many poor wretches here. Not only did they pay little, they even dared to ask for credit!

How he missed the days in Ankang City—nobles and dignitaries who spent lavishly, casually tossing out several ingots of silver at a time.

Now, he could only hope that the landlords and wealthy households of Baiyun City would frequently suffer from major and minor illnesses to make up for his losses.

The fact that he wasn’t wishing them dead already proved his benevolence as a physician.

He had personally seen great aristocratic families beat seven- or eight-year-old children to death.

Coming to Sanhe had only one advantage: freedom.

Aside from Prince He of the Prince He Residence, he feared no one.

As for that damned eunuch—what he felt wasn’t fear, but terror, often accompanied by heart palpitations, stagnant qi and blood, dizziness, and insomnia.

In severe cases, even deficiency of both qi and blood.

So under normal circumstances, he absolutely avoided going to the Prince He Residence.

After all, going there meant inevitably seeing that dead-fish face.

After hastily finishing his last bite of food, washing up carelessly, he lay down and immediately fell asleep.

But in the latter half of the night, the gate was pounded again—bang, bang, bang—without pause. Both children were awakened and began crying loudly. He was thoroughly irritated.

A traveling merchant staying at Jinfú Inn had once again developed a high fever that wouldn’t subside. He had no choice but to go.

Dragging his exhausted body into the carriage sent to fetch him, he resolved that once he returned this time, he would no longer live at the clinic—at the very least, his family could not continue staying there.

Otherwise, someone might show up in the middle of the night again, and the whole family would never know peace.

The rain stopped three days later.

According to elderly residents of Baiyun City, winters here had never seen such prolonged rainfall before.

It had rained almost continuously for half a month.

Many households found both indoors and outdoors covered in mold—especially grain and bedding.

So the moment the sun came out, every road, alley, and even the parade grounds of Baiyun City were filled with items laid out to dry.

“Clash with the Rabbit, evil in the East; suitable for burial.”

Because of this seemingly minor rain, over seventy lives had been lost.

That day, waves of weeping rose everywhere.

Families with some savings at least had a thin wooden coffin; relatives and friends helped arrange funerals. The poor had not even a straw mat. Some households were so short of able-bodied men that they could not carry the bodies to the hills for burial. In the end, constables had to haul them away by cart for cremation and burial.

Children who lost both parents were sent to Qidian Orphanage.

For a time, Baiyun City was shrouded in grief as far as the eye could see.

The chaotic misery upset Lin Yi deeply. Out of sight, out of mind—he simply stopped going out.

School would soon resume. Taking advantage of the time, he graded the final language examination papers.

Shan Qi, Xie Zan, and the others attended him at his side.

Shan Qi noticed that Lin Yi had awarded a first-class grade to an essay written in vernacular style, while ignoring another written in parallel prose—elegant and ornate—giving it only a third-class grade.

One or two like this might be understandable—but every single vernacular essay received first-class marks!

Shan Qi finally couldn’t hold back. He randomly picked up one first-class and one third-class essay and said, “May I ask how Your Highness determined the grading? This official truly does not understand.”

Xie Zan and the others also looked at Lin Yi, equally puzzled.

“At such a young age, writing things like ‘The sage’s peace lies in sincerity; Qi Diao Kai has the aspiration but not yet the measure’—”

Lin Yi glanced at the neatly written essay in small regular script.

“Writing things even I can’t understand. Can’t he just speak properly? I only gave him third-class because the paper was clean. Otherwise, I’d have given him a duck egg.”

You can’t understand it?

Hearing this, Shan Qi nearly spat blood.

Just because you can’t understand it, you give him third-class?

And you dare to give him third-class?

Aren’t you afraid of making a fool of yourself?

Ignorance truly breeds fearlessness.

He itched to stomp his feet and curse—but that would betray the dignity of a scholar.

After taking a deep breath, Shan Qi argued, “Your Highness, for a child so young to write such an essay is truly commendable. I beg Your Highness to reconsider.”

Xie Zan handed over the other essay. “Then why did Your Highness give this one first-class?”

“My home is by the sea, facing the ocean. We have fishing boats. My father is a fisherman. Each time he goes out to sea, it takes half a month before he returns. I miss him very much.”

As Lin Yi read, he smiled.

“Simple and easy to understand. Sincere in emotion. Isn’t that enough?”

“Your Highness,” Shan Qi said bitterly, “before the exam you set no rule requiring vernacular writing. Now to judge by that standard is unfair.”

Chen Desheng also took the parallel prose essay and said with a smile, “Your Highness, the author of this essay is a fourteen-year-old boy named Liang Yunzhi, a distant nephew of Liang Gen. Though from a poor family, he is intelligent, quick to memorize, and diligent in study. If Your Highness had required vernacular writing from the start, I believe he could also have written splendid prose.”

He and the other old scholars were determined not to let that vernacular essay stand alone as first-class. Otherwise, once posted at the school gates as a model essay, it would be a tremendous joke.

Though they were exiled criminals, they had once been models for scholars across the realm.

In the past, present, and future, they all valued their reputations—especially among fellow scholars.

So no matter what, they would not let Prince He make a mockery of things today.

“That actually makes sense,” Lin Yi nodded unconsciously.

Someone who writes good vernacular may not write good classical prose—but someone skilled in classical prose could probably produce decent vernacular writing.

Thinking it over, he admitted he hadn’t considered everything.

“Your Highness is wise!”

The old scholars were overjoyed.

“Then let them share first-class equally.”

Lin Yi finally came up with what he thought was a brilliant solution.

The old scholars looked at one another, helpless but forced to agree.

“Then it’s settled.”

Lin Yi made the final decision.

After staying cooped up for about a week, he couldn’t bear it any longer and reluctantly went out.

To his relief, Baiyun City seemed to have returned to normal life, the gloom swept away.

But upon reaching the riverbank, he encountered more bad news.

A large ship had returned; twelve sailors aboard had died of illness.

Their bodies were thrown directly into the sea—nothing was brought back.

When the sailors’ families heard the news, they wept uncontrollably at the riverside.

After inquiring, Wang Xu returned and said, “Your Highness, it’s Qiu Wujin’s ship.”

Lin Yi frowned and sighed. “Inform the Qiu family to handle the aftermath properly. Arrange what needs arranging, pay what needs paying. Don’t chill people’s hearts. Otherwise, I will not spare them.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Unable to endure the oppressive atmosphere, Lin Yi turned and went back to the residence.

He stayed indoors for another full week.

“Your Highness, have some lotus seed soup. It’s just been prepared,” Mingyue said with a smile.

“I’ve told you so many times—I don’t drink this stuff.”

Lin Yi was helpless. He drank so much tea daily he was practically full. If he didn’t drink this, it would all go to Fang Pi and those little rascals.

Zixia suggested, “Then perhaps some ginseng soup? Your Highness, you’ve grown thinner recently.”

Lin Yi patted his stomach. It did seem that way. He smiled. “From worry.”

He could never bear witnessing the joys and sorrows of the world.

People can live like pigs—but they may not be as happy as pigs.

Mingyue said, “Your Highness once said, ‘What is meant to be will be; what is not cannot be forced.’ Why grieve for them?”

Lin Yi laughed. “I also said, ‘My fate is determined by me, not by Heaven.’ How do you forget that?”

“Your Highness is right,” Mingyue and Zixia replied in unison.

Just then, Wang Qingbang hurried in.

“Read it,” Lin Yi said.

He didn’t need to guess—it must be a letter from his sister.

“Your Highness, perhaps you should read it yourself.”

Wang Qingbang handed over the translated note.

Curious at his solemn expression, Lin Yi took it and read. Then he laughed.

“My father finally remembered I’m single. Not easy.”

He was nineteen!

And only now did the Emperor remember to arrange his marriage!

In a dynasty a hundred years old, he might be the first prince to marry so late.

Wang Qingbang forced a smile, unwilling to comment on such matters.

Mingyue bowed and smiled. “Congratulations, Your Highness.”

“Hu Miaoyi, daughter of Prince Heshun—”

Lin Yi tossed the note onto the table and lifted his teacup. “And which one is Prince Heshun?”

Wang Qingbang replied, “Prince Heshun is the great-grandson of Hu Qi, the first Duke of Yue. Duke Yue was the adopted son of the Founding Emperor, who followed him through campaigns north and south and rendered great service. Later, he was granted the title Duke of Yue. Prince Heshun’s father inherited a princely title from a collateral branch; by law, the rank was reduced by one generation when passed down.”

“Yuezhou?”

Lin Yi brightened. “Yuezhou has always been prosperous. The Hu family has ruled there for generations like local emperors. This Prince Heshun shouldn’t be short of money, right?”

“Your Highness,” Qi Peng interjected, “Yuezhou has fallen into decay. Prince Heshun’s family has already fled to Nanzhou.”

“What?”

Lin Yi frowned. “You knew this already? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Qi Peng smiled awkwardly. “I feared Your Highness would find me too talkative.”

Lin Yi then asked, “Is my future principal consort at least pretty?”

A wife falling from the sky—there was no reason to refuse.

He only cared about her looks.

Qi Peng replied, “It is said that Lady Pingjiang is accomplished in both civil and martial arts, not inferior to men.”

“I asked about her looks.”

“I truly do not know.”

Lin Yi didn’t believe him, but no matter how he pressed, Qi Peng only claimed ignorance.

Finally, Lin Yi gritted his teeth. “If I promise not to punish you, will that do? If you dare spout another useless word, I’ll have you thrown out of the residence immediately. Believe it?”

After hesitating for a long while, Qi Peng said, “Lady Pingjiang is as beautiful as a flower and moon, innocent and lively.”

“That’s more like it.”

Lin Yi finally relaxed.

He wasn’t obsessed with appearances—but he still hoped his future wife would be good-looking.

After all, it was pleasing to the eye.