Volume 1, Chapter 20: Stunned Silence

"By the grace of the Emperor, thus it is decreed."

"The Xiao family has always been defined by loyalty and righteousness. They have guarded the borders, shed their blood upon the battlefield, and their house is one of supreme sacrifice; their noble spirit shall endure forever. Their absolute devotion is witnessed by heaven and earth."

"Xiao Yichen, inheriting the loyal and courageous spirit of the Xiao family, possesses great ambition and exceptional talent. He is hereby conferred the title of Marquis of Loyalty and Courage. May you live up to the Emperor’s grace and strive ever forward. Respect this."

As the imperial decree finished, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence. Everyone’s head was buzzing; they could not believe what they had just heard.

What did the Emperor say?

Xiao Yichen possesses great ambition and exceptional talent? Was the Emperor not speaking blatant nonsense with his eyes wide open? In the entire capital, who did not know that Xiao Yichen was nothing but a good-for-nothing? He had not performed a single meritorious deed, yet he had actually been granted the title of Marquis.

The Xiao family was indeed a family of martyrs, and they could have accepted the posthumous conferring of a Duke title upon Xiao Zhantian, but what was Xiao Yichen? By what virtue or ability did he deserve this?

Su Jinfeng and Han Gengyao both gasped, their faces filled with disbelief. It seemed that the imperial favor bestowed upon Xiao Yichen was even more profound than that granted to Fu Chenxing. Yet, both felt a sense of relief; though they had claimed to sever ties with their daughter, she was still their own flesh and blood. If Xiao Yichen were a Marquis, their daughter’s life would be a little easier.

However, there was an oddity to the decree: a Marquis should typically be granted a fiefdom, but the decree made no mention of it, meaning no land was attached. It was equivalent to holding the title of Marquis without the corresponding benefits. Furthermore, both felt a strange intuition—having just conferred the title of Fourth-Rank General upon Fu Chenxing, the Empress immediately turned to grant Xiao Yichen the title of Marquis. It looked very much as if the Empress were helping Xiao Yichen suppress Fu Chenxing.

Su Jinfeng recalled the words Xiao Yichen had once said: "Do not bully a young man for being poor." A doubt flickered in his heart: could this be where his confidence came from?

At this moment, the smile on Fu Chenxing’s face stiffened. He never imagined that Xiao Yichen would actually be made a Marquis. Compared to a Marquis, what was his Fourth-Rank General title? Even without a fief, he was still a Marquis appointed by the imperial court—not someone a Fourth-Rank General could easily bully.

Not only him, but everyone present had failed to anticipate this. Chu Weiming’s lips trembled, and he nearly lost his footing. If the engagement had not been broken, his daughter would now be a Marchioness, and his Chu family would be relatives of a Marquis. They could have walked sideways through the capital with such status.

Chu Aoshuang was even more stunned, her face deathly pale, her body trembling slightly. Xiao Yichen had become a Marquis? How could it be? The good-for-nothing she had abandoned and viewed as worthless had transformed into a Marquis? She felt as if needles were pricking her heart, causing her breathing to become ragged.

No! This could not be. How could the waste she discarded become a Marquis? If he were a Marquis, wouldn't that mean she was the one who was blind, the one who was wrong? It had to be fake! It must be fake!

How could she, Chu Aoshuang, be wrong? Xiao Yichen was nothing but mud that she had trampled underfoot; how could he possibly rise again? Something must be wrong!

"Eunuch Li, are you forging an imperial decree? How could this good-for-nothing Xiao Yichen be a Marquis? He—"

"Smack!"

Before she could finish, Fu Chenxing slapped her across the face. "Are you insane? Questioning an imperial decree—are you trying to get us killed?"

Fu Chenxing shouted, then turned to apologize to Li Zhong with a fawning smile, "Eunuch Li, please, don't mind her. She has had too much to drink and is just babbling."

Chu Aoshuang knew she had spoken out of turn, but she was unconvinced, covering her face with a look of venomous resentment. Fu Chenxing had humiliated her in front of so many people, causing her to lose all face. Unable to bear staying there any longer, she stormed back to her room, growing angrier the more she thought about it, smashing everything in sight. A faint sense of regret began to take root; if she hadn't broken off the engagement, she would be a Marchioness now.

Hearing the commotion from the room, the guests exchanged awkward glances and, finding it impossible to stay, took their leave one after another.

Fu Chenxing’s face was ashen; his own dignity had been shattered as well. He suddenly felt a twinge of regret. He had originally intended to steal Xiao Yichen’s fiancée to cause him pain, but Xiao Yichen hadn't suffered; instead, he had found three women even more outstanding than Chu Aoshuang, and now, it was he who felt the sting. His family’s coffers had been emptied just to marry Chu Aoshuang. For the first time, Fu Chenxing wondered if his method of revenge had been wrong.

...

Xiao Yichen took the imperial decree, his head still spinning. Even after leaving the Fu residence, he could hardly believe it was real. He had actually become a Marquis! This surprise had come so suddenly—why did it feel as though the Empress was intentionally helping him?

This was the second time. Last time at the Chu residence, it was the Empress’s decree that forced the Chu family to return the betrothal gifts, otherwise, he would have never recovered them. This time at the Fu residence, the title of Marquis had suppressed Fu Chenxing’s arrogance and caused Chu Aoshuang to lose her composure and get slapped. Xiao Yichen felt a sense of vindication; if his cultivation hadn't been depleted, he would have liked to slap Chu Aoshuang’s poisonous mouth a few times himself.

"Tenth Brother, what should we do with these shops?" Luo Wanying asked, shaking the property deeds in her hand.

Xiao Yichen tucked the decree away and shook his head. "Let’s go home first, then go see the shops before we decide."

...

At the Xiao residence, when the Dowager Madame Xiao and the other women heard that Xiao Yichen had been conferred the title of Marquis of Loyalty and Courage, they could not help but burst into tears.

"Heaven has eyes. My Xiao family has been loyal for generations. Now that Tenth Brother has received this honor, it serves as a small consolation for the sacrifice of our entire house," the Dowager whispered to herself. The other women nodded; though there was no fief and no material reward, the title alone was enough.

"Go to the ancestral hall. Let our ancestors know of this joyous event." The Dowager stood up, and the women followed.

After offering incense to the martyrs of the Xiao family and announcing the news, the women left, but Xiao Yichen remained. His gaze swept over the spirit tablets—his Great-Grandfather Xiao Tiance, his Grandfather Xiao Aofeng, his father Xiao Pojun, all the way to his father, Xiao Zhantian, at the front of the table—four generations of heroes. The Great Liang Dynasty’s current borders were built upon the contributions of the Xiao family.

"Father, I know that when you were alive, I was your greatest worry. You wanted to see me married and settled. You used to say that Chu Aoshuang was different from ordinary women—bold and unbound by worldly conventions. You said that to prove her resolve, she went through with the marriage before the betrothal gifts were even sent, and that she was a remarkable woman. You told me to treat her well and not to fail her. I am afraid I have disappointed you."

"I have now finalized the annulment of our engagement and have no further ties to the Chu family. The Emperor has not forgotten our Xiao family and has made me a Marquis. Father, rest assured, your son will not let you down. I will hold this house together and will not let the Xiao family fall into decline. I hope that you and my nine brothers will bless me from heaven, so that my meridians may recover as soon as possible."

After speaking, Xiao Yichen lingered for a moment, staring at the tablets before slowly walking away.

...

In the West Market of the capital, Xiao Yichen looked at the shops before him, his brows furrowed. The ten shops were dilapidated, small, and located in a remote area with very little foot traffic.

Luo Wanying said, "Well? I told you these shops were no good."

Xiao Yichen nodded. "Indeed, they are not."

"Then let’s go find Fu Chenxing. He sold us shoddy goods; we shouldn't let him get away with it."

Xiao Yichen shook his head. "The property deeds have the appraiser's valuation from the agency. It won't do any good to go after Fu Chenxing."

"Then what should we do?"

"Let them be for now. Perhaps they will be useful for business in the future."

Su Lingxue frowned. "Tenth Brother, are you really going to swallow this insult?"

Xiao Yichen chuckled. "I am not a man who lets himself be taken advantage of. Since they want to play dirty with me, I won't be polite to them either."

A cold glint flickered in Xiao Yichen’s eyes. He already knew that the Chu family’s Luo Yi Workshop was launching an improved purple dye in ten days. Then, let us see whose dye will truly shock the capital!