Volume One, Chapter 8: The General Truly Is a Timely Rain

“Chu Aoshuang is to receive the imperial edict.”

Upon hearing that Chu Aoshuang was to receive the decree, the Chu family grew excited.

Sure enough, the Empress must have felt that the reward was insufficient and intended to make amends.

Chu Aoshuang herself was somewhat stirred, hastily straightening her clothes before stepping to the center of the hall and kneeling.

Li Zhong unfurled the imperial decree, his voice sharp and clear: “By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:”

“I, who govern the realm with benevolence as foundation and propriety as principle, have learned of the troubled engagement between Xiao Yichen and Chu Aoshuang. After careful investigation, it has been confirmed, and my heart is filled with sympathy.”

At these opening words, the faces of the Chu family shifted; it seemed this was not a decree of reward.

Chu Aoshuang also furrowed her brow slightly, a vague unease stirring within her.

Li Zhong continued: “Marriage is a solemn matter in life, to be based foremost on affection. Yet now that the matter has come to this, to compel it further is futile.”

“Therefore, I hereby order Chu Aoshuang and her family to return in full the betrothal gifts bestowed by Xiao Yichen, without error.”

“I urge both families to value harmony, to resolve this matter properly, and to avoid further turmoil. Henceforth, the two houses shall have no connection. By imperial command.”

When the edict was finished, the Chu family was stunned into silence.

The grand hall of the Chu household fell deathly quiet, no one having expected the Empress to issue such an order demanding the return of the betrothal gifts.

“General Chu, will you not receive the decree?”

Seeing Chu Aoshuang remain kneeling motionless, Li Zhong reminded her gently.

Chu Aoshuang, as if bereft, reached out and took the decree. “Thank… thank Your Majesty for your great mercy.”

Xiao Yichen was somewhat surprised that his broken engagement had stirred the Empress’s attention.

For her to personally issue an edict demanding the Chu family return the betrothal gifts—despite her overwhelming duties—showed concern for such a seemingly minor affair, which he had not anticipated.

Yet this was fortunate; without the edict, given the Chu family’s attitude, he might never have reclaimed the gifts.

After declaring the edict, Li Zhong nodded at Xiao Yichen and departed.

“Is it you, isn’t it? You went before the Emperor to lodge a complaint, didn’t you?”

Chu Aoshuang’s face flushed with anger. She had thought that even if they refused to return the gifts, Xiao Yichen, a broken man, could do nothing against them.

The Chu family’s military household had been wiped out; no one would back him up.

But unexpectedly, Xiao Yichen had gone to the Empress herself and persuaded her to issue a decree demanding the return of the gifts.

How had he managed to convince the Empress to intervene?

Now, to refuse to return the gifts would be to defy imperial command—no one in the Chu family could bear such consequences.

“What are we to do? What are we to do?” Chu Weiming murmured, nearly fainting, as if aged by ten years. Earlier debts had already caused him great anguish, but he had thought that once his daughter married Fu Chenxing and both earned military honors, the Chu family would inevitably rise.

But now, with the Empress’s decree demanding the return of the gifts, the Chu family would be utterly ruined.

Unless they sold their ancestral home.

But if they sold the ancestral estate, where would the whole family live? They couldn’t very well sleep on the streets.

He harbored quiet regret for having agreed to his daughter’s broken engagement.

The others in the Chu family were like ants on a hot pan, their earlier insolence gone. If they failed to return the gifts, their lives could very well be forfeit.

Chu Aoshuang grew anxious as well, wondering if she should enter the palace to plead with the Empress.

Just then,

the steward hurried in.

“Master… General Fu has arrived, bringing the betrothal gifts, saying he has come to formally propose marriage.”

“Hurry… admit him at once.”

“No, I shall personally go out to greet him.”

Chu Weiming’s expression brightened with excitement. General Fu was here to propose! Salvation was at hand, the Chu family was saved!

General Fu was truly their timely rain and favorable wind.

Chu Aoshuang’s mood lifted as well, and she hurried out, with the entire Chu family following her from the hall.

They saw Fu Chenxing entering with several attendants. Upon seeing the Chu family come out to greet them, a smile spread across his face.

“Greetings, Uncle.”

“Oh, General, there is no need for such formality.”

“Uncle has long awaited your proposal; today is most timely.”

Chu Weiming looked toward the procession of carriages bearing the betrothal gifts outside the gate, wrinkles of joy creasing his face.

“Fu Lang.”

Chu Aoshuang spoke with a hint of coquettishness, causing Fu Chenxing to feel a pleasant tingling through his body.

Previously, Chu Aoshuang had never addressed him this way—always calling him Chenxing—and now with such charm, it was quite different.

He smiled and said, “The imperial edict has arrived, ordering me to marry you and forbidding any broken engagement. You can rest assured now.”

“Mm.”

Chu Aoshuang nodded, then glanced back with a slight smile curling her lips.

Xiao Yichen, you may have won my hand, but you will never win my heart; your clumsy schemes cannot win me back.

Fu Chenxing followed Chu Aoshuang’s gaze and saw Xiao Yichen among the crowd, and hatred flared in his eyes.

This was the man he had long dreamed of crushing underfoot, yet here he was.

But soon his face brightened with a smile—this was even better.

To witness with his own eyes the betrothal gifts he brought snatched by Xiao Yichen’s family, and Chu Aoshuang so close to him, surely it drove Xiao Yichen to madness.

This was only the beginning; the real show was yet to come.

I will make you suffer the pain of losing the woman you love, step by step.

“Fu Lang, you’ve come at the perfect time. The Emperor’s edict commands me to return the betrothal gifts to the Xiao family, but my family no longer has sufficient funds. Use your betrothal gifts to repay them.”

Chu Aoshuang spoke.

“Wha… what? Use my betrothal gifts to repay Xiao Yichen?”

Fu Chenxing was stunned. He had planned to humiliate Xiao Yichen, but now he was expected to hand over his gifts to his enemy.

If the gifts went to the Chu family, he could find ways to reclaim some later. But if given to Xiao Yichen, they were gone for good.

“I know this puts you in a difficult position. But since these are betrothal gifts, they belong to me. What is mine, I may dispose of as I wish.”

“Besides, you wouldn’t want me to defy the imperial edict, would you?”

Fu Chenxing could only nod. Since it was the Emperor’s command, the Xiao family’s betrothal gifts must be returned.

He proudly declared, “My betrothal gifts are substantial. Whatever your family owes him, take it to repay.”

Chu Weiming’s face lit up with excitement, feeling Fu Chenxing was extremely generous.

Chu Aoshuang cast a contemptuous glance at Xiao Yichen.

“The betrothal gifts he gave me amounted to two hundred thousand taels of silver.”

“Tw… two hundred thousand?”

Fu Chenxing could hardly believe his ears. Having been in the military camp these years, he had no idea how much the Xiao family had given. Bringing one hundred thousand taels himself, he had thought it sufficient, never imagining the Xiao family’s gifts totaled two hundred thousand.

Xiao Yichen smiled at this moment. “General Fu, since you are so generous, I shall not be polite.”

“Liu Fu, go and count the betrothal gifts from General Fu.”

Liu Fu and his men went off and soon returned. “Young Master, there are only one hundred thousand taels of betrothal gifts.”

Chu Weiming’s smile froze. Only one hundred thousand? What was all that boasting about?

Chu Aoshuang was somewhat dissatisfied as well. She had thought herself worth a million, yet Fu Chenxing brought only one hundred thousand—an insult to her.

Xiao Yichen frowned. “General Fu, this is a bit scant. Very well, I’ll accept these one hundred thousand taels for now. You have three days to raise the remaining one hundred thousand. If you fail, don’t blame me for being unforgiving.”

He then instructed Liu Fu to take away Fu family’s betrothal gifts along with the Chu family’s outstanding debts.

“General Fu, thank you for your betrothal gifts.”

“Don’t forget the other one hundred thousand taels.”

Xiao Yichen smiled as he left under Fu Chenxing’s furious glare.

Truly outrageous!

Fu Chenxing felt his fury rising to the point of explosion. Happily bringing the betrothal gifts to propose, only to end up the fool.

Xiao Yichen, this isn’t over between us!