When Wang Ping spoke these words, there was a hint of reservation in his voice. Coming from the prestigious Wang family in Langya, even if he belonged to a branch lineage, he was still a member of an influential and unattainable family that others couldn’t easily match. Why would he readily play matchmaker for someone? However, after interacting with Yiyan for over a month, he couldn’t come up with a better solution.
Yiyan was simply somewhat incomprehensible. He didn’t enjoy revelry, cared little for wealth and beautiful women, and even when invited to feasts, he paid no attention to the performers. It was impossible to discern his preferences. Such a general, without desires or demands, actually made people wary. Despite Zhang Fang’s greed and Gou Xi’s love for killing, the more coarse and vulgar they were, the more they gained the trust of the superior. If someone had no personal interests, could their ambitions be even greater? Especially considering this Jie Hu who betrayed his lord!
After careful consideration, Wang Ping finally decided to focus on the idea of a marriage alliance. This wasn’t an unprecedented move; Wang Jun of You County had married two daughters to the Duan and Yu Xianbei. Without these two marriages, where would the 100,000 Xianbei cavalry in You County come from? However, the Taiyuan Wang family had never placed much emphasis on marriage alliances and family background, unlike the prestigious Langya Wang family. The Wang family’s daughters would never marry a Jie Hu like Yiyan. But without the Wang family’s daughters, there were those smaller clans attached to the Wang family. Choosing one of them would still be of noble descent. Pairing them with a Jie Hu would be more than adequate!
As for whether Yiyan would agree, it was not even a consideration for Wang Ping. Given his status and appearance, marrying into a common family was already pushing the limits, not to mention marrying into a noble family. If he hadn’t found a suitable candidate, why would he, at this age, still be unmarried?
However, Wang Ping was full of confidence, while the person opposite him did not respond immediately. Seeing Yiyan’s lack of response, Wang Ping sensed that something was amiss, and his expression immediately turned serious, “What’s the matter, General Yi? Don’t you want me to act as a matchmaker?”
Having compromised to this extent, if he were rejected, where would he put his face? Could these Bing County soldiers still be useful to him?
As he was puzzled, he heard a voice speak up, “Thank you for the kind intentions, Lord Wang. It’s just that I have someone in mind.”
Hmm? Wang Ping raised his eyebrows in surprise, “General, you have someone in mind? Then why…”
He stopped abruptly in the middle of his sentence. Having someone in mind but being unable to marry them, what could be the reason? Most likely, it was due to a disparity in social status! Revealing such a flaw directly, wouldn’t that offend the other party?
To his surprise, Yiyan did not show any sign of annoyance and nodded, saying, “It is precisely because of my lowly status that I dare not make such a request.”
Wang Ping hadn’t expected him to answer so straightforwardly and couldn’t help but cough, “General Yi, you are now a Marquis within the imperial court, overseeing military affairs in Northern Hebei. Which family’s daughter can’t you aspire to? Why not share your thoughts, and let me see if I can be of assistance?”
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Faced with such kindness, Yiyan still shook his head, “It’s just that this is far from enough.”
Although his voice was plain, his icy face displayed an expression different from usual. It seemed restrained, filled with melancholy, self-deprecation, and also a hint of reluctance and frustration.
Rarely seeing Yiyan reveal such emotions, Wang Ping’s curiosity was piqued. This didn’t seem like a casual remark; there must be something more to it. Perhaps the woman he sought was truly of an unreachable status, like the prominent families of Taiyuan – the Wangs, the Guos, or the Suns. Even with his current titles, he might not even be considered.
Could this be the reason why this Jie person has separated from Liang Zixi and turned to the court? No matter how much Liang Zixi values him, he can’t possibly reward him with a high position, let alone arrange a marriage with a high-born lady. Liang Zixi himself couldn’t marry into the Wang family, let alone his Jie generals. But the court is different. If they can get the support of someone like Sima Yue or Wang Yan, what’s there to worry about regarding official positions and noble titles? Don’t mention Yiyan; how many individuals in the world sacrifice their dignity just to secure an official position? Isn’t this a common occurrence?
Wearing a faint smile on his face, Wang Ping said, “I never expected that there would be a beauty who caught General Yi’s eye. As long as the General makes contributions and serves the court, what’s there to worry about finding a wife?”
In Yiyan’s eyes, a gleam of determination seemed to emerge, “Lord Wang speaks the truth. This humble general, despite his limited abilities, also aspires to make contributions!”
In his voice, there was indeed an existing ambition, an ambition that he did not hide.
Although it was quite different from what he had imagined, this mindset could also be considered a weakness. With this newfound understanding, Wang Ping burst into laughter, “That’s the spirit of a true man!”
As long as there was a weakness, how could he not control this person? Wang Ping twirled his long beard, squinting his eyes. It seemed like this matter needed to be reported to his uncle early on.
Yiyan didn’t say much more. After bowing, he retreated. A few days later, new recruits in Ye City began their training, and a letter quietly made its way along the Fu Kou Pass, heading towards Jinyang.
Presently, important correspondences between Ye City and Jinyang were encrypted with military codes. They needed translation to be read, preventing leaks of sensitive information.
Therefore, when Liang Feng received the translated letter, he breathed a sigh of relief, “The roving bandits have entered Ji County.”
This was much better than he had imagined. If those bandits had lingered in Wei Jun or headed south to Yan County, it would have been challenging to deal with them. But they chose to go to Ji County. Wasn’t this providing an excuse for military action in Ji County? Zhao County and Changshan County bordered Bing County, and they would likely become the front lines in the future conflict with You County. It was essential to isolate and prepare in advance.
But a thought flashed in his mind, and he immediately remembered something, “Meng Sun, how is your family?”
Zhang Bin, hailing from Zhao County, had previously served under King Zhongshan and was now fighting in his hometown. Zhang Bin had already read the letter and calmly replied, “I have relocated my family to Leping, and there are no worries on the home front. However, General Yi should carefully consider his future conquests. It’s best to move along the northern line, targeting the southeast of Ji County.”
With Zhang Bin’s remark, Liang Feng quickly understood. The northwest direction was the junction of Bing County, Ji County, and You County. Regardless of whether Wang Jun would relent or not, seizing those territories would eventually turn them into battlefields, which might not be worth the effort. However, heading southeast was much more convenient. It wouldn’t raise strong vigilance from Wang Jun, and they could expand their territory along the Wei Jun line. It was truly the best option.
“This plan is feasible,” Liang Feng agreed.
After settling the plan, he continued reading about the military training in Ye City. Liang Feng wasn’t concerned about this matter, but after reading for a while, his expression suddenly changed.
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Zhang Bin, anticipating the reason, comforted him gently, “Lord, do not worry. Since General Yi wrote about this matter explicitly, it is an expression of loyalty to you. Wang Ping’s scheming has proven futile.”
How could this be an expression of loyalty? It was clearly a veiled confession of love! Moreover, it was written using military codes in front of all the staff of the provincial governor’s office! When Liang Feng saw the line “Wang Ping proposes marriage, rejected,” he couldn’t describe the feeling in his heart. He had considered having Yiyan marry early to cut off those strange thoughts. But how could he allow others to intervene in this matter?!
No. Liang Feng dismissed those wayward thoughts. It had nothing to do with proposing marriage but rather that Yiyan’s heart had never wavered. Even though he was far away in Ye City, there was not the slightest shake in his determination.
Suppressing the inner turmoil, Liang Feng said, “Being far away, Boyuan is bound to encounter such matters. It would be best to head to Ji County soon.”
Was this because of fear that if it dragged on too long, the unity among the people would disintegrate? However, Zhang Bin didn’t delve deeper into it. He nodded in agreement and added, “Speaking of marriage, the Lord should also consider another noble family for alliance. The Liang family is thin in population, which is not a good sign.”
Liang Feng’s immediate relatives were indeed too impoverished. Since the Sima family usurped Wei, the Liang family had never held any official positions. When Empress Jia was in power, his wife’s family faced repercussions, forcing them to avoid disaster by moving to Shangdang. Coupled with the severed ties with his maternal aunt’s family, there were truly no usable blood relatives. Such a thin lineage didn’t align with the current societal expectations. At the very least, he needed to establish numerous alliances, just like Emperor Shao of Han, Liu Bei, to be considered worthy.
Unexpectedly, the conversation turned to this topic, and Liang Feng furrowed his brows, saying, “This matter is not urgent.”
Thinking that the lord might have been disturbed by the previous incident involving Wang’s seventh daughter, Zhang Bin whispered, “We can also bypass high-ranking families like Wang and Guo. Choose a family of comparable status. Lord is still young, and there is only Young Master Rong as the heir. How can the lord’s residence be left empty?”
He wanted to continue, but Liang Feng waved his hand, saying, “Meng Sun, there’s no need to say more. Family members, even sworn brothers and local associates, ultimately pale in comparison to the word ‘interest.’ If seeking support, we should follow the example of Han Gaozu.”
Zhang Bin was momentarily stunned. What did Han Gaozu Liu Bang rely on when he declared himself emperor? Was it his noble lineage? Was it his in-laws? Was it his fellow villagers? In reality, it was none of these. He was adept at recognizing talent. After conquering the world, these followers naturally became the initial beneficiaries, helping Liu Bang maintain order in the Han Dynasty. In fact, which dynasty did not follow a similar pattern? There always had to be new aristocratic families replacing the old wealthy ones. Rather than consistently yielding to the high-ranking families, it might be better to break out of this closed circle and promote a new class.
Commoners and scholars were the best targets, weren’t they?
However, this path was treacherous. Even Wei Wu had not successfully traversed it back in the day. Could the lord really make it through?
This responsibility seemed no less weighty than what Zhang Zifang bore on his shoulders! Stirred by a surge of heroism, Zhang Bin composed himself and bowed to the lord, “Bin will certainly help the lord achieve success!”
Seeing Zhang Bin’s excited expression, Liang Feng also breathed a sigh of relief. Aristocratic families were indeed troublesome, but after the prosperity of the imperial examination system, they ultimately faded from the historical stage. Moreover, from what he knew, there were plenty of talented individuals in Chinese history who rose from poverty to become emperors. Was intermarriage really that crucial? Perhaps not.
In the end, it was just one class replacing another. The most reliable factor was the struggle between interest groups. This was even more solid than blood ties or marriages.
The world would still be in chaos. It might be better for those aristocratic families to stay away from Jiangnan.
As for marriage… Liang Feng lowered his eyelids and sighed inwardly. It might be best to temporarily set aside such concerns. At least wait until Ji County is pacified, and the major trouble with Wang Jun is resolved before considering it. He relaxed his grip on the letter, no longer looking at its contents, and casually placed it aside.
When Wang Ping spoke these words, there was a hint of reservation in his voice. Coming from the prestigious Wang family in Langya, even if he belonged to a branch lineage, he was still a member of an influential and unattainable family that others couldn’t easily match. Why would he readily play matchmaker for someone? However, after interacting with Yiyan for over a month, he couldn’t come up with a better solution.
Yiyan was simply somewhat incomprehensible. He didn’t enjoy revelry, cared little for wealth and beautiful women, and even when invited to feasts, he paid no attention to the performers. It was impossible to discern his preferences. Such a general, without desires or demands, actually made people wary. Despite Zhang Fang’s greed and Gou Xi’s love for killing, the more coarse and vulgar they were, the more they gained the trust of the superior. If someone had no personal interests, could their ambitions be even greater? Especially considering this Jie Hu who betrayed his lord!
After careful consideration, Wang Ping finally decided to focus on the idea of a marriage alliance. This wasn’t an unprecedented move; Wang Jun of You County had married two daughters to the Duan and Yu Xianbei. Without these two marriages, where would the 100,000 Xianbei cavalry in You County come from? However, the Taiyuan Wang family had never placed much emphasis on marriage alliances and family background, unlike the prestigious Langya Wang family. The Wang family’s daughters would never marry a Jie Hu like Yiyan. But without the Wang family’s daughters, there were those smaller clans attached to the Wang family. Choosing one of them would still be of noble descent. Pairing them with a Jie Hu would be more than adequate!
As for whether Yiyan would agree, it was not even a consideration for Wang Ping. Given his status and appearance, marrying into a common family was already pushing the limits, not to mention marrying into a noble family. If he hadn’t found a suitable candidate, why would he, at this age, still be unmarried?
However, Wang Ping was full of confidence, while the person opposite him did not respond immediately. Seeing Yiyan’s lack of response, Wang Ping sensed that something was amiss, and his expression immediately turned serious, “What’s the matter, General Yi? Don’t you want me to act as a matchmaker?”
Having compromised to this extent, if he were rejected, where would he put his face? Could these Bing County soldiers still be useful to him?
As he was puzzled, he heard a voice speak up, “Thank you for the kind intentions, Lord Wang. It’s just that I have someone in mind.”
Hmm? Wang Ping raised his eyebrows in surprise, “General, you have someone in mind? Then why…”
He stopped abruptly in the middle of his sentence. Having someone in mind but being unable to marry them, what could be the reason? Most likely, it was due to a disparity in social status! Revealing such a flaw directly, wouldn’t that offend the other party?
To his surprise, Yiyan did not show any sign of annoyance and nodded, saying, “It is precisely because of my lowly status that I dare not make such a request.”
Wang Ping hadn’t expected him to answer so straightforwardly and couldn’t help but cough, “General Yi, you are now a Marquis within the imperial court, overseeing military affairs in Northern Hebei. Which family’s daughter can’t you aspire to? Why not share your thoughts, and let me see if I can be of assistance?”
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Faced with such kindness, Yiyan still shook his head, “It’s just that this is far from enough.”
Although his voice was plain, his icy face displayed an expression different from usual. It seemed restrained, filled with melancholy, self-deprecation, and also a hint of reluctance and frustration.
Rarely seeing Yiyan reveal such emotions, Wang Ping’s curiosity was piqued. This didn’t seem like a casual remark; there must be something more to it. Perhaps the woman he sought was truly of an unreachable status, like the prominent families of Taiyuan – the Wangs, the Guos, or the Suns. Even with his current titles, he might not even be considered.
Could this be the reason why this Jie person has separated from Liang Zixi and turned to the court? No matter how much Liang Zixi values him, he can’t possibly reward him with a high position, let alone arrange a marriage with a high-born lady. Liang Zixi himself couldn’t marry into the Wang family, let alone his Jie generals. But the court is different. If they can get the support of someone like Sima Yue or Wang Yan, what’s there to worry about regarding official positions and noble titles? Don’t mention Yiyan; how many individuals in the world sacrifice their dignity just to secure an official position? Isn’t this a common occurrence?
Wearing a faint smile on his face, Wang Ping said, “I never expected that there would be a beauty who caught General Yi’s eye. As long as the General makes contributions and serves the court, what’s there to worry about finding a wife?”
In Yiyan’s eyes, a gleam of determination seemed to emerge, “Lord Wang speaks the truth. This humble general, despite his limited abilities, also aspires to make contributions!”
In his voice, there was indeed an existing ambition, an ambition that he did not hide.
Although it was quite different from what he had imagined, this mindset could also be considered a weakness. With this newfound understanding, Wang Ping burst into laughter, “That’s the spirit of a true man!”
As long as there was a weakness, how could he not control this person? Wang Ping twirled his long beard, squinting his eyes. It seemed like this matter needed to be reported to his uncle early on.
Yiyan didn’t say much more. After bowing, he retreated. A few days later, new recruits in Ye City began their training, and a letter quietly made its way along the Fu Kou Pass, heading towards Jinyang.
Presently, important correspondences between Ye City and Jinyang were encrypted with military codes. They needed translation to be read, preventing leaks of sensitive information.
Therefore, when Liang Feng received the translated letter, he breathed a sigh of relief, “The roving bandits have entered Ji County.”
This was much better than he had imagined. If those bandits had lingered in Wei Jun or headed south to Yan County, it would have been challenging to deal with them. But they chose to go to Ji County. Wasn’t this providing an excuse for military action in Ji County? Zhao County and Changshan County bordered Bing County, and they would likely become the front lines in the future conflict with You County. It was essential to isolate and prepare in advance.
But a thought flashed in his mind, and he immediately remembered something, “Meng Sun, how is your family?”
Zhang Bin, hailing from Zhao County, had previously served under King Zhongshan and was now fighting in his hometown. Zhang Bin had already read the letter and calmly replied, “I have relocated my family to Leping, and there are no worries on the home front. However, General Yi should carefully consider his future conquests. It’s best to move along the northern line, targeting the southeast of Ji County.”
With Zhang Bin’s remark, Liang Feng quickly understood. The northwest direction was the junction of Bing County, Ji County, and You County. Regardless of whether Wang Jun would relent or not, seizing those territories would eventually turn them into battlefields, which might not be worth the effort. However, heading southeast was much more convenient. It wouldn’t raise strong vigilance from Wang Jun, and they could expand their territory along the Wei Jun line. It was truly the best option.
“This plan is feasible,” Liang Feng agreed.
After settling the plan, he continued reading about the military training in Ye City. Liang Feng wasn’t concerned about this matter, but after reading for a while, his expression suddenly changed.
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Zhang Bin, anticipating the reason, comforted him gently, “Lord, do not worry. Since General Yi wrote about this matter explicitly, it is an expression of loyalty to you. Wang Ping’s scheming has proven futile.”
How could this be an expression of loyalty? It was clearly a veiled confession of love! Moreover, it was written using military codes in front of all the staff of the provincial governor’s office! When Liang Feng saw the line “Wang Ping proposes marriage, rejected,” he couldn’t describe the feeling in his heart. He had considered having Yiyan marry early to cut off those strange thoughts. But how could he allow others to intervene in this matter?!
No. Liang Feng dismissed those wayward thoughts. It had nothing to do with proposing marriage but rather that Yiyan’s heart had never wavered. Even though he was far away in Ye City, there was not the slightest shake in his determination.
Suppressing the inner turmoil, Liang Feng said, “Being far away, Boyuan is bound to encounter such matters. It would be best to head to Ji County soon.”
Was this because of fear that if it dragged on too long, the unity among the people would disintegrate? However, Zhang Bin didn’t delve deeper into it. He nodded in agreement and added, “Speaking of marriage, the Lord should also consider another noble family for alliance. The Liang family is thin in population, which is not a good sign.”
Liang Feng’s immediate relatives were indeed too impoverished. Since the Sima family usurped Wei, the Liang family had never held any official positions. When Empress Jia was in power, his wife’s family faced repercussions, forcing them to avoid disaster by moving to Shangdang. Coupled with the severed ties with his maternal aunt’s family, there were truly no usable blood relatives. Such a thin lineage didn’t align with the current societal expectations. At the very least, he needed to establish numerous alliances, just like Emperor Shao of Han, Liu Bei, to be considered worthy.
Unexpectedly, the conversation turned to this topic, and Liang Feng furrowed his brows, saying, “This matter is not urgent.”
Thinking that the lord might have been disturbed by the previous incident involving Wang’s seventh daughter, Zhang Bin whispered, “We can also bypass high-ranking families like Wang and Guo. Choose a family of comparable status. Lord is still young, and there is only Young Master Rong as the heir. How can the lord’s residence be left empty?”
He wanted to continue, but Liang Feng waved his hand, saying, “Meng Sun, there’s no need to say more. Family members, even sworn brothers and local associates, ultimately pale in comparison to the word ‘interest.’ If seeking support, we should follow the example of Han Gaozu.”
Zhang Bin was momentarily stunned. What did Han Gaozu Liu Bang rely on when he declared himself emperor? Was it his noble lineage? Was it his in-laws? Was it his fellow villagers? In reality, it was none of these. He was adept at recognizing talent. After conquering the world, these followers naturally became the initial beneficiaries, helping Liu Bang maintain order in the Han Dynasty. In fact, which dynasty did not follow a similar pattern? There always had to be new aristocratic families replacing the old wealthy ones. Rather than consistently yielding to the high-ranking families, it might be better to break out of this closed circle and promote a new class.
Commoners and scholars were the best targets, weren’t they?
However, this path was treacherous. Even Wei Wu had not successfully traversed it back in the day. Could the lord really make it through?
This responsibility seemed no less weighty than what Zhang Zifang bore on his shoulders! Stirred by a surge of heroism, Zhang Bin composed himself and bowed to the lord, “Bin will certainly help the lord achieve success!”
Seeing Zhang Bin’s excited expression, Liang Feng also breathed a sigh of relief. Aristocratic families were indeed troublesome, but after the prosperity of the imperial examination system, they ultimately faded from the historical stage. Moreover, from what he knew, there were plenty of talented individuals in Chinese history who rose from poverty to become emperors. Was intermarriage really that crucial? Perhaps not.
In the end, it was just one class replacing another. The most reliable factor was the struggle between interest groups. This was even more solid than blood ties or marriages.
The world would still be in chaos. It might be better for those aristocratic families to stay away from Jiangnan.
As for marriage… Liang Feng lowered his eyelids and sighed inwardly. It might be best to temporarily set aside such concerns. At least wait until Ji County is pacified, and the major trouble with Wang Jun is resolved before considering it. He relaxed his grip on the letter, no longer looking at its contents, and casually placed it aside.
