At the entrance to the military camp, the six personal guards waiting outside the barricade saw Niu Youdao and Yuan Gang come out. They wanted to approach the gate to receive them, but the guards stopped them.
The two men came out, and Niu Youdao waved. "Carriage!"
A carriage was immediately led over. Yuan Gang loaded the heavy chest onto it, then turned back and asked Niu Youdao, "Will you be in any danger if you stay here?"
Niu Youdao said, "As long as you handle things cleanly and swiftly, I'll be fine."
One of the personal guards asked curiously, "Daoist Master, aren't you leaving?"
Yuan Gang turned around and shouted, "Stop wasting time. Move!" He mounted his horse as well.
Niu Youdao reminded him from the side, "Make a bigger commotion!"
Yuan Gang nodded to show that he understood, then called the others over and quickly departed.
Ju came to the barricade and stared at the scene before her. When she saw that they had even prepared a carriage, she realized they were certain they could borrow money from the General!
Niu Youdao turned around. Seeing her, he nodded with a faint smile, brushed past her, and returned to the military camp.
Ju turned to look at him, then hurried out of the camp and followed Yuan Gang's trail.
Yuan Gang had not gone far either. As soon as he reached a street corner, he immediately called six personal guards over. Some climbed into the carriage, while others blocked off the area around it to watch.
Inside the carriage, Yuan Gang opened the chest. The gold coins inside gleamed dazzlingly, and everyone could not help letting out a soft cry. They exchanged glances. They had actually obtained so much money in the blink of an eye, and it was clearly from inside the military camp. That Daoist Master really was something!
Yuan Gang began dividing the money. He filled a bag for each of four men and ordered them to split into pairs and purchase supplies. He had already prepared a list for them detailing where to buy each item and how much it should cost. They only needed to go to the designated locations, make the purchases, and then meet at the appointed place with the goods. There was only one requirement: the task had to be completed properly—and quickly.
The two groups scattered with the money. They had no idea what Yuan Gang's instructions meant, but they simply did as they were told.
Yuan Gang took the remaining two men and most of the money and left.
Following behind, Ju saw the group split in three directions and did not know which one to follow. In the end, she chose Yuan Gang, since he plainly looked like the leader. But she did not overlook the other two groups either. She pulled several shop assistants out of a nearby store. Once she revealed her identity, the assistants naturally did not dare refuse and ran off at her command to keep an eye on the other two groups.
Yuan Gang's first stop was a silk shop. After entering, he purchased a batch of the finest silks and satins, paid a deposit, and instructed the shopkeeper to deliver them to the designated place at the designated time according to his requirements. The shopkeeper was overjoyed to have encountered such a generous customer. He repeatedly guaranteed there would be no mistakes, telling Yuan Gang to rest assured.
After leaving the silk shop, his second stop was the finest jewelry store in the city. As before, he paid another hefty deposit and ordered a pile of exquisite jewelry.
They were truly spending money like water along the way.
Ju followed behind the whole time, completely unable to figure out what Yuan Gang was trying to do. At last, she saw him enter an opera troupe and lead out a group of musicians and performers, though she had no idea where he intended to take them.
When they reached the center of the city, Ju found the place bustling beyond belief. Carts pulled by horses were loaded with goods, followed by herds of cattle and sheep, as well as strings of chickens, ducks, geese, and swans. The three groups had already met up with Yuan Gang here. The jewelry-store workers had arrived, protecting tray after tray of jewelry, and the silk-shopkeeper had brought his assistants and the ordered goods. Following the prior instructions, they provided attentive service, helping load everything onto the carts and tying festive red silk around the strings of livestock and the carts of other goods.
Yuan Gang ordered everyone else to dress the procession in red and decorate it with finery. The entire group busied themselves frantically.
Crowds continually gathered on both sides of the street to watch the spectacle. Many were green with envy, discussing it among themselves. "Whose family is holding a wedding? What an enormous display!"
Ju, watching from within the crowd, was puzzled as well. It certainly looked like a wedding procession, but was this a bride being sent off—or a groom coming to fetch her?
The personal guards who had come along to help were also bewildered. What on earth is Master Yuan doing?
Once everyone had been dressed in red and decked out in finery, Yuan Gang had the six men guard the front, rear, and both sides. He then led the mounted procession at the front and shouted at the opera troupe lined up behind him, "Get lively and follow me!"
The clang of gongs, drums, and the sounds of pipes and strings instantly filled the street with uproarious festivity, drawing cheers from many among the crowds on both sides.
Yuan Gang waved his hand, mounted his tall horse, and led the mighty procession onward. Many people followed along the way, wanting to see whose family was holding such a joyous occasion. Ju was among them, still utterly perplexed.
The procession's final destination left Ju dumbstruck: the Prefect's Mansion of the commandery city!
The Prefect's Mansion was surrounded by heavily armed troops. A wide empty space lay directly before it, with caltrops placed around the perimeter and a squad of soldiers standing guard. When they saw the crowd approaching, the defenders instantly grew highly alert, raising a forest of blades and spears. Yet even the guards were stunned by the festive, boisterous wedding procession and had no idea what was happening.
A squad of soldiers came out from behind the caltrops and stopped the approaching wedding procession. The leading officer shouted, "Who are you?"
Seated upright on his horse, Yuan Gang called out in a ringing voice, "Commandery King Yongping, Shang Chaozong, has come to take the daughter of the Prefect of Guangyi Commandery, Feng Ruonan, as his bride!"
"Yongping" was Shang Chaozong's title. After Shang Chaozong had been imprisoned following the incident in the Capital City, his hereditary princely title bearing the character "Ning" had been stripped away. His rank had been reduced from Prince to Commandery King, and the title "Yongping" bestowed upon him made the Imperial Court's attitude toward him obvious.
At those words, Ju, who was watching from the side, was completely baffled. They were here to marry a General? After all that, they had come to take the General as a bride?
The six personal guards were dumbfounded as well. The Prince was getting married?
Some of the surrounding commoners were astonished, while others cheered and applauded. To some, Commandery King Yongping Shang Chaozong was a famous figure. But to the people in this place far from the Capital City, many had no idea who Shang Chaozong was. They only knew that the words "Commandery King" signified someone of extraordinary status. Which Prince is marrying General Feng?
The soldiers who had come to stop them were also stunned. Those behind the caltrops exchanged glances. Was there really such a thing? Why hadn't they heard even a word about it? For such a major event, why had the Prefect's Mansion shown no sign of activity?
The questioning young officer stood there dumbstruck. Yuan Gang dismounted and presented a bright-red wedding gift list with both hands. "This is the wedding gift list. Please deliver it to the General so that she can present it to the Prefect."
"..." The young officer opened his mouth, but no words came out. He truly could not make a decision on such a major matter. He had no choice but to ask Yuan Gang to wait, then sprint into the Prefect's Mansion to report.
Yuan Gang, meanwhile, calmly cupped his fists toward the surrounding cheering crowd, looking as though he were thanking everyone for attending the ceremony.
This sudden attack had been unavoidable. Shang Chaozong's reputation was far too poor because of Prince Ning. If they had come directly to pay a visit, they might not even have been able to meet Feng Lingbo's people, and Feng Lingbo would very likely have refused to invite such trouble.
As soon as the commotion reached the Prefect's Mansion, it instantly threw the entire place into chaos. Some people ran to the entrance to look outside, while others climbed onto the walls to peer out. There really was a long string of wedding gifts, with so many carts that no one could count them all.
Before long, the young officer ran back and invited Yuan Gang into the Prefect's Mansion. As for everyone else, none were allowed inside.
Ju also emerged from the crowd. Others could not enter, but naturally there was no problem with her entering the Prefect's Mansion. She was still rather dazed and needed to find out exactly what was happening so that she could report it to Feng Ruonan.
Quite a few people had gathered outside the main hall of the Prefect's Mansion, whispering among themselves. Men and women alike were present.
Inside the main hall, only a few people were there. A tall, slender man in ornate robes, with a short beard, paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. He possessed an extraordinary bearing and considerable authority, though his expression was rather unpleasant. He was none other than Feng Lingbo, the Prefect of Guangyi Commandery. A tall, lavishly dressed woman sat upright above him, holding the gift list and examining it. She was Feng Lingbo's legal wife, Peng Yulan.
"The things on this gift list must be worth no less than ten thousand gold pieces. As expected of a Commandery King—he throws around ten thousand gold pieces as though they were toys!" Peng Yulan let out a cold laugh.
The moment Yuan Gang entered the Prefect's Mansion, axemen rushed forward from both sides, bound him, and landed several punches and kicks on him. Yuan Gang did not resist, allowing himself to be seized and tied up.
Yuan Gang, bound tightly from head to toe, was shoved into the main hall. He stood there stiffly, calm and fearless, showing neither favor nor disgrace.
It was immediately obvious that his composure was not feigned. A flicker passed through Feng Lingbo's eyes as he secretly praised him. What a fine man! But aloud, he only gave a cold snort. "Who are you, to dare impersonate Commandery King Yongping and come here to arrange a marriage?"
Yuan Gang said calmly, "I am Yuan Gang, a foot soldier under the Prince. I truly came here on the Prince's orders to arrange the marriage. I have not impersonated anyone!"
Yuan Gang? Feng Lingbo looked him up and down. According to the reports he had received, Shang Chaozong did indeed have a man named Yuan Gang under him. "Even if you are Shang Chaozong's man, when did I ever agree to marry my daughter to him? He is a member of the imperial clan. Does he not even understand the proper etiquette?"
Yuan Gang said, "Given the haste, some shortcomings are unavoidable. But the wedding gifts presented by the Prince are overflowing with sincerity!"
"What a joke!" Peng Yulan slammed the table and casually hurled the gift list at Yuan Gang's face. She shouted, "You think this little bit is enough to marry my daughter?"
Yuan Gang said, "The gift list Madam just examined was merely prepared to complete the formalities and put on a respectable appearance for outsiders. The truly substantial gifts have not been displayed. There is another gift list in my robes—gifts of absolute weight. I guarantee that the Prefect and Madam will be pleased when you see them!"
The husband and wife exchanged a glance. Feng Lingbo gave a slight nod, and someone immediately stepped forward and rummaged through Yuan Gang's robes. In the end, he really did pull out another gift list and handed it to Feng Lingbo.
Feng Lingbo opened the gift list. He only glanced at it once before his eyelids began twitching violently. With a slap, he quickly closed it and looked at Yuan Gang with deep suspicion and uncertainty.
Peng Yulan was astonished. What kind of gift could make her husband lose his composure like that? Curious, she reached out and snatched the gift list from Feng Lingbo's hand. But after opening it, she too only needed one glance before her pupils abruptly contracted. With another slap, she hurriedly closed the list, as though afraid someone else might see it.
Suppressing his doubts, Feng Lingbo pointed at the men and women poking their heads through the doorway and shouted, "What are you gawking at? Get out!"
The people outside immediately scattered in a hubbub, hurrying away and restoring peace to the courtyard.
Feng Lingbo scrutinized Yuan Gang and asked in a deep voice, "Are the things on this gift list genuine?"
Yuan Gang said, "I am not the principal envoy for the wedding procession, and I have not seen the gift list. I do not know what it contains. I am merely carrying out orders. The principal envoy is someone else. He should know the details."
Feng Lingbo narrowed his eyes. "Since you came to arrange a marriage, why have you not brought the principal envoy? Is that not discourteous? Does anyone arrange a marriage this way?"
Yuan Gang said, "It is not that the principal envoy was unwilling to come. He simply could not come even if he wanted to. At this moment, he has been detained by your daughter, Feng Ruonan, inside the military camp. I'm afraid his life may be in danger at any moment."
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