Volume One, Chapter 10: How Could a Fool Make Love?
The capital of the Great Qi Kingdom was witnessing an unprecedented spectacle today.
Centered around the bustling Chongwen Road, the streets on the left were packed with destitute refugees—ragged clothes, yellowed faces, and emaciated bodies.
On the right, however, a grand, jubilant procession was underway: a vibrant parade in red, celebrating the groom’s wedding.
This stark contrast embodied the severe polarization and wealth disparity that defined Great Qi at present.
Amidst the clamor of drums, gongs, and firecrackers, a young stable boy from the Li family shouted up to the horse. Clad in a red robe and adorned with a large red flower, Li Jize, the groom, was hollering at the top of his lungs, “Young master! When the sedan chair arrives at the Wang residence, remember to carry the bride on your back. Don’t look back or put her down midway!”
He rattled on, his mouth nearly parched from speaking so much.
Yet…
Looking at his young master—the groom’s hat crooked askew, no semblance of proper decorum, and a wooden stick in hand that he was carving and polishing absentmindedly—the stable boy sighed helplessly. “Oh well, he’s the master, and I’m just a servant.”
The wedding procession passed through the crowd and then through a teahouse.
Early in the morning, many idle tea drinkers peered down, whispering and pointing.
“Whose wedding procession is this? Why does the groom look a bit dim-witted?”
“Shh! Don’t speak recklessly! That’s the Supreme General Qin Wang, the only non-imperial prince of our time!”
The questioner was startled, then lowered his voice to ask again, “Qin Wang is getting married? Which lucky woman is this?”
“The prodigious talent... Wang Yuanya!”
A burst of laughter erupted at the mention of the name.
“That... a fool, and an ugly woman! Hahaha…”
The teahouse was filled with uproarious laughter, everyone amused—except for one man sitting in the corner, whose face was ashen and expression grim.
Clad in a white adventurer’s outfit, gripping a treasured sword, he silently tossed some copper coins on the table and swiftly rose, heading down the stairs.
After weaving through several dwellings and slipping into narrow alleys, he arrived at a small courtyard.
The man in white glanced cautiously around. Finding no one watching, he deftly leapt over the courtyard wall and slipped into the young lady’s chamber inside the mansion.
…
At the Wang residence,
Wang Yuanya stood dressed in a red bridal gown, her hair elegantly pinned with numerous golden hairpins.
The women, called in temporarily by her father to assist, fussed over her reflection in the mirror, praising her beauty and fortune.
After all, she was about to marry the current Qin Wang, joining one of the most powerful families in Great Qi—the Li family.
But Wang Yuanya’s expression remained blank, her gaze fixed on the mirror as if lost in thought.
Suddenly, a shadow flickered past the window, and her eyes brightened with awareness.
She rose abruptly, startling the women around her, who looked on in confusion.
“Ladies, thank you all for your help. But… this is my first marriage, and I’m quite nervous. Please, could you give me some privacy to compose myself?”
The women exchanged puzzled glances.
An ugly woman with a patchy complexion—who would want her?
Though rumors said the Qin Wang was already mentally impaired, he was still a prince, while Wang Yuanya was merely the daughter of a court physician.
Could it be… that she planned to enjoy some private happiness behind closed doors?
Since the bride requested no more assistance, the women took the opportunity to relax and enjoy some tea and fruit.
After a while, once the room emptied…
Wang Yuanya quietly closed the door and turned to the window, searching intently.
“Senior brother… is that you? Senior brother!”
After calling out several times, the vanished figure suddenly reappeared outside the window.
His arms crossed over his sword, his voice tinged with helplessness and frustration: “Junior sister, what are you doing?”
Wang Yuanya looked at the silhouette beyond the window, hesitating to speak. “Senior brother, I…”
“Junior sister, your mission is to infiltrate and gather intelligence on the Great Qi capital! Yet now… you are married? Have you forgotten the brothers of the righteous army? Forgotten the trust of the Northern King?”
His reproach lifted the veil on Wang Yuanya’s true identity.
Years ago, during her travels across the land, Wang Yuanya had witnessed the suffering of Great Qi’s people—families torn apart, a living hell on earth.
It was then she encountered the “Burning Books” and the “Righteous Army.”
They were driven by noble ideals—to overthrow the corrupt regime and build a new world where none would go hungry.
Motivated by this belief, Wang Yuanya joined the righteous army, began training in martial arts, and, aided by her father’s position as a court physician, was tasked by the army’s leader, the Northern King, to return undercover and relay intelligence from the capital.
But now…
Her contact—her senior brother Yan Anxun—had received no intelligence and discovered that she had betrayed her oath, seduced by the promise of nobility and luxury, planning to marry and enjoy a life of ease.
How could Yan Anxun not be furious?
Tears welled in Wang Yuanya’s eyes as she clenched her teeth and spoke firmly, “Senior brother, I have not forgotten my vow! Since returning, the suffering of the people has haunted my mind. I despise the officials of Great Qi!”
“If that’s true, then why…”
“Senior brother, I am only a woman, and my father merely a lowly physician! Even if I want to gather more intelligence, I lack the means.”
She sighed deeply and then continued, “At this moment, the tyrant emperor and the treacherous Qin Wang are at odds. To break their engagement, they arranged this marriage with me. After much thought, I believe this is a rare opportunity. If I enter the Li family, I will be at the very heart of Great Qi’s military command and can gather crucial intelligence. This will greatly aid our righteous army in understanding the court’s military movements.”
Yan Anxun was stunned by her explanation.
Though her words made sense…
“Junior sister, this sacrifice is too great! You, a young woman, marrying that beast Qin Wang—doesn’t that mean…”
Wang Yuanya was touched by his concern and, with a mischievous gleam in her eye, replied, “For the sake of the people and our righteous army, I fear nothing!”
“You…”
Yan Anxun was beside himself with anger. Gritting his teeth, he spat out each word, “If our righteous army demands a woman to sacrifice her dignity for intelligence, what kind of army are we? No! Junior sister, I cannot let you marry that wretched Qin Wang. I will take you away!”
“Ha!” Wang Yuanya laughed softly.
“Senior brother, I’m just teasing you! I heard Li Jize was driven mad by the emperor’s cruelty long ago. He’s lost his wits and cannot consummate a marriage.”