Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands

Chapter 474 - 449: Turmoil in the Capital (1)

Li Yuzhu’s eyes narrowed slightly. Did the Princess Consort Luling cry after seeing Pei Shenyan?

And then want to see her?

For what reason?

Mu Yuanxiu grabbed Li Yuzhu’s arm, "Yuzhu," he said, "You go see Aunt Li first. I’ll bring in the things from the carriage. Remember, if there’s anything you can’t handle, just come find me."

She looked back at him, only to see the boy’s eyes filled with a rare determination.

He thought she was just a girl who had seen little of the world. He was worried about her.

Little did he know, her soul was that of a grown woman.

She could handle whatever came her way; she wouldn’t be afraid.

"Alright," Li Yuzhu smiled slightly.

She nodded to Mu Yuanxiu and walked into the residence.

Li Xingmao came from the South Courtyard House, "Third Sister, I heard a noise at the front gate. I figured it was you returning."

Li Yuzhu walked over to him, "Big Brother, Uncle Gui said Mother was crying. What’s going on?"

Li Xingmao glanced towards his South Courtyard, pulled Li Yuzhu towards the North Courtyard, and said in a low voice as they walked, "Pei Shenyan came by yesterday. He told Father and Mother that he’s an illegitimate son of Prime Minister Pei from the Capital. He’s been in poor health since childhood, and his birth mother was of low status, so the Prime Minister didn’t care for him from the start. If it weren’t for Old Mrs. Pei insisting on keeping him, he might have died early."

Indeed, Pei Shenyan is from the Pei Family of the Capital, just as the brothers had speculated.

But why was Li Xingmao suddenly talking about Pei Shenyan’s background?

Confused, Li Yuzhu asked, "Big Brother, I asked why Mother was crying; why are you talking about Pei Shenyan?"

Li Xingmao replied, "It started with him; let me finish."

He continued talking about Pei Shenyan.

It turned out Pei Shenyan left without a word because he was taken back to the Capital by people from Old Mrs. Pei.

Pei Shenyan stayed in the Capital for some time and heard news from there, so he came to the Li Family specifically to inform them.

Pei Shenyan said he had long suspected the Li Family’s true identity and had always admired Prince Luling’s calligraphy, which is why he pretended not to know the truth to get close to the Li Family.

The news from the Capital this time was bad for the Li Family, and he couldn’t bear to see them suffer, so he came specifically to deliver the message.

The message was that the Bei Yan Country and Zhao Country had clashed again in the Northern Land.

Zhao Country was defeated, and Bei Yan demanded tribute and women from Zhao Country.

And not just any women, but a princess from the court.

The current Emperor has only one biological sister, whom he would never part with.

The court discussed it and said Prince Luling has three daughters, so they could choose one to send for the marriage alliance.

"This is the Emperor’s intention. Pei Shenyan heard about it when the Prime Minister Pei discussed it with guests. He rode swiftly here to deliver the message and exhausted himself to the point of falling ill. He’s resting at our house now," Li Xingmao said.

Li Yuzhu understood. No wonder the Princess Consort Luling was eager to see her and was crying in anxiety; it was about the marriage alliance.

Li Xingmao placed a hand on Li Yuzhu’s shoulder, "Don’t worry, Third Sister, you’re too young; they won’t choose you."

Li Yuzhu replied, "Big Sister and Second Sister aren’t much older. Is it more appropriate for them to go?"

Li Xingmao was taken aback, "Third Sister?"

Li Yuzhu sneered, "Men lose battles and send women for marriage alliances. What kind of nonsense is that? The Emperor has the nerve to agree? It proves Father wasn’t wrong to curse him back then!"

Li Xingmao frowned, "Exchanging women for peace between warring countries has been done since ancient times."

Li Yuzhu sneered, "Father’s candid advice was ignored; he was demoted for it. Now, when they need something from us, they think of us. Ugh!"

Li Xingmao clenched his fists, seething with anger, "I’m angry that I can’t leave Zhen An Prefecture!"

Li Yuzhu said, "Forget it. Let’s go see Father and Mother and see how they plan to handle this."

They hadn’t reached the North Courtyard when the Great Princess and the Second Princess came from the direction of their rooms.

Since their family’s conditions improved, the two girls’ faces were always full of smiles.

The Great Princess also regained her past confidence, becoming fond of dressing up and talking.

The Second Princess’s previously pale face also returned to its former rosy state.

But now, the two of them looked dejected, barely greeting Li Yuzhu, "You’re back?" and said nothing more.

Li Yuzhu walked over and took each of them by the hand, "Don’t worry, Father and Mother will think of something."

"What can they think of? Our family isn’t what it used to be. Who would have dared to ask one of our girls to marry for peace before? But now, with Father’s title gone, we’re at others’ mercy," the Second Princess couldn’t help but cry.

"Why the tears? It’s not your turn anyway. Look at you, all chubby! Would that bastard Li Can take a liking to you? By age and looks, they’d choose me; I’m not crying, so why are you?" the Great Princess mocked.

The Second Princess stopped crying, chastised by her words.

Li Yuzhu felt both sad and amused; no matter the situation, the Great Princess always had a sharp tongue, even daring to call the Little Emperor by name.

The Little Emperor was their cousin, Li Xingmao’s younger cousin, named Li Can.

"Does Sister-in-law know about our family’s situation?" Li Yuzhu interrupted and asked.

Li Xingmao shook his head, "She doesn’t know; she’s pregnant, so we don’t dare to tell her. We’ve never dared to tell her about our family matters."

Li Yuzhu looked at her two sisters, "Did you hear? Sister-in-law is pregnant and can’t be frightened, so stop your crying. Will crying solve things?"

The Great Princess glared at the Second Princess, "You’re not as composed as Third Sister. Stop crying, or I’ll stitch your mouth shut."

Reminded by several people, the Second Princess dared not cry anymore. She lifted her sleeve and wiped away her tears.

The siblings entered the North Courtyard Main House. Inside, sitting with the Princess Consort Luling was Second Young Master Li Xingsheng.

Because of the family incident, except for the third brother Li Xing’an, who stayed in the county overseeing the shop, no one else went out; they were all at home.

The Princess Consort Luling looked exhausted and waved at Li Yuzhu, "You’re back? Is it cold outside?"

Li Yuzhu smiled slightly and walked over, "Not cold, I’m wearing a lot."

Today, she was wearing a new lambswool cloak given by the County Magistrate’s Wife. It was especially thick and beautifully crafted. Normally, it would attract attention from everyone, asking where such a garment came from.

But today, even the fashion-loving Great Princess only glanced at it. No one asked about it, and the Princess Consort Luling ignored Li Yuzhu’s outfit entirely, beckoning Li Yuzhu and her sisters to sit beside her.

She then said to Li Xingsheng, "Second Brother, go to the academy and call your father back. Since everyone is here, we might as well discuss this matter."

"Got it," Li Xingsheng, missing his usual playful demeanor, stood up and stepped outside briskly.

The academy was next door to the Li family’s house, just a few steps away.

A short moment later, Li Xingsheng returned with Prince Luling.

Prince Luling entered the room, his expression stern.

All the siblings stood up together, "Father."

"Sit and let’s talk," Prince Luling said, taking a seat at the head of the room.

He glanced over the faces of his three daughters, then took two letters from his sleeve and handed them to Li Yuzhu, "The others know, but you don’t yet. Take a look at these two letters."

Li Yuzhu glanced at him and took the letters to read.

She first opened the first letter, the contents of which were almost the same as what Li Xingmao had just told her: they had been defeated in the Northern Land, and Bei Yan Country demanded that Zhao Country send a princess and tribute, including war horses and provisions, or else their iron cavalry would descend upon the six states of the Northern Land in winter.

Prince Luling added, "The letter you’re reading is from a general defending the Northern Land, written to Prime Minister Pei. It has a signature at the end, but it’s a copy, not the original. After seeing the letter, Prime Minister Pei wrote a memorial to the Emperor. I don’t know what he wrote, but you can guess from the Emperor’s response in the second letter."

After speaking, Prince Luling snorted coldly, "Pei Wenguang, that old scoundrel, still has designs on my family!"

Li Yuzhu read the first letter, then opened the second one.

At the end of the second letter was a vermillion seal, the private seal of the Little Emperor Li Can.

Prince Luling said, "This is the original. It’s a hand edict from the Emperor to Prime Minister Pei. This edict has one corner burned off, but fortunately, it didn’t destroy much of the content, so you can still understand what’s being said. According to Pei Shenyan, Prime Minister Pei threw the letter into the furnace after reading it, but Pei Shenyan saw it wasn’t burned through and picked it up. After reading it, he learned about the marriage alliance plan, gathered other letters to copy them, and hurried here to deliver them to us."

The Little Emperor’s hand edict stated his agreement to the marriage alliance and Prime Minister Pei’s suggestion to choose a daughter from the Li Family to be the Princess of Heqin. This winter, they would send the tribute, war horses, and provisions. Next spring, Bei Yan would send envoys to Zhao Country to take the Princess of Heqin away.

Li Yuzhu finished reading the letters, folding them and handing them back to Prince Luling.

She asked, "What is Father and Mother’s intention?"

Under imperial power, rebelling would be like using an egg to strike a stone.