Chapter 392: Presenting the Betrothal Gifts

Old He gripped the pig-slaughtering knife that had accompanied him for most of his life and simply stood there in silence.

Before him walked Ji Chengjue and the First Prince.

Behind them came the carriage.

Behind the carriage came the entire gift convoy.

At that moment, Old He looked like a swordsman.

Ji Chengjue had never met the Sword Saint of Jin. He had heard that the Sword Saint was now working under that brother of his surnamed Zheng, but the distance between them was too great. Even if someone wanted to arrange an introduction, it was difficult.

Yet at this moment, Ji Chengjue suddenly felt that Old He standing there with that expression might have possessed something of the same bearing as the Sword Saint when he once faced savage cavalry outside Snow Sea Pass.

Yes.

And Ji Chengjue himself was the savage cavalryman about to be butchered.

Some things Ji Chengjue understood perfectly well.

Old He, his future father-in-law, was an honest, practical man.

If Ji Chengjue had not been an imperial prince—if he had merely remained a Chief Constable, or even married into the He family and helped slaughter pigs and sell meat—his life probably would not have been bad.

A man lived only one lifetime.

He truly did need to leave some soft places inside his heart.

Ji Chengjue was not his father.

He could not live to the same extent his father did.

At least for now, there was no need.

As that bastard surnamed Zheng had once said:

A man had to indulge in sentimentality every now and then while alive.

Ji Chengjue thought the line was quite right.

So the Sixth Prince of the current dynasty—the Ji Chengjue who had once been frozen out and suppressed but now practically controlled the Ministry of Revenue, and who could make even the First Prince stand behind him and shout support knelt before this old pig butcher.

“This son-in-law pays respects to Father-in-Law. May Father-in-Law enjoy health and peace.”

Emotionally, the He family had given him their daughter. They had not made things difficult, had not demanded elaborate bride-price rules, and had simply allowed their daughter to follow him. He had to remember that kindness.

Rationally, he had taken their daughter away for almost half a year without properly settling the wedding, and now he had even gotten her pregnant.

He truly was in the wrong.

So this kneeling was deserved.

To speak from the heart, over the past ten years Ji Chengjue had never knelt before his imperial father with as much comfort and sincerity as he did now.

Old He drew in a deep breath.

He looked at Ji Chengjue.

Then he looked at the First Prince standing behind him.

The First Prince had come as the representative elder of the groom’s family, so naturally there was no need for him to kneel. He merely cupped his fists toward Old He.

Old He did not acknowledge him.

Instead, he hurled the pig-slaughtering knife directly into the chopping block.

*Thunk!*

The blade buried itself in the wood with a muffled sound.

Ji Chengjue inhaled.

His eyes secretly drifted toward his elder brother-in-law.

Then he remembered the wife sitting in the carriage behind him, already carrying his child.

To reveal his identity to his father-in-law only now did indeed feel a little like using status to pressure the man.

Ji Chengjue was exceptionally skilled at dealing with people, so he had already decided to lower his head and accept whatever anger or grievances his father-in-law wanted to throw at him.

“Good. Very good. Fine work, Yan Little Sixth! You think my He family has no standing, so we aren’t worth your notice, is that it?

“What is the meaning of this?

“What exactly is the meaning of this!

“I gave you my perfectly good daughter, and this is how you treat her? This is how you treat her maternal family?

“You skipped every rite that should have been observed, ignored every proper procedure, and simply abducted her away. Just how little do you think of my daughter? Just how little do you think of my He family?”

“Father-in-Law speaks too severely. Circumstances truly intervened and delayed matters.”

The Ji Clan had many rules.

When war broke out, the Ji family suspended weddings and funerals. That rule had been passed down from their ancestors.

Even Ji Wujiang’s recent marriage could not truly be considered a normal wedding. It had been more like an extension of the war and a measure taken in response to it.

“Give my daughter back to me! This old man may not have accomplished much in his life, but I can still support one daughter. I will not let her suffer in a husband’s family that doesn’t even understand proper rites!”

Old He suddenly roared:

“UNFILIAL SON!”

Sweat covered He Chu’s forehead as he hurried over.

Fortunately, his father had not called him a bastard turtle today.

“Go bring your sister down from the carriage. We’re going home! This marriage is canceled. Your father has no need for this son-in-law!”

“This...”

He Chu immediately became helpless.

If this had been some ordinary brother-in-law who dared treat his little sister this way—ignoring the proper rites and even getting her pregnant—then He Chu, who had grown up slaughtering pigs, would already have grabbed the pig-killing knife steeped in the resentful souls of countless dead swine and fought the man to the death.

But this man in front of him...

This man...

He Chu truly did not dare.

*Dad.*

*Little Sister already has a child in her belly.*

*You say she isn’t marrying him, and that’s the end of it?*

*That child is an imperial descendant! An imperial descendant!*

He Chu had even asked around.

Unless something unexpected happened, the child inside his sister’s belly should be the current Emperor’s first grandchild.

Seeing his son standing there without moving, Old He immediately cursed:

“What? You afraid your sister will come home and fight you for the family property?”

“No, Dad.”

Provoked like that, He Chu could only grit his teeth, walk to the carriage, and say:

“Little Sister, Dad says we should go home first.”

The curtain lifted.

Young Lady He stepped out of the carriage.

She looked at her father.

Then she looked at her husband kneeling before him.

Her mouth opened as though she wanted to say something, but in the end she remained silent and followed her elder brother inside.

He Chu walked carefully at his sister’s side, terrified that she might trip or slip.

Once they entered the house and closed the door—

Young Lady He immediately reached out and pinched her brother hard.

She complained angrily:

“Brother, what the hell did you do!”

...

“Father-in-Law, please calm your anger. My feelings toward Sisi are sincere. Before this, I truly was at fault. Whatever procedure should be followed now, we’ll follow it properly, all right?

“Whatever other families have, ours must have.

“Whatever other families don’t have but you want, ours can have too.

“This son-in-law truly respects you.”

“Heh. All sweet words. Who knows what schemes you’re actually carrying in that belly of yours? A daughter of my He family is not so desperate to marry that she needs to accept this humiliation!”

Truthfully, neither man mentioned the pregnancy while arguing.

Cooking the raw rice into cooked rice was often the greatest weapon a son-in-law could use against his future father- and mother-in-law.

*Your daughter is already carrying my child. I’m already standing in an invincible position!*

But that could not be said outside.

It would be far too embarrassing.

Old He was not stupid enough to bring it up himself.

And Ji Chengjue, being so skilled at dealing with people, naturally would never say it either.

At last, the First Prince remembered why he had come.

As the senior representative of the groom’s family, he stepped forward and said:

“Elder He, our father is in the capital and entangled in official affairs, so it was inconvenient for him to come personally. That is why I am representing the family in presenting the betrothal gifts for my younger brother.

“The earlier lack of proper rites truly was our family’s fault. My younger brother also acted somewhat rashly. I ask Elder He not to blame him too harshly.

“Since these two young people are already together, we elders should naturally help fulfill their marriage.”

“Hmph.”

Old He ignored the First Prince.

He turned, pulled his treasured pig-slaughtering knife from the chopping block, and went back inside.

Ji Chengjue slowly stood and dusted off his knees.

“Your father-in-law isn’t easy to deal with,” the First Prince remarked.

“No helping it. We deserve it. Hey, all of you—move faster with those gifts. Carry them inside. Quickly.”

The First Prince nodded and waved for the servants behind them to bring in the betrothal gifts.

He himself accepted the gift list.

In a moment, he would have to present it personally to Old He.

The First Prince had commanded armies, fought wars, and seen plenty of storms.

Even so, looking at that list made his brows twitch slightly.

So many pork hind legs.

So many pork forelegs.

So many pig heads...

These pigs were precious indeed.

Because according to what he had heard, the gift list had been personally fixed by Father Emperor.

It was difficult to imagine Father Emperor seriously deciding the exact number of pork hind legs that should appear on a betrothal list.

And all those pig legs had then been personally purchased under imperial order by the current Crown Prince.

Even the most ordinary pig in the world after passing through a chain like this surely had its value multiplied a hundredfold.

The servants opened the He family’s gate and began carrying box after box of gifts inside.

In the courtyard, Old He sat on an old Grand Tutor’s chair.

His pig-slaughtering knife remained beside him.

He watched people carry things inside but merely sat there with a dark face and said nothing.

A crowd of neighbors had gathered all around to watch the spectacle.

Before this, because the He family daughter had been taken away with no proper news for so long, endless gossip had circulated among the neighbors.

People said everything imaginable.

Anyone who came to buy pork—whether asking for a full catty or only one liang—would inevitably ask Old He:

*How come there’s still no news about your daughter and son-in-law?*

Eventually, Old He had been forced to take the letters to a nearby private-school teacher and have them read aloud to him. Then he went around personally telling the neighbors that his daughter and son-in-law were living wonderfully in the capital.

A huge house.

Meat at every meal.

Servants and attendants.

He even said his son-in-law wanted to bring him to Yanjing so he could retire there, but Old He refused. What was so special about the capital? Nan’an County was his home. Besides, he could not bear to leave all his old neighbors.

In truth, the letters had contained little beyond He Chu repeatedly saying everything was “good.”

Most of the elaborate detail had been invented by Old He himself.

But now, seeing this betrothal procession, the neighbors truly had their eyes opened.

As expected of a son-in-law from the capital.

That family really was rich!

Of course, a few busybodies still became suspicious.

“Why bring so much pork as betrothal gifts? And to a butcher’s household, of all places?

“Is Old He’s future in-law touched in the head?

“Or is that future in-law in the same trade as the He family? Another pig butcher and pork seller?”

Ji Chengjue and the First Prince entered the residence.

Ji Chengjue remained standing where he was.

The First Prince stepped forward and offered the gift list.

“Elder He, these are the betrothal gifts. Please look them over. If anything is missing, just say the word.”

Old He had already seen the many pigs outside.

But when he saw the actual list—

Mm.

He could not read ordinary writing.

But he did recognize the characters related to pigs, along with the numbers for catties, liang, and headcounts that followed them.

One glance and his eyes immediately widened.

What did this mean?

This was a direct doubling of his own dowry!

However many pork hind legs he planned to give, that imperial in-law of his had sent twice as many back!

Were the young couple supposed to need nothing else in life?

Just eat pork every day?

Sleep beneath quilts made of pork and wear clothes made from pigskin?

This was war.

This was retaliation.

Worse his opponent had chosen to humiliate him on the battlefield Old He understood best!

“If there’s anything else missing, Elder He, just tell me. I’ll have it purchased immediately. No matter what, the sooner these two young people complete the wedding, the sooner both our families can stop worrying. Then the young couple can settle down peacefully and give us grandchildren early.”

Some things could not be spoken outside.

Inside they were easier to say.

Old He ignored the First Prince.

Instead, he pointed straight at Ji Chengjue and shouted:

“You! Get over here!”

“Yes.”

Ji Chengjue stepped forward respectfully.

“This old man has only one daughter. I’ve held her in the palm of my hand since she was little. You want to marry her? Fine. But you must swear that from this day on, she will never suffer grievance!”

“This son-in-law swears that Sisi will never suffer the slightest grievance.”

“Not enough. Swear another oath. Swear—”

Old He hesitated.

Then shook his head.

“Forget it. No oath.

“But listen well, brat.

“If you ever treat my daughter badly, then even if this old man dies and becomes a malicious ghost, I will never let you off!”

“Yes. This son-in-law will remember.”

Old He pointed toward the betrothal gifts and continued shouting:

“And remember today.

“Remember this day clearly.

“It was you who knelt down and begged this old man to marry my daughter to you.

“It was you who begged me to let you take my daughter from my hands!”

Hearing that, Ji Chengjue knelt again.

“This son-in-law will remember.”

Old He drew in a deep breath.

As he spoke tears began falling.

Only now did he truly feel what it meant for a father to send his daughter away in marriage.

Her mother had died early.

Old He had been both father and mother while raising his precious daughter.

Her elder brother could eat worse and play with worse things.

But whatever his daughter wanted she received.

Never any hesitation.

Other households treated daughters as children they were raising for somebody else, waiting to exchange them in marriage or use the bride price to help the sons marry.

The He family did not.

The He family’s daughter had been spoiled rotten by both father and brother together.

“This old man... has only one daughter in this entire life.

“You have to...

“You have to...

“You have to take good care of her.

“You truly have to take good care of her.

“Childbirth is bitter.

“For a woman, giving birth means walking through the gates of Hell.

“I know she already carries your child.

“This old man doesn’t dream of descendants filling an entire hall.

“I only want my daughter to remain well and healthy and live a good life.

“Her mother— fell ill after giving birth to her and never truly recovered.”

For an elder to say words like these was actually somewhat improper.

Normally, elders blessed young couples with many children and grandchildren.

For women in this age, continuing the family line was itself treated as duty and mission.

But Old He truly loved his daughter.

Giving birth once damaged a woman’s vitality once.

Do not have too many children.

Truly do not have too many.

Watching the scene from the side, the First Prince also felt something stir inside him.

To speak honestly the Ji brothers had never truly experienced much fatherly warmth.

Two of the women the First Prince had brought back from the snowfields were also pregnant now.

But their children would never be entered into the imperial genealogy.

First, the bloodline was uncertain. Those women had been sent to share his bed, and Heaven alone knew whether the children were truly Ji blood.

Second, the mothers’ status was far too low.

Their mothers could have been commoners of Yan.

They could have been women of Qian or Chu.

But savages?

Sorry.

In official Yan eyes, savages were not even considered human.

When those children were born, they most likely would not be allowed to bear the surname Ji and would instead be raised separately by palace personnel.

So in the strictest sense the child inside his Sixth Brother’s wife truly was the first new life of the next generation that Father Emperor cared about.

If it was a boy he would be the Emperor’s eldest grandson.

There was no word **legitimate** attached to that title.

But whether one day that word might be added who knew?

“Enough. Get up. Get up. There are still plenty of neighbors outside, and some relatives and friends are on their way. Last night I already booked several banquet tables at the restaurant. In a little while, you’ll come with me and help receive the relatives and neighbors.”

“Yes. This son-in-law understands.”

“Mm. You go entertain them first. This old man...

“This old gentleman will go inside and change clothes.”

“All right.”

Ji Chengjue rose.

He took out a large quantity of sweets and snacks and began distributing them among the neighbors outside.

“Congratulations, congratulations.”

“Congratulations.”

“Shared joy, shared joy.”

...

The moment Old He entered the house, he hurriedly shut the door.

He Chu immediately came over.

“Dad? You all right?”

*Thud!*

Old He dropped straight down with his back against the door.

He kept rubbing his chest.

Fear still lingered across his face as he gasped:

“An imperial prince...

“He’s an imperial prince...

“Huu...

“Scared me half to death...

“Scared me half to death...

“Daughter...

“Dad can only help you teach him a lesson this one time.”

[End of Chapter 392]