Chapter 1538 Extra: The Zhao Family's Blind Date and its Obstacles (Part 1)

With Lu Ji and Lin Chun's marriage arranged, both families calculated the auspicious dates and finally chose the autumn of the fifth year of the Yanhuang era for their wedding. They are now officially engaged. To avoid not recognizing each other after the wedding, it is necessary for them to get to know each other beforehand. So, the two arranged to go out together during their time off.

After a while, we became quite familiar with each other.

However, each time it was just watching plays at the opera house and dining at a restaurant.

Lin Chun endured it several times, but finally couldn't hold back any longer.

He suggested in a low and tactful voice that they could choose other activities, as the process was always the same and he found it somewhat boring. Lu Ji listened to the suggestion and looked at him calmly. Under this quiet gaze, Lin Chun gradually became uneasy and apologized in a slightly humble voice.

Lu Jidao said, "You and your father are really quite different."

Among siblings born of the same mother, many share similar temperaments, while few are quite different. She thought that someone like Lin Chun, with her background, would be neither overly confident nor overly reserved, but now it seems she was mistaken, and she truly understands the meaning behind Lin Feng's private message.

She does indeed have a personality that makes her easily bullied but she doesn't say a word.

“You can say what you don’t like directly. There’s no need to endure it until you can’t bear it anymore. The same principle applies to daily life.” Lu Ji usually spends his days off cultivating at home. Occasionally, he receives invitations from his comrades to go out. He doesn’t really know what to do when interacting with men, so he chooses the least likely to go wrong, but rather tedious activity. Lin Chun obviously finds it boring too.

Lin Chunliang nodded after a long pause.

Then he asked, "I wonder how Duke Lu spent his days off?"

Lu Ji told him the truth.

Lin Chun asked, "Where are you going with your friends?"

Lu Ji recalled, "Most of the time I went to horse racing and football, to hunting grounds in the suburbs, and to training grounds to exchange martial arts techniques..."

They also went on winter trips together.

Lin Chun said, "Then let's go horse racing?"

Lu Ji: "That's fine too."

She chose the horse farm she frequented, a place she was familiar with, but also a place where she was likely to run into colleagues who were also on leave. Lu Ji was momentarily distracted when the other woman grabbed him and pulled him along: "Good sister, please save me!"

"Dawei? What happened to you?"

Following Zhao Wei's example, Lu Ji and Zhao Wei crouched together behind thick bushes, looking like thieves. Zhao Wei returned to the capital to guard the palace around the same time as Lu Ji, but Lu Ji chose to stay in the capital, while Zhao Wei had been begging and pleading to run away.

I heard she's been pressured to get married so much that she's become numb.

Zhao Wei said, "It's all because of my father!"

The mere mention of Zhao Feng made her want to close her eyes in despair. She should have known that letting things go unchecked would lead to this outcome; she should have stopped it sooner: "Father, taking my place, has arranged blind dates for almost every young man in the capital. Do you know what I've encountered since I returned?"

Lu Ji: "..."

She had heard that Zhao Feng had arranged a blind date for his daughter.

She's practically a blind date fanatic.

The key point is that his increasingly stringent blind date requirements are still somewhat mysterious. The man must be as handsome as Pan An, with skin as smooth as jade, and be flawless all over. He must also be gentle and refined, not competitive or jealous, and possess the status of a principal wife, the magnanimity of a concubine, and the mannerisms of a courtesan. Furthermore, he cannot have complicated family relationships. Ideally, he should be able to marry into the Zhao family. If that is not possible, the marriage must be compatible.

Actually, blind dates were quite normal in the early years.

Zhao Feng only specified the height and appearance.

But as time went on, Zhao Feng became increasingly erratic.

Lu Ji wronged Zhao Feng in one respect; in fact, the demands he made were all at the behest of his daughter, Zhao Wei. Zhao Wei covered her face and said, "...I just wanted to give him something to do so he would back down, but who knew, who knew he would actually believe it?"

Not only did he believe it, he even used the criteria to set up blind dates for his daughter.

The outcome was predictable.

When Zhao Wei returned to the capital, she encountered a blind date every three steps and a victim who had suffered greatly every five steps. Especially after they learned Zhao Wei's true identity, their expressions, their eyes, their hesitant excitement... every single one of them made Zhao Wei feel utterly hopeless.

She simply couldn't bear to stay in the capital any longer.

Lu Ji: "I can only express my sympathy verbally."

Zhao Wei covered her face and slumped her shoulders.

“I wrote a memorial overnight hoping to leave, but the emperor did not approve it.”

Meanwhile, her elderly father had somehow found a new victim and insisted that Zhao Wei take a look. He even patted his chest and said that this man was absolutely perfect in every way, meeting his precious daughter's criteria. He was sure that the man was the smoothest, the most beautiful, and the most obedient.

Oh, no, my blind date.

Zhao Wei rested her chin on her hand: "I have absolutely no desire to see them."

Frustrated, she scratched her head and said, "I still want to save face."

The three hid there for a long time, finally waiting for Zhao Feng, who was chasing after his daughter, to leave. Lu Ji patted his friend's shoulder with great sympathy: "I wonder which young master he is? If he is indeed as Zhao Gong said, he certainly suits your taste. It wouldn't hurt to meet him."

Zhao Wei, with a blade of grass in her mouth, said, "I can't see them."

Lu Ji realized something: "You know the other person?"

Zhao Wei: "I don't know him or have ever met him, but his background is somewhat unusual. He's Lingde's older brother. Do you think I can treat him casually?"

Men aren't important, but offending Lin Feng for no reason is a serious matter.

Lu Ji and Lin Chun were both stunned for a moment.

Lin Chun asked softly, "Grand Tutor's second elder brother?"

My second brother, Lin Su, sent a letter home many years ago to let us know he was safe. Since then, he has been wandering around and has refused to return home. Only two letters a year and some local specialties sent back from time to time let me know that he is still alive and not long since died.

Could it be that Anzhi has returned?

Zhao Wei said, "No, the one from Xingda."

Lu Ji: "..."

Lin Chun: "..."

Zhao Wei noticed something was off: "What's wrong?"

Lin Chun said, "I am Lin Chun, and my family is of high standing."

Zhao Wei: "..."

She'd never been so embarrassed in her life. It was even more awkward than the recent ordeal of encountering ex-boyfriends every three steps and elderly fathers dressed as women who had been victims of blind dates. She wanted nothing more than to kick the ground and disappear into it. How could anyone be so unlucky?!

Zhao Wei closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

He tried hard to suppress the urge to kill his father.

Just when Lin Chun thought Zhao Wei would be furious, she stood up, transformed into a warhorse, and leaped onto its back: "I just remembered I have some things to do at home, I'll go and clean up the mess first."

He ran off and disappeared without a trace.

Lin Chun pursed his lips: "Was I too rash, offending Commander Zhao and causing a rift between Lord Lu and his colleagues?"

He was well aware of how troublesome it was to offend colleagues in officialdom.

One wrong move could even jeopardize your future.

One Zhao Wei is one thing, but behind Zhao Wei is Zhao Feng, a Pillar of State General and Duke of Qin. Just thinking about how he unwittingly offended such a person made Lin Chun feel like the sky was falling. Although Lu Ji was the Supreme Protector of the Army, he was still weaker than the Zhao father and daughter.

Lu Jidao said, "There's no need to always take the blame upon yourself."

There's no need to be anxious about it.

"This has nothing to do with you. It was a misunderstanding between the father and daughter. Let them fight it out." Lu Ji didn't take it to heart at all. She knew Zhao Wei and Zhao Feng's personalities perfectly well. "Why don't you go and take a look?"

Perfect timing, I'm bored anyway.

"What are you looking at?"

"Naturally, one should prioritize the greater good over the lesser good."

Lin Chun: "..."

His anxiety, before it could even build up, was dispelled by the sight of Zhao Wei poking the Duke of Qin's buttocks with a spear. Zhao Wei wasn't just threatening him; he genuinely intended to poke a few more holes in his backside. That wouldn't have been the worst part, but the Duke of Qin's attire…

"Lord Lu, is this truly the Duke of Qin?"

Military generals generally don't like the title "Diligent".

These titles often signify diligence, dedication to the king, and unwavering loyalty, while military generals on the battlefield are particularly favored for their bravery and martial prowess. When Lin Chun first heard of the Duke of Qin, he imagined him to be a scholar-general, militarily brilliant but not adept at charging into battle; his mental image was quite vivid. Upon seeing him in person, he was eager to know who this burly middle-aged man, adorned with peonies in his hair, heavily made up, and whose muscular physique stretched his pink dress taut, was. The Duke of Qin?

No, is this the Duke of Qin?

This wasn't the first time Lu Ji had seen Zhao Feng dressed like this.

General Zhao really, really, really tried his best to transform himself into his daughter's appearance, and for years he searched for suitable male lovers for her. Lu Ji didn't know if Zhao Feng did it on purpose, or if Zhao Wei was just a rigid, unyielding woman in his eyes.

"Um……"

People tend to make small gestures when they feel awkward.

Lu Ji squatted down and grabbed at the grass on the ground: "That's him."

Lin Chun opened her mouth: "..."

He felt that what he saw today was different from the atmosphere of the Kang Kingdom's court that he had experienced while working overtime at the Sinong Temple recently! It wasn't exactly the same, but completely different.

Lu Ji, not hearing any movement, turned his head and asked, "What's wrong?"

"This, this..."

Lu Ji knew what he wanted to ask: "You'll get used to it."

Lin Chun isn't qualified to attend court yet. Once he does better in the next Ministry of Personnel assessment, he'll basically be able to attend the grand court assembly, and then he'll be able to personally experience the most distinctive cultural feature of Kang Kingdom. Since the change of reign title, the frequency of all-out brawls at court assemblies, both large and small, has been increasing year by year.

They bombarded their superiors, their colleagues, their subordinates, officials in the capital, officials in the provinces, scholars, and commoners...

They had kissed everyone in Kangguo who was still breathing.

Lu Ji would feel a little unaccustomed if the hair-pulling technique stopped.

Lin Chun's face turned pale: "How can I get used to this?"

Lu Ji thought of something: "How are you in the Six Arts? Next time you have a day off, I'll teach you riding, archery and swordsmanship. You might be able to use them at court."

Given Lin Chun's personality, he probably wouldn't dare to fight back even if he were beaten.

They were afraid that if they fought back, they would offend their colleagues and implicate their families.

Lin Chun: "..."

For some reason, he had a bad feeling.

At this moment, Zhao Wei had already thrust her spear into Zhao Feng's left buttock, the spear tip striking the soft armor with a piercing sound. Zhao Wei was furious: "You, you actually dare to come out and flaunt your soft armor at a time like this?"

Zhao Feng was bitter inside.

Zhao Feng dared not speak.

Zhao Feng spoke last.

"Good Dawei, good daughter, my darling, even if you want to shave your father's backside, you should at least let your father know why. If you really don't want to see the Lin family's sons, why would your father force you?"

Zhao Wei: "..."

Lin Chun: "..."

Lu Ji: "..."

This misunderstanding still needs to be cleared up.

Lu Ji pretended to have just passed by and hadn't witnessed Zhao Feng being killed for the sake of justice, and explained his relationship with Lin Chun beside him with a smile.

Lin Chun's heart pounded like a drum, and her palms were sweating with fear.

Zhao Feng tilted his head and squinted as he sized up Lin Chun.

Finally, he said, "Tsk, we're a step too late."

Given these conditions, he is perfectly suited to be the son-in-law of the Zhao family.

Lu Ji asked, "Where did Lord Zhao learn of Lord Lin?"

Her engagement to Lin Chun had already been formalized with the Emperor, and the Ministry of Rites should have removed his unmarried status. Zhao Feng and the Ministry of Rites wouldn't have been able to find him among eligible unmarried men. He must have learned of it through other channels.

As expected—

Zhao Fengdao: "Naturally, I heard it from someone who introduced me to it."

There are hardly any eligible unmarried men in Wangdu who haven't been asked for marriage partners.

The Ministry of Rites is going to blacklist him.

Zhao Feng had no choice but to seek help from private marriage agencies. He happened to run into a former matchmaker who said that a new Vice Minister of Agriculture had recently arrived at the Ministry of Agriculture. He was extremely handsome and had a calm and unassuming nature, making him an excellent son-in-law.

So Zhao Feng took it to heart.

He was even more pleased to learn that it was Lin Feng's elder brother.

Lin Feng is such a talented man, his brother is probably not much different.

Zhao Fengdu was preparing to send someone to their residence to speak on their behalf.

result--

Are Lin Chun and Lu Ji already engaged?

Zhao Feng was a military general, but military generals aren't fools. He immediately realized that someone was using him to frame Lin Chun, and might even ruin Lin Chun's engagement with Lu Ji. Thinking of this, Zhao Feng laughed in anger, a laugh that froze Lin Chun.

Lu Jidao asked, "Could Lord Zhao reveal who that person is?"

Zhao Feng did not hide it.

Lu Ji wrote it down and then asked Lin Chun if she remembered it.

Lin Chun pursed her lips and said weakly, "This person is a colleague from the same department. He is usually kind and approachable, a..."

He carefully recalled the other person's appearance.

A very approachable and friendly colleague.

When Lin Chun first joined the Ministry of Agriculture, this person was the first to extend a friendly hand, sharing some workplace survival tips with him, from which Lin Chun benefited greatly. If more time had passed, he would have let down his guard and considered this person a close friend.

Zhao Fengdao said, "The officialdom is dangerous; one should not easily trust others."

If Zhao Feng were a proud and petty person, he would hold a grudge against Lin Chun for secretly arranging a marriage, even if it wasn't his fault. Lu Ji, who didn't have a deep relationship with Lin Chun, might cancel the engagement because of this.

A man who hasn't even stepped inside is causing trouble like this...

To outsiders, Lu Ji would certainly not offend the Zhao family father and daughter for a stranger he had only met a few times.

Zhao Feng: "How are the preparations for this?"

He was asking Lu Ji this question, and he was giving Lu Ji face.

He wants to solve it himself if possible.

Zhao Feng is not a tool that anyone can use.

Lu Jidao said, "I will handle it properly."

Lin Chun's personality wasn't such that he would intentionally offend his colleagues; if someone was targeting him for no reason, there must be a reason. Military generals are generally protective of their own and wouldn't allow those under their protection to be bullied.

I figured it out in just one day.

Zhao Feng also received the results.

"I should speak to the Lord about this. We haven't even had a few good days, and already all this scheming and backstabbing has started." Zhao Feng read the investigation results twice and said speechlessly, "What were they thinking? They wanted to ruin Lin Chun's good fortune and then use him to curry favor with Ling De? Does he even deserve it? This kind of two-faced, treacherous villain, if he ever rises to a high position, who knows how arrogant he'll become!"

He was jealous that Lin Chun had Lin Feng as a helper, and he was also jealous that Lin Chun was fortunate enough to climb into a high-class family. He also regretted being scared off by Zhao Feng's crazy behavior and missing out on Zhao Wei, a potential stock... When he finally met Zhao Wei, he realized that Zhao Wei was actually a heroic and beautiful woman.

Rather than Zhao Feng, that ghostly figure with his ridiculous heavy makeup.

I felt deep regret and remorse.

He then hatched a treacherous plan, starting with Zhao Feng, and secretly sowing discord between them.

Zhao Feng: "..."

Young people still don't understand the customs of the Kang Kingdom's court.

If he ever had the chance to attend court and witness firsthand the scene of civil and military officials engaging in a full-blown brawl, he would have known that the people of Kangguo had developed a habit of resolving conflicts with fists rather than words. They preferred to confront any disputes directly, resorting to physical violence.

If it weren't for what happened yesterday, Zhao Feng would have personally gone to find out what was going on after realizing he'd been tricked, instead of taking his anger out on others.

Secretly seeking revenge?

How can anything compare to the satisfaction of getting revenge on the spot?

|ω`)

(End of this chapter)