Chapter 203 Recruiting a Son-in-Law
Mu Xi couldn't dodge it, so she had to slow down.
Yan Shu leaned closer, glancing around to make sure no one was nearby, then said excitedly, "Oh my, you two really stumbled upon a lively event tonight! These past few nights' banquets have been so monotonous and boring, but tonight is different..."
"Brother Yan, I advise you not to mention it again. Neither of those two is someone to be trifled with," Mu Xun warned in a low voice.
Yan Shu lowered her voice and followed them out, but couldn't help asking gossipy questions: "I've heard some big news in the past few days, do you want to know?"
"Has the Imperial Observatory determined the possible timing of the 'Six Harmonies Star Phenomenon'?" This was what Mu Xi was most concerned about.
"No..." Yan Shu didn't bother with any preamble and took a sharp turn, "Do you know what Princess Qingyang's real purpose is in coming to Yanshan this time?"
Princess Qingyang is here representing Lord Qingyang, Li Tong. What other schemes could she possibly have?
Neither Mu Xi nor Mu Xun answered.
Yan Shu paused deliberately, keeping them in suspense, but neither of them reacted. So she had to answer her own question: "This Princess Qingyang... ostensibly she's attending the 'Six Harmonies Grand Ceremony' on behalf of her father, but secretly she's here to find a husband."
"Looking for a son-in-law?" Mu Xi didn't understand at all.
Mu Xun was also taken aback.
Yan Shu finally piqued their interest, her foxy eyes crinkling with a smile: "What do you think I've been busy with these past few days? I've been following the Queen's strict orders to help Princess Qingyang match the horoscopes of all the princes and nobles present. So many eligible unmarried young men... the horoscopes I've matched are dazzling..."
"Wait, you said you're looking for a son-in-law? What's this all about? Get to the point!" Mu Xi didn't care about matching birth dates.
The three of them talked as they left the main camp and arrived at the tent that Mu Xi had temporarily set up in the northwest corner. As soon as they entered the tent, they sat down together.
Yan Shu was finally able to raise her voice a bit, and she began to beam with excitement: "Oh my, you two don't know yet, do you? I only heard about it these past two days. I never imagined that there would be such an interesting story in the East China Sea, which has always been an independent region."
"Brother Yan, please tell me slowly." Mu Xi waved his hand, telling Tao'er and the others who had followed him in to go outside and keep watch. He had just drunk a lot of tea and wine and couldn't drink anything more now.
“This matter really needs to be explained slowly.” Yan Shu adopted a gossipy stance, thought for a moment, and said, “To tell this story, we have to start with the Li clan of the East Sea. As we all know, the Yan Sheng region was historically a matrilineal clan. The ancient surname ‘Li’ came from one of the Seven Goddesses. Later, people from the Nine Gardens crossed the sea to settle here, which led to the Yan Sheng we know today. In a sense, we should all be considered descendants of the Nine Gardens, while the true Yan Sheng clan is the Li clan.”
Mu Xi and Mu Xun both knew this, so it's nothing surprising.
The two exchanged a glance and patiently listened.
Yan Shu began by laying the groundwork: "The Li clan has always been a matrilineal clan, with women as the most respected, independent and self-governing, forming its own entity. It was only after being influenced by our group over the next few thousand years that it gradually evolved into what it is today. It is said that the Li clan is not entirely female-centric now, but both men and women have the right to inherit, although there are considerations such as lineage, birth order, and ability."
“But Princess Qingyang, Li Li, is not surnamed ‘Li’ but ‘Li’.” Mu Xi realized this.
Yan Shu then said, "Your Highness, you may not know this, but the surname 'Li' originally originated from the surname 'Li'. It evolved from the surname of a man who married into the Li clan thousands of years ago. Therefore, from the perspective of the Li clan, whether one is surnamed 'Li' or 'Li' is not very important, especially since our Princess Qingyang has both surnames. As for Lord Qingyang..."
Mu Xi had always been interested in matrilineal clans and had learned a lot about the Li clan of the East Sea from the original owner's memories: "This generation's Lord Qingyang seems to be from some minor clan, right?"
Yan Shu nodded: "Yes, there's really not much information about Lord Qingyang of the East Sea. It took a lot of effort to piece together what we know. The current Lord Qingyang, Li Tong, was originally from a minor branch of a clan and was unknown, but he was very ambitious. Back then, the Yan Kingdom was destroyed and our Great Yu Kingdom rose to power. So he seized the opportunity and used the marriage with Li Xi, the daughter of the Li clan chief, to successfully take the throne."
“Ah… isn’t that what a live-in son-in-law is like?” Mu Xi blurted out.
Yan Shu curled her lips: "The 'son-in-law' part isn't quite accurate. According to rumors, Li Tong was very handsome when he was young, which won him the favor of Li Xi, the mother of Princess Qingyang and the daughter of the clan matriarch of the Li clan. In order to gain the support of the Li clan, he promised that after marrying Li Xi, he would never take a concubine and would remain faithful to her for life. Moreover, only Li Xi's son, regardless of gender, could inherit the title of Lord Qingyang."
"This price is extremely low, isn't it?" Mu Xi felt that the son-in-law was getting a good deal, as he didn't even have to change his surname.
“That’s true…” Yan Shu seemed about to say something, but then suddenly changed the subject, “Perhaps it was fate. After Lady Li gave birth to Princess Li Li of Qingyang, she no longer wanted to have a son. No matter how hard Lord Qingyang tried, he couldn’t persuade her. In the end, it’s said that she got tired of talking to her and simply followed the Li clan’s tradition, taking her daughter back to the tribe to raise. That’s why Li Tong only had one daughter, Li Li, for many years. This is also why even the King tacitly agrees that Princess Li Li of Qingyang is the next Queen of Qingyang.”
Things are definitely not that simple, Mu Xi followed up with, "And then?"
“Hehe, Your Highness has finally gotten to the point.” Yan Shu grinned. “And then… two years ago, Lady Li passed away. A year ago, Lord Qingyang suddenly brought out a concubine with a three-year-old son.”
“Uh…” Mu Xi was speechless, just as expected.
Yan Shu exclaimed disdainfully, "Oh dear... You're saying that Lady Li has only been dead for two years, and Lord Qingyang has already produced a three-year-old son? What happened to the vows we made back then?"
Neither Mu Xi nor Mu Xun could say anything.
Such things are not surprising, but to say they are commonplace yet be ashamed to talk about them is really shameless.
Yan Shu never needed anyone to chime in when she was gossiping; she would launch into her own monologue: "This Princess Qingyang... she's probably finally feeling the pressure. Although she still has the support of her maternal grandmother, the matriarch of the Li clan, Qingyang Jun must have been absolutely certain of his abilities to do this, and after all these years of building up his strength, he's not weak either. So, I don't know if it was Princess Qingyang herself or a capable person around her who came up with this idea for her: to come to Dayu and find a son-in-law. By finding a powerful prince and nobleman to marry into, and then gaining the support of the King of Yu, she could then rival her father, Qingyang Jun. So, in the end, this is a drama of father and daughter vying for power."
"I see..." Mu Xi thought of what had happened during the day, "Being a son-in-law...not everyone wants to do that, right?"
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