Chapter 142 Marriage

Inside the grand hall, a group of ministers were currently engaged in a heated war of words, doing little more than trying to antagonize one another—the civil officials sneering at the military generals, and the military generals firing back at the civil officials.

Up above, the Emperor rested his chin in his hand, gazing indifferently down at the group of old men bickering away.

"My beloved subjects, cease your quarreling for a moment and let us discuss the imperial examinations two months from now," the Emperor said languidly. "The triennial selection of the top scholars in both civil and martial arts—I have no wish to witness a repeat of previous years. If I fail to see my cherished new officials taking up their posts this time, I trust you all know what consequences await you."

Instant silence fell over the vast hall.

"Hmph," the Emperor let out a cold chuckle.

Do you know why the lower ranks were filled with nothing but stubborn old men? It was simply because every single candidate who passed the exams previously would resign within less than a month.

The reason, absurdly enough, was that the monthly stipend was so meager it was literally better to go home and farm.

"Which of my beloved subjects has thought of a solution? We cannot continue like this; the imperial court is in dire need of fresh blood," the Emperor said, still propping his head in his hand.

"Your Majesty, this minister believes that the phenomenon of young officials resigning boils down to the fact that their stipends cannot meet their daily needs," Grand Secretary Su advised.

"Your Majesty, this minister seconds that motion. It is time to expand the imperial treasury," another civil official chimed in.

The Emperor raised an eyebrow. "My beloved subjects are well aware that my imperial treasury has been empty not for just a day or two. Since you raise this notion, no doubt you already have a plan in mind."

The assembled ministers exchanged glances: (...Are you certain the imperial treasury is empty?)

"Your Majesty, wouldn't it suffice to simply pay them a higher salary? Aren't those new officials running off precisely because they think the pay is too low?" a rough-hewn military officer blurted out bluntly, piercing straight through the Emperor's penny-pinching habits.

The civil officials: (...) Such vulgarity.

"Oh? Is that so? Is the stipend truly too meager?" the Emperor muttered, rubbing his chin.

"Your Majesty, the Chief Inspector of the Dali Temple requests an audience!" a eunuch's voice announced from outside.

"Admit him."

A moment later, the formidable Chief Inspector entered, sporting dark circles under his eyes and flanked by two subordinates. Behind them came a squinting bailiff carrying an object tightly wrapped in a fishing net.

The Emperor above raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What is the meaning of this, Inspector?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, at midnight yesterday, this minister waited by the stump for the hare and finally captured this thief. I await Your Majesty's judgment."

"Oh, and what is that beneath you?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it is a giant turtle."

"A what?"

"Ahem, a giant turtle."

After a long silence—

"Does my beloved subject have a proposed disposition?" the Emperor asked softly.

"We leave the matter entirely to Your Majesty's discretion."

"Ah, send it to the imperial kitchens and let them deal with it. Oh, and use plenty of cumin," the Emperor waved his hand, signaling the guards to haul the creature away.

The assembled ministers: (...) It's this enormous; can it even be eaten?

The Chief Inspector: (...) The thing has practically attained spiritual awareness; can they really stomach eating it?

The Old Turtle: *No way, I must escape.*

Ultimately, a military general from a hunter's background recognized that the turtle was a spirit beast endowed with intelligence. After subjecting it to a round of fierce intimidation, he obtained ownership of the turtle, intending to take it back and train it as a gate-guard creature.

Not to mention, the turtle's shell was a rare and valuable treasure. Remembering the martial arts examinations coming up the month after next, he suddenly had his examination materials sorted out.

Thus, at the martial arts examinations two months later, the candidates were stunned to discover that the test questions unexpectedly involved a running race against a turtle, as well as testing their reaction time by attempting to spear the turtle's belly with a lance.

The top martial scholar of the year would be judged entirely based on the time it took to complete the trial.

...

"Captured? And now he's guarding someone else's gate?" a woman in white murmured inside a small courtyard.

"Reporting to the Mistress, that old turtle slaughtered quite a few fish-clan cubs; the fish-clan elders have come to lodge complaints several times," a maid replied while grinding ink.

"Hmph, refusing to walk the righteous path and resorting to crooked ways—serves him right," the woman said, holding a brush and scribbling on a sheet of paper.

"Still, we cannot let matters rest here. Now that he has had so many of his subordinates thrashed by that fat fish, shouldn't we exact some interest in return?"

"Mistress, we are no match for them..."

"..."

"Silence! Who asked you to flap your jaws?" The woman in white snapped, flushed with shame and anger.

"Go, stir up some trouble at the Bai residence," she ordered.

"Understood."

...

Fubao took advantage of her day off to visit the Bai manor. Speaking of which, Cousin Bai Zhu was nearing twenty this year and was due to find a wife. To this end, Madam Bai had been meticulously screening candidates, yet none of them satisfied her.

"Tell me, little cousin, what has come over aunt? Eldest cousin is merely finding a wife, so why is she in such a frantic rush?" Fubao tugged at Bai Jie's sleeve and asked curiously.

"Ah! You don't know, Eldest Brother has been acting rather abnormal these past two days," Bai Jie lowered his voice to say.

"Oh? How is he acting abnormal?" Fubao glanced over at Bai Zhu, whose expression radiated ascetic detachment.

"Two days ago, Eldest Brother went out on an excursion with the Crown Prince and rescued a young woman. I heard she had snuck out from her home," Bai Jie continued.

"What does that have to do with Eldest Cousin not finding a wife?" Fubao asked speechlessly.

"Let me finish! It's precisely because they saved this woman that trouble has arrived. The Crown Prince has become utterly infatuated with her," Bai Jie said with a shocked expression.

"Ah! Is that woman exceptionally beautiful?" Fubao retorted. The Crown Prince did not look like someone easily swayed by mere beauty.

"Not just beautiful—stunningly, exceptionally beautiful. The Crown Prince is completely entangled with her. And that's not even the half of it; two days ago, Eldest Brother was severely reprimanded by the Crown Prince. If it weren't for the fact that Grandfather is the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince had to show him some basic courtesy, he would have had Eldest Brother locked up right then and there."

"Whatever for?"

"That woman was seducing Eldest Brother."

"What?!"

"And the Crown Prince caught them red-handed."

"Did Eldest Cousin give in?"

"Er, what do you think?"

"Tsk tsk, how boring," Fubao muttered, eyeing Bai Zhu's 'stay-away-from-me' expression across the courtyard and curling her lip. It seemed Eldest Cousin had been thoroughly infuriated this time.

Up in the seat of honor, the Dowager of the Bai family sipped her tea and said, "Zhu'er, your grandmother and your mother have discussed the matter. We shall finalize your marriage in the next couple of days, lest some vixen from outside hooks her claws into you."

Bai Zhu: (...) *Hooks her claws into me?*

Bai Jie and Fubao: (...) *Walking around with a face like that, he really is in grave danger.*

"Grandmother, I..." Bai Zhu attempted to speak, only to be cut off.

"I do not wish to hear any childish nonsense about you still being too young. You are a twenty-year-old man; you are not permitted to act like a naive youth."

Bai Zhu: (...)

"The annual imperial hunt is about to begin. You and Jie'er shall accompany your father and follow His Majesty to the hunting grounds. Since you dislike young maidens who stay cooped up in their boudoirs, go find someone with good martial arts skills. It doesn't matter if she's a bit plain; worst comes to worst, you can stay home and look pretty while your wife works to support the household."

Madam Dowager Bai twirled her prayer beads and spoke leisurely.

Bai Jie and Fubao exchanged snickers.

Bai Zhu: (...) *No, I do not want this.*

"Grandmother, this grandson has yet to establish any merits or accomplish anything in his career; I do not wish to settle down just yet," Bai Zhu argued desperately for his personal freedom.

"Settle down in a small family first, and then you can build up the great family. As far as your grandmother is concerned, getting married is achieving merit, and producing a baby is establishing a career," the Dowager said with immovable calm.

"Grandmother..."

"Very well, it is settled. Once you reach the outskirts, spend more time interacting with some young lasses. Grandmother believes in you." With that, she patted Bai Zhu's shoulder and retreated into the inner chambers.

Left behind in the courtyard was Bai Zhu, wearing an expression of utter despair.

"Hehe, hang in there, Eldest Brother! Strive to find your younger brother a sister-in-law as soon as possible," Bai Jie gloated maliciously.

Bai Zhu: *Heh.*