The entire Yan court, both civil and military officials, is willing to believe that the princess of Chu State has been captured and brought back by their own Lord Pingye because it is a matter of pride.
However, Chu State can simply announce that the princess wasn’t abducted.
They could find another woman of the sa age from the royal family, or even directly pick a princess, send her over, and have her marry Qu Peiluo, the eldest son of the Qu Clan.
The Qu Clan would happily declare that the real princess is unhard, and that the one abducted by the Yan people was fake.
At that point,
The real would beco fake,
And the fake would beco undeniably real.
Because the princess is rely a symbolic figure, used by the regent as a political tool to ally with the Qu Clan. As for her as a person, honestly, aside from her princess title, what other use does she have?
Zheng Fan believes that if he were to return with the princess like this, the grand wedding would still proceed smoothly.
Then, his achievents from this trip to Chu would beco re talk between nations.
What was originally a celebrated feat, could end up with a pat on the shoulder:
Hey, we believe the princess you brought back is real. Good job, young man, keep it up.
In short,
Sneaking the princess back, the political results and military gains will be severely diminished.
What could have been a grand gesture watched by several nations will be reduced to tea room gossip:
"Hey, heard that our Lord Pingye might have snatched a woman from Chu State?"
"So, as usual?" Fan Zhengwen asked.
"The difficulty should decrease, the wedding should proceed as planned, whether it be the Chu royal family or the Qu Clan, their efforts will likely be focused outside searching for the princess.
On the wedding day, I will lead a cavalry charge, make a brief appearance and leave, making my mark, and that will settle the matter."
Procedures,
Must be followed,
And absolutely must be followed.
Fan Zhengwen shook his head and said, "Lord, have you considered whether the Qu Clan and the regent might anticipate your approach?
The difficulty hasn’t decreased, it’s actually increased. Especially from today on, various Chu armies and Qu private troops, along with border forces, will be mobilized.
If you don’t leave today, it will be more difficult to leave in the future.
Even the original plan to abduct the princess from the royal villa outside Zhou County and escape via Qi Mountain may be impossible."
Zheng Fan reached out and rubbed his face,
Smiled,
And said:
"Even though the person we wanted to capture has been caught early, the situation has beco harder."
But there’s no way to bla anyone,
Should we bla Siniang?
No way to pin anything on Siniang!
In the end, Zheng Fan made a decision and said:
"Proceed as usual."
Fan Zhengwen didn’t say anything more, just agreed. His task is to assist the Lord, not to make any decisions on his behalf.
anwhile,
In the small courtyard that is warm like spring in winter at Fan Mansion,
The elderly grandmother of the Fan Family sits late into the night on the soil ground, with her legs crossed.
She has three copper coins on her knees.
Her expression is sowhat uncertain.
She has just perford another divination,
The hexagram is complex, like sudden turbulent waves,
The future of the Fan Mansion resembles a small boat in a storm, at any mont it could capsize.
"Go ahead, bring doom to the family, to all so that it can be the most worry-free!"
...
Qingfang Room,
A Ming continues drinking,
He finds it difficult to get drunk because he can control the alcohol level in his blood.
He Chunlai and Chen Daole sit nearby, both looking sowhat anxious.
When Zheng Fan and Fan Zhengwen left together,
They only left one ssage:
Siniang seems to have captured the princess.
In contrast,
It is far too obvious.
Chen Daole, being from a prominent family, feels a bit hurt and sighs:
"Looks like the three of us are truly useless."
He Chunlai echoes with a heavy heart:
"Yes."
Their experience this ti, it truly seems that those who can get things done are working hard and efficiently, while they appear to be just loafing around.
A Ming shakes his head,
Laughs,
And says:
"It’s not just us three loafing around here."
This comnt is sowhat taboo, so Chen Daole and He Chunlai dare not respond.
Chen Daole changes the subject, saying:
"If this ti the princess has indeed been captured directly, can we return straight away then?"
A Ming again shakes his head,
Takes a sip of red wine,
And says:
"Nah, the threshold hasn’t been t yet."
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