Chapter 569: Discussing Su San’s Marriage

Chapter 569: Negotiating Su San's Marriage

The Su family's celebrations kept piling up. The Duke of Zhao had written to say he would visit the Su family in Yun County after the Mid-Autumn Festival. Yet, on the very next day—the second day after Su Da's engagement banquet—he arrived at the Su residence, clearly too impatient to wait.

Originally, the Duke of Zhao had come to Yun County with Mu Mingjin, but upon arrival, he first returned to his ancestral Zhao residence instead of heading to the Liu family like Mu Mingjin did.

Though the Liu family held considerable prestige in Yun County, they wasn't even in the same league compared to the Zhao family. Since some Zhao clansmen had already attended the Liu family's event, if the Duke himself were to go as well, it would have been seen as kissing up—elevating the Liu family's status while diminishing the Zhao family's. Others might even speculate that the Zhao family was desperate to curry favor with the Su family by further honoring the Lius.

The Duke of Zhao, who regarded family honor as his lifelong pursuit, would never stoop to such a demeaning act.

Moreover, old General Su had no desire for the Duke of Zhao to appear at that time, lest his own fiery temper fly off the handle and clash with the Duke, ruining his grandson’s happy occasion.

That old fellow Zhao Wenjian had once sneered at Su Hong as "uncouth" and "vulgar," yet now he was the one eagerly seeking a marriage alliance with the Su family—the very family he had once talked shit about.

If Zhao Wenjian disdained Su Hong as coarse, Su Hong equally scorned the Zhao family for their opportunism.

When the Su family sought marriage alliances, they valued character above all else, not social standing.

They would never look down on a family for being too humble, nor would they hesitate due to a family’s excessive prestige.

Their alliance with the Liu family was based on years of back-scratching and the Lius' reputable conduct. As for whether others interpreted this as the Su family—fresh off the boat in Yun County—seeking to secure their status by allying with the Lius, or even playing puppet master to control Yun County’s military power through them, old General Su could give two shits.

People could think whatever they wished. Everyone had a mouth to speak and opinions to voice, but the Su family had their own principles and moral compass.

Now, forging ties with the Zhao family was not only due to Su San and Yun Luoling’s being head over heels but also involved ulterior motives.

Though old General Su refrained from commenting on Zhao Wenjian’s relentless pursuit of family glory, one thing that could provoke his temper was the Duke’s refusal to fully succumb to the corrupting lure of power. Despite his ambitions, Zhao Wenjian had not become a deceitful, profit-driven schemer.

In all the dirty dealings involving the Zhao family—whether it was Su Er’s death at Yun Ji’s hands, Emperor Yu’s poisoning by Consort Shu, or Zhao Lianxin’s failed plot to marry into Zhu Xian—Rong Xiao had been the mastermind behind the scenes, not the Duke alone.

When the Duke of Zhao arrived at the Su residence, he immediately bowed deeply—a ninety-degree salute—the moment he entered the main hall. This gesture was both an apology for Su Er’s death and an expression of admiration for the Su family’s ability to withdraw at their peak, a feat few could achieve.

"Old Brother Su, let’s not dance around the matter of your second son’s death. The newly enthroned Emperor of Dan Liang—I hadn’t looked into it before, but once I did, it scared the hell out of me."

Stroking his goat beard, the Duke laid his cards on the table, acknowledging his own involvement in Su Er’s demise upfront. This way, old General Su couldn’t use it as an excuse to berate him first. Clearing the air would make discussing the marriage alliance smoother.

In the past, he had indeed disdained old General Su’s roughness—that was undeniable. But now, his admiration was genuine. He could never have walked away from power as effortlessly as the Su family had—only death could have freed him from his lifelong struggle. Yet, the Su family had left without resentment, even rushing to Langjing to resolve its crisis.

When Langjing stabilized, the new Emperor sought to enfeoff Su Hong as the "Prince of Yunzhong," a title loftier than "Prince General." Yet Su Hong, without a hint of greed, declined and returned to his homeland, treating fame and fortune as mere passing clouds.

Such integrity left Zhao Wenjian in awe. He no longer measured the Su family by his own petty standards. The family glory he chased so desperately meant nothing to them.

The realization filled him with shame.

"Hah—"

Old General Su’s hearty laughter bloomed with delight. He hadn’t even needed to argue—Zhao Wenjian had conceded willingly. In the end, Su Hong had won this round.

Running a hand through his treasured bushy beard, old General Su beamed, the wrinkles at his eyes deepening. Despite his aged appearance and graying temples, he radiated vigor, appearing even more spirited than the Duke, who was still in his prime.

His booming laughter rang so loudly that the Duke had to cover his ears, shooting him a disdainful look.

Look at how pleased he was—such a crude man! How could he have ever admired him? He must have been blind!

With the air cleared and tempers soothed, the two old rivals—who had bickered for half their lives—finally sat down to discuss their children’s marriage.

They started with good intentions, but the moment negotiations began, glares and bristling beards returned. Old General Su’s spit even flew so wildly that the Duke slammed the table in irritation.

One was the epitome of aristocratic etiquette, the other a family that followed its own rules yet upheld the deepest principles. Logically, they should have agreed on everything—yet somehow, they still ended up red-faced and furious.

Not to mention anything else, just take the fact that Yun Luoling comes to visit Su San every other day. This is nothing in the eyes of the Su family, but in the eyes of Duke Zhao, it's a disgrace to his Zhao family.

As a woman, constantly hanging around a man's house—what kind of behavior is that? Although when Yun Luoling was the Seventh Princess, she had always been chasing after men, and the affairs between Yun Luoling and Su San were something Duke Zhao himself was happy to encourage, that didn't stop him from getting furious over it and being provoked by old General Su with this matter.

As the Seventh Princess, he couldn't control her nor had any right to, but now Yun Luoling is his granddaughter, no longer the royal family's Seventh Princess, so he must discipline her and uphold the dignity of his Zhao family.

One granddaughter has already thrown herself away—this other granddaughter, no matter what, he won't allow her to repeat the same disgraceful behavior that Lianxin once did.

And so, after painstakingly working through the negotiations to settle the marriage between the two youngsters, Duke Zhao dragged Yun Luoling away, his face dark and neck flushed with anger.

Seeing Zhao Wenjian so enraged, old General Su stroked his treasured bushy beard, his eyes crinkling into slits with laughter.

"Finally paid him back for all these years. Feels good."

Hearing this, Su San's father and his two brothers, who had been present throughout the negotiations, exchanged glances and could only shake their heads.

Father really is getting more and more foolish with age.