Father-in-law

189 AD, Luoyang, the Gao residence.

Gao Jing felt a flicker of annoyance and spoke directly to Yuan Xi, "To whom my daughter shall be wed is my affair; who gave you the right to interfere?"

"Uncle Gao, please, do not be angry," Yuan Xi immediately put on a smile, coaxing him, "I am only thinking of Wugou's happiness. You must know the state of that boy from the Wei family's health. Judging by his physiognomy, he has but a few years left. Do you truly wish for Wugou to be a widow in her prime?"

"Yuan Xi! You!" Wei Zhongdao’s fury could no longer be contained. He pointed a trembling finger at Yuan Xi and cried, "You go too far! Do you think I fear you?"

Yuan Xi replied with a disdainful scoff, "Oh? A fiery temper, aren't we? Then let us put it to the test. If I, Yuan Xi, lose to you in even one thing, I shall get out of here immediately!"

"You, you, I..." Wei Zhongdao’s lips turned pale; he stammered, unable to find the words.

Though Yuan Xi was notoriously roguish, he possessed both literary talent and martial prowess. His talent need not be mentioned; he was held in the same regard as Yang Xiu. The fact that he had pursued Gao Yue for so many years without earning her disdain spoke for itself. As for his martial arts, rumors in the capital claimed he was a disciple of the master swordsman Wang Yue. How could a mere scion of a noble house like Wei, with his mediocre skills, hope to compare?

"Sigh! Xianyi, you should return now," Gao Jing said, looking at Yuan Xi. "There is no future for our two families. I shall overlook your rudeness today, but I hope there will not be a next time."

This stubborn old man truly refused to give up until he saw the Yellow River.

Yuan Xi did not agree. He sat back down just as a maid named Luzhu entered with a pot of tea and poured him a cup. Yuan Xi picked it up, took a slow sip, and paused. He smiled at Gao Jing and asked, "Tell me, Uncle Gao, why are you so intent on marrying Wugou to Wei Zhongdao?"

"Naturally, for my daughter's happiness!"

"Oh? For Wugou's happiness?"

"If it were merely to climb the social ladder, would I not just marry her to you?" Gao Jing snorted, glancing sideways at the composed Yuan Xi.

Yuan Xi smiled faintly, set down his teacup, and did not refute him. He stood up, took two steps forward, and said softly, "Shall we speak in private? If, after hearing what I have to say, you remain steadfast in your decision, I shall leave at once!"

Gao Jing glanced at Wei Zhongdao and nodded. "Very well."

He led Yuan Xi to the study next door. Once seated, Gao Jing did not offer any hospitality, staring at Yuan Xi and getting straight to the point. "Speak. I hope that once you are finished, you will leave our mansion quietly."

Gao Jing had long since learned of Yuan Xi’s thick skin and would no longer be driven to the brink of death by his provocations as he once had been; he had gained experience.

"Sigh!" Yuan Xi sighed and turned to shut the door. Gao Jing watched him, making no attempt to stop him.

"Uncle Gao, you have surely heard that I am a keen reader of men. Wei Zhongdao is suffering from a severe illness; why must you push your own daughter into a pit of fire? Do you think I was merely spouting nonsense earlier? I dare swear he will not live for three years." Yuan Xi analyzed Wei Zhongdao's face with a grave expression.

Gao Jing hesitated, but remained silent, staring intently at him.

Yuan Xi shook his head and continued, "If you marry Wugou to him now, how will she cope after he dies? Once a nobleman passes, his wife is often branded with the curse of having 'cursed her husband.' Given Wugou's proud nature, do you think she could live happily in Hedong? I hope you will reconsider, Uncle."

As it would later turn out, Yuan Xi was right; Wei Zhongdao would eventually die coughing up blood.

"Though I, Yuan Xi, am lacking in many ways, my heart for Wugou is sincere. You know how she feels about me, Uncle. You speak constantly of your daughter's happiness, yet the one who can truly provide it stands before you—why do you stand in the way?" Yuan Xi argued.

"Yuan Xi, what makes you think you can give Yue'er happiness?" Gao Jing replied coldly. "The Emperor has already arranged for you to wed the Princess Wannian. Do you expect my daughter to be your concubine? If that is what you think, it is not impossible—go and annul that marriage, and I will marry Yue'er to you immediately."

The matter of Yuan Xi and Princess Wannian was a tactic used by Emperor Ling to court the Yuan family. For the Gao family, this remained the greatest, irreconcilable conflict between them. Yuan Xi knew this well and could not argue.

After a moment's thought, Yuan Xi said, "What if they were both to be equal wives?"

"Absurd! What kind of nonsense is that?" Gao Jing slammed his hand on the table. "A man has but one wife. Is that something you can change just because you say so?"

Yuan Xi did not care. Liu Cong at the end of the Western Jin Dynasty had several empresses, but this could not be said aloud. He frowned and changed the subject. "The heavens are about to change in Luoyang. Do you not know this, Uncle Gao?"

Gao Jing’s expression shifted drastically. He said in a deep voice, "Do you realize that these are seditious words?"

"I have only spoken of this to you, Uncle. Have no fear." Yuan Xi smiled faintly. "In truth, I came today not only to dissuade you from marrying Wugou to that boy, but also to urge you to resign your post and retire, rather than taking up office in the Shu region!"

Gao Jing gripped the edge of the desk tightly, his veins bulging, his eyes fixed on Yuan Xi. Yuan Xi remained unafraid, meeting his gaze with sincerity.

"Sigh, leave. I shall treat today as if it never happened." Gao Jing suddenly let out a heavy sigh and waved his hand.

Yuan Xi’s expression darkened. He had not expected that even after saying all this, the old man remained so obstinate.

"Uncle Gao," Yuan Xi said, changing his tone. He declared firmly, "You have your pursuits, and I shall not interfere with them, but regarding Wugou, I will not yield. She shall be my wife; that is certain."

"Ha!" Gao Jing suddenly laughed, amused by Yuan Xi's audacity. He said with great resignation, "Xianyi, with your status, what girl could you not win? Why obsess so over my Yue'er? There are many beauties in the world; just take another one home."

"Sigh, I want a woman who understands my heart. You know the legend of 'High Mountains and Flowing Water,' seeking a soulmate, do you not? I cannot claim that Wugou and I have reached that level, but we are of one mind. Everyone says I am a libertine, but in all these years, besides Yue'er, have you seen any other woman by my side?" Yuan Xi let out a long breath, his inner sorrow clearly showing.

Gao Jing listened coldly, offering no response, which drove Yuan Xi to distraction.

"Just wait. Wugou is destined to be my wife," Yuan Xi said bitterly. He rose, offered no bow, and departed.

He mounted his horse and returned home. This trip to the Gao residence had been neither smooth nor pleasant. Yuan Xi felt that he was simply still too weak, not powerful enough.

...

The husky, also known as a sled dog, is a Siberian breed.

During the third northern expedition of Emperor Xuanwu, the Xianbei were routed in the northern territories and eventually sued for peace. They presented this creature as a gift. At that time, in her later years, Lady Liu was often plagued by melancholy and thoughts of the past, causing Emperor Xuanwu great concern. Zhang Ji suggested to Yuan Xi that a method of emotional catharsis was needed, and thus, Yuan Xi gave this dog to Lady Liu.

At first, Lady Liu was delighted, but soon after, she flew into a rage. After some back and forth, Lady Liu’s illness unexpectedly vanished, and she named the dog "Hani."

From then on, the Empress Dowager’s palace fell into chaos. The dog would tear the house apart if left for three days, keeping everyone busy. Hani feared Xiao Hei and liked to follow him around. It would sneak over to Xu You’s house to keep watch for Xiao Hei and grew to loathe Guo Tu. Strangely enough, both Xiao Hei and the dog enjoyed causing trouble at Xu You’s house and shared a mutual disdain for Guo Tu.