Chapter 142 – The Rebellion in the North Sea

Guo Yi was also considered a humble gentleman in front of others, but he was infuriated by Li Guangcai’s words.

Finally, without considering being polite, Guo Yi went straight to pull at Li Guangcai’s collar.

When scholars start fighting, they are no different from rural villagers. They all pull their collars and ears and fight each other with fists.

Because Guo Yi came alone with only one servant to find Cui Fu, when the two of them were tumbling on the ground, the servant rushed back to call someone.

When the people from Qingguo Mansion rushed to assist in the battle, Cui Xingzhou also brought people over.

Liu Miantang walked ahead and with sharp eyes, he noticed that Lord Li Guangcai was still quite capable of fighting. He was riding on Guo Yi and punching him in the face.

Since Lord Li has not been at a disadvantage, Miantang felt that there was no need to rush to fight.

As the servants of the Qingguo Mansion rushed over, she promptly gave Fan Hu a signal look.

Fan Hu understood that the princess consort was not afraid of making things big, so he led a few people to meet them and stopped the servants of the Qingguo Mansion. He also shouted, “The two adults are discussing things, and we servants should not interfere.”

The Old Lady of Qingguo was being supported by her son’s concubine, Yurao. She looked at Fan Hu’s obstruction and stomped her feet angrily and anxiously, “Your family uses their fists to discuss matters? My son is almost out of breath after being beaten. Don’t you hurry up and save him?”

In this way, after Lord Li Guangcai’s fierce anger, the servants of the Duke’s Mansion finally pushed Li Guangcai aside and helped their young master up.

Guo Yi was beaten to the point of nosebleeds, but still unconvinced, pointing to Li Guangcai and saying, “That’s my son’s mother. Why do you need to be around and pay attention to her? It was disrespectful for you both to watch flowers together.”

Li Guangcai shook the dust on his body and said calmly, “Lady Cui is my fiancée. This trip is accompanied by Prince Huaiyang and his princess consort, enjoying plums together in the four unclouded plum gardens. Which royal family rule has she violated?”

When did Cui Fu get engaged to him? Why doesn’t anyone know?

Miantang quickly glanced at Cui Fu and found that she also had a surprised expression on her face, obviously not knowing when she was engaged.

But she opened her mouth again and again, without denying it. Because today she and Li Guangcai were admiring plum blossoms in the plum orchard together. If people had carefully thought about it, there would indeed be some discordance with etiquette, but it was not a major blow to the atmosphere.

But now Guo Yi opened his mouth and arranged for her to have an inappropriate relationship with Li Guangcai in a private meeting. Just now, he took the initiative to hit him, causing countless people around them to watch, even if she was covered in words, she couldn’t explain it clearly.

And now Li Guangcai has just said that she has made a marriage agreement with him, so it was reasonable to gracefully enjoy flowers before marriage, making it difficult for people to pick out any mistakes.

If she denies it at this moment, it was inexplicable to say that the relationship with a divorced woman has caused her ex-husband to engage in a big fight with an unrelated man!

At this point, although Cui Fu was annoyed by Li Guangcai’s casual remarks, she could only acquiesce.

Liu Miantang also comprehended the confidence of Lord Li’s shameless words on the side, and only whispered to Cui Xingzhou, “It’s not bad that you were in the same year and acted the same way. It’s not good to deceive our sister like this.”

Cui Xingzhou actually didn’t want his sister to be kidnapped without proper words.

But at present, their sister’s reputation was the priority, and as for him and Brother Guangcai, they naturally have something to talk about later.

After hearing about Cui Fu’s engagement with Li Guangcai, Guo Yi immediately widened his eyes and waited for Cui Fu to refute.

But Cui Fu lowered her head and remained silent as if she had acquiesced. Guo Yi was so angry that he pointed her finger at Cui Fu and said, “Since you want to remarry, Jin’er can’t follow you. Tomorrow, I will send someone to pick him up! If you don’t let Jin’er off, I will submit the lawsuit to the court. Even if you are the legitimate daughter of Huaiyang Prince Residence, you must comply with the law! Look at the royal law of the Great Yan Dynasty and it’s definitely not allowed to deprive others of their legitimate sons.”

After speaking, Guo Yi ignored Yurao, who was wiping his nosebleed, and only angrily said the threatening words before turning around and leaving.

The Old Lady of Qingguo was also so angry that she trembled all over and said she wanted to twist Li Guangcai before going to court.

Miantang raised her eyebrows and asked Li Guangcai’s attendant, “Who started the fight just now?”

The attendant spoke loudly and said, “It’s Lord Guo who didn’t say a word. He gave our Lord a headlock first.”

Miantang turned to the Duke of Qingguo and said, “So, you only allow your young master to reach out and strike people and don’t allow anyone else to fight back? Moreover, the matter of your insulting my sister’s innocent reputation today needs further elaboration. Even if you don’t file a lawsuit, our Huaiyang Residence won’t comply.”

Duke Qingguo was so angry that he couldn’t speak, so he finally turned around and left.

Cui Fu was also angry at this moment, only glaring fiercely at her new fiancé Li Guangcai and turned around to leave.

When she returned to the solitary attic of the restaurant to rest, Cui Fu untied her cloak, gathered her temples, and posed a challenge to Li Guangcai, “Who agree to marry you? How dare you called me your fiancée in front of so many people.”

Li Guangcai said calmly, “I have been an official for many years, but my salary is limited. The farmland, houses, and shops left by my parents who passed away early were all written clearly in books, along with my eight characters, and were given to Prince Huaiyang early on. However, Prince Huaiyang stated that you first listen to your parents for your marriage and listen to your own decision after. Therefore, he cannot decide on behalf of you either. He only asked me to wait for your permission. Today, Guo Yi said that my relationship was unclear with you, and I was also in a hurry before blurting out… If you are not willing, wait until this limelight reduces, I will ask Prince Huaiyang to throw the eight-character post I delivered in my face in front of my colleagues, saying that my eight-character post was bad with you. If we get married, it may not be appropriate…”

“You…” Li Guangcai said with every compromise, and Cui Fu was speechless for a moment.

Cui Xingzhou stared at Liu Miantang and enjoyed watching the play, almost holding a handful of melon seeds and bringing another pair of benches.

So he pulled Miantang out of the compartment and turned to the next door, saying, “Since it was something they discussed on their own, wouldn’t it be unnecessary for us to be there… The dishes have already been served, and their vinegar fish is delicious. You can try it while it’s hot.”

Due to breastfeeding, the food that Miantang ate during these days did not add much salt, which was really bland. Now that Xiaoyi’er has grown older, she can also eat some salty food.

Upon hearing Cui Xingzhou say this, Miantang stared at her trembling elbow with bright eyes. She first placed a large piece to satisfy her craving and then ate the delicious vinegar fish. She felt like her entire tongue had come back to life.

However, Miantang felt that Li Guangcai was a bit too cunning. Now, thinking about it, if someone as gentle as Guo Yi could hit someone first, how hurtful and irritating would the words he uttered be?

It shouldn’t be that Li Guangcai intentionally did this, causing Guo Yi to hit people, right?!

Upon this thought, Miantang couldn’t help but ask, “Are Lord Li’s words just now what he meant? Aren’t he really afraid that you will throw the eight-character post he delivered back in front of his colleagues?”

Cui Xingzhou said calmly, “It should be taken seriously. However, I am about to cross Lingnan and become the Commander of the North Sea. He will also follow me. At that time, there will be only me and him in the military tent, so he is not afraid of losing face.”

Miantang paused immediately after eating and looked straight at him.

What the hell was with the North Sea? The area around Guangdong and Guangxi was filled with miasma, and there are various clans everywhere. The scorching heat was unbearable, and it has been a place of exile for prisoners since ancient times.

Why does he want to work there? Why doesn’t she know?

Cui Xingzhou shook his head helplessly and said, “I originally wanted to take you out to play. I won’t mention this matter for now. There were Japanese invaders in the North Sea, causing a lot of trouble. The local area suffered several defeats and had to seek help from the court. Unfortunately, it was all the old parties of the palace family, with intertwined roots and the Emperor couldn’t dispatch anyone to deal with it. Thus, he can only send me to defend it.”

Liu Miantang knew that this was not just due to the inability of the old palace family to dispatch. Since the death of Prince Sui, the power struggle between the Shi family and the Mountain of Yang factions has intensified. One by one, to fill the vacancy in the Palace, they resorted to various methods without stopping.

Even if the State of Zhen faction of Cui Xingzhou remained steadfast and never got involved, those two factions were not very pleased with Prince Huaiyang. It was difficult to say that the reason for appointing officials like Cui Xingzhou to such places this time was not due to the interference of these two forces.

Alternatively, Emperor Liu Yu may have to eliminate Cui Xingzhou by getting rid of him as soon as he has done his job. Of course, if Cui Xingzhou was unwilling, there are naturally thousands of ways to push it away. But this kind of job that no one wants to do, he took it on.

She had a thousand thoughts in her heart, but after slowly swallowing the food in her mouth, she said, “My child and I will also go with you too.“

Cui Xingzhou thought she would be angry and unwilling, questioning why he took on such a hot potato job.

Unexpectedly, she didn’t even ask, just like she used to chase him to the northwest without hesitation, and also wanted to go with him.

Cui Xingzhou’s heart was filled with excitement, but his mouth said, “Nonsense! Yi’er is still young, how can he withstand the fatigue of traveling? I have already agreed with the emperor that the condition for me to go to the North Sea is that the emperor allows you and Yi’er to return to the State of Zhen. When my sister’s marriage is settled, she and our mother will also go back to the State of Zhen too.”

Miantang slowly put down her chopsticks, her eyebrow peak did not move, and said, “You are my husband, how could I let you be thousands of miles away from me? I know the hardships there, but I also can’t bear to part with Yi’er and leave him to our mother and nannies. Since he was given birth as our child, he will naturally be where his parents are. If this pain cannot be suppressed, then he should be reincarnated to another mansion early, just lying on the merit book of his parents, eating and waiting to die, and being a carefree dandy.”

She was indeed a woman who has been a bandit leader before and who speaks cruel words that ordinary women in the boudoir cannot say. Since she said that, no matter what Cui Xingzhou said, it would not work. If she was not allowed to follow, she would follow secretly.

Cui Xingzhou never regretted his decision to go to the North Sea to eliminate the Japanese people before. But at this moment, looking at the stubborn female bandit leader, he felt a hint of regret.