Chapter 280: Coercion Through Power

The arrival of Du Gu Hao Ran prevented Lady Pei from continuing. She could decide on her daughter’s seating arrangement on her own, but she couldn’t replace her husband in announcing her daughter’s marriage. Lady Pei slowly sat down, watching her husband warily. She had already made up her mind: if her husband dared to cancel Mingyue’s marriage, she would fight him to the end. Du Gu Hao Ran walked over expressionlessly, not even glancing at his wife. He said to everyone, “I’m sorry for being late—I wasn’t feeling well just now.”
“If you’re late, you must drink three cups of wine as punishment!” someone shouted.
Du Gu Hao Ran chuckled, poured three cups of wine for himself, and drank them one after another, showing the cups to everyone. The hall erupted in applause. He waved his hand and said, “Everyone, eat and drink freely! We’re all family—there’s no need to be formal.”
After saying that, he sat down, making no mention of the purpose of this banquet. The hall became lively again, filled with laughter. Seizing an opportunity, Lady Pei whispered to her husband, “What exactly do you intend to do?”
Du Gu Hao Ran gave his wife a cold glance but ignored her, continuing to drink his wine at his own pace. Earlier, he had seen his two daughters by the window and suddenly thought: why not give the younger daughter to Li Qing An and send the older one to the palace? That would solve both problems.
As he thought this, he entered the hall and happened to see Mingyue pouring wine for Li Qing An. He suddenly regained his clarity. With Li Qing An’s current status, he wasn’t interested in the Du family—he wanted his own older daughter. If he replaced Mingyue with Mingzhu, Li Qing An might not agree. But anyway, he wanted to talk to Li Qing An, so he abandoned the idea of canceling the marriage in public. It was best not to discuss the marriage date today.
“Madam, I don’t intend to cancel the marriage, but I’d like to think it over further. Let’s not announce it today!” Du Gu Hao Ran said coldly.
“But sir, we may not announce the marriage date, but at least we should inform our clan members that Mingyue and Young Master Li will be officially married!”

Madam Pei was extremely shrewd; she knew exactly what her husband was thinking. Since he refused to announce the wedding date, he must be trying to achieve his goals indirectly. Whether it was by openly canceling the marriage or doing so in a roundabout way, Madam Pei would never agree. As the legitimate daughter of the prestigious Pei family from Hedong, her excellent upbringing and strict family values set her apart from ordinary women. On one hand, she respected her husband, but on the other, she adhered to her principles and refused to compromise easily, especially when it came to her children’s education and marriages. Thus, despite her husband’s request to postpone announcing the wedding date, she insisted on clarifying their marriage plans.

Her wife’s stubbornness reignited Du Gu Hao Ran’s anger, which he had just suppressed. He clenched his fist and secretly poked her, growling, “I’ve already given you in, why are you still so stubborn?”

“Then promise me first that you won’t obstruct Mingyue’s marriage. You must promise me never to bring up the idea of her entering the palace again.”

“I already have an idea about that. Don’t threaten me.”

“No! I insist you promise.”

The argument between Du Gu Hao Ran and his wife was first noticed by Mingzhu. Like her sister, she was puzzled by her father’s delay in arriving for the banquet, but her curiosity far exceeded that of ordinary people. When her father sat down, she pricked up her ears and listened to every word of their whispered argument without missing a single one. She was terrified—her heart seemed to stop beating. It turned out her father wanted her sister to enter the palace! Good heavens! That couldn’t be right.

Mingzhu was both shocked and panicked. All she could think about was telling her sister, telling Li Qing’an, ignoring completely the consequences of her actions. She slowly lifted the tablecloth, dipped her finger in wine, and wrote word by word on the shiny table: “Father wants you to enter the palace!”

At first, Mingyue didn’t understand why her sister was lifting the tablecloth. When she saw what was written, she was stunned and her hands and feet turned cold. Then, she felt a warm hand grasp hers. Mingyue turned sharply and saw Li Qing’an shaking his head at her. His gaze shifted to the words on the table, then back to her, with a confident smile on his face. His eyes conveyed just four words: “Don’t worry!”

Li Qing’an’s confidence calmed Mingyue’s panicked heart a little. She gently bent her fingers and wrote on his palm: “What should I do?”

The beauty’s intelligence made Li Qing’an nod in approval. He slowly wrote word by word on Mingyue’s palm: “I already know. I have a plan!”

Ever since Yang Guifei hinted at Huaqing Palace that Li Longji might have ulterior motives regarding Mingyue, Li Qingan had been paying close attention to the matter. This afternoon, when Li Longji summoned him, he was extremely impatient, seemingly eager to send him away right away, which made Li Qingan feel something was off. Coincidentally, he met Du Gu Haoran at the palace gate, and this coincidence raised his suspicions. Could it be that Li Longji was trying to get rid of him in such a hasty manner out of fear of Du Gu Haoran? Coupled with Guifei’s warning, Li Qingan began to doubt Li Longji’s motives for summoning Du Gu Haoran and why he wanted to promote him. All these suspicious signs made him wary. The message from Mingzhu further confirmed his suspicions—that Li Longji indeed intended to use Du Gu Haoran as a means to achieve his goals. The situation was delicate; Li Longji didn’t dare to act openly and could only try to seize things secretly, making Du Gu Haoran the villain. But was Li Qingan really that easy to manipulate?

Madam Pei also realized her voice had gotten a bit too loud, drawing attention from many people. At such a gathering, the couple really couldn’t argue. So she held back her breath, sitting there with a gloomy expression and saying nothing. Meanwhile, Du Gu Haoran gradually regained his composure, frequently raising his cup to toast his relatives around him, with laughter filling the air. Just then, the butler of the Du family rushed into the hall and whispered something in Du Gu Haoran’s ear. Du Gu Haoran froze for a moment before quickly standing up and saying, “Hurry! Please come in!”

“Sir, who has arrived?” Madam Pei couldn’t help but ask.

“Gao Lishi and Prime Minister Li have come together!” Du Gu Haoran replied before hurrying out to greet them.

Madam Pei’s eyes lit up. These two had arrived at just the right time. She couldn’t help but turn to look at Li Qingan, who gave her a slight smile and raised his cup gently. Realizing what was going on, her anxious heart suddenly relaxed.

Gao Lishi came with his wife, Lady Lu. In Li Qingan’s marriage arrangement, he acted as part of the groom’s family, and the initial rituals were carried out jointly by Lady Lu and Madam Pei. Today was the designated day, determined by the bride’s side. It wasn’t necessary for Gao Lishi and his wife to be there, as Li Qingan himself was present. But the events that occurred at Xingqing Palace that afternoon made Gao Lishi uneasy. At Li Qingan’s request, he sent a letter to Li Linfu and then rushed to the Du family’s home with his wife.

Although Gao Lishi had lost his power, he still held considerable influence. Du Gu Haoran didn’t dare to neglect him and quickly stepped forward to greet him, saying, “It’s an honor to have Uncle Gao visit my humble home. I’m sorry for not greeting you properly.”

Gao Lishi smiled gently and said, “Today is a joyous day for the Du Gu family. As a relative on the groom’s side, how could I not be here?”
At that moment, Li Linfu also came in. After Li Qing’an had thwarted Yang Guozhong’s plans, Li Linfu’s spirits had improved greatly. Though still weak, he could at least walk around. His concubine helped him down the steps.
“Lord Du Gu, you surely won’t blame me for showing up uninvited, right?” Li Linfu still wore his signature smile. Although his voice wasn’t loud, it was clear enough for everyone to hear.
Du Gu Haoran, frightened, hurried forward to pay his respects. “What are you saying, Prime Minister? It’s an honor for you to visit my humble home. I couldn’t even invite you.”
Li Linfu nodded with a smile and then said to Gao Lishi and his wife, “Uncle Gao, sister-in-law, as the elders on the groom’s side, do you have anyone in mind to serve as the wedding officiant?”
Gao Lishi’s wife, Lady Lu, smiled and said, “Today is just the day to set the wedding date. Only after that can we discuss details like the ceremony host and officiant. If Prime Minister is willing, I’ll talk to Mingyue’s mother and ask him to serve as the officiant.”
Li Linfu chuckled and said, “That’s exactly what I had in mind. It would be a great pleasure to be the officiant for Li Qing’an.”
Du Gu Haoran inwardly groaned in frustration. He had just decided not to announce the wedding date today, but suddenly things changed with the arrival of Gao Lishi and Li Linfu. What should he do now?
At that moment, Li Qing’an also came out. From afar, he bowed and exclaimed in surprise, “Uncle Gao, Prime Minister, why have you two come?”
Gao Lishi pretended to be displeased and said, “Can’t we come?”
He then said to Li Linfu, “Prime Minister, look at this kid. On such a happy day, he doesn’t even allow us to come.”
Li Linfu also smiled and said, “This is Lord Du Gu’s residence. He can’t decide whether we can come or not, right, Lord Du Gu?”
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Du Gu Haoran repeated repeatedly. “Uncle Gao, Prime Minister, please come inside.”
Lady Pei had already gone to the entrance of the main hall to wait. Seeing Gao Lishi and Li Linfu talking about setting the wedding date and the officiant, she was overjoyed. With these two high-ranking officials present, her husband wouldn’t dare to cancel the marriage casually.
She hurried forward to greet them, “Welcome, Uncle Gao! Welcome, Prime Minister!”
Lady Lu, Gao Lishi’s wife, who was on good terms with her, quickly stepped forward, took her arm, and said with a smile, “Haven’t we arrived too late? Has the wedding date been announced yet?”
“Not yet! You’ve come just in time. Please come inside!”

Gao Lishi and Li Linfu entered the hall, and all the members of the Du Gu family stood up. Du Gu Haoran’s brothers quickly rearranged the seating, moving Li Qing’an and the Mingyue sisters to the side. A long table was added next to the Du Gu couple for Gao Lishi and Li Linfu.

The two sat down, and Gao Lishi said cheerfully to the Du Gu couple, “What concerns me most is when the wedding will be held—it’s really exciting!”

Lady Pei quickly replied with a smile, “Qilang won’t be in Chang’an for long, so I think we should keep it short. Last night, I discussed it with Mingyue’s father, and we decided on February 15th. What do you think?”

“February 15th? Hmm! That’s a bit tight. There are only five days left, and it might be too hasty. I also checked the dates before coming here. February 18th is an auspicious day, and there’s more time. What do you think, Lord Du Gu?” Gao Lishi asked seriously.

Du Gu Haoran was in a dilemma. Whether he chose an earlier or later date, it meant he was agreeing. It would have been fine if it were just the Du Gu family, but now it was Gao Lishi and Li Linfu—two people he couldn’t afford to offend. He had to respond right away. With a forced laugh, he said, “Let me think about which day would be suitable.”

While saying he would think, his mind was racing, trying to come up with a solution. What should he do? The hall was silent as everyone waited for his answer.

Just then, someone outside the hall called out, “General Geshu Han, the governor of Longyou, and General Gao Xianzhi, the governor of Jiannan, have arrived!”

Then another voice shouted, “His Royal Highness the Prince of Liang, the Prince of Guangping, and Lord Wang, the governor of Jingzhao, have arrived!”

The hall erupted in excitement. Geshu Han and Gao Xianzhi had also come, along with Li Heng and his son, and Wang Gong. All of them were important figures. Many people immediately realized that Geshu Han had a relationship with Li Qing’an from the Battle of Shibao City, while Gao Xianzhi was Li Qing’an’s former superior. As for Li Heng and his son, there was no need to say more. Wang Gong’s presence was likely due to Li Linfu’s influence. In short, it was all for Li Qing’an’s sake. Without Li Qing’an, who would bother to come?

Du Gu Haoran’s brothers were in a panic, having to rearrange the seating again. Was this still a gathering of the Du Gu family? It was almost turning into an imperial court meeting.

The Du Gu couple went out to greet them, but Li Qing’an remained seated. He picked up his wine cup and took a slow sip, then whispered to Mingyue, “Surprised?”

Mingyue was astonished and said softly, “Lord Li, did you arrange this?”

“You could say I did, or you could say I didn’t. The idea was mine, but it was all arranged by Lord Gao. I didn’t have time.”

“How did you know Father would have such intentions today?”
Li Qing’an placed the empty cup in front of her and smiled, “Fill my cup first, and I’ll tell you why.”
Mingyue rolled her eyes, picked up the wine pot, and poured him a drink. “Is that enough now? Hurry up and tell me how you knew.”
Li Qing’an raised his cup, took a slow sip, and said with a faint smile, “If I couldn’t even figure out such a small thing, how could I be fit to be the governor of Anxi?”
“Arrogant!” Mingyue muttered in annoyance, though a smile tugged at her lips—now Father really had no way out.
At that moment, Mingzhu sighed softly, “It’s great to have power!”
…
Footsteps came from outside the hall, and soon a large group entered. Leading them was Li Heng, with Gao Xianzhi by his side. Li Qing’an hadn’t seen Gao Xianzhi in over two years. He still looked the same as before, only more refined—seemingly, the mountains and rivers of Bashan and Shu were better for nurturing people than the yellow deserts. Li Qing’an suddenly thought of Gao Wu. He heard she had joined the army, achieved remarkable feats in the wars against Nanzhao, and was granted the rank of lieutenant general. He wondered if this female general had come to the capital with his father. Probably not; if she had, she would have come with him.
“What, Li Qing’an, planning to get married secretly like this?”
Ge Shu Han, with his sharp gaze, spotted Li Qing’an at once. He laughed loudly as he walked over. Li Qing’an stood up as well and said with a smile, “Then why didn’t you invite me when you got married?”
Ge Shu Han punched him on the shoulder and laughed, “When I got married, you were still nursing!”
His gaze swept to Mingyue, and his eyes lit up. He praised, “Your sister-in-law is truly stunning. It’s a shame to marry this kid—she should marry my brother, Ge Shu.”
With that, he burst into laughter. Everyone frowned at his rudeness, and Mingyue’s face turned slightly red. But Li Qing’an just smiled faintly. “If you want to take my Mingyue, fine. How about we exchange—give me your 30,000 troops from Heyang in exchange for my forces in Anxi?”

Ge Shuhan appeared rough on the surface, but he was actually extremely meticulous. His visit today was partly to give Li Qing’an face, yet he still harbored some resentment toward him. Back then, Li Qing’an had taken his 30,000 elite troops from Longyou and never returned them. So by praising Mingyue, he was actually mocking Li Qing’an. Unexpectedly, Li Qing’an counterattacked subtly by targeting his Heyang troops. Ge Shuhan felt a chill and quickly laughed, saying, “I’m a simple man who doesn’t know how to speak properly. How dare I take General Li’s lovely wife? Here! I’ll punish myself by drinking three cups of wine.” He stretched out his hand and ordered, “Bring over the large horn cups!” Someone quickly brought the large horn cups and filled them with wine. Ge Shuhan drank three cups in one go, then smiled at Li Qing’an and said, “Young brother, let your elder brother give you some face!” Li Qing’an also waved his hand and said, “It would be impolite not to return the favor. Fill my cup too!” Seeing that each large horn cup could hold at least a pound of wine, Mingyue grew worried and whispered, “Lord Li, drink less.” At that moment, Gao Xianzhi stepped forward and said with a smile, “Miss Mingyue, don’t worry. When General Li was promoted to colonel, he was forced to drink thirty bowls of wine. These three cups mean nothing to him.” Still worried, Mingyue watched as Li Qing’an took the large horn cup and drank three cups in one go without showing any change in expression. “Good!” Ge Shuhan exclaimed loudly, giving a thumbs up. “Young brother is truly bold. Although today isn’t your wedding day, it’s the day your marriage is officially settled. It’s an honor for me, Ge Shuhan, to witness this moment and share in the glory of the Anxi Army.” “It indeed is an honor!” Li Heng came forward with his son Li Chu, sighing slightly. “The general has defended the country and fought bravely. He didn’t marry until he was nearly thirty. This is not only an honor for the Anxi Army but also for the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty. I will definitely come to congratulate him on his official wedding day.” He then turned to his son and said, “Chu, before you are these three military governors—pillars of our Tang Dynasty. Without them, our great empire would collapse. Remember that.” Li Chu glanced at Mingyue with a complex expression and replied, “I remember, Father.” “Since you remember, why not pay respects to these three great generals right away?” Li Chu didn’t dare disobey his father and quickly bowed to Li Qing’an, Ge Shuhan, and Gao Xianzhi, saying, “Li Chu pays his respects to these three great generals and earnestly asks them to take care of him.”

The words spoken by Li Heng and his son sounded rather strange. Geshu Han and Gao Xianzhi exchanged glances, both showing confusion in their eyes. Li Qingan replied, “Your Majesty is so open-minded that I, Li Qingan, admire you greatly. Since you have come personally to offer your congratulations today, I will surely remember this in my heart.”

At that moment, Gao Lishi said with a smile, “Stop the small talk. Everyone is waiting; don’t keep the host waiting.”

Only then did everyone take their seats. This time, Dugu Haoran was truly powerless. No matter what he thought, he couldn’t withstand the pressure from so many high-ranking officials. He shook his head and said helplessly to his wife, “You won!”

Lady Pei was overjoyed. She smiled softly and said, “My lord, it was inevitable. Everyone in Chang’an knows about Li Qingan’s marriage to Mingyue. If you really wanted to cancel it, it wouldn’t be that easy.”

Dugu Haoran sighed secretly. There was indeed nothing he could do. But announcing it would hurt his pride, so he said, “You go ahead and announce it. It has nothing to do with me.”

Just as Lady Pei was about to stand up, several people hurried in from outside the hall—eunuchs. The leader of the eunuchs stood at the entrance of the hall and announced loudly, “The Imperial Concubine has sent her congratulations, wishing General Li and Miss Mingyue to set a wedding date soon and live happily together for a lifetime!”

A stir arose in the hall. Just for a simple request for a wedding date, so many high-ranking officials had come, and even the Imperial Concubine had been involved. Dugu Haoran was stunned. After a long while, he sighed deeply and finally stood up, saying, “Everyone, please be quiet! I will officially announce the wedding date.”