Luo Qi arrived home a month later than Luo Wei.
On the road back to the capital, he heard the news of the Liu family being extinguished, and it took him half a day to finally realize what had happened. He thought originally that it’d be nice if they could just get Liu Wu Sheng to admit to his crimes, but he couldn’t imagine that this time, the Liu family landed themselves with the crime of treason.
Luo Qi entered the palace for audience with the emperor. Emperor Xing Wu lauded this victorious commander general of Yun Guan with rewards and sent him to go and see the family that he hadn’t seen for a long time.
When Luo Qi returned him, the estate was decorated with lamps and colorful ribbons, as if they were celebrating the new year.
“Where’s Xiao Wei?” Luo Qi ended up asking about Luo Wei first. All the members of the family were present, except his youngest brother.
Luo Ze answered, “Xiao Wei’s at the palace accompanying the emperor, did you not see him?”
Luo Qi shook his head.
Bo Hua pulled Luo Qi aside and asked about his well being for a long time before excusing herself, “You boys chat with your father, I’ll go and see how the dinner is going.”
It was only when the trio of father and sons seated themselves in Luo Zhi Qiu’s study that Luo Qi had the nerve to ask, “Father, what actually happened here?”
Luo Ze was a little surprised, “Big brother, you were the one who was fighting this war, don’t you know what happened?”
Luo Qi shook his head.
Luo Zhi Qiu asked, “And you know nothing of how Xiao Wei injured his finger on his left hand either?”
Luo Qi stood immediately, shocked, “What?! When did that happen?!”
Luo Zhi Qiu found himself shaking his head. Did his eldest son that rough with the details, or was his youngest son too good at scheming? Luo Zhi Qiu slowly revealed what Luo Wei did off the field to his two sons, one thing at a time.
Luo Qi and Luo Ze listened, both completely dumbfounded.
Luo Zhi Qiu said at the end, “The two of you are military generals, leaving rivers of blood and corpses after each battle. This younger brother of yours isn’t a military man, but what do the two of you think of his methods in killing?”
“Father?” Luo Qi couldn’t tell if Luo Zhi Qiu was commending or accusing his younger brother.
Luo Zhi Qiu waved his hand at Luo Qi, “I’m not faulting him for anything. I’m just scared thinking about things after the fact. I don’t dare imagine what might have happened to the crown prince or our family if Liu Shuang Shi succeeded in his plans this time.”
Luo Qi was still confused, “He never told me about any of this!”
Luo Zhi Qiu answered, “You being in the dark means that he would be the one shouldering all the blame if what he did angered the emperor. It wouldn’t have dragged our family down.”
A heavy silence descended over the study.
“Chancellor!” The head of the servants came running up to the door of the study, “An imperial edict has arrived!”
Luo Zhi Qiu lead his two sons to kneel so they could receive the edict.
Marriage.
Luo Qi could never have imagined in his wildest dreams that this edict was the emperor gifting him a marriage, a wife.
Luo Zhi Qiu was wondering when in the world did his good friend, Grand General Zhao He Nian, acquire an adopted daughter?
Luo Ze was happy. His big brother finally getting hitched had been a hope of his for years.
To go against an imperial edict was a crime punishable by death. Even if Luo Qi had a thousand reasons to reject this gift, the only thing he could do right now was to accept it and thank the emperor. Ye Xiu had eloped with a merchant from Northern Yan. He was sad, but he didn’t blame her. His family would never accept a woman like Ye Xiu as his wife, and if he couldn’t give her that, then what reason did he have to want her waiting for him for the rest of her life? Maybe this is for the better? Luo Qi held the edict in his hands. Perhaps with this, he could somehow put an end to his longing for her, maybe it would be a good thing?
Thus, as the Liu family readied themselves for executions, the Luo family readied themselves for their eldest son’s wedding. Perhaps this was how the world balanced itself out.
In the Hall of Eternal Light, Emperor Xing Wu smiled at Luo Wei, “I’ve given you the reward you asked for, there’s no taking it back now!”
Luo Wei nodded forcefully. What else could he want for in life? His oldest brother’s life had been mended, his love had come to fruition, this was at least another accomplishment he’d managed in this second try at life. He’d begged Zhao He Nian to accept Ye Xiu as his adopted daughter, then requested this edict from the emperor, meaning that this marriage could not be stopped aside from the force of the heavens. So what if Ye Xiu was a daughter of an escaped slave? Grand General Zhao He Nian had all the power needed to change Ye Xiu’s background and standing. So when Luo Wei told him about Ye Xiu’s origins, Grand General Zhao only waved his hand with a laugh, “And here I thought it’d be a lot more troublesome than that!”
There were some things in the world that his eldest brother, a proper gentleman, could never have done. But someone like him, Luo Wei, could make happen.