Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

( ) On a summer day, the sky was a gloomy gray, as if pressing down on people's hearts. The sun was nowhere to be seen, but the heat only intensified! Countless insects in the surrounding trees and grass were chirping, "It's so hot! It's so hot!"

Although Li Xingzhi was already immune to both heat and cold, the gloomy, muggy weather made him feel restless and uncomfortable. He lay on a rattan chair in the waterside pavilion, unable to sleep, his eyes open and closed. Beside him, a young servant, sweat beaded on his face, listlessly fanned himself, looking utterly dejected.

Just then, a servant came running up, panting, and shouted, "My lord, the second lord is back!"

Li Xingzhi slowly opened his slightly narrowed eyes, yawned, stretched, and then said, "What 'Erlang is back'?"

"It's Ah Lang's sworn brother, the second son of the Wang family, who's back!" At this moment, the servant who had shouted the announcement had already approached and said in a low voice.

Li Xingzhi was suddenly startled and abruptly stood up!

"What? Erlang is back?" he exclaimed in surprise.

He couldn't help but be surprised! At this time, the border war was in full swing. First it was Tibet, then Tuyuhun, and then the Turks invaded the border. Now, in the thirteenth year of Zhenguan, they wanted to take revenge on the disobedient "Gaochang". How could Wang Erlang, as a vanguard general, possibly have returned?

"Yes, Erlang is back." The servant, though panting, repeated himself, noticing Li Xingzhi's surprised and incredulous expression.

Upon hearing this, Li Xingzhi felt a sense of unease, suspecting there might be some other reason behind it. He disregarded the servants still standing respectfully before him and strode forward towards the front courtyard. The servant behind him, seeing Li Xingzhi rise and then follow, gradually grew further and further away from him, and finally began to jog.

Li Xingzhi was walking towards the front courtyard when he saw a tall, dusty young man entering, followed by a servant leading a large, panting horse covered in black sweat.

Hearing footsteps, the young man turned around and saw Li Xingzhi walking into the courtyard.

"Big Brother!" The young man's voice was deep and weathered, quite unlike the naive boy who used to follow Li Xingzhi around.

"You're back? It's good to be back!" Li Xingzhi saw that Wang Erlang was about to say something, so he cut him off and had the servants take Erlang to wash up and rest.

After resting for a while and having dinner, Wang Erlang went to the backyard with Li Xingzhi.

The two sat on a stone bench in the backyard. Li Xingzhi remained silent, drinking his sake and letting the warm breeze caress him. Beside him, Wang Erlang sat upright, looking refreshed, his brows slightly furrowed, as if harboring resentment. He hesitated, the words on the tip of his tongue remaining unspoken.

"Just say what you have to say! We're brothers, what's the big deal? Why are you being so long-winded?!" Li Xingzhi said, putting down his thin wine cup as he looked at Wang Erlang.

"Brother, do you still remember the young daughter of Magistrate Cui in Tanzhou back then?"

"That young lady from the Cui family?" Li Xingzhi looked at Wang Erlang with a strange expression. "I do remember her. She was such a lovely little girl back then. I wonder what she looks like now. What? Did you have your eye on her back then?" Li Xingzhi teased.

They had only met a few times. A long time had passed, and Li Xingzhi didn't believe there could be any connection between them.

"On the Lantern Festival before I joined the army, I met her once, and we corresponded frequently afterward..."

"..." Li Xingzhi stared blankly at Wang Erlang, as if looking at a monster. Back then, Wang Erlang had studied etiquette and classics under Master Shi, becoming as learned as an old scholar, but he never expected him to do such a thing! Neither man nor woman was married, and without any matchmaker, they were engaging in the act of sending letters by wild geese—even in this relatively open-minded dynasty, it was truly "shocking"!

Li Xingzhi had previously wondered why Wang Erlang, who had never liked playing with birds, suddenly asked him for the training eagle. The reason was as follows.

"and then?"

Wang Erlang seemed oblivious to Li Xingzhi's bizarre expression, his brows furrowing even more as he continued, "I received a letter from her while I was in the army some time ago, saying that her father had arranged a marriage for her with that Zheng family man..."

"You've arranged a marriage?" Li Xingzhi slapped his forehead and said, "Why didn't you tell me sooner? I would have gone to propose marriage for you! Even if you fancy some princess or nobleman, as long as you both love each other, your brother can find a way to get it for you."

Wang Erlang listened to Li Xingzhi's words and remained silent. Although he had charged into battle and terrified the enemy, he was still used to obeying his older brother Li Xingzhi at home.

"And then you ran away from the army? You deserted?" Li Xingzhi looked at his younger brother, who acted impulsively without considering the consequences, and felt utterly helpless. At this rate, he'd cause trouble even where there was none. If it weren't for his brother's abilities, it might have been another "Peach Blossom Fan" story only for posterity to tell!

Wang Erlang thought Li Xingzhi was blaming him for being a "deserter," so he dared not speak for a long time before finally saying, "I'll ask my brothers in the army and Brother Xue to cover for me. I should be fine in a month or so."

"Leaving aside other matters, let me ask you, what did that young lady from the Cui family say?"

"She only said things like 'destined to be together but not meant to be,' and 'the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers cannot be disobeyed'..."

Seeing Wang Erlang's face grow increasingly pale, Li Xingzhi couldn't help but interrupt, "Then why did you come back?"

Wang Erlang's face showed a look of distress and struggle, which made Li Xingzhi feel sorry for him, but he had to harden his heart and say, "You should think it over carefully. If you are going to do the 'wisdom sword severs the ties of love,' then go back to the army! Maybe one day you will achieve fame and success, and her husband will be dead, and you will have a chance to 'get close to her.' If you are determined to cause trouble, your brother can help you think of a way. Even if we have to go to the Cui family and snatch her away, it's not a big deal!" As Li Xingzhi spoke, he got up and left without looking at the struggling Wang Erlang.

Li Xingzhi hoped that Wang Erlang would make a decisive decision himself. However, even if Wang Erlang gave up, he would not allow his betrothed to fall into another family.

He sat in the room, pondering for a while, but couldn't come up with a good way to handle the matter. The only method he could think of was to directly storm the Cui residence and snatch the person away. However, although this method was the simplest and easiest to implement, it was also too brutal. Li Xingzhi was unwilling to do it unless absolutely necessary.

Li Xingzhi thought for a moment, then suddenly slapped his forehead and said to the servants standing outside, "Quickly go and invite Old Man Zhang here!" Old Man Zhang was the former head steward of the Li family and his grandfather's right-hand man. Now that he was in trouble, he thought of the old man. As people get older, they experience more and have more ways of dealing with things. Otherwise, how could they say, "Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure"?

Soon, a spirited old man strode in.

Upon hearing Li Xingzhi's words, the old man was startled and his brows furrowed deeply!

Is there any way to resolve this?

The old man looked at Li Xingzhi with a troubled expression. He said with a pained face, "My lord, you've put me in a difficult position! It's not a matter of whether there's a way, but rather that it's impossible!"

The old man glanced at Li Xingzhi, and seeing that he hadn't given up, said, "There are three surnames and five families in this world, intertwined with each other. If a few families exert their power, even the current sage would have to give way! The Zheng and Cui families are among them. And the marriage alliance between these families is the key to maintaining their relationship! To put it somewhat disrespectfully, what you are about to do, Ah Lang, is something even the sage would want to do but couldn't!"

"Uncle, do you think I'm just a hothead? I know about the three surnames and five families. However, what Li Shimin couldn't do, I might be able to do too! Don't worry, Uncle! Even if something terrible happens, I already have a backup plan!"

The old man gave Li Xingzhi a deep look, finding the man somewhat unfathomable. However, the sheer scale of the business he had built, far surpassing the achievements of the Li family over generations, was enough to earn his trust. He simply didn't understand the source of Li Xingzhi's immense confidence.

“Since you have made your decision, then I will speak my mind,” the old man said. “The practice of blocking the road to abduct a bride has existed since ancient times. In our Great Tang Dynasty, with the influx of foreign influences, this custom has become even more prevalent. Although it mostly happens on the wedding procession route, it is used to add some fun. If one were to actually block the road and abduct the bride, it would inevitably ruin the marriage and look bad! But if you insist on doing this, you only need to find a pretext to block the wedding procession route, and it is not necessarily impossible!”

Then, the old man explained the precautions that needed to be taken into account, which made Li Xingzhi nod repeatedly. Although this method of bride kidnapping was somewhat despicable and immoral, it was not wrong in terms of etiquette if it were carried out! It was meant to make the Cui and Zheng families suffer in silence! As for the secret revenge, that was another matter.

The next day, Erlang, his eyes bloodshot, came looking for him early in the morning. Although he was exhausted, he was in high spirits, no longer showing the dejected air of the previous day!

"Do you understand?"

"I've figured it out! What's destined to happen will happen, and what's not, I'll force it this time! Please help me, brother!"

……

June 29th is an auspicious day for marriage.

Before dawn, a large crowd had already gathered in front of the gate of a prestigious residence in Chang'an. Several magnificent horses with colorful bridles around their necks pulled several ornate carriages out of the gate. In the center of the carriages, a large sedan chair for eight people was being escorted! A crowd of people surrounded the sedan chair and the carriages.

The carriage traveled halfway around Chang'an before finally heading towards the Cui residence.

Although there was no custom of a groom's procession welcoming the bride at this time, relatives and friends of the same generation would still come to greet her on her behalf. Upon arriving at the Cui family's residence, they found the gate slightly ajar, and a young boy emerged from the crack, creating a series of awkward situations. Several members of the Zheng family, who appeared to be scholars, then launched into a long speech reciting poetry, classical texts, and etiquette, until their mouths were dry. Finally, the gate creaked open, revealing a bride dressed in "a beautiful blue dress with elaborate hairpins, a blue robe, leather belt, and socks." The bride wore a magnificent headdress, obscuring her face, and was carried on the back of a young girl into the bridal sedan chair.

Eight people carried the bridal sedan chair, and surrounded by a crowd, they set off to return along the road. The carriage wound its way through several lanes when suddenly a few people rushed out from the roadside to surround it. Mostly young men and women, and a few children, they sang and danced, reaching out for food and drink. Then someone read aloud:

"My lord, I am a young man from Zhuzhou, a traveler far from home. I am graceful and charming, a beautiful young man from Zhuzhou. I am adorned with pearls and jade, and dressed with a sash. I have come to block your carriage, and I must bring cattle and sheep! My lady has long, flowing hair, adorned with golden threads. She is virtuous and graceful, with the beauty of jade and the fragrance of orchids. In terms of official rank, she is not inferior to those from Yishui; in terms of marriage, she is superior to those from Jinyang. Our two families are united in marriage, and our glory will last for a thousand years..."

Someone hurriedly walked to the bridal sedan chair, emitting a faint aroma of pastries and fruits. Seeing that the people blocking the sedan chair had not dispersed, they said unhurriedly:

"The method of blocking the carriage must first have a plan. It requires a horn of a unicorn, a three-legged phoenix, the flavor of Liaodong wine, and the taste of Western Hu sheep. It also requires Guixi and ginger from Qin. If any one of these is missing, it will not truly take shape!"

The crowd blocking the carriage then said, "We have come to this carriage today according to the ancient ways. Since you have neither sheep nor wine, why sit here so awkwardly? If you ask about east, you will answer about west; if you ask about south, you will answer about north. You still don't understand the proper way to do things, so don't keep nagging us!"

After a long exchange of questions and answers, and some more cloth, wine, and meat were served, the group finally withdrew.

The custom of blocking the carriage evolved from the practice of bride kidnapping. Even in the Tang Dynasty, if a poor family encountered bandits and scoundrels who wouldn't let them pass and actually forcibly took the bride, there was really no way to seek justice! However, it's clear that the Cui and Zheng families, being prominent and wealthy, didn't expect such misfortune to happen to them, nor would they allow it to.

The wedding procession encountered several more roadblocks, but each time they were given a few kind words and made way.

By this time, the sun was almost below the horizon. The sky was dim and hazy. The streets and alleys were gradually becoming deserted. With the Zheng residence fast approaching, everyone was parched and exhausted.

Just then, a group of people suddenly appeared on the road. Most of them were young men and women. They all crowded in front of the carriage, chanting auspicious words and prayers to stop the carriage.

Seeing that they were approaching their home, the people in the carriage did not want to delay any longer. They promptly distributed a large amount of beef, mutton, wine, meat, and cloth.

The crowd, having received cloth, wine, and meat, refused to move aside. The people on the carriage grew anxious and cried out, "This holy land nurtures all people. Where are these young men, causing such reckless behavior! Quickly make way and let my carriage pass!"

The crowd still wouldn't move aside, and he continued, "I am a descendant of the Three Ministers, a son of high-ranking officials. The Wang and Guo families of Taiyuan, the Cui and Chen families of Zhengzhou, the Pei and Liu families of Hedong, the Niu and Yang families of Longxi, and the Zhang and Li families of Nanyang—all loyal ministers for generations. Lord Chen's carriages and horses are no ordinary men!"

Hearing everyone boast so much, the people in the carriage had no choice but to offer more wine and meat. Suddenly, they felt a strong gust of wind behind their heads and knew something was wrong. Just as they were about to dodge, a sudden pain shot through the back of their heads, and they fainted.

Just then, four burly men appeared out of nowhere, ignoring the unconscious wedding procession, took the sedan chair, and sped away like the wind! In the blink of an eye, they vanished without a trace…

At this moment, the Li residence in the east of Chang'an was extremely lively! People were coming and going everywhere!

However, these guests all felt that today's events were somewhat inexplicable. They had suddenly received invitations to the wedding of Li's eldest son's sworn brother, inviting guests to offer their congratulations. Prior to this, none of them had heard any rumors, nor had they seen any gossipy relatives or discussions about betrothal gifts. Even now, with the sun already setting, the bride was still nowhere to be found! Even stranger, none of them knew which family the bride belonged to!

Of course, none of that matters. What matters is that the Li family is about to hold a banquet! As the Li family has risen to prominence in recent years, all the merchants and businessmen who could come have come, and those who couldn't have sent generous gifts! Even if they couldn't establish a connection with the Li family, it would be good to at least show some courtesy!

It wasn't that Li Xingzhi intended to hold a grand wedding banquet, but rather that the marriage between Wang Erlang and the young lady from the Cui family couldn't be kept secret. They would still have to face pressure from the Cui and Zheng families, and even other prominent clans, so a large-scale celebration would be more impressive. Besides, he didn't want to wrong Erlang.

At this moment, the Zheng family was still unaware of the astonishing events that had occurred in the alleyways and streets, and were still overjoyed, with bells and drums ringing in unison! This powerful family, although a branch, was far superior to the Li family, which was merely a merchant family! Just by looking at the guests coming and going, one could tell that the Li family consisted of nothing more than idle merchants, while those coming and going from the Zheng family's gate were all nobles and royalty! People such as the Duke of Cheng, the Changsun family, the Qin family, and even royal relatives—those who could come all came, and those who couldn't brought gifts, some thin and some thick, making the gatekeeper who was announcing the arrivals hoarse from shouting!

As a prominent and influential family from one of the three surnames and five clans, they were from completely different worlds from the Li family to the east. Barring unforeseen circumstances, they would almost never have any interaction. The Zheng family was also unaware that another family to the east was celebrating the same joyous occasion.

Meanwhile, the Cui family had just seen their daughter off in the bridal sedan chair. The aunts and other women, riding in large carriages pulled by sturdy horses, followed behind to lend a hand. Suddenly, they saw the sedan chair bearers, along with several others, knocked unconscious in an instant. The four bearers lifted the sedan chair and vanished in a flash. The family was terrified, their mouths agape, unable to utter a sound. After a long while, their faces turned deathly pale, and they gasped for breath. The horses pulling the carriage also seemed startled, pulling the carriage in disarray. In an instant, people and horses were thrown about, a truly chaotic scene!

On the other side, the two elders of the Cui family, the wife's parents, who were the county magistrate Cui back then, sent someone to drive a horse-drawn carriage. Instead of joining the festivities around the bridal sedan chair, they took a shortcut and headed straight for the Zheng family.

Suddenly, the driver felt everything go black, and he collapsed to the ground. The people escorting him had vanished without a trace. No one knew that the driver had been replaced.

The carriage circled around once and headed in another direction.

At this moment, the two elders of the Cui family, having been through a whole day of turmoil, lay dazed inside the carriage, completely unaware of the situation outside.

The car had been traveling for quite some time. By this time, Cui's parents, who were on the car, also felt that something was amiss. Just as they were about to ask, the car stopped. The small door of the carriage opened, revealing a burly man with a dark, ruddy face.

"Father-in-law Cui, please! My son has been waiting for you for a long time! And please give my congratulations to you both in advance!"

When Cui's parents saw a stranger appear before them, and their groom was nowhere to be found, they were immediately terrified! Cui Zhiwen, being a man of officialdom, possessed exceptional composure. After his initial shock, his expression returned to calm, and he exclaimed, "Who are you? Do you know what crime it is to kidnap an official of the court? Quickly take us back, and we will not pursue this matter today!"

“My lord, you are overthinking this! We specially drove here to invite you two here; how could it be considered a kidnapping?”

Upon hearing this, Cui Zhiwen knew that the people before him had come prepared. He refrained from uttering any threatening words and simply said, "Since you have invited my wife and me here, do you know who the host is?" (To be continued.)

...