No title, no marriage? Do you think I'm some kind of lapdog?

The group of people was getting closer and closer in the snow.

Surrounded by three hundred cavalrymen, the yellow-draped carriage slowly swayed to a stop about a mile outside Wangbeitai.

A middle-aged man dressed in a dark purple eunuch's robe, with a pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks, jumped off the carriage.

Holding a scroll of bright yellow imperial edict in his hands, he walked with his back ramrod straight, but his eyes darted around, revealing a shrewd and calculating nature.

Su Chuang squatted on the mound, squinted at it for a while, and then suddenly grinned.

"Who do we have here?"

He spat out the grass stalks from his mouth, patted his bottom, and stood up. "So it's Eunuch Li."

The one who arrived was Li, the little eunuch who ran errands for Eunuch Gui.

Having spent over a decade in the palace, he has finally earned some respect and is now responsible for conveying imperial edicts of varying importance.

When Eunuch Li heard the voice, he looked up and saw Su Chuang, and a smile immediately spread across his sharp face.

But that smile was so fake, like it was covered with a layer of oiled paper.

"Oh, Lord Xin, we've been looking for you for ages!"

He took small, quick steps forward, waving the imperial edict in his hand.

"In this freezing cold, our family traveled all the way from Beijing to the northern frontier, and our legs are almost broken."

Su Chuang jumped down from the mound and went to meet him, his face also plastered with that carefree smile:

"Thank you for your hard work, Eunuch Li. Please come inside and let's talk; it'll warm you up."

He reached out to help him up, but Eunuch Li stepped aside and dodged.

"My lord, don't be in a hurry."

Eunuch Li stopped, cleared his throat, and dropped the fake smile on his face, replacing it with a businesslike expression.

"Imperial edict arrives—Duke Xin, Su Chuang, receive the edict!"

The sound was high-pitched and thin, carrying far through the snow.

On the earthen wall of Wangbeitai, Yue Fei, Zhao Yun, Zhang Liao and others had already rushed over upon hearing the commotion. They were now standing on the wall, looking down with cold eyes.

Lin Ruxue also came out of the earthen house and stood behind Su Chuang. Her plain cotton robe fluttered in the wind, and her face was expressionless.

Su Chuang grinned, lifted his robe, and was about to kneel.

Eunuch Li raised his hand and said, "Your Excellency, there's no need to kneel. It's freezing cold; don't get your clothes dirty."

"Just stand and listen to the order."

These words sounded considerate, but the arrogance in his tone was impossible to hide.

Su Chuang sneered inwardly, but maintained his usual playful smile: "Thank you for your consideration, Father-in-law."

Eunuch Li unfolded the imperial edict and read it aloud in a shrill voice:

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Su Chuang, Duke of Xin, has served on the frontier for several months with great merit and hard work."

"However, the northern frontier is bitterly cold and unsuitable for long-term residence. Therefore, you are hereby summoned back to the capital to report for duty. You must depart within three days without delay. So be it!"

The imperial edict has been read.

The snowfield was completely silent.

Su Chuang blinked but didn't move.

After waiting a moment, seeing that Su Chuang did not react, Eunuch Li frowned and said, "Your Excellency, receive the imperial decree."

"Catch it, catch it."

Su Chuang rubbed his hands together, took two steps forward, took the imperial edict, and stuffed it into his pocket without even looking at it.

"Thank you for making this trip, Father-in-law. Would you like to come in and have some hot tea?"

But Eunuch Li didn't move.

He stared at Su Chuang, his small eyes gleaming, and a meaningful smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"My lord, our journey here... has been far from easy."

He rubbed his fingers together very lightly, but the meaning was clear.

ask for money.

Su Chuang was delighted.

There has always been a rule among the eunuchs who deliver imperial edicts in the palace—a errand fee, also known as "hardship money."

How much or how little is given depends on whether the person receiving the imperial decree is sensible.

Su Chuang has been in Beijing for so many years, how could he not understand?

"Understood, understood."

Su Chuang grinned, took out a money pouch from his pocket, weighed it in his hand, and found that it contained about fifty taels of silver.

He stuffed it into Eunuch Li's hand: "This is just a small token of my appreciation. Please take it and use it to buy some wine."

Eunuch Li took the money pouch, squeezed it, and his face darkened.

He weighed the money pouch in his hand, then looked up at Su Chuang, his smile turning colder.

"My lord, are you... trying to get rid of a beggar?"

Su Chuang's heart skipped a beat, but his smile remained unchanged:

"Father-in-law, how could you say that?"

"This fifty taels is enough to host a meal at the best restaurant in the capital."

"One table?"

Eunuch Li chuckled.

"Lord Duke, our journey from the capital to the northern frontier, three thousand miles, braving wind and snow, is only worth the price of a single meal?"

He threw the money bag back to Su Chuang.

"If you're short on money, just say so."

"When we return to the palace, we can report to Eunuch Gui that the Duke of Xin is so poor in the northern frontier that he can't even afford to pay for the errands."

That's an unpleasant thing to say.

It's obvious they want to raise the price.

Su Chuang's smile faded slightly.

He stared at Eunuch Li for three breaths, then suddenly grinned.

"Father-in-law is right, I was being ignorant."

He then pulled out a money pouch from his pocket; this one was heavier, probably worth about a hundred taels.

He stuffed both money pouches into her hand: "One hundred and fifty taels, please accept this, sir."

Eunuch Li took it, squeezed it, but still didn't move it.

He looked up at the earthen wall of Wangbeitai, then at the soldiers behind Su Chuang, and finally his gaze fell on Lin Ruxue, lingering for a moment.

"My lord."

He lowered his voice and leaned closer to Su Chuang.

"Before I left the capital, the Third Prince specifically instructed me..."

"Let us take a 'good' look at how you're doing in northern Xinjiang."

Su Chuang's pupils contracted slightly.

The Third Prince.

That bastard who had a grudge against him back in the capital.

"The Third Prince also said..."

Eunuch Li's voice lowered, carrying a hint of threat.

"The northern frontier is bitterly cold. If the Duke has any difficulties, please feel free to speak up. As a prince, it is only right that he show compassion to his subjects."

Compassion?

Su Chuang sneered inwardly.

This is to use Eunuch Li to bully him, and then expect him to be grateful.

"Your Highness's kindness moves me to tears."

Su Chuang's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes turned cold.

"I just wonder... what does my father-in-law consider 'considerate'?"

Eunuch Li extended one finger.

"One thousand taels." He grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Gold."

On the earthen wall, Yue Fei gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.

Zhao Yun's eyes turned cold.

Zhang Liao gritted his teeth and placed his hand on the knife.

Lin Ruxue frowned slightly and took half a step forward.

Su Chuang laughed.

He laughed loudly, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

"One thousand taels of gold?"

He repeated, "Father-in-law, your appetite... is quite large."

"What, can't the Duke afford it?" Eunuch Li raised an eyebrow.

"Of course we can afford it, why can't we?"

Su Chuang rubbed his hands together. "I'm just curious, is this thousand taels of gold for you, Father-in-law... or for the Third Prince?"

Eunuch Li's expression changed: "What do you mean by that, Duke?"

"It doesn't mean anything."

Su Chuang grinned.

"I was just asking. If it's for the Third Prince, I'll write a letter to the capital and personally deliver it to his residence."

"If it were for your father-in-law..."

He paused, his smile deepening.

"Then I need to think about whether my father-in-law's trip was worth the price."

Eunuch Li's face turned ashen.

He stared at Su Chuang for a long time, then suddenly sneered.

"Lord Duke, if you don't want to give it, just say so."

"I will return to the capital immediately and report the truth—the Duke of Xin is holding military power in the northern frontier, defying imperial orders, and even attempting to bribe the eunuch who delivers the orders."

He turned to leave.

Su Chuang reached out and stopped him.

"Why are you in such a hurry, father-in-law?"

His face broke into that arrogant smile again. "Here, of course I'll give it to you. A thousand taels of gold, is that it? Just wait."

He turned and shouted towards the earthen wall, "Uncle Chen! Go to the warehouse and fetch a thousand taels of gold!"

Chen Dashuan stood on the wall for a moment, then replied, "Yes!"

Eunuch Li's expression softened somewhat, but his eyes still held that arrogant look.

A moment later, Chen Dashuan came down with two soldiers, carrying a small wooden box.

The box was opened, and inside were neatly stacked gold ingots, each ingot weighing ten taels, totaling one hundred ingots.

It glittered with gold, dazzling the eyes in the snow.

Eunuch Li's eyes lit up.

He stepped forward, grabbed a gold ingot, weighed it in his hand, and then bit it with his teeth to confirm that it was real gold before grinning.

"The Duke is indeed straightforward."

He threw the gold ingots back into the box, waved his hand, and signaled his men to take them away.

"Then I won't bother you any longer. Remember to set off for the capital in three days, Duke, and don't be late."

After saying this, he turned and got into the carriage. The three hundred cavalrymen turned their horses around, surrounded the carriage, and slowly drove away.

In the snow, only deep tire tracks remained.

Su Chuang stood there, watching the group of people disappear into the distance, his smile gradually fading.

Lin Ruxue walked to his side and asked softly, "Brother Chuang, are you really going to give it to me?"

"Give?" Su Chuang grinned. "Give my ass."

He turned and shouted towards the earthen wall, "Wenhe! Come down!"

Jia Xu emerged silently from the shadow of the earthen wall, his gray cloth shirt stained with snow, his face expressionless.

"My lord."

"Did you hear that?" Su Chuang asked.

"I heard you."

Jia Xu nodded, "The Third Prince instructed Eunuch Li to extort one thousand taels of gold."

What do you think?

Jia Xu remained silent for three breaths before slowly speaking, "My lord, this money... cannot be given away for nothing."

"nonsense."

Su Chuang sneered, "I have a lot of money, but it didn't come from thin air."

He rubbed his hands together: "Wenhe, what are your thoughts?"

A cold glint flashed in Jia Xu's half-closed eyes.

"My lord, Eunuch Li will inevitably pass through Yumen Pass on his way back to the capital."

He paused, then continued, "There's a battle at Yumen Pass right now..."

Su Chuang's eyes lit up.

"You mean...?"

"The Xiongnu are attacking the city. In the chaos of battle, it's normal for a eunuch to die."

Jia Xu's voice was flat and even, "Besides, Eunuch Li is carrying a thousand taels of gold; wealth is a powerful motivator..."

He didn't finish speaking, but the meaning was clear.

Frame someone, pin the blame on them, kill two birds with one stone.

Su Chuang grinned.

"Wenhe, Wenhe, your heart is truly black to the core."

Jia Xu bowed and said, "It is my duty to share the burdens of my lord."

"OK."

Su Chuang waved his hand. "Go and make the arrangements. Remember, be thorough and leave no trace."

"Yes." Jia Xu turned to leave.

Su Chuang called out to him again, "Wait."

"Does my lord have any further instructions?"

"We must get that thousand taels of gold back."

Su Chuang grinned, "My money isn't so easy to take."

Jia Xu nodded: "Understood."

He disappeared into the snow as silently as he had come.

Su Chuang turned to Lin Ruxue and asked, "Ruxue, what do you think of this plan?"

Lin Ruxue pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "The plan is good, but there's a problem."

"What's the problem?"

"After all, Eunuch Li was a palace official. If he dies, won't Emperor Wu investigate?"

"check?"

Su Chuang smiled.

"Investigate whom? Ye Qingyue? The Xiongnu?"

"Are they still investigating me, the Duke of Xin, who is 'about to return to the capital'?"

He paused, his smile turning colder.

"The Third Prince wants to use Eunuch Li to bully me, so I'll borrow the Xiongnu's knife to chop off his lackeys."

Lin Ruxue understood.

She didn't say anything more, but gently reminded him, "Brother Chuang, you have to be careful with the Third Prince in the future."

"Don't worry." Su Chuang grinned. "When I get back to Beijing, the first person I'll deal with is him."

As the two were talking, Yue Fei's shout suddenly came from the earthen wall.

"My lord! There's movement coming from the direction of Yumen Pass!"

Su Chuang turned his head to look.

In the direction of Yumen Pass, the smoke of war rises again.

But this time, it wasn't the Xiongnu attacking the city—it was a cavalry unit that charged out from inside the pass and headed straight for Wangbeitai.

Judging from the banner, it's the Divine Might Army.

"Ye Qingyue's people?" Su Chuang raised an eyebrow.

The cavalry arrived quickly, reaching the outside of Wangbeitai in less than a quarter of an hour.

The leader was a captain, covered in blood, holding a command flag in his hand, and shouting hoarsely:

"By order of General Ye!"

"Lord Su Chuang of Xin State, immediately lead your troops to reinforce Yumen Pass! Anyone who disobeys will be punished according to military law!"

The sound echoed through the snow.

On the earthen wall, everyone's expression changed.

Su Chuang narrowed his eyes, looking at the captain, then at the beacon fires soaring into the sky in the direction of Yumen Pass.

Suddenly, he grinned.

He laughed so hard his shoulders shook.

"That woman Ye Qingyue... she really can't hold on any longer."