Chapter 11: The Marriage Proposal

Upon hearing his father mention that for a promissory note of twelve hundred taels, only five hundred were actually received, Wei Wencai exclaimed in surprise, "What? So the other seven hundred taels were just taken by them? This was silver meant to save lives, and they still took so much? Usually, the military funds were received at half value; by that logic, we should have gotten six hundred taels. And the armor too, was that taken as well?"

His father, Wei Laoye, replied calmly, "What do you think? Otherwise, why did I pin my hopes on you all rising above and taking an official position? It had to be as a civil official. In Zhenjiang, even a third-rank military officer must pay great respect to the Ministry of War’s Langzhong in Nanjing, a mere fifth-rank official. When I first heard of this, I thought it was just rumors, but it turned out to be true. Even the sixth-rank clerks can snub the commander; the military officers have truly lost all face."

Wei Wushi, seemingly intent on undermining Wei Laoye, interjected, "You speak as if you often see the commander. Tell me, have you ever seen the commander of the Jiujiang garrison before?"

"Yes, yes, our ranks are low; we’ve never seen him," Wei Laoye responded, uninterested in arguing with his wife and brushing off her comment.

"By the way, what about the silver?" Wei Wencai suddenly realized the real issue—the five hundred taels were the crucial part.

"You think I could have pocketed all that silver myself?" Wei Laoye shot his son a glance. "At the time, we didn’t even know if we’d be going north to fight. To stabilize the troops, I distributed two taels to each man and gave your Uncle Li and the others a hundred taels. I still have two hundred left. According to your uncle, it’s unlikely that there will be any more military pay this year; even if there is, most will be withheld by higher-ups."

"What kind of situation is this? The mobilization funds have just turned into military pay," Wei Wencai said, clearly displeased.

"Enough, it’s already not bad. Go ask the men below—would they rather have silver or go to war?" Wei Laoye said irritably but then quickly changed his expression and looked at Wei Guangde. "Son, look at those civil officials. They do nothing but still earn the silver. Think about it—if it weren’t for this stroke of luck, all the hard-earned silver you make wouldn’t even compare to what they get. Doesn’t that bother you?"

Without waiting for Wei Guangde’s response, Wei Laoye continued, "As long as you pass the imperial exams, even if it’s just as a scholar, when you and your brother separate your inheritance, I’ll set you up with dozens of acres of land. But if you don’t pass, you’ll have no choice but to stay in the hundred-household unit, assisting your brother, serving as a common soldier, at best rising to a company commander—but that depends on your merits."

Wei Guangde nodded slightly upon hearing this. He wasn’t overly impressed by the promise of land. After coming here, he had already realized that staying in the military meant no chance of advancement. To rise, he’d have to risk his life—too great a gamble. The younger Wei Guangde had never been willing to endure such hardships and had mostly watched his brother and the retainers practice martial arts.

Of course, Wei Guangde hadn’t completely neglected practice. Their hundred-household unit had two old warhorses, no longer fit for battle, assigned to them. Wei Guangde and his brother often took turns riding them out for rides, though the horses were too weak for galloping. He felt his riding skills were mediocre at best and had never learned mounted combat, let alone foot combat. Back then, he thought riding was just fun, not a serious skill to master.

Taking the imperial exams was now Wei Guangde’s only path forward. In his past life, he wouldn’t have dared to dream of this; he would have resigned himself to assisting his brother. But inheriting this body, he realized the previous owner’s memory was impressive. The teachings of Master Sun and the complex essays could be memorized after a few readings, and mastering them with a couple more. Thanks to this memory, after abandoning thoughts of rebellion, he chose to focus on the civil exam route.

If kneeling was necessary, so be it. This era demanded it—emperors knelt to Heaven and Earth, and to their ancestors. To live well, one had to be an official, and to be an official, one had to learn to kneel, at least until reaching high rank.

But Wei Guangde had not yet earned the right to kneel; he was still a mere student, not even having taken the preliminary boy’s test, and didn’t know what to study for.

Seeing his second son lost in thought, Wei Laoye knew his words had been taken to heart and chose not to press further. Instead, he shifted the topic to his eldest son, addressing his wife, Wei Wushi.

"By the way, on the return trip, I spoke with my elder brother-in-law and asked him to help look for a suitable family. I plan to arrange Wencai’s marriage."

"Whose family? Did my brother say anything?" Wei Wushi perked up. Previously, she had only listened quietly, but now that it concerned her son’s marriage, she took a keen interest.

"My brother-in-law mentioned two families that are quite suitable, both with daughters of marriageable age. The best is the family of Deputy Commander Li Qiguang. Having someone in the commander’s office who holds influence would secure Wencai’s future position."

Wei Laoye stroked his beard as he spoke. Meanwhile, the usually outgoing Wei Wencai grew shy and flushed at the mention of marriage.

Wei Guangde, hearing this, snapped back to attention and watched his brother closely, noticing his unusual demeanor. But this was no time for teasing; he simply listened quietly.

"Sounds good, but what if they’re not willing? Deputy Commander Li is a fourth-rank official. Which family does the other girl come from?" Wei Wushi frowned, feeling the second family might be of too high a status.

"It’s the family of Vice-Hundred-Household Liu. He has a daughter who, according to your brother, is quite attractive and also a suitable match for our eldest," Wei Laoye replied promptly.

To be honest, though their family held a hereditary hundred-household title, in these times without connections or money, it was difficult for Wei Wencai to truly inherit the rank of Hundred-Household of Bengshan.

Wei Laoye clearly remembered how he regained his official post with great help from the elder generation—Wei Guangde’s maternal grandfather. On the battlefield, Wei Guangde’s grandfather saved his grandfather’s life. After the rebellion was quelled, the Wu family did not neglect the Wei family; they formed a marital alliance and restored the position of Hundred-Household of Bengshan to Wei Meng once he came of age.

"When the time comes, your eldest brother will visit the families to gauge their intentions. He plans to approach Deputy Commander Li first, and if that fails, he’ll test the waters with Vice-Hundred-Household Liu..."