Chapter 109 - 94 Jade Pendant (4K)
"Seated next to the Eldest Brother is Yizhou’s Li Ang."
In the side hall of Liangyi Hall, Fourth Prince Li Hui, peering through the light gauze curtains, watched Li Ang talking with the Crown Prince and chuckled. "Father, Mom, Mountain Master, they all hold him in high esteem. His background is impeccable, his learning profound, and his medical skill outstanding—he’s even cured Duke Yan’s febrile disease. As for his personality, according to public opinion, it’s not lacking either."
In Liangyi Hall, the children of the Li Imperial Family, also behind the light gauze curtains, scrutinized the scholars dining in the main hall. They passed around dossiers on the scholars, gathered from unknown sources, and discussed them quietly.
These days, even for the children of the Li Imperial Family, marriage was a primary concern. If their maternal family was powerful and financially strong, they could have some autonomy in marriage, and life after marriage would be relatively leisurely and comfortable. If their maternal family was feeble, unable to provide any support, and if they were not particularly favored by the Emperor, then they had to fend for themselves. They needed to find a suitable marriage partner on their own to avoid being rashly matched with a stranger. Such a fate could not only make life difficult but also render happiness in marriage uncertain.
A princess quietly asked, "But isn’t his surname also Li?"
"Hah, the old custom of not marrying someone with the same surname is long outdated!"
Fourth Prince Li Hui curled his lips. "The Academic Palace confirmed through animal experiments hundreds of years ago that the basis for not marrying within the same surname is that close kinship can lead to diseases in offspring. The Zhong Family of the garrison, who specialize in dog breeding, also have a significant say in this matter. The Lis of Yizhou... who knows how many thousands of years ago their branch of the family split from ours. Besides, our family doesn’t bother with that."
Given the open-mindedness of the Yu Dynasty, as long as they weren’t from the same direct lineage, no one cared about such matters as not marrying within the same surname.
The Fifth Prince said, "I’m actually more curious about something else. Wasn’t he judged by Master Xi Yangyu of the Academic Palace as incapable of Cultivation before? How did he manage to pass the final examination today and even return as the top scorer?"
"Well, it’s the Academic Palace; strange things happen there all the time. Just because he couldn’t cultivate yesterday doesn’t mean he can’t today. Besides, the Mountain Master hasn’t said anything about it," Li Hui casually replied, turning to look at his siblings in the side hall.
His sixth and seventh younger brothers, finding it dull, were sitting in a corner secretly drinking. His third and fourth older sisters, along with their younger sisters and female cousins, were diligently flipping through portraits and dossiers of the scholars, discussing them in whispers. His already married eldest and second sisters acted as their advisors. Meanwhile, his less favored ninth brother, Li Shan, was admiring the moon alone by the railing outside the hall...
As for his own full sister, Li Leqing...