Mythical Version of Three Kingdom

”Sun, take your uncle to play. I need to discuss some matters with your father,” Lu Kang gestured to eleven-year-old Lu Xun. The more mature Lu Xun nodded and led Lu Ji away.

”Jun’er, my injuries have stabilized. As you mentioned, we need to find a new path. If the three major families of Jiangdong don’t come for us, we might as well abandon Jiangdong entirely. We can let go of those assets; if we lose them, so be it,” Lu Kang said as he watched Lu Xun leave. Compared to his less capable son, he had higher hopes for his grandson.

”We should go to Liu Xuande. I’ve visited him several times, and I believe Liu Xuande has the capacity to accept all people. He won’t hold a grudge for our previous refusals, and Chen Zichuan has already extended an offer. More importantly, though Xingba is somewhat eccentric, we’ve become close friends. These are all advantages for us,” Lu Jun said with a smile, noting that Gan Ning now commanded an army.

”I did misjudge him back then,” Lu Kang sighed when Gan Ning’s name came up.

Lu Kang initially disliked Gan Ning due to his unruly behavior. As a noble-born who disregarded his status to become a pirate on the Yangtze, and even taking pride in it, Gan Ning’s actions deeply offended Lu Kang’s traditional values as a staunch, rule-abiding noble.

It wasn’t until Gan Ning made a name for himself with a series of major accomplishments in the north that Lu Kang stopped subtly advising Lu Jun to distance himself from Gan Ning. Regardless of his strange personality, Gan Ning’s abilities were undeniable. In the world of the nobility, talent grants the privilege of eccentricity, and Gan Ning’s talents were impressive enough to allow him considerable leeway with any open-minded lord.

”Xingba may be reckless, but his straightforwardness is reassuring. When he’s displeased, it’s obvious. Everything is written on his face, with no hidden agendas. Although his bluntness can be awkward at times, his honesty puts me at ease,” Lu Jun chuckled. Despite Gan Ning’s quirks, dealing with someone so forthright had its advantages—so long as you could handle his occasional eccentricities, it was quite agreeable.

”Let’s pledge allegiance to Liu Bei. Our family can’t afford to split into branches; with so few descendants, that would be foolish. You, unfilial son, should marry a few more concubines so I won’t be so dissatisfied!” Lu Kang mused, reflecting on the dwindling numbers of their family. With only four direct descendants left, and the collateral lines distant and scattered, the responsibility to continue the family line would fall on his second son and grandson. His eldest son was no longer reliable.

Lu Jun looked up at the sky, exasperated. It wasn’t as though his father had taken multiple wives either. The Lu family’s dwindling numbers were the result of their ancestors’ choices generations ago—few wives, and even fewer concubines, with low fertility rates. It was no wonder the family wasn’t flourishing.

”Sun is getting older too. It’s time to find him a suitable wife,” Lu Jun deflected, bringing up his son to divert his father’s attention. Whether or not it was appropriate, he could follow the current trend in the Han dynasty, where child marriages were becoming popular. Although this didn’t align with the aristocratic custom of marrying at eighteen, they could at least arrange the engagement first, leaving the rest for later.”Forget about the Zhang, Gu, and Zhu families. If we’re abandoning Jiangdong, there’s no need for any lingering ties. I’ll write a letter to cancel the previous arrangement with the Zhang family,” Lu Kang sighed. ”We’ll find another suitable match.”

”If we’re aligning with Lord Xuande, then we should seek out a suitable match from among his top ministers,” Lu Jun followed the typical aristocratic logic. Throughout history, marriage alliances had always been both the most reliable and the least reliable way to strengthen ties.

”Liu Xuande’s top ministers?” Lu Kang nodded. ”Indeed, that’s a good idea. However, among Liu Xuande’s senior ministers, only a few have daughters, and of them, only Jia Wenhe has an unmarried daughter. The others—Guan Yunchang has a son, Chen Zichuan just got married, Liu Ziyang has a son, Mi Zizhong has a son and a daughter, but his daughter is not yet three years old. Lu Zijing and the others are still unmarried themselves…”

In short, it seemed that among Liu Bei’s top ministers, only Jia Xu had a daughter of suitable age. But Jia Xu, known for his cautious nature, was unlikely to marry her off.

”Father, we shouldn’t limit ourselves to daughters. Many of Lord Xuande’s ministers are under thirty, so their sisters might be more age-appropriate for Sun,” Lu Jun smiled.

”Yes, yes, you’re right.” Lu Kang slapped his forehead. ”I must be getting old and forgetful. It seems you’ve already made your choice.”

”I recall that one of Liu Xuande’s ministers has a sister who is both of suitable age and beauty, perfect for our Sun,” Lu Jun said with a smile.

”And who might that be?” Lu Kang asked.

”Mi Zizhong’s sister, Mi Zhen, is a true beauty—graceful, courteous, and poised,” Lu Jun reminisced about his visit to the Mi family in Mount Tai, where he had met Mi Zhen. Her charm had left a strong impression on him.

That day, Mi Zhen had been in a good mood, and since Lu Jun was her brother’s friend, she had treated him exceptionally well. However, had it been someone like Chen Xi, a more familiar face, she might have shown her mischievous side. As the cherished daughter of the Mi family, Mi Zhen had gone from being a wealthy heiress to an elite lady of both commerce and politics. In short, even if Lu Xun married her, he might not be able to afford the upkeep. Lu Jun’s suggestion was far from ideal.

”There’s actually another possibility, but she might be out of our reach—Cai Bojie’s daughter, Cai Yan!” Lu Jun recalled a brief glimpse of Cai Yan. Her melancholy beauty had left him stunned, despite his devotion to his wife. And while Cai Yan wasn’t young, she wasn’t that old either.

”You dare mention her! Unfilial son!” Lu Kang grabbed his cane, ready to strike his son. It was one thing to suggest the Mi family, but daring to even think about someone like Cai Yan was too much.

”I said she might be out of our reach,” Lu Jun chuckled bitterly. Still, Cai Yan’s talent and elegance had left an impression. A mother like her would ensure excellent descendants for the Lu family.

”The Cai family has only Cai Yan left, and her engagement to the Wei family is over. Whether she remarries or stays single, it’s not something we can influence. The rumors of her bringing misfortune to her husbands are one thing, but if she does remarry, it would be more practical for her to bring in a husband for the Cai family,” Lu Kang shook his head.

Lu Jun simply hadn’t experienced enough. Cai Yan, despite her past misfortunes, was still a noblewoman. Having suffered once and with her father gone, she had little reason to settle for a lesser match. Bringing in a husband to continue the Cai family line would be a far easier choice.