leave

Seeing this token, Emperor's eyes widened.

According to the Great Gan military system, mobilizing troops required a tiger tally, and mobilizing more than a thousand men required both a tiger tally and an imperial decree.

However, there was one exception: the black iron token held by the Gao Family.

This black iron token was bestowed by the late Emperor, Emperor Ganxuan, Emperor's father, to honor the Gao Family's generations of loyalty and valor.

This token allowed the mobilization of all armies except the North and South Imperial Guards, even without a tiger tally or imperial decree.

This could be said to be the Gao Family's last trump card, and also the thing the Emperor most dreaded.

Now, this long-desired item was right before him, within reach, how could Emperor not be moved?

With a gesture, Chief Eunuch immediately walked down from the imperial platform to take the wooden box, and after inspecting it, handed it to Emperor.

With the cold black iron token in hand, Emperor finally believed that this young man truly intended to leave.

Taking a long breath, Emperor spoke.

"Since Minister Gao insists, I will not force him to stay. However, the descendants of meritorious officials must still be rewarded. Minister Gao, return first, and I will deliberate before issuing an imperial decree of grace."

Gao Yuan bowed once more, proclaiming loudly,

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your consideration. Your Majesty's sacred grace, this subject is deeply grateful."

This grand morning court, unexpectedly, had a climax at the end, and for a time it became the biggest topic of conversation in the entire city of Luoyang.

Some gloated, thinking that the Gao Family had been too arrogant in the past, and now that the tiger was in a flatland, they deserved it!

Others sighed with emotion, feeling that with the Gao father and two sons' remains not yet cold, His Majesty had continuously pressured the Gao Family to retreat again and again, which inevitably felt like 'when the cunning hare is killed, the hounds are cooked'.

However, Gao Yuan didn't care at all. Ever since that court session, the marquis of loyalty and valors Residence had closed its doors to visitors.

Perhaps to show his resolve, Gao Yuan even released most of the servants and maids in the residence, granting them commoner status.

There were even rumors that the Gao Family's steward, Gao Fu, would daily bring out large quantities of antiques and calligraphy to sell.

This led the Jingzhao Prefecture Yamen to worry that Gao Fu was stealing his master's property, and they even sent people to inquire.

Gao Yuan dismissed them with a single sentence:

"I don't understand those antiques and calligraphy, and they're not easy to carry. It's better to sell them and use the money for sightseeing."

After observing for a few days, Emperor finally confirmed that Gao Yuan was not retreating to advance, but was truly afraid of death and wanted to leave.

He then revealed a satisfied smile and looked at Chief Eunuch.

"Old man, how do you think I should reward Gao Yuan?"

"This matter should be solely decided by Your Majesty's sacred heart. How dare this servant casually discuss it?"

Emperor was in a good mood and spat at Chief Eunuch.

"Hmph! Old man, alright, issue the decree..."

On the fifth day of the fifth month of the tenth year of Taichu, Gao Yuan's long-awaited imperial decree finally arrived.

Gao Yuan was re-enfeoffed as duke of anle county, without a fief, but could collect a certain stipend from nearby prefectures annually.

Gao Yuan was granted twenty carriages and five large chests of jewels, and the marquis of loyalty and valors Residence was reclaimed by the national treasury.

The five hundred mansion guards from the Grand Generals Residence were permitted to be taken by Gao Yuan.

However, it was unclear if the Emperor truly wanted to reward him or to disgust him.

In the very end, he was actually ordered to bring Ninth Princess Zhao Xiyao with him.

And... and in the end, Zheng Wan and Song Yao were bestowed upon him as Concubine.

This move utterly dropped Gao Yuan's jaw.

Mature and beautiful, sister-in-law, widow—although all were bonus points, it was still hard for Gao Yuan to accept taking them all into his embrace at once.

However, Zheng Wan and Song Yao did not try to commit suicide as he had imagined; instead, after Chief Eunuch left, they began to persuade Gao Yuan.

"Third Brother, this is merely the Emperor trying to tarnish our Gao Family's reputation. Just bear with it."

"That's right, we've endured so much suppression before, are you still afraid of this little bit?"

Gao Yuan looked up, gazing at his two 'wives' with innocent eyes, thinking to himself,

"You two have too many buffs on you, I'm really afraid that I and Little Gao Yuan won't be able to hold back!"

At this moment, in the Princess Roujia Residence, which was Ninth Princess Zhao Xiyao's abode.

Zhao Xiyao, upon receiving the imperial decree, nearly went mad and was throwing a tantrum in her bedchamber.

"Why? Why must I leave Luoyang with that good-for-nothing?"

Chief Eunuch stood there, motionless, coldly watching Zhao Xiyao vent.

After more than half an hour, Zhao Xiyao tired herself out and slumped weakly to the ground.

Only then did Chief Eunuch walk over to her, bend down, and whisper into Zhao Xiyao's ear,

"Your Royal Highness, if you wish to help Third Highness, the best choice is to go far, far away;

Otherwise, if the Crown Prince's side learns of your feelings for Third Highness, I'm afraid..."

Hearing Chief Eunuch's words, Zhao Xiyao's eyes widened in disbelief.

Her feelings for her biological brother had always been a secret of hers; throughout Great Gan, she had only told Third Prince.

"Could it be..."

Chief Eunuch nodded expressionlessly, confirming her guess and plunging Zhao Xiyao into an endless abyss.

After a long silence, a burst of laughter erupted in the main hall of the Princesss Residence, though the sound was somewhat delicate and weak, like the bleating of a lamb.

"Hahaha, so... so I... I was just a bargaining chip to curry favor with Father Emperor..."

Actually, it really wasn't Third Prince's fault. The Gao Family had already handed over the black iron token, thus losing all value.

So, there was no point in him stringing along his sister anymore; it was better to sell her for some bargaining chips.

Although his sister was a beauty of peerless charm, she couldn't compare to that chair in the slightest.

So he decisively went to his imperial father and completely sold his sister.

This way, he could at least appear docile and honest before the Emperor.

And in Emperor's view, at least his son was ruthless and heartless enough.

Although the current Crown Prince was the eldest legitimate son, Emperor had always been somewhat dissatisfied; he was too weak and benevolent.

It was precisely this dissatisfaction he showed that gave the other princes the ambition to contend for the throne.

Of course, Gao Yuan was unaware of these matters; he was busy packing his luggage.

Aside from some change of clothes, he was mainly packing money.

As Mr. Shuren said, a man with money is a hero, a man without money struggles. In any era, money is essential.

If he wanted to live a good life of daily bird-teasing and dog-walking with his two widowed sisters-in-law in the future, he remembered to bring more money.

This residence was about to be confiscated; wouldn't it be a waste of resources not to take more?

If the house couldn't be dismantled, Gao Yuan would have wanted to tear down the entire house and sell all the wood and blue bricks.

As for the original money and grain in the residence, Gao Yuan ordered everyone to exchange them for valuable pearls, gold, and the like.

By the end of May, everything was finally settled.

Outside Luoyang City, fifty carriages, laden with the Gao Family's wealth, Personal Guards, and their families.

Taking one last look back at the majestic Luoyang City, with Gao Fu's cry of "Gee-up!", the carriages slowly started moving.

But after only a few steps, the carriages suddenly stopped, startling Gao Yuan, who had just begun to feel sleepy.

"Uncle Fu, what's wrong? Why have we stopped?"

"Uh... well... Master, perhaps you should come down."

Gao Yuan, helpless, could only straighten his clothes and, with Gao Fu's support, strode down from the carriage.

Looking up, he nearly peed himself on the spot. A princess-grade carriage, escorted by soldiers, was stopped in front.

Good heavens, he had been so busy these past few days that he had forgotten about this wife he had never met.

Calming himself, Gao Yuan walked to the carriage and bowed in salute.

"Greetings, Your Royal Highness. May I ask why the Princess has come today...?"

"Father Emperor ordered you to take me. Are you trying to defy an imperial decree?"

Her voice was soft and sweet. Although Zhao Xiyao tried her best to sound stern, to Gao Yuan, it sounded exactly like a sheep's bleating.

Listening to this soft voice, Gao Yuan grew even more curious about what his wife looked like.

Was she truly worthy of being called 'the Great Gan's foremost beauty,' as written in the original book?