On a hot summer afternoon, during the 30th year of Emperor Li, the regional military governor (Jiedushi) of the Northern Frontier, General Liu Huixin, marched into the Chen family residence. She was flanked by her right-hand man and a handful of soldiers of her army.
General Liu had found evidence that the Assistant Minister of Revenue, Chen Yuan, had been secretly misdirecting imperial funds. She could not prove it yet, but she was sure the Second Prince, her sworn enemy, was behind it. She took this opportunity to return to the capital after five years, hoping to finally expose his deeds.
In the family garden, Chen Yuan, his wife, and his daughter had been having tea. Huixin ordered all the attendants out of the courtyard until it was only the Chen family, herself, and her soldiers in the vincinity. The family were quickly subdued and brought to their knees. Huixin casually took the seat where Chen Yuan had been. She picked up a delicate teacup from the table and examined it, the steel ring on her hand making a soft clinking sound against it.
The minister's voice broke through the tense silence. "General Liu, what is the meaning of this?"
Huixin threw down the documents she had brought before him - grain shipments, tax accounts, the smallest deviations circled in red. His hands trembled as he turned the pages.
"You've been very generous with imperial funds," she said evenly. "A thousand taels to nowhere. Another thousand to a courier who doesn't exist. As soon as an account passes by you, the numbers cease to make sense."
Horror etched itself onto Chen Yuan's face. He had clearly worked hard to cover his tracks. But not hard enough.
"I know the second prince is behind this." General Liu said, getting straight to the point. "Deliver the documents that tie the second prince to these accounts, and I will ensure that you don't face execution."
Chen Yuan found his courage for half a breath. "I do not have the documents you seek, General. And even if you acquired them, no one would accept -"
Huixin's cold smile made him lose his words. "You're right. No one would believe me."
Huixin knew her reputation in the capital was hanging by a thread. The Second Prince had worked hard to tarnish her name and make her loyalty to the throne questionable. Any accusation she brought against him would only fuel those rumours.
She turned her attention to the tea set on the table, pouring herself a cup. "But they would believe you. A loyal official, crushed by guilt. A man who comes forward to clear his conscience." She turned back to him. "You will testify. Publicly."
"You are putting me in a very difficult position, whether I side with you or the second prince. The other party will kill me. General, please." He begged. "Spare us, for the friendly bond our families forged over decades, we -"
Huixin cut him off again, she slammed the teacup on the table angrily. "When disaster befell my family and my parents died, you did not even hesitate before clamouring for my father's position. Now you steal food from the mouths of the poor all to remain in the favour of the second prince, so you can continue to enjoy this cushioned life. There is no bond between our families!"
The air stood still following Huixin's outburst.
"But!" She continued, rising and spinning on her heel. "I have a compassionate soul, and so I won't sever our family ties completely, Wei Lai!" She called.
Her right-hand man stood by her side at attention. He was a tall man with broad shoulders, clad in black, and with a short ponytail. His presence was imposing, which clashed greatly with the sadistic smile he wore on his face.
"I've checked the calendar, the third of next month is an auspicious day... perfect for matrimony."
Chen Yuan's wife let out a loud gasp and covered her mouth with hand, suddenly remembering the betrothal arrangement that the Liu family and Chen family had entered into at the birth of their children.
"General..?" Chen Yuan asked, confused.
Huixin knew that above anything, Chen Yuan doted on his children. If he would not comply, she would hit him where it hurt the most. Chen Ruiyu was Chen Yuan's only son. While she had never met him, she knew that he was a failed scholar with a harsh illness, which worsened year by year, causing him to rarely be seen in public.
There was much gossip surrounding him because the capital loved mystery. Either way, the Chen family had spent large sums of money in acquiring medicines and physicians to treat him, and the Chen Yuan still had dreams of Ruiyu successfully taking the imperial exam.
"General, the Chen family is unworthy of your high status. Please choose someone else who is of the same standing." Chen Yuan's wife begged.
Huixin considered this for a moment, it was true that her command of the Northern Frontier gave her status much higher than the Chen family, but that was all to her advantage. "No worries, Madam Chen, as my standing as a Jiedushi is indeed higher, by the existing laws, your son will become my matrilocal husband. He stays with me." Liu Huixin delivered that last line threateningly, locking eyes with Chen Yuan.
A matrilocal marriage was uncommon but not unheard of. A matrilocal husband would be considered to have "married into" his wife's family. He would be expected to move into the wife's household, take his wife's family name, help continue her lineage, and often had limited authority within the household. The perfect position for a man she was technically holding hostage, Huixin thought.
"Matrilocal marriage! You! This is your vengeance!" Chen Yuan yelled, getting up from his position on the ground. "You want to humiliate us!"
"Vengeance?" Huixin retorted, barely holding back her anger. "The humiliation you feel today is nothing compared to what I felt in this capital five years ago!"
Huixin got really close to Chen Yuan and dropped her voice so no one else could hear. "Your son's condition worsens every year, doesn't it? I may not be able to harm you, but if he suddenly passed away, no one would raise an eyebrow. In fact, they would even say it's long overdue, wouldn't they?"
He stared at her terrified, furious, cornered.
"In three days, I want to hear some good news, either you've agreed to testify, or we're about to become in-laws. Do not test my patience."
Huixin knew Chen Yuan was smart enough to realise that there was no option in which the Second prince would save him. Anyone who got close enough knew that the Second prince would throw anybody before the sword to save his own skin.
Chen Yuan opened his mouth once again to protest, but he was cut off by a voice.
"Father, I am willing to become her Matrilocal husband."
Chen Ruiyu entered the garden wearing light green robes and carrying a white umbrella. His footsteps were slow and even. He lowered himself gracefully, kneeling right at the General's feet besides his father. The expression on his face was inscrutable.
"Ruiyu!?" Chen Yuan questioned.
"It's okay, Father." He replied softly. "As a failed scholar, and with my illness, my marriage options were already doomed, I am grateful to have earned the favour of the general here."
Ruiyu's eyes were cast down, giving him a demure appearance. Huixin wondered why he would agree to such a marriage when he was better off without?
She lowered herself to be at eye level with him. Her eyes travelled across his face, taking it all in. He had clear skin, full lips, and a strong nose.
"So all these years, Minister Chen, you've hidden such a good-looking son at home. I'm sure your marriage options wouldn't be so bad if you went out more." She teased coldly.
She lifted a hand, and it hovered over his temple. He reached for her hand. Huixin was taken aback by his boldness. He dared to touch her?
Huixin shook Ruiyu's hand off and grabbed a hairpin from his neatly pinned hair, causing his bangs to fall across his eyes. The hairpin was ornate, finely carved silver with a sharp edge. She pressed it against his throat until a thin line of blood formed. From behind her, she heard a gasp from his younger sister.
"They do not call me ruthless and intimidating for no reason," She hissed at Ruiyu. "You should be more afraid of me."
"You have three days!" She declared rising and dropping the pin. She gathered her men, leaving the Chen family residence.
Once they were out of sight. Wei Lai fell into step beside her.
"Are you sure Chen Yuan is going to make the right choice?" He asked, ever cautious.
"If he truly cherishes his son, he will definitely rat out the second prince as the mastermind. And if he doesn't.." She sighed, understanding that it was the longer route to the same goal. "...at least I still have the upper hand."