Chapter 81: Cheng Yaojin's Wedding

The Five Surnames and Seven Clans refer to the five great families—Cui, Li, Lu, Zheng, and Wang—located east of Mount Xiao. Both the Cui and Li families have two major branches, giving rise to the phrase “Five Surnames, Seven Clans.” Beyond these, the six powerful clans of Yuan, Pei, Liu, Xue, Yang, and Du in the Guanzhong region are not to be underestimated.

The Cui family traces its origins back to the early Zhou dynasty, when Jiang Shang was enfeoffed in Qi. The family line continued for generations until Jiang Jizi, who declined the inheritance and passed it to his brother, Shuyi. Shuyi took Cuiyi, in the northern region of Zhangqiu—Li Dong’s hometown—as his place of retirement. The descendants took the name of their fief as their surname, thus forming the Cui family.

From the Wei and Jin dynasties through to the Sui, the Cui family flourished through twists and turns, becoming the foremost illustrious clan in the eyes of the world. The branches of “Cui of Qinghe” and “Cui of Boling” were the most renowned, though both had since moved away from Zhangqiu. The Cui family that remained in their ancestral home gradually declined and faded from public memory.

The county magistrate of Dong’e named himself Cui Boling, secretly harboring the wish to restore the glory of the Zhangqiu Cui family. However, his devotion to official duties failed to bring honor to his family, and in the process, he neglected his daughter’s marriage, leaving her unmarried past the age of twenty.

Upon hearing Li Dong praise Cheng Yaojin as a true hero, Cui Boling, though already over twenty, disregarded convention and inquired about Cheng Yaojin’s marital status.

Li Dong recalled carefully that during his nearly full day at the Cheng residence, he had not seen Cheng Yaojin’s wife appear. Yet the absence of womenfolk did not necessarily mean Cheng Yaojin had no family.

Marriage is a serious matter, and Li Dong, cautious by nature, dared not assert that Cheng Yaojin was unmarried. Instead, he invited Magistrate Cui to accompany him to the Turtledove Inn. Eager to resolve his daughter’s marriage, Cui Boling gladly agreed.

Fortunately, Ping’an Mountain was not far from the Turtledove Inn. The two led three thousand government soldiers and the captured bandits in grand procession toward their destination.

After Li Dong left, Cheng Yaojin obediently practiced the three-axe technique as instructed. Although a single day was brief, he seized every spare moment to train, and had already grown more skilled than when Li Dong was present.

The village braves, spotting Li Dong’s troops from afar, dashed into the compound in alarm and reported, “A large force is approaching the Turtledove Inn from several miles away.”

Cheng Yaojin was practicing with great vigor, his axes whirling like a storm. On hearing that a large number of troops was advancing, he was startled but remained calm, set his axes aside, and commanded boldly, “They come at the right time! Quickly gather our men and prepare an ambush outside the village. When the enemy draws near, strike them with all your might—show no mercy!”

The village braves obeyed, hurrying off to muster the men.

Cheng Yaojin readied his horse and weapons, slung a quiver of arrows, and leapt into the saddle. To himself, he thought, “I’ve just gotten the hang of these three axes and haven’t yet tested them in a real battle. Their arrival is timely—this is my chance to hone my skills.”

While the local braves sought hiding places, Cheng Yaojin, with axes in hand, mounted his warhorse and blocked the road into the village, imposing and resolute. He resolved inwardly to risk everything: even if pierced by a hail of arrows, he would not let a single enemy into the village.

As Li Dong and Cui Boling drew near with their troops, Cheng Yaojin recognized the familiar figure on horseback in the distance. He shaded his eyes for a better look—who could it be but Li Dong?

He forgot to signal the braves to stand down and, like a gust of wind, charged toward Li Dong. When only an arrow’s flight away, he called out, “Is that you, Master Li Dong?”

Cheng Yaojin’s dash brought all the hidden braves pouring out behind him, shouting and charging in a tumultuous wave.

Li Dong, seeing Cheng Yaojin galloping over, thought he was coming to greet them. Delighted, he said to Cui Boling, “That’s the man I wanted to introduce you to—Cheng Yaojin. Take a look yourself—” He pointed toward Cheng Yaojin, inviting Cui Boling to appraise him.

But then, hearing the deafening cries of battle as over a hundred village braves surged forward with spears and clubs, Li Dong quickly shouted, “It’s a misunderstanding! A complete misunderstanding!”

Cheng Yaojin realized what was happening, reined in his horse, and ordered the braves to stand down, lest they harm their own people. At once, the shouting ceased, and calm returned to the road.

Cui Boling saw Cheng Yaojin, with his flowing beard and a stature of seven feet, brandishing a massive battle-axe, radiating the vigor of a deity descended to earth. Though the braves were not numerous, their discipline was clear—a testament to skillful leadership. He had not expected to find such a hero in these rural parts, and he nodded to Li Dong in delight, signaling his approval.

Li Dong understood and nodded happily in return, thinking to himself that half the marriage match was already made.

Cheng Yaojin dismounted and strode over to Li Dong in three quick steps. Li Dong also got down from his horse to meet him. The two clasped hands and gazed at each other. Though they had been parted for only a day, it felt as if they were meeting for the first time, their joy and affection boundless.

As they walked together, Cheng Yaojin said, “A day apart, and you surprise me again, Master! Why did you bring such a large force of government soldiers without telling me in advance? You gave me quite a scare for nothing.”

Li Dong laughed, “I wanted to give you a tremendous surprise! Guess what good news I’ve brought you?”

Cheng Yaojin, even more pleased, speculated, “Could it be that the bandits of Ping’an Mountain have been wiped out?”

Li Dong shook his head with a mysterious smile. “Guess again?”

Cheng Yaojin pressed on, “Have you been promoted to county magistrate?”

Li Dong laughed heartily, “Don’t guess about me—this good news is for you!”

Now Cheng Yaojin was puzzled and suddenly stopped. “What joy could there be for me—unless…”

Li Dong also halted and asked directly if Cheng Yaojin was married.

Cheng Yaojin shook his head like a rattle drum and sighed, “Suitors have worn my threshold flat, but none have caught my eye. Ah, a child without a mother—my story is a long one.”

It was not that Cheng Yaojin was overly particular about marriage, but born into a prosperous family and orphaned young, he had no one to make decisions for him.

More importantly, his interests did not lie in marriage. His mind was wholly set on drilling the braves to greater strength, so they might eradicate the bandits of Ping’an Mountain. He had not expected that Li Dong, in just two days at Dong’e, had accomplished what he had striven for years to achieve.

Li Dong chuckled and asked, “If I act as your matchmaker and arrange your marriage, would you agree?”

“Who is the lady? What is her character and appearance?” Cheng Yaojin frowned slightly, then added, “I am not one to covet beauty; I simply hope for a virtuous wife to help manage my household. It would be best if she knew some martial arts herself, that she might lend me a hand in my endeavors.”

Cui Boling, standing nearby, was overjoyed to hear this. He leapt from his horse and declared, “My daughter is just the one you seek!”

As it turned out, Cui Boling was ambitious and determined to restore his family’s honor. He himself trained diligently in both mounted and dismounted skills, and had taught his daughter to ride and shoot from an early age. Thus, his daughter was formidable, and though several came to propose, once they learned the details, the matter always came to nothing.

Having practiced martial arts for so long herself, his daughter was not inclined to marry a stranger with whom she shared no common interests, and so she too was unwilling. In the end, this delay proved to be Cheng Yaojin’s good fortune.

With both parties of one mind, the rest was simple. Unlike the complicated customs of the common folk, there was no need for exchanging birth charts or informing all the relatives. Three days later, in the evening, the bridal chamber ceremony was held.

Husband and wife were affectionate and loving, inseparable as glue and lacquer.

Li Dong found himself almost envious to see it. His thoughts turned to his own fiancée, Lu Rou. When he mentioned his intention to leave Dong’e, Cheng Yaojin and his wife tried to persuade him to stay, but after two more days, Li Dong insisted on not troubling them further.

Cheng Yaojin and his wife could only prepare some travel funds for him and saw him off at the edge of the village, reluctant to part.

After two days’ journey, passing through Zhangqiu, Li Dong considered for a moment and decided not to return directly to Qi Commandery, but instead turned toward Zhangqiu. He wished to visit his parents—and the gentle, ever-present Lu Rou who lingered in his thoughts.