Work Text:
Setting: Lang Ya Ge just before Changsu goes back to Jinling (the Capital)
Lin Chen strolls out of the room after meeting with Mei Changsu and airily comments to Li Gang, who has been awaiting summons in the outer chamber, “Well Li Gang, I think you had better get ready- you’re leaving for the Capital!”
“But… we aren’t scheduled for that till next month Master Lin.”
“No, I’m pretty sure Changsu is even now writing a note to Jingrui to have him come a little earlier than planned.”
“If I might be so bold as to ask Master Lin, why?”
“Well, I” Lin Chen smiles “just told your Zhuang Zhu a bit of news.”
Feiliu,sitting at the other end of the room, ignores all this in favor of examining a flower he’s about to stab into a vase.
Li Gang waits for Lin Chen to continue but Lin Chen instead strolls around the room.
“Master Lin please stop being mysterious. What news?”
“I told him that the Emperor has summoned Princess Nihuang to the Capital.”
“Oh.”
Li Gang, being from the Chiyan army, of course knew of Princess Nihuang. She spent an inordinate amount of time around camp in the old days and was, at the height of the Lin’s Imperial favor and glory, betrothed to Lin Shu by personal edict from the Grand Empress Dowager herself.
“And” Lin Chen slows his speech “I told him why.”
“Master Lin if you would just get to …”
“Patience!” Lin Chen shakes his head.
“The Emperor has decreed that he will hold a competition for Princess Nihuang’s hand in marriage and invites all eligible, ambitious men in the lands- not just Liang- to come to the Capital to compete.”
Pause, as Lin Chen displays three fingers, “The first elimination rounds start in 3 weeks.”
Li Gang thinks about this for a moment. “So… you mean Zhuang Zhu wants to rush to the capital to prevent Princess Nihuang from marrying?”
Lin Chen gestures dismissal and laughs “Ha! If only! Haven’t you learnt by now that your Zhuang Zhu is all messed up? No, no, he wants to rush there like a chicken with it’s head cut off doing everything he can so Nihuang can marry the ‘right’ guy of her choosing!”
Li Gang looks thoughtful and Feiliu drops the flower, turning curiously at Lin Chen’s theatrics.
“Do you think Master Lin that since Zhuang Zhu is still alive, technically the betrothal is still…”
“Ah ha!” Lin Chen pounces loudly. “That! That is a very good question!”
Feiliu perks up at the drama.
“I’ll tell you a secret,” Lin Chen whispers conspiratorially and gestures Li Gang and Feiliu to lean in closer, “I bet you that Nihuang will be stubborn and silly and insist, when she finds out who Changsu is that she is still betrothed. ‘Lin Shu I recall Great-granny’s edict bestowing the marriage 12 years ago but do not remember any annulment announcement all the time since. Do you?’ ” (Lin Chen’s voice is plaintive but commanding.)
Li Gang starts to look sad, while Feiliu is still curious when Lin Chen grins and adds,
“But,” dramatic pause, “your Zhuang Zhu is going to go into his prissy, noble ‘No, no, no, it has been so many years, and I’m not the person I was… you’re free, and you deserve better’ mode” (Lin Chen does a mean impersonation of a prissy squeal at the end for emphasis at what he thinks of that particular argument.)
Li Gang starts to look suspicious but Feiliu seems more interested now.
“And then, Nihuang is going to put her foot down and say,” Lin Chen’s voice deepens “ ‘You’re marrying me, because you promised, and that’s the last word!’”
By now Lin Chen is entirely caught up in his narrative, stands up, and gesturing dramatically, intones.
“And then she’ll put him on a horse, in spite of his protests, and they’ll ride off together into the sunset!”
“….”
A resounding silence descends into the room as everyone, including Lin Chen himself, considers what he just said.
After another pause, Feiliu obediently claps a few times because Shu Gege says it’s polite.
Li Gang incredulously asks, “Master Lin with all due respect… do you really think that’s possible?”
Lin Chen sighs and says, “Actually no…”
And here he seems to become almost somber, “… but wouldn’t it be nice if it were that easy?”