Chapter 182: The Lively Wedding
Long Heng easily stood out from the crowd, dressed as he was in a red silk robe. However, he wasn’t wearing a traditional red flower on top of his garb. I wonder if it’s because he doesn’t want to, or because there’s no such tradition here.
Long Heng would often glance at Bai Xiangxiu from time to time. There… seemed to be hints of worry in his eyes? Ohh… So you actually do know that I’d be sad if you marry another woman. Why else would you bother looking over here? Unfortunately, Bai Xiangxiu felt tiredness creep along her limbs, so she couldn’t be bothered with him. And so, she slumped into her chair and asked Xiaoshi to massage her shoulders as she leaned her head against Xiaoshi, as if she was about to take a nap.
Down in the thick of things, Long Heng was very depressed. He had gone to all this effort to prepare a spectacle for her and yet she seemed disinterested enough to want to sleep instead. Just when he was about to get someone to check on her health, the wedding matron suddenly announced, “The bride has arrived! The groom may receive his bride by kicking down the carriage door!”
Without much of a choice, he could only step up to kick down the door. Some of the guests went outside to join in on the fun, but Bai Xiangxiu was feeling miserable. She couldn’t bear to sit down anymore and wanted to rest in her room, but the second she stood up, she felt very lightheaded. She didn’t particularly want to faint, so she decided to sit down for a little while more. Unfortunately, Long Heng took that moment to return with his new bride.
The bowing rites should be coming next. Bai Xiangxiu was very woozy and wanted nothing more than to throw up. I don’t want to see it. I feel so irritable. Everyone else looked nervously at the red-clad couple. They were waiting for them to perform their bowing rites. After that, they’d send them off to the bridal chambers.
“Madame Xiu…” Xiaoshi was filled with worry as she held tightly onto her mistress, seemingly afraid that her mistress would collapse as soon as the maid let go. The old madame noticed the condition Bai Xiangxiu was in. She couldn’t help but worry. Who summoned her here? What if she miscarries from her sorrow? Just when she was about to order a mama to escort her back to her room, one of the guests suddenly charged out with a weapon in hand. The old madame screamed loudly from the fright. Even Bai Xiangxiu herself gasped a little at the sudden turn of events.
Fortunately, Long Heng was able to avoid the attack just in time thanks to his experience as a military general. However, he wasn’t able to completely avoid injury, blood spilling from a shallow cut. But his injury wasn’t for naught as he was able to yank off the assassin’s mask.
“Luo Yunzheng…” Long Heng coldly uttered, even though he was actually feeling elated inside. He’s finally revealed himself. It would’ve been hard to continue this charade without him. If I were to really proceed with the bowing rites and take that Lin woman into my manor, wouldn’t it anger my little woman to death?
The bride was visibly agitated when she heard Luo Yunzheng’s name. She immediately tore off her bridal veil, revealing Lin Qianzi’s pitiful-looking face. After taking a look at Luo Yunzheng, she opened her mouth, as if on the verge of saying something. But she ultimately kept her words to herself.
If she were to acknowledge Luo Yunzheng now, wouldn’t she be admitting that she had a relationship with him? If that happened, she wouldn’t just destroy her own reputation, but also the reputation of the entire Lin family. But there was something else she didn’t understand. Why was he here when she’d already clearly severed her relationship with him? Just as she was about to put her veil back on, Luo Yunzheng laughed and said to her, “Even if it means death, I will take you with me today.”
He reached out for Lin Qianzi’s hand with every intention of dragging her away. The guards from the Prince Li Manor immediately surrounded the two. He would have to fight to the death if he wanted to leave.
“Do you really think that you can escape from my manor while taking another person with you? Also, Miss Lin, this prince is curious. Just what is your relationship with…” Long Heng didn’t finish his sentence but the meaning behind his words was obvious. He was insinuating ignorance of their true relationship.
The other guests had already connected the dots. After all, there were already widespread rumors that the daughter of the Lin family was seeing a man from the jianghu. Some even claimed that she was having an affair in her own residence. Everyone originally thought that those was just rumors, never imagining that any of it might actually be true.
“Prince Li. Will you give us your blessing?”
“Oh?’
“Since you already have so many beauties in your estate, what would it matter to you to give Miss Lin to me?”
“Hah! Luo Yunzheng! Do you actually think that I would allow that to happen?”
“Then… I have no choice but to hack my way out of here!” Roughly ten or so highly skilled experts revealed themselves from the crowd moments after he uttered those words. They tore into the guards, keeping them engaged.
Long Heng took a step back and ordered, “Protect the guests! Everyone else back away!”
However, Luo Yunzheng was well aware of Leng Heng’s weakness. His men started to make their way towards Bai Xiangxiu. How could Long Heng possibly allow him to do that? He had already assigned some of his concealed guards to protect her. But what he had failed to anticipate was the appearance of an even stronger expert, none other than Yu Kuang. Dressed as one of the members of the manor guards, he alone was worth an entire army. None of the jianghu men were able to get past him.
Even though Long Heng was a little annoyed at Yu Kuang’s appearance, the latter’s presence truly did decrease his worries. Despite the presence of numerous manor guards, they were actually losing the skirmish. Many of the guards had already been injured, with some of the guests implicated as well. Long Heng’s fury was increasing by the minute. He pointed at Lin Qianzi, “Miss Lin. Why do you try to enter my house at all when all you truly want is to be with this man from the jianghu?”
Trembling in Luo Yunzheng’s arms, Lin Qianzi was now as pale as a ghost. When she heard his accusation, she immediately shook her head and murmured, “No… Not true… I… No…”
Long Heng continued, “I would’ve given my blessing to the both of you if I’d known! Why must you trample on my dignity thus?!”
“I have no relationship with him whatsoever!” Lin Qianzi hardened her heart. For the Lin family, she must deny all accusations of her relationship with Luo Yunzheng.
Luo Yunzheng snickered coldly, “It doesn’t matter if you want to admit it or not, you will be coming with me today. I, Luo Yunzheng, am a respectable figure. I will not allow my woman to climb into another man’s bed.”
In his agitation, Luo Yunzheng had begun to reveal his scoundrel side and completely ignored the scene he was helping create. Long Heng immediately latched onto what he’d said. He coldly asked, “Your woman…?”
“Yes. She is my woman!”
“Everyone, halt!” Long Heng suddenly yelled. Everyone immediately stopped fighting. He glanced at Bai Xiangxiu as servants rushed to bandage his wound. She seemed fine, but she was still looking back at him with concern in her eyes. Feeling a flicker of warmth in his heart, he continued. “Alright. I will not be willingly cuckolded if she really is your woman. But since Miss Lin denies everything, there is only one way for us to solve this issue.”
Luo Yunzheng wasn’t too keen on fighting with the entire armada of guards in the prince’s manor either. What this woman had done just now had caused him much pain. But there was no going back. He had to take her with him, or he would lose all credibility in the jianghu.
“What way?”
Long Heng took another long look at them and said, “Have some mamas check her. If she still remains a virgin, that means you are lying. This prince will marry her and take good care of her for eternity. But if she is no longer a virgin, then…”
“Prince Li! How can you accuse your future wife of such things?” Minister Lin had gotten word of the entire show and had immediately rushed to the manor with his men.
Long Heng immediately retorted, “Then how do you suggest we solve this, Minister Lin? If Miss Lin is truly innocent, then there’s no reason for her to fear the test. If her body is found to be clean and untainted, this prince is willing to kneel and beg for her forgiveness. If she isn’t… Minister Lin, you can answer for this!”
Lin Qianzi was trembling from head to toe. She looked at Minister Lin and shook her head fiercely. Her virginity was long gone. There was no way to hide that if they were to check!
