Xuezhi and Fengshe exchanged a glance, both involuntarily swallowing hard, then turned to look at Shangguan Tou. Shangguan Tou remained as calm as ever, dismissing the man before saying, "The former sect leader truly has an inexhaustible filial piety."
Xuezhi clenched her fingers and whispered, "Tou, can you come for a walk with me?"
"Um."
Chao Fengshe nodded, and Shangguan Tou led Xuezhi to the courtyard.
The courtyard was filled with falling peach petals, yet the air was unusually crisp. After confirming that no one was around, Xuezhi leaned against Shangguan Tou's chest, holding him tightly. Shangguan Tou patted her shoulder and said gently, "Zhi'er, don't be afraid."
"They were the closest people in the world... How could they do such a thing?"
“Such a thing will never happen to us.” Shangguan Tou gently kissed her hair. “I will always be with Zhi’er… until I die.”
"Don't say things like that! My father also said he would stay with me forever, but he still... he still..."
"Actually, I had a dream one day, and I dreamed about your father."
Xuezhi suddenly looked up: "And then?"
“He said that Zhi’er had been lonely and had a hard life since she was a child, and he wanted to make it up to you. So he made an agreement with me.”
"What agreement?"
He said he would bless you from heaven, and I would protect you on earth. Time is a lifetime, and no one can change it.
Xuezhi sobbed, "Father..."
"But I felt like I was being taken advantage of. To stay with one person for a lifetime, that's so hard." Seeing Xuezhi glaring at him with red eyes, Shangguan Tou quickly hugged her and gently shook her. "So... I discussed with him that I wanted you to be my wife, and then I would agree. But he said, 'My daughter is the most beautiful and outstanding woman in the world, how can she just marry an ordinary man like you?'"
"An ordinary man?" Xuezhi laughed through her tears. "Is that what Shangguan Tou said?"
"Shh... This isn't what I said, it's what your father said." Shangguan Tou stroked her long hair and smiled. "I was quite unhappy at the time. I said, 'Palace Mistress Lian, although I'm not good enough for your daughter, you're the one who's dragging me into taking care of her for the rest of my life, so you can't treat me too badly. How about this, she marries me in this life, and in the next life, and the life after that... I will always protect her. Even if she doesn't like me, I will protect her and not let her be bullied or all alone.'"
At this point, Xuezhi buried her head in his chest again, her face soaked with tears.
"But the condition is that even if she doesn't like me, I'll still bring her into my household, even if it means I have to steal her away." Shangguan Tou said with a wicked smile, "Your father is very straightforward. He said, 'Little Tou, actually, with Zhi'er's volatile temper, I think only you would dare to want her.' He immediately sold you to me."
Xuezhi stopped crying and punched him in the chest: "If you were to die, your father would never say such a thing!"
So, over and over again, Xuezhi spent the afternoon in a state of alternating tears, laughter, sorrow, and anger.
142 143 144
142
The days leading up to Chong Xuezhi and Shangguan Tou's wedding were a nightmare for Feng Zi.
Upon hearing the news, Feng Zi excitedly told everyone she knew the same thing: "My sister is getting married. She must be the most beautiful bride in the world."
A few days later, she arranged to go to Hangzhou with a group of her girlfriends to pick out a congratulatory gift for Xuezhi.
In spring, Hangzhou is ablaze with flowers and green willows. The drooping willow leaves, like swaying curtains, obscure the still, mirror-like waters of West Lake, making the small boats on the lake appear as if they are sailing out of a painting, hazy and indistinct, like dots of ink.
Feng Zi and the girls, carrying large and small bags, walked along the Yanhe River, parting clusters of pink flowers as they enjoyed the scenery and chatted.
One of the girls said, "Actually, Young Master Shangguan seems very arrogant and not easy to approach. I don't know how the equally arrogant Palace Mistress Xue got together with him."
Another girl said, "She's not arrogant at all, and has a very easygoing personality. Last time at the Weapon Ranking Conference, I was walking sideways and accidentally bumped into someone. When I saw it was Chong Xuezhi, I was terrified and thought I was going to die. But she actually said very gently that it was okay."
Another girl said, "Who told you to walk sideways like that? Do you think you're a crab?"
"Luckily I bumped into her, otherwise I would never have believed that such a beautiful person existed in the world. I originally thought that she would definitely have flaws upon closer inspection, but I couldn't find a single imperfection. Her eyelashes looked like they were fake..."
"Come on, that's a woman, Feng Zi's older sister. What are you so smitten about?"
"What I'm trying to say is that it turns out that Young Master Shangguan's previous womanizing ways were simply because he hadn't found the most beautiful woman yet. Once he did, he was firmly tied down."
"It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature. Who knows if he'll change again after he gets married..." Seeing the person next to her clearing their throat and giving her a sharp look indicating that Feng Zi was there, the girl immediately changed her words, "It is said that a few months ago there was a weapons shop here with very poor business, but later the owner changed his profession to storytelling, and the business became more and more prosperous. It seems that he was talking about Young Master Shangguan."
“I know, I’ve heard about it. They all say that the boss’s surname is Zhuo and that he’s a madman.”
"I want to hear it too—ah!"
The girl at the front nearly tripped over something. Fortunately, Feng Zi, who was behind her, reached out to steady her: "How could you be so careless..." But as soon as she finished speaking, she looked down and saw someone sitting at her feet.
They walked under the shade of the willows, where the man was already extremely difficult to spot, and the weeping willows further obscured his view, making his face completely invisible. However, Feng Zi could see that he was disheveled, dressed in rags, and muttering to himself, as if in a dream.
She initially thought he was a beggar on the street, but after he hummed a few words, she recognized him.
They had known each other for so many years, and their relationship as fellow disciples was originally very harmonious. Yet, he became the most unforgivable person in her life.
At this moment, he was reciting:
"Whom did you love, and whom did you kill?"
Feng Zi was startled by his words. But she couldn't help herself and lifted the willow curtain to look at him. He immediately looked up at Feng Zi, his eyes glazed over, yet he kept repeating, "Whom do I kill, whom do I love? Whom do I love, whom do I kill? Whom do I kill, whom do I love..."
As he spoke these words, his single dimple would sink in even deeper—this small dimple alone had once sparked a heated discussion among a dozen female disciples of Lingjian Manor.
However, at this moment, the dimples were deeply etched into his cheeks, his features resembling a cruel scar.
"Senior sister, why are you staring at this beggar? Let's go, let's go, something seems wrong with him." One of the female disciples, who had once been so preoccupied with Xia Qingmei that she couldn't eat or sleep, tugged at Feng Zi's sleeve and forcibly pulled her away.
Xia Qingmei did not chase after her, but her eyes followed Feng Zi, and she kept muttering the three-character mantra of love and killing.
They all say that Xia Qingmei killed Liu Hua in order to cultivate the "Hibiscus Heart Sutra," but she still went mad from practicing the technique.
Even after returning to the Snow Swallow Sect, Feng Zi couldn't forget that scene. In the past, whenever she encountered difficulties, she always liked to seek help from Yuan Shuangshuang. Even in her extreme fear, she instinctively walked towards Yuan Shuangshuang's training room. But when she was actually about to knock, she remembered that Yuan Shuangshuang had done something very strange to her last time.
After thinking it over, she decided it would be more appropriate to chat with her girlfriends, so she quietly slipped away.
But just as he took two steps back, a voice came from inside the training room: "Come in."
Feng Zi was frightened once again.
That voice… she couldn’t recognize who it was. If it weren’t for the fact that only Yuan Shuangshuang stayed in this room regularly, and that her tone wasn’t easily recognizable, she would have thought it was a man living there.
When did Yuan Shuangshuang's voice become so rough?
In the instant she hesitated, the person inside said again, "Feng Zi, come in."
Now that they had called out her name, Feng Zi had no reason to run away anymore, so she just had to bite the bullet and push open the door.
The person inside was indeed Yuan Shuangshuang. She was facing away from Feng Zi, seemingly meditating and practicing internal energy. Feng Zi slowly walked behind her and whispered, "Is the sect leader suffering a stroke because of worrying about her parents? Why does your voice sound so..."
Yuan Shuangshuang chuckled twice in a low voice, then said, "I've been quite ill lately, so I haven't gone out. Don't worry, I'll take care of myself." Feng Zi wondered if it was the change in her voice, but she felt that Yuan Shuangshuang's tone was completely different from before. She seemed to have become...much more forceful?
Just as Feng Zi was feeling puzzled, Yuan Shuangshuang turned around and looked at her, smiling slightly.
At this moment, Feng Zi could no longer see anything.
She only noticed Yuan Shuangshuang's eyes.
"I heard you're going to Shangguan Tou and Chong Xuezhi's wedding ceremony. Be careful on your way." Yuan Shuangshuang looked at her with her deep purple eyes.
143
April.
Aotian Manor.
On this auspicious day, the elegant manor was adorned with lanterns and decorations, completely bathed in crimson. The lilacs bloomed gracefully throughout the garden, their clusters of blossoms a vibrant tapestry of white and purple, their colors rich yet delicate. In the gentle spring breeze, they danced like paper butterflies.
The scene in the garden can be described as a sea of people, which is no exaggeration: Wudang Xingyi Daoist, Shaolin Shiyan Abbot, Lingjian Villa Lin Xuanfeng, Emei Ciren Master, the great hero Hua Yijian, Niangyue Villa Duan Chenshi, Zitang Villa Situ Xuetian, Pinghu Chunyuan He Shuangping and He Chunluo, Nanke Lu Zhuoxian, Cailian Peak Du Ruoxiang... Almost any sect leader with a bit of reputation in the martial arts world can be seen here.
Seated in the parents' section were three very out-of-place individuals: Shangguan Xingzhou, Fu Yuelan, and Lin Yuhuang. On the empty seat beside Lin Yuhuang lay Chong Lian's memorial tablet.
Lin Yuhuang rarely wore extravagant clothes. This day, however, he was dressed impeccably, even replacing his eye patch with a gold-plated one. At first glance, he truly resembled the leader of a major sect. Xuezhi had previously praised him, saying, "Second Father, you're incredibly handsome!" Lin Yuhuang completely ignored her.
He has been ignoring her for many days.
At this moment, Xuezhi, watching this scene from inside the carriage, almost dared not come out.
Marriage wasn't as simple as she'd imagined. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would have almost forgotten that Shangguan Tou came from a noble family, with a group of brothers holding high-ranking official positions, or sisters married to emperors, princes, or marquises. Those attending the wedding banquet this time included not only the Imperial Preceptor and his wife, but also Shangguan Tou's eldest sister, second brother, third brother, and youngest sister. These four had arrived at Moonrise Valley a few days prior, all saying they wanted to see their younger brother's betrothed. The first three spoke highly of Xuezhi, but Shangguan Tou's youngest sister, Shangguan Chan, was somewhat cold towards her, even telling Shangguan Tou privately, "This girl is indeed very beautiful, but I don't know why, I just don't like her. She looks a bit bewitching, not like a girl from a respectable family." After meeting Lin Fengzi that day, Shangguan Chan added, "Your wife's younger sister is much better; you can tell at a glance she's from a prominent family."
Qiu Hongxiu replied, "Sister Sichan, according to you, Chong Xuezhi looks bewitching, so wouldn't I look lewd?" Shangguan Chan quickly said that wasn't true, that Sister Qiu was charming and alluring, while Chong Xuezhi looked quite improper. Zhong Tao hurriedly added, "Sister Xuezhi has the face of a fox spirit and the heart of a white snake spirit." He was immediately smacked on the forehead by Shangguan Tou.
Of course, Xuezhi knew nothing of this. She had never even met Shangguan Tou's parents, and didn't know if they would like her. However, seeing them laughing heartily at Lin Yuhuang's antics put her mind at ease.
Tiny flowers bloom in abundance among the long, broad green leaves, and in the gentle spring breeze, a lilac snow falls in Aotian Manor.
Xuezhi stood behind the carriage, dressed in a bright red cloud-patterned gown. She pulled the beaded curtain in front of her phoenix crown behind her ear, looked down at the ground, and her hands trembled with nervousness.
At that moment, a pair of black and red boots came into view.
She looked up and saw a man before her, also dressed in black with red patterns, but with a face as white as jade and long hair like clouds. For a moment, Xuezhi did not recognize who he was.
"Xuezhi," the man called out, "Why are you still here?"
Xuezhi then recognized Mu Yuan.
"Brother Mu Yuan... he looks a little different."
"Oh, you mean your hair." He turned his head and pointed to the butterfly-shaped black hair ornament that held down his long hair. "I turned 18 a couple of days ago."
Mu Yuan used to always tie his long hair up on top of his head without missing a single strand, so despite his tall stature, he still retained a youthful innocence. Now that he had let his hair down, he suddenly looked much more mature.
Xuezhi said, "Ah, Mu Yuan's coming-of-age ceremony... I'm so forgetful, I completely forgot about it."
"It's alright," Mu Yuan smiled. "You look beautiful today."
Xuezhi also laughed and said, "Doesn't it feel like you're marrying off your younger sister? You're reluctant to part with her, aren't you?"
Mu Yuan looked at her but didn't say anything.
Petals fluttered down and covered the ground.
Xuezhi felt a little uncomfortable and was about to start a conversation when Mu Yuan suddenly said, "Not at all." He then raised his hand and gently stroked the hair ornament on her head, a faint smile appearing on his face: "You should have been mine."
Xuezhi paused slightly, her smile becoming stiff: "Marriage is just a formality. Even if I get married, I will still belong to Chonghuo Palace."
“It was my mistake. I was only thinking about the big picture and got distracted, which allowed you to get away.” Mu Yuan’s fingers toyed with her hair ornament. “But it doesn’t matter. Like you said, marriage is just a formality. Even if you marry someone else, I can still win you back.”
Xuezhi was immediately embarrassed and didn't know how to answer.
At the same time, the matchmaker announced loudly, "The auspicious time has arrived; the newlyweds shall perform the wedding ceremony!"
Xuezhi then noticed that everyone had already entered the lobby.
"The wedding ceremony is over, go on." Mu Yuan patted her shoulder. "Don't walk too fast, take care of yourself."
Shangguan Tou, dressed in red, was waiting for her at the entrance of the main hall. She lowered the beaded curtain and, supported by several wedding attendants, entered the bright red sedan chair. If it weren't for her pregnancy, she really would have wanted to run away.