Hua Wuduo curled the corners of his mouth as if he were smiling, and when Gongzi Yi saw this, his pupils contracted instantly.
Although Gongzi Zheng and Gongzi Yu felt that Hua Wuduo and Gongzi Yi's expressions were somewhat strange, they didn't know why and could only look at each other in bewilderment.
The group headed to the Imperial Uncle's residence, as it was the wedding day of Imperial Uncle Liu Xiu and Qi Xin.
Gongzi Yu was always talkative, and since he had nothing to do on the way, he started to criticize Gongzi Yi, while Hua Wuduo listened silently.
Gongzi Yu said, "Yi, you and Xiu have been vying for Qi Xin for months. In the end, Qi Xin chose Xiu. You must feel very bad about it."
Gongzi Yi glared at Gongzi Yu, but Gongzi Yu didn't notice anything amiss. Instead, she became even more smug and said, "Who told you to be so flirtatious? I knew Xiu would win when you were fighting with him. Any woman would choose Xiu."
Gongzi Yi could no longer bear to listen and slapped Gongzi Yu. Gongzi Yu seemed to have anticipated this and dodged in time. He then pointed at Gongzi Yi and laughed loudly in the street.
Seeing this, Gongzi Qi didn't know whether to cry or laugh, so he just shook his head and sighed.
At this moment, Gongzi Zheng suddenly appeared from the side, grabbed Gongzi Yu in the street, and asked, "So you bet on Xiu? How much did you bet?"
The young master, beaming with pride, held up five fingers and shouted, "I bet five hundred taels!"
"Ah?!" Young Master Zheng was frantic, his eyes blazing as he stared at Young Master Yu. "I also bet five hundred taels, but it was for the next day! What do we do now?"
Gongzi Yu sensed something was wrong, but feigned ignorance and asked, "What? What should we do?"
Young Master Zheng gritted his teeth, "Five hundred taels!"
Gongzi Yu coughed and said, "Let go of my hand first."
"I won't let you go!" Young Master Zheng shouted in refusal.
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Yu immediately slumped her head, looking lifeless like a wilted eggplant. She stammered to Gongzi Zheng, "Zheng, the money I won, I...I..." Gongzi Yu stammered for a long time. Gongzi Zheng was getting impatient waiting for Gongzi Yu to finish her sentence, but unexpectedly, Gongzi Yu suddenly made a move, forcefully breaking free from Gongzi Zheng's restraint. She leaped back more than ten feet and said to Gongzi Zheng with a beaming smile, "I spent it all, exactly five hundred taels!"
Gongzi Yu waved his five fingers in the air. Gongzi Zheng stared at him, his anger rising. The thought of the five hundred taels of silver made his heart bleed. Provoked by Gongzi Yu, he could no longer contain himself and pounced like a hungry tiger. Gongzi Yu turned and ran. Gongzi Zheng pointed at Gongzi Yu's retreating figure and shouted, "You stop right there!" Gongzi Yu, of course, wouldn't obey him and had already vanished without a trace. Gongzi Zheng, his face red and neck bulging, chased after him.
Fortunately, there weren't many people on the street at the moment, and the two of them disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Gongzi Yi watched the two figures disappear at the street corner, sighing inwardly: "Those two plagues are finally gone." Just as he relaxed, he looked at Hua Wuduo beside him. Her head was bowed low, her shoulders slightly hunched, mechanically following his steps. He stopped, she stopped; he walked, she walked. His gaze darkened. That day, when she fell off a cliff in Luoyang, Liu Xiu jumped after her. He had sent people to search for a long time without any news of them, only knowing that their bodies hadn't been found; they certainly weren't dead. Later, when Liu Xiu returned to the capital, he and Gongzi Qi had received some news and heard some rumors. Now it seemed that it was indeed her who had been with Liu Xiu all this time.
The Imperial Brother-in-Law's residence is brightly decorated today, with lanterns and colorful decorations, making it a grand and festive occasion.
Liu Xiu, being the emperor's brother-in-law, already had his own residence. Today was his wedding day, and many people came to offer their congratulations. Various carriages lined up at the gate, and the queue stretched as far as the eye could see.
Not far from the entrance, Gongzi Yi saw two people fighting at the door and knew without a doubt who they were. After exchanging a glance with Gongzi Qi, the two of them, along with the dazed Hua Wuduo, slipped away unnoticed under the cover of a carriage belonging to someone nearby.
Standing outside to greet the guests was Zhang Yue, the steward of the Imperial Uncle's residence. Zhang Yue was shrewd and diplomatic; upon seeing Young Master Yi from afar, the three of them came forward. Young Master Yi and Young Master Qi presented their invitations one after the other. After some pleasantries, a servant was sent to guide the two young masters. Originally, Hua Wuduo hadn't received an invitation, but Young Master Yi said it was from an old friend, his expression somewhat ambiguous. Seeing Young Master Yi's intimate relationship with the woman, Zhang Yue didn't question it further and politely ushered them inside.
As Gongzi Qi entered, he glanced back at the scene not far away. He saw that Gongzi Yu, who had been clearly at a disadvantage just moments before, had completely won and was now forcefully prying Gongzi Zheng's arm open, lecturing him with a righteous and moral air, his expression somewhat reminiscent of Master Ji. Gongzi Zheng, on the other hand, was struggling quite hard. Gongzi Qi sighed helplessly and went inside.
As the sun set, the Imperial Brother-in-Law's Mansion was brightly decorated with lanterns, the fiery red lanterns making the mansion appear even more noble and festive.
A bright red carpet stretched from inside the hall all the way to the stone steps outside; its finest quality clearly indicated it was a royal tribute. The banquet was to be held after the ceremony, and everyone was gathered in the main hall, waiting for the groom to lead the bride in to pay respects to heaven and earth.
Inside the hall, Empress Liu Ya sat in the center, Liu Xiu's father, Liu Cheng, the current father-in-law of the emperor, sat on the left, and Qi Xin's father, Qi Ran, and his wife sat on the right.
Although there were many people in the main hall, they remained completely silent because the Empress was present.
Hua Wuduo kept her head down, neither looking nor listening. They stood in an inconspicuous corner at the very back. Gongzi Yi, standing to her left, occasionally glanced at her but said nothing. Gongzi Qi, standing to her right, shielded her from the gaze of everyone else.
At this moment, Gongzi Yu and Gongzi Zheng also entered the hall one after the other, looking quite respectable. Their eyes swept across the crowd and they spotted Gongzi Yi in the crowd, and then slowly walked towards them.
Gongzi Yu said in a low voice, "Why are you hiding in the corner? Are you patrolling them?"
Gongzi Yi said, "I didn't see it."
The young master looked in one direction and said, "They're over there. I'll go call them."
Gongzi Qi said in a low voice, "Don't shout. The Empress is here. Don't make too much noise and startle Fengyan."
Gongzi Zheng said in a low voice, "Wu Duo is here, and they miss him very much. How can we not call him?" After saying that, he broke free from Gongzi Qi's obstruction and went to find Gongzi Ziyang, Gongzi Xun and the others.
Gongzi Yu whispered to Gongzi Qi, "I just saw Tang Ye arrive too!"
Gongzi Qi said in a low voice, "Why be surprised? Tang Ye is Liu Xiu's cousin, so it's only natural that he can come."
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Yu exclaimed in surprise, "What?!"
Gongzi Yi immediately stopped him from making a scene in public with a look.
Gongzi Yu knew this was abrupt, so he looked around and, seeing that few people were paying attention to him, secretly relaxed. He then whispered to Gongzi Qi, "How do you know about Tang Ye's relationship with the Liu family?"
Gongzi Qi said, "I only found out about it by chance recently while trying to find out where a friend is." His gaze swept over Hua Wuduo as if he were not paying attention.
Gongzi Yu muttered to herself, "Xiu has never mentioned it. He's really good at hiding it."
Gongzi Qi smiled faintly and remained silent.
A short while later, Gongzi Zheng, along with Gongzi Ziyang, Gongzi Xun, Gongzi Kuang, and others, moved over.
The first one to arrive, Young Master Xun, saw Hua Wuduo, stared at her chest, and murmured, "Quite big, how come I didn't notice before?"
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Ziyang followed Gongzi Xun's gaze and discovered that the destination of his gaze was extremely indecent. He curled his lip and muttered, "I never thought that Gongzi Xun, who thought he could tell the sex of a living creature just by smelling it, would have such a day of being so blind."
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Xun was somewhat displeased. After thinking about it, he was a little incredulous and muttered, "Impossible. I didn't even notice it back then."
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Kuang said in a low voice, "It's no wonder you don't smell of perfume. Wu Duo doesn't smell of perfume at all, so naturally... Hmm? It seems like there is. What is that smell? A faint sweet fragrance." As Gongzi Kuang spoke, he moved closer to Hua Wu Duo. Just as his nose was about to touch Hua Wu Duo's lowered ear, Gongzi Qi slapped him aside.
Gongzi Yu, Gongzi Zheng, and the others chuckled upon seeing this.
At that moment, in the silent hall, the master of ceremonies suddenly announced loudly, "The bride and groom enter the hall..."
Upon hearing this, Hua Wuduo suddenly raised his head.
**************
Young Master Zheng counted on his fingers and said, "I lost five hundred taels, plus two hundred taels for celebratory gifts, which means I spent seven hundred taels on a meal! What a huge loss!"
Gongzi Ziyang said, "Xiu is really energetic today. It seems I'll have to make him drink a few more cups later. I'm afraid that if he has too much energy, Sister Qi won't be able to handle it tonight."
The young master lied, "Xiu has always been so eye-catching. No matter who stands next to him, their brilliance is overshadowed by him."
Gongzi Xun said, "The most beautiful woman was married to Xiu, and my heart is broken."
Gongzi Yu said, "Ah...you've hit the nail on the head."
He appeared slowly at the entrance of the main hall, his posture as upright as ever, so familiar.
I could vaguely smell his usual chrysanthemum scent, as if he were still by my side.
He held a red silk ribbon, and at the other end of the ribbon was Qi Xin, dressed in a bright red wedding gown and wearing a red veil. He was in front, and she was behind. He was majestic and elegant, and she was graceful and poised.
Step by step, he slowly entered the main hall in front of everyone.
In an instant, a commotion arose in the main hall.
She trembled slightly.
She saw him standing straight in front of everyone, dressed in a striking bright red wedding gown.
She saw that the other end of the red ribbon in his hand was being led by another person.
She heard people praising the perfect match, the man and woman, she heard people envying the emperor's brother-in-law for marrying such a beautiful woman, she heard about a long and happy marriage with many children, she heard about holding hands and growing old together, she heard about a match made in heaven...
She saw him kneel down and bow to heaven and earth together with his wife...
A pair of hands gripped hers tightly. She looked up blankly, wondering who was offering her warmth and comfort. It was Gongzi Yi. She trembled slightly. For a moment, she couldn't control the weakness in her heart and wanted to close her eyes, to hide behind him. But in the end, she broke free from his hand, abandoning the warmth that made her weak, holding onto her pride, refusing to let it collapse so easily at this moment.
Seeing Liu Xiu kneel down and bow in worship, along with the woman beside him, her heart clenched painfully. They had met at the Southern Academy, fallen in love under the moon in Luzhou, poured out their hearts to each other, and promised each other a future. She had given him her most sincere and pure heart. She had believed he reciprocated, but after she had traveled thousands of miles to the capital for him, enduring countless hardships and nearly losing her life, he had already found a good match. Without a word, without a single explanation, he and another woman, amidst the blessings of the crowd, solemnly bowed to heaven and earth, receiving their blessings. The glaring red stains seemed to mock her own foolishness and infatuation…
She chuckled softly and asked herself, "What am I?"
Gongzi Yi's gaze never left her. When he heard her self-deprecating laugh, his eyes narrowed, and his fist, which had been clenched in his sleeve, slowly opened and quietly grasped hers again.
Hua Wuduo's gaze was fixed on the glaring red figure in the hall, her pupils constricting in pain. She heard the master of ceremonies shout, "Husband and wife bow to each other!" In an instant, as if pricked by a needle, she awoke with a start, crying out in a trembling voice, "Liu Xiu!"
Upon hearing the sound, Liu Xiu suddenly stopped kneeling.
The hall was quiet, but this shout startled everyone.
The Empress said in a deep voice, "Who dares to be so insolent?!"
All the young men heard Hua Wuduo's shout and looked at her in surprise, wondering what had happened.
Gongzi Yi pulled her back and whispered, "Don't be impulsive, it's nothing."
Gongzi Qi subtly positioned himself to shield her from view.
Everyone searched for the source of the voice, and before they could confirm who had shouted it, she raised her head, her gaze firm, and shouted again, "Liu Xiu! There's something I need to ask you personally."
This time, everyone's attention was focused on her, and the crowd automatically made way for her, including Gongzi Qi who was blocking her way, revealing her figure.
The hall was brightly lit. She stood in a corner, with Gongzi Qi and Gongzi Yi beside her. Gongzi Yi held her wrist and whispered, "Don't go, it's not a long time." But she broke free from Gongzi Yi's grasp and walked out from the shadows.
As she stood at the other end of the red carpet, the red silk in Liu Xiu's hand silently fell to the ground. Upon seeing her clearly, he involuntarily took several steps forward, only to hear Empress Liu say, "Who are you? How dare you be so insolent!"
Liu Xiu suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Qi Xin noticed the red silk on the other end fall to the ground. Her heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly looked up, but because of the red veil, she couldn't see who had called out "Liu Xiu".
It's right in front of me, yet it feels like we're worlds apart; I miss you terribly, yet I can't get close; I'm in so much pain, yet I'm smiling—a bitter smile, a heartbroken smile, a mocking smile.
She had no eyes for Liu Xiu, only for him. She said, "Liu Xiu, I've come here today only to ask you one question: are you still willing to accompany me to the ends of the earth?"
Upon hearing this, Qi Xin lifted the red veil and looked at the woman in front of her. The woman was tall and slender, wearing a simple blue floral jacket, yet she had a captivating figure. At first glance, her appearance was somewhat ambiguous, making it difficult to tell whether she was male or female. Apart from her mesmerizing eyes, she had no other outstanding features.
The Empress laughed and said, "Who do you think you are? You're just a country girl. Do you think you're worthy of having the current Imperial Uncle accompany you to the ends of the earth? You're just delusional and dreaming. Guards, drag this vixen who trespassed into the Imperial Uncle's residence and disrupted his wedding out of the palace and throw her into the Heavenly Prison."
Two guards rushed into the hall, intending to drag her out, but Hua Wuduo activated the golden ring on her hand, instantly binding the two guards to the hall, rendering them unable to move. The two guards struggled slightly, but their skin was cut by the silver threads, revealing bloodstains, and they dared not move again.
The incident happened suddenly; no one had expected this woman to be so skilled in martial arts, and to use such a strange weapon. Upon seeing this, Liu Cheng slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "Guards! Protect the Emperor!"
In an instant, dozens of guards rushed into the hall and surrounded Hua Wuduo, with several guards protecting the Empress. All the guests were forced to move to the back of the hall, and chaos ensued.
Hua Wuduo glanced at the guards surrounding him, showing no sign of backing down. Just as the two sides were about to start fighting, Liu Xiu, who had been silent all along, suddenly shouted, "Stop!" The guards surrounding Hua Wuduo were taken aback, looking at each other hesitantly. They looked at Liu Cheng, but seeing that Liu Cheng remained silent and only watched coldly, they did not dare to step forward.
Hua Wuduo stared at Liu Xiu, her heart aching unbearably. She trembled slightly and said, "Xiu, tell me, was your affection for me fake? How can I believe the vows you made to me after seeing this? Was everything we did just a lie? I want to hear it from your own mouth! I want you to tell me yourself! Are you still the same Xiu you used to be? Will you still stay with me to the ends of the earth, never to be separated again?"
He knew he couldn't, yet he couldn't stop his body from trembling. He had his own inescapable fate; he had tried, he had struggled, but ultimately it was all in vain. He couldn't promise her happiness; he might even kill her. The moment he left her, he knew his destiny—a path of no return, a path destined to prevent her from being happy, destined to prevent him from giving her his full love. He told himself he couldn't be with her, even if she would hate him…
For so many days and nights, he dared not think of her, not even for a moment. He feared he would lose control and search for her, would recklessly possess her. He kept telling himself: No! He thought he was hypnotized by this insomnia, that he could face everything rationally. But at this moment, she stood before him, and longing and love had burned away his reason. Her doubts had shattered his seemingly impenetrable defenses. He wanted to shake his head and deny her words. How could everything that had happened be false? That was the truest love in his heart! That was the love he would give his life for!
But he couldn't. He had to protect not only her, but the entire Liu family. He couldn't drag her into this vortex, robbing her of her freedom and happiness; that would ruin her. She didn't belong here; she wouldn't be happy with him, only feel endless humiliation. Because he couldn't give her a legitimate status, he couldn't give her anything, couldn't even protect her. His love would only harm her. He knew this, but at this moment he couldn't control himself. He was struggling, he was tormented, he wanted to hold her in his arms, he was going crazy with longing… He trembled slightly, about to take a step forward, but then, someone patted his shoulder heavily several times.
Just now, Qi Ran stood up from his seat, strode over to Liu Xiu, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a mixture of seriousness and affection, "Young man, you've had many romantic affairs. I'm giving you a chance to choose on behalf of my daughter. Choose carefully. If you choose my daughter, don't regret it later." His voice was surprisingly calm, even a little cold, despite the teasing tone.
The Qi family has produced prime ministers of two dynasties, and the current prime minister, Qi Wei, is his elder brother. The Qi family's status in the court is not to be underestimated. Although Qi Ran is not in the court, the Nanshu Academy he runs has gathered noble children from all over the country. It can be said that most of the officials under the emperor's nose today are his Qi family students. Qi Ran himself has students all over the world, and he has personally taught Song Zixing, Chen Dongyao and others about political strategy.
Qi Ran finished speaking, and everyone understood. A few soft laughs rippled through the crowd in the hall. It wasn't surprising that a young man like Liu Xiu, known for his charm and wealth, had a few such affairs; it was common for women to come knocking and pester him. Many thought this to themselves. But this woman was truly audacious, daring to disrupt the wedding of the Emperor's brother-in-law in front of the Empress. Today, she was likely in grave danger. Several young noblemen, looking at the pitiful Hua Wuduo, felt a pang of pity.
The expressions of the Empress and Liu Cheng on the throne softened somewhat.