Chapter 44.1 The Princess’ Grand Wedding (2)
Following the entrance of the person who came in like a tornado, the temperature inside the wedding hall dropped into freezing temperatures. Robes as white as snow, ink-black hair flying everywhere, and a handsome face that was as dark as the deepest depths of hell with sinister and icy eyes. With just a glance, he caused everyone to feel panic-stricken.
All the officials who originally intended to step forward to greet him were rooted to the ground, afraid to take even half a step forward and was even forced to retreat back by his sinister and ice-cold demeanor. Prince Li who never attended other people’s weddings actually angrily stormed in here, they felt that something big was going to happen today.
In this freezing atmosphere, only General Fu was able to continue smiling so calmly and naturally. A glint flashed through Fu Chou’s warm eyes and he smiled, “This general is extremely honored for Prince Li to attend this general’s wedding. Even though the wedding rites have already been completed, Prince Li did not come too late. Please take a seat and rest a moment, the lunch banquet will be ready soon.”
Fu Chou was telling him that the wedding rites were already completed, they already finished bowing! Zongzheng Wuyou felt his heart tighten up and his face darkened further. He walked to the center of the hall and stopped at a distance from the woman wearing the wedding robes. The bright red colors pricked at his eyes, he had never hated a color so much until now. It was as if there was something inside of him that was boiling, giving him the urge to rip them to shreds. He clenched his hands into fists, forcing himself to stay calm, the principles he had upheld for the last thirteen years allowed him to keep his emotions in check. There was still a chance that that woman was not her.
Zongzheng Wuyou’s voice was heavy and biting, his words carrying double meaning, “How could benwang not come when Princess Rong Le is marrying?”
The bystanders were confused, secretly feeling conflicted. Prince Li once rejected Princess Rong Le and even harmed her in the imperial palace, why did he come today for Princess Rong Le? Is there some other motive?
Fu Chou gave a smile full of meaning and glanced at Man Yao by his side, “So Prince Li…is actually here for Princess, then this general…will thank Prince Li on behalf of Princess for giving us the face.”
Zongzheng Wuyou: “No need for General to exert effort on her behalf, isn’t Princess Rong Le right here?” His eyes were focused on the veil that covered up the woman’s face, slowly walking towards her.
Man Yao tightly gripped her clothes, and as if someone was choking her heart, she felt suffocated. Zongzheng Wuyou’s arrival implied that he was already suspicious of her identity. How could such a proud and conceited person allow for something that he originally thought was in his control to leave him? She had no idea what he would do next.
Her entire body was rigid, the steps closing in on her sounding extremely loud on the cold bricks, as if they were stepping on her heart. As that person’s steps unceasingly drew closer, the suffocating pressure he brought with it also greatly increased. Other than the sound of his feet, there were no other sounds in the hall. In an instant, there was a sort of unspeakable feeling of treachery in the air.
When the white robes appeared in her line of vision, there were only three steps between her and that person. He stopped walking. Her heart felt like it was on the edge of a cliff, she could clearly feel his sharp gaze on her, trying to penetrate through the head cover and straight into her eyes to peer into her soul. The Zongzheng Wuyou right now gave her the same feeling when she saw him at the imperial palace that one time: cold, sinister, extreme pressure. She couldn’t help but slightly quiver when she heard him say, “Benwang also wants to take a glance at this rumored peerlessly ugly face of Princess Rong Le, want to see how uniquely ugly…it is? Is it the anger of the heavens and grudges of the people(1)? Or is it completely opposite?”
He spoke so frivolously but his words were wrought with hidden meanings. As he spoke, he reached his hand out to swiftly throw away the cover. Only a distance of three steps, it would be taken off in the blink of an eye, but when that amount of time passed, the cover was still securely on her head, never having moved an inch.
No one saw when Fu Chou had taken action. With their skills, they were even quicker than lightning. Fu Chou’s hand had firmly grasped Zongzheng Wuyou’s wrist. Although his eyes were dark, his face still had an elegant smile, “Prince Li is even more anxious than this general. No matter how anxious you are, the veil of this general’s wife…it is still better for this general to personally take it off. No need for Prince Li to do the work!” His tone was as warm as always, but carried a hint of dominance within. With his status as the general of a nation, it was very reasonable to stop someone from taking off the veil of his wife, even if that person was the most favored son of the Emperor.
Zongzheng Wuyou felt the inner force Fu Chou’s palm was emitting. It was clearly just to block his hand from moving forwards, but he felt a killing intent emanating from that person, a type that was hidden so deep it was one that was nurtured and hidden for many years in the depths of the heart. His phoenix eyes narrowed and gave a smile that wasn’t a smile, “Does General think that finishing bowing means you’ve become husband and wife? Benwang doesn’t think so!”
The two of them looked like they were holding hands and speaking jovially in a relaxed manner, but underneath that peaceful exterior were surging waves. The hands on his wrist, along with the inner force being added to it, even the slightest intention could cause a stone wall to be crushed into dust. Zongzheng Wuyou had always known that Fu Chou’s martial arts were the level of an expert, but did not expect that it was so strong he could actually match him.
Two experts could gauge each other with just a glance to determine the extent of the other’s skill. Yet right now, they were exchanging a rare blow with each other. Fu Chou’s heart trembled but he still maintained a smile, “If even completing the wedding rites don’t count, then what does Prince Li…think counts as being husband and wife?”
Zongzheng Wuyou slanted his eyes towards Man Yao, slowly hooking up his lips, “Of course it only counts when you’ve entered the bedchambers.”
Man Yao’s body flinched as her heart pained. He was reminding her that she was no longer a virgin, so how could she become someone else’s wife?! It looks like Zongzheng Wuyou was dead set on not letting her go! Whatever, since he has already come, he would definitely not leave before he got his answer. Now that things have come to this point, she had no reason to continue hiding, it was better to just lay everything out in the open. She didn’t believe that with a Qiyun nation and a general who carried the military seal, would the Emperor of Lintian continue to let him do as he wished? Thinking up to here, she suddenly calmed down and relaxed, faintly smiling, “I did not expect that my ugly countenance would garner the attention of so many people, even the noble Prince Li made the trip just for me, so how could I…disappoint everyone?”
A calm demeanor with mocking words caused Zongzheng Wuyou’s heart to shake. Both Zongzheng Wuyou and Fu Chou retrieved their inner forces at the same time and retreated back three steps. Before he could think further, Man Yao had already raised her hand and lifted the bright red veil from her head herself, throwing it away. Her movements were straightforward, just like if she were throwing away trash. With just a hint of carelessness, she seemed very elegant. The sleeve in the air made its way down in a beautiful curve. The bright red coat on her body also slid down, landing on the ground. The form-fitting wedding dress that was revealed hugged her slender curves.
Without the red veil blocking her sight, her vision cleared up. She slightly raised her chin, just like a lofty celestial being, her cold eyes looking down at the mortals as if they were mere dust.
What answered her was the collective gasp of the people inside the hall. Some people’s teacups fell and shattered on the ground, the liquid inside spilling out.
(1) Meaning her ugliness is a result of the heavens being angry with her or accrued bad karma from people holding grudges against her