Li Lingsu and Yang Qianhuan’s double act was like pouring boiling water into hot oil, or throwing ice into a blazing fire.
The scene fell silent at once, the atmosphere turning stiff and frozen, yet the emotions in everyone’s hearts exploded.
On the Heaven and Earth Society’s side:
Here it comes, here it comes. The Holy Son and Yang Qianhuan have clearly plotted this for ages, and they really didn’t disappoint! But is it really alright to fan the flames like this? Xu Ningyan is a first rank martial artist, aren’t they afraid he’d settle the score afterwards? Chu Yuanzhen’s spirits lifted, the muscles in his back tightening, and he actually felt the same excitement he had during the spring imperial examinations back in the day.
It wasn’t that Zhuangyuan Chu was especially nosy, it was just that every woman at that table was one of Heaven’s favoured, with extraordinary status.
Watching them scheme against one another, openly and secretly contend, was no less thrilling than watching first rank experts fight.
Besides, Xu Ningyan himself was sly and rotten. The members of the Heaven and Earth Society had originally all been upright, stern, chivalrous people, yet under his open and covert influence, every last one of them now had embarrassing black marks they’d rather never recall.
So now that he was trapped in a tight spot, Chu Yuanzhen was delighted to see it.
Master Hengyuan frowned deeply, worried for Sir Xu’s current predicament.
What has Sir Xu done wrong? Sir Xu is merely a romantic youth. The ones at fault are Yang Qianhuan and Li Lingsu…
Al-Asura had clearly never seen such an interesting “plot” before. He watched with great interest, while also feeling that sometimes entering the Buddhist path did have its advantages, there was far less trouble at least.
To make oneself this awkward over the single word “lust” was truly hard to understand.
Lust would only affect the speed of his punches.
Daoist Jinlian sipped his wine with a “slurp, slurp”, smiling faintly, utterly content.
Miao Youfang, as a trusted confidant, kept his head down and ate, pretending he came from the same tribe as Mosang.
At a time like this, the worst thing was being dragged out by Silver Gong Xu to block a sabre. Whoever blocked it would die.
Those two are deliberately making things hard for Ningyan… Ji Baiqing frowned, seeing that Li Lingsu and Yang Qianhuan were bullying her son, and at once felt somewhat displeased.
Big Brother’s brought this on himself… Xu Erlang raised a distant toast to his teachers, taking a small moment of schadenfreude.
Among the people present, apart from Auntie, Lina and her brother, Lingyin, Baiji, and Chu Caiwei, who for special reasons had reacted rather slowly, everyone else was secretly waiting to see how Xu Ningyan would respond, and waiting to see how the women at that table would react.
It was worth mentioning that Xu Lingyin was sitting on Auntie’s lap, half her face buried in a plate.
At her table, food and drink were supplied without limit. As soon as a plate was cleared, another was brought up, then another. This made Chu Caiwei and Lina extremely envious, and they were already planning to drift over and freeload from that table once they had nearly finished the food in front of them.
“Bang!”
Amid the sharp sound of a hand striking the table, the white-robed young general Mu Nanzhi charged out like a rider urging on her horse. She glared at Li Lingsu and rebuked him:
“How dare you slander the National Teacher as some common rouge-and-powder woman? Li Lingsu, I think you’re tired of living.”
Apart from Xu Qi’an, no one had expected the first to launch an attack would be such an utterly ordinary-looking woman.
Impressive indeed… The guests at several tables all turned to look at Mu Nanzhi, clicking their tongues in amazement.
Who present didn’t know that the National Teacher was Xu Ningyan’s dual cultivation partner? With those words, this woman had effectively put the National Teacher over an open fire.
The dignified Daoist Leader of the Human Sect, a first rank Earthly Immortal, and yet her dual cultivation partner had gone and married another woman. If she didn’t state her position, where would her dignity go?
If she took the chance to make a huge scene and ruin the wedding, more than half the women at that table would be thrilled to death.
Sure enough, infighting between sisters is the most terrifying of all. Of the people at this table, only Nanzhi would dare offend the National Teacher… Xu Qi’an muttered inwardly.
Luo Yuheng cast her a cold glance and said:
“And this is?”
“This is Aunt Mu, Auntie’s sworn elder sister.” In that split second, Xu Qi’an rushed to answer first, firmly sealing the Flower God’s identity in place.
Luo Yuheng gave an “Oh”, raised her cup with slender fingers, and said lightly:
“Aunt Mu looks especially warm and down-to-earth. We offer you a cup.”
She bit particularly hard on the words “warm and down-to-earth”.
Mu Nanzhi took a deep breath, glanced at the Xu family, then suddenly smiled.
“Don’t mention it, dear niece.”
The dignified Flower God and former princess consort still cared about face. After weighing social death against taking off the bracelet, she chose to endure this round.
So they still haven’t managed to provoke the National Teacher into exploding… Li Miaozhen and the others were rather disappointed.
They all wanted to use one another as a weapon, but none of them wanted to be the weapon.
After several rounds of drinking, Li Miaozhen coughed hard to draw everyone’s attention, then said in a calm tone:
“Today is Silver Gong Xu’s wedding, a joyous occasion deserving congratulations. Miaozhen has prepared a small gift for you.”
This really isn’t necessary… Xu Qi’an instantly became alert.
Li Miaozhen lowered her head, removed the sachet from her waist, and gently opened it. A wisp of green smoke curled out, and under everyone’s gaze, transformed in the hall into a bewitching woman with black hair, a white dress, and beauty enough to topple a kingdom.
She was gorgeous without being vulgar, seductive without being demonic, and every inch of her gave off an intoxicating aura that stunned all the men present.
“This is my elder sister, Susu. She grew up with me from childhood. Sadly, beauty is often ill-fated, and my sister turned into a lonely wandering ghost.”
At this point, Xu Lingyin, who had been immersed in her own world, raised her head, licked the grease from her lips, and looked at Susu with a trace of anticipation.
After briefly explaining Susu’s identity, Li Miaozhen said:
“She and Silver Gong Xu knew one another from humble beginnings. They shared hardship together and swore eternal vows. Silver Gong Xu promised to take her as a concubine. Sadly, when people know one another in hardship, they may endure suffering together, but not necessarily enjoy wealth and honour together.
“After Silver Gong Xu rose step by step and shot into the sky, he never sought her out again. Susu spent her days washing her face with tears, dejected and joyless. As her younger sister, how could Miaozhen tolerate this? So today, taking advantage of this wedding, I specially ask Silver Gong Xu one thing, do you still remember the promise you made back then?”
Since none of them were willing to be the weapon, then she would create one.
Susu cooperated by making a gesture of wiping tears, sobbing pitifully:
“You heartless man, back in Yunzhou you kept saying you didn’t mind me…”
As expected of Lady Flying Swallow, straightforward and direct… Wei Yuan and the great scholars of Cloud Deer Academy tacitly raised their cups and took a sip.
It was good drinking entertainment.
Li Lingsu looked at Xu Qi’an in grief and indignation.
“Susu is my elder sister too. Y-you actually laid hands on my elder sister? And then abandoned her after defiling her?”
Yang Qianhuan slowly rose to his feet, turned his back to the crowd, and shouted:
“Xu Ningyan, I never thought you were this kind of man.”
I almost forgot about the concubine! Xu Qi’an muttered inwardly. He’d known it, these people were definitely going to stir up trouble. The resentment in their hearts had to be vented somehow. There was no way they’d just sit there with straight faces and drink.
How could there be such a cheap way out?
Xu Qi’an wasn’t flustered in the least. Just as he was about to respond, he heard Xu Lingyue at that table speak up:
“Daoist Li, you’re making too much of it. Anyone who didn’t know better would think my big brother was going to marry Miss Susu as his wife. Everyone knows my big brother’s word carries the weight of gold. Since he’s agreed to it, he’ll definitely do it. Once the wedding’s over, Mum, you can make the arrangements and have Miss Susu carried in through the door in a sedan chair.
“When taking a wife and a concubine, one must always distinguish between the principal and the secondary.”
Li Miaozhen froze, and suddenly had the strange illusion that she was making a fuss over nothing, that she was being unreasonable.
No, it wasn’t an illusion. It was the effect of Xu Lingyue’s sarcastic little verbal trap. On the wedding day, what business did you, a mere concubine, have making a scene? Getting above yourself, were you trying to be a concubine or the mistress of the house?
Th-this… this actually seems to make some sense. Since when was Xu Ningyan’s younger sister so sharp-tongued? Yang Qianhuan racked his brains for a countermeasure and came up with nothing, growing a little anxious.
Li Lingsu pondered briefly, then sighed helplessly. Miaozhen’s scheme can at most add another stroke to that bastard Xu Ningyan’s reputation as a womaniser. But the problem is, that’s exactly the sort of man he is.
The key thing is, what threat can a ghost possibly pose?
She doesn’t even have a physical body…
Just look at the National Teacher, the princess consort, and Her Majesty’s group, they hadn’t reacted at all.
Xu Qi’an shot Xu Lingyue an approving glance, thinking that she truly lived up to calling herself the younger sister who doted most on her big brother.
Then he glanced at Wang Simu. No good, this little sister-in-law is just watching the whole show and seems to have absolutely no intention of stepping out to take a blow for me. I’d better give her a push.
Xu Qi’an cleared his throat and said with a smile:
“The bride can’t conveniently come out to receive guests, so I asked Simu to take Lin’an’s place at the table. Simu is both Lin’an’s sister-in-law and her close friend, so there’s no problem at all with her representing Lin’an. Erlang, wouldn’t you say so?”
Wang Simu was dumbfounded, caught completely off guard.
Erlang, Erlang, your big brother’s trying to get me killed… She shot Xu Xinnian a pleading glance.
Big Brother’s always sly like this. I can’t do anything about it either… Xu Xinnian returned her a look.
His birth mother Ji Baiqing’s heart stirred, and she said with a smile:
“Since she’s representing the bride, then she should go with Erlang and toast everyone one by one.
“Xiaoru, am I right?”
As the groom, it still wasn’t time for Xu Ningyan to personally toast the guests. Normally, he had to wait until everyone was half full and pleasantly tipsy before doing so.
Auntie had no awareness at all that her son and daughter-in-law were being “set up”, and immediately nodded:
“Big Sister is right.”
Xu Erlang sighed.
He knew his mother best, but in Wang Simu’s eyes, this was her future mother-in-law hinting that she should help Big Brother Xu Qi’an share the pressure. There was even a test hidden in it, seeing whether she could handle all these warblers and swallows, as well as the troublemaking guests who were kicking up a fuss.
The former represented women like the National Teacher and Zhong Li, who had ambiguous ties with Big Brother or with whom matters had already gone too far to undo. The latter represented Yang Qianhuan and Li Lingsu.
Keeping the situation steady had always been an ability the principal wife ought to possess.
Wang Simu glanced at the women at her table, and her heart turned solemn.
Her future mother-in-law truly had high hopes for her.
With the sacrifice of Xu Erlang and Wang Simu, one round of toasting later, the time of one incense stick had passed, and they had thoroughly shaken off the blade-flashing atmosphere from earlier.
For the groom, every minute he endured brought him one minute closer to victory.
At this moment, Huaiqing spoke with a reserved and subtle smile:
“We had also prepared a gift for Silver Gong Xu.”
The lively atmosphere quieted slightly. Everyone unconsciously stopped their spirited chatter and maintained silence.
Firstly because of Huaiqing’s status, the supreme ruler. When she spoke, her ministers naturally had to keep quiet.
Secondly, those who knew her were all aware that this female Emperor was deep in scheming and brilliant in method. Her “gift” was far more interesting than Li Miaozhen’s.
Li Lingsu and Yang Qianhuan secretly rubbed their hands together.
“Your Majesty, there’s no need to be so courteous!”
Xu Qi’an shook his head slightly, hoping the usually understanding Huaiqing would get the hint and show some mercy.
Huaiqing didn’t get it at all, and said with her reserved smile:
“Silver Gong Xu needn’t stand on ceremony!”
As she spoke, she beckoned to a palace maid waiting outside the hall and gave an instruction.
The palace maid acknowledged and withdrew. A moment later, she led a group of people in.
A group of fox women, dressed in gauzy skirts, enchantingly seductive…
There were eighteen fox women in total, each beautiful in her own way, some charming, some pure, some coldly alluring, some aloof. Every one of them was exceptionally beautiful.
Especially the black-skirted woman leading them. With her oval face and seductive fox eyes, she was alluring and captivating. Even though the hall was already full of beauties, she still couldn’t have her radiance concealed.
Huaiqing smiled and said:
“The Wanyao Kingdom of the Southern Marches knew of Silver Gong Xu’s wedding and specially presented eighteen fox women as a token of sincerity. The Wanyao Kingdom and the Great Feng have been allies for generations, watching over and helping one another.”
Yeji smiled beautifully.
“Xu Lang, I’ve missed you to death.”
So there’d already been something going on between them?! The expressions of several tables of guests turned strange.
Mu Nanzhi’s face darkened.
Luo Yuheng’s pretty face was like frost.
Zhong Li raised her head and examined the fox women without much expression.
Li Miaozhen gnashed her teeth.
Susu’s fine brows knitted tightly.
Chu Caiwei clutched a pig trotter, staring in dumbstruck amazement.
Even Xu Lingyue, who had always doted on her big brother, took on a dangerous air.
Even Auntie and Ji Baiqing felt that their nephew, son, had gone rather too far in his womanising.
Xu Yuanhuai glanced at his elder sister. Slow-witted as he was, even he could tell the atmosphere was off.
Nangong Qianrou looked at the dumbfounded Xu Qi’an and felt delighted.
Wasn’t listening to music in the goulan nice enough? Weren’t the Oirans of the Jiaofangsi pretty enough? Why did he insist on provoking these messy women… Or was it that he loved the goulan so much he wanted to turn himself into one? Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao were deeply worried for their brother, but their station was too low and their words too light, so they could only watch the spectacle.
So many fox women, I’ve still never tried creating a Yao… Song Qing’s eyes lit up.
It’s still better to marry just one wife… Second Uncle Xu glanced at Auntie, then silently added in his heart:
A dimmer one is better.
Her Highness Lin’an’s going to explode with anger tonight… Wang Simu thought of her close friend.
Big Brother, I can’t help you this time either… Xu Erlang lowered his head and drank, unable to let himself laugh out loud.
A gentleman should appreciate beauty without indulging in lust. Later, we’ll use Ningyan’s example to warn the academy students, write it into the teaching materials, and make it a negative example… The great scholars of Cloud Deer Academy made the decision in secret.
Wei Yuan, Zhao Shou, Daoist Jinlian, al-Asura, and Chu Yuanzhen all raised their cups at the same time and took a drink.
Excellent with wine.
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