The two maids in black and white had been gone for a long time and not yet returned. Murong Yunshu wondered what was going on when she saw the Holy Maiden walk in from the doorway with her long skirt trailing on the ground. It looked like she had been rigged out in her best, with a smile on her face and in a good mood. The two maids in black and white were following behind her. Their hands were empty. Apparently, they had reported the matter directly to the Holy Maiden without getting the wine for Murong Yunshu.
"I heard you wanted a drink?" The Holy Maiden walked into the courtyard and sat down opposite Murong Yunshu.
Murong Yunshu slowly nodded. "Right."
The Holy Maiden asked, "Do you want to drink a wedding wine?"
Murong Yunshu replied, "That depends on whose wedding wine it is."
"Chu Changge." Holy Maiden's eyes sparkled with pride as if she had finally managed to dig the foot of the wall.
Murong Yunshu responded, "Of course I want to drink his wedding wine."
Holy Maiden was slightly surprised, "You're not sad?"
"Why should I be sad?"
"Isn't it sad that your fiancé is going to marry someone else?"
Murong Yunshu smiled faintly as she replied, "This is a common occurrence in our Central Plains." She was a living example.
"Is that so?" The Holy Maiden frowned.
"Yes." Murong Yunshu nodded decisively and added, "If the bride or groom has bad luck, even if they arrive at the wedding hall, they may not be able to worship heaven and earth."
The Holy Maiden's expression suddenly changed at Murong Yunshu's words. Then, she asked her in a heavy voice, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Murong Yunshu only looked up at her and smiled while remaining silent.
When Holy Maiden saw Murong Yunshu's profound expression, she became even more certain that there was something beyond her words. A sense of foreboding suddenly rose in her heart. "Do you know why I am treating you with courtesy?" This question was initially intended to be left to Murong Yunshu to ask her, herself. However, Murong Yunshu had not mentioned a word about this perverse behaviour of hers for three months. As if it was all taken for granted.
"Do you mean by not putting me in the dungeon?" Murong Yunshu asked in a faint voice in return.
The Holy Maiden answered, "Yes." But she thought to herself, is it possible that such considerate care is just like not being put in the dungeon in your eyes?
Murong Yunshu thought about it and said, "I guess the dungeons of the Five Poisons Sect are not enough."
The Holy Maiden was dumbfounded. Their dungeon wasn't enough? Not enough?! Even if it wasn't, she could still dig one for her! Although the Five Poisons Sect was not large, it was still enough to bury her, a minor Murong Yunshu.
The Holy Maiden wondered what kind of strange mind would have come up with such a ridiculous reason for them not to have enough dungeons?
"Because I am a woman." Murong Yunshu added.
The Holy Maiden was astonished. "You knew?!" So, the so-called dungeon not being enough just now was a deliberate attempt to make fun of her?
Murong Yunshu laughed. "Who in jianghu doesn't know that the Holy Maiden of the Five Poisons Sect never gives a pretty woman a hard time."
Holy Maiden pointed out, "But you are not a member of the jianghu." As far as she knew, the Murong Mansion had not ventured into the jianghu.
In the face of the Holy Maiden's question, Murong Yunshu asked an irrelevant question, "Do you know who is the current Emperor of the Daye dynasty?"
The Holy Maiden froze, then said, "Of course I know."
"You are not a member of the Imperial Court either." Murong Yunshu said indifferently.
The Holy Maiden had been stumped again, and then realisation dawned on her. Indeed, even if one were not in the jianghu, one would still hear something about what was going on in the jianghu. And although she seldom walked around the Central Plains martial arts circle, her reputation of not giving pretty women a hard time had already spread there, and it was not surprising that Murong Yunshu would know about it. "Then do you know why I don't make things difficult for pretty women?" The Holy Maiden asked this with a strange gleam in her eyes, staring straight at Murong Yunshu.
However, Murong Yunshu bent her head and concentrated on the scroll in her hand. Then, without even glancing at her, she carelessly said, "Human hearts are unpredictable. How would this little woman know?" What's more, there were some things that even if one knows, one must still pretend not to know. [+]
Hearing her answer, the light in the Holy Maiden's eyes suddenly dimmed. She bowed her head and pondered for a long time before saying, "Chu Changge's wedding to the Heavenly Maiden will be held tomorrow. I will send someone to fetch you to the divine altar to observe the ceremony at that time."
Tomorrow? It seemed that the Heavenly Maiden truly hated marriage. Murong Yunshu pursed her lips and expressed, "Many thanks."
The Holy Maiden had already taken a few steps forward when she heard Murong Yunshu's 'many thanks'. She turned back and gave her a strange look before leaving. Which woman would not shed bitter tears when her fiancé married, and the bride was not herself? How could she still be so calm and collected, so light-hearted about it? Could it be that she had no true feelings for Chu Changge?
A moment later, another wry light flashed in the Holy Maiden's eyes.
Only after the Holy Maiden had left did Murong Yunshu raise her head and wipe away the cold sweat that had long since percolated on her forehead. Just now, if the Holy Maiden had stayed for even one more minute, she would have ruined it. There were times when knowing too much was not a good thing.
The more one knew the more one would fear. If Murong Yunshu had not known the Holy Maiden's secret, she would not have been so scared to the point of having cold sweat on her forehead.
She had always prided herself on her calmness. However, unexpectedly, there would be a day where she would be scared.
Murong Yunshu let out a soft sigh. She never wanted to study blindly anymore. If she couldn't stand being too idle, she should just jump up and down.
*
The following day, the wedding took place as scheduled.
No red lights were hanging high, nor were there the sound of loud gongs and drums. Just a group of warrior-like Five Poisons Sect members surrounded the altar, forming a closed circle. While, the only people who stood on the altar were the groom and the bride, as well as the Holy Maiden and the Master of Ceremonies.
Why was the marriage of the Heavenly Maiden of the Five Poisons Sect so low-key and heavily guarded?
Naturally, there was a fear of 'unexpected situations'.
Yesterday, Murong Yunshu's words were haunting the Holy Maiden's mind until she couldn't even sleep peacefully. Then, early this morning, she ordered that no unimportant people would be allowed to gather around the wedding site.
Chu Changge had lost all his internal strength. Under such a siege, even if he temporarily reversed himself, and it gave him wings, he couldn't even fly. The Holy Maiden thought so. However, what disturbed her was that Chu Changge had on a look like the spring breeze had obtained its wish. As if this marriage was something he had been looking forward to for a long time.
He had reluctantly agreed to the marriage for the sake of Murong Yunshu's freedom, so why was he looking so happy at this point?
The Holy Maiden stared strangely at Chu Changge, trying to find an answer on his face. Afterwards, she dismissed it from her mind and mentally sneered: Men are hypocritical, and Chu Changge is no exception.
She merely pitied Murong Yunshu......Holy Maiden suddenly realised that Murong Yunshu was not even present.
The Holy Maiden summoned her attendant and questioned unhappily, "Where is Murong Yunshu? Didn't I ask you to invite her this morning?"
"In reply to the Holy Maiden, when this subordinate went to invite Miss Murong, she was no longer in her room. I heard from the maid in her room that she had been out since early in the morning. The maid herself did not know where she had gone to."
When she heard what her attendant said, Murong Yunshu's words from yesterday came back to the Holy Maiden's mind――If the bride or groom has bad luck, even if they arrive at the wedding hall, they may not be able to worship heaven and earth.
Chu Changge had been unusual, while Murong Yunshu acted abnormally. Could it be that…..something was going to happen?
At that moment, the master of ceremonies suddenly came over and said, "Holy Maiden, the auspicious time has arrived."
The Holy Maiden breathed a small sigh of relief at the master of ceremonies' words. Three kowtows would end in a blink of an eye. Thus, they would not be able to pull off any tricks. "Begin." The Holy Maiden ordered.
The master of ceremonies nodded as he accepted the orders. He walked to the side of the couple and shouted, "The auspicious time has come――"
In an instant, all the Five Poisons Sect members secretly clenched their weapons and were ready to eliminate those who tried to destroy the wedding ceremony.
"First, bow to heaven and earth!"
The bride and groom bowed towards the altar.
"Second, bow to the parents!"
The bride and groom made a bow towards the Holy Maiden, moving with some hesitation.
"Husband and wife bow to each other!"
The groom and bride bowed to each other.
"The ceremony is complete!" Everyone breathed a sigh of relief with the master of ceremonies' announcement that the ceremony had finally completed. Among those who put their hearts into their stomachs was also the groom, Chu Changge. But what he was thinking in his heart was――he finally married her.
The Holy Maiden also felt hugely relieved since it seemed like Murong Yunshu was just sensationalising the situation. "Changge, from now on, we'll be family." She said with a smile.
"A family?" Chu Changge raised his eyebrows, "Are you kidding me? Even if we went back two thousand years ago, you and I could not be reached by the length of eight bamboo poles, not even the least bit."
The Holy Maiden was furious at his words, "Since you married the Heavenly Maiden, you are my younger sister’s husband. How can you say such treacherous words?!"
Chu Changge was also angry and responded coldly, "It's your business if you want to marry off your younger sister, but don't put it on me."
"You have just performed a wedding ceremony with my younger sister in public, and you want to go back on your word?” The Holy Maiden could not believe her ears. How could there be such a shameless man in the world!
The warrior-like Five Poisons Sect members were also beside themselves with anger. They were only waiting for the Holy Maiden to give her order for them to take Chu Changge down. [+]
However, Chu Changge changed his cold expression, curved his lips into a smile and spoke to the bride whose head was covered with a veil, "Madam, when did you get acquainted with the Holy Maiden? Why didn't you give your husband a heads up?"
The Five Poisons Sect members looked at each other in disbelief. Was this Chu Changge stupid? The Heavenly Maiden was originally the younger sister of the Holy Maiden!
At this moment, the crowd only heard the tender voice of the bride ringing out――"The only reason I can come here is because of you, my husband’s blessing. Where do I have the qualification to be acquainted with the Holy Maiden?"
When this statement came out, the audience was in an uproar. This voice was not the voice of the Heavenly Maiden!
The Holy Maiden was full of shock. Impossible. This was impossible. It was clear that she had personally put the Heavenly Maiden on the palanquin and personally escorted the palanquin all the way to the divine altar. She did not let the palanquin leave her sight, even for a moment. It could not be swapped. It could not be......
Suddenly, with a wave of her long sleeves, the Holy Maiden tried to lift the bride's red veil to see what was going on, but unexpectedly the veil seemed to be made of stone and did not move at all. After a moment of shock, the Holy Maiden looked at Chu Changge and saw that he had a cold face. His black eyes seemed to want to tear her to thousands of pieces.
"Do you think this certain Chu is already dead?" Chu Changge coldly asked.
The Holy Maiden asked back, "When did you regain back your martial arts skills?"
Chu Changge coolly threw out this word, "Yesterday."
"Then why didn't you just run away?" The Holy Maiden asked.
Chu Changge smiled wickedly, "You have treated me with such great affection. How can I just pack up and leave?"
The Holy Maiden was secretly frightened. This man was as cold as ice at one moment, and the next was laughing and cursing. He was just like the rumour where he was said to be possessed by an evil spirit.
Chu Changge smiled again and leisurely swept the crowd one by one while saying, "Today is this certain Chu's big day, and I don't want to see blood. So all of you should keep your heads close. Even if they have been removed, make sure not to let the blood drip on the ground and dirty the joyful atmosphere of this place."
Noob Translator's Musing
Baitang is the bowing ceremony in Chinese traditional marriage where the couple will bow to heaven and earth first, then to the parents and lastly towards each other.
And...I might have mistranslated 圣女 sheng nu (holy maiden) and天女 tian nu (heavenly maiden). I didn't notice the different character usage and thought they had the same meaning and the same person. But I was proven to be wrong. Sorry for that. I have to recheck the previous chapters after this.
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Black Belly Wife