A red wedding dress must be matched with a new bride.

Luo Lingyu had long wanted to marry, to have someone to depend on. Love would be best, but even without it wouldn’t matter. As long as she married a good husband. However, since encountering Fan Qingchen’s true nature in her youth, she never again considered Fourth Young Master Fan as a potential match. She had originally left Nanyang precisely to escape him… yet unexpectedly had fallen into his grasp again.

The young lady’s mood was extremely displeased.

Yet the carriage continued northward.

Upon observation, Luo Lingyu noticed Fan Qingchen had brought only two attendants and one driver for this journey. When Fan Qingchen sat in the carriage, those two attendants rode horses in front leading the way. Such light travel was unlike the typical arrangements of a noble family’s young master going out. The young lady lifted the carriage curtain to observe the situation outside, her bright eyes scanning the two tall, straight-backed guards. Only two guards in total… this made Luo Lingyu’s dead heart begin to stir with possibility again.

Fan Qingchen, sitting in the same carriage, stared at her and laughed carelessly: “Sister still won’t give up. Even though I only have two guards on this journey, could a delicate young lady like you escape? I know sister has always been practical, I hope sister won’t waste both our time with such pointless struggles.”

Who would have thought Luo Lingyu would turn her head, look at him once, and say in a slightly surprised tone: “…You’ve had a falling out with the Fan family?”

Fan Qingchen: “…”

His face instantly turned cold.

His reaction was so strong that Luo Lingyu immediately knew she had guessed correctly. Fourth Young Master Fan was after all a direct descendant of the Fan family, he used to travel surrounded by people, yet now with so few people, their carriage and horses not even in Nanyang, Fan Qingchen must have fallen out with the Fan family. And Luo Lingyu had almost casually guessed that this falling out might be related to herself… The young lady’s beautiful eyes rolled upward, her expression flickering, clearly thinking again about how to use this situation.

Fan Qingchen’s smile turned cold at the corners of his lips as he said slowly: “Whether or not I have conflicts with the Fan family doesn’t affect my marrying you. If you’re hoping for Third Young Master Lu to save you, forget it. Lu Yun isn’t even in Nanyang, even if you died in my hands, he would only have the chance to regret it afterward. Of course, how could I bear to let my sister die? Sister, rest assured, once we’re married, whatever you want, I’ll give you.”

Grabbing her hand, he leaned forward, gazing up at her intently, as if looking at the divine lady from his dreams whom he had admired countless times.

Fan Qingchen murmured: “As long as you marry me.”

Luo Lingyu frowned, feeling utterly nauseated. She dared not resist too violently, fearing it would provoke the brutality in Fan Qingchen’s nature. She pulled her hand away from his grasp and said with disgust: “Third Young Master Lu is saving your Nanyang on the battlefield, yet you, a well-known young master of Nanyang, scheme behind his back to steal his woman.”

Fan Qingchen’s eyes turned cold.

He grabbed her wrist icily and pulled her into his embrace. He lowered his head, pressing his face against hers, his nose bridge rubbing against her ice-cold jade-like face. Fan Qingchen said coldly: “He stole my woman, I’m merely taking back what should have been mine. Sister Luo speaks this way today, I won’t hold it against you; but after we’re married, if you still speak for him, don’t blame me…”

His voice lowered as he forcefully held Luo Lingyu in his arms, gripping her waist. Beautiful fear showed in her eyes.

Fan Qingchen laughed softly, his gaze falling to Luo Lingyu’s flat abdomen. After a pause, Fan Qingchen reached out to gently stroke it. He suddenly looked up, trying to soothe Luo Lingyu’s unease: “Sister Luo, how many months along is the child in your womb?”

Luo Lingyu: “…?”

In a flash of inspiration, she reacted quickly, immediately showing a wary expression: “What do you intend to do?!”

Fan Qingchen said softly: “Sister needn’t worry. Though this child isn’t mine, it is my sister’s flesh and blood. I couldn’t bear to harm any piece of flesh that fell from my sister. Even though this child’s father…” He snorted the cold fury in his eyes causing anxiety.

Fan Qingchen stared at her, repeating: “How many months?”

Luo Lingyu’s back stiffened: “…Three months.”

Three months along—wanting to lose it would cause extreme harm to her body. What a pity. Fan Qingchen slowly made an “oh” sound.

The young lord’s regretful expression was too frightening… Luo Lingyu concealed her unease, keeping her face expressionless, because she wasn’t pregnant at all.

She frowned, truly not knowing why Fan Qingchen would think she was with child. But since he suspected she was pregnant, at least… at least this madman would only kiss and embrace her to avoid harming her, and wouldn’t do anything else. Though she had fallen into Fan Qingchen’s hands, she could at least keep her body pure for Lu Yun. After all, he was wary of her entangling with other young lords…

Luo Lingyu lowered her eyelashes, her eyes showing changing thoughts as her mind alternated between missing Lu Yun and wracking her brain to recall information about women’s pregnancy from the medical books she had read. Being embraced by Fan Qingchen, the young lady put on a weak and tired appearance, saying listlessly: “Could we slow the carriage? I’m not feeling well.”

A slower carriage would give more time to anyone trying to rescue her.

Fan Qingchen curled his fingers to hook her chin, lifting the beauty’s face. After judging whether she was pretending, he knocked on the carriage window, signaling those outside to slow down. Then he comforted Luo Lingyu: “Sister needn’t fear, early pregnancy is always like this. Once your body is better, you won’t feel so unwell.”

Speaking thus, his eyes lowered, again staring at her abdomen. That gloomy look in his eyes, which he tried to hide, contained extreme disgust that he knew well. Talk of raising Lu Yun’s child, treating it as his own, was merely to deceive Luo Lingyu, merely to put her mind at ease.

He could tolerate her previous betrayal, but he couldn’t tolerate seeing her child with Lu Yun before his eyes every day. As soon as this child was born, he would kill it… just a newly born little life, there were always many ways to make it disappear without a trace.

Luo Lingyu took the opportunity to struggle free from his embrace, sitting in the corner of the carriage furthest from him. To ease Fan Qingchen’s mind, she even asked with affected sweetness: “Where exactly are you taking me?”

Fan Qingchen gave a low laugh: “Taking sister away from the Southern Kingdom, to live in Luoyang in the Northern Kingdom for a few years, how about that?”

With the two countries both fighting and negotiating, while official travel between them wasn’t allowed, privately there were naturally some methods. After letting his youngest son leave, to avoid future conflict with the Lu family in Jianye, Lord Fan directly arranged means for his son to hide in the Northern Kingdom for a few years. When Fan Qingchen had a wife and children, they would return to Nanyang, and by then even if Third Young Master Lu was unwilling, he could only accept the situation.

Leave the Southern Kingdom!

Luo Lingyu pressed her lips together—once she left the Southern Kingdom, Lu Yun’s chances of finding her would be almost none… She couldn’t let Fan Qingchen have his way.

While the young lady pondered how to break Fan Qingchen’s resolve, Fan Qingchen was thinking about the marriage. For a time, as the carriage swayed gently, the two people inside each harbored their schemes, actually falling silent for a while.

…

Constantly using excuses of stomach pain, physical discomfort, hunger, and thirst to delay time, the carriage and horses slowed down, and the two accompanying guards showed dissatisfied expressions. Yet Fan Qingchen only looked over several times with an ambiguous smile, his cat-playing-with-mouse mindset making him watch with interest as Luo Lingyu struggled in his hands, though it could only be harmless small resistance.

Luo Lingyu didn’t care what he thought.

Pregnancy was such a good excuse—if she showed no discomfort at all, wouldn’t she be exposed when Fan Qingchen found a doctor for her? And with Fan Qingchen’s obsession with her, once he knew she wasn’t pregnant, she would certainly be unable to keep her purity intact.

Though men and women these days didn’t care about such things, Lu Yun’s attitude… if he truly didn’t care, he wouldn’t have refrained from touching her until now.

Luo Lingyu was anxious inside, wondering how she could escape and return—

Fan Qingchen, this madman!

After Luo Lingyu had made trouble all day, in the evening they stayed at an inn. Fan Qingchen’s two guards attended to their lord and lady’s meals and rest, treating Fan Qingchen with utmost respect, but showing displeasure toward Young Lady Luo several times. In their view, this woman had only beauty but an affected nature; their lord had rebelled against the Fan family for her, caring for her tenderly along the way, yet she showed no gratitude, constantly making trouble and finding excuses to torment their lord.

This woman even carried another lord’s child!

She had displayed her arrogance and unreasonableness to the fullest, and while Fan Qingchen didn’t get angry, delighting in his Sister Luo’s temper, indulging and doting on her, his two subordinates had rolled their eyes countless times at Luo Lingyu. Luo Lingyu hoped these two subordinates would speak ill of her to Fan Qingchen, so naturally didn’t care what they thought of her.

But Fan Qingchen’s tolerance toward Luo Lingyu, the gentle look in his eyes when he watched her, made Luo Lingyu panic. She had to admit, that while Fan Qingchen would kill others without hesitation, he truly showed much patience with her. Yet behind this patience was an intense possessiveness that truly couldn’t make one happy.

Preparing to rest at the inn, after Luo Lingyu had finished making trouble and was obediently eating, Fan Qingchen called over the innkeeper, asking him to arrange their wedding for tomorrow. Acting on urgency, Fan Qingchen didn’t care about the ceremony at all, only wanting to settle the matter. Luo Lingyu suddenly panicked, standing up: “…I cannot marry you!”

Fan Qingchen’s eyes flashed cold light, instantly showing loving indulgence again. Under the innkeeper’s puzzled gaze, he picked up some wild vegetables with his chopsticks and put them in the young lady’s small bowl, sighing as if helpless: “Be good, don’t make a fuss. With our marriage contract as proof, how can you throw a tantrum at this time?”

With the marriage contract pressuring her, even if Luo Lingyu sought help from the innkeeper it would be useless.

Luo Lingyu had certainly thought of this too.

But she wasn’t one to easily give up.

Meeting the gazes of everyone in the inn, Luo Lingyu showed a sorrowful look, gazing softly at Fan Qingchen: “…It’s not that I’m unwilling to marry Young Master Fan, but that the wedding is extremely simple, which my heart cannot accept. Living under others’ roofs for years, having lost my parents since childhood, even my sister isn’t by my side now. If they knew my wedding day was so hasty, how sad they would be.”

Fan Qingchen remained expressionless: “What do you want to do?”

Luo Lingyu’s beautiful eyes moved flowingly as she spoke gently: “I know this journey isn’t easy, so I won’t make things difficult for the young master. Young Master Fan, take me to Ruyang, let us pay respects at my parents’ graves before marrying, how about that? For my wedding, such an important matter, I should report to my parents, and let them know, right?”

Fan Qingchen said nothing, seeming to be in deep thought.

Luo Lingyu encouraged: “Since we’re going to the Northern Kingdom anyway, Ruyang is on the way. After leaving Ruyang, we can directly enter the Northern Kingdom’s borders, it won’t delay time.”

Fan Qingchen glanced at her: “Fine, I’ll grant sister’s wish.”

Across the table, he leaned forward, reaching out to wrap his fingers in the dark hair falling by her cheeks. Staring at the young lady’s peach blossom face, Fan Qingchen said in a low voice: “When we reach Ruyang, I’ll see what other methods sister has to delay the wedding.”

“Sister Luo, you will eventually marry me. You can hide for a day, but not for a lifetime. Don’t make me completely lose patience… when that time comes, sister, you’ll be the one who suffers.”

Luo Lingyu forced a smile, lowering her head uncomfortably. She was about to take a sip of wine when Fan Qingchen said coolly from beside her: “Pregnant women can’t drink alcohol, didn’t Lu Yun tell you that?”

Luo Lingyu: “…!”

She had focused too much on beauty treatments when reading medical books, having only fragmentary knowledge about pregnancy, and now she had exposed herself.

She forced herself to remain calm, lifting her head with displeasure: “He’s not here to control me, can’t I even have one small cup?”

Fan Qingchen’s eyes narrowed, greatly pleased by her statement that Lu Yun wasn’t there. Since he had already decided to kill Luo Lingyu’s child, an unstable pregnancy wasn’t a bad thing for him. He only worried about her health… Fan Qingchen smiled: “Then just one cup.”

Luo Lingyu gave him a grateful smile.

Her smile was radiant, like flowers blooming in March, dazzlingly bright.

Those looking over in the inn were momentarily stunned, thinking what an extraordinary beauty she was.

…

The imperial court in Jianye welcomed the Northern Kingdom’s envoys, and the Northern Princess entered the Emperor’s harem. The Northern envoys half-truthfully negotiated peace with the Southern court, buying time for their kingdom’s upcoming major offensive. Yet they didn’t know that at this moment, a hundred li from Nanyang, Southern, and Northern armies were meeting, war about to erupt!

The negotiations in Jianye were like a joke, the news not yet having reached there.

After patiently waiting through the night, throughout the night’s surprise attack operation, Lu Yun remained with the army, constantly adjusting strategy. Fighting all night until dawn the next day, their besieged Northern army retreated, withdrawing from the mountain, bringing the South its first victory.

At noon, General Wei led people searching the mountain, first managing the battlefield and capturing prisoners, second eagerly preparing for the coming battles. The Northern army wouldn’t easily admit defeat and would surely counterattack. The Southern army camped in the mountains, conserving strength while discussing how to engage the Northern army in the next phase.

After the meeting ended, while Wei Cong was still studying the terrain maps, Third Young Master Lu lifted the tent flap to enter, saying he needed to leave first.

Wei Cong’s face immediately fell.

Lu Yun: “Though the major battle is here, the border between North and South is extremely long, other places will certainly be affected by this war. Nanyang, Yingchuan, Ruyang, are all included. While searching for someone, I can take the opportunity to observe the situation. The border prefectures need to unite to resist the enemy, only then can the overall situation change. Otherwise, even if Nanyang wins but Ruyang or Yingchuan loses, the Northern army’s might will still sweep over.”

Wei Cong: “…You can come up with so many reasons just to look for Miss Luo.”

Yet Wei Cong had to admit, that Lu Yun’s reasons were valid. Wei Cong only wondered which was more important to Lu Yun – his heart’s loyalty to his country or his desire to find Luo Lingyu.

That day, Lu Yun took over a thousand men from General Wei, leaving to return to Nanyang. After investigating the situation in Nanyang, on tall white horses they rode north, searching for traces of the young lady’s abduction. Meanwhile, they contacted other prefectures, searching for signs of Northern armies, and seeing how their forces were dispersed.

In mid-October, northern vegetation was withering, endless yellow earth stretching as far as the eye could see.

Over a thousand troops crossed the waters, occasionally engaging Northern forces that had infiltrated Southern borders!

Third Young Master Lu dismounted, crouching to study carriage tracks hidden by grass. He touched the dry earth, dismounting every so often to calculate the direction and speed of the carriage from these traces. At night, Lu Yun made his judgment: “Their carriage heads north, moving slowly… Lingyu should be temporarily safe.”

Such slow speed clearly showed the kidnappers were accommodating a weak woman like Luo Lingyu… whether they were actively being considerate or Luo Lingyu had schemed to make things easier for herself, at least it meant she was still alive.

Lu Yun’s heart raced rapidly, and when he determined this information, the heavy stone in his chest fell away, his forehead breaking out in a cold sweat.

A follower beside him asked: “We’ve reached Yingchuan’s borders, shall we meet with the Prince of Hengyang?”

First to discuss military matters, getting the Prince of Hengyang to cooperate with Nanyang’s actions; second if the Prince had news of Young Lady Luo, he could tell them immediately or offer assistance.

Lu Yun was silent for a moment, his expression slightly strange. Since receiving his second brother’s letter, he had felt very, very… however, the situation was now urgent… Lu Yun said: “We’ll go see the Prince of Hengyang.”

…

War fires were igniting everywhere, some grand like Nanyang, some small skirmishes like Yingchuan. Yet the fires hadn’t yet reached Ruyang. However, the situation along the border between the two countries was already very bad, beyond the control of the imperial court thousands of li away in Jianye.

Fan Qingchen’s group had just reached Ruyang when, after his two guards gathered information in the streets, Fan Qingchen made his decision – after marrying Luo Lingyu tomorrow, they would immediately head to the mountains. Using the methods his father had left to cross secretly, they would leave the Southern Kingdom for the North… after all, Ruyang was no longer safe, liable to be affected by war at any time.

Luo Lingyu had delayed all along the way, refusing to marry, and after reaching Ruyang, seeing Fan Qingchen’s face grow more impatient by the day, she didn’t dare provoke or stimulate him too much anymore. Seeing her stop making trouble, Fan Qingchen breathed a sigh of relief, inviting respected elders from Ruyang to preside over their wedding.

To prevent Luo Lingyu from finding more excuses, Fan Qingchen simply had her parents’ memorial tablets brought to the wedding.

When Luo Lingyu first saw her parents’ memorial tablets that Fan Qingchen had brought, her heart turned sour – leaving Ruyang before the age of ten, returning at fifteen for her coming of age. What should have felt like fate’s turning had become marriage to the person she feared most.

Five years away from this place, it felt so familiar yet so strange.

The night before the wedding, two guards watched the doors and windows to prevent Luo Lingyu from escaping. Fan Qingchen entered the room, seeing the young lady crying by the window, displeasure immediately crossing his heart. Fan Qingchen looked at her beautiful profile against the window, saying impatiently: “What is Sister Luo crying about now? Haven’t your parents’ tablets been brought over? Someone getting married tomorrow shouldn’t have swollen eyes from crying.”

Luo Lingyu didn’t make a sound.

Her wrist suddenly hurt as she cried out in surprise, her whole body pulled toward Fan Qingchen standing behind her.

Fan Qingchen hooked her chin, looking down at her. He slowly drew closer, seeing the young lady’s body instantly stiffened. After all this time, she still rejected his proximity so much… Fan Qingchen’s heart continuously rose with irritation and brutality, he barely suppressed his emotions, preventing himself from exploding. But that thread in his mind was also about to snap…

Fan Qingchen’s fingertips rubbed her chin as he smiled darkly: “Sister Luo, stop using schemes. Be good and marry me.”

“You don’t want to truly anger me and make me harm you, right?”

“I’m still being considerate of you now… don’t provoke me.”

Luo Lingyu pressed her lips together, her terror magnifying in her heart, she was also at a loss for the moment, not knowing how to escape this madman’s demonic clutches – did she have to marry him? Could she not delay anymore?

She felt utterly desperate in her heart: Lu Xuecen, you bastard, you still haven’t found me!

Is it that in your heart, affairs of the state outweigh me… do you simply not care that I’m to marry another?

Fan Qingchen was almost mad… if she kept refusing, things would become uncontrollable, but if she didn’t refuse, spending a lifetime with this madman would be worse than death!

…

That night Fan Qingchen’s people watched the doors and windows strictly; every time Luo Lingyu went to the door with countless excuses, the people outside wouldn’t let her out. Even when she said she needed to relieve herself, those outside would rather bring a chamber pot than let her take one step out the door.

And the matrons and maids filed in, adorning her, applying makeup, forcing her to wear the new red wedding dress.

Ignoring Luo Lingyu’s objections, they forcefully placed a round fan in her hands – to hide her face, with hanging tassels of elegant splendor.

And the heart of the new bride being manipulated by them sank heavier and heavier.

Various matrons and maids came and went, going on like this, there would be no chance to escape, how Luo Lingyu’s heart suffered. She endured until seeing Fan Qingchen again. Before dawn, he appeared at the door, clear and bright, wearing the clothes of a new bridegroom. So handsome that he caused all the men and women in the room to gasp in admiration.

He stepped into the room, reaching out to grasp the delicate jade hand of the young lady who was being pressed to sit at the table by the maids.

Under the tassels, the young lady was as lovely as a flower, and when he pulled her up, her whole being radiated a spirit of surprising beauty that made him stare unblinkingly. She lowered her head without a word, but his heart was extremely pleased. Fan Qingchen bent down, sniffing at her neck, smiling: “Sister is mine now…”

In that instant, tears suddenly rolled down Luo Lingyu’s cheeks.

She could no longer endure, and taking advantage of the crowd, suddenly pushed Fan Qingchen away, crying harshly: “You force me to marry, coerce me to wed, want me to elope with you. But you’re dreaming! I would rather die than let you succeed, marry someone as beastly as you!”

For a moment, Fan Qingchen was stunned, and then his face suddenly sank.

Luo Lingyu lowered her head and bit his wrist, he released her in pain, and she turned to run into the crowd. The onlookers, stunned by the message in Luo Lingyu’s words, looked in shock at the handsome young lord abandoned by his new bride in the room. The young lady in wedding clothes ran into the crowd, lifting her skirts desperately trying to escape outside. Her tears fell like pearls as she plaintively begged help from strangers, telling of Fan Qingchen’s evil intentions.

Behind her Fan Qingchen strode in pursuit, his face cold as ice: “Luo Lingyu—”

“BOOM—” Suddenly, an extremely loud explosion-like sound came from the direction of the city gate, the entire ground shaking, and the wedding guests’ expressions changed drastically.

As the ground trembled, the explosions continued unabated with violent force. The guests were terrified and bewildered, and after one scream, fled in all directions. People cried out—

“The Northerners have broken in! It must be the Northerners breaking in!”

“Quick, everyone run!”

The crowd scattered like birds and beasts, the young lady in her complex wedding dress caught among them, stumbling awkwardly as she was pushed. In the chaos, several sharp arrows suddenly shot from the horizon… Fan Qingchen leaped forward, grabbing the swaying Luo Lingyu into his arms, pulling her down with him to the ground, dodging the arrows shooting into the courtyard.

Hoofbeats galloped outside, the vanguard of the Northern army had climbed the city walls on ropes, swaggering into the city, killing indiscriminately!

And in the distance, the city gates were still being violently struck with continuous booms.

In the small wedding venue, Fan Qingchen held the young lady tightly in his arms. He dodged with her, not letting the panicked fleeing people step on her, while he was stepped on several times by passersby, letting out muffled groans. Luo Lingyu struggled to get up but was heavily pressed down in his embrace.

Though angry with her before, now, lying on the ground, his wide sleeve covered her face, not letting anyone see even a bit of her. The young lady’s long hair ends scattered across his arms, and for a moment, Fan Qingchen felt a sense of unreality, a ridiculous feeling of “this moment will never come again.”

As if he only had this one moment.

When two servants squeezed through to help their lord up, Fan Qingchen’s eyes were dark and cold as he gripped Luo Lingyu’s hand. Fan Qingchen’s face was terrible: “Ruyang is likely in trouble… we need to find a way out of the city.”

Looking down at Luo Lingyu’s pale face, Fan Qingchen said softly: “Don’t be afraid, I’m not angry about you trying to escape the wedding… don’t make trouble now, come with me, alright?”