You Weixuan lunged forward but was held back by Xiao Ying.
“What are you doing?”
“What are you doing! You’ve killed him!” You Weixuan shouted. “Why!”
“Oh, I found him displeasing to the eye.”
“…Then… then couldn’t you have just knocked him unconscious!”
Xiao Ying was indifferent. “Sorry, I only know how to kill people.”
“But you promised me you wouldn’t hurt him!”
“Can’t help it. This guy was very alert—didn’t you notice? He never even turned his back to us.” Xiao Ying sighed. “I wasn’t confident I could just knock him out without being counterattacked.”
“There’s mud below—he might not die. Go save him, please!”
“No, it’s a bit smelly.” Xiao Ying twisted her wrist, saying slowly, “Besides, I don’t want to save him.”
She stared at You Weixuan, who shrank slightly under her gaze, gradually breathing rapidly, her fingers unconsciously curling.
“I’m very displeased. You only said he was your friend and you wanted to see him once more, but from what I can see, you somewhat want to elope with him, don’t you? What are you taking me for? A stepping stone?”
You Weixuan turned her head away under her stare, looking distressed, a thin blush appearing at her earlobes, though her excited expression gradually faded.
She looked down below, but being too far away, she couldn’t see anything.
“Why be nostalgic about another’s man? Let’s go handle your affairs.” Xiao Ying carried You Weixuan and lightly descended from the tree, standing back in the courtyard.
She followed the original route back, this time much faster than before, like a gray shadow gliding over the roof ridges. There were many people below, but she didn’t avoid them. Only a few with keen senses would look up, but they could only catch a glimpse of a smoke-like afterimage.
Soon, they were back in the room where You Weixuan had been waiting to be married.
Earlier, people had rushed in and discovered the bride was missing, naturally causing great alarm. The whole mansion searched while reporting to You Jun. The matrons were anxiously worried about what punishment they might face when suddenly the closed door was pushed open and You Weixuan stood coldly at the entrance.
The matrons were shocked, then overjoyed, hurriedly sending news for You Jun and the Chang family to return quickly to avoid disaster for themselves, while crowding forward to serve.
Some looked around, wondering where was that famous courtesan who had come demanding to be a concubine?
You Weixuan said coldly, “No need to look. That shameless woman who dared come to the door has already become fertilizer for the flowers.”
She added, “What happened just now—don’t tell the You father and son or the Chang family.”
The head matron hurriedly said respectfully, “Since the female heir is safe, we naturally won’t disturb Commander You and Master Chang. The messenger has already returned.”
You Jun appeared kind but punished mistakes extremely harshly. You Weixuan had been missing for a very short time and had returned—naturally everyone wouldn’t seek trouble for themselves.
At this moment, someone came hurrying from the front courtyard—a Chang family steward who stood outside the courtyard gate, looking as if mourning, saying, “Please relay to the female heir that the groom… has been beaten to death by the Crown Princess!”
The courtyard erupted in shock.
You Weixuan heard from inside the room, was stunned for a moment, and looked up at the ceiling.
“The Crown Princess says she’s sorry to the female heir and wants to personally come console her. She’s already on her way.”
“Master Chang’s meaning is that the Chang family followed proper matchmaking procedures, widely invited relatives and friends, and all of Yannan knows about this marriage—the female heir can’t marry anyone else now. And since the female heir’s first marriage resulted in Chang Yuan dying at the wedding feast, this is the female heir wronging Chang Yuan and wronging the Chang family. The ceremony must continue, so that Chang Yuan won’t have gone to the underworld without even marrying a wife… Commander You has agreed.”
The courtyard fell silent.
No one dared look up to see You Weixuan’s expression.
Even small households wouldn’t bully people like this.
Children without parents suffer so much.
But everyone only dared think these thoughts—their faces remained impassive.
In the deathly silence, You Weixuan seemed to laugh softly.
She said nothing.
The steward stood outside the door, saying, “The bridal sedan has arrived outside the courtyard. Please board the sedan, female heir.”
Soon, matrons and maidservants surrounded You Weixuan in bright red wedding attire as she emerged. The whole courtyard was decorated with red silk and gold embroidery, everyone dressed in red and green, flowers blooming tree by tree, firecrackers bursting, red fragments covering the ground.
In this joyous and lively scene, people offered congratulations in uneven voices.
This should have been the most common and joyful human scene, but because everyone’s faces were stiff and their congratulations sounded guilty, it appeared somewhat pale and eerie.
Everyone forced smiles, hands clenched in their sleeves, guards’ hands on their waist sabers, fearing that this martial female heir’s apparent calm was just pretense, not knowing when she might draw a blade from her sleeve and split some unlucky person’s head.
Only after You Weixuan peacefully entered the sedan, the curtain dropped, another round of firecrackers exploded, and the sedan was smoothly lifted did everyone breathe a long sigh of relief, releasing their sweaty palms.
The bridal sedan should have circled the front courtyard once, then exited through the back door of the front courtyard to go to the separately designated bridal chamber courtyard behind. But to prevent complications, they went straight to the back door.
When Tie Ci arrived, the courtyard that had temporarily served as the bride’s chamber was already empty.
The steward remaining at the courtyard gate respectfully invited Tie Ci to observe the ceremony at a courtyard behind.
Tie Ci wasn’t surprised either. Like a host taking over, she led the mighty crowd toward the separated courtyard behind.
Although Tie Ci had turned the joyous occasion into a funeral, clearly today the opinions of the bride and groom mattered least. If Commander You considered it a joyous occasion, then it must remain a joyous occasion. If the Chang family felt the female heir should belong to Chang Yuan even nominally, then Chang Yuan could still marry a wife.
The groom’s corpse had already been placed in the front courtyard, but his spirit tablet had been made with incredible speed. The ebony tablet with white characters was held in the arms of a middle-aged woman. The woman wore festive clothing covered with a white cloak, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Supported by others, she blocked the courtyard entrance, swaying as if about to collapse. Seeing Tie Ci emerge surrounded by crowds, she suddenly went mad, pushing away her supporters to rush toward Tie Ci.
She was immediately stopped by Tie Ci’s people. Across the human wall, the woman screamed hoarsely, “Madwoman! Evil thief! Give me back my son’s life!”
Tie Ci ignored her completely.
“Princes and commoners are equal before the law! I’ll go to the capital to beat the drum and cry injustice! I’ll let everyone in Great Qian know what kind of character this so-called heir is!”
“Fine, go ahead. I can even donate some travel money for you.” Tie Ci stopped, glanced over indifferently, then turned her head unmoved. “While I’m at it, I’ll also let everyone in Great Qian know what kind of character the Chang family and Chang Yuan are. Let everyone know that thanks to his mother’s blessing, even in death Chang Yuan won’t rest in peace—pointed at by thousands, falling into the hell of gossip.”
Bu Qing, following behind her, crossed his arms and chuckled, finding it quite satisfying. Wan Ji frowned though—he felt today’s Highness was particularly sharp and domineering. Killing Chang Yuan was already surprising, and showing no mercy even to Chang’s mother who had lost her son—when this spreads, it won’t just be impeachment by censors, but will leave blemishes in the historical records.
Chang Yuan’s mother was clearly struck by these words. Standing outside the crowd, holding the spirit tablet, thinking that this person was the Crown Princess, the only heir, even if she complained to heaven, the future emperor would only be her. Who could punish her? Who could make her pay with her life for her son? The greater possibility was exactly what she said—reversing black and white, silencing her mouth, even punishing the Chang family for her vehemence, making her son restless even in death!
This heartless and unjust heaven!
Chang’s mother wailed, suddenly turned, stumbled across the threshold, and headed toward the wedding hall.
She shouted, “Give the tablet to that woman! Make her hold A’yuan’s tablet while getting married—even if she dies the next moment, she must become a ghost of my Chang family!”
The Chang family members all stood in place, staring at Tie Ci with reddened eyes, waiting to see her get angry.
Tie Ci’s mask was half gold, half silver, like the junction of sun and moon, brilliant yet cold.
Only a pair of eyes could be seen, still as deep water, without ripples.
You Jun, expressionless, acted as if he hadn’t seen this drama, smilingly arranging for guests to observe the ceremony in the wedding hall.
He even arranged for courtesans to perform in the flower halls on both sides of the wedding hall—the famous Ranyan playing flute, Yunqiao striking chimes, and Liu Chan’er performing an autumn swing dance.
The officials, seeing that the flower halls were distant from the wedding hall with a water pool in between, felt reassured and joyfully took their seats to appreciate the beauties, waiting for the wedding feast that might or might not begin.
Tie Ci was invited into the wedding hall to observe the ceremony.
The wedding hall wasn’t large and couldn’t accommodate many people. Her attendants were naturally left outside, with people assigned to entertain them. This was normally expected, but now Chi Xue, Dan Shuang and others naturally refused. However, Tie Ci waved her hand indifferently and stepped through the door first.
As soon as she entered, someone quickly closed the wedding hall doors.
Chi Xue and others’ expressions changed as they rushed forward. Inside, Tie Ci’s expression remained unchanged as she looked at You Jun, who spread his hands and smiled, “Your Highness, no need to panic. Do you see anyone else in this wedding hall?”
Inside the wedding hall, besides You Weixuan, the You father and son who were already standing inside, there was no one else. Even the matrons and female guards who had previously followed You Weixuan closely were nowhere to be seen.
You Jun now held a walking stick, and walked around the ground in a circle, tapping each floor tile and wall with his cane, saying, “Naturally there are no mechanisms either.”
He stopped, standing in the middle of the wedding hall, leaning on his cane, “Even if there were mechanisms and ambushes, even if I really threw down a cup as signal, with Your Highness’s abilities, covering several li in an instant, leaving wouldn’t be difficult.”
Tie Ci said, “Knowing this, why the charade?”
“Would you first reassure your subordinates, then we talk?”
Tie Ci stepped back and commanded outside in a deep voice, “It’s fine, wait outside.”
Dan Shuang frowned, wanting to say something, but Chi Xue pulled her. Dan Shuang still wanted to speak, but seeing Chi Xue’s look, she pursed her lips and said nothing.
They withdrew, and naturally others wouldn’t advance either.
In the wedding hall with closed doors, You Weixuan looked at the two in astonishment, saying softly, “Are you going to… negotiate in front of me?”
You Jun smiled, “I now understand that I’m no match for Your Highness. I beg Your Highness to give me a chance—Your Highness is magnanimous.”
You Weixuan glanced at Tie Ci, her eyes slightly disappointed.
Tie Ci remained impassive, saying, “Since you’re not a match, then this isn’t called negotiation—it’s called groveling. Whether I agree depends on how well you grovel.”
You Jun wasn’t angry and chuckled, though a trace of confusion flashed in his eyes.
He always felt something was wrong with Tie Ci’s words. This feeling of wrongness had existed from the beginning, but he couldn’t figure out what it was.
“I’m being modest, but Your Highness takes it seriously.” You Jun said, “I indeed cannot detain you anywhere in Yannan, but what use is it if you escape? After all, your purpose in coming to Yannan is to return Yannan to the court.”
“Killing you would suffice,” Tie Ci said flatly.
You Jun laughed.
“This Fishing Rock Manor can be called heavily guarded. I can’t detain you, but if you want to kill me, it doesn’t seem easy either.”
“Don’t think you truly control Yannan now. Except for those few powerless, uninfluential officials you’ve trapped who have no choice but to cling to you, Yannan’s soldiers and officialdom won’t truly follow you. Otherwise, why hasn’t even one of those officials outside being entertained by courtesans come to look?”
“Don’t think there’s still room to discuss with me,” Tie Ci sat down and said, “I don’t negotiate with people who have no sincerity whatsoever.”
“Kill You Weixuan, put You Weixuan in power, and my son and I will leave Yannan to take positions as Qianzhou Provincial Governor and Qianzhou Commander,” You Jun suddenly said.
You Weixuan’s brow twitched.
Tie Ci’s expression didn’t change. “Oh?”
“You Weixuan taking power is the only result Yannan’s military and civilians can currently accept, and also the result the court would be pleased to see. For Yannan, it’s a fig leaf—at least it’s still a You family member as Yannan Prince, emotionally acceptable for smooth transition. For the court, You Weixuan’s mental deficiency means he can only be a puppet, so Yannan would effectively return to the court. For Your Highness, it’s like a fish in water. Your Highness has painstakingly cultivated from the academy, earning You Weixuan’s love and trust. What’s his is yours. With Yannan in hand, whether it’s securing the throne, eliminating powerful ministers, or unifying the realm, you’ll achieve twice the result with half the effort.”
Tie Ci stared at You Jun without speaking.
This brother of the old Yannan Prince, whose reputation was unremarkable, indeed had been hiding his light under a bushel, concealing his depths.
This analysis showed precise insight and clear thinking, and even hinted that he had long seen through Tie Ci’s layout.
However reluctant she was to let him be smug, Tie Ci had to admit this was indeed her plan.