When Pang Liangji made his invitation, Wei Xun stared at him with an incredulous expression and spoke bluntly: “Inviting someone as inauspicious as me to a wedding—do you have water in your brain? If someone died in your family, I could help with the funeral, but what would I do at a joyous occasion like a wedding?”
Pang Liangji hurriedly said: “Brother Wei, let me finish. The local custom of blocking wedding carriages and tormenting the groom is extremely prevalent. The Pang family usually acts high-profile, so many people are surely waiting for this opportunity to cause trouble. I’ve lost my martial arts and have no strength to resist. If the wedding disrupters pin me down and beat and torment me, I’m afraid I won’t be able to withstand it. I must have a formidable best man beside me to assist, or I won’t survive to marry my bride.”
Wei Xun dismissed this: “Even if there are troublemakers blocking carriages, your family has money—hiring seven or eight bodyguards to escort you would be enough. Unless you’re determined to have me kill all the wedding disrupters on the spot and ride the wedding carriage through blood—is that an auspicious way to get married?”
Bao Zhu had intended to go upstairs to her room, but overhearing fragments of conversation, she was shocked and puzzled: Is this marrying a wife or going to war? How can there be processes of “bodyguard escorts and beating troublemakers”?
She couldn’t help asking: “What does ‘blocking carriages’ mean?”
Shisan Lang said: “Jiu Niang hasn’t seen it, right? In folk weddings, there’s often a custom where neighbors block the wedding carriage, crowd gates and alleys to forcibly demand money and gifts, and torment the groom in various ways. There are even rumors of grooms dying during wedding disruptions.”
Bao Zhu was shocked: “Aren’t weddings all solemn and grand ceremonies? How can such unseemly things happen? Isn’t this open criminality?”
Wei Xun was amused in his heart and laughed: “It’s normal you haven’t seen it—surely no one tired of living would dare block your family’s wedding carriage.”
Pang Liangji naturally couldn’t understand their coded conversation and continued racking his brains to plead: “Though escort guards are reliable, this is after all a wedding. Besides the best man, no one has the qualification to block wine for the groom. According to local custom, from arriving at the bride’s house to fetch her, it’s one cup per step. Every guest that comes means draining a cup, drinking continuously until the wedding carriage returns to the groom’s house and the bowing ceremony is completed. Only you, with your profound internal energy and such capacity for drink, could handle this. Others would drink themselves to death on the road. I’ve prepared excellent aged huadiao wine—just consider it coming to help your brother drink!”
Hearing “excellent aged huadiao wine,” Wei Xun felt somewhat tempted and his thoughts stirred slightly, but after thinking for a moment, worried that no one would care for Bao Zhu’s side, he still firmly refused: “Not going. Hire a few more best men and have them take turns.”
Seeing his determination, Pang Liangji’s heart sank, knowing he could only burn his boats and desperately bring out that ultimate move. He immediately straightened his posture and said solemnly: “Does senior martial brother still remember the favor you owed me back then? As long as you’re willing to help with this, that matter will be settled even—from now on we brothers owe each other nothing.”
Wei Xun was startled, never expecting him to bring out old matters for trade. He asked in surprise: “You truly want to use that favor on such a trivial matter as hiring a wine-blocking best man? As long as you ask, I can help you destroy any sect enemies or steal any rare treasures you desire.”
Hearing this, Bao Zhu’s curiosity was greatly aroused: She wondered what kind of great favor Wei Xun owed this young master, that he could demand anything and receive promises to accomplish heaven-and-earth-moving difficulties in repayment.
Pang Liangji’s expression was serious: “I’ve waited many years for A’Ran and finally got my wish. Now being able to smoothly marry her is the most important thing in my life. I’m already disabled and don’t need rare treasures, nor do I want to destroy anyone’s sect. Please help me this once, senior martial brother!”
These words poured out his heart and soul with absolute determination. Having spoken to this extent, Wei Xun knew there was no room for maneuvering and could only nod in agreement. He solemnly extended his hand, and he and Pang Liangji gripped each other’s forearms and pressed firmly—the matter was settled.
In the entire sect, the blue-robed man not only had supreme martial arts but also kept his word absolutely, with promises worth more than mountains—never speaking falsely. Obtaining his commitment, Pang Liangji knew no one in the world could prevent the wedding. He was immediately so happy he nearly shed tears, slapping the table and shouting loudly: “Bring wine! Bring wine! Today we won’t return until drunk!”
The old steward poured wine while quietly advising: “Young master, you haven’t yet memorized all the urging-makeup poems and fan-refusing poems for fetching the bride. Do you really want to drink so much?”
Pang Liangji held back his tears, looking somewhat embarrassed, and lowered his voice: “Then… then just get a little drunk before returning…”
Wei Xun was thoroughly familiar with funeral procedures but knew nothing about weddings. Since he’d agreed to be the groom’s best man, Pang Liangji immediately set out wine and food to explain the ceremonial details.
Bao Zhu had no relationship with the Pang family, and seeing no enemies to fight, she took her bow and arrows and returned to her room. Shisan Lang also followed behind her.
Pang Liangji asked puzzledly: “Won’t you join us for a meal? Though I’ve been expelled from the sect, I did spend time at that unlucky place, Remnant Sun Courtyard. Who is that bow-carrying young lady? Such grand airs.”
Wei Xun said: “Thirteen and I promised to escort her to distant places to seek relatives. We can’t neglect one for the other—at most we’ll delay a few days to help you accomplish this, then we must get on the road.”
The blue-robed man, who had always been active in Guanzhong, suddenly leaving his homeland and passing through Tongguan into the Central Plains had generated considerable rumors in the jianghu. Hearing Wei Xun explain the reason, Pang Liangji suddenly understood.
He had always harbored an old matter in his heart and wanted to ask a few concerned questions, but seeing Wei Xun’s face even paler than before and his wrists ice-cold, thinking the illness had no improvement, he ultimately couldn’t bear to ask.
Pang Liangji had the steward retrieve a package of brand-new silk clothing from the sedan chair and gave it to Wei Xun, saying: “These are the clothes the best man must wear on the day.”
Wei Xun frowned as he accepted them: “You’ve prepared everything—did you calculate that I had no choice but to go?”
Pang Liangji smiled smugly: “It wasn’t easy waiting for her bastard former husband to die, then enduring her completion of mourning. Since setting the wedding date at the beginning of the year, I’ve been preparing daily, striving for everything to be complete, magnificent, and impressive.”
Hearing his young master start talking nonsense again, the steward grimaced while pouring wine: “Young master, stop boasting. Marrying a remarrying woman doesn’t require such fanfare—normally sending an ox cart to bring her home for the bowing ceremony suffices. Our family has the means for extravagance, but you can’t tell everyone the reason every time you meet them.”
Pang Liangji’s sword-like eyebrows stood on end as he slapped the table and shouted loudly: “What’s wrong with remarriage?! Remarriage means her former husband’s fate wasn’t strong enough, wasn’t wealthy enough, didn’t match her destiny! Though she’s remarrying, this young master Pang is marrying for the first time—I want a grand celebration! I’m righteous and proper!”
This steward was a Pang family old-timer who had watched Pang Liangji grow up. He knew the young master had been willful since childhood, whether traveling to study martial arts or marrying into an unsuitable family—always stubborn in his opinions. When he unfortunately became disabled by his master years ago, he returned home depressed for a long time. Now that he had finally rallied and was willing to marry, the whole family indulged his antics.
Hearing Pang Liangji about to rebel again, the steward quickly coaxed him saying whatever made him happy was fine. He also thought that after his young master returned to Jade City with severe injuries, he’d never contacted that evil sect again—today’s special visit to this blue-clothed person was the first time.
The steward quietly observed this former senior martial brother, seeing he was young and thin with shabby clothing, not seeming like any important person. But Jade City’s Young Master Pang had always been arrogant—his humble pleading for help was truly unprecedented. Therefore the steward didn’t dare underestimate him and stood nearby serving attentively.
Wei Xun asked: “My eastward journey was a temporary decision—I didn’t notify anyone. What was your original plan?”
Pang Liangji chuckled: “Your coming is naturally best, but I originally had a backup person. Now she’s also arrived in Lingbao County. More helpers are always better—let’s go shoulder to shoulder, the three of us.”
Wei Xun was about to ask who this “she” was when he saw a tall black-clothed figure wearing a conical hat walking through the light rain outside the inn. Just seeing the silhouette, his brow immediately furrowed tightly.
Huo Qi Lang stood under the covered walkway, removed her hat, shook off water drops, lifted her long legs to step over the threshold, and smiled charmingly at the two people at the table: “Greetings, senior martial brother. Greetings, sixth martial brother. Huo Qi arrived late—is there spare wine to drink?” Her bearing was elegant and her manner graceful, stealing all the light in the entire inn.
Wei Xun suddenly understood why Huo Qi had appeared simultaneously with them in Xiagui County—their destinations were the same. He absolutely didn’t want to see this person, covering his eyes with one hand and saying irritably: “If you’d said earlier you’d found this troublemaker, I wouldn’t have agreed to go.”
Pang Liangji said sheepishly: “You’ve always been elusive with no fixed residence—I really had no confidence I could definitely invite you. With the wedding date approaching, I had to make backup arrangements.”
Huo Qi Lang plopped down, her face darkening, her handsome brows raised high as she demanded sternly: “You cripple, who are you calling backup?!”
Pang Liangji said nothing, extending his hand palm-up behind him with a shake. The steward understood and immediately produced a heavy ingot of gold, placing it in his master’s hand. This ingot of gold clattered down in front of Huo Qi, brilliant and dazzling, directly smashing a diamond-shaped dent in the table.
Huo Qi Lang immediately beamed with joy, the fierce scars on her face smoothing out as she cupped her hands laughing: “What a coincidence! I happen to be surnamed Bei, given name Yong (‘Backup’). I’m at Young Master Pang of Jade City’s disposal! Forget marrying a wife—even if your wife marries you, I’ll package you up and personally carry you to your father-in-law’s mansion!”
Pang Liangji smiled and had the steward bring out another package of best man’s clothing for Huo Qi Lang. When Huo Qi opened the bundle, she found a complete set of orange-red round-collar gauze robes, silk and satin inside and out, plus silk caps and other items. This outfit alone was worth over a hundred strings of cash, showing the magnitude of the Pang family’s wedding investment.
Huo Qi was somewhat puzzled, frowning: “Why is it men’s clothing?”
Pang Liangji also frowned, asking back: “What else would it be—women’s clothing?”
Huo Qi Lang said: “You called me all the way from Guanzhong—I thought you needed a female best man to personally protect the bride so outsiders wouldn’t shame her.”
Pang Liangji was shocked, his voice nearly breaking: “I would never let you get within a step of A’Ran! You cannot see her!”
Huo Qi Lang couldn’t save face and rubbed her nose bridge, saying quietly: “Don’t guard against me like a thief—Old Seven doesn’t eat grass near the nest.”
Looking at the long scar on her face that Dong Zhenzi had personally carved, both Wei and Pang simultaneously showed expressions of “impossible to trust.”
Using various means, Pang Liangji had managed to invite these two supreme experts as best men. His anxious heart immediately gained support, and relaxing, he drained cup after cup while rambling about various troubles since the betrothal—interference from the former husband’s family, disdain from the father-in-law’s family, and so forth.
“Her family is a scholarly noble house of generations, though long declined, they still look down on upstarts like the Pang family and create difficulties at every turn. Originally as jianghu people, relatives and friends would drink heartily and merrily complete the marriage, but now I must follow my father-in-law’s wishes and compose urging-makeup poems, fan-refusing poems, and carriage-blocking literature on the spot. I memorize them daily until my head spins!”
Despite such complaints, Pang Liangji’s face showed a simple smile as he swayed his head reciting.
Even with the rain, Bao Zhu didn’t want to stay moldy in her room. She had Shisan Lang ask the innkeeper to borrow an oiled paper umbrella, preparing to go out and look around. Passing through the corridor, she heard Pang Liangji reciting poetry in the hall below: “Eyebrows surpass willow leaves, skirts envy pomegranate flowers. Let others view the precious tree—why labor to hide behind jade fans…”
Bao Zhu paused, her expression changing slightly as she called down: “Is this fan-refusing poem your composition?”
Pang Liangji answered with drunken eyes: “Where would I have the ability to write poetry? This is ghostwritten by a hired teacher—quite beautiful, right? A’Ran looks exactly like this.”
Seeing this prospective groom’s foolishly blissful air, Bao Zhu thought that necessary words, however unpleasant, must be said, or he’d only have tears to shed on his wedding day.
Thinking this, she spoke frankly: “Fool, you’ve been swindled. ‘Eyebrows surpass willow leaves, skirts envy pomegranate flowers’ is from Bai Juyi’s ‘Twenty Poems on Deep Spring’—beautiful indeed, but describing the spring scenery of a courtesan’s house. Reciting this publicly to your bride at the wedding—aren’t you asking for a beating?”
Upon these words, the several jianghu heroes at the table were stunned. Pang Liangji looked up at her bewildered, then at his martial brother. Wei Xun immediately provided solemn corroboration: “In this skill, she’s a top expert—none of us can match her. You’d better listen to her.”
Shocked sober from half his drunkenness, Pang Liangji gripped the table and struggled to stand, cupping his hands in salute: “Pang’s knowledge is shallow—please give this young lady clear guidance!”
*According to ancient records, carriage-blocking behavior existed from nobles to commoners. Of course, blocking the wedding carriages of imperial relatives at most involved saying auspicious words and requesting wine and food—they wouldn’t dare rob. Sometimes the bride’s family would send people to block carriages to increase ceremonial joy and liveliness. For powerless families, robbery and bride-snatching could even occur.