The duet between Li Lingsu and Yang Qianxuan was like pouring boiling water into hot oil or throwing ice cubes into a raging fire.

The scene suddenly fell silent, the atmosphere froze, but emotions were boiling beneath the surface.

On the Tiandiclan’s side.

Here it comes, here it comes! The Holy Son and Yang Qianxuan have been plotting this for a long time. They certainly haven’t disappointed me. But is it wise to fan these flames? Xu Ningyan is a First-Rank Warrior after all – aren’t they afraid of his future retribution? Chu Yuanzhen’s spirits lifted, his back muscles tensing with an excitement reminiscent of his imperial examinations years ago.

It wasn’t that the First-Place Scholar was simply being gossipy – truly, every woman at that table was an exceptional talent with extraordinary status.

Watching their psychological warfare and both overt and covert struggles was no less thrilling than witnessing a duel between First-Rank masters.

Moreover, Xu Ningyan himself was quietly devious. The members of the Tiandiclan were originally all righteous and serious knights, but under his obvious or subtle guidance, each had accumulated their share of embarrassing incidents.

Now seeing him caught in this predicament, Chu Yuanzhen couldn’t help but feel schadenfreude.

Master Hengyuan’s brows furrowed deeply, concerned about Lord Xu’s current situation.

What wrong had Lord Xu committed? Lord Xu was merely young and romantic. The ones at fault were Yang Qianxuan and Li Lingsu.

Asura had never witnessed such an interesting “drama” before. While eagerly observing the scene, he reflected that sometimes becoming a monk had its advantages – at least there weren’t so many complications. For the sake of “lust,” putting oneself in such an awkward position was truly hard to understand.

Lust would only slow down his punching speed.

Daoist Jin Lian sipped his wine with a smile, completely at ease.

As a trusted confidant, Miao Youfang kept his head down while eating, pretending to be from the same tribe as the silent Mo Sang.

At times like these, one feared being pulled out by Xu the Magistrate to take the blow – whoever blocked would die.

“These two are deliberately making things difficult for Ningyan…” Madam Ji Baiqing frowned, seeing that Li Lingsu and Yang Qianxuan were bullying her son, and immediately became displeased.

“Big brother brought this on himself…” Young Master Xu exchanged cups with his teachers from afar, secretly rejoicing a little in his misfortune.

Among those present, except for Aunt, the Lina siblings, Lingyin, White Princess, and Chu Caiwei – who were slow to react due to special circumstances – everyone else was secretly waiting for Xu Ningyan’s response and the reactions from the women at that table.

Worth mentioning, Xu Lingyin sat on Aunt’s lap, half her face buried in her plate.

At their table, wine and dishes were unlimited, continuously replenished as soon as they were finished. This made Chu Caiwei and Lina extremely envious, and they planned to move to that table to freeload once they had finished most of the dishes at their current one.

“Bang!”

With a loud table slap, the white-robed general Mu Nanzhi charged forth like mounting a horse, glaring at Li Lingsu and scolding:

“You dare slander the Imperial Teacher as a common beauty? Li Lingsu, you must be tired of living.”

Except for Xu Qi’an, no one had expected the first attack would come from this plain-looking woman.

Impressive… guests at several tables turned to look at Mu Nanzhi, clicking their tongues in amazement.

Everyone present knew the Imperial Teacher was Xu Ningyan’s dual cultivation partner. This woman’s words had essentially put the Imperial Teacher on the hot seat.

As the illustrious head of the Human Path and a First-Rank Immortal, how could she maintain face if her dual cultivation partner had married another woman? If she didn’t respond?

If she took this opportunity to make a scene and disrupt the wedding, most of the women at that table would be overjoyed.

Indeed, internal competition between sisters is the most terrifying. Among everyone at this table, only Nanzhi dares to offend the Imperial Teacher… Xu Qi’an mused inwardly.

Luo Yuheng gave her a cold look and asked:

“And you are?”

“This is my Aunt Mu, sworn sister to my aunt,” Xu Qi’an quickly interjected, swiftly establishing the Flower Goddess’s identity.

“Oh,” Luo Yuheng responded, raising her wine cup elegantly and saying flatly:

“Aunt Mu looks particularly warm and down-to-earth. Let me toast to you.”

She emphasized “warm and down-to-earth” particularly heavily.

Mu Nanzhi took a deep breath, glanced at the Xu family members, and suddenly smiled:

“No need for formalities, dear niece.”

As the dignified Flower Goddess and former princess consort, she had her pride to maintain. After weighing between social death and removing her bracelet, she chose to endure this round.

Failed to provoke the Imperial Teacher to act… Li Miaozhen and the others felt a wave of disappointment.

They all wanted to use each other as weapons, but none wanted to be the weapon themselves.

After several rounds of drinking, Li Miaozhen coughed forcefully to attract everyone’s attention and said calmly:

“Xu the Magistrate’s wedding today is a joyous occasion. I’ve prepared a modest gift.”

Unnecessary… Xu Qi’an was instinctively on guard.

Li Miaozhen lowered her head, removed the fragrance pouch from her waist, and gently opened it. A wisp of green smoke emerged, and under everyone’s gaze, it transformed into a black-haired woman in a white dress, devastatingly beautiful and enchanting.

She was alluring yet refined, seductive but not vulgar, her entire being emanating an intoxicating aura that stunned the men present.

“This is my elder sister, Susu, who grew up with me. Alas, my sister met with an untimely death and became a wandering spirit.”

When Li Miaozhen reached this point, Xu Lingyin, who had been absorbed in her world, raised her head, licked her greasy mouth, and looked at Susu with anticipation.

After briefly explaining Susu’s identity, Li Miaozhen continued:

“She met Xu the Magistrate when he was nobody, they shared hardships, and he promised to take her as a concubine. Unfortunately, while they met when he was lowly and could share hardships, they couldn’t necessarily share prosperity.

“After Xu the Magistrate rose to prominence, he never sought her out again. Susu spent her days crying, depressed, and melancholic. As her sister, how could I tolerate this? Today, on this wedding day, I especially ask Xu the Magistrate: do you still remember your promise from back then?”

Since no one wanted to be the weapon, she created one instead.

Susu cooperated by making a tear-wiping gesture, sobbing:

“You unfaithful man, back in Yunzhou, you said over and over that you didn’t mind my status…”

As expected of Flying Swallow Heroine, straightforward… Lord Wei Yuan, the Grand Scholars of Cloud Deer Academy, and others tacitly raised their cups and took a sip.

It went well with the wine.

Li Lingsu looked at Xu Qi’an with indignation:

“Susu is my sister too, you… you actually made advances on my sister? And then abandoned her?”

Yang Qianxuan slowly stood up, turning his back to everyone, and shouted:

“Xu Ningyan, I never thought you were this kind of person!”

I almost forgot about the concubine! Xu Qi’an thought to himself. He knew these people would definitely cause trouble, their grievances had to be vented – they wouldn’t just sit there drinking with stern faces.

Things couldn’t be that easy.

Xu Qi’an wasn’t panicked at all and was about to respond when he heard Xu Lingyue from that table speak:

“Elder Daoist Li, you’re being too serious. Those who don’t know might think my big brother was going to marry Miss Susu as his primary wife. Everyone knows my big brother’s word is worth its weight in gold – if he promised, he’ll fulfill it. After the wedding ceremony, Mother can arrange for a flower sedan to bring Miss Susu into the family.

“Taking a wife and accepting concubines, one must know the proper order.”

Li Miaozhen was stunned, suddenly feeling as if she was “making a mountain out of a molehill” and “making unreasonable demands.”

No, it wasn’t just a feeling – it was the effect produced by Xu Lingyue’s passive-aggressive rhetoric: On the wedding day, what business does a mere concubine have making demands? Getting ahead of yourself, are you trying to be a concubine or the primary wife?

This… this… seems to make some sense. How did Xu Ningyan’s sister become so sharp-tongued? Yang Qianxuan racked his brains but couldn’t think of a counter-strategy, growing anxious.

Li Lingsu pondered briefly and sighed helplessly. Miaozhen’s strategy could at most add another mark to that dog Xu Ningyan’s reputation as a philanderer, but the problem was, wasn’t he already known for being that type of person?

The key was, what threat could a ghost pose?

She didn’t even have a physical body…

Look at the Imperial Teacher, the Princess Consort, and Her Majesty – they weren’t reacting at all.

Xu Qi’an gave an appreciative look to Xu Lingyue, thinking that she truly lived up to her claim of being the sister who cared most for her brother.

He then glanced at Wang Simu, thinking: This isn’t good – this sister-in-law has been watching the show the whole time, with no intention of stepping up to block the blow. I need to give her a push.

Xu Qi’an cleared his throat and smiled:

“The bride can’t conveniently come out to meet guests, so I asked Simu to sit in for Lin’an. Simu is both Lin’an’s sister-in-law and close friend, so it’s perfectly fine for her to represent Lin’an. Second Brother, don’t you agree?”

Wang Simu was dumbfounded, completely caught off guard.

Second Brother, Second Brother, your big brother is trying to harm me… She looked to Xu Xinnian for help.

Big Brother is just quietly devious like this, I can’t help it… Xu Xinnian returned her a look.

Birth mother Ji Baiqing’s heart stirred, and she smiled:

“Since you’re representing the bride, you should join the Second Young Master in toasting the guests one by one.

“Little Ru, don’t you agree?”

As the groom, Xu Ningyan hadn’t reached the time to toast guests yet – usually, this would wait until everyone was half full and slightly tipsy.

Aunt showed no recognition that her son and daughter-in-law were being “ambushed,” and immediately nodded:

“Elder Sister-in-law makes a good point.”

Second Young Master Xu sighed.

He understood his mother well, but to Wang Simu, this seemed like her future mother-in-law hinting that she should help share Big Brother Xu Qi’an’s burden, and there might even be an element of testing her – to see if she could handle these various women, as well as the trouble-making guests.

The former represented the Imperial Teacher, Zhong Li, and other women who had ambiguous relationships with Big Brother or had already crossed certain lines. The latter represented Yang Qianxuan and Li Lingsu.

Maintaining stability was an essential ability for the primary wife.

Wang Simu looked at the woman at the table, feeling a chill in her heart.

Her future mother-in-law had high expectations of her.

With the sacrifice of Second Young Master Xu and Wang Simu, one round of toasts passed, and an incense stick’s worth of time went by, completely dispelling the earlier knife-edge atmosphere.

For the groom, every minute endured was a minute closer to victory.

At this moment, Huaiqing smiled with reserved elegance and said:

“We have also prepared a gift for Xu the Magistrate.”

The lively atmosphere quieted slightly, and people unconsciously stopped their animated discussions, maintaining a respectful silence.

Firstly, this was due to Huaiqing’s status as the emperor – when the Son of Heaven spoke, subjects naturally maintained silence.

Secondly, those familiar with her knew this empress was deeply calculating and highly skilled – her “gift” would be far more interesting than Li Miaozhen’s.

Li Lingsu and Yang Qianxuan secretly rubbed their hands together.

“Your Majesty, there’s no need to be so polite!”

Xu Qi’an shook his head slightly, hoping the usually perceptive Huaiqing would understand his meaning and show mercy.

Huaiqing didn’t understand at all, maintaining her reserved smile:

“Xu the Magistrate shouldn’t stand on ceremony!”

Speaking thus, she summoned the palace maids waiting outside and gave an order.

The palace maid acknowledged and withdrew, then shortly returned leading a group of people.

A group of… fox women wearing gauze dresses, bewitching and enchanting.

There were eighteen fox women in total, each with different charms – some seductive, some pure, some cold and elegant, some proud – all of exceptional beauty.

Especially the black-dressed woman leading them, with her oval face and fox-like eyes, so gracefully alluring that even in this gathering of beauties, she still shone brilliantly.

Huaiqing smiled and said:

“The Myriad Beast Nation of the Southern Borderlands has learned of Xu the Magistrate’s wedding and specially offers these eighteen fox women to show sincerity. The Myriad Beast Nation and Great Feng have been allies for generations, watching out for each other.”

Ye Ji smiled charmingly:

“Young Master Xu, I’ve missed you so much.”

So there was already an affair?! Several tables of guests wore strange expressions.

Mu Nanzhi’s face darkened.

Luo Yuheng’s beautiful face was covered in frost.

Zhong Li raised her head, expressionlessly examining the fox woman.

Li Miaozhen gritted her teeth.

Susu’s delicate brows furrowed.

Chu Caiwei held her pork knuckle, dumbfounded.

Even Xu Lingyue, who always cared for her brother, developed a dangerous aura.

Even Aunt and Ji Baiqing felt their nephew (son) was being a bit too frivolous.

Xu Yuanhuai looked at his sister, and slow as he was, he also sensed something was amiss.

Nangong Qianrou looked at the dumbfounded Xu Qi’an, feeling pleased.

Isn’t visiting brothels good enough? Aren’t the courtesans of the Imperial Entertainment Bureau beautiful enough? Why must you get involved with all these messy women… Or is it that you like brothels so much, that you want to turn yourself into one? Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao were very anxious for their brother, but their low positions meant they could only watch the show.

So many fox women, I haven’t tried creating Yokai yet… Song Qing’s eyes lit up.

It’s still better to marry just one wife… Second Uncle Xu looked at Aunt, adding in his heart:

And better to marry a simpler one.

Princess Lin’an must be furious tonight… Wang Simu thought of her close friend.

Big brother, I can’t help you anymore… Second Young Master Xu lowered his head to drink, trying not to laugh.

A gentleman should be attracted to beauty but not be licentious. Later we’ll use Ningyan’s example to warn the academy’s students and write it into the textbooks as a negative example… The Grand Scholars of Cloud Deer Academy secretly made their decision.

Wei Yuan, Zhao Shou, Daoist Jin Lian, Asura, and Chu Yuanzhen all raised their cups simultaneously and took a drink.

It went well with the wine!