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Wedding Mutiny (1)
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
The young heir lifted the veil, brightly smiling at the girl under the veil.
“I although still haven’t married you yet, I can still get a feel for it first.”
“Which respectable family’s wedding veil looks like this?” Shen Lan Chi said, “This doesn’t count as lifting the wedding veil.”
“I disagree. I’m precisely lifting the wedding veil here.” Lu Qi Yang said.
“…..” Shen Lan Chi was helpless, answering with, “Alright, alright, do whatever you want, already this old, yet still this thick-skinned.”
The bridal escort procession blew the suona[1] and beat the drums, coloring the streets red along the way, reaching the Shen manor gate.
Shen Lan Chi and Lu Qi Yang stood before the Shen manor gate, following the crowd and catching a glimpse of Lu Zhao Ye riding on horseback in the distance.
The crown prince was dressed in the bright red wedding clothes, his complexion cold and stern, not getting dissolved by the joyous atmosphere around him in the slightest, as if the one getting married today wasn’t him, but any of the ones behind him, and he was merely accompanying along.
“The groom has come!”
“Hand over the wedding money!”
The bridesmaids all gathered forward, fighting to throw out the question prepared in advance, just waiting for Lu Zhao Ye to answer. However, Lu Zhao Ye remained silent, directly getting off the horse and extending his hand towards Shen Tong Ying who’d gotten escorted out.
The palm half-hidden under the bright red sleeve………
Witness this scene, Shen Lan Chi faintly felt it was familiar.
A good while later, she finally remembered. That the glimpse she caught from under the bright red wedding veil in the past life when she married Lu Zhao Ye.
But now, everything has already changed.
The one marrying into the Eastern Palace wasn’t her, and she was also no longer a young lady of the An Duke Manor.
“What is the bride’s personal name?”
“Does the bride like apricot color or light yellow?”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
The bridesmaids’ charming voices were unending, but Lu Zhao didn’t utter a single word, silently holding Shen Tong Ying’s hand as he walked outward. Prior to sending Shen Tong Ying onto the bridal sedan, he turned back for a glance, just happening to meet with Shen Lan Chi’s eyes.
This glance seemingly made her return to the past life again. Even the winter wind and snow of Yongjia year 3 all hit her face. She suddenly lowered her eyes, no longer looking at him.
At this moment, her palm suddenly got grasped by someone.
Lu Qi Yang tightly held her hand, whispering by her ear, “Don’t be scared, I’m here.”
Shen Lan Chi felt her palm warming up. The wind and snow of Yongjia year 3 seemingly has already subsided.
The eyes entirely filled with red, the crowd endlessly clamoring, the sounds of congratulation and praises incessantly fell on the ears.
Lu Qi Yang suddenly whispered, “Afterwards, when I forced my way into the Eastern Palace, I saw that you were already gone. I knew that Lu Zhao Ye had forced you to drink the poisoned wine, so I won’t easily forgive him. It is so in the past life, and also the same in this life.”
This voice was as light as feather. Landing among the noisy crowd, it instantly got drowned out by the cheers and laughter, but Shen Lan Chi still heard it.
She suddenly froze. Her hand that was tightly held by the heir lightly started shaking.
“What……what did you say?” She felt that there was burning tears swirling in her eyes, her voice also somewhat choking up, “It’s too noisy, I can’t hear clearly.”
“Your older brother later escaped, just Song Yu Rong got taken away by her maiden family, unwilling to live a life of hardships with your brother. He went to Jingnan, no longer hearing any news from him. Perhaps, he got to live the days that he’d always wanted. As for your father and mother…….I erected graves for them, in Qinghu. The place was exile was too far away, unable to return.”
Shen Lan Chi listened to the voice by her ear, her tears already streaming endlessly, all over her entire face.
But, the person by her side continued to speak—–
“But, I was unable to have you stolen back……..Lu Zhao Ye had you buried in the imperial tombs.”
——–Posthumously conferring into the empress, resting together with the emperor. Recorded in the annals of history, the emperor and empress were deeply in love, a perfect pair like mandarin ducks.
Clearly, the surrounding was lively and festive, yet Shen Lan Chi soundlessly cried amongst the crowd.
She was scared of getting discovered by others, so hurriedly lowered her head, quietly using her sleeve to wipe her tears.
She wanted to say something, but as soon as she opened her mouth, it just turned into uncontrollable sobbing.
At this time, a man slowly squeezed into the crowd. He walked to Lu Qi Yang’s side with great difficulty and said, “Heir, it’s time. We should go. The second prince won’t wait.”
Lu Qi Yang nodded his head, saying to Shen Lan Chi, “I’ll be back tomorrow, go back home and have a good rest.”
After saying this, he turned around and left.
Shen Lan Chi could only lift her head, and through her blurry tears, watch his figure gradually disappear into the crowd.
She should have long discovered it.
She should have long guessed it.
A few women next to her noticed her squatting on the ground, silently crying, so kindly supported her up, saying, “Miss bridesmaid, what’s the matter? Your sister has married, but she will still returned to the maiden home in the future, so don’t feel too sad about her leaving!”
“Every girl will eventually marry. How can one be a maiden at home for a lifetime? Wipe your tears, don’t be sad!”
Shen Lan Chi listened to the caring words by her ear and attempted to wipe the tears from her face, saying as she choked with emotions, “I grew up together with older sister Tong. Seeing her get married, I somewhat can’t bear to part her. Sorry, to have let you see something embarrassing.”
• • •
Lu Zhao Ye picked up the bride and immediately returned to the palace.
The crown prince’s wedding procession cannot compare with the ordinary. Based on Great Chu’s customs, they need to walk three circles around the Vermilion Bird street, so as to show grandness of the imperial family. But, the crown prince had no intention of leading the procession behind him through the Vermillion Bird street, directly entering the palace.
After he and Shen Tong Ying bowed to the heaven and earth before the emperor and empress, they then bowed to the deities. Once it was time to enter the bridal chamber, he didn’t go see Shen Tong Ying, but instead returned to his study in the Eastern Palace.
A few servants were already anxiously waiting in the study. Seeing him come, they said, “Your Highness, everything is in order. The sirs are already waiting for you outside the palace.” After saying this, they skillfully removed his cloak and outer robe, and then helped him change into his usual black robe.
Lu Zhao Ye slightly nodded, his gaze cold and indifferent, asking: “Is there any movements on Lu Zi Xiang’s side?”
“His Highness the Second Prince is still happily drinking with the officials in the palace.”
“Those few young generals of the Song family are also in the palace.”
Seeing his sleeves already straightened out, Lu Zhao Ye grabbed a sword. He had the treasured sword slowly drawn out of the scabbard, seeing the sliver glint of the blade. Afterwards, he had it returned to the scabbard, coldly saying, “Let’s go, there’s no time to waste.”
The capital city guards, in addition to the palace guards, were merely a little over ten thousand people at the moment. But, Lu Zhao Ye had thirty thousand people. Even if using his feet to crush, he can still have the palace gates forced open, pushing back Lu Zi Xiang. After tonight, there won’t be anymore threats to his position as the heir apparent.
Unless……
Unless Zhennan Wang is willing to support Lu Zi Xiang.
But, currently in the capital, there were rumors rising from all four corners. Everyone was singing the folksong of Zhennan Wang revolting. How could the emperor and Lu Zi Xiang dare to use him?
Thinking to here, a smile that lacked warmth appeared between Lu Zhao Ye’s lips.
The spring night still had a bit of chill in the air, just the capital was immersed in the celebration of the crown prince’s wedding, entire streets filled with red lanterns shining high, strangely adding a bit of warmth to the city. A squad of light calvary already gathered under the veil of the night, leaving behind the echoes of horse hooves and armor upon the Vermillion Bird street. For the purpose of blending into the night, everyone all wore black. This squad of light calvary was like a dark flow of ink, pouring into the bright red Vermillion Bird street.
After passing the Vermillion Bird street, it was Guangshu Gate.
At this time, a long line of light suddenly lit up upon the originally pitch dark Guangshu Gate. At the same time, they head a loud shout come from the gate tower above, “Crown Prince, please wait!”
Lu Zhao Ye pulled the reins and raised his palm, signaling the people behind him to stop.
He lifted his head and gazed up upon that brightly lit city gate, yet saw Lu Zi Xiang standing there, his face blurry and unclear under the light of the lantern.
“Imperial father and imperial mother are still in the palace. For you to lead soldiers to attack the palace, this is a deed that will leave behind a cursed name for thousands of years to come. If you were to halt outside Guangshu Gate, there’s still leeway to turn around!” Lu Zi Xiang stood with his hands behind his back, his voice resounding.
When Lu Zhao Ye heard, he coldly sneered, shouting, “Leeway? You and imperial father never once left any leeway for this prince!”
Because the surrounding was extremely quiet, this shout of his echoed loudly.
“Imperial brother, why be like this?” Lu Zi Xiang regretfully shook his head and said, “Merely just a throne, yet you want to meet Zi Xiang with swords and spears, wielding the axe at one’s own family? In this way, what will become of imperial father and the imperial family’s dignity?”
“What a good ‘merely just a throne’!” Lu Zhao Ye’s turned even colder, “Lu Zi Xiang, that is this prince’s heir apparent position to begin with! It’s you who disregarded the order of seniority first, what face do you have to question this prince now?”
“Imperial brother, for the sake of this heir apparent position, have you committed any less wrongdoings these years?” When Lu Zi Xiang heard, he felt increasingly regretful, saying, “Back then, Shen Xin Shu accepted bribes, abusing his position for personal gain on the imperial exam, yet you insistently covered for him, causing how many students of poor and humble families to denounce the imperial family for being heartless? During the Hedong flooding, if not for you being willful, insisting on letting a disciple of the Shen family take over this job, how could the flood have wreck havoc, causing countless innocent people to become destitute and homeless! Although ‘the success of a general is built upon thousands of dried up bones’, but as the heir apparent, you view the people of the world as nothing, so how are you fit to be the ruler!?”
Everything from Lu Zi Xiang’s mouth were all things that Lu Zhao Ye had done in the past. Lu Zhao Ye frowned, having nothing to refute with. He could only clench his teeth and say: “Lu Zi Xiang, at present, there’s only a little over ten thousand soldiers in the capital, unable to compete with this prince! If you surrender at this time, considering on behalf of our relationship as brothers, this prince can still let you be an idle wang!”
Hearing these words, Lu Zi Xiang’s face also turned cold. He has always carried a warm and elegant smile, like the clear skies and bright moon after the rain. Such coldness was truly rare.
“Crown Prince really thinks that I won’t know of your schemes tonight?” He said.
After he said this, Lu Zhao Ye saw a person slowly walk out from behind him. Although half of his body was still hidden in the shadows, Lu Zhao Ye still recognized him at a glance———-This person dressed in light armor carrying a long bow on his back truly was too familiar.
In that dream, he killed Shen Lan Chi with the poisoned wine. Afterwards, he just saw this person outside the Eastern Palace. He was also like tonight, wearing light armor, carrying a long bow on his back. Although unable to see his face, Lu Zhao Ye knew, he certainly must have the same cold and heavy gaze as in that dream.
“Lu……..Lu Qi Yang!” Lu Zhao Ye angrily shouted and said, “The Zhennan Wang Manor is already ambitious with ulterior motives, wanting to steal my imperial father’s mountains and rivers. Lu Zi Xiang, you actually still dare to use Zhennan Wang? Even if borrowing the Zhennan Wang Manor’s soldiers, defeating this prince here, afraid tomorrow, you will also die under the Zhennan Wang’s hands! Furthermore, this Lu Qi Yang is a mere wastrel, what ability does he have to block this prince?!”
His words were already not as confident as before.
[1] Suona – A traditional chinese wind instrument.
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