At the feast, Tan’er was surrounded by a crowd.
Today, Tan’er had also changed into extrely festive attire, tying two buns with red ribbons. Her appearance was completely different from her usual self, leaving many young ladies unable to recognize her at first glance.
Once they recognized her, she didn’t get a mont of peace.
"Tan’er, is it true that your mistress is the bride today?"
"Of course!"
"But... wasn’t it said that the Grand Commander’s fiancée was a lady from Miaojiang?"
"That’s all nonsense from the N!"
The crowd thought carefully for a mont. It seed that the Grand Commander indeed had never personally confird it. However, the rumor originally ca from Consort Li’s palace—could her information really be false?
But the truth proved that Consort Li’s information was indeed incorrect, misleading the entire Capital City.
"Speaking of which, how did your mistress marry the Grand Commander?"
That young lady voiced the question on everyone’s mind.
After all, ng Qianqian had remarried, hadn’t she? Why would the Grand Commander marry a woman who had been married before?
Though she had made contributions at the border, the saying goes, "Choose virtue in marriage." She was too fierce, making her far from the ideal candidate as a wife.
Tan’er folded her arms. "That’s just the N’s way of thinking. The Grand Commander is different from those n out there! As my mother says, only n with no capability want to marry weak won who are easy to manipulate!"
The young ladies didn’t quite agree with Tan’er’s view. A husband leads, and a wife naturally should follow him.
Still, they couldn’t understand: remarried and fierce—either one was bad enough to make soone hard to marry off. Yet ng Qianqian embodied both, and she ended up marrying a never-before-married Grand Commander.
This grand wedding was sothing even a first-ti bride wouldn’t dare imagine, let alone soone remarried.
Even the Emperor’s daughters didn’t inspire such envy on their wedding day.
If Tan’er knew what they were thinking, she would surely stand on the table, hands on her hips, ready to argue. How could they compare a Princess to her elder sister?
Her sister had killed so many Beiliang soldiers at the border and saved countless generals and civilians. Her sister’s glory was earned blade by blade, even exchanged with her life!
She wasn’t born into the royal family, yet the royal daughters couldn’t hold a candle to her!
anwhile, Marquis Anyuan had inquired among his colleagues and finally pieced together the details about the bride.
"This ng Xiaojiu is certainly no ordinary woman."
"How, how so?"
Yu Shi asked anxiously.
Despite the chatter about the bride at the feast, the scattered and confusing comnts made her feel as if they were discussing several different people rather than one.
Marquis Anyuan explained, "She didn’t co from a noble background; she’s rely a rchant’s daughter who married into the Lu Family of the Capital City. Her ex-husband was Lu Lingxiao, the General of the Northern Territories. Last year, the two were officially divorced by imperial decree. Shortly after that, she established rit and took command of the Twelve Guards. No wonder the Grand Commander holds her in such high regard."
In Marquis Anyuan’s opinion, the Grand Commander marrying ng Xiaojiu likely had much to do with her connection to the Black Armor Guards and ten thousand border soldiers.
Yu Shi’s face grew paler.
It was just as she had heard from the other ladies at the feast.
On that day at the Governor Mansion banquet, when the ladies eagerly visited a guest who didn’t even show her face at the table, apparently that guest was ng Xiaojiu. So it was her?
That day, she wasn’t brought in by Yu Li, but by an invitation from Madam Xing!
No wonder she dared use such a tone with her, even rejecting her goodwill outright without hesitation.
Indeed, once she had climbed high, why would she care about what Yu Shi had to offer?
At that mont, ng Tianlan, acting on behalf of the absent groom by welcoming guests, happened to approach nearby for a toast. Marquis Anyuan quickly stepped forward to greet him.
ng Tianlan glanced at Yu Shi at his side and smiled as he asked, "And you are—?"
Marquis Anyuan dared not play it cool before the Third Uncle of the Governor’s wife and replied courteously, "Xie Xuting."
ng Tianlan seed to suddenly understand. "Ah, so it’s Marquis Anyuan. My apologies for the oversight. And this lady is—?"
He looked toward Yu Shi.
Marquis Anyuan answered, "My wife, Lady Yu."
ng Tianlan’s gaze fell boldly on Yu Shi. "Ah, Marquis Xie, your wife resembles an old acquaintance of mine."
Marquis Anyuan was surprised. "Oh? Where is Mr. ng from?"
ng Tianlan’s accent didn’t sound like it was from the Capital City.
ng Tianlan replied, "You State."
Marquis Anyuan chuckled, "What a coincidence, my wife is also from You State. Mr. ng, may I ask who your old acquaintance is?"
ng Tianlan glanced aningfully at Yu Shi. "My old acquaintance, well..."
Yu Shi grabbed Marquis Anyuan’s wrist suddenly. "Marquis, I’m feeling a bit lightheaded."
Marquis Anyuan whispered, "Now of all tis?"
Yu Shi nodded stiffly. "Yes."
ng Tianlan sneered coldly. "Since Lady Marquis isn’t feeling well, the Governor Mansion certainly won’t insist on keeping you. Marquis Xie, you’d best take your wife ho to rest."
It must be said that spending ti with Lu Yuan had taught him one or two tricks. With just a slight sneer, he managed to exude an enigmatic contempt.
Marquis Anyuan had no idea how he might have offended ng Tianlan, but ng Tianlan clearly didn’t seem pleased with the couple.
After the two left, the Seventh Uncle ca over. "Why bother with her?"
ng Tianlan replied confidently, "She annoyed , so I gave her a taste of her own dicine!"
The Seventh Uncle shook his head. He had seen firsthand how determined Yu Shi had been in severing ties with the ng Family back then. Now that the Third Girl had risen, he could only hope her original determination remained intact.
"Let’s not speak of her anymore. I need to continue making toasts!"
"On Third Girl’s wedding day, don’t go overboard with the drinking!"
"I know, I know!"
ng Tianlan waved him off dismissively. Not drinking a lot was clearly impossible, but the old man’s reminder did prompt him to wonder—where was his esteed nephew-in-law?
Why hadn’t he co out to greet the guests yet?
Speak of the devil.
Lu Yuan returned to the table, looking refreshed and composed.
With the groom’s return, the usual response would be a hush falling over the crowd. However, perhaps due to the string of incidents caused by soone earlier in the wedding hall, many of the guests seed to hold a different impression of the Grand Commander.
They rely glanced at him before returning to eating, drinking, and chatting as they pleased.
Zhang Feihu placed two jars of Daughter Red heavily in front of Lu Yuan, slamd one foot onto the stool, and said boldly, "Grand Commander, dare to drink with ?"
Shangguan Ling imdiately squeezed in between them. "General Zhang, what is the aning of this?"
Zhang Feihu replied coldly, "This is between and him. Step aside if you know what’s good for you! I know I can’t beat you, but even if I die here today, I’ll make sure to teach this brat a lesson! Who gave him permission to covet Little Nine? Who does he think he is? Grand Commander? So what?"
Behind Zhang Feihu, Nie Hanshan and his group fearlessly placed their jars of wine on the table as well.
Shangguan Ling’s lips twitched. "Seriously... Are you all trying to drink soone to death... Qing Shuang!"
He began calling for reinforcents.
Qing Shuang appeared, and she was about to reach for one of the wine jars when Lu Yuan stopped her hand.
Lu Yuan picked up the wine jar in front of Zhang Feihu and, without a hint of hesitation, raised it and drank deeply.
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