Song Lianhe and Zhou Cangyan walked into the ceremonial hall, one after the other, to a flurry of whispers.
Song Lianhe held the fan casually, not bothering to cover her face with it at all. She ignored the stares around her, her expression aloof and cold.
Zhou Cangyan followed behind her, also ignoring the crowd, but his light-colored eyes were fixed unblinkingly on her back.
Da Xi went to support Song Lianhe.
Song Lianhe waved her off. "No need. Let’s just get the ceremony over with."
Da Xi stepped aside, her gaze toward the Prince tinged with condemnation.
’How important was a wedding to a woman? Friends and family would gather, guests would offer their congratulations, but this groom of hers... He had abandoned his new bride right before the ceremony to et another woman! And it was the woman he supposedly cherished most!’
’Who could tolerate sothing like this? If this were in Sui Ning City, the bride’s father, brothers, and uncles would have already put a blade to the groom’s neck! Even if they forced him into the hall, they would have given him a sound beating first!’
’Her poor Princess Consort, all alone, without a single person to back her up...’
anwhile, Xuan i also wore a cold expression, unlike her usual stern and serious deanor. Her accusing gaze was even more direct. Even if he was her master, wrong was wrong. There was nothing to argue about.
Since Zhou Cangyan had only recently returned to Ling’an City, his foundation was still shallow, and he had never ford cliques for personal gain in the Court.
Therefore, most of the guests had co to save face for the Royal Family. With Prince Hang present today, it was even more important to put on a good show. But this couldn’t suppress the crowd’s enthusiasm for watching a drama unfold; most were there hoping to see a joke.
A dashing young nobleman sat to the side, watching the pair with a gentle smile.
As Song Lianhe passed by him, she couldn’t help but glance his way.
’This man bears so resemblance to both Zhou Junlin and Emperor Cheng Xiao. I just heard Uncle Liang ntion that Prince Hang would be attending the ceremony on the Holy Emperor’s behalf. This must be him, Prince Hang, Zhou Gaosuo.’
’Zhou Gaosuo was a man of profound cunning. In the original novel, he beca Zhou Junlin’s greatest rival after Zhou Cangyan’s death.’
’Of course, his end was no better than Zhou Cangyan’s. Zhou Junlin had him exiled.’
’Song Lianhe only gave him a few extra glances before looking away. It didn’t matter who he was. After today, she would just be the Princess Consort in na only and wouldn’t have to deal with any of these people.’
Noticing her gaze had lingered on Zhou Gaosuo for a mont, Zhou Cangyan’s brows furrowed in displeasure. As he passed Zhou Gaosuo, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
Zhou Gaosuo was taken aback for a second, then amusedly unfolded his fan, covering his lips as he let out a soft chuckle.
Zhou Cangyan ca to a stop beside Song Lianhe. Just as Uncle Liang finished calling out, "First bow to Heaven and Earth," and Song Lianhe was about to lower her head, he suddenly grabbed her.
Song Lianhe tilted her head to look at him suspiciously, her voice low. "What are you doing?"
The guests all turned to look, their curiosity piqued.
One of the minister’s wives couldn’t help but whisper, "Don’t tell he’s going to call off the wedding in public?"
"But this marriage was decreed by the Holy Emperor. How dare he?"
"What wouldn’t he dare? He’s the Heavenly Kill Slash—heartless, treacherous, and a bringer of great misfortune! Things others wouldn’t dare, he’d do in a heartbeat! It’s just calling off a wedding. The Holy Emperor would probably just turn a blind eye."
"Then his Princess Consort is in for a miserable ti. Who would dare to marry her after this?"
These voices drifted over intermittently. Song Lianhe’s brows twitched slightly, and she lowered her gaze, pretending she hadn’t heard a thing.
Zhou Cangyan kept his eyes fixed on her. Only after seeing her reaction did he seem to notice his surroundings.
He shot a cold glare across the hall, and both sides imdiately fell silent as cicadas in winter.
Pang Jiliang watched, clutching his chest, as several more wrinkles seed to carve themselves onto his face.
’This isn’t a wedding! It’s a public trial!’
So people looked toward Zhou Gaosuo. He, however, seed even more amused than when he had arrived. Fanning himself, his eyes were filled with interest, eager to see what other shocking move his Imperial Uncle would make next.
Zhou Cangyan held onto Song Lianhe, his dark eyes fixed on her. "You need to think this through."
Song Lianhe looked him straight in the eye, inwardly amused.
’Think this through?’
’Who’s the one who really needs to think this through?’
She took a deep breath, looked up, and smiled. "What is the aning of this, Your Highness?"
Zhou Cangyan closed his eyes for a mont, then raised a hand to gesture at the ceremonial hall. He spoke, word by word, "If we complete this ceremony, there is no going back. In this life, I will have only one Princess Consort."
Song Lianhe froze, staring at him in astonishnt.
Zhou Cangyan stared back, just as unblinkingly.
His light brown pupils reflected the woman’s refined, beautiful face and her look of confusion.
"Why?" she asked in a low voice.
"You’re in love with Song Xilan, so why do you want a ’lifeti’ with ? Are you trying to trap ? Are you threatening ?"
Zhou Cangyan slowly shook his head.
"I am not in love with her."
Song Lianhe was stunned again and blurted out, "You... what kind of sche is this?"
"I do not know." As he said those three words, his expression was one of frustration and vexation.
He wasn’t lying, nor was he being perfunctory. He truly did not know.
’The feeling was bizarre. He was not a man who gave his heart away easily, yet his so-called feelings for Song Xilan had appeared out of nowhere and could be withdrawn just as decisively.’
’He didn’t even feel a hint of regret as he said it.’
He couldn’t explain it, which only frustrated him more.
Grabbing her hand, he pulled her sharply closer until half her body was nestled against his chest. He stared into her wide, beautiful eyes, his deep voice carrying an intangible, bewitching quality. "Once we bow to Heaven and Earth, it will be for a lifeti. No escape!"
Song Lianhe just stared at him, dazed, no longer able to discern his true intentions.
"Ahem—"
Zhou Gaosuo suddenly spoke up, his tone laced with amusent. "Imperial Uncle, if you have secrets to whisper to your Princess Consort, you can do so after you’ve completed the ceremony and entered the bridal chamber! You can talk for as long as you wish then! But for now... perhaps the two of you should finish your bows."
His comnt prompted laughter from both sides of the hall.
"Exactly! King Qing is being too impatient!"
"This is the first ti I’ve seen a couple stop to have a chat in the middle of their wedding bows..."
"Haha..."
The atmosphere in the ceremonial hall finally lightened up, but Pang Jiliang’s heart was still in his throat. ’What in the world is wrong with the Prince!’ he thought. ’Couldn’t this conversation wait until they were in their room? Did he have to say it in the middle of the ceremony?’
Song Lianhe quickly pushed him. "Everyone’s laughing. Let’s hurry up and finish the ceremony."
But Zhou Cangyan didn’t let go, his brows still knitted tightly. Only at this mont did he realize just how much he cared about her answer.
Seeing him disregard the occasion and insist on making things awkward for everyone, Song Lianhe decided to throw caution to the wind.
She forcefully shook off his hand and looked up at him, her gaze icy. "A lifeti, is it? Fine by ! And what about you? Does your ’lifeti’ an keeping another woman in your heart while we live as strangers in a marriage?"
The hall fell into dead silence once more.
’...Did we really have to attend this wedding?’
’Is it too late to leave now?’
Zhou Gaosuo’s smile, however, only deepened. He was thoroughly engrossed in the drama.
Zhou Cangyan looked at the woman before him and said suddenly, "There is no one else."
Song Lianhe frowned. "What did you say?"
"Only you," he said.
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