Chapter 22: The Failed Wedding

Wei Huai had not yet brought Qixue to the wedding hall, which had already sparked discussions among the guests. The Guogong Madam grew worried in her heart and decided to go take a look herself. She bid farewell to Helan Ji and arrived at the rooms behind the flower hall with her personal maidservant.

There was no sign of the bride in the room—only Wei Huai sat alone at the table, his dark green vertical pupils drooping low. The violent and terrifying demon qi emanating from his body had caused several maidservants to faint at the doorway, unable to bear it.

In his hand, he tightly gripped a golden ankle bracelet, which he had already crushed out of shape. Seeing the embedded gems and jewels on it, the Guogong Madam recognized at once that this was the magical artifact she had obtained for Wei Huai all those years ago.

When Wei Huai was eight years old, she had personally locked it onto him with this artifact, confining him to a pitch-black underground chamber for a full half-year before releasing him.

Only this way could she preserve her child’s life.

Recalling those terrifying past events, the Guogong Madam trembled involuntarily. Now that Wei Huai had brought out this artifact again, it filled her with a strong sense of foreboding.

She forced herself to remain calm and asked Wei Huai, “Why are you here alone? Where is Young Master Qi? Isn’t he in the room?”

Hearing his mother’s voice, Wei Huai looked up at her and forced himself to calm down. His eyes slowly returned to their original color as he said hoarsely, “He left.”

“Left?” The Guogong Madam couldn’t comprehend for a moment. “Where to?”

Wei Huai tugged at the corner of his mouth, but it wasn’t a smile at all. “He didn’t want to marry me. I had been forcing him all along, locking him with the ankle bracelet, but he broke it and left.”

The ankle bracelet was specifically designed to bind demons. The Guogong Madam’s expression changed upon hearing this. “Seventh Brother, tell Mother the truth. What exactly is Young Master Qi?”

Wei Huai didn’t answer. He rose and headed toward the back door. The Madam blocked him. “Are you going out to find him?”

“Mm.” Wei Huai said, “He can’t have gone far. He’s definitely still in Shangjing. I must find him.”

The Guogong Madam said, “You can’t leave. Today’s wedding is being presided over by His Majesty. You can’t keep His Majesty waiting. At least wait until the ceremony is complete before going. Fortunately, the guests haven’t seen Young Master Qi. Why not find some unfamiliar servant to stand in for him…”

“No one can stand in for A Xue.”

Wei Huai interrupted his mother, as if he had made some decision. He tucked the ankle bracelet into his clothes and strode back to the flower hall.

The guests were even more astonished to see Wei Huai return alone. Prefect Xu and Madam Xu exchanged glances, their eyes filled with unconcealed worry.

They had been invited to Qixue’s wedding and were originally overjoyed. Thanks to Qixue, Qing County had shown signs of revitalization in recent months, and they were deeply grateful to him.

As Qixue’s “aunt” and “uncle,” the couple had traveled a great distance to deliver lavish dowry gifts, hoping to give him face so he wouldn’t be bullied after marrying into the Wei family.

After arriving in Shangjing, they had sent visiting cards several times but never managed to see Qixue. They thought perhaps he was too busy with wedding preparations, so they hadn’t disturbed him further. But today was the big day—why hadn’t he come to the hall for the ceremony?

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Wei Huai passed through the banquet alone and knelt before Helan Ji at the flower hall. “Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”

From the main seat, Helan Ji’s cold gaze pierced through the jade pendants and fell on Wei Huai.

Wei Huai bowed his head and said, “My wife suddenly fell gravely ill and is bedridden. She cannot have the honor of meeting Your Majesty today. I beg Your Majesty to permit me to postpone the wedding until my wife’s recovery, when I will request Your Majesty to preside over it once more.”

His words caused the guests to gasp in shock. The Duke of Qing and his family knelt in panic, pleading for mercy from Helan Ji.

With the Emperor personally presiding over the wedding, the bride’s absence from the banquet could be seen as deceiving the sovereign if His Majesty chose to pursue it—a crime punishable by the extermination of the entire clan!

The banquet fell into dead silence, with everyone kneeling in terror, awaiting Helan Ji’s verdict.

The Duke of Qing was drenched in cold sweat, prostrating himself low. He wanted to kill Wei Huai.

He didn’t know what had happened, but even if the bride had truly fallen ill, couldn’t this rebellious son have found someone to stand in? Why deliberately slight His Majesty’s face? Did he think his status as Great General put him above the Emperor?

Helan Ji silently gazed at Wei Huai, his deep phoenix eyes still as an ancient well, cold as ice, betraying no emotion.

After a long while, he spoke. “Petition granted.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Wei Huai kowtowed deeply.

“Summon the Imperial Medical Bureau for diagnosis.” Helan Ji extended his hand, supported by the Nightmare Demon, and slowly rose from his seat. “Wei Huai, fifty strokes of the staff. You are confined to the Guogong Mansion for half a month, forbidden from stepping out.”

Wei Huai’s expression remained unchanged. “I obey the decree.”

–

A grand wedding that had drawn the attention of all ended hastily just like that.

From that day on, the gates of the Guogong Mansion were tightly shut, barring anyone from entering or leaving. After receiving his staff punishment, Wei Huai followed Helan Ji’s decree and reflected behind closed doors, no longer attending court.

The Imperial Medical Bureau did come a few times, but only to treat Wei Huai and the Duke of Qing’s injuries. As for the “gravely ill” bride, both sides tacitly avoided mentioning her. Everyone knew it was just Wei Huai’s excuse.

Rumors gradually spread through the capital: the Great General’s bride hadn’t appeared at the banquet not because of illness, but because she had fled, or been eaten by demons, or killed by Wei Huai. All sorts of tales circulated.

But the rumors were far from the worst of it.

As an invincible general, Wei Huai held a revered status among the people, but he had no shortage of political enemies who hated him.

In the past, with the Emperor’s deep trust, they hadn’t dared to slander him before Helan Ji. But now that Helan Ji had heavily punished Wei Huai, they saw their chance and frantically denounced him in court. Impeachment memorials snowed onto the imperial desk.

Guogong Mansion.

The Duke of Qing, stimulated by the events, fell gravely ill for several days before slowly recovering.

The first thing he did upon being able to rise was not rest, but drag his heavy, sickly body to haul Wei Huai to the ancestral hall. He forced him to kneel before the ancestral tablets and lashed him with all his strength, delivering over a dozen heavy whips.

Wei Huai had only just received fifty strokes days earlier. Though his physique far surpassed ordinary men, his injuries hadn’t healed. His back was covered in torn flesh, and these dozen whips left it a bloody mess, blood pooling on the floor. The entire hall reeked of thick blood.

“Uncle, please stop! Seventh Brother really can’t take it anymore!”

Wei Huai’s three-year-old cousin hugged the Duke of Qing’s leg, crying. Outside the hall, a crowd of clansmen knelt, pleading for Wei Huai.

The Duke of Qing picked up the little girl and had a maidservant take her away. He sternly berated the clansmen outside. “I know you’re pleading for this scourge out of familial affection, unable to bear seeing him punished.”

“But what about him? For his selfish desires, he begged His Majesty to postpone the wedding. Did he ever consider you all? Did he think about how he might doom the entire clan?!”

His words echoed through the spacious hall, and outside, everyone fell silent.

The Duke of Qing panted roughly, steadying his breath. He pointed at Wei Huai with the bloodied whip.

“Scourge, do you know your wrong?”

“It was because you insisted on marrying that crude villager that the Duke of Qing’s Mansion became a laughingstock of all Shangjing! Are you worthy of the Wei ancestors, of your clansmen?”

“If I’d known you’d cause such disaster, I never should have saved you. You should have died in that demon’s belly—”

“Husband!”

The Guogong Madam, who had remained silent throughout, suddenly interrupted the Duke of Qing. Her slightly reddened eyes flashed with cold light as she said tearfully, “You can’t say that about Seventh Brother.”

“You can’t.”

“…” The Duke of Qing knew he had spoken out of turn and flung the whip onto Wei Huai in frustration. “Kneel here tonight and reflect properly on what you’ve done!”

“In a few days, report to His Majesty that Qixue has died of illness, and have your mother arrange another marriage for you. But don’t expect a good match. With the bride dying upon entry, your reputation is ruined—who would marry you as a continuation?”

Wei Huai had lost too much blood; his lips and face were deathly pale. Yet he laughed upon hearing this, as if it were the most absurd joke.

“Marry someone else? Impossible.”

He said, “The one I marry is Qixue. In this life and the next, I recognize only him. If he dies, I won’t live alone. If he marries another, I’ll kill him first, then die with him and be a couple beneath the nine springs.”

The Duke of Qing turned livid with rage and raised the whip again, lashing it heavily across Wei Huai’s open wounds. “Who will you marry? Tell me, who?!”

Blood sprayed, the barbs on the whip tearing off bits of flesh. Wei Huai furrowed his brows in agony and said word by word, “I will marry Qixue.”

Pa!

Another whip fell, blood gushing down Wei Huai’s arm and staining the golden ankle bracelet gripped in his hand.

He repeated unwaveringly, “I will marry Qixue.”

Whip after whip landed. The Duke of Qing went berserk, beating anyone who pleaded along with him. Finally exhausted, he staggered away to rest. Wei Huai’s wounds were simply treated, but he was still made to kneel in the hall for reflection.

The lamps dimmed, the bloodstains on the floor wiped clean, but a faint metallic scent lingered. Wei Huai knelt dazedly before the tablets, staring at the golden ankle bracelet in his hand. His fingers slowly clenched.

“A Xue…”

He murmured lowly, his eyes dark and deep. He lowered his head and lightly kissed the bracelet.

“You can’t escape.”

“You’re destined to be my wife—and can only be my wife.”

“Even to the ends of the earth, I will find you.”

–

Qixue stayed in the courtyard for several days, completely unaware of the outside world, devoting himself to learning spells from Xuan Yang.

As Xie Shu’s chief disciple, Xuan Yang managed Cloud Moon Temple in Xie Shu’s stead and had countless matters to handle daily. But at night, he still made time to teach Qixue spells. Since Qixue’s demon power was insufficient, Xuan Yang converted his own spiritual power into demon power and transferred it to him.

Qixue was already talented and quickly mastered several spells under Xuan Yang’s guidance—all ones Xuan Yang deemed essential for avoiding disaster and self-preservation.

First was the Disguise Technique, second the Poison Avoidance Technique, and third the Earth Escape Technique.

Their effects matched their names: the Disguise Technique altered appearance, even body shape and scent; the Poison Avoidance Technique granted immunity to all poisons; the Earth Escape Technique allowed burrowing underground at high speed, usable even through gold or stone tiles.

After mastering the spells, Qixue used the Disguise Technique to change his appearance and went out to meet Luxiangqiu. Xuan Yang said his spells were well-learned; as long as he didn’t encounter an exceptionally powerful Daoist, the disguise wouldn’t be seen through.

Walking the bustling streets, Qixue discovered that his escape from the wedding had blown up across all of Shangjing.

Not only were Wei Huai’s Zhu Huai Guards combing the city for him, but the common folk were gossiping about the wedding—some mocking Wei Huai and the Guogong Mansion, others claiming the bride had already died violently, describing it vividly as if eyewitnesses.

Hearing people mock Wei Huai coldly, Qixue felt a bit angry. Fortunately, Wei Huai was beloved by the people; even without him speaking up, others defended him, and those few were soon scolded away in defeat.

Thinking that this situation was caused by him, Qixue sighed, feeling some guilt. But then he reflected: if Wei Huai hadn’t insisted on imprisoning him, he wouldn’t have needed to flee. They were even now; he owed Wei Huai nothing.

After walking a bit further, Qixue arrived at the meeting spot with Luxiangqiu and met her.

“A Xue!”

Several days apart, Luxiangqiu was fine. Seeing Qixue, the little parrot excitedly flew to his head and rubbed against his hair. “I was so worried about you! Good thing you’re okay. That bastard Wei Huai didn’t do anything to you, did he?”

“Of course I’m fine. What could Wei Huai do to me?”

Qixue smiled and stroked Luxiangqiu’s little head, chatting with her about recent events. When mentioning his escape, Qixue omitted Xuan Yang’s identity, saying only that a very powerful senior had saved him, transferred demon power to him, and taught him spells.

“It’s all thanks to that senior!”

Luxiangqiu exclaimed in admiration and curiously asked Qixue, “What are your plans next? Still entering the palace?”

“Of course, I still need to go find that Eunuch Dong and have him help me enter the palace,” Qixue said.

“I’ve heard that Sang Chi spent quite a bit of silver to buy this spot for me. It would be a shame not to use it,” he added.

Luxiangqiu said worriedly, “Then what about me? Can I enter the palace? The demon qi emanating from the palace is too terrifying. There must be many great demons inside. I’m afraid…”

“You stay outside the palace for now. Once I confirm it’s safe, I’ll bring you in,” Qixue replied.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay on your own?” Luxiangqiu asked, full of concern.

“No problem! Worst case, I just run away. Preserving my life won’t be an issue,” Qixue said confidently.

After they finished discussing, they exchanged a meeting location and parted ways. Qixue casually bought a veiled hat and put it on. Following Sang Chi’s directions, he found Eunuch Dong’s home and knocked on the door.

“Who is it…”

A lazy voice came from behind the door, sounding displeased at being disturbed from a nap.

A teenage boy rubbed his eyes as he opened the gate, yawning. “Who are you looking for?”

Through the white veil of her hat, Qixue asked, “Is this the home of Dong Yuan, Eunuch Dong?”

“Yes.” The boy eyed Qixue suspiciously. “What do you want with him?”

“My name is Sang Xue. I previously asked Eunuch Dong to recommend me for palace entry.”

Qixue lifted the veil, revealing his stunningly alluring face, and gave the boy a sweet smile. He had already undone the Disguise Technique ahead of time. “Is Eunuch Dong home?”

The boy’s face instantly turned bright red. He stammered, “H-he went on duty in the palace today. He won’t be back until evening. Do you… want to come in and sit?”

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”

Qixue lowered the veil and happily walked into the courtyard. The boy’s gaze followed his back, and he closed the gate in a daze.