The Charade Bride

***Past***

The dusty road that was dull in colors was decorated with bright red silks. The road was swept clean, and the gray walls were scrubbed down, showing their original colors. The once-bustling road became organized with the citizens of Lou Zhemin standing off to the side as they waited with eagerness. Not far nor close was the sound of fireworks going off and drums being played. The louder the drums became, the more anticipation the citizen became.

In steady strides, hints of people dressed in bright reds came to view. Informing the onlookers that the bride was coming. She was coming.

"She's here!" Someone yelled.

"How beautiful!" Another one exclaimed, "She is going to be one lucky bride!"

"Are you kidding me? It's the husband who should feel lucky! Marrying a beautiful and virtuous lady."

"Right!" The whole crowd in unison agreed.

"Miss, where are you?" Xu Song whispered, hoping her Miss will hear her though it was just wishful thinking. The crowds were getting fussy with every passing second hearing the bride's carriage coming closer.

"Sadly, the second most beautiful woman in Lou Zhemin Capital is getting married..." Another one chimed in with a tiny sobbed escaping his mouth.

Xu Song began panicking. She couldn't spot her Miss anywhere, and usually, it wasn't hard to find her instantly. She wiped away the summer heat sweats on her forehead. She became afraid of how she'll face Xiong Guozhi if something bad were to happen to Xiong Jingfei. Worst, how to face her own Miss!

She was on the verge of tearing off her hair from the stress. If Xiong Guozhi found out they had left the Xiong manor, they were dead either way. They sneaked out without permission today all because her Miss wanted to see one of the biggest weddings ever held in history. Still, it was indeed not as grand as the Emperor's marriage to the Empress.

Xu Song sighed and continued her search for Xiong Jingfei.

Meanwhile, in an isolated tree not too far away from the crowd. If you weren't looking carefully, you would not see two legs swinging back and forth. A light and soft humming was coming from the tree. With the occasional dropping of almonds shells on the ground, marking her territory.

Yet her delicate voice was drowned out by the welcoming of the bride. It was indeed one of the biggest weddings in history. The number of people carrying the bride's family treasures was many, and the inside of the treasure boxes held lots. Even the bride's carriage was not a disgrace.

"Big, just like she said." Xiong Jingfei smiled in amusement, tossing another almond into her mouth. It felt like a festival more than a wedding.

Suddenly the two women walking in front of the carriage opened a medium size bag. They began tossing out gold coins into the crowds. Causing a chaotic scene with the people trying to seize up every gold coins around them. They started pushing and shoving one another. Family, friends, or neighbors, it didn't matter anymore. Every one of them began fighting one another, arguing they saw it first, so it belongs to them.

"Ah! That hurts!" Xiong Jingfei screamed, rubbing her forehead. Falling into her lap was the culprit of her forehead injury. Picking up the gold coin, she took a small bite to make it was real and not a fake for show.

It appeared like a "nice" gesture of what the bride was doing by giving away golds on her wedding day. In reality, she disregards the citizens' safety, and it could seriously hurt someone. Take Xiong Jingfei for the best example. Sitting in a tree but was managed to get hit by something she didn't envy for. However, Xiong Jingfei does not blame any of the citizens for fighting for it.

Gold was something that doesn't come to them easily, even if they were to work very hard for the next three or more years. Don't even talk about earning, to actually see real gold in their lifetime was close to never. It's just that the bride who instigated this chaos was safeguard inside the carriage and with the guards surrounding her. While the citizens were fighting each other for a few pieces of gold.

"Hmph," Xiong Jingfei grunted, throwing back the gold coin to where it originated from with all her strength.

Unexpectedly, it shot right through the small window of the bride's carriage. Gasping, she wasn't sure which emotions to feel first. The proud excitement of her accuracy or to feel ecstatic about hitting the bride on the inside, hopefully, she did.

"Who hit me!" A high-pitched voice screamed from inside the carriage. Disregarding what was going on around her, she opened the carriage curtain and tore down her red veil. She screamed again but at the people this time, "Which one of you dare hit me? Me!"

Xiong Jingfei scooted herself backward, so the tree branches will cover her presence more. At the same time, she couldn't help but laugh out loud. Watching how crazy the bride was yelling at the people who also went insane already because of her.

"Stop fighting and find the culprit who threw this at me!" The bride screamed at the top of her lungs. She stomped her feet on the ground and held up Xiong Jingfei's gold coin.

Unfortunately, her one voice was not going to overpower hundreds of voices.

"Miss, please get back in the carriage…" One of the bride's maids tried ushering her back inside. The crowd was getting messier, and they needed to hurry to the groom's house.

"Who are you to command me?" The bride turned around and pointed her finger at the maid's nose. She raised one hand about to teach her maid a lesson for demanding her to get inside the carriage. She'll get inside when she wants to go!

"T-t-the auspicious time is going to pass by with any more delays…" The maid stuttered and blocked her face in fear. Instantly, as if recalling something, she removed her arms and left her face in the open to be slapped.

The bride put down her hand, remembering today was her wedding day, and there were witnesses to her actions. If they were even looking anymore! Her hands clenched into a fist. Earlier, they were praising her beauty and her virtue. Now, they had forgotten about the bride.

Xiong Jingfei shook her head, watching everything unfold from a distance. Sadly, the boney maid was used to the beating coming from the bride. If she covered her face, the bride would end up showing her no compassion.

"Don't let me find out who you are," The bride hissed under her breath before re-entering her carriage.

She flipped open the carriage curtains without waiting for her maids to do it. On the other hand, she made sure to somehow punish the timid maid for the time being by pushing her out of the way. The only one who was brave enough to remind her to conduct herself.

Xiong Jingfei leaned her back against the tree and watched the charade bride's carriage passed by. Putting another almond into her mouth, she smiled, "Zhao Fan, I made the right decision to come to your wedding."