Chapter 19: Wedding

The spring banquet was arranged in the Royal Flower Garden, with separate seating for men and women, divided by a wall.

After parting ways with Minister Yu Huanchen, Yu Lingxi went to the female side and found a inconspicuous corner to sit. At the same time, Crown Prince Ning Tan, with hands behind his back, ascended the Jade Pavilion, followed by a young eunuch in red attire and a jade belt.

"The scorched corpse found in the Beast Arena back then indeed had scars from a dagger in the chest. It must have been the seventh prince."

The eunuch, with a pale face and an androgynous demeanor that transcended age and gender, slowly said, "No one in this world can threaten Your Highness's position. Why worry?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Tan snorted, "It's better be that way. If I find that bastard alive, your eunuch head will roll."

At the mention of "eunuch," the young eunuch squinted his slender eyes, maintaining a smile, "I dare not."

Pausing for a moment, he continued, "Also, Empress Mother instructed me to tell Your Highness that all unmarried noble girls in the capital are present at the spring banquet. Your Highness can choose a new crown princess. The Empress Mother also suggested that the eldest daughter of General Yu is very suitable..."

"It's impossible to choose a woman from the Yu family. Let my mother rest assured of that. "

Ning Tan reached the top floor of the Jade Pavilion, stood by the window, and surveyed the seats of the female guests at the spring banquet, showing little interest in the elaborately dressed women.

He looked irritated, "I've seen that Yu Xinyi before. She's average in looks and lacks any feminine charm."

"The Yu family holds military power; they either need to be eliminated entirely or brought under Your Highness's command. Otherwise, it will always be a threat."

Saying this, the eunuch's gaze turned to a certain corner, narrowing his eyes, "I heard that the Yu family also has a younger daughter."

"I won't choose anyone from the Yu family. Let my mother stop worrying."

Ning Tan gazed at the corner of the banquet where a young girl from the Yu family was sitting, and his eyes widened in surprise. Through the gaps in the flowers, he could vaguely see the slender figure of a young girl, who seemed simple in attire and not very noticeable.

If not for the reminder from the eunuch named Cui An, he would have almost overlooked her. Now, looking closely, as the breeze brushed through, revealing a hint of the girl's delicate jawline, she appeared exceptionally exquisite. The delicate hand resting on the table was as fair as snow.

Beauty lies in the bones, not the skin. Judging by Ning Tan's experienced eye, such a woman must be an unparalleled beauty.

The eunuch noticed Ning Tan's infatuation but spoke casually, "That is the girl you just mentioned, raised in the military camp."

Ning Tan's throat suddenly felt dry, and he gave the eunuch a meaningful look.

The young eunuch immediately understood, bowing, "I will arrange it immediately."

Yu Lingxi was oblivious to the events on the top floor of the Jade Pavilion, quietly blending in as a background among the female guests. During the banquet, the Empress and an elderly concubine made an appearance, exchanging pleasantries with the ladies representing various noble families.

The Empress's gaze searched and finally swept towards Yu Lingxi in the far corner.

Yu Lingxi quickly lowered her head, pretending to sip her drink and avoiding eye contact.

After the greetings, the Empress escorted the elderly concubine away. The female guests breathed a sigh of relief, and the banquet resumed its lively atmosphere.

"Sui Sui, why are you hiding here? I had a hard time finding you."

Tang Buli, with extravagant makeup, wore a lilac-colored robe resembling smoke and clouds. She casually draped a silk scarf on her arm, looked Yu Lingxi up and down, and asked, "Why are you dressed like this?"

"Is there something wrong with this attire?"

Yu Lingxi rested her chin on her hand and chuckled, "Do I need to dress like you, a goddess, to lure a prince or an imperial grandson?"

"Sui Sui, you heartless girl, still making fun of me! It's all because my grandmother forced me to dress like this, it's so cumbersome that I can't even move my arms and legs freely."

As she spoke, Tang Buli sat next to Yu Lingxi, smiling mischievously as she leaned in to bite her ear, "Let's talk about your potential future husband. Just now, as I passed by the neighboring garden, I saw Xue Erlang looking for you everywhere."

This girl was good at everything, except she couldn't keep her mouth shut, always meddling in others' affairs.

Yu Lingxi sighed, "I'm not in the mood for drinking. I'll leave first."

"I'll go with you." Tang Buli found it boring and decided to leave the seat together with Yu Lingxi.

Yu Lingxi waited on the painted bridge for a while, not seeing Yu Huanchen but instead encountering Xue Cen. Today, Xue Cen wore a moon-white silk robe with a white jade crown and tied-up hair, giving him a clear and elegant appearance reminiscent of the Wei and Jin dynasties, quite eye-catching.

"Princess of Qingping."

He first greeted Tang Buli respectfully, then turned to Yu Lingxi, his eyes holding a faint and reserved smile, speaking warmly, "Just now, the Crown Prince summoned Ah Chen, fearing it might take some time. He asked me to escort my second sister back home." 

Tang Buli's eyes circled between the two, suppressing a smile, "You two chat. I'll take the lead."

Having said that, ignoring Yu Lingxi's suggestive look, she swiftly left.

Yu Lingxi had no choice but to nod, "Then, I'll trouble Brother Cen."

Xue Cen rode his horse to protect Yu Lingxi's carriage, occasionally looking back at her.

He deliberately waited by the bridge.

Ever since Tang Buli mentioned that Yu Lingxi personally made a pair of boots for him using deer hide from her spring hunting, he had been captivated throughout the entire banquet, wishing his heart could pierce through the palace walls and fly to Yu Lingxi's side.

In Xue Cen's opinion, there was no better woman in the world than Yu Lingxi, and there was no luckier thing than mutual affection.

The carriage stopped at the gate of the Yu residence. Yu Lingxi stepped down with the help of a footstool, casually saying, "Brother Cen, if you don't mind, please come in for a cup of tea."

Xue Cen speculated that she probably wanted to take the opportunity to give him the boots, so he agreed, "Sure."

Yu Lingxi was somewhat surprised.

Originally just a polite invitation, she didn't expect Xue Cen to agree so readily. However, since he wanted tea, she couldn't just drive him away.

The main gate was open, and outside stood several gorgeously decorated horses.

Yu Lingxi thought inside there were just prestigious guests, not paying much attention. However, when she led Xue Cen inside, she saw rows of palace attendants in the front courtyard. Each one held a tray containing golden and silver hairpins, jade ornaments, coral, and other items, shining brightly, exuding extreme luxury.

These gifts came too suddenly, and a foreboding sense of unease surged within Yu Lingxi as she stopped in her tracks. In the hall, her parents wore forced smiles, politely seeing off an elegantly dressed old eunuch.

Seeing Yu Lingxi, the old eunuch immediately put on a smiling face full of wrinkles, repeatedly bowing, "Truly a person who can capture the Crown Prince's heart. Miss Yu, royal family congratulates you here!"

As if struck by thunder, both Yu Lingxi and Xue Cen stood frozen in place.

Yu Huanchen returned on a galloping horse. Before the horse could come to a halt, he dismounted and walked quickly towards the hall.

The banquet had only reached its halfway point when the Crown Prince and the Empress summoned him to the Wen Hua Hall, subtly inquiring about his younger sister's age and marital status. He quickly sensed that something was amiss and rushed back, but he was one step too late.

The movements from the Eastern Palace were swift, and the hall was already filled with the lavish gold, silver, and jade accessories for the courtship.

Father and Xue Cen stood in the hall, both wearing serious expressions. On the side, Mother discreetly pressed a handkerchief to her eyes, which had turned red.

The atmosphere was incredibly stifling, and the only one remaining calm and composed was Yu Lingxi. She deliberately dressed inconspicuously today and didn't stand out at the banquet. Being chosen by the Crown Prince under such circumstances only had two possibilities:

One, someone intentionally recommended her, making the Crown Prince take notice of her. Two, with the Yu family holding military power, whether she attended the banquet or not, the Crown Prince would seek to marry her to consolidate his power.

Regardless of the possibilities, the Yu family was forced into the vortex of political factions.

"What do you think of the current situation, Sui Sui?" General Yu was the first to break the silence.

The eyes of Xue Cen and Yu Huanchen immediately turned towards her, especially Xue Cen, who showed a restrained worry in his eyes.

"Father, I don't want this." Yu Lingxi's gaze remained calm, and she smiled lightly, "But if this is the only way, I'm willing..."

"No!" "Absolutely not."

Both Yu Huanchen and Xue Cen's voices resounded simultaneously.

Taking a deep breath, Yu Huanchen walked over and spoke in a voice only they could hear, "Sui Sui, do you know why our father has been reluctant to align with the Eastern Palace faction? The Crown Prince is by no means a virtuous person, and he already has a side consort and four concubines. In the future, he will have three thousand beauties in his harem. The inner palace is full of dangers, and with your personality, how will you cope if you marry into it?"

"As long as the good girl is unwilling, no one can force you to marry someone you don't want."

General Yu sat down, lifting his robe with a dignified and commanding air, speaking in a deep voice, "Currently, the Crown Prince's favor is only fleeting. While the imperial edict for the marriage hasn't been issued yet, we still have a chance."

"But, we can't let Sui Sui feign her death, right?"

Mrs. Yu looked around at the gifts in the room, feeling heavy and uneasy. The future emperor was going to marry her daughter, how could they easily refuse?

If she faked her death, her daughter could only hide in a remote place, living disguised, separated from her family, making it difficult to reunite. As a mother, how could she bear to do this?

"General Yu, Mrs. Yu."

Xue Cen broke the silence, "If you want to refuse the marriage without leaving any setback, there is actually another way, but it may require Second Sister to endure some hardship..."

"What method is that?" Mrs. Yu immediately asked.

Yu Huanchen, quick-witted, quickly picked up the conversation, "You mean, arranging a marriage for Sui Sui before the imperial edict arrives?"

Arrange a marriage?

Yu Lingxi suddenly raised her head. What kind of situation was unfolding now?

She opened her mouth, but heard Xue Cen say, "A gentleman doesn't seize another man's wife, only this way it can be prevented."

Mrs. Yu thought this plan was feasible and was about to nod, but then she furrowed her brows, "However, where can we find a husband who knows Sui Sui well and is satisfactory to her?"

Before she could finish her sentence, the gazes of General Yu and Yu Huan Chen fell on Xue Cen. Facing the weighty stares, Xue Cen seemed to have made a crucial decision. He slowly stood up. Knowing that this was a bit of taking advantage of the situation and not something a true gentleman would do, he couldn't hide the direction of his heart.

If he didn't step forward this time, he would regret it for the rest of his life. Thinking of this, he no longer hesitated, took a step back, and knelt down in front of Yu Lingxi. His back was straight, facing the two elders, he solemnly said, "Xue Cen is willing to marry Second Sister. I will protect her throughout her life! Please, General Yu, make it happen!"

Outside the Jinyun Temple, apricot blossoms were in full bloom.

Ning Yin stopped in his tracks, pondered for a moment, and casually plucked a branch, curiously bringing it to his nose for a gentle sniff.

Yes, this scent was exactly like the faint fragrance that lingered on Yu Lingxi's sleeves.

Back at the Yu residence, he followed the team purchasing grains and entered through the side gate without arousing suspicion from the guard named Qingxiao. Ning Yin glanced at the carriage reserved for Yu Lingxi parked outside the gate, and a subtle smile played on his lips.

She had returned.

Lowering his gaze to the deer leather boots at his feet, he took a turn and headed towards the main hall.

Servants and maids, aware of his favored status in front of the master, assumed he was inspecting the safety of the residence and didn't stop him.

As he turned around a corridor, he overheard two servants whispering behind a rockery.

"Do you think our Second Miss is really going to marry Xue Erlang?" one asked.

"Most likely. Today, someone from the palace came and brought a pile of gifts. General and Madam's expressions were not quite right at that moment."

The other one continued, "In my opinion, some prince or noble in the palace has set his eyes on our Miss. General and Madam don't want to send their daughter to that treacherous place, so they hurriedly arranged a marriage for Second Miss. Anyway, the Yu family had an engagement with the Xue family long ago."

The first servant agreed, "That makes sense. Xue Erlang and our Second Miss have known each other since childhood, and their feelings have deepened. They're just one step away from sealing the deal."

The noisy voices faded away.

Ning Yin's smile deepened as he stopped in his tracks.

In the front yard, behind the peach tree shadows, Yu Lingxi and Xue Cen walked out side by side. They seemed oblivious to anything else, and Xue Cen's fair face showed a blush while Yu Lingxi frowned, appearing somewhat hesitant.

In a hurry, Xue Cen took a step forward, speaking earnestly. Yu Lingxi, with a helpless expression, sighed. 

Under the spring sunshine, the noble gentleman and the beautiful lady complemented each other dazzlingly. So dazzling that it stung Ning Yin's eyes. He squinted, and a trace of unknown gloominess surfaced and surged in his indifferent eyes. It turned out that the warm light that once penetrated the realm of desire did not only illuminate him alone.

The beautiful prey did not belong to him alone.

Casually playing with the apricot branch between his fingers, he suddenly burst into a mocking sneer, then turned and walked away. 

The wind moved the bamboo curtains along the corridor, bringing a cool chill.

Turning the corner, his brisk steps gradually slowed. Slower still, he eventually stopped in the shadow separated from the sunlight. With a soft crackle, he closed his five fingers, snapping the apricot branch in his hand as if breaking a fragile neck.

"Xue Cen, is it?"

Ning Yin's brows and eyes were hidden in the shadow of the bamboo curtain. His pale lips parted lightly, and he said indifferently, "An obstruction."

So, let everything that obstructs disappear from the world.

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