Jiangshan Fengwuzhi

Chapter 294 The Wedding (Part 4)

"Lord Pei is late, but everyone has been waiting for you."

"I am feeling somewhat sentimental and ashamed to let you all see it. My apologies."

"Please rest assured, Lord Pei, my younger brother will take good care of your daughter. Please take a seat."

Gu Jize led Pei Wugou into the main hall. During their conversation, he sensed that something was off; the tacit understanding they had shared after agreeing to cooperate was gone.

It was a very subtle difference, easily overlooked, but Gu Jize happened to be paying extra attention to Pei Wugou because of Yin Wanqing's sudden appearance, and noticed it.

Upon arriving at the main hall, Gu Jize looked at Gu Jingnian, and the two brothers exchanged glances and had a brief conversation.

"Worship heaven and earth!"

The shouts interrupted the brothers' eye contact.

Gu Jingnian lowered his head and bowed to heaven and earth with Pei Nian.

Seeing this, Gu Jize couldn't help but smile slightly, and he glanced at Pei Wugou with a hint of triumph in his eyes.

In fact, long before Pei Wugou told Gu Jize about Womin, Gu Jingnian had already told Gu Jize that he would use a fake Womin to lure Shen Jichi to come.

Since Womin is fake, there is no basis for the transaction, and Gu Jize cannot be persuaded by the conditions proposed by Pei Wugou.

Therefore, the entire plan was orchestrated by the two brothers from beginning to end.

Today, Gu Jingnian will marry Pei Nian first. Once Ruiguo agrees to the terms, the two sides will make a deal. They will also rescue Gu's family members and even swallow the benefits offered by Ruiguo.

No rush, this is just the appetizer.

"Two thanks to the high hall!"

The cheers rose again, and Gu Jingnian and Pei Nian turned around to look at Gu Beiming sitting there, and slowly bowed.

Just moments before, Pei Wugou had been looking at Gu Beiming, but now she turned her gaze to Gu Jingnian, her eyes revealing a mixture of admiration and regret.

"well……"

Gu Beiming felt inexplicably excited as he watched the newlyweds exchange greetings.

He braced himself on the side table, and his sleeve accidentally knocked over the cup, which shattered on the ground with a "crack".

As if signaling the breaking of the cup, Gu Beiming tried to get up, but ended up falling to the ground. His hand cut along the shards of the cup, instantly drawing blood.

"Father!"

"Commander!"

"Commander..."

Gu Jize, who was closest, immediately stepped forward.

However, Gu Beiming's fall looked quite serious, and many of his trusted generals couldn't help but rush forward to help him up. Before Gu Jize could even order them to leave, someone had already taken Gu Beiming's arm.

"General! Are you alright?"

Gu Beiming looked very ill; he kept his eyes closed and didn't speak.

Seeing this, Gu Jize sensed a strong sense of danger. He looked at Gu Jingnian, signaling that he should be wary of Gu Beiming regaining power.

Gu Jingnian nodded calmly.

Gu Jize, however, dared not appear so calm.

"I come!"

He shouted and was about to drive away the generals.

Just then, Pei Wugou also came over and asked, "Lord Gu, are you alright?"

"Don't worry," Gu Jize said. "Father is tired. I'll help him to rest..."

"The wound can't be ignored!"

Pei Wugou was not under Gu Jize's command and did not listen to him at all. He stopped them in front of everyone.

"I have some medical knowledge, so I will first bandage Mr. Gu's wound."

After saying that, he tore off a piece of cloth and began to bandage Gu Beiming's blood-soaked hand.

Others couldn't see it, but Pei Wugou could see that the small wound on her hand was almost completely healed.

Gu Jize frowned, feeling that his father and Pei Wugou's behavior was too abnormal. Then, realizing that his expression was wrong, he calmed down and said, "Please forgive me, gentlemen. My father needs to rest. Please observe the ceremony first."

Some guests have already started grumbling about continuing the wedding at this point.

Behind the curtain in the side hall, Fengniang saw this scene and said casually, "See? I knew this marriage wouldn't happen."

Luo Xia couldn't help but ask, "How did you know that?"

"intuition."

Qin'er, however, was very supportive. Seeing that Gu Jingnian was about to bow to Pei Nian, she grabbed a handful of cut-out "double happiness" characters from the basket and threw them high into the air.

Red paper fluttered in the air, but the atmosphere was no longer lively. Guests whispered among themselves, and their idle chatter accompanied the red paper as it landed on Pei Nian's veil.

"How unfilial! His father fainted and he didn't even ask about it, yet he's still getting married."

"This is bad luck. So much trouble before even starting the training."

"..."

This was a wedding that was no longer viewed favorably.

Gu Jingnian, however, turned a deaf ear.

He was very focused, exchanged vows with Pei Nian, and slowly rose.

After waiting for a while and not hearing the matchmaker continue calling, Gu Jingnian turned his head to look. The matchmaker then realized what was happening and shouted in a slightly embarrassed voice.

"Send to the bridal chamber!"

The bloodstains on the high hall were still there, making the scene exceptionally quiet.

Even Yin Wanqing had sensed that something might be going wrong for Gu Jingnian in Jusai City, and thought that he should perhaps stop and deal with it.

"you……"

Before Yin Wanqing could speak, Pei Nian recognized her voice and turned around. Though they couldn't see each other through the red veil, Yin Wanqing suddenly sensed a firmness in Pei Nian's demeanor.

At this moment, Pei Nian wants to marry Gu Jingnian.

Yin Wanqing could feel this strong thought. At the same time, she recalled the various things they had done together at Yuewei Academy, as well as the little things she had observed between Pei Nian and Gu Jingnian.

Then she understood why the newlyweds were so focused on getting married.

"May you two... have a long and happy marriage."

Yin Wanqing changed her mind before she could finish speaking.

This is probably the most sincere blessing today. Everyone in the city is scheming against each other, but the friendship between two foreign women is genuine.

Yin Wanqing saw Pei Nian, who was wearing a red veil, nod very subtly and leave the hall with Gu Jingnian, and couldn't help but smile slightly.

After the newlyweds left, the wedding banquet began.

As evening approached, the guests took their seats, and the servants lit candles and served dishes.

Yin Wanqing, sitting at the head of the table, suddenly sniffed.

She smelled a unique fragrance, which smelled wonderful, but it was one she had never smelled before.

"Where did the smoke come from?" the guests asked in confusion.

The stronger the aroma, the thicker the smoke.

Then someone shouted, "Fire!"

Everyone looked towards the front yard and saw that the dowry piled there had caught fire. It seemed that candles had ignited many of the silks in the dowry, and the fire quickly spread to the mahogany chests below.

As for the strange fragrance, it was emitted from the burning incense in the box.

In an instant, the entire Marshal's Mansion was filled with smoke and fragrant aromas.

The red "double happiness" characters on the ground were swept up by the wind and quickly engulfed by the flames.

--------

In the new house, dragon and phoenix candles glowed.

Gu Jingnian helped Pei Nian inside without the help of servants.

"Isn't this going to cause some trouble?" Pei Nian said in a low voice.

"It's alright," Gu Jingnian said. "This is Jusai City; nothing serious will happen here."

"Ah."

Pei Nian simply gave a soft "hmm," indicating that the wedding could continue.

She was helped to sit on the edge of the couch, and when she felt Gu Jingnian about to lift her veil, she suddenly said, "Wait."

"how?"

"Before I lift the curtain, I have something to say to you."

"it is good."

Speaking through a red cloth, Pei Nian was a little gentler than usual, but only to a limited extent.

This was the gentlest thing she could do.

"I made a decision during the wedding ceremony just now."

"Ok?"

Pei Nian paused for a moment, then said, "I've decided to marry you."

Gu Jingnian found this amusing and asked in return, "Did you decide to marry me at the wedding ceremony?"

"Yes," Pei Nian said, "There's something I want to tell you."

“Okay,” Gu Jingnian said, “but there’s no rush to talk about it today.”

But I want to tell you.

“I’ve said it before, I know everything,” Gu Jingnian said. “I don’t want to deal with all that scheming today.”

Only after he said that did Pei Nian believe that he might actually know.

"Well."

"I've lifted my veil."

"Ah."

The dragon and phoenix candle on the table flickered, and a strange fragrance wafted in through the crack in the window, lingering around the two of them.

The fragrance isn't strong, but it smells quite nice.

The red veil was slowly lifted, revealing Pei Nian's face.

She looks much more beautiful today than ever before.

Upon seeing this, Gu Jingnian gradually leaned down and kissed her.

This time, Pei Nian didn't dodge as usual; instead, she closed her eyes and tilted her face upwards.

They touched each other, both lost in the moment, forgetting everything around them.

It's unclear how much time passed before Gu Jingnian finally opened his eyes.

Pei Nian's eyes remained closed. After a while, her curved eyelashes twitched, and she opened them, her eyes like autumn water, revealing an unprecedented tenderness.

Her eyes held a shy yet affectionate gaze, like a deep pool that could instantly draw you in.

Perhaps it was Gu Jingnian's intense gaze that made Pei Nian lower her head slightly, avoiding his eyes.

"You're so beautiful," Gu Jingnian couldn't help but say.

"Ah."

Pei Nian felt even more embarrassed, biting her lower lip lightly, but her hands were already wrapped around Gu Jingnian's neck.

(End of this chapter)