Transmigrating into the world of Jade Dynasty, I was targeted by the female lead in a reverse romanc

Three months have passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Tongtian Peak was packed with people.

Inside and outside the Jade Purity Hall, lanterns and colorful decorations were hung, and red silk stretched from the eaves of the hall to the Cloud Sea Square, extending for several miles. Disciples from various peaks came and went, carrying fruit platters and wine jars, all with smiles on their faces. Hundreds of tables were set up in the Cloud Sea Square, stretching all the way to the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

The monks of Tianyin Temple, the guests from Fenxiang Valley, and fellow Daoists from other sects, large and small, who had come to observe the ceremony, had already taken their seats, chatting and laughing in hushed tones, their eyes occasionally glancing toward the direction of Yuqing Hall.

The auspicious time is approaching.

Inside the hall, Dao Xuan Zhenren sat in the main seat, dressed in a blue Daoist robe, with a smile on his face. To his left and right were the heads of various sects. Tian Buyi sat upright with a tense face. Su Ru was next to him, occasionally whispering something to him, and he could only manage a forced smile. Master Shuiyue sat on the other side, his expression calm, but there was a faint joy in his eyes.

Suddenly, the master of ceremonies outside the hall announced loudly: "The newlyweds have arrived—"

The drums and music began, and the sheng and xiao played in unison.

A stir ran through the crowd as they craned their necks to look.

A group of people slowly walked towards them from the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

The person in the lead was tall and aloof, dressed in a bright red wedding gown embroidered with cloud patterns in gold thread, which shimmered in the sunlight.

She was not wearing a veil, her long hair was tied up high and adorned with a golden phoenix hairpin, with delicate tassels hanging down her forehead, making her face appear even whiter and more like jade, and her eyebrows and eyes as beautiful as a painting.

Lu Xueqi.

She walked steadily forward, her gaze fixed straight ahead, a faint smile on her lips. Behind her, eight female disciples from Xiaozhu Peak carried a vermilion sedan chair, its curtains drawn, obscuring the interior.

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted in low gasps of amazement.

"That's Lu Xueqi? Truly...a beauty beyond compare..."

"It's her! The most outstanding disciple of Qingyun in a hundred years, already at the Shangqing Realm at such a young age!"

"Tsk tsk, such a person, and she's the one getting married, really..."

"What do you know? They're doing it because they want to!"

The sedan chair stopped in front of the palace. Lu Xueqi walked to the front of the sedan chair, reached out, and lifted the curtain.

Inside, Jiang Xiaochuan sat upright, also dressed in a bright red wedding robe, with his hair tied up in a golden crown, and his face as handsome as jade.

He was led out of the sedan chair by Lu Xueqi's hand, and stood beside her, a head shorter than her. His face was slightly flushed, and he kept his head down, not daring to look around.

The two stood together, one tall and one short, one cold and one warm, yet they were surprisingly harmonious.

Dao Xuan Zhenren nodded with a smile, signaling the master of ceremonies to continue.

The emcee cleared his throat and began to sing: "First bow to Heaven and Earth—"

Lu Xueqi, holding Jiang Xiaochuan's hand, turned around and bowed to the heavens outside the hall.

"Bowing to the parents twice—"

The two turned around and bowed to Dao Xuan and the other chief disciples.

Tian Buyi looked at Jiang Xiaochuan's hunched back, his lips moved, but he didn't say anything in the end. He just picked up his teacup, took a sip, and Su Ru gently squeezed his hand under the table.

"Husband and wife bow to each other—"

Lu Xueqi and Jiang Xiaochuan stood facing each other.

Lu Xueqi looked at Jiang Xiaochuan with gentle eyes and a deeper smile. Jiang Xiaochuan looked up and met her gaze. His face turned even redder, but he didn't look away. He slowly bent down.

The two bowed to each other.

The ceremony is complete.

The bells rang out, and the music of the sheng (a type of reed pipe instrument) filled the air.

Cheers and congratulations surged in from inside and outside the hall. Jiang Xiaochuan straightened up, his vision blurring. Lu Xueqi reached out and took his hand. Her hand was cold and she held it tightly.

"Let's go," she whispered, pulling him outside.

The crowd parted automatically, their eyes following them, whispering, laughing, expressing envy, sighing, and some even green with envy.

Jiang Xiaochuan let her lead him through the main hall and onto the high stone steps outside. Below was Yunhai Square, which was packed with people. Looking up, the sunlight was blinding, and he squinted. Lu Xueqi stepped aside to shield him from the light.

"Look," she said.

Jiang Xiaochuan followed her gaze and saw a large red sedan chair carried by eight men at the end of the square. The curtains of the sedan chair were embroidered with golden phoenixes and swayed gently in the wind. It was arranged by Lu Xueqi. She said that she wanted to marry him properly and that the sedan chair would be carried by eight men to bring him from Xiaozhu Peak. At that time, he thought she was joking. He did not expect that she would really bring him here and even carry him up to Tongtian Peak.

"Do you like it?" Lu Xueqi asked softly, her voice barely audible to him.

Jiang Xiaochuan opened his mouth but didn't say anything; he just nodded.

Lu Xueqi smiled, the corners of her mouth curving upwards, a warmth spreading in her eyes, brightening her entire face.

She held his hand tightly, and step by step, they walked down the stone steps. The red carpet stretched from the front of the palace all the way to the sedan chair. She walked steadily, and he followed, his steps slightly unsteady, as if he were walking on clouds.

……

The banquet was set up in Yunhai Square, with hundreds of tables stretching as far as the eye could see. Food and drinks were served in a continuous stream, and the atmosphere was bustling with noise and the clinking of glasses.

Jiang Xiaochuan was led by Lu Xueqi as they went from table to table toasting. His cup was filled with tea, while Lu Xueqi's was filled with wine. Many people came to toast them, offering auspicious words, pouring drinks, patting their shoulders, and winking at them. Lu Xueqi blocked most of them. She had a high alcohol tolerance and drank one cup after another without changing her expression. Jiang Xiaochuan followed beside her, occasionally sipping his tea, his smile stiff.

Out of the corner of her eye, she kept glancing in a certain direction. She was dressed in white and sitting at a table in the corner. She was silent and just drinking, one glass after another. She poured the wine quickly and drank it quickly. When someone tried to talk to her, she ignored them and just stared at the wine in her glass as if she wanted to stare a hole through it.

Jiang Xiaochuan felt a tightness in his chest and gripped his teacup tightly.

"Are you tired?" Lu Xueqi noticed and turned to look at him, her eyes questioning.

"No." He shook his head and forced a smile.

After toasting a few more tables, when they reached the younger disciples' table, Zeng Shushu squeezed in, grabbed Jiang Xiaochuan's neck, and grinned from ear to ear: "Old Jiang, you're something else! You actually managed to marry Senior Sister Lu. I thought you were a clueless kid!"

Jiang Xiaochuan coughed as he was being strangled, and hurriedly tried to pry his hand off. Lu Xueqi watched from the side, her brows furrowing.

"Junior Brother Zeng," she said, her voice not loud, but Zeng Shushu immediately let go and chuckled dryly.

"Senior Sister Lu, congratulations!" Zeng Shushu cupped her hands in greeting, then leaned closer to Jiang Xiaochuan and lowered her voice, "Hey, seriously, between you two, who's on top and who's on the bottom—um!"

Jiang Xiaochuan quickly covered his mouth, her face flushed red: "What nonsense are you talking about!"

Zeng Shushu blinked and whimpered twice as he covered her eyes.

Lin Jingyu walked over, holding a glass, a smile on his face, but his eyes held a complex expression. He glanced at Jiang Xiaochuan, raised his glass, and said, "Senior Brother Jiang, Senior Sister Lu, congratulations."

"Thank you, Junior Brother Lin." Lu Xueqi raised her glass, clinked it with his, and drank it all in one gulp.

Lin Jingyu finished his drink, put down his cup, paused, and said, "From now on... take good care of yourself."

Jiang Xiaochuan nodded: "Mm."

Wenmin also came over, took Jiang Xiaochuan's hand, looked at him carefully, patted Jiang Xiaochuan's hand, and said softly, "Xiaochuan, be happy."

"Thank you, Senior Sister Wenmin." Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her, then at Song Daren who was talking to Qi Hao not far away. He wondered why the two of them hadn't gotten together yet. But the occasion wasn't right, so he didn't ask.

Zhang Xiaofan stood on the periphery of the crowd, holding a glass of wine, but didn't come closer.

He wore a slightly newer blue robe today, his hair was neatly tied up, and he had a smile on his face, but the smile seemed to be painted on, floating on the surface, with nothing underneath.

He saw Jiang Xiaochuan being playfully teased by Zeng Shushu, saw Lu Xueqi frowning slightly, saw Jiang Xiaochuan's face turn bright red as he covered Zeng Shushu's mouth, saw Lin Jingyu go over to offer a toast, saw Wen Min holding Jiang Xiaochuan's hand and talking to him, and saw everyone's faces wearing smiles—sincere, perfunctory, envious, and jealous.

Those laughs were like a layer of mist, separating him from them.

He stood there for a long time, so long that the glass of wine in his hand was almost warmed up, before slowly walking over, his steps heavy, as if he were stepping in mud.

Zeng Shushu was having a good time when he saw him coming. He grabbed his shoulder and said, "Xiao Fan, come quick! Let's get Lao Jiang a drink. That guy's not being fair; he's always up to no good!"

Zhang Xiaofan stumbled forward a step, spilling some wine from his hand and wetting his sleeve. He stopped, looked up, and met Jiang Xiaochuan's eyes.

When Jiang Xiaochuan saw him, the smile on his face froze for a moment, and a complex look flashed in his eyes. Many words were stuck in his throat. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Zhang Xiaofan laughed first, and the laugh was more genuine than before. At least there was some warmth in his eyes. He raised his glass, his voice not loud, but the surroundings suddenly fell silent. For some reason, everyone's eyes were on him, as if they were waiting for something.

"Brother Jiang, Sister Lu," he said, as if reciting a mantra, "congratulations."

Lu Xueqi looked at him calmly, raised her glass, and said, "Thank you, Junior Brother Zhang."

Zhang Xiaofan didn't look at her, only at Jiang Xiaochuan. He looked at him for two seconds, then tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp. The wine was strong and burned his throat. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the moisture in his eyes was forced back.

"Take care," he said again, his voice lower, like a sigh or a word of advice.

Jiang Xiaochuan's nose tingled, and he gave a heavy "hmm" before drinking the tea in his cup. The tea was warm, but he felt a burning sensation from his throat down to his stomach.

Zhang Xiaofan put down his cup, stopped looking at them, turned around and left. His figure swayed in the crowd for a moment and then disappeared.

Zeng Shushu scratched his head and muttered softly, "Xiao Fan is acting strange today..."

Lin Jingyu glanced at him, said nothing, and patted Jiang Xiaochuan on the shoulder.

Jiang Xiaochuan stared in the direction Zhang Xiaofan had disappeared, his hand gripping the teacup tightly. Lu Xueqi's hand covered his, gently holding his; her fingertips were cool, yet firm.

He turned to look at her, and she shook her head, her eyes saying: Don't chase after me.

The monks from Tianyin Temple also came, including Faxiang, Fashan, and Master Puhong.

Pu Hong, with his white eyebrows and beard, chuckled as he handed over a string of Buddhist prayer beads, saying it was a congratulatory gift. Jiang Xiaochuan accepted it and thanked him. Fa Xiang looked at him with gentle eyes and said a few auspicious words, while Fa Shan chuckled beside him.

There were also strangers who came over to offer toasts, saying flattering things, but their eyes couldn't hide their jealousy. Jiang Xiaochuan pretended not to see them, and Lu Xueqi didn't care at all (on her wedding day). She drank as usual and remained indifferent.

After walking around the circle, his legs were sore that Lu Xueqi helped him sit down to the side while she went to deal with another wave of people offering toasts.

Jiang Xiaochuan sat and watched her in the crowd, her back straight, raising her glass and drinking. Her profile was half-lit and half-shadowed by the lamplight, and her bright red robe made her skin look even whiter, like jade.

The unease in his heart slowly dissipated. He reached for the wine pot on the table, intending to pour himself a glass, but his wrist was pressed down.

Turning his head, he saw Xiaobai had come over at some point and was standing beside him, her hand on his wrist.

Her face was flushed with intoxication, her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes sparkled. She was more radiant than usual, yet also more fragile, like glass that would shatter at the slightest touch.

"You can't hold your liquor, don't drink." Her voice was a little hoarse and carried the smell of alcohol.

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her, his throat dry: "Xiaobai, you..."

"I'm fine." Xiaobai let go, picked up his jar of wine, and took a big gulp. The wine spilled from the corner of his mouth, slid down his chin, and soaked into his collar.

She raised her hand to wipe her face, smiled, her eyes glistening with tears, "I can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk."

Jiang Xiaochuan recalled that night in southern Xinjiang, by the stream, when she had said the same thing.

"You've had too much to drink," he said softly, reaching for her wine jar.

Xiao Bai raised her hand to dodge, looked at him for a long time, and suddenly asked, "Jiang Xiaochuan, did you do this willingly?"

Jiang Xiaochuan was taken aback.

"If I were to ask you now, would you be willing to come with me?"

Xiao Bai took a step forward, getting closer, and the smell of alcohol mixed with her fragrance wafted onto his face.

"No matter where you are, I possess the Mystic Fire Mirror, and I am a Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox. No one can stop me. Are you coming or not?"

Her eyes held expectation, determination, and a desperate glint.

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her, his heart felt like it was being clenched by something, aching, suffocating, and he couldn't breathe. He opened his mouth, his voice hoarse, "Xiaobai, I'm sorry."

The light in Xiaobai's eyes dimmed little by little. She took a step back, tugged at the corners of her mouth, wanted to laugh, but couldn't.

"It's alright," she said softly, as if to herself, "I knew it all along."

She picked up the wine jar, about to drink again, but Jiang Xiaochuan reached out to stop her, only to have his hand intercepted by another hand in mid-air.

Lu Xueqi returned at some point and stood beside him, holding his wrist. She looked at Xiaobai with no expression on her face, then picked up her glass of wine and handed it to him.

"Little Bai, this is a toast to you," she said.

Xiao Bai looked at her, then at the glass of wine, and smiled. She put down the wine jar, took it, tilted her head back, and downed it in one gulp. The wine was strong, and she choked, coughing, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Thank you." She put the empty glass back on the table, turned to leave, and staggered a little.

"Xiaobai," Jiang Xiaochuan called to her.

Xiao Bai didn't turn around, waved his hand, and disappeared into the crowd.

Jiang Xiaochuan stared in the direction she disappeared, and that feeling of unease returned to him, heavy and unsettling. He picked up the glass of wine that Lu Xueqi hadn't drunk, wanting to drink it, but Lu Xueqi pressed his wrist down again.

"You can't drink," Lu Xueqi said, taking the glass from his hand and drinking it herself.

"she……"

"She's drunk. I'll have someone take her to a guest room at Xiaozhu Peak to rest later." Lu Xueqi put down her glass, took his hand, and said, "Let's go, there are still a few tables left."

Jiang Xiaochuan was led back by her, and couldn't help but look back again. The crowd was bustling, but the white-clad figure was nowhere to be found.

……

The banquet lasted until the moon was high in the sky before it gradually came to an end.

Jiang Xiaochuan was forced to drink a lot of tea, his stomach was bloated, but his mind was painfully clear.

After seeing off the last group of guests, he stood in front of the Jade Purity Hall, looking down at the Cloud Sea Square. The cups and plates were scattered everywhere, and the disciples were cleaning up. Red silk fluttered in the night wind, and the yellow glow of lanterns illuminated the mess, creating a sense of desolation after the bustling scene.

Lu Xueqi walked over, holding a cloak in her hand, and draped it over him.

"Are you tired?" she asked.

"A little." Jiang Xiaochuan pulled his cloak tighter; the night breeze was indeed chilly.

"Let's go back." Lu Xueqi took his hand and flew towards Xiaozhu Peak on her sword.

"Miss Xiaobai," Lu Xueqi suddenly spoke, her voice clear in the quiet night, "I've arranged for her to rest in the guest room."

"Mm," Jiang Xiaochuan responded, then paused, "Thank you, Xueqi."

Lu Xueqi stopped and turned to look at him. The moonlight shone on her face, making her skin appear pale and cold, but her eyes held warmth.

"No need to thank me," she said, reaching out to brush a strand of hair that had blown across his forehead by the wind. "We are husband and wife."

Husband and wife. She said those two words so naturally, but Jiang Xiaochuan felt a jolt in his heart. He looked at her, and she looked at him too, her gaze calm and deep, as if she could draw him in.

He suddenly remembered that Linglong was still in his mind. During their wedding ceremony, Linglong had remained silent, but now she sighed softly.

"Congratulations." Linglong's voice rang in my mind, flat and emotionless.