“The bridal sedan has arrived—”
“The coffin is raised—”
Jiang Lingzhi’s bright red bridal sedan stopped outside the Xiao Guogong Fu, making way for the procession of coffin bearers dressed in mourning clothes.
Red silk like fire, white banners filling the sky.
She lifted the curtain and watched the simple, black coffin pass by her bridal sedan. Lying inside was the God of War of the Great Yong, Xiao Jingyi.
His life was one of glorious military achievements, defending the borders and protecting the nation. It was just a pity he died so young.
Although the first branch of the Xiao family was humiliating her by making her celebrate the wedding and funeral together today, she was willing to make way for such a hero.
She just hadn’t expected that this wait would last until nightfall.
The wedding chaperone flung open the sedan curtain and urged impatiently, “Get out of the sedan.”
Jiang Lingzhi sat still and asked softly, “Where is Xiao Yan? Isn’t he coming out to welcome me?”
Back in the countryside, she had seen the village chief’s son get married. The groom would lift the sedan curtain, place the red silk ribbon into the bride’s hand, and lead her inside. Even if the funeral took precedence today and there was no wedding ceremony… he could at least come to welcome her, couldn’t he?
“Pah! Do you really think you’re a phoenix who has flown up from the branches? You still expect our Young Master to come and receive you?” The chaperone sneered contemptuously. “You country bumpkin, aren’t you perfectly aware of how you snatched this marriage from Miss Lingyuan?”
Jiang Lingzhi’s tone was calm. “I was the one betrothed to Xiao Yan in the first place.”
This marriage had been arranged by the Duke of Xiao and her grandfather in their youth, with a written agreement stating that the eldest legitimate grandson of the first branch would marry the eldest legitimate granddaughter of the first branch.
She was the legitimate daughter of the first wife. The Jiang Lingyuan the chaperone mentioned had been adopted into the family from the clan by her stepmother. She did not like the word “snatched.”
Seeing the chaperone speechless, she lifted her red veil and stepped out of the bridal sedan herself.
“Hey, how can the bride lift her own veil…” The wedding chaperone followed behind, both anxious and angry. How inauspicious was that!
However, thinking of the scene that was about to unfold, her eyes darted around, and she quickly scurried forward with a fawning expression. “Aiyo, is the bride eager to enter the bridal chamber? Come, come, I will lead the way.”
The white silks and white banners in the Xiao Guogong Fu had not yet been taken down. Servants in mourning clothes and guests who had come to offer condolences were everywhere. Jiang Lingzhi’s appearance in her bright red wedding dress was incredibly bizarre.
But she was in no mood to care what others thought, following the wedding chaperone into Xiao Yan’s courtyard.
Just as she was about to push open the door, she heard voices from inside:
“Yuan’er, come on top~”
“Young Master, be gentle… Ah~”
The woman’s delicate cries were followed by a tearful complaint. “No, after today, I should call you Brother-in-law…”
“Call me husband!” The man’s voice was extremely domineering. “Yuan’er, you are the only one in my heart. In a few days, I will welcome you into the family. When that time comes, I’ll make that bitch Jiang Lingzhi kneel and wash your feet!”
“Husband, thank you for cherishing me…”
Jiang Lingzhi stopped in her tracks, her cold gaze fixed on the intertwined figures within the half-open door.
She had sat in the bridal sedan for an entire day, thinking Xiao Yan was busy with the funeral arrangements in the residence. She never imagined he was actually busy fornicating with her stepsister, Jiang Lingyuan, in their wedding chamber.
No wonder there was no one in this courtyard. It was likely this scumbag and bitch had planned this long ago, intending to grind her face into the mud on this joyous day.
Jiang Lingzhi almost wanted to kick the door open immediately and curse the two for their lewd shamelessness. If he didn’t want to marry her, then he should have fought the engagement and welcomed the woman he loved into the residence. Why insist on marrying her just to humiliate her?
She sneered inwardly. They liked having an affair, did they?
She would not let this pair of scumbags get their wish!
With the Guogong Fu full of guests today, she would let everyone see this clearly.
She took out a tinder from her sleeve, lit the red veil, and threw it at the doorway. Thick smoke gradually began to rise.
…
Seeing the thick smoke, a servant in the residence immediately shouted, “Fire… The wedding courtyard is on fire… Everyone, quickly, put out the fire…”
The guests in the courtyard also descended into chaos.
Some took the opportunity to get up and leave, while others, more curious, followed to watch the excitement. In an instant, the courtyard was packed with people.
The commotion finally startled the couple who were in the throes of passion on the bed.
Jiang Lingyuan was so frightened she quickly stopped. “Husband, this is bad, it sounds like people are coming…”
Xiao Yan, who had been on the verge of ecstasy, was abruptly stopped, making him extremely displeased. “Don’t mind them…”
At the same time, the master, Xiao Jingping, and his wife, Lu Shi, also rushed over in a panic.
It was just a small fire and had long been extinguished, but when Lu Shi saw the blackened door, she was still agitated. She led the servants and charged into the room without a second thought. “Yan’er~ Mother is here to save you!”
With a “bang,” the door was kicked open by the leading chaperone.
Lu Shi looked up and saw the debauched scene in the room, her face instantly freezing in a stupor.
When she came to her senses, a furious scream followed. “Ahhhhhh!”
Father Xiao, thinking something terrible had happened, quickly strode over nervously, with guests and servants all crowding in behind him.
And so, everyone saw Xiao Yan, who had just sat up, and the disheveled woman hiding behind him.
Someone with sharp eyes recognized her. “Isn’t that the Second Miss of the Jiang family, Jiang Lingyuan?”
This statement was like a clap of thunder on a clear day. For a moment, everyone’s expressions became inscrutable, and they couldn’t help but whisper among themselves.
“What’s this? The older sister is getting married, but it’s the younger sister in the bridal chamber?”
“Is there even a need to ask? A clandestine affair without a matchmaker. It must be that Second Miss Jiang is shameless! She usually looks so demure, who would have thought she was such a wanton hussy!”
“They’re still holding a funeral outside, and she dares to seduce her brother-in-law into bed!”
Jiang Lingyuan was so mortified by the scolding that she couldn’t lift her head, clutching the blanket to hide her face.
She had clearly arranged for Jiang Lingzhi to be the one to arrive!
Father Xiao’s face turned ashen with rage. He strode forward and swung a slap across Xiao Yan’s face, roaring, “You bastard! Don’t you know what day it is? How could you be so absurd!”
Lu Shi quickly turned to arrange for the servants to see the guests out, then slammed the door shut. She ran over and shielded Xiao Yan behind her like a mother hen protecting her chick, crying out in discontent, “Master, things are already like this, what’s the use in hitting him?”
Then she turned and pointed at Jiang Lingyuan under the blanket, reprimanding, “The daughters of your Jiang family are truly well-raised!”
Xiao Yan grumbled in dissatisfaction, “Mother, don’t say that. Lingyuan and I are in love, and she’s carrying my child now. You should be nicer to her.”
At these words, Xiao Jingping and Lu Shi instantly fell silent.
Xiao Jingping was the Duke’s eldest legitimate son. Now over forty, he had only one son, Xiao Yan. The Duke’s delay in requesting the title of heir apparent for him was partly due to considerations about his lack of heirs.
It was precisely by grasping this point that Xiao Yan and Jiang Lingyuan had been so audacious.
Lu Shi’s expression was complicated for a moment. She was happy, yet felt she shouldn’t be happy at this time. In the end, she only chided, “You… if you want a child, you should have followed the rules! The new bride just arrived today…”
In the end, it was Xiao Jingping who first noticed something was amiss. He looked around and said with a cold face, “Xiao Yan, where is your new bride?”
“Her?” Xiao Yan was completely unconcerned. “I don’t know. She never came in…”
Lu Shi quickly ordered the chaperone beside her, “Hurry up and find her!”
“Yes.”