Hua Miaomiao’s thoughts were racing with excitement.
After seeing off her adoptive parents, she finally calmed down. “If only I had a gun… compared to hand-to-hand combat, I still miss my big sniper rifle!”
No sooner had she said this than a crack appeared in the air before her, and suddenly, in front of her eyes, there was an armory.
Hua Miaomiao could hardly believe what she was seeing. She slowly stepped inside, trembling, and picked up a new sniper rifle.
This rifle not only had a scope but even a silencer—it was exactly the kind of dream weapon she had always wanted. Her squad leader had said everyone would get new rifles next month!
She never imagined she could get her hands on such a powerful sniper in this world first. The excitement was overwhelming!
Taking advantage of the moment when no one was around, Hua Miaomiao quickly loaded bullets into the rifle, tested its weight, and adjusted the scope.
Holding the familiar weapon again brought her an unexpected sense of comfort. For a fleeting moment, it almost felt like she had returned to her original world.
If not for the long hair falling across her shoulders reminding her she was still in this strange world, she might have thought she had somehow gone back.
As for the mysterious space that appeared and disappeared, Hua Miaomiao had no idea how it worked, but she instinctively felt that anything she wanted would appear if she willed it.
To test this, she thought in her mind, “Cake, cake, I want cake!”
Sure enough, the space tore open again, and this time a whole display case of cakes appeared before her. Hua Miaomiao nearly floated with joy.
Trembling, she picked a small piece of mousse cake from the display case and stepped out. The moment she left, the space closed on its own.
At this point, she could no longer contain her excitement. She had unexpectedly been granted such a magical space.
It was like a treasure chest—anything she wanted would appear. The ability to summon weapons anytime thrilled her immensely.
Her mission to protect the Third Prince now seemed much more manageable. After all, she was the squad’s top sniper. If possible, she even considered forming her own little team here.
That way, protecting the Third Prince would be far easier, though she would still need to see how things unfolded. She hadn’t even met the Third Prince yet; everything was still unknown.
Having settled these thoughts, Hua Miaomiao decided to eat her cake and then get some rest. After all, tomorrow was her wedding day, and she needed to be well-fed and rested for it.
Unlike Hua Miaomiao’s calm, Li Xiangmei leaned against Hua Liangjun’s chest, feeling increasingly unhappy. But the imperial decree couldn’t be defied, so no matter how sad she was, she had to accept the situation.
Hua Liangjun held her, feeling equally heavy-hearted. They only had this one child, and now she was about to become someone else’s wife. Seeing her again in the future wouldn’t be so easy.
The couple lay awake, worried that their daughter might suffer after marriage. Especially since the Third Prince seemed so weak, they knew Miaomiao would likely have to handle everything herself.
The next morning, the servants in the mansion began bustling about. Lanterns and decorations filled the place—it was lively and festive.
In the South Wing, Chunhua and Qiuyue, two maidservants, were helping Hua Miaomiao bathe and get dressed.
Hua Miaomiao felt a bit helpless. At her current appearance, no amount of grooming could make much difference.
The best they could do was arrange a pretty hairstyle. Her face offered no advantages, and she had practically no features to highlight. The maids did their best.
If there was anything to praise, it would be her hair and figure. Even layered in multiple garments, her slim waist was still noticeable.
Looking at herself in the mirror, dressed in the bright red wedding outfit, she felt awkward. The dress was beautiful, but paired with her face, it seemed almost wasted.
Fortunately, the red bridal veil could at least save her dignity for the day. Thinking this, she felt better.
At this time, General Hua and his wife were waiting at the door, and the bridal sedan from the Third Prince’s side was already on its way.
Once Chunhua and Qiuyue finished dressing her, they quietly stepped aside. This time, they would accompany their mistress to the Third Prince’s mansion, and returning afterward might be difficult.
Peeking out from under her veil, Hua Miaomiao pondered her upcoming marriage. As it was her first wedding, she was naturally a little nervous.
She sat quietly for a while until the music announcing the wedding procession sounded outside. The drumbeats and gongs were lively and festive.
Hua Miaomiao recalled the lively weddings of her comrades she had attended. If fireworks weren’t banned in the city back then, it would have been even more extravagant.
She hadn’t expected weddings here to be just as grand. With the drums and gongs, people from miles around could hear the celebration clearly.
Soon, footsteps sounded outside. According to the rituals of the Mingyue Kingdom, General Hua had to personally carry his daughter out—the bride’s feet were not to touch the ground from that moment.
As General Hua entered, people automatically cleared a path, and only then did Hua Miaomiao feel a pang of sadness.
Clinging to her father’s back, she realized that from now on, everything would depend on herself.
She couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for the original Hua Miaomiao, who had grown up deeply loved by this old general and his wife, yet now had to marry someone else before fulfilling her filial duties.
General Hua tried to control his emotions, walking slowly and reluctantly with each step.
But every road has an end. Eventually, they reached the entrance of the General’s mansion. Only after personally placing Hua Miaomiao into the bridal sedan did he let out a long, heavy sigh.
The royal procession delivered the betrothal gifts into the mansion according to protocol and then carried the sedan away in grand style.
The music continued without pause. Hua Liangjun watched the sedan recede into the distance, unable to hold back his tears, while Li Xiangmei restrained herself, patting his back anxiously before turning back to the mansion.
After all, there were still many guests to receive, and she and her husband had to fulfill all the formalities of the occasion.