In the blink of an eye, the auspicious day arrived.

Although this marriage was arranged by the State of Chu in an effort to curry favor with the State of Qin, it was nonetheless a matter of Qin's reputation, and as the first wife of their beloved elder brother, the wicked husband naturally took it very seriously.

Sure enough, before night had even fallen and the sky had just begun to lighten, the wicked husband was already dressed in his finest attire, having specially changed into a bright red wedding robe, as dazzling and radiant as a flame.

Just as the wicked husband finished packing, Zhang Erhe came to report that the Chu state's official in charge of etiquette had arrived at the post station and requested to see the wicked husband to discuss the marriage proposal and betrothal arrangements for today.

The moment the two sides met, the officials of Chu were astonished, secretly wondering, "What... what's going on? Anyone who doesn't know the situation would think he's getting married!"

The style of the wicked man's bright red robe was truly unprecedented, like the sunset on the horizon, vibrant and festive, making one's eyes light up.

"Where have you all come? Please have a seat!" Today, the wicked husband showed no trace of his arrogance, but wore a warm smile, like a good-natured old man with no temper.

The group was flattered and quickly responded. They had prepared themselves for the stern looks and cold treatment from the wicked husband before they came, but they did not expect such a contrast.

After everyone was seated, the Minister of Rites immediately explained the etiquette and procedures to the wicked man.

Of course, the ritual process was slightly modified, which can be seen as accommodating what the wicked husband said that day. The process was simplified a lot, but it did not seem casual or impolite.

The wicked husband was quite pleased with this, and his smile deepened. He always hated trouble, and now that the State of Chu was being sensible and streamlined, it was naturally a good thing.

"Come, everyone!"

The wicked man pulled out several pieces of candy wrapped in red cloth from his pocket and handed them to the Chu official in charge of etiquette, saying with a smile, "Try them quickly, and share in the joy. These are wedding candies specially prepared by this Grand Commandant!"

"Wedding candy?!"

Chu's official was somewhat puzzled, but thinking that the evil husband was the Grand Commandant of Qin and it was a joyous occasion, he should not poison him. He quickly took the red cloth and, following the evil husband's instructions, untied it and put the 'candy' in his mouth.

The moment it entered their mouths, the rich fruity flavor, mixed with a sweet and delightful taste, burst forth on their tongues, instantly invigorating them. They exclaimed instinctively, "Sweet, so sweet, so fragrant!"

"Ha ha ha ha...."

The wicked husband burst into laughter and explained softly, "This is called fructose, specially made for this joyous occasion. Without this wedding candy, the wedding procession just doesn't feel quite right."

The officials were so captivated by the delicious food that they felt Cao Zhen was exaggerating. They thought he wasn't being disrespectful or showing much sincerity.

Seeing that they liked it, the wicked husband winked at Zhang Erhe, who quickly and quietly withdrew. He returned shortly with a tray filled with wedding candies.

"Since you all like them, please take them. Wedding candy is meant to be given to passersby during the wedding procession to create a lively and festive atmosphere."

The officials quickly rose and respectfully accepted the gift, saying, "We thank the Grand Commandant for his generous reward."

"It's alright!"

The wicked man waved for the group to sit down and then started a long, rambling chat with them.

As the sky turned bluish and began to lighten, it was time to set off.

"Grand Commandant, the auspicious time has arrived, it's time to depart!" The officials stood up, ending the awkward conversation.

Upon hearing this, the wicked man also stood up, straightened his clothes, and shouted, "The auspicious hour has arrived! Follow me, Grand Commandant, into the capital of Chu to receive the bride and present the betrothal gifts!"

No sooner had the words been spoken than a powerful roar echoed through the courtyard: "We obey!"

The wicked man flicked his sleeves, strode out of the room into the courtyard, put his hands behind his back, and sat on the horse with a slight effort. His movements were fluid and graceful.

"Set off!"

The sound of horses' hooves echoed as their horseshoes struck the bluestone pavement.

The wicked husband rode a tall horse, followed by a grand wedding procession with banners waving and ribbons fluttering, creating a joyous and lively scene.

The caravan advanced rapidly, heading towards Juyang, the capital of Chu, fifty li away.

Finally, the group arrived at Juyang, the capital of the Chu Kingdom.

The nobles and nobles of Chu had been waiting for a long time. Crowds surged on both sides of the city gate, and countless people craned their necks to see what the legendary wicked husband looked like.

"Halt!"

When they were less than 500 meters from the gate of Juyang City, the evil man roared, then dismounted, strode forward, and led his men slowly toward the city gate.

Xiong Yuan's confidant, Lord Chunshen of Chu, immediately rode forward to greet him, showing his high regard for him.

As Huang Xie faced the wicked man, a look of amazement flashed in his eyes. He never expected that this renowned Grand Commandant of Qin would be a handsome young man who had not yet come of age. He immediately cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Huang Xie, Lord Chunshen of Chu, greets the Grand Commandant of Qin. On behalf of the King of Chu, I have come to welcome the Grand Commandant's arrival."

"The four lords of the Warring States, their demeanor is indeed extraordinary!" The wicked man secretly praised in his heart, and returned the greeting with a cupped hand, "The wicked man of Qin greets Lord Chunshen."

After exchanging pleasantries, the two sides entered the city hand in hand to begin the betrothal and engagement ceremony.

"Sprinkle sugar!"

At Zhang Erhe's shout, hundreds of soldiers carrying red cloth bags immediately stepped out from the neatly lined-up Black Dragon Armor Army behind him.

"Time to hand out wedding candy!"

These people shouted as they pulled out wedding candies from red cloth bags and scattered them into the crowd.

The people of Chu did not know what this was, but they instinctively scrambled to grab it, causing a commotion in the crowd, which also made the atmosphere more lively.

Zhang Erhe took the red cloth bag from a soldier, grabbed the wedding candy, and went forward to distribute it to Lord Chunshen and other nobles of Chu.

"Ladies and gentlemen, these are wedding candies. They're fruity and sweet to the core. Please have a taste!" The wicked man grinned and gestured to the crowd.

Huang Xie and the other powerful figures were somewhat suspicious, but they didn't think much of the idea that he would poison it. They reached out and unwrapped the red cloth covering the sugar, and put it in their mouths as the wicked husband instructed.

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