In the early summer of the Dajing Dynasty, the warm sun, like fine, radiant golden threads, streamed down through the exquisitely carved glazed tiles of the Zhuangyuan Mansion, illuminating the entire wedding hall with a shimmering golden splendor, resembling a dreamlike wonderland. Su Jinli, clad in a vibrant, dazzling crimson wedding gown, resembled a peony in full bloom, radiating a dazzling brilliance that drew the gaze away.
Embroidered on the wedding gown with exquisite craftsmanship, the embroiderers meticulously crafted nine lifelike phoenixes. Each phoenix seemed to embody the spirit of life, its delicate feathers distinct, as if ready to flap its wings and soar into the sky in the next moment. Gold thread snaked along the hem of the dress like a flowing golden stream. As she moved with her graceful steps, the gold thread shimmered and danced, as if she were treading on delicate and gorgeous golden light. Each step exuded unparalleled dignity and luxury, as if all the beauty and blessings of the world were gathered here.
She tilted her head slightly, like a flower quietly blooming in the spring breeze, with a playful smile on her face. She reached out her hand and gently pinched Jiang Yan's waist, like a dragonfly skimming the water. Then, like a nimble little bird, she leaned close to his ear and lowered her voice, the softest whisper in the spring breeze, with a hint of playfulness and teasing, as she said, "Look at that Minister of Rites. There's even wedding candy on his beard."
Jiang Yan was slightly startled, like the slightest ripple on a calm lake, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly, a smile creeping onto his face. He suppressed his smile, and as if responding to this quirky little joke, his fingertips gently tapped her palm, conveying a sweetness and tacit understanding that only the two of them could understand.
Just as the couple was immersed in the sweet atmosphere of their newlywed life, having just completed the solemn and sacred ceremony of worshipping heaven and earth, they were caught off guard by a sudden and resounding bang from the front yard. The sound was like a bolt from the blue, shattering the joyful and peaceful atmosphere of the wedding hall without warning, as if someone were pounding on the door with all their might, and each loud bang struck everyone's heart with a heavy blow.
Before everyone could recover from their shock, they saw Young Marquis Su rushing in like a black whirlwind. He held the gilded crescent-shaped blade tightly in his hand, the blade gleaming with a cold metallic luster, as if telling of the impending crisis. The red silk on the blade tassel, which was originally neat and bright, had now tilted to one side due to his hurried running, appearing a little messy and awkward, just like a panicked flag on the battlefield. His face was full of anxiety, beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and he shouted loudly: "Sister! Brother Jiang Yan! The old subordinates of the Liu family are here to make trouble!"
This cry, like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, instantly sent ripples through the wedding hall, creating a commotion. The guests erupted in an uproar, whispering to each other, their faces filled with surprise and worry. The whispers spread like a fine spider web, rapidly spreading through the hall.
Su Jinli raised her eyebrows slightly, a flash of calmness and determination flashing across her lively eyes, like a cold star in a deep pool. With a sharp gaze, she turned to several burly men in coarse gray coats, who were storming into the wedding hall. The leader was none other than Liu's former chamberlain, Zhou. His face was contorted, his expression bordering on madness. He held a slightly worn piece of yellow paper aloft in his hands, spitting as he shouted, "Su Jinli! You fickle woman! You were having an affair with a man outside your marriage before marriage! This is irrefutable proof!"
"Documents of adultery?" Su Jinli's eyes flashed with undisguised disdain, as if the so-called "ironclad evidence" before her was nothing more than a child's farce. She took the yellow paper with a calm expression and graceful movements, and gently shook it towards the sunlight. The sunlight filtered through the paper, illuminating the blurred handwriting and mottled marks on it. Suddenly, she laughed out loud, the laughter was crisp and pleasant, but with a hint of sarcasm. She stared at Butler Zhou with a sharp gaze, and said clearly, "Butler Zhou, this piece of paper...did you use it to pad my brush last year?"
Butler Zhou's face instantly turned pale as paper, as if he had seen the most terrifying ghost in the world. His body began to tremble slightly, and his lips trembled as he stammered in retort, "You...you're talking nonsense!"
"I'm talking nonsense?" Su Jinli calmly extended her slender finger and gently touched the ink mark on the paper. Like a calm judge, she spoke clearly and logically, "Look closely at the hook of the character 'private'; it's so strangely smudged. I clearly remember that last year, when I was writing 'Jianghu Xiao', I accidentally spilled ink and, in a panic, wiped my brush with this yellow paper. How come it has now transformed into what you call a 'document of adultery'?" She paused briefly, as if giving everyone time to think, then suddenly raised her voice and addressed the guests, "Everyone, take a closer look. There's a faint ink blob on the paper. It's clearly that idle drawing I made last year of... um... a flying fox's butt!"
Upon hearing this, the guests' curiosity was piqued, and they all came closer with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. Sure enough, in the corner of the yellow paper, there was a faint blob of ink. Everyone squinted their eyes and examined it carefully. Within the mottled mark, they could faintly make out the shape of a fox with its tail cocked, as if slyly observing everything around it.
Su Qingyao couldn't help but add insult to injury. Her voice was crisp and teasing, "Butler Zhou, stealing my sister's waste paper as evidence is a bit too shabby, isn't it? With such a crude trick, do you really expect to get away with it?"
Butler Zhou was so angry that his entire body was shaking violently, like a leaf swaying in a strong wind, as if it would be swept away at any moment. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "You... you are slandering me! You are slandering me!" There was a hint of despair and anger in his voice, as if he was the one who had been wronged.
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
