Guan Shui was not content. He once again embraced his beloved woman, holding her tightly.
Liu Xiangning blushed, a rare sight for her, and said to Huo Rang, who was staring in disbelief, "I'm sorry, please forgive my embarrassment. We're newlyweds, and I couldn't control my passion. Please understand."
Huo Rang's face was pale, and his voice trembled, "You...when did you get married? Impossible, you got married? How come I never heard about it?"
Liu Xiangning, no longer caring about hospitality, rolled her eyes and said, "Do you think we're young masters and ladies? When servants get married, a concubine is the officiant, and two servants are invited to witness the ceremony, and that's it, right? What, are you trying to steal someone else's wife?"
Upon hearing this, Guan Shui was ready to fight Huo Rang to the death.
Liu Xiangning grabbed Guanshui and said, "This is none of your business, be good."
Then she turned to Huo Rang and said, "Lord Huo Rang, today is our young master's banquet for achieving the highest honors. I advise you not to cause trouble. I am uneducated and ill-mannered. I might just spread the word about how you harmed our young master, so everyone can hear how a wicked person with a wicked heart can accomplish nothing, while the upright and kind young master can achieve the highest honors. Heaven has opened its eyes."
"You..." Huo Rang was so angry that his face turned pale.
Liu Xiangning said, "Aren't you surprised that I'm like this? To be honest, I've always been this way. It's not that you like that humble, subservient look, so you don't need to like it. Alright, I've said what I needed to say. Lord Huo, please do as you please."
As she spoke, she grabbed Guan Shui's hand and pulled him away.
The two hadn't gone far when they turned a corner and arrived at a secluded spot.
Liu Xiangning thought that Guan Shui would definitely scold her for Huo Rang's rude remarks, but she didn't expect that as soon as they got to a secluded place, she would see Guan Shui excitedly going crazy, "You agree to marry me? Let's get married tonight, otherwise what if that Huo Rang guy keeps bothering us? Let's get married today, and then slap the marriage certificate in his face!"
Liu Xiangning was astonished, "Today? So... suddenly?"
Guan Shui then realized her mistake. "I'm sorry, don't overthink it. I didn't mean to belittle you. Our wedding will definitely be a grand affair with eight sedan chairs carried by eight men. Just pretend... I didn't say anything just now."
Liu Xiangning chuckled, "You misunderstood. I just felt it was too sudden, I didn't mean to look down on anything else. Besides, I'm different from other women, I'm not a respectable woman..."
Guan Shui interrupted, "You are! Don't talk about yourself like that. People can't choose their birth, but we will never accept it."
Liu Xiangning felt a warmth in her heart and nodded. "Calm down and let me finish. I certainly believe in myself that I am a good girl, but my background is an undeniable fact. If I were to get married in such a grand manner, using my past as a courtesan and having served Huo Rang, it would only lead to gossip."
I'm naturally thick-skinned, so I'm not afraid of what people say. It's just that...it feels like a blatant attempt to cover something up. Knowing it will cause public outcry, they still go to such lengths, as if they're trying to prove something. The problem is, I don't want to prove anything at all.
"I just want to be with you, protecting Master and the Crown Prince. We'll close the door and live a peaceful life. I don't care whether people outside praise or criticize me. I live for myself, not to provide them with fodder for gossip."
Guan Shui stared intently at the woman and said sincerely, "Xiang Ning, you are a person of great wisdom."
Liu Xiangning chuckled, "What great wisdom or small wisdom? Others can't understand it because they haven't been pushed to the brink and haven't let go of their illusions. Once all illusions about life are shattered and no hope is held, then one will have a complete understanding. Speaking of understanding, I think the most understanding one is still Master."
Guan Shui thought of her aunt and nodded sincerely, "You two are both extraordinary women."
Liu Xiangning didn't feel much when she was praised, but she was instantly delighted when she heard someone praising her and her master together.
Looking at this man, he also became much more handsome.
Liu Xiangning smiled and looked up at the man with fair skin and handsome features. She thought he was much better looking than Huo Rang. He was handsome, devoted, and listened to his wife. She was lucky!
Thinking it over, she traced circles on the man's chest with her finger, "Tonight, I want to be the bride."
Guan Shui was pleasantly surprised. "You mean, the wedding is today? I'll go find the young master after the banquet."
Liu Xiangning rolled her eyes, stopped drawing circles, and grabbed Guan Shui by the collar. "I mean, come to my room tonight to deliver your grain!"
...
At the same time, in another location.
Chen Mianmian searched everywhere for Liu Xiangning, but couldn't find her anywhere. She questioned many maids, but they all said they hadn't seen her.
Chen Mianmian was so angry that she stomped her feet, wishing she had a cell phone here, otherwise she would have been making a series of frantic calls by now.
A maidservant ran over, "Auntie, have you seen Sister Xiangning?"
Chen Mianmian gritted her teeth, "I'm still looking for her, what happened?"
"That's right, there's no room left in Songtao Courtyard."
"What?" Chen Mianmian exclaimed in surprise, "Not enough seats? No, didn't we calculate the number of people beforehand?"
The maid explained helplessly, "It's like this, just now, too many of the women from Lord Wu and Lord Ma's families came. Not only did they have their legitimate daughters, but they also brought several concubines and illegitimate daughters, so the number of people exceeded the limit."
Shen Mianmian's lips twitched. "No, I thought only common people would pay a share of the money and bring their families to the banquet. Turns out, even the powerful and wealthy do it? Never mind, open the Liuting Courtyard. Go ask Granny Li for the key and tell her I gave the permission."
"Yes, Madam." The maid received the order and turned to run off to find someone.
Shen Mianmian felt that things couldn't continue like this, and she still had to find Xiang Ning.
To put it another way, the issue now isn't whether Xiang Ning is slacking off or not; it's that she's afraid Xiang Ning will be so busy she'll faint. It seems Xiang Ning didn't sleep much last night.
With no one around and worried that her face would cause unnecessary trouble, and that wearing a veil would be too exaggerated, Shen Mianmian finally found a face towel, covered the lower half of her face, and searched along the places where Xiang Ning might appear.
And so, they searched all the way until they reached the main gate of the Prince's Mansion.
Shen Mianmian has always been low-key and doesn't usually wear extravagant clothes or exquisite jewelry. Today, she is dressed in a very plain manner.
With her face mask on and everyone around her busy, few people noticed her.
Just as Shen Mianmian decided to give up looking for someone and was about to return to the backyard, a considerable commotion suddenly came from the main gate of the Marquis's mansion ahead.
As the person in charge of the banquet, Shen Mianmian dared not delay upon hearing the commotion and hurriedly went over to see what was going on.
Surrounded by a group of officials and guards, a young man dressed in a black brocade robe stepped up the stairs and walked towards the gate of the mansion.
The man had a handsome and refined appearance, with a calm expression. His dark eyes held the satisfied weariness of someone in a superior position, as well as another kind of hidden, inexplicable meaning and motivation.
Chen Mianmian thought to herself, "Not bad, this person is good-looking."
Suddenly, the man who was surrounded by admirers suddenly focused his lazy gaze and looked over.
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