Inside the Pavilion of Forget-Worries, the candlelight flickered.
Wang Xiuxiu was pressed down in front of the dressing table, where maids were combing her hair and applying makeup.
The woman in the bronze mirror had a delicate face, but her eyes were cold, showing no joy of a new bride.
"Madam, this is the wedding dress that the master specially prepared for you." A maid brought over a bright red wedding dress, embroidered with intricate gold phoenixes, extremely beautiful.
Wang Xiuxiu sneered: "Take it away."
The maids looked at each other, not daring to disobey Zhou Yun'an's orders, yet fearing the icy woman before them.
"What, you don't like it?" Zhou Yun'an's voice came from the doorway. He leaned against the door frame, looking at her with a half-smile.
Wang Xiuxiu didn't even turn her head: "Do you think I'd dress like that?"
Zhou Yun'an waved away the maid, walked behind her, placed his hands on her shoulders, and leaned close to her ear: "It's fine if you don't wear it, anyway... you'll have to take it off eventually."
Wang Xiuxiu suddenly stood up, turned around and slapped him across the face!
Zhou Yun'an easily caught her wrist, a glint of malice flashing in his eyes: "Wang Xiuxiu, don't be stubborn and ask for trouble."
---
As night fell, the Forget-Worry Pavilion was brightly lit and decorated, yet an eerie atmosphere permeated the air.
Inside the main hall, Zhou Yun'an was dressed in wedding attire.
Wang Xiuxiu was forced to stand in the hall.
"Let's go through the wedding ceremony," Zhou Yun'an said lazily. "Even though you're not cooperating, we still have to go through the proper procedures. You don't want me to keep forcing you to do it, do you?"
At this critical moment.
"Whoosh!"
An arrow pierced through the window and landed precisely on the pillar next to Zhou Yun'an's ear!
Zhou Yun'an suddenly looked up, his expression changing drastically.
Outside the window, flames suddenly erupted!
"Report—!" A guard rushed in frantically, "Master! Lu Jingze has led his men to attack!"
Zhou Yun'an roared in fury: "Impossible! How did he find this place?!"
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Wang Xiuxiu broke free from his grasp and quickly retreated to the corner, sneering, "I told you long ago, you couldn't escape."
Zhou Yun'an stared intently at her, then suddenly realized something: "It's you...you've been like this all the way here..."
"That's right." Wang Xiuxiu raised her chin, her eyes gleaming with victory. "You think I'd just sit here and wait to be killed?"
Zhou Yun'an laughed angrily: "Fine, very well! Then let's see who has the last laugh!"
He suddenly drew his sword and grabbed Wang Xiuxiu.
Wang Xiuxiu was prepared and dodged to the side. At the same time, she pulled out the dagger given to her by Nan Wei from her sleeve and slashed it fiercely at Zhou Yun'an's wrist!
Zhou Yun'an winced in pain, the dagger falling to the ground. He stared in disbelief at his bleeding wrist: "You!"
The sounds of fighting outside grew closer and closer. Wang Xiuxiu seized the opportunity to rush towards the door, but Zhou Yun'an grabbed her hair and dragged her back!
"Trying to run?" he grinned maliciously. "Even if I die, I'll take you with me!"
A sharp blade pressed against Wang Xiuxiu's neck: "Lu Jingze! I know you're out there!"
He dragged Wang Xiuxiu to the window and roared at the outside, "If she dares to take another step forward, I'll kill her!"
In the darkness of night, Lu Jingze's figure appeared in the courtyard.
He held a long sword, his body covered in blood, but his eyes were terrifyingly cold: "Zhou Yun'an, let her go."
Zhou Yun'an grinned maliciously: "On what grounds?"
Lu Jingze slowly raised his hand, and the archers behind him immediately drew their bows to the limit, all the arrows aimed at the window.
"Just for this," Lu Jingze said coldly, "Release her, and I'll leave you with a whole corpse."
Zhou Yun'an laughed loudly: "You think I'm afraid of death?"
His sword left a bloody gash on Wang Xiuxiu's neck: "I want you to watch her die with your own eyes!"
At this critical moment between life and death—
Wang Xiuxiu suddenly raised her elbow and slammed it hard into Zhou Yun'an's ribs! At the same time, she tripped and used the momentum to throw him aside!
Caught off guard, Zhou Yun'an's sword veered off course, only managing to tear a sliver of clothing from Wang Xiuxiu's shoulder.
Enraged, he raised his sword to stab again, but Lu Jingze's arrow pierced through the air and accurately struck Zhou Yun'an's wrist!
Zhou Yun'an screamed and his longsword fell to the ground.
Wang Xiuxiu took the opportunity to roll to the side, while Lu Jingze had already leaped onto the windowsill, his long sword pointing straight at Zhou Yun'an's throat!
"It's over," Lu Jingze said coldly.
Zhou Yun'an, clutching his bleeding wrist, suddenly burst into maniacal laughter: "You think you've won? No! I had everything planned! This attic is riddled with gunpowder!"
He suddenly pulled a tinderbox from his pocket: "If we're going to die, we'll die together!"
Lu Jingze's pupils contracted sharply. There was no time to snatch it anymore; he simply pulled Wang Xiuxiu into his arms protectively, shouting at the same time, "Everyone retreat!"
Zhou Yun'an laughed loudly as he lit the fuse: "Too late!"
\"boom--!\"
Amidst a deafening explosion, the entire Forget-Worry Pavilion collapsed!
In the nick of time, Lu Jingze, carrying Wang Xiuxiu, leaped out of the window, plunging into the deep pool below the cliff amidst the raging flames...
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