Chapter 81 Learning to coax her like an older brother
When she was all alone just now, Xue Lanyi couldn't help but feel a little down.
But now, with his strong hands holding mine, that small gap in my heart was quickly filled with warmth.
She took his arm, and he helped her into the peach grove.
A gentle breeze stirred, causing pink petals to flutter and fall in a colorful display.
Delicate petals fell on his shoulder and on her veil.
Finally, it floated down to the ground, leaving a pink path on the ground.
Red lanterns hung on both sides of the path, and a bright red line stretched into the depths of the flower bushes.
In the center of the peach grove, a large red "囍" (double happiness) character hangs between two trees.
On the table adorned with twin lotus blossoms, a pair of celebratory candles flickered and shone.
The wedding ceremony is about to begin.
This thought suddenly rushed into her mind, and Xue Lanyi nervously grabbed Wei Xuan's hand.
"Yiyi, look, there are lilies at your feet."
To ease her tension, Wei Xuan said softly.
Xue Lanyi glanced through the gap in the bridal veil and saw that there was indeed a patch of lilies planted under the peach tree. They were still tender and must have been planted recently.
Ah Xuan is very experienced in growing lilies, so I think the lilies will bloom next year.
In the future, we can pick lilies in spring to make sachets, and peach blossoms in early summer to brew sweet wine. We can also plant osmanthus and plum trees.
This way, there will be flowers to enjoy all year round.
Oh, right!
You can also pick two large sycamore trees in the center of the peach grove, and later swing on them while enjoying the moon.
If you have a child, you can also...
Xue Lanyi's thoughts drifted far away without her realizing it. When she came back to her senses, she bit her lip in annoyance.
How could she think so far ahead?
She couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Coincidentally, she heard the man beside her chuckle to himself.
Through the red veil, you could see that the tips of his ears were red, and his eyes, like hers, held longing.
"Groom, bride, why are you both standing there like that?"
At that moment, Xie Qingyun's voice rang out from under the large red "囍" character.
Xue Lanyi's left hand was also supported.
Moon Maiden gently squeezed her wrist. "Sister, it's time for the wedding ceremony."
Unbeknownst to the two, the guests had already surrounded them, watching them and grinning foolishly for quite some time.
Xie Qingyun was actually not used to speaking loudly, but at this moment he had to bite the bullet and say again, "Bride and groom, bow to heaven and earth!"
The two then appeared somewhat flustered and knelt down.
The two, usually the most clever of them all, bumped into each other recklessly, almost causing their wedding veils to fall off.
Everyone burst into laughter.
However, the laughter wasn't annoying at all; on the contrary, it made the atmosphere much more lively.
Xie Qingyun cleared his throat and said again, "Husband and wife bow to each other!"
Since they had no parents present, the final step was for the couple to bow to each other.
By accepting this bow, they are officially husband and wife.
The two moved stiffly, facing each other, gazing at each other through a layer of red gauze.
A few petals twirled and danced, flying past the two people.
Time seemed to stand still, flowing slowly.
All was silent except for the sound of their tense breathing.
Xue Lanyi's blood was surging in her veins, her hands and feet were trembling, and her heart was beating faster and faster, so her movements were a few seconds slower than Wei Xuan's.
She watched as Wei Xuan bowed deeply to her.
He is her husband now.
Xue Lanyi's heart skipped a beat, and with her face burning hot, she slowly bent down.
His head was level with his, and their foreheads touched.
She was his too...
Suddenly, a strong and powerful hand gripped the back of her neck.
Before she could react, Xue Lanyi was thrown off her feet by a powerful force, her body twisted, and her red veil fluttered down. She crashed into a solid chest, as if she had struck a boulder, so cold and hard.
It hurts so much.
She tried to back away, but the other person's steady heartbeat was right next to her ear.
Each time, it was heavy.
Immediately, a gloomy aura enveloped her.
Her vision went completely black, and her head was buzzing.
This aura is so familiar...
Wei Zhang!
This thought plunged Xue Lanyi into despair, her pupils dilating as she looked up.
That sharp, piercing face was truly right before my eyes.
Wei Zhang did not look at her; his deep, dark eyes stared intently at her, but the gloom in his eyes was enough to frighten Xue Lanyi.
How did he end up here?
The residence arranged by Ah Xuan, the mechanisms he built—no outsider could possibly trespass.
Xue Lanyi firmly believed this.
Therefore, for a moment, Xue Lanyi felt that she must be having another nightmare.
"Ah Xuan! Ah Xuan!"
She struggled desperately to break free from the nightmare.
However, the hand behind her head was gripping her tightly; she couldn't even look away, let alone break free.
She was facing his chest, forced to look only at him.
That kind of arrogance convinced Xue Lanyi that it wasn't a dream.
Wei Zhang has found her!
How could that be?
Her legs went weak, and her body trembled instinctively.
At the same time, Wei Xuan's soft sword was pressed against Wei Zhang's neck.
Without hesitation, he slashed open the neck with a single sword stroke.
A bloody gash opened, and blood flowed down the protruding Adam's apple.
"Release Yiyi!" Wei Xuan said in a deep voice, then changed his words after a moment, "Release my wife!"
Wei Xuan spoke each word clearly.
"Oh!"
A disdainful sneer came from above Xue Lanyi's head.
Wei Zhang's throat trembled, and a drop of scalding blood fell, landing precisely on Xue Lanyi's nose.
His scent permeated every nostril of Xue Lanyi's nostrils.
Xue Lanyi was frightened and pressed her hand against his chest.
The more she struggled, the harder he pressed, burying her head completely against his chest.
Wei Zhang wore a magnificent and elaborate black cloak, the wide sleeves of which easily concealed her petite figure.
No one will ever see her again.
She belonged to him completely.
A hint of pleasure finally appeared in Wei Zhang's long-frozen eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "Arrest them all."
Immediately, guards armed with knives appeared from all directions and surrounded the peach blossom grove.
The guard's cold, hard shoes crushed the newly planted lilies.
The tender flower branches, just sprouting new buds, were crushed into mud.
Meanwhile, Xie Qingyun and Lu Lin, who were present, had knives held to their necks.
The crown prince has also been arrested...
Xue Lanyi felt a chill run down her spine.
Wei Zhang was clearly prepared; his purpose in coming here was not only to capture Xue Lanyi, but also to capture the Crown Prince.
He wants to use her wedding to wipe out the former princelings in one fell swoop!
Xue Lanyi's pupils dilated slightly, and she pushed him away.
Just a step away, Wei Xuan naturally also noticed Wei Zhang's scheme.
He grabbed the guard's knife with his backhand, easily broke it, and escaped the guard's grasp.
Then, he shifted his form and moved among the guards, rescuing Mu Qinghong and the others.
They were all from prominent families, and most of them knew some martial arts.
Suddenly, the peach blossom grove was filled with the glint of swords.
But apart from Wei Xuan, the others were not skilled in martial arts, and the sound of clashing swords quickly turned into the sound of tearing cloth.
The wedding candles went out, and the bright red double happiness symbol was splattered with bloodstains.
Xue Lanyi smelled the increasingly strong stench of blood around her. Her restricted gaze pressed against Wei Zhang's collar as she looked up, staring intently at the person above her.
Wei Zhang remained unmoved, calm and collected, enjoying the carnage around him.
He was confident and had made preparations in advance.
He remained hidden in the shadows, waiting for his chance to strike.
So, last night...
Xue Lanyi thought of something even more terrifying, and a chill ran down her spine, her breath catching in her throat.
Wei Zhang sensed her turbulent emotions, lowered his eyes to meet her gaze, and a faint smile played on his lips.
The tip of his index finger, which was protecting the back of her head, gently rubbed her earlobe.
Her long, white fingers, as white as jade, traced circles slowly and deliberately around her ears.
A subtle rubbing sound entered the ear canal, like the sound of a tongue licking the ear cavity.
A fine, dense electric current drilled into Xue Lanyi's ears, making her ears burn and her breathing quicken.
The spot that Wei Zhang was massaging was clearly the spot she had told the person in her dream about last night that she liked.
So it really was him last night!
Xue Lanyi's head was buzzing, and she gritted her teeth as she broke free from him.
However, her body went limp.
Around her, her friends and her lover were fighting for their lives.
She and he engaged in intimate pleasures amidst the chaotic crowd, and her body even exhibited inappropriate reactions.
Tears welled up in Xue Lanyi's eyes.
Looking into her tearful eyes, which she was trying to hold back her tears, Wei Zhang's smile deepened.
Only he knew her body.
Only he had ever explored her deepest secrets.
So, who is the husband?
"Call me 'husband,' and I'll consider letting them live."
Xue Lanyi was utterly incredulous, her pupils dilating as she stared at him.
He looked down at her, a slight pursing at the corners of his lips.
It must be admitted that what Wei Zhang just said was not part of his plan, but once he had said it, he had no intention of taking it back.
At that moment, he really wanted to hear Xue Lanyi say those words.
His eyes left no room for argument, yet they held a hint of tenderness. His deep voice coaxed, "Call me husband."
Xue Lanyi was stunned for a long time.
The air between them seemed to freeze; there was only exhalation, no inhalation.
All around, the sounds of fighting were incessant.
Blood splattered before their eyes from time to time.
He hurt the person she loved, yet he still had the nerve to make such an outrageous request.
Is it to humiliate her, or to humiliate Wei Xuan?
Xue Lanyi's eyes were filled with burning hatred.
She refused to speak, so Wei Zhang held the back of her head and forced her to look around.
Her gaze was forced away from her dark clothes and fell upon the large red "囍" character with its winding stream of blood, and the pink peach petals splattered with blood.
Furthermore, Xie Qingyun, Lu Lin, A Hong, and Yue Niang all lay in pools of blood, their clothes slashed open with countless bloody marks.
One by one, they fell to the ground, barely alive, gasping for breath under the guards' blades.
Finally, her gaze was forced to shift to the area where the crowd had gathered.
Hundreds of guards gathered like a dark, oppressive cloud towards the figure in red, piling up in layers.
Xue Lanyi could no longer see Wei Xuan's figure.
All that could be seen was a column of blood flying out from inside from time to time, the silver light and crimson color dazzling the eyes.
The clashing of cold weapons was jarring to Xue Lanyi's ears. Amidst the chaotic fighting, a somber voice fell upon her ear: "Call me husband in front of him."
"I don't want to!"
Wei Zhang is not my husband!
Xue Lanyi pushed against his chest, "Ah Xuan is my husband! Ah Xuan and I are a proper married couple who have gone through a proper wedding ceremony! You are nothing to me, nothing at all!"
I was actually very scared, but my voice didn't grow weaker.
The girl's resolute words made the surrounding petals tremble.
It's raining petals.
Pink petals fluttered down, covering the bloodstains.
No matter how heavy the rain is today, she will only marry Ah Xuan.
Wei Zhang's expression darkened, and he tightened his grip on the back of her head.
On the other side, amidst the rain of petals, a red figure soared into the air, breaking through layers of dark clouds.
Wei Xuan was covered in sword and knife wounds, and his wedding clothes were torn and disheveled, but the morning sun shone only on him.
A golden halo enveloped him in mid-air.
His clothes fluttered as he overtook a hundred men.
He was her hero.
The moment Xue Lanyi saw him break through the encirclement, the dagger-like hatred in her eyes instantly transformed into a glimmer of hope.
At this moment, no matter how tightly Wei Zhang gripped her hand, the light in Xue Lanyi's eyes did not dim.
Wei Xuan escaped the guards, displaying exceptional lightness of movement, as swift as a swallow.
But instead of heading towards Xue Lanyi, he lightly touched the ground with both feet, flipped over the guards' heads, and flew towards the "囍" character.
Wei Zhang's eyelids twitched, and he said in a deep voice, "Grab him."
The guards swarmed forward.
It's too late.
Wei Xuan shifted his form and swiftly reached out to press the mechanism on the "囍" (double happiness) radical.
In an instant, countless white-feathered arrows shot out from all directions, breaking through the peach grove.
Arrows rained down, coming at us without any pattern or order.
Wei Xuan's military tactics were unpredictable, and even his deployment of hidden weapons was unfathomable.
The guards were caught off guard and fell to the ground, struck by arrows one after another.
The remaining people immediately gathered around Wei Zhang, with their backs to him and holding their knives, surrounding him to protect their master.
Outside the narrow circular space, arrows flew in disarray, clashing with swords and blades with a series of loud thuds.
If the guards are not careful, the arrows will pierce through the encirclement and strike Wei Zhang or Xue Lanyi in the chest.
Out of the corner of his eye, Wei Zhang could see the arrows flashing past his temples, but he didn't even glance at them. Instead, he looked down at Xue Lanyi with a mocking gaze, "Is this the husband you call yourself?"
Isn't it said that husband and wife should live and die together, and advance and retreat together?
Why did Wei Xuan disregard Xue Lanyi's safety and insist on firing the arrow?
What loyalty and unwavering devotion? Nothing more than that.
"What does this have to do with you?"
Xue Lanyi utterly loathed his mocking manner.
How Wei Xuan treats her has nothing to do with him.
Weren't the things he did to her even worse?
What right does he have to stand on a pedestal and criticize others?
Does he even deserve it?
Xue Lanyi bit his wrist hard, and taking advantage of his slight loosening, she broke free of his hand and immediately fled out of the encirclement.
Wei Zhang instinctively grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
Outside the encirclement, swords and spears have no eyes; once you step out, you'll be turned into a hedgehog.
"What's wrong with you?"
He used tremendous force, almost crushing Xue Lanyi's arm.
Xue Lanyi ignored him and continued to frantically wave her arms, trying to break free and run away.
He pushed aside a guard and stepped out of the circle.
A white-feathered arrow flew like a gust of wind, heading straight for Xue Lanyi's brow.
The arrow's tail whipped up a long, whistling wind, its force suggesting it could pierce Xue Lanyi's skull with a single shot.
Xue Lanyi's pupils dilated, and she froze on the spot.
"Yi Yi!" In the distance, Wei Xuan rushed over.
Just as the white-feathered arrow was a finger's width away from her brow, a large hand pulled Xue Lanyi into its embrace, shielding her with its back.
The arrow's force was so strong that the man stumbled forward, his tall figure falling into Xue Lanyi's arms.
The white-feathered arrow pierced the man's upper arm, and perhaps because it damaged his heart meridian, blood gushed from his mouth.
The drops landed on Xue Lanyi's shoulder, burning her skin.
She nervously cupped the man's face in her hands, her trembling fingertips brushing away the bloodstains on his face.
This time, it wasn't Wei Xuan standing before her, but Wei Zhang.
She opened her mouth, her surprise mixed with her worry.
Wei Zhang's pupils barely reflected the girl's face as she looked up at him, her eyes reddening.
How long has it been since she showed him such care?
Despite being severely injured, Wei Zhang felt a strange sense of pleasure, secretly glad that he had gotten there first.
This strange sense of satisfaction filled the empty void in his chest, making him feel no pain at all.
His deep eyes met hers, appearing somewhat stiff and hesitant.
He had never responded to her concern before, so he was at a loss for how to react.
Suddenly, a memory flashed through her mind of her childhood, of her brother comforting her whenever she cried.
His slightly stiff hand pressed against her back, feeling her trembling, and he instinctively learned to gently stroke her up and down.
His body was still weak, and with his chin resting on her shoulder, he could clearly feel the entire process of her breathing gradually becoming steady.
Her body was in his arms, so close, so soft.
So this is what it feels like to protect someone.
"If...if I go crazy again..." Blood trickled from his mouth as he spoke, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile, "If you go crazy again, don't blame me for making you go with them..."
Before he could utter the word "death," a dull pain struck his chest.
Something pierced his heart and lungs.
His words came to an abrupt halt, and he stared silently at the spot of his pain.
Xue Lanyi was holding a hairpin, which she plunged into his chest.
Her eyes were icy cold, and she plunged the needle deep, precisely into his old, long-standing wound.
The wound, which had just begun to scab over and was festering inside, was pierced again by Xue Lanyi, the needle stabbing straight into the lungs.
His pupils turned bloodshot as he stared blankly into Xue Lanyi's eyes.
Xue Lanyi's eyes were filled with the joy of revenge.
She once tricked him into inserting a sharp weapon into Ah Xuan's chest.
Now, he has to reap what he sowed.
Xue Lanyi slowly turned her wrist, the hairpin went even deeper, and blood trickled into her fingers.
Wei Zhang did not dodge; his blood-stained hands reached out to grab Xue Lanyi's hand.
He wanted to see how cold and cruel her hands were.
Just as his trembling fingertips were about to touch the back of her hand, she pushed him away.
Then, lifting her skirt, she ran towards Wei Xuan without hesitation.
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