Bride kidnapping
The next day, Zhao Yu came to Wei Qiao's bedroom to help him change. He saw that Wei Qiao was already wearing one of the two undergarments from the previous day. While tying Wei Qiao's belt, he asked, "Master, now that things are settled here, shall we return to the capital or go somewhere else?"
Is today the fifth day of the third month?
"Yes, sir. Today is the fifth day of the third month."
"Is the elixir ready yet?"
"It's already finished. Daoist Liuyun from Suiyun Mountain sent over two pills a couple of days ago."
Wei Qiao picked up the official hat from the table and put it on. "In that case, let's return to the capital tomorrow."
Zhao Yu straightened his hat and was about to ask what to do about A Gui when he saw his master walk out the door.
In Lantai County, Xichun has been frantically sewing her wedding dress in her room these past few days. Only one sleeve is needed to complete it.
Miao Wendao sent a letter home to announce his marriage to Xichun. His parents, preoccupied with their business, didn't plan to travel to Lantai County, but sent him a thousand taels of silver through their steward. Miao's mother also specially gifted Xichun, her daughter-in-law, a beautifully crafted phoenix crown.
Looking at the wedding dress gradually taking shape in her hands, Xichun felt that she was getting closer and closer to the new life she had envisioned. She embroidered it stitch by stitch, truly feeling a sense of grounded happiness.
"Good child, come and try on the wedding shoes your aunt made for you." Aunt Feng carried a pair of red embroidered shoes with mandarin duck patterns into Xichun's room.
Xichun put down her embroidery frame, tried on the shoes, and found they fit perfectly. The two pairs of mandarin ducks on the shoes were also lifelike. She smiled and praised, "Auntie, your craftsmanship is truly excellent."
"She'll be sixteen soon, and I'm so excited about that day I can't sleep. Such a wonderful girl is going to be my daughter-in-law," Aunt Feng said with a smile, holding Xichun's hand.
Xi Chun blushed at Aunt Feng's words. Although it wasn't her first marriage, she still felt very shy.
Aunt Feng patted her blushing face affectionately, "Alright, alright, bride, don't be shy. There's still time, take your time embroidering. Staying up late is bad for your health, you should get some rest every night."
On the tenth day of the third month, Wei Qiao and his party arrived at Danqiu City. After passing through Danqiu City, they headed north and would be able to return to the capital in no more than ten days.
Zhao Yu was sleeping soundly under the covers when someone suddenly pulled them off, and the sudden cold air woke him up.
"Who is it?" Zhao Yu thought he had encountered an assassin, so he took out the sword from the bedside and prepared to stab the person.
“It’s me,” Wei Qiao said coldly.
Hearing Wei Qiao's voice, Zhao Yu quickly got up and lit the candles in the room. Looking at Wei Qiao, who was dressed neatly, Zhao Yu asked him in confusion, "Master, what are you doing up so late at night?"
"Come with me to Lantai County."
"Lantai County?" Zhao Yu immediately perked up. It seemed his master hadn't forgotten Miss Xichun. But they were getting married in a few days, and his master's demeanor didn't seem like he was going to offer congratulations. Was he going to abduct her?
On the night of March 15th, Xichun couldn't sleep. Alone in her room, she tried on the wedding dress she had sewn herself. Tomorrow was her wedding day with Brother Miao, and she would wear this dress to perform the wedding ceremony with him. Looking at every stitch she had embroidered, Xichun felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
Brother Miao is a very good person. I believe they will be very happy after they get married. One day, they may have children and live a life with many children and grandchildren.
The night watchman had already struck the clapper for the second watch. Tomorrow morning, Xichun had to get up early to dress up. She took off her phoenix crown and prepared to take off her wedding dress and go to bed.
Thump thump thump—
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Xichun thought it was Aunt Feng coming in to talk to her since she hadn't turned off the lights, so she smiled and went to open the door for her.
Upon seeing the person standing outside the door, Xichun's hand suddenly slipped from the door frame, and her sweet smile froze on her face.
How could it be him?
Wei Qiao traveled day and night, finally arriving in Danyang County two hours later. When she left him, he had decided to let her go. He disdained to force a woman who didn't want to stay by his side. But ever since A Gui's letter informing him that she was getting married, with each passing day and her wedding day drawing closer, he became increasingly restless.
The thought of her marrying someone else was like a needle constantly drawing blood from his heart; the blood was flowing so fast that he felt like he was about to bleed to death.
No! She can't marry anyone else; she can only marry herself! She promised to stay with him forever, and she has to keep her word.
Wei Qiao looked Xi Chun up and down. She was wearing a red wedding dress, and her eyebrows and eyes were still as exquisite and beautiful as ever. Her face was a little fuller than it had been a few months ago, so it seemed that she was doing quite well by Miao Wendao's side.
Wei Qiao was wearing a black cross-collar jacket with gold trim. His hair was loose, with a few strands falling on his forehead. He looked much more haggard and thinner than he had a few months ago. He had dark circles under his eyes, and light stubble around his lips and chin.
Xi Chun felt a pang of heartache. She thought she had forgotten him, but his appearance in front of her still easily stirred her heart.
She lowered her head, refusing to look at him, forcefully suppressing the longing welling up in her chest. She was to become Brother Miao's bride in just a few hours; she couldn't betray him. Her relationship with Wei Qiao had ended months ago when she left the Wei residence. They had no connection whatsoever now.
Xi Chun looked up at Wei Qiao, wanting him to leave, but before she could speak, Wei Qiao stepped forward, grabbed her slender waist, and kissed her soft red lips, almost frantically taking the oxygen from her mouth.
Xi Chun angrily tried to push Wei Qiao away, but Wei Qiao's iron grip held her slender waist tightly. Xi Chun felt like she was suffocating from his kisses. Her hands could only weakly pound his chest.
After kissing for a while, Wei Qiao reluctantly pulled away from her lips. Looking at her flushed face, a charming smile appeared on Wei Qiao's lips.
Xi Chun took two steps back, wiped her lips where he had kissed her with the back of her hand, and questioned him with her watery eyes, "Wei Qiao, what are you doing here?"
Watching her retreat, Wei Qiao's smile froze on his face. She was now so afraid of him. Had she really forgotten him and fallen in love with Miao Wendao in just a few months? He didn't believe it, and he wouldn't allow it. Regardless of Xi Chun's thoughts, since he was here, he was going to take her away. From now on, he wanted only him by her side.
Wei Qiao looked at Xi Chun's face and said coldly, "Naturally, I've come to take you away."
"What?" Xi Chun was shocked. She was going to marry Brother Miao tonight. She had agreed to the marriage herself. She was determined to live a good life with Brother Miao. She couldn't go with Wei Qiao at this time. She couldn't break her promise to Brother Miao like this.
"Wei Qiao, I can't go with you. I'm getting married today, you should go." Xi Chun said earnestly, looking at him.
Wei Qiao sneered, his dark eyes blazing with anger. "Jiang Xichun, do you think you can marry whomever you want? Let me tell you, I won't allow it. If you don't come with me today, then be prepared to collect the corpses of your Brother Miao and Aunt Feng. I've heard that you're very close to these two, so I suppose you don't want them to die because of you."
"What are you saying? Why are you doing this? Wei Qiao, don't do this!" Xi Chun had never heard such threatening words from Wei Qiao before. In an instant, Wei Qiao became so unfamiliar, so frightening to her.
"Why am I unimportant? What's important is that I'm here to take you away now." Wei Qiao said, reaching out to take her hand.
"No, no, no, I can't go with you!" Xi Chun abruptly shook off his hand, stumbling back several steps. She tripped over her wedding dress and fell to the ground. Seeing Wei Qiao slowly walking towards her, Xi Chun braced herself against the ground and tried to rush outside. She had to find Brother Miao; Brother Miao would protect her.
Before she could take two steps, Wei Qiao grabbed her wrist, wrapped his arms around her waist, and held her tightly in his embrace. Close to her body, inhaling the delicate fragrance of her hair, Wei Qiao felt as if they had returned to a few months ago, when she was always incredibly obedient in his arms.
Wei Qiao couldn't resist pressing his earlobe against hers and gently biting it.
"Xichun, come with me." Wei Qiao bewitched Xichun with a seductive tone.
"Let me go, Wei Qiao, let me go!" Xi Chun shouted, pounding on Wei Qiao's arm, but he remained unmoved.
"Do you think your Brother Miao can protect you? Come on, I'll take you to see him."
After Wei Qiao finished speaking, he picked up Xi Chun and carried her to the courtyard. There, in the back house, there were more than a dozen men dressed in black, with knives at their waists and torches in their hands, standing in front of Miao Wendao and Aunt Feng's door.
"See? I'm not kidding you. I've had sleeping gas put in your Brother Miao and Aunt Feng's rooms. They won't wake up for several hours. If you don't come with me, I can set fire to this county government's backyard right now and let them die silently in their sleep."
"No! Wei Qiao, you can't do this! They are all good people, they have been very good to me!" Xi Chun pleaded with Wei Qiao through her tears.
Wei Qiao looked down at the person in his arms. Crystalline tears clung to her eyelashes, and her pitiful appearance made him want to bully her even more. He said in a cold tone, "Xi Chun, whether they live or die depends on your choice."
"I'll give you ten counts to think it through. Ten, nine, eight..."
Xi Chun looked at the man in black holding a torch, then at the two tightly closed doors of Miao Wendao and Aunt Feng's bedroom. They hadn't woken up despite the commotion; they must have been knocked unconscious by the sleeping incense. Red silk cloth and large red lanterns hung in the corridor, and the windows were covered with many huge "囍" (double happiness) characters, all of which she had cut out herself.
Now, the new life she longed for was about to be crushed by Wei Qiao's own hands, and Xi Chun was heartbroken beyond measure.
"Three, two, one." Wei Qiao finished counting. Turning his head to look at Xi Chun, who was still staring blankly at Miao Wendao's house, he felt a surge of jealousy and ordered A Gui beside him, "Bring a fire."
Agui glanced sympathetically at Xichun, who was crying her eyes out beside him, and handed the torch in his hand to Weiqiao.
Wei Qiao held the torch and walked slowly toward Miao Wendao's house. Xi Chun was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see others suffer because of him. He believed that before he even reached Miao Wendao's door, Xi Chun would agree to his request.
As Xichun looked at the courtyard, memories of past happiness flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern. Brother Miao and Aunt Feng treated her like family, and she couldn't bring herself to hurt them.
Xi Chun rushed towards Wei Qiao, stretched out her hands to block him, and said in a tearful voice, "I'll go with you."
A smug smile appeared on Wei Qiao's lips as he handed the torch in his hand to A Gui, who was standing beside him.
"I didn't force you, this was your own choice." Wei Qiao said, picking up Xi Chun in front of him and striding out of the back gate of the mansion.
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