A terrifying journey through the bridal chamber
Consciousness returns before vision.
The noisy voices, the sharp festive tunes of gongs, drums and suona, and the strong and choking smell of sandalwood mixed with the scent of powder, penetrated into the senses aggressively.
Qiu Qingying—no, now, maybe it was Qiu Qiongying—suddenly opened her eyes.
What met her eyes was a swaying, blinding red. The pearl and jade tassels of the phoenix corona jingled as she raised her head, weighing her neck so heavily that it threatened to break. Lowering her gaze, she saw a crimson wedding gown embroidered with intricate auspicious dragon and phoenix designs. Beneath its wide sleeves, a pair of delicate hands were bound tightly in front of her, tied in a knot.
Binding? Wedding?
Memories flooded in like a tide. The twenty-eight years of life of the modern female doctor Qiu Qingying and the sixteen years of memories of the ill-fated and superb martial arts "Qiong Shidui" Qiu Qiongying in "Water Margin" were wildly intertwined and collided, almost tearing her soul apart.
She, Qiu Qingying, a medical student in the late stage of chuunibyou and severely afraid of marriage and childbearing, had always dreamed of seeing the Loyalty Hall of Liangshan Lake with her own eyes and touching the weapons of the heroes. How did she end up in this book she had memorized by heart after a series of rear-end collisions?
She happened to be reborn as Princess Qiongying, whose marriage was destined from the beginning, whose future husband was about to die in battle, and who eventually died of depression!
Moreover, it happened at this critical moment when she was getting married to Zhang Qing, the "Featherless Arrow"!
"No... Impossible!" She roared inwardly, but her throat was choked by extreme shock and the lingering grief of the original owner. In the original novel, Qiu Qiongying's parents had died early, and she was abducted and adopted by Tian Hu as his daughter. This marriage to Zhang Qing was part of Tian Hu's plan to win over the heroes of Liangshan. And Zhang Qing was simply following orders.
This marriage was a product of power and interests from the very beginning and had nothing to do with her personal will.
Why?!
A surge of resentment and unwillingness that didn't belong to her, or rather, now completely belonged to her, surged in her chest like magma. Qiu Qingying had finally arrived in this long-desired world, not to follow the original novel's plot and become a tragic symbol!
She wants to rewrite not only her own destiny, but also those of the Liangshan heroes who were killed by the word "recruitment"!
The intense emotional upheaval made her tremble all over, and the rope around her wrists tightened even more. She could sense a tall figure standing beside her. Even through the veil, she could sense the uprightness and solemnity of a soldier. It was Zhang Qing.
The ceremonial officer raised his shrill voice: "Second bow to your parents—"
The maid beside him half-forced him to turn around and bend down. At that moment, the calm rationality of a modern doctor forcibly suppressed his turbulent emotions. Fear of marriage? Then run away!
In a flash, a plan formed in her mind. Using her medical knowledge, she would create an unquestionable emergency situation that would necessitate the wedding being interrupted!
She quickly recalled her physiology. Vasovagal syncope—a condition in which specific stimulation causes a slowing of the heart rate and a drop in blood pressure, leading to a transient lack of blood flow to the brain and, consequently, fainting. The symptoms were lifelike, and difficult for doctors of this era to detect.
There is only one chance.
When the chanting of "Husband and Wife Bowing" sounded and she was about to be forced to bend over again, Qiu Qiongying - from this moment on, she completely accepted this identity - took a deep breath, then used all her strength to hold her breath fiercely and accurately, while extremely contracting her abdominal muscles, imitating the Valsalva maneuver, and performing secret and rapid pressure on the carotid sinus area (the side of the neck).
My heartbeat instantly soared, and then, like a tsunami, a strong sense of dizziness swept over me. The glaring red before my eyes began to spin and dim, and the ringing in my ears replaced all the noise.
"...Madam?" A low and doubtful voice seemed to come from beside him. It was Zhang Qing's voice.
But she had no time to care.
"Ugh..." A short and painful groan escaped from under the veil. Her body suddenly stiffened, and then like a puppet with its strings cut, she fell backwards softly and without warning.
"Princess!"
"What happened to the bride?!"
"Quick! Hold on!"
Exclamations, the clashing of tables and chairs, and the breaking of cups and plates erupted instantly, and the festive music came to an abrupt end. The entire wedding hall was in chaos.
A split second before her consciousness completely sank into darkness, she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist, preventing the back of her head from making close contact with the ground. The arm was steady and burning, carrying the unique sense of strength of a martial artist.
It’s Zhang Qing.
…
When I regained consciousness, I was surrounded by suppressed sobs and low voices.
"What happened to the princess? She was fine during the day..."
"Could it be a relapse of an old illness?"
"Shh! Don't talk nonsense, it will ruin the joy!"
Qiongying (he would use this name from then on) slowly opened her eyes and found herself lying on a luxurious bunk bed covered with a bright red mandarin duck quilt. The room was packed with people: Tian Hu's chubby face pretending to be anxious, several helpless medical officers, and a group of anxious maids and servants.
"Water..." She made a weak sound, her voice dry and hoarse.
"She's awake! The princess is awake!" Yun Bi, the personal maid, exclaimed in surprise and quickly brought warm water.
Tian Hu came forward, putting on a false expression of concern: "My son, you are finally awake! I was really scared! How are you feeling? Doctor, please show it to the princess!"
An old medical officer stepped forward tremblingly, and Qiongying cooperatively extended her wrist. The old medical officer concentrated on examining her for a long moment, his brow furrowed. Finally, he bowed to Tian Hu and said, "Your Majesty, the princess's pulse is weak and disordered, as if she were frightened and trembling, and her qi and blood are rushing backwards... This is a sign of evil wind entering her body, disturbing her mind! She needs to rest and must not be stimulated again, otherwise... she may be in danger of fainting!"
Qiongying sneered inwardly. This was exactly the effect she wanted. "Evil wind entering the body," "disturbed mind," the diagnosis was spot-on.
She showed a frightened and fragile expression at the right time, tightly grasped Yunbi's hand, tears streaming down her face: "Godfather... I... I just saw a lot of blood... so much... so scary..." She began to talk nonsense, describing some bloody scenes on the battlefield in fragments, and with the slight trembling of her body, she portrayed the image of a frail woman who was overly frightened and on the verge of mental collapse vividly.
Tian Hu's expression shifted again and again. He needed this marriage to solidify his relationship with Liangshan, but if the bride died suddenly at the wedding, it would backfire and make Liangshan enemies. He looked at Zhang Qing, who had been standing silently in the shadows at the foot of the bed.
Zhang Qing was wearing a bright red wedding dress, his posture was still upright, but there was no expression on his face. Only a pair of sharp eyes looked at the "fragile" her lying on the bed quietly, with scrutiny and a hint of imperceptible... exploration in his eyes.
Qiongying's heart was filled with alarm. This man was not as simple as he seemed. She had to act quickly.
"Godfather..." She was barely breathing, "I want to...I want to go to Ciyu Temple outside the city to rest for a few days...I ask the Buddha to bless me and drive away the evil spirits...Otherwise, I'm afraid...I'm afraid I won't survive..." As she spoke, she coughed violently again, as if she wanted to cough out her heart and lungs.
Ciyun Temple was her chosen target long ago. The original novel mentioned that it was located ten miles west of the city, not very popular, and easy to escape from.
Tian Hu hesitated.
At this moment, Zhang Qing, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke in a calm voice, "Your Majesty, the princess's health is paramount. Since the physician has also stated that she needs to rest, perhaps a few days of quietude in the nunnery would be beneficial. I... am willing to escort the princess there to ensure her safety."
His proposal was reasonable and reflected his concern for his fiancée while also taking the overall situation into consideration.
Tian Hu looked at the dying Qiongying, then at the calm Zhang Qing, and finally gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! I'll do as my son says! Zhang Qing, you select a team of elite soldiers to escort the princess to Ciyun Temple. Make sure she's safe!"
"I obey your command." Zhang Qing clasped his fists and glanced at Qiongying on the bed again. His eyes were deep, as if they could penetrate her carefully disguised appearance.
Qiongying sneered inwardly: Escort? Surveillance is more like it. However, as long as we get out of this cage-like palace, our opportunity will come!
…
An hour later, a richly decorated carriage, escorted by dozens of elite cavalry, drove out of the city gate. Zhang Qing, riding a white horse, rode in front of the carriage, his posture erect and his eyes fixed straight ahead.
Inside the carriage, Qiongying leaned back against the cushions, her face devoid of any trace of sickness. She quietly lifted a corner of the curtain and surveyed the terrain and the distribution of the guards outside. Good, everything was proceeding according to plan.
She took off her elaborate wedding gown and outer robe, revealing the neat, tight-fitting clothes she had already put on underneath. From the secret compartment of her dowry chest, she pulled out several ingots of gold and silver, a sharp dagger, and—a few small, exquisite, and extremely smooth stones.
This was the original owner, Qiu Qiongying's special skill, the flying stone technique known as "Qiong Arrowhead." The muscle memory was still there, and the feeling of twisting the stone between her fingers was tremblingly familiar.
The sky gradually darkened and dusk fell. The outline of Tsz Wan Shan in the distance appeared quiet and deep in the setting sun.
Just as the convoy reached an area with dense forests and narrow roads, Qiongying knew that the time had come.
She took a deep breath, and suddenly used her dagger to cut the silk cloth on the back wall of the carriage. She slipped out as silently as a civet cat, rolled to the ground, and disappeared into the half-human-high grass beside the road.
Almost at the same time as she landed, Zhang Qing, who was on horseback in front of her, seemed to sense something, turned around suddenly, and shouted sternly: "Stop!"
The entire convoy came to a sudden halt.
"Where is the princess?!" Zhang Qing rode his horse to the side of the carriage and spoke in a cold voice.
No one answered from inside the carriage. The maid, Yunbi, trembling, lifted the curtain, looked at the empty carriage and the broken back wall, and screamed, "Princess! The Princess is gone!"
"Search!" Zhang Qing's voice was emotionless, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. "She can't get far! Search the area around the carriage, a hundred paces in radius, thoroughly! If she's alive, we must find her. If she's dead, we must find her body!"
The guards immediately dispersed, torches were lit, and the sounds of footsteps, shouts, and unsheathed swords broke the silence of the forest.
Qiongying held her breath and huddled behind a thicket of bushes, her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear the soldiers' footsteps approaching, and the light from the torches was already illuminating the grass where she was hiding.
Is it over? I'm being caught and taken back right after crossing over?
No! Never!
She gritted her teeth and quietly tightened her grip on the stone in her hand. Even if she was exposed, she would fight to the death!
At this moment, a large hand suddenly stretched out from the darkness behind her and covered her mouth! Another hand tightly grasped her waist and dragged her backwards!
Qiongying was terrified and struggled hard, but she couldn't move the iron-like arm at all.
A low, teasing voice sounded next to her ear, and a warm breath brushed against her neck:
"Your Highness, your trick of running away from marriage really underestimates me, Zhang Qing."
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