Chapter 117

Just beyond the pavilion that anchored the Bride’s Blade Challenge platform, separated from the building where Chen Shu resided, lay a small courtyard. Ablaze with lantern light, it illuminated the faces of every Martial World Alliance attendant, flushed with excitement and festive cheer. From time to time, officials would call out, inquiring if all was ready for the banquet in the main hall or asking if the dismantling of the competition ring at the entrance had been completed.

In the Jianghu, the Martial World Alliance was not the mightiest, yet it far surpassed minor sects and groups. At least in matters of socializing and elevating one’s reputation, it held its own against the major sects.

Thus, despite this Bride’s Blade Challenge being hastily arranged, with many courtesies omitted, there was no lack of guests. Once the crowd of idle spectators cleared away, the invited guests – those acquainted with the Leader of the Martial Arts Alliance or prominent local families – streamed into the front hall, packing it densely.

He Yu was mingling among this crowd.

Naturally, he could not reenter the courtyard to accompany Chen Shu.

His injured eye was simply too conspicuous. Even those who didn’t know him would glance curiously at a one-eyed, burly man passing by. Therefore, barely reaching the main hall’s entrance, an attendant recognized him. With a carefully polite smile, the attendant ushered him in, effectively quashing the small, vain hope He Yu had harbored about blending in unnoticed.

But simply positioning himself near the main hall entrance also served a purpose. Tonight’s wedding had merely two or three key events: the ceremonial bows, the wedding banquet, and finally, the bridal chamber ritual. Apart from the last item, which couldn’t be witnessed regardless of location, guarding the entrance required less constant vigilance than shadowing Chen Shu directly, as Yun Shen was doing. Should anything untoward occur, given him and Yun Shen’s skills – assuming they themselves weren’t held back by their limitations – managing to protect Chen Shu from their position was plausible enough.

Although He Yu hadn’t personally witnessed the events where Chen Shu was blackmailed by Xiao Zhong of the Valley of Villains using Yun Shen as leverage, Chen Shu’s constant chatter over the past two weeks had filled him in on the gist.

Moreover, they were simply attending a wedding to acquire a sword. With the contest concluded, what trouble could possibly arise?

Led by the attendant, He Yu wound his way through the hall. He spotted a small, unoccupied table for two in a corner and secured it. With a gesture behind him, another man slid into the seat beside him, immediately seizing the teapot. Pouring himself a full cup without any sense of restraint, he drank it down in one gulp.

“Must you be so conspicuous?” He Yu sighed, resigned.

“And who are you to tell me what to do?” the man retorted, setting the cup down with a thud. A mischievous grin spread across his face as he looked up at He Yu.

This movement revealed his face, illuminated by the firelight, exposing its angular outline—who else could it be but that Mirror Moon Sect disciple who had just sparred with Chen Shu on the arena?

Only now, seemingly having broken a sweat, the formerly smooth skin of his face had grown irregular, even lifting slightly at the temples.

Through the light, one could see that lifted patch of skin gently curved, extending down beneath the neck.

This was unmistakably a fake face!

Seeing it, He Yu showed no surprise but sighed instead, asking, “You’re truly audacious! With such mediocre skills, what if you’d been exposed? Won’t members of the Mirror Moon Sect trouble you?”

“How could they trouble me? The entire face was bought off You Sheng — we’re long-time clients. He even gave me a discount!” The one impersonating “You Sheng” replied, casually pressing the loose skin back into place. “Why is it just you out here? I saw that Yun Something-or-other earlier while I was on stage, but where’s he now?”

He Yu, who had just taken the teapot to pour his tea, didn’t rush to answer. Holding it steadily even as the water nearly overflowed the cup’s rim, he cleared his throat as if intending to speak. Yet the man opposite him was more impatient than Chen Shu! Unable to wait, he glanced around and quickly pressed, “Could he have chased that small macaque into the courtyard?!”

“Mmm.” He Yu looked up at that.

And with that one look, the man opposite sensed something. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, “I knew it! Back at Diancang Pass, I already suspected he had designs on that small macaque!”

“… It probably can’t be called ‘having designs’,” He Yu said with measured judgment. He sighed, lowering his head again to blow some bubbles off the aged tea’s surface. “This word ‘feeling’ — who can say exactly what it entails?”

As he finished speaking and looked toward the inner courtyard, the auspicious hour arrived. A clear, resonant bell echoed over the gathering. Voices of many chatting guests in the main hall naturally hushed as they looked up in unison. Their eyes fell upon Xu Yuan right at the center — he’d changed into a splendid new robe, looking imposing and dignified.

Xu Yuan raised a hand and seemed to speak. An attendant beside him nodded obediently and headed toward the courtyard.

Just then, all the bustle in the courtyard quieted. Most seemed aware what was coming. The crowd there made way, watching as the attendant walked to the innermost building within the courtyard. Something was said to people downstairs. Then another attendant rushed upstairs.

So it passed person to person, arriving at Chen Shu’s door instantaneously.

Footsteps came first. Before they fully ceased, the attendant’s voice sounded in near-identical fashion from far down the corridor: “Young Master Shen! The hour has come! Please follow me downstairs!”

Inside the room, Yun Shen abruptly stood up.

He retreated half a step, almost dodging Chen Shu’s slightly curious gaze. Then, looking down, he seemed to just then remember the severed hair knot held in his hand. His fingers trembled almost imperceptibly.

This sudden summons broke the warmth suffusing the room within the candlelight, finally bringing clarity. So the hair knot was discarded? Yet handing it to Chen Shu also felt wrong.

As his mind still wavered, Chen Shu’s bright voice followed close behind, landing directly in his ears. Perhaps because nearness conveyed it slowly but distinctly:

She blinked her eyes at Yun Shen; she smiled.

“Weren’t you thinking about kissing me just now?”

Yun Shen snapped his head up. Regaining alertness, his chest heaved visibly. That attendant outside called Chen Shu’s alias again, though she evidently didn’t hear — or entirely ignored the call — continuing to gaze at Yun Shen with her wide round eyes catching the firelight while tilting her head. The gentle, curious expression calmly awaited his answer.

For a moment, the Sound of Breathing softened. Yun Shen’s previously barely restrained demeanor truly calmed, as if infected by Chen Shu’s spirit, revealing an elusive smile. He gave no direct answer, stating instead,

“And you — weren’t you waiting just now for me to kiss you?”

“I’m always waiting!” Chen Shu indeed affirmed. “I am deeply responsible — utterly unlike those wayward young lords, who always prove to be heartless liars.”

Yun Shen gave light laughs twice. No longer questioning Chen Shu this time, he instead tucked away that hair knot, which moments before he hesitated over returning. “Then I’ll take this as proof! Peerless hero — you won’t permit heartless liars?”

“No!” Chen Shu cheerfully agreed. She rose from her stool, tossed a few replies toward the door, and only belatedly seemed to fully grasp Yun Shen’s meaning before turning completely around.

Yun Shen remained in his spot, watching her.

“What you said just now means you were considering kissing me?” She asked energetically. Without allowing Yun Shen to answer, as if spotting something novel, she eagerly added: “You know, I thought last night — if you like me, it’s perfectly normal! Sister has always liked me! Master adores me as well! Nothing fearful about that!”

“… Yet this ‘like’ differs somewhat from those likes,” Yun Shen responded. His gaze had completely regained clarity. Standing near the room’s edge, observing Chen Shu in her radiant splendor wearing brilliant red bridal silks — he silently smiled further. “How about this: after you’ve held this ‘wedding’ tomorrow morning, I’ll carefully explain it to you then?”

Chen Shu predictably raised her eyebrows again, retorting: “Why not explain it now? You’re deliberately leaving me curious!”

“Because this matter is quite important,” Yun Shen said, finally shifting his gaze away to look out the window, at the courtyard made somewhat cramped by the clusters of lantern lights. “We should talk once you’ve secured the sword, alright?”

—

Just as He Yu had anticipated, the wedding ceremony itself was a scene of serene and bustling joy throughout the night. As for Chen Shu, ever since she recognized the bride, she kept sneaking glances, drawing laughter from many guests. Unabashed even after the ceremony concluded, she downed nearly half a jar of wine before finally heading upstairs, stumbling into the bridal chamber.

If one might have thought only the couple wore red, then upon entering this chamber, one would be greeted by nothing but vivid, almost dripping crimson as far as the eye could see. Even the wax tears from the red candles shimmered a vibrant scarlet.

Chen Shu, who was only ever drunk on milk, not wine, perhaps due to the liquor’s exceptional potency, was decidedly tipsy. Entering the room and ignoring the maids waiting to guide her to lift the veil or exchange cups, she plopped down beside the Bride. Squinting hard, she tried to focus.

“Drunk?” inquired the Bride.

“Drunk,” affirmed Chen Shu. She lifted her head, noticing the maids and matrons all fixedly staring at the pair on the bed. A sudden bashfulness washed over her; her eyes darted cleverly as she turned her body slightly.

She placed one hand behind the Bride’s back, while with the other, she gently lifted a corner of the wedding veil. Then, using her small stature to its full ‘advantage,’ she ducked directly underneath it!

The attendants in the room gasped collectively.

Stammered protests instantly arose, admonishing that this was not how a wedding was conducted. But those voices were muffled outside the small, confined world beneath the veil; Chen Shu couldn’t hear a single word. She blinked her large eyes, peering through the faint light filtering through the fabric, directly into the Bride’s gaze.

Just as she suspected, it was the chief disciple of Qin Xin Bluff, Xu Qiong, who had faced her as her final opponent on the Sword Discussion Platform!

“How on earth did Xu Yuan rope you into marrying him?” she asked Xu Qiong with immense curiosity.

If Xu Qiong hadn’t recognized her voice before, their close proximity now, combined with Chen Shu’s unmistakable voice echoing within the confined space under the veil, made recognition inevitable even for someone slow. She froze momentarily, a mix of shyness and helplessness flickered across her face, and instead of answering, she countered with a quiet, confused laugh, “How… why you? How did you disguise yourself…?”

“Why shouldn’t it be me?” Chen Shu replied, still dazed. She blinked hard again, wrinkled her nose, then mumbled, “I’m asking the questions here! How did it turn out to be you? Xu Yuan laid this silly trap, but why did he pick you as the bride?”

“You’re one to talk!” Xu Qiong retorted with a mock-scolding laugh. “Did the wine cloud your thinking that much? It’s the same Xu family! You lectured my father pretending to be talking to me, and now you have the nerve to ask me why— Oh no!”

Mid-sentence, as if struck by a sudden horrific realization, her expression changed drastically. She grabbed the wedding veil covering both their heads and ripped it off, flinging it aside with force.

Almost simultaneously, a faint whistle sliced through the air — a black iron arrow, shot from an unknown direction! Deflected by the flung veil just in time, it veered off course and thudded with startling force into the very center of the red-lacquered bridal bed canopy!

Its trajectory had been unmistakable — aimed precisely at Chen Shu! Missing by mere centimeters, it threatened to wound her, adding a layer of her own fresh, vital crimson to the room’s overwhelming red decor!