Chapter Thirty-Two: Ascending the Bridal Sedan

The wedding procession was about to arrive. The maidservants and elderly attendants fussed over her once more, carefully grooming her from head to toe. Whenever she felt discomfort and tried to pull away, several maids held her down firmly.

At that moment, Xie Yingying felt like a fish laid bare on the chopping board, utterly at others’ mercy.

Before long, the bridal procession reached the courtyard gate. Bai Shengyun, dressed in crimson, sat astride a magnificent black horse, his expression calm and aloof.

A red veil was placed over Xie Yingying, concealing her haggard face; only her ornate crown, adorned with vibrant colors, marked her uniqueness.

“Miss, hold my hand,” the old nurse said gently, taking her hand. “I’ll see you out.”

“Thank you,” Xie Yingying replied, forcing a smile.

As she walked, her steps unsteady, the golden bells at her ankles chimed softly, and the twin foxes atop her crown seemed to show their outlines.

Stepping out of the room that had confined her for so long, Xie Yingying heard the old nurse call out in a loud voice, “The bride is leaving her chambers!”

Bai Shengyun heard these words and recalled the last time Xie Yingying had donned bridal robes before him, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.

But for Xie Yingying, the words only deepened her sorrow. Her heart beat wildly; she wished she could dissolve into thin air.

The old nurse helped her up into the bridal sedan, giving her hand a comforting pat before stepping back.

Seeing the aged, weathered hand, Xie Yingying thought: How kind this old woman is.

Once she was in the sedan, eight robust men lifted it and bore her higher and higher up the path.

The sedan swayed, making Xie Yingying dizzy, and the stifling red veil only made her feel worse. She tore it off, eager to breathe more freely.

After all, she was hidden within the sedan—there was nothing to fear.

The curtains of the sedan fluttered now and again, revealing glimpses of bright red silk. Along the way, thousands of peonies lined the route, resplendent and grand. Ahead, musicians played loud, jubilant suona horns, and others beat great drums, performing ancient, festive songs.

Curious, and with an escape in mind, Xie Yingying lifted the curtain to study the people and the roads nearby, weighing her chances of running away.

She immediately spotted several familiar faces among the procession, including Bai Qirui and the young man always at his side.

Suddenly, she thought of Shen Ruru, hoping the girl might help her escape this marriage. She searched the crowd, but there was no sign of Shen Ruru—or Ning Qingqing, for that matter.

At the head of the procession, Bai Shengyun kept an eye on Xie Yingying. The moment he saw her lift the curtain, he turned with a warning look in his eyes.

Xie Yingying caught his gaze and froze.

Bai Shengyun’s features were breathtaking—more striking than Ning Qingqing, Shen Ruru, or the youth beside Bai Qirui. Now, in wedding attire and astride a black horse, he was all the more dazzling. Xie Yingying found herself staring, entranced.

Sensing her dazed gaze, the coldness in Bai Shengyun’s eyes softened slightly, a wave of satisfaction washing over him.

Xie Yingying quickly came to her senses, feeling her face flush hot. She ducked back inside the sedan, the unfastened curtain swinging wildly.

As they neared the grand hall atop the mountain, the sedan bearers were nearly spent. But catching sight of the palace’s opulent façade, they were filled with renewed vigor, hurrying up the final stretch, nearly leaving those behind in their wake.

Suddenly, a heavy pressure descended from above. The bearers’ legs buckled, and they lost their grip.

With a thunderous crash, the sedan hit the ground, sending dust billowing everywhere.

Xie Yingying was shaken dizzy by the impact, and the sudden cloud of dust filled the sedan, making her nose itch and forcing her to cover her mouth and nose, coughing incessantly.

With a light tap of her toes, Shen Ruru landed at the head of the procession. Her phoenix eyes, sharp and venomous, softened only when they turned to Bai Shengyun, brimming with bitter love.

“Shengyun, why is it that in your eyes, I’ll never compare to this ‘Xie Buxiu’?” she asked, her brows shading into hatred and murderous intent.

Bai Shengyun did not answer. His voice was cold as he said, “Step aside.”

Shen Ruru’s eyes reddened with grievance, but even then her beauty did not pale, softening the hearts of more than a few men present.

Bai Shengyun, however, remained unmoved, frowning in annoyance.

“Shengyun…” Shen Ruru’s voice trembled.

“You call me ‘Shengyun’ rather than ‘Young Emperor.’ For the sake of our years together, I won’t punish you for your lack of propriety.”

Shen Ruru’s eyes lit up with hope.

Yet Bai Qirui only sneered, speaking lazily: “But if you try my patience today, you can imagine very well what punishment I’ll choose.”

The hope vanished instantly from Shen Ruru’s eyes, leaving only desolation and unwilling fury. “Why can’t it be me? Why?”

Bai Shengyun had no wish to respond and tried to lead his people around her, but Shen Ruru blocked his way again, pointing accusingly at the sedan not far off. “She’s the daughter of a demonic sect, notorious ‘Xie Buxiu’—who knows how many lovers she’s had? She’s utterly unworthy of you!”

“Who I marry—what business is that of yours? When did my choice of bride become a matter for others to decide?” Bai Shengyun’s voice grew darker, the threat and irritation in his tone undisguised.

Shen Ruru flinched, but catching sight of Xie Yingying peeking from the sedan, her face flushed with shame and anger. Her spiritual power surged, summoning dark clouds to blot out the sun. Her eyes flashed red as she ground out, “Then I’ll kill this demon girl first!”

With that, Xie Yingying’s pupils contracted. She shrank back into the sedan, while the bearers saw a flash of cold light streak toward them.

A sudden gust rose behind them. A troop of guards stepped in front of the sedan, intercepting the attack.

Shen Ruru narrowed her eyes, glaring at the enigmatic, powerful guards barring her way. Her anger only deepened. “So—she’s that precious to you?”

With that, she struck out, and the guards formed ranks to meet her.

At that moment, Bai Shengyun’s golden eyes gleamed, his power unfolding. In an instant, a blizzard swept down from the heights, chilling all to the bone, freezing spiritual power and shaking souls.

Xie Yingying had never witnessed such a spectacle. Lacking experience with spiritual force, she trembled all over, her teeth chattering uncontrollably.

At the center of the storm stood Shen Ruru.

“Insolence!” Bai Shengyun’s fury erupted.

The blizzard struck her. Shen Ruru never imagined Bai Shengyun would act against her so publicly.

Those by her side were untouched; Shen Ruru alone bore the brunt of the storm. Clearly, this display of power was meant for her alone.

Her cultivation no match for Bai Shengyun’s, Shen Ruru resisted as best she could but was eventually swept far away, her lashes coated in frost, her body shivering with cold.

Yet even so, she did not strike back. Her eyes, fixed on Bai Shengyun, still brimmed with ardent longing.

Xie Yingying noticed this and was utterly stunned.

No matter how handsome Bai Shengyun might be, could anyone truly possess such allure? To make a strong-willed woman like Shen Ruru forgo even self-defense, gazing at him so?