Love & Redemption
Chapter 69 - 26: The Young Bride (2)

Chapter 69: Chapter 26: The Young Bride (2)

Today’s first update.

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The men’s robes she wore were quite large, and a bit uncomfortable. The shoes with elevated soles were also unfamiliar to her. Probably because it was her first time acting alone, Xuanji felt quite restless and kept sipping the tea on the table.

Lady Zhuang, who was accompanying her, softly soothed her, "Miss, are you feeling unwell? Why don’t you take a nap?"

Sleep? Xuanji looked out the window at the sky, which was nearing dusk. The immortal had said she might send someone to fetch her at any moment—where would there be time to sleep?

She tightened her loose waistband, stood up, and paced back and forth a couple of times. The thick-soled shoes were very uncomfortable and could make moving around difficult, but there was no other choice. She would have to go through with it despite the discomfort.

"Auntie, after the immortal picks up the person, do we go straight to the mountain? Will we meet the other chosen ones on the way?"

Lady Zhuang thought for a moment, "I heard that there will be a stop at the God Calling Platform halfway up the mountain to switch into... a phoenix crown and robe, and there will be a Floral Drum Team playing music, carrying the flower sedan chair up the mountain."

She was really being treated like a bridegroom. Xuanji sat in front of the dressing table, darkening her face a bit with makeup, thickening her eyebrows, and Lady Zhuang, worried about her being recognized, even stuck a couple of mustache strips on her philtrum. At a quick glance, she really did look quite a bit like Zhuang Jing.

Seeing her idle, Lady Zhuang chatted with her intermittently. While they were talking, a commotion suddenly arose outside, followed by the old butler knocking and entering the room anxiously, exclaiming, "Madam, mi... my lord! The immortal has sent someone to fetch you!"

Although Lady Zhuang had been mentally prepared, the arrival of this moment still made her panic as she anxiously said, "My... my child, you must take good care of yourself when you leave, we..."

Xuanji stood up, bowed to her in a man’s manner, and said, "Mother, I must leave now. Unable to continue serving you both, please forgive my filial piety."

The words moved both the old butler and Lady Zhuang to tears, as if their own child were leaving them.

Suddenly everyone was bustling, leading Xuanji out. At the door, a carriage with lacquered walls sat, and oddly, there was no one on the horse. As soon as Xuanji approached, the carriage door automatically opened.

Xuanji boarded the carriage, the door closed on its own, and after a brief pause that allowed her time to say goodbye to the Zhuang family, it slowly drove away from Zhuang Residence. With no one driving, the carriage moved quickly and steadily, leaving Zhongli City in a moment. Xuanji opened the curtain to look outside and felt that the carriage was enveloped in a light purple mist, emitting a sweet scent.

Demon energy. Xuanji covered her nose, slightly furrowing her brow. The scent was exactly the same as the one she had smelled at Gao’s Ancestral Hall, confirming that this so-called immortal was indeed a demon.

The carriage slowed down after running on the mountain road for a while. Xuanji barely heard the faint sound of string and wind instruments—it really was a Floral Drum Team performing. After a while, the carriage stopped completely, and a female voice crisply said from outside, "Please, esteemed guest, disembark and change attire before advancing in the sedan chair."

Now, Xuanji could no longer hide; she simply got out to see what sort of devil or demon awaited. Outside, she saw a row of palace women dressed in court attire, each wearing a white veil and holding a delicate glazed lamp in one hand and a piece of white fabric in the other, bowing in wait. Four large red wedding carriages stood nearby, each accompanied by a Floral Drum Team that played even more joyously upon her arrival.

The leading palace woman gracefully approached her, gave a deep bow, and crisply said, "Welcome, esteemed guest, please change your clothes."

After saying this, she shook open a large red wedding dress; behind her, two other women—one holding a phoenix crown, the other holding various head ornaments and a cover. The other women then spread out the white fabrics in their hands, creating a makeshift screen for her to change behind.

Even though the night was dark, the wedding dress and phoenix crown glimmered under the light of the glazed lamps, encircled by pearls and jade, stunningly beautiful. Xuanji felt a pang in her heart, somewhat reluctant, but there was no turning back now, so she followed the women behind the screen to change into the wedding dress and phoenix crown.

She wondered what Si Feng and the others felt when they changed into wedding outfits here... Xuanji silently thought, this may well be one of the more peculiar experiences in life, ridding the world of demons, indeed at great personal expense.

It was finally done: the elaborate outfit was properly adjusted, the headgear alone weighing seven to eight jin, making her neck sore from the weight. Xuanji carefully supported it, fearing that it might fall off halfway, which would be terrible.

The leading palace woman, seeing that she was neither crying nor speaking, smiled and said, "This esteemed guest is quite quiet and composed, unlike the ones from previous years who all cried and fussed about wanting to go back home when hearing they had to change into wedding clothes."

Xuanji, seeing that she was being spoken to, reluctantly replied in a rough voice, "Why cry and fuss? Doesn’t everyone hope to be chosen by the immortal?"

The woman happily replied, "Exactly so. To serve the immortal is a great fortune, something ordinary people can’t even beg for, let alone become her spouse—truly a blessing of three lifetimes."

Spouse? She was about to marry four husbands at one time! Changing spouses every year, calling it a blessing of three lifetimes?

Xuanji cleared her throat and was about to ask if the other three had arrived when she suddenly heard another round of the floral drum music up ahead. The woman who had just spoken to her promptly went up and repeated the same cliché she had just told her.

It seemed that the other three had arrived at the same time.

Xuanji was helped into the flower sedan chair, and she could hear Zhong Minyan shouting the loudest, "Don’t touch me... ah, don’t take this off... no touching! Alright, alright, I’ll do it myself! I’ll change by myself!"

Ruo Yu’s refusal was very polite, "Ladies, please allow me to change by myself.’’

Yu Sifeng was very aloof, "No need to serve, step back."

Xuanji slightly lifted the curtain of the sedan chair, peering out secretly, and saw the three of them already dressed in phoenix crown and phoenix robe. Their tall figures, black hair, and red clothing harmoniously blended, exuding an unexpectedly charming allure. Yu Sifeng and Ruo Yu’s Shura masks still covered their faces, strangely, no one reminded them to take them off.

As if sensing someone watching him, Yu Sifeng slightly turned his face in this direction, then quickly turned back, facing away from her without looking back again.

Was he shy? Xuanji suddenly felt an urge to laugh. A grown man, forced to wear a bridal gown and marry a woman, must indeed feel quite frustrated, especially since people like Si Feng were very proud. They must be fuming right now.

The auspicious time arrived quickly, and the four of them entered the sedan chair, where a palace woman holding a lamp actually floated up lightly and led the way up front.

The flower sedan chair followed and soared into the air, flying over the dark forest. The chilly night wind whistled, lifting the curtains and the bridal veil with it, and the sound of the music from below suddenly became extremely distant. The pale moonlight shone in, revealing that no one was carrying the sedan, yet it flew exceedingly fast. They were all somewhat terrified, suspecting that the immortal of Gao Family might be an old demon who had gained wisdom over many years; unsure of their own chances of victory with their capabilities.

Buoyed unsteadily like this, after about forty-five minutes, lights suddenly appeared amid the wild mountains and ridges. Xuanji tugged off the veil and looked out, only to see the surrounding majestic peaks and exquisite forests under the moonlight, with a brightly lit palace perched atop the highest peak of Gao Mountain—it must be the residence of the Gao Family’s immortal.

Her seclusion here was plainly nothing of the sort; it was more like ruling a kingdom from the mountains! The Emperor probably didn’t live as freely and luxuriously as her.

The flower sedan chair with the four of them landed steadily in front of the vast palace. A row of palace women stood in front, holding glazed lamps and smilingly asked, "Have all four distinguished guests been brought here?"

The woman who had led them earlier replied, "They have been brought. We can now conduct the heaven and earth ceremony and then send them into the bridal chamber."

The palace women, upon hearing this, pulled back the curtains with happy laughter and helped the four from Xuanji’s group down, escorting them into the palace.

Xuanji’s head was covered with red fabric, and she could see nothing, only feeling bursts of fragrant breeze nearby, masking who knew how much demon energy. The ground was covered in crystal tiles, dazzling and disorienting, and she wouldn’t have known which way to go without someone guiding her—otherwise, she would genuinely be dizzy and disoriented.

After walking for a while, they seemed to have entered a large hall where the lights were brilliantly lit and the aroma was even more intense, smelling it would make one’s eyes weepy and bones soft, as if floating in clouds.

Demon energy! Xuanji paused, it must be that immortal! She was here.

The guide stopped and cheerfully said, "Immortal, the four distinguished guests have been brought here. The auspicious time has also arrived, the grand ceremony can proceed now."

Someone from above "hmm-ed" a sound, and that incomparably melodious and charming voice made their hearts suddenly beat faster, as if they had drunk the sweetest wine, their faces flushed with heat.

Following that, the clinking of ornaments resounded as the immortal walked over. Xuanji bowed her head, only seeing a pair of light purple brocade shoes embroidered with two exquisite flowers appear on the ground.

The pair of shoes paused in front of each person, apparently the immortal was sizing them up. No one spoke, and the hall was so quiet that only their own breathing could be heard. The four’s hearts raced, overwhelmed by the oppressive atmosphere as if their hearts would leap out of their throats.

No one knew how long they had waited when that heavenly, beautiful voice sounded again, "Very well. Proceed with the ceremony."

Immediately following that, like a cascading force, Ji Guan chanted loudly, "The auspicious time is here—bow to heaven and earth!"

Then someone pushed her from behind, and Xuanji involuntarily knelt on the cushion, performing the heavenly and earthly ritual. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed the person next to her, pale hands with an Iron Ring on the little finger—it was indeed Yu Sifeng. Seeming to sense her gaze, that hand slightly moved, reaching out and firmly grasping hers.

Xuanji’s heart trembled, uncertain whether she should pull away. (To be continued. For further information, please visit www.qidian.com, where there are more Chapters, supporting authors, and supporting legitimate reading!)