Chapter 89: Unsheathing the Sword (Part 1)

King Xuan walked in front of Xue Qingyin, staring intently at her, as if he wanted to imprint her image in his mind.

Then he unbuckled the sword at his waist and handed it to Xue Qingyin, then bowed before her.

For a moment, everyone was speechless.

They had not expected King Xuan to act in such a way.

He Songning, standing on the steps, his features tightened, his eyes devoid of emotion as he watched the scene unfold.

He had misjudged.

 King Xuan had come to greet her personally.

A wave of resentment surged through He Songning’s heart, but he still stepped back, forcing out a low voice from his throat: “Your Highness, please.”

Xue Qingyin did not hesitate. She simply leaned forward, her hand clutching the sword, wrapping around King Xuan’s neck.

It looked a bit strange.

She didn’t really understand why the King Xuan would unbuckle his sword and give it to her.

The soldiers from the King Xuan’s palace who had come with him immediately bowed their heads.

The sword was the king of all weapons, a symbol of power, status, and authority.

King Xuan unbuckling his sword and giving it to the Xue family girl was quite clear in its meaning.

Xue Qingyin was oblivious to this. She clung tightly to the King Xuan’s waist with her legs.

King Xuan supported her behind.

Fortunately, the luxurious clothes she was wearing were thick, so there was no particular feeling. Otherwise, even with her thick skin, she would have felt a blush rising to her cheeks.

King Xuan’s back was truly broad.

Leaning against it, she felt a sense of stability and security.

Xue Qingyin, thinking about it, leaned in tighter.

Even her head rested against him. After all, it was quite heavy, and this way she could save some energy.

King Xuan seemed to sense her “closeness” and his hand supporting her suddenly became firmer.

 King Xuan carried her on his back as they walked out.

They passed the Jianting pavilion, walked through the Begonia  gate, and finally reached the entrance of the Xue family’s residence.

Old Master Xue and the others were already waiting there.

Even before they got close, they bowed to the King Xuan from afar.

King Xuan didn’t even look at them, he simply stepped out of the door.

But Xue Qingyin found it quite odd.

There were so many people today…

King Xuan carried her three steps to the palanquin.

The palanquin was also completely different from those of ordinary families. It was decorated with ivory, with entwined butterfly patterns on the silk curtains, and required eight people to carry it.

Xue Qingyin was surprised, but when she looked up, she saw a long procession of carriages behind the palanquin. There must have been thirty or forty of them?

Each carriage was filled with things, presumably not only the betrothal gifts but also her dowry. These would all be her personal property in the future, but there were so many that her eyes were dazzled.

Thinking about it, Xue Qingyin immediately felt a little more energetic.

She couldn’t help but ask: “Your Highness, are all these carriages not exceeding the regulations?”

King Xuan’s tone was flat: “Just a hundred, how could it exceed the regulations?”

Xue Qingyin lightly exclaimed, “Ah.” It turned out she had underestimated, it wasn’t just thirty or forty carriages.

But in the King Xuan’s mouth, it was just “a hundred.”

Don’t try to fool her that she’s uneducated.

A hundred carriages wouldn’t even fit on a street, would they?

She had always read in books about “ten miles of red makeup,” and this was probably what it looked like? Or perhaps what she saw before her was even more magnificent than what was written in those books?

Xue Qingyin didn’t know.

With a touch of bewilderment, she was carefully placed into the palanquin by the King Xuan.

The King Xuan said in a low voice, “There’s a soft pillow by your hand.”

Then he lowered the palanquin curtains.

Xue Qingyin quickly put down her fan and felt around. Sure enough, she found the soft pillow.

She quickly placed it behind her waist and neck, then leaned against the palanquin wall, feeling much more comfortable.

“Your Highness, wait.” She quickly called out to the King Xuan.

Everyone watched as the King Xuan took two steps, turned back, and rolled up the curtain as if he was talking to Xue Qingyin.

The Xue family members were speechless, thinking to themselves, how could he be so reluctant even for a moment?

Inside the palanquin, Xue Qingyin raised the sword in her hand and said, “Your Highness, you forgot to take this.”

She thought that the King Xuan had given her the sword so that he could carry her, as it would be inconvenient.

The King Xuan looked down at her and said in a deep voice, “You keep it for me.”

Then he lowered the palanquin curtain again.

Xue Qingyin clicked her tongue.

Alright.

She could only hold the sword to her chest obediently.

She vaguely heard the King Xuan’s voice: “Farewell to Father-in-law and Mother-in-law.”

Outside, Mrs. Xue and Xue Chengdong naturally didn’t dare to accept the courtesy. They hurriedly bowed in return: “We bid farewell to Your Highness.”

Xue Qingyin felt her body lighten.

The palanquin bearers lifted the palanquin.

Du Hongxue walked ahead, scattering money to clear the way.

The King Xuan also swiftly mounted his horse. He was already tall, and now even more imposing.

People unconsciously took a step back.

Only He Songning and his father stood there, motionless.

Old Master Xue pressed his chest and couldn’t help but sigh softly: “Although she’s a concubine,King Xuan treats her very well.”

At this moment, Xue Chengdong finally remembered that with the King Xuan’s intervention, when they sent their daughter off, the parents should have instructed her on how to behave as a wife. But they hadn’t said a word.

Well.

It was probably because Xue Qingyin’s personality wouldn’t tolerate listening.

Mrs. Xue had also forgotten what she wanted to say. She just watched the procession rumble away, shedding tears again.

Seeing her crying silently, Xue Chengdong quietly handed her a handkerchief.

Mrs. Xue glanced at it, then turned back, her tear-filled eyes coldly glaring at Xue Chengdong, but she turned and walked away.

Xue Chengdong: “…”

Aunt Xue ‘s eyebrows were about to stand on end.

Old Master Xue stopped her: “What day is it today? Anyone who says anything inappropriate will be punished by the family law.”

Aunt Xue  could only swallow her words with a feeling of resentment.

How could a wife dare to treat her husband like this?

At this time, He Songning quickly turned back and followed, also handing over a handkerchief: “Mother, wipe your tears, don’t be sad.”

He was a little surprised at this moment. How did the relationship between Mrs. Xue and Xue Chengdong get to this point? They didn’t even bother to say a word to each other.

Mrs. Xue suddenly turned back, angrily saying: “You and your father are so alike, your sister is getting married, and you haven’t even shed a single tear!”

He Songning was speechless.

He felt that it was Xue Chengdong who had set the fire, and he was the innocent fish caught in the crossfire.

…

On this side, Xue Qingyin sat in the palanquin, being tossed around, which made her drowsy.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, a hand suddenly reached in from the curtain.

The hand held a lotus leaf package.

“Please have a bite, Your Highness, to fill your stomach.” The person said.

The voice sounded unfamiliar and young.

Since she was addressed as “Your Highness,” it must be a palace maid from the King Xuan’s palace.

Xue Qingyin suddenly woke up, and the hunger in her stomach was also aroused.

She took the lotus leaf package without hesitation, opened it, and saw inside rice balls the size of her palm, called “tuan you fan.”

The aroma was irresistible, it went straight into Xue Qingyin’s nose, filling her mind with the mixture of rice and meat…

Xue Qingyin didn’t hesitate, she lowered her head and started eating.

She didn’t even care about whether her lipstick would be eaten off.

By the time she finished the tuan you fan, she didn’t know how long the palanquin had been on the road.

At this moment, the maid’s hand reached in again, holding a soft handkerchief. She said, “Your Highness, please give me the lotus leaf.”

Xue Qingyin took the handkerchief and handed the leftover lotus leaf to her.

After wiping her mouth with the handkerchief, the hand reached in again. This time, it presented Xue Qingyin with a small round jar. When she opened it, there was lipstick inside. It was vibrant in color and had a hint of sweetness.

So thoughtful? They even prepared lipstick!

Xue Qingyin was amazed.

The palanquin finally stopped.

And Xue Qingyin had reapplied her lipstick.

The palanquin curtain was lifted from the outside.

Before the maids and mamas could surround her, King Xuan walked in front of her again, bending over as before.

Xue Qingyin leaned forward even more skillfully.

She still held a fan in one hand and the sword in the other.

The people of the King Xuan’s palace stood on both sides, seeing the sword she held tightly in her hand, they were all startled, and then they hurriedly bowed to greet her.

Xue Qingyin had eaten her fill and had rested in the palanquin for a while. Now she didn’t have to walk herself.

She leaned against the King Xuan, freely looking around, feeling refreshed. She had no intention of dying suddenly at the entrance of the King Xuan’s palace.

King Xuan carried her through the gate of the palace.

The last time she came to the King Xuan’s palace, she was unconscious. This time, she finally got a good look.

Xue Qingyin was dazzled, and inadvertently lowered her head, catching a glimpse of a red spot on the King Xuan’s neck.

Xue Qingyin suddenly realized.

She didn’t know when she had rubbed lipstick on the King Xuan.

Xue Qingyin quickly used the hand holding her fan to awkwardly wipe it off.

The color was quite persistent. Of course, it was also possible that her posture was too awkward, and she couldn’t use much force.

She wiped twice but couldn’t get it off.

Xue Qingyin leaned in tighter and secretly used a little more force.

The King Xuan’s steps suddenly stopped.

His muscles seemed to tense up.

Xue Qingyin’s hand was still pressed against his neck, and she could faintly feel the powerful beating beneath.

King Xuan suddenly freed one hand and grabbed her finger.

Xue Qingyin heard him say in a hoarse voice, “…Don’t rush.”

Xue Qingyin quickly retracted her hand.

I wasn’t rushing, don’t talk nonsense, I didn’t mean that!

Xue Qingyin only then felt a bit nervous, she couldn’t help but lick her lips.

Her ears were a little hot.

King Xuan’s palace was large.

But King Xuan carried her very steadily.

After a while, he asked her again, “Are you tired?”

Xue Qingyin thought to herself, you should be more tired than me.

“If you’re not tired, there’s a banquet set up ahead. If you’re tired, then we’ll perform the ceremony in your room,” the King Xuan said.

“Then I’ll choose to go back to my room.” Xue Qingyin, adhering to the principle of not causing trouble if she could avoid it, sincerely said.

King Xuan replied, “Mm.”

He didn’t bother with the guests, he just took Xue Qingyin into the Cun Xin Palace.

In the palace, they bowed to Heaven and Earth.

They also performed the Tong Lao Ceremony, shared a dish, and drank a cup of wine together.

When the ceremony reached this point, Xue Qingyin thought it should be over, right?

But she heard the King Xuan say calmly, “Bring it.”

Bring what?

Xue Qingyin was very confused.

The mama beside her bit her lip, as if she had made a decision against her ancestors. She replied in a deep voice, “Yes.”

Then she went to fetch a pair of scissors and a piece of silk ribbon.

King Xuan personally took the scissors, and before Xue Qingyin could react, he cut off a lock of her hair.

Then he cut off a lock of his own.

His lean and slender fingers grabbed the silk ribbon and hooked it, firmly tying the two locks of hair together.

Xue Qingyin knew why the mama was so hesitant.

The person who should be joining their hair together and living a long life together should not be her.

But it was her.

Xue Qingyin wouldn’t be so self-conscious as to feel unworthy.

She played with her fan, the jade beads on it rolling around. Then she raised her face and smiled brightly at King Xuan, asking, “Your Highness, are you going to the banquet to entertain the guests now?”