Chapter 4: The Grand Wedding

“First, bow to Heaven and Earth!”

“Second, bow to the high hall!”

“Then, couple bows to each other!”

“Etiquette complete, send the bride into the bridal chamber.”

Under the escort of numerous servants, Jiang Rong was led to the bridal chamber.

Jiang Rong removed her veil, her gaze sweeping slightly around the room.

The shadows of phoenix and dragon candles flickered in pairs, with fragrant ribbons swirling in the delicate bridal bed.

All the servants retreated. Xie Lingxi was outside to toast guests. At this moment, only she and her close maidservant remained inside.

Jiang Rong took out a small vial from her bosom and handed it to Yingchun. “Take this, pour the powder into the bridal wine.”

“Miss, what is inside this?” Yingchun asked curiously as she poured out the powder.

Jiang Rong smiled softly. “Hongtoudeng — a deadly poison that seals the throat upon blood.”

“Ah… then you…” Yingchun looked shocked. “You… are you trying to poison the heir?”

Jiang Rong’s lips curled into a subtle smile. “Not me. You.”

As she spoke, she suddenly shouted loudly toward the door, “Someone come! Someone is plotting against the heir!”

Soon, Xie Lingxi was summoned over.

“Hubby, I peeked under my veil secretly to look at our wedding chamber and saw that maidservant adding poison to the bridal wine. She actually wants to harm us!” Jiang Rong looked terrified, pulling at Xie Lingxi’s sleeve, appearing fragile and pitiful.

Yingchun knelt on the ground, her head pounding as if crushing garlic. “Servant girl didn’t do it! Miss, the Hongtoudeng was given to me by you. How could I plot to harm the heir?”

“Murdering one’s own husband is a capital offense. Why would I seek death? Moreover, if I wanted the heir dead, I wouldn’t have exposed your crime!” Jiang Rong argued convincingly.

Yingchun hadn’t expected Jiang Rong to betray her like this. She hurriedly pleaded, “Servant girl is innocent! I truly didn’t intend to harm the heir! It’s Miss who’s framing me. Your honor, sir!”

“Take her away and beat her to death,” Xie Lingxi coldly interrupted her pleas.

“I’m innocent!” Yingchun wailed desperately, but Zhengjie covered her mouth and dragged her out.

In an instant, only the two of them remained in the room.

In her previous life, Xie Lingxi had executed Yingchun. Because Jiang Rong’s body was contaminated with deadly poison from the Yellow Springs, only the closest maidservants could deliver the blow.

He had killed Yingchun, replacing her with another servant beside her.

As a result, Jiang Rong—a girl seeking revenge—had stabbed him.

They had spent a lifetime misunderstanding and missing each other.

Jiang Rong lifted her gaze to look at the man before her. It’s good. In this life, she would never let tragedy repeat.

Xie Lingxi also looked at Jiang Rong. Why did she want to kill her maidservant?

What was she planning?

But he didn’t want to delve into her secrets. As long as she stayed peacefully in the Northern Prince’s residence, under his protection, he was content.

He only feared she was pretending to be obedient and secretly planning to escape.

“Hubby, it’s getting late. Should we…” Jiang Rong’s face blushed slightly, her words unfinished.

Suddenly, a maidservant’s anxious voice came from outside:

“Young Master, it’s not good! Second Miss suddenly vomited blood. Please come and see.”

Jiang Rong’s expression darkened slightly. Oh, so they’re disturbing our wedding chamber.

……

Northern Prince’s Residence, Serenity Pavilion.

A woman dressed in a yellow gown embroidered with lotus and butterflies sat at her dressing table, instructing a maid to apply pale makeup on her face:

“My cousin cried so sorrowfully—she’s the only sister-in-law I acknowledge. I absolutely won’t let Jiang Rong, that wicked woman, steal my brother!”

She was Xie Ruo Jiao, the second young lady of the Northern Prince’s residence, and the legitimate sister of Xie Lingxi.

“Miss, you should lie down quickly! The Young Master is coming!” the maid at the door reminded her.

Xie Ruo Jiao immediately pretended to be sick, lying on the bed, clutching a bloodstained silk scarf, tearfully speaking to the man entering in red: “Brother, I vomited blood, cough cough—”

Xie Lingxi’s gaze lingered briefly on her heavily made-up face. The old doctor with a white beard immediately checked her pulse and after a moment, looked suspicious. “Second Miss’s pulse seems fine—”

“It’s… it’s not an ordinary illness, you can’t tell!” Xie Ruo Jiao said weakly and mournfully.

“It’s because I was bumped by someone!” she continued.

An older maid beside her stepped forward and said, “Young Master, the lady was fine earlier today, then suddenly coughed blood—this isn’t illness, it’s because she’s cursed by someone with a hard life!”

“Who is this ‘hard life’ person?” Xie Ruo Jiao asked deliberately.

The maid replied, “The residence has been peaceful, but today the Young Mistress entered the house. She lost her parents young, cursed by her fate—she’s a great calamity! The lady was bumped into by her. With her fate, even the Young Master and the grandmother would be affected.”

“What? I just vomited blood, and she can curse my grandmother and my elder brother? That’s unacceptable!” Xie Ruo Jiao pretended to be shocked. “This woman must not stay! Brother, send her away quickly! Our Xie family can’t withstand her curses!”

Xie Lingxi watched her performance silently, his heart unmoved, even wanting to smile.

Just then, a clear female voice came from outside: “Sister, you’re mistaken. I am the legitimate wife brought in through the matchmaker’s six appointments—betrothal, asking the name, auspicious date, wedding date, and the bride’s procession—all completed. Sister, you probably don’t know, but the auspicious date (Naji) involves sending my birth date and eight characters to your ancestral temple for divination, and only if it’s a good omen can the marriage be confirmed.”

“Our Xie ancestors in heaven all see my marriage as a great auspicious sign, affirming that my and the Young Master’s eight characters are compatible. How dare anyone defy the wishes of the Xie ancestors and spread rumors that marrying me is inauspicious?”

The entire room fell silent.

A woman dressed in a fiery red wedding gown with phoenix crown and bridal veil strode in directly. She was breathtakingly beautiful—elegant, noble, with a gentle smile on her lips, but her eyes shone with icy determination.

Who dares to break her marriage?

They would be killed by her.

“Hubby, this old servant is talking nonsense in front of my sister, deceiving her.” Jiang Rong raised her eyes to look at the handsome man, her brows slightly curved.

“Kill her.”

The maid who had just spoken wavered, almost kneeling, hurriedly looking at Xie Ruo Jiao, crying out: “Miss, save me!”