Chapter 60: Mingtang and Qinghe (Part 3)

Xu Qianyu discovered that the words of the Holy Maiden with seemed to have an inspiring power. The crowd, initially only whispering, suddenly became emotionally charged as they collectively began to accuse her, causing her head to spin.
In the midst of the chaos, she even received some points.

System: “You might have acted too convincingly. If Zhao Mingtang were really here, she would also cause such a scene at the wedding and be scolded like this.”
Xu Qianyu: ?
But her intention was not to disrupt; she only spoke out to stop the groom because she noticed something strange about him and wanted him to wait before leaving. Her second comment was purely out of irritation toward Lu You.
Xu Qianyu suppressed her headache and raised her voice: “Last night, I heard my sister crying. There must be some misunderstanding, and I want to ask for clarification.”

Upon hearing this, the crowd quieted down, sensing there was more to the story.
Xu Qianyu walked up to Guo Yi and asked, “Brother Guo, do you truly like my sister?”
“Of course I do,” Guo Yi hurriedly replied, his gaze fixed on the bride.
After a moment, a tiny, slender insect antenna-like thing protruded from his nose but was quickly withdrawn.
Xu Qianyu stared intently at his face and asked, “Then do you like me?”
What kind of question was that?! The people around them began to murmur again. However, Guo Yi, being a knowledgeable gentleman, could have easily redirected the topic to familial affection, perhaps complimenting Zhao Mingtang in the process.
Guo Yi’s thin lips moved as if he wanted to do just that, but his gaze uncontrollably shifted back to Xu Qianyu’s face, revealing a longing expression. After a moment, he oddly smiled and said, “I… I like you.”
The tentacle flashed by. Xu Qianyu finally saw it clearly, and a chill ran down his spine. There was something insect-like crawling inside Guo Yi’s body. This thing was neither a demon nor a spirit but rather a kind of poison bug that had already begun to interfere with his daily behavior.
So that day in the tavern, was he so impatient to touch Zhao Qinghe?
“You were just watching the Holy Maiden for quite a while,” Xu Qianyu said expressionlessly, looking at Lu You. “Do you like her too?”

“Like…”

Lu You never expected to bring trouble upon herself. Seeing Guo Yi’s greedy gaze slide toward her, she hurriedly said, “Shut up, shut up. As the maiden, how can you indiscriminately tarnish my reputation?”
Mrs. Zhao also tried to mediate, saying, “Ah Yi, what nonsense are you talking? You’ve liked Qinghe for so long; didn’t you say you wouldn’t marry anyone but our Qinghe?”
Guo Yi opened his mouth, his facial muscles twitching slightly, seeming to be caught between the influence of the poison bug and the maiden’s command. In the end, he reluctantly closed his mouth.
Xu Qianyu said coolly, “Brother Guo likes everyone. How can you expect me to facilitate that?”
Dissatisfied murmurs arose around them, criticizing Guo Yi for his behavior. It was one thing to be debauched on ordinary days, but to act like this in front of the bride was unacceptable. As a member of the Zhao family, Zhao Mingtang had every right to admonish him.
Amid the clamor, the Holy Maiden cleared her throat and said, “A destined marriage is hard to come by. Since we’ve come to the point of discussing marriage, it’s not easy.”
However, this time the voices of agreement were much quieter, lacking the fervor of earlier.
System: “I understand. Though the Maiden commands a following, she cannot make mistakes. That last statement diminished her prestige and thus reduced her power.”
Xu Qianyu fell into deep thought, feeling perplexed. Lu You usually shrank in front of strong people, but this time she had spoken up twice. She had just suffered a loss with Guo Yi, yet she still tried to mediate. Even if it was to play her role as the maiden well, she shouldn’t take such risks.
Xu Qianyu scanned the crowd, then his gaze landed on the stacked boxes on the ground.

Lu You was also here for a task; she could sense the Soul Lock nearby, so she must know about it. Moreover, she had her own system, so she probably had more information than the average disciple.
Could it be that she was so eager to push the wedding forward because of the Soul Lock?
The Holy Maiden continued, “I know that the second miss has always had a poor relationship with the eldest miss. Today is the eldest miss’s big day, a once-in-a-lifetime event. The second miss wouldn’t want her sister to have regrets on such an important day, right?”

This statement was too leading. Zhao Mingtang was notorious; with such words, neighbors would recall her past misdeeds and suspect that she had come to disrupt Zhao Qinghe’s wedding intentionally.
Xu Qianyu grabbed a handful of candies from the table, sneering, “Even if my sister and I argue, we are still blood relatives. No matter how indifferent my feelings for her are, they are still deeper than yours as an outsider. Why can’t I ask a few more questions about such a major event as her marriage?”
The Holy Maiden’s voice resonated, and Zhao Mingtang’s words were naturally forceful and authoritative, not losing any momentum.

The neighbors were stunned but nodded in agreement: it was normal for sisters to have some conflicts and arguments. There could be enmity between legitimate and illegitimate children, but these two from the Zhao family, being biological sisters who had lived together for so many years, surely couldn’t harbor deep-seated hatred for each other.
In this light, Zhao Mingtang didn’t seem as loathsome as rumored. Though she was willful and overbearing, she was still affectionate and loyal.
After speaking, Xu Qianyu turned to the bride and asked, “Sister, do you want to marry into the Guo family?”
Although her senior sister had refused her interference the night before, she was unaware if there had been any further complications, so she asked again.
In this unfamiliar place, having finally encountered a fellow disciple, they should look out for each other.
If the bride nodded again, she would let her take the candy, allowing her onto the bridal sedan chair, treating the earlier incident as a small test for the groom. In their Nanling wedding customs, the sisters of the bride would also block the sedan chair. This way, it wouldn’t tarnish Zhao Mingtang’s reputation.
Even though she had discovered the groom was possessed by a bug, which seemed very troublesome, that was her senior sister’s task, and she couldn’t interfere. The previous three questions posed to the groom would serve as a reminder to her fellow disciple, hoping she would be cautious.
However, after this question, there was silence.

After a long pause, the bride, covered by a red veil, gently shook her head!
The crowd erupted in an uproar. Xu Qianyu was also surprised: “You don’t want to marry into the Guo family?”
She nodded.

Mrs. Zhao grew anxious and whispered, “Qinghe, Qinghe… don’t be willful.”
The Holy Maiden tried to speak, but her voice was completely drowned out by the clamor. Among the crowd, some impatient voices called out, “What does the bride think? Just say something!”
“Yes, what’s with the nodding and shaking? Speak clearly; we’ll support you!”
Yet the bride stood there, silent and still.

In this situation, if she remained quiet, it could only mean one thing: she couldn’t speak.
The matchmaker sensed something was off and couldn’t help but step out from the crowd, one hand grasping the bride and the other pulling Mrs. Zhao, pushing them into the inner chamber. Ignoring Mrs. Zhao’s expression, he lifted the veil to take a look and was taken aback. Zhao Qinghe’s head was bowed, her mouth tightly bound with layers of cloth, and her arms were restrained under her wide sleeves by two wooden stakes. She couldn’t speak, nor could she bend her elbows.
For Shen Suwei, whether or not to go to the Guo family was something he could observe at will. However, Zhao Qinghe had merely left; she hadn’t died. If she returned home later with an inexplicable marriage, it would be inconvenient for her reputation. Therefore, in his original plan, this marriage would not work out.
Xu Qianyu was the first to take action, and he followed suit.

The matchmaker said, “This… marriage is a big deal; it’s all about mutual consent. Madam, what’s going on here?”
Mrs. Zhao hurriedly pleaded, “She’s willing; she’s just throwing a tantrum! Listen to me; there’s been some misunderstanding.”
“Then persuade her to speak up and say it herself.”

The matchmaker couldn’t hold back, lifting the curtain and stepping outside, forcing a smile. “Everyone, Ah Yi, I’m really sorry. The bride isn’t feeling well; I think we should postpone the wedding for a few days.”
Amidst the discussions of the crowd, Guo Yi’s smile froze on his face as he slowly realized that the bride couldn’t be taken home today. He felt very disappointed and waved his hand, saying, “Take away the dowry.” He then stretched his neck and called into the inner room, “Qinghe, you take a rest; I’ll come back in a few days.”

Mrs. Zhao hurried out and grabbed Guo Yi, saying, “Think it over; don’t leave!”
The guests sighed in regret and began to disperse. As the servants moved the mountain of boxes, Xu Qianyu saw the hint of light gradually fading away. She noticed Lu You wasn’t chasing after the departing guests but was instead standing still, looking unwilling.
The Soul-Restraining Lock seemed to be in Guo Yi’s dowry rather than with the guests.
“Zhao Mingtang! I told you not to cause trouble!” Zhao Fukun suddenly exploded from behind. Xu Qianyu turned around and saw an enraged face. Zhao Fukun raised his hand as if to strike, “You, I’m really going to kill you!”

Xu Qianyu glanced at him and suddenly shouted towards the door, “Brother Guo!”
Guo Yi, who had been pulled by Mrs. Zhao, and a small number of guests were called back into the hall by her. “What else is there?”
Xu Qianyu stared at him for a while and suddenly said, “If my sister doesn’t marry you, how about I marry you?”
“…” The crowd was stunned into silence by this twist.
Xu Qianyu stole a glance at Mrs. Zhao and Zhao Fukun. Hearing such absurd remarks, they exchanged a look of surprise, but instead of anger, their expressions seemed to hold a glimmer of hope, and they didn’t stop her.
“You just said you liked me. If my sister doesn’t like you, then I do.” Xu Qianyu continued, “If you want, I can get in the sedan chair and leave with you right now.”
System: !! No, are you really planning to marry him?
Xu Qianyu: Seeing he’s possessed by a bug and seems obedient, it shouldn’t be hard to trick him into giving me the dowry. Once I have the Soul-Restraining Lock, I can rid him of the evil within and set him free. Wouldn’t that make me the top one immediately?
This Water Moon Flower Realm is just too generous to me.

Lu You, who had her own system, could see that Zhao Mingtang was also a disciple of Penglai but didn’t know who it was. Hearing her take an unconventional approach and seeing Guo Yi staring at Zhao Mingtang, she felt an insatiable thirst and saw him hesitating, so she shouted, “Young Master Guo, you have a marriage contract; how can you change your mind and betray your fiancée?”
Fortunately, as a Holy Maiden, her words of righteousness had the effect of calming people’s hearts.
Guo Yi was instantly influenced by her, and his mouth that had opened fell shut again.

Almost simultaneously, a young voice came from behind Xu Qianyu: “Zhao Mingtang.”
Then, she felt a chill approaching as a boy in black grabbed her wrist and pulled her, saying, “Stop talking nonsense and come with me.”
“Who are you?” Xu Qianyu turned to look at him. This boy was about seventeen or eighteen, dressed in shabby clothes, with a pale and handsome face. His dark eyes looked slightly blue, and when he looked at her, he pressed his lips together, containing his anger.

Xu Qianyu had already fully assumed the role of the Zhao family’s overlord in the two days she had been here. At this moment, since neither of Zhao’s parents spoke, it was this boy who first tried to pull her away with an impressive grip. Xu Qianyu felt anger rising in her and struck him with her whip.
With a sharp “crack,” the boy’s skin split, and he fell straight back, being caught by the surrounding servants, who gasped in shock.

Xu Qianyu glanced at the whip, astonished.
If she hadn’t seen blood earlier, she would have suspected that he was faking it. The whip she held today was not the barbed horsewhip that Zhao Mingtang used to hit people, but a divine whip. A magical tool doesn’t hurt mortals, and besides, she controlled her strength; she just swept him away, and it shouldn’t have injured him.

She heard the servants ask him, “How’s Young Master Xue doing?” So this was Zhao Mingtang’s pitiful adopted brother, Xue Ling. At this moment, he was sitting on the ground, looking extremely pale, his eyes still stubbornly fixed on her, full of defiance.
Magical tools only harm cultivators and demons. Could it be that Xue Ling was also her fellow disciple?
A small Zhao family had three disciples; wouldn’t that be too unevenly distributed?
The Holy Maiden began to speak. In truth, she had wanted to say something earlier, but every time she spoke, it became too troublesome. That maiden needed to hold up a lotus flower, and the young boy had to scatter petals; now, the two children were a bit tired and moved slowly. So by the time she spoke, Xue Ling had already taken a whip: “Zhao Mingtang, you are fickle and do not abide by the rules of a wife…”
“I was wrong to injure him,” Xu Qianyu interrupted. “What does that have to do with being a good wife?”
The Holy Maiden replied, “The one sitting on the ground isn’t your fiancé. How can you say you want to marry someone else in front of him and then hit him? Mrs. Zhao, the second young lady should reflect on this for a few days; otherwise, it’s hard to convince the public.”

Xu Qianyu was taken aback and turned to look at the Zhao couple, their expressions confirming the truth of the matter. Mrs. Zhao seemed to find it difficult to speak and hurriedly explained, “They’re not married yet, not married yet.” Then she straightened her face and said, “Mingtang, you are going too far! The Holy Maiden is right; if you don’t reflect, I will have to lock you up!”
This is truly ridiculous!

Xu Qianyu thought, Xue Ling is not just an adopted brother, but my fiancé. Such an important figure was never mentioned in the letter, leaving her completely unaware.
It was right to be caught off guard. Lu You thought.
Since this role wasn’t set by a formation, it was entirely fabricated by the Demon King. This meant that originally, Xue Ling did not exist in the Water Moon Flower Realm; it was the Demon King’s power that interfered with others’ memories, creating this person out of thin air.

Thus, Zhao Mingtang also could not have known about him in the letter.
At first, she had been concerned about how Xie Yuzhen had made him into another disciple’s fiancé, but now it seemed this arrangement was quite useful: after three days, when Zhao Qinghe completed her wedding and the dowry was delivered to the Zhao family, Xie Yuzhen could take the opportunity to give her the Soul-Restraining Lock, and she would surely become the top one.

Before that, she needed to find a way to lock Zhao Mingtang up so she wouldn’t influence Xie Yuzhen.
“Who dares touch me?” Xu Qianyu glared at the maids who wanted to pull her away, already approaching Xue Ling with the whip, lifting his chin with one hand.
The boy’s chin was thin and delicate, and fine blue veins were visible on his neck. His handsome face held a hint of mischief, and between his brows, he bore some resemblance to her former lover.
Xu Qianyu thought that Xue Ling, as the fiancé of the second young lady, dressed so poorly, was looked down upon by others, and was either beaten or scolded by the second young lady, yet he silently endured it. Either he owed the second young lady something and thus didn’t dare to resist, or he had a secret crush on her, so he was treated this way and accepted it willingly.

Although he was a disciple, he still had to act in accordance with his role. For now, he could only feel sorry for his fellow apprentice.
“In front of the Holy Maiden, tell me,” Xu Qianyu leaned down, pinching his jaw and glaring at him with the most vicious expression, “Have I ever hit you?”
The youth remained silent for a moment, then lowered his eyes, seemingly smiling: “No.”
Lu You was taken aback, unsure why Xie Yuzhen would say such a thing: “But when you came to the clinic, you were covered in injuries.”

Xue Ling replied, “I hurt myself; it has nothing to do with the young lady.”
Xu Qianyu paused and asked, “Do you and I have any relationships?”
This time Xue Ling lifted his gaze to look at her, his eyes somewhat cold and inquisitive.
Xu Qianyu tightened her grip on his jaw and stared at him fiercely.

Zhao Mingtang was not as gentle or beautiful as Zhao Qinghe; this was a well-known fact. However, at this moment, Zhao Mingtang, dressed in red, exuded a remarkable beauty, albeit a beauty that leaned toward another extreme. Her eyes were sharp and bright like knives, with a beauty mark under her eye, embodying an unyielding dominance: “Speak!”
Xue Ling said, “There is no relationship.”

He slightly curved his lips: “I merely have unrequited feelings for the young lady.”
Lu You froze in place. Logic told her that Xie Yuzhen’s words surely had their reasons. However, seeing the two of them—one standing and one kneeling, their faces close together—created an indescribable sense of ambiguity. She couldn’t think any more chaotic thoughts and decided to return to the clinic and wait.

She stumbled out of the threshold, and the young girl beside her looked back three times, almost tripping.
“Did Brother Guo hear that?” Xu Qianyu called out to Guo Yi, “Think about whether you want to marry my sister or me in three days!”
The guests exchanged glances, having witnessed the drama, but quickly pretended not to hear and dispersed.

Xu Qianyu released Xue Ling, feeling that his brother’s acting was overly exaggerated and unnecessary: “Mother, can I stop being grounded?”
To her surprise, she noticed that Zhao Qinghe had come out of the inner room at some point, standing behind Mrs. Zhao, as if watching her like a red shadow.
“No need, no need. Why are you making things difficult for him?” Mrs. Zhao hurriedly called for someone to help Xue Ling up, but her gaze turned to Xu Qianyu. “Mingtang, do you really want to marry Guo Yi?”
“What are you talking about?” Zhao Fukun signaled to Mrs. Zhao with his eyes, reminding her that Xue Ling was still present. Though this child had grown up fostered in their home and was as insignificant as grass, it was still not appropriate to bully him too openly. “Take Young Master Xue down to rest.”
With the Holy Maiden gone, Xu Qianyu hurriedly helped Xue Ling up, planning to communicate with him indoors and apologize.

System: That Guo Yi drools over every woman; are you not worried about the Soul Lock?
Xu Qianyu twitched her lips: I have to thank the Holy Maiden for that.
The Holy Maiden could only speak words of justice and engage in pure deeds, so she couldn’t personally deceive anyone, nor could she instigate others.

The Holy Maiden had also sternly told Guo Yi not to betray his fiancée, fearing he wouldn’t dare touch another woman. It was likely that three days later, the sedan would still be brought to the Zhao family.
She was also curious about how Lu You would take the Soul Lock back after delivering it to the Zhao family.

“Qinghe, don’t blame your mother for being harsh.” Mrs. Zhao called Zhao Qinghe back from her daze, lifting the veil and loosening the ropes around her. “The will of the parents and the words of the matchmaker have always been this way. The Guo family is well-off; marrying him means you won’t have to live a hard life.”

“Mother, I’m not running away anymore.” Shen Suwei looked at her. “Can you not tie me up?”
Although Mrs. Zhao’s face briefly showed compassion, her expression remained wary as she signaled to someone nearby to bind him again: “Young Master Guo today may have been drinking flower wine and talking nonsense, but he has previously insisted on you. You’re too stubborn; just like today, I cannot trust you.”

Zhao Fukun took a puff from his smoking pipe and sighed, “Qinghe, even though you’re a girl, we’ve raised you with the best clothes and food. Now is the time for you to repay us. When a lamb kneels to nurse, you surely don’t want to see the Zhao family go extinct, right?”
Shen Suwei lowered her eyes, deep in thought.
Last of your line?