“I don’t believe it, you’re talking nonsense…” Gui Qinshao said in a hoarse voice.
But the strange maidservant who had come to inform on them had already vanished without a trace.
Gui Qinshao’s mind was still a buzzing blank, her body as if struck by electricity, completely unable to move.
Father and Ling Ao had sold her wedding night to Zhi Li? Sold her purity to Zhi Li?
Impossible, absolutely absolutely impossible!
Gui Qinshao’s mind was filled with complete disbelief. Father loved her so so much, completely like the flesh of his heart. How could he possibly bear to hurt her?
Instantly, memories of her father’s doting affection towards her flooded her mind.
No matter how great a trouble she caused, her father had hardly ever scolded her, let alone hit or cursed her.
More than a year ago, when Soren had used the marriage agreement to swindle the Rocky Island from the Gui clan and opened the Rocky Island salt fields, Gui Qinshao had been indignant at the humiliation and incited her brother Gui Qinzhong to lead the Linhai naval forces to attack Rocky Island. The result was that three thousand Linhai naval forces were nearly completely annihilated.
This trouble had been heaven-shakingly huge. Her brother Gui Qinzhong had been beaten half to death. But she, Gui Qinshao, had not suffered the slightest consequence. Instead, her father Gui Xingfu had kept coaxing her, fearing she would be hurt again.
From childhood to adulthood, her father had treated her as the pearl in his palm, cherishing her like a precious darling.
The only time her father Gui Xingfu had slapped her was because she had pierced Ling Ao’s chest with a sword.
Afterwards, Gui Qinshao had reflected and also felt she deserved it. Even if she had been unwilling to be intimate with Ling Ao, at most a slap would have sufficed. To actually draw a sword and injure someone.
Father loved her so so much. He absolutely could not possibly sell her.
And Ling Ao was even less likely to do so. He completely treated her as a goddess, as a pearl cupped in the palm of his hand. He was not even willing to let others take a single glance. How could he possibly let Zhi Li defile her pure body?
The more Gui Qinshao thought about it, the more impossible it seemed. The more she thought, the more resolute her heart became, feeling this was definitely someone playing tricks behind the scenes.
Instantly, her first thought was to go directly ask her father, to ask Ling Ao.
Although she did not believe it, she absolutely had to get a negative answer to this matter.
And just at this moment, the music outside urging the bride had already sounded several times.
Finally, her mother Tu Lingsi could not help but come in, saying, “My dear girl, are you still daydreaming here? The people outside are going mad waiting.”
With that, Tu Lingsi directly placed the bridal veil over Gui Qinshao’s head.
Gui Qinshao instinctively hid the dagger and that pill inside her sleeve.
Immediately after, several young ladies of the Tu Ling family came forward, half embracing and half dragging, bringing the bride Gui Qinshao outside the great hall.
Finally, the countless guests finally saw the bride Gui Qinshao.
Although her head was covered by the veil, her face unclear, her slender and graceful figure still attracted countless gazes.
Then, dense applause rang out.
…
When the Dragon Emperor traversed to this world back then, he had also designated several ceremonial methods for weddings.
After several thousand years of inheritance and elimination, currently the world’s weddings were mostly divided into two types: the Eastern style of bowing to the hall and becoming husband and wife, and the Western style of cathedral wedding, presided over by a monk of the Divine Dragon Temple.
And many civilisations in this world were a mix of East and West, so noble weddings were the same.
This time, Gui Qinshao’s wedding also belonged to the East-West fusion.
Here there was both bowing to the hall and bowing to heaven and earth, and also a magnificent band, and a relatively free banquet.
After all, this was a civilisation born from martial arts, so it was not like ancient Chinese noble weddings with so many tedious formalities. The relative degree of freedom was much higher.
The enormous banquet hall was already packed full with over a thousand guests.
Several young ladies of the Tu Ling family supported the bride Gui Qinshao to the centre of the hall.
At this time, the groom Ling Ao was already here, eagerly awaiting!
In the centre of the hall, a temporary high platform had been erected, with five seats arranged upon it.
Sitting were the couple Gui Xingfu and Tu Lingsi, the bride’s parents. The couple Tu Lingtuo and his wife, representing the groom’s parents. Zhi Li, representing the royal family.
Still it was Prince Zhi Li who publicly delivered the wedding felicitation speech. He was still as eloquent as ever, speaking in an endless stream.
Half the words in this felicitation speech praised Ling Ao’s talent and character. The other half praised Gui Qinshao’s beauty and temperament.
In short, it was full of the most extravagant praise. In this felicitation speech, the two were completely a pair made in heaven.
Originally, when Gui Qinshao saw her father and Ling Ao, she was going to immediately ask the doubts in her heart. But with countless guests and friends here, she completely could not ask.
Then hearing Zhi Li’s emotionally rich speech, as if full of blessings for her and Ling Ao’s love, his words also very sincere, not like someone with wolfish ambition towards her.
Zhi Li’s occasional gazes towards her were filled with fire and greed. Gui Qinshao had long since discovered this, and had once been somewhat pleased with herself. But, she had seen this kind of gaze many times before. It proved nothing.
Through the veil, Gui Qinshao looked towards her father again.
Gui Xingfu’s face was full of joyous smiles, his gaze always looking towards her filled with tender love and reluctance to part.
Seeing this familiar, doting gaze of her father, Gui Qinshao once again firmly believed her father would not sell her to Zhi Li. That maidservant who had informed on them just now was definitely sowing discord.
She looked towards Ling Ao again.
Yet she discovered that although he wore a smile, his gaze was indeed complex, even not daring to look towards her.
Instantly, Gui Qinshao’s heart trembled.
Ling Ao’s behaviour was abnormal. He had dreamt of marrying her. Now his dream had come true. He should definitely be incomparably happy and joyful.
But from his gaze, one could completely not see this joy. Instead, it was full of unease.
Gui Qinshao’s entire body was icy cold, her heart trembling. Almost instinctively she wanted to question Ling Ao, whether he had sold her out to Zhi Li?
But she was after all not a foolish person. She could not ask such a question in public.
That mysterious woman who had informed on them just now had said there would be a sleeping drug in the nuptial wine. After she drank it, she would fall into a daze. Then on the wedding night, she would not be able to distinguish whether it was Zhi Li or Ling Ao, and would be defiled in a muddled state.
Then the pill she had given her should be the antidote to the sleeping drug.
Wanting to know whether her father and Ling Ao had truly sold her to Zhi Li was very simple. Directly drink the nuptial wine and see whether she fell into a mental daze.
Next, Gui Qinshao’s heart was always suspended, her mind constantly remembering the nuptial wine.
If after drinking it she truly fell into a mental daze, then… then it would truly be heaven collapsing and earth shattering, the world falling apart.
For Gui Qinshao, it would mean losing everything.
…
Zhi Li’s master of ceremonies felicitation speech had already finished.
Next was the great ceremony of bowing to the hall.
Gui Qinshao’s mind only remembered the upcoming nuptial wine, waiting to reveal the final answer.
So, throughout the entire bowing ceremony, she completely followed the bridesmaid’s directions, bowing to the sun, moon, heaven and earth with Ling Ao, bowing to her parents, and finally the husband and wife bowing to each other.
As for the nuptial wine!
Some was drunk during the bowing ceremony, while some was drunk inside the bridal chamber.
Today, after Ling Ao and Gui Qinshao bowed to each other, people immediately began to make a fuss, wanting the two to intimately drink the nuptial wine.
At this time, through the veil, Gui Qinshao’s gaze stared fixedly at Ling Ao.
She discovered that at this time, even his stiff smile was gone. His teeth were tightly clenched, his face taut.
When the wedding matron brought over two cups of wine, Ling Ao stared fixedly at the one belonging to Gui Qinshao, then his face began to twitch.
At this time, Ling Ao still had time to salvage his dignity and love. He only needed to splash Gui Qinshao’s cup of wine onto the ground.
However, after his face twitched for a while, he raised the cup belonging to himself.
Gui Qinshao’s entire body was already icy cold, but she still retained a final hope. Then she raised her own cup of wine.
A golden cup, exquisitely unparalleled. The wine inside was as red as blood, its intoxicating aroma assailing the nostrils.
Although it was only a few ounces heavy, Gui Qinshao held it in her hand as if it weighed a thousand catties, trembling slightly.
“Nuptial cup, nuptial cup…”
The crowd shouted loudly.
And Tu Lingduo, sitting in her wheelchair, also followed in clapping and making a fuss.
Behind her, Tu Liyang leaned in and said softly, “There are so many people here. Do you feel stuffy? Shall I push you outside to breathe some fresh air?”
After their marriage, Tu Liyang had always been this gentle, completely meticulous in his care.
Moreover, he wished he could be with his wife Tu Lingduo twenty-four hours a day. If he did not see her for half a day, he would go mad with anxiety.
Tu Lingduo could not imagine that a man could be this gentle, could treat a woman this well.
This kind of love made Tu Lingduo almost feel somewhat unable to bear it, but… she still had to harden her heart.
First step, first kill Count Tu Liwen, then frame it on the Soren clan of Tianshui City.
Second step, after she and Zhi Li ** and gave birth to a child, kill Tu Liyang.
This way, Luanyang City would completely fall into her hands.
Now, Tu Liyang wanting to push her out was not to breathe fresh air, but worrying that Tu Lingduo watching this scene before her would feel inferior and self-pitying. Because Gui Qinshao as the bride stood there, proud and beautiful as a peacock. While she, Tu Lingduo, sat paralysed in a wheelchair. He was afraid his wife would be sad and distressed.
But how could Tu Lingduo possibly bear to leave? Because next, an unparalleled good show might be staged!
She and Zhi Li had very close dealings, even preparing to ** and bear his child. She of course knew Zhi Li’s thoughts clearly. Moreover, the idea of putting a sleeping drug in the nuptial wine, then having Zhi Li take Ling Ao’s place to defile Gui Qinshao was something she, Tu Lingduo, had come up with.
And that maidservant who had taken the opportunity to inform Gui Qinshao just now was also sent by her, Tu Lingduo.
After Soren’s death, the struggle between Zhi Li and Zhi Yan’s victory and defeat was already decided. Zhi Li’s ascension to the throne was a foregone conclusion.
Tu Lingduo and her father both felt the Gui clan had received too many benefits. Not only had they obtained three hundred li of territory from Tianshui City, but in the future Ling Ao would also become the kingdom’s marshal.
Moreover, once Zhi Li slept with Gui Qinshao, he would certainly be unwilling to let her go.
Then in the future, on the surface Gui Qinshao would be Ling Ao’s wife, but in reality she would certainly become Zhi Li’s lover.
Men in this world were all shallow. Gui Qinshao was so gorgeous, her figure so fiery. Although her brain was not as clever as Tu Lingduo’s, what could be certain was that Zhi Li would dote on Gui Qinshao even more.
This way, she, Tu Lingduo, and the Tu Ling family would be even more disadvantaged.
So, it was necessary to drive a wedge between the Gui clan and Zhi Li’s relationship. While Gui Qinshao’s anger and indignation were still present, spoil the good thing between her and Zhi Li, even causing an irreparable rift between Zhi Li and Gui Xingfu.
Anyway, now that Zhi Li’s ascension to the throne was a foregone conclusion, Gui Xingfu’s usefulness was already not great.
…
Listening to all the guests clapping and making a fuss, Gui Qinshao’s heart was cold, but she still retained a final hope in her heart, saying in a trembling voice, “Brother Ling Ao, this cup of wine is too much. I cannot drink it.”
Hearing Gui Qinshao’s sweet, coquettish voice, Ling Ao’s heart was about to melt. He almost could not resist snatching the wine from her hand and throwing it on the ground, then holding her hand and fleeing from here, as far away as possible.
But, another voice in his mind roared like thunder.
Are three hundred li of territory important, or the love between children important?
Is the future position of marshal important, or the love between children important?
Is the future of the Gui clan, your lifelong prospects important, or the love between children important?
Instantly, Ling Ao was in such pain he could not breathe, saying in a trembling voice, “This is the nuptial wine. It is just this one cup, not much. Drink it, be good!”
Gui Qinshao’s four limbs were icy cold.
Then, the two of them interlocked arms and drank the nuptial wine.
The great ceremony of bowing to the hall was concluded!
“Send to the bridal chamber!”
Instantly, several wedding matrons supported the bride Gui Qinshao, walking into the magnificently decorated bridal chamber.
Halfway through walking, Gui Qinshao’s vision went dizzy for a moment, even beginning to blur.
Moreover, her delicate body began to grow hot, as if a ball of flame was igniting below her abdomen. Her four limbs began to weaken, and below began to surge.
Sure enough there was a sleeping drug, and not merely a sleeping drug, but also an aphrodisiac.
The medicinal power frantically attacked Gui Qinshao’s brain and consciousness, making her body burning hot.
But her heart was completely icy cold!
Her world had collapsed, had been destroyed!
She had been abandoned and sold out, sold out by the father she loved most, sold out by the husband Ling Ao she trusted most!
For the sake of their own interests, they did not hesitate to sell out their own daughter, to sell out their own wife!
Especially Ling Ao, who had actually willingly put a cuckold’s hat on his own head!
How proud Ling Ao appeared, how self-respecting? Yet he could do such a shameful thing?
Ordinary men, when their wives were defiled by others, still knew that a common man’s wrath could splatter blood five steps.
Yet he, Ling Ao, had actually willingly sent his beloved wife into another man’s **, and moreover it was her pure and flawless maiden body.
He was not even as good as an ordinary common man. To think she had still felt he was a man who stood tall and firm.
Endless sorrow, endless despair welled up in her heart.
Everything was fake. Father’s love for her was fake. Ling Ao’s love for her was also fake.
Father, Ling Ao, do you have even half a man’s mettle?
To curry favour with the royal family, to seek power and profit, you actually handed over your own daughter on a platter, handed over your own wife.
Such shameless baseness, even worse than beasts.
Soren, to protect his elder sister, to protect his family, dared to stand against the entire world. Even facing destruction, he did not compromise in the slightest.
Yet the two men she trusted most, for the sake of petty power and influence, actually fawned upon the powerful and curried favour with superiors in such a manner.
Soren, as an enemy, still pitied her, Gui Qinshao. He could not bear to truly ruin her chastity, could not bear to truly harm her bottom line.
Yet her closest father and husband were actually so despicable.
Compared to Soren, how incompetent, how unspeakably ugly were her father Gui Xingfu and her husband Ling Ao?
Even more laughable was that she, in order not to let down her father, not to let down Ling Ao, had chosen to sever all ties with Soren.
Laughably, in her mind, she had cast herself as Tu Lingduo, that bad woman, and Ling Ao as the pitiful Tu Liyang.
Yet the result was that Ling Ao and her father were the most shameless and despicable ones.
At this moment, in Gui Qinshao’s heart, she felt Ling Ao was far inferior even to Tu Liyang.
Tu Liyang, although unspeakably ugly, was willing to devote everything for the sake of his wife.
…
Before she knew it.
Gui Qinshao was supported to the magnificently decorated bridal chamber. Here everything was golden and dazzling, everything was red and brilliant.
And Gui Qinshao’s delicate body had already completely gone limp and burning hot. She could not even sit properly, directly collapsing onto the **.
Endless lust welled up in her heart, burning through her entire body.
Her eyes blurred, already almost unable to see anything clearly. Moreover, her ears also buzzed, unable to clearly hear any sound.
At this time, if Zhi Li came to the bridal chamber, she would completely not be able to recognise him.
Several wedding matrons laid Gui Qinshao down on the **, then quietly went out.
The entire bridal chamber was left with only Gui Qinshao alone.
She used her final consciousness, her final strength, to swallow the pill from her sleeve.
Sure enough it was the antidote. Not long after swallowing it.
The terrifying lust began to recede. Her mind gradually recovered clarity. Her body gradually recovered coolness.
Gui Qinshao closed her eyes.
Her heart was already completely numb. She could not even cry.
In her heart, her love for her father had always been the highest. She would rather die, would rather disfigure her face than betray her father.
And now…
All of this had collapsed.
Father’s love for her was fake. Ling Ao’s love for her was also fake.
Her world had been destroyed!
Her heart grew colder and colder, harder and harder, more and more resolute.
“Father, Gui Xingfu, from today onwards I am no longer your daughter. I will sever all ties with you.”
“Ling Ao, you beast, you good-for-nothing, I wish I could gouge out my own eyes. From today onwards, you and I are like enemy bandits!”
Gui Qinshao closed her beautiful eyes, pretending to be unconscious, yet pricked up her ears tightly, gripping the dagger in her sleeve.
She, Gui Qinshao, had always been someone who feared neither heaven nor earth.
You, Gui Xingfu and Ling Ao, did you not want to use my body to please Zhi Li?
Dream on, dream your spring and autumn dreams!
After Zhi Li comes in, while he is off guard, I will castrate him with one knife.
At that time, there will be a good show to watch!
Wanting to use my body to seek profit, dream on!
I will make you lose everything. I will make you thoroughly offend Zhi Li to the death!
Gui Qinshao in the quilt, her delicate body trembling, closed her eyes, gripping the dagger in her sleeve for dear life.
In her mind, again and again she rehearsed cutting off Zhi Li’s thing!
What is Gui Qinshao afraid of? What thing can she not do?
To vent her anger, she would even dare to kill the king! No matter what the consequences, she did not care!
…
And just at this moment, footsteps sounded outside.
Zhi Li had come!
Gui Qinshao pretended to be unconscious, gripping the dagger in her hand for dear life, waiting to deliver a fatal blow to Zhi Li!