The palanquin swayed for at least two hours before finally coming to a halt. Fortunately, the sedan chair was spacious enough, so Zhuo Qing didn't feel suffocated. However, the constant firecrackers and the clang of gongs and drums had nearly left her with a ringing in her ears. All she could hear now was a loud call from outside the sedan:
"Here comes the bride!"
At this moment, the palanquin curtain was gently lifted. Zhuo Qing raised her eyes and saw Lou Xiyan still wearing a bright smile, extending his hand to her. There was no sign of fatigue on his face, and Zhuo Qing couldn't help but feel a slight admiration for him.
She reached out, and he gently helped her out of the palanquin. In front of the Prime Minister's residence, the crowd was as dense as ever. The grand and imposing entrance was adorned with red lanterns, and red silk ribbons hung everywhere. The remnants of firecrackers scattered across the ground gave the whole place a joyful atmosphere. The most striking feature was the large rectangular fire pit in front of the main gate, where the red-hot charcoal crackled merrily. Zhuo Qing inwardly sighed—was she supposed to step over this with her long gown?
"The bride and groom must step over the fire pit for a harmonious marriage, filled with joy and prosperity!"
Sure enough, the matchmaker's voice announced their fate. Well, if she had to, she would. Thankfully, her wedding gown wasn't too intricate, so she should be able to jump over it. With a gracious gesture, she lifted her gown's hem and prepared to leap.
Then a clear, teasing voice shouted loudly,
"Shouldn't the groom be carrying the bride over the fire pit? Such fierce flames, be careful not to burn the bride!"
Zhuo Qing turned her head to see the mischievous Bai Yi winking at her.
"Indeed! Indeed!" someone else echoed.
"Lord Lou, carry your wife over!" The crowd began to join in, and the noise from both the commoners and nobles swelled.
Zhuo Qing dropped her gown's hem with a smile and glanced at Lou Xiyan—this was the voice of the people! Lou Xiyan laughed heartily and cupped his hands in acknowledgment. Before Zhuo Qing could react, she felt a lightness in her step and was suddenly swept off her feet by Lou Xiyan. His servants quickly stepped forward, lifting his robes, and with a single bound, Lou Xiyan leapt over the fire pit, carrying her in his arms. The crowd outside cheered in unison.
Zhuo Qing rested lightly against his chest, feeling the vibrations of his laughter reverberating through him. He seemed to be truly enjoying himself today, his usual faint smile replaced with genuine, boisterous laughter. She was somewhat unaccustomed to seeing him this way, yet the infectious excitement warmed her heart.
Carrying her, Lou Xiyan walked toward a side room beside the main hall, but the crowd, still cheering, seemed intent on following. Xue Xianxin quickly intervened, laughing,
"Alright, alright! The fun at the bridal chamber will have to wait until evening! Please, everyone, make your way to the front hall. There's food and drink awaiting you!"
This room, where Lou Xiyan had arranged for her to rest before the ceremony, was filled with various pastries and drinks. Lou Xiyan gently set her down, and she eagerly lifted her veil, waving the air to cool herself—having worn it for several hours had been unbearable! Her boldness caused the maids behind her to giggle softly. Lou Xiyan, however, said nothing, instead taking the veil from her hands and placing it aside. He then gently led her to a low table and spoke softly,
"Rest for a moment, eat something. The maids will come for you when it's time for the ceremony. If you're too tired, take a little nap."
"Mhm, okay." She nodded, feeling the weight of exhaustion; after all the morning's excitement, she longed for rest.
Xue Xianxin hurried over, seeing them still chatting, and said anxiously,
"Xiyan, you need to go too. There are many guests waiting for you outside!"
She hadn't expected so many officials to arrive so early—if only she had more hands and feet to manage everything! Lou Xiyan slowly rose, patting her cheek lightly, and smiled,
"I'll head out first."
Seeing how unusually excited he was today, Zhuo Qing grasped his hand and said,
"Take care of yourself, don't drink too much!"
With all the ruckus outside, if he wasn't careful, he might be the first to fall, long before the ceremony even began.
Lou Xiyan nodded seriously,
"Of course, my lady. I'll be mindful!"
Zhuo Qing gave him a playful glance, and he left the room with a laugh.
Not particularly interested in the pastries on the table, Zhuo Qing lay down on a nearby couch, closing her eyes to rest. Yet, in the quiet, a thought struck her—where had Gu Yun gone?
When the palanquin reached the Prime Minister's residence, seeing the massive crowd, Gu Yun decided to leave. She would come back in the evening to have a drink and celebrate, but for now, she didn't want to join in the commotion.
Gu Yun returned to the General's residence, just as she was about to enter, she crossed paths with Su Yu. She hadn't planned on acknowledging him, but when Su Yu saw her, his expression was one of surprise:
"You—why are you back?"
Gu Yun halted her steps, snorted coldly,
"Why can't I return?"
It wasn't her wedding, so why couldn't she take a little detour? Seeing her poor mood, Su Yu furrowed his brow and asked in a low voice,
"Did something happen at the Prime Minister's residence?"
Gu Yun's eyes narrowed. Su Yu was acting strangely today. She observed him quietly before asking,
"What could possibly happen at the Prime Minister's residence?"
Gu Yun's two questions left Su Yu uncertain whether she was aware of something or not. He could only force a sheepish smile and reply,
"No, I was just asking."
If she didn't know, had he said too much?
Gu Yun's gaze grew cold, and Su Yu felt uncomfortable. As he tried to walk away, Gu Yun's slender hand reached out and stopped him, demanding,
"What are you nervous about?"
Clearly, something was wrong at the Prime Minister's residence, and Su Yu seemed to know something—something that was connected to the General's residence.
"Nervous? I'm not nervous, don't joke!"
Remembering how easily Gu Yun had seen through his lies the last time, Su Yu grew nervous. His forced calm only raised Gu Yun's suspicions. Worrying that Zhuo Qing might be in trouble, Gu Yun quickly asked,
"What happened?"
"I… I don't know!"
Su Yu shook his head desperately, turning his back as he started walking back into the General's residence. He really was looking for trouble by provoking this troublesome woman.
Gu Yun grabbed his shoulder forcefully, refusing to let go, and shouted sternly,
"Tell me the truth!"
Su Yu turned around, defeated, and sighed,
"I really don't know. Early this morning, my elder brother was summoned to the palace, and just now, my second brother was urgently called in as well. I overheard that the two bandit leaders captured by my second brother, after entering the capital, swore they were working with…"
He paused, noticing Gu Yun's penetrating gaze, and after a moment of hesitation, he continued in a hushed voice,
"They claimed that it was Lord Lou and his son who colluded with them and plotted the theft of the national treasury…"
"What?"
Gu Yun's hand tightened around Su Yu's, her heart racing—this couldn't be true! While she had always had faith in Lou Xiyan and his father, she had also witnessed signs of collusion between the rebels and certain officials when they were besieging the bandits. But it couldn't have been Lou Xiyan's family!
She had seen firsthand how helpful Lou Mu Hai had been during the rebellion.
After a long moment of thought, Gu Yun asked,
"What evidence do they have?"
Su Yu shook his head helplessly,
"I don't know. My elder brother and second brother were both called to the palace. I only overheard the officials from the Ministry of Justice telling my second brother about the bandit's confession."
The bandit's confession wasn't the most important thing—Lou Xiyan, as a high-ranking official, could not be overthrown based solely on a few criminals' words. What truly mattered was the evidence they had. If this was a deliberate attempt by political rivals to frame him, then the pressure on Lou Xiyan would only grow.
Gu Yun released Su Yu and turned to leave the General's residence. Su Yu rushed to follow her,
"Where are you going? You can't go spreading rumors!"
They didn't know what the truth was, and all Su Yu knew was what he had overheard. If it was all just a misunderstanding and she went on talking, she would only make a fool of herself. But if the matter truly involved the Prime Minister's residence, warning others could have serious consequences.
Gu Yun's eyes narrowed, and her voice was
icy cold:
"I'm going to find Lou Xiyan. I'm not going to stand by and watch this happen!"