Jiang Ran pondered the entire way, still unable to figure out why General Jing Yuan and Lord Taibu wanted to see him.
He proactively sought out Yanqing for a chat, trying to subtly pry information, but learned nothing.
Yanqing merely smiled and said, "You'll know when we get there."
This only made Jiang Ran more suspicious.
As they neared the Divination Commission, Jiang Ran realized something seemed amiss.
He was receiving unparalleled preferential treatment at the Divination Commission.
Countless Diviners, whom he could only look up to, and strategists from General Jing Yuan's side, jostled to welcome him at the entrance.
"You're Jiang Ran? Tsk tsk, you certainly look good. Quite a match for Lord Taibu."
"What are your birth characters? I'll divine for you... Oh my, a perfect match for the Grand Diviner! The hexagram says if you unite, you'll prosper together; if you separate, you'll face many misfortunes..."
"Quick, quick, bring him in. General Jing Yuan and the Grand Diviner are waiting!"
Jiang Ran was truly bewildered now; these important figures, whom he usually couldn't even approach, surrounded him. One squeezed his arm muscles, another examined his face.
Some even outright asked for his birth characters and divined a marriage hexagram for him.
But who was it for, again? Him and Grand Diviner Fu Xuan?
Jiang Ran felt as if he were dreaming. He touched the bruises on his body, and a burning pain instantly spread throughout him.
It wasn't a dream... If it wasn't a dream, then this was too absurd.
What Grand Diviner, General, marriage... But looking at the situation, it didn't seem like a joke.
Could it be real?
Upon entering the Divination Commission, Jiang Ran felt the atmosphere was even more peculiar.
Why were they all looking at him with such meaningful gazes?
Why did they all have 'auntie smiles' on their faces?
And that short girl in blue, why are you looking at me like I'm a rare animal!
The more Jiang Ran saw, the more alarmed he became, and he couldn't help but scream internally, 'What in the world is going on with this Divination Commission? Are there any normal people left?'
"Fu Xuan / Minister Fu, this matter is of great importance. I have already informed the other Xianzhou..."
"General, are you perhaps trying to make me give up the position of General with this? What a malicious scheme..."
"Fu Xuan / Minister Fu, you worry too much... Marriage is a major life event. Now that you have a husband, the Xianzhou Alliance has also averted a great disaster. Isn't this killing two birds with one stone?"
"Ah, he's here."
Jiang Ran never expected to meet Grand Diviner Fu Xuan and the Luofu General.
What he expected even less was that Jing Yuan looked at him as if he were a rare animal.
What he expected even less was that the Cloud Knights brought him here because Fu Xuan had divined a great disaster for the Xianzhou Alliance today.
And the only way to avert this disaster was for Fu Xuan and him to marry.
But upon hearing this absurd truth, Jiang Ran gradually understood everything.
"This makes sense."
Fu Xuan, a pink-haired shorty, a century-old legal loli, a workaholic who spends her days busy in the Divination Commission, aspiring to inherit the General's position—was she actually getting married?
If it were him, he would definitely want to see who this person was, who could capture the most difficult Lord Taibu of Luofu.
It was just bad luck this time; he himself became the party involved.
Jiang Ran thought, no wonder so many people were at the door to greet him earlier, all with expressions like they were watching a show.
This gossip was too big!
If it got out, it would definitely top Luofu's trending searches in minutes!
General Jing Yuan, though smiling gently, spoke to Jiang Ran with a somewhat serious tone: "For the survival of the Xianzhou Alliance, you may have no choice."
General, you clearly have a look of schadenfreude! Why pretend to be serious!
But Jiang Ran actually had no intention of refusing.
Three years ago, he had seen Fu Xuan when he was applying liniment in an alleyway.
Since then, he had been haunted by her, unable to forget.
From then on, he timed it perfectly, waiting for her at the alley entrance every day.
However, she was the head of the Divination Commission, holding a high position, while he was just a nobody.
No, he hadn't even passed the Cloud Knights Martial Trial, so he couldn't even be considered a nobody... So he had always just admired her from afar.
Now you're telling him he has to marry Fu Xuan? And he can't refuse?
There really are such good things in the world!
Fu Xuan glanced at Jiang Ran, then turned to Jing Yuan and said, "This Seat... General, this is too childish! Marriage is a major life event..."
Actually, Jiang Ran had just been fantasizing. Their statuses were too disparate; how could they marry just because of one divination?
Moreover, seeing Fu Xuan's expression, he knew she was unwilling to marry him and didn't want to force her.
So Jiang Ran spoke up, "Lord General, I am a commoner, and I know my fate is shallow and my fortune meager; I am unworthy of Lord Taibu. I ask Lord General to retract your command."
To say he wasn't disappointed would be impossible.
After all, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was right before him, yet he had to say words against his heart to refuse. Who could bear that?
Jiang Ran felt an emptiness in his heart.
He thought, logically, there should be a scene where I'm rejected, and then I'd shout, 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, do not bully a young man into poverty,' right?
Forget it. Before I'm kicked out, I'll take a few more glances at Fu Xuan / Minister Fu Xuan.
Jiang Ran simply stopped pretending and openly admired Fu Xuan's beauty.
Although he had seen Fu Xuan several times, this was the first time he had admired her from such a close distance.
Fu Xuan's pink hair was charming and lovely, neatly styled into a Chang'e Lingxu bun.
The tassels from her hairpin swayed slightly with her movements.
Of course, none of that was important.
What was important were the white stockings on her legs, and the thin strings on her back... He truly worried the strings might break.
After hearing Jiang Ran's words, Fu Xuan gave him a glance, thinking, 'At least you're sensible.'
Qingque, who was hiding and watching the show, suddenly jumped out, preparing to say something.
But after Fu Xuan glared at her, she shrank her neck and ultimately dared not speak.
"This..." Jing Yuan also found himself in a difficult position.
No one could persuade anyone, and the situation reached a stalemate.
At this moment, a Cloud Knight delivering a message broke the awkward silence.
"Reporting, General! The Xianzhou Zhuming sends congratulations, wishing Fu Xuan / Minister Fu Xuan and her husband a harmonious hundred years and many noble children!"
Qingque, who had settled down, finally found her chance and began leading the blessings for Fu Xuan.
"Fu Xuan / Minister Fu Xuan, a harmonious hundred years!"
"Fu Xuan / Minister Fu Xuan, many noble children!
The other Diviners also started to egg on, shouting along with Qingque.
One high-pitched congratulation after another slowly chipped away at Fu Xuan's psychological defenses.
She glared at Qingque with immense shyness, her small hands tugging at the edges of her clothes, her face flushed red like a heated branding iron.
But reality hadn't let her off the hook yet!
"Reporting, General! The Xianzhou Yaoqing sends congratulations, wishing Fu Xuan / Minister Fu Xuan and her husband ten thousand years of shared cultivation and growing old together!"
Then Qingque again took the lead, starting the next wave of congratulations.
"Fu Xuan / Minister Fu Xuan, a harmonious hundred years!"
"Fu Xuan / Minister Fu Xuan, many noble children!
Then one Cloud Knight after another filed in, bringing more news.
"Reporting, General! The Xianzhou Yueque sends congratulations..."
"The Xianzhou Fanghu sends congratulations..."
"The Xianzhou Xuling sends congratulations..."
The Cloud Knights delivering messages came in one after another, each shouting as they entered.
And each time, Fu Xuan's body would visibly tremble, her face growing even redder.
Fu Xuan felt a headache coming on, thinking, "Is this ever going to end! Why aren't you this proactive on normal days!"
The turn of events surprised everyone; the originally teasing atmosphere instantly changed.
All the Diviners were incredibly shocked and began to chatter amongst themselves.
"The other Xianzhou's reactions are too fast, aren't they..."
"Indeed, General Jing Yuan's jade omen hasn't stopped since just now."
Qingque, who had been demoted to managing the library, was extremely excited. If work was like this every day, she would have long given up slacking off.
Just then, her phone rang. It was her card game friends inviting her to play Qiongyu cards.
But now was the exciting part. After weighing her options, she steeled herself and sent a message to her friends.
"Currently working, do not disturb!"
Qingque's card friends looked incredulous upon receiving the message. Qingque actually going to work diligently?
That's too absurd!
Putting away her phone, Qingque continued to enjoy the gossip.
Jing Yuan looked at Fu Xuan and said innocently, "Fu Xuan / Minister Fu, this is getting tricky."
"You're the one who spread the news!"
"Haha, no need to thank me, this is my duty."
Jiang Ran awkwardly scratched his head below. Well, now the other Xianzhou knew too. This was truly a difficult situation to back out of.
Fu Xuan was about to speak up and argue for herself.
Jing Yuan's expression suddenly changed dramatically, and he pulled out the special jade omen used to contact the Xianzhou Alliance Marshal.
Everyone else also noticed the anomaly and curiously looked over.
The noisy Divination Commission became quiet again.
The Marshal's order was very simple: "For the greater good of the Xianzhou, Grand Diviner Fu Xuan and Jiang Ran shall marry on an auspicious day."
The Divination Commission was utterly silent.
Everyone held their breath nervously, afraid of missing a single word.
After Jing Yuan finished reading, the entire Divination Commission erupted, and all the Diviners entered full-on gossip mode!
Getting paid to gossip about their superior, how awesome!
"The Marshal actually personally ordered the marriage!"
"Come, come, let's divine, pick an auspicious day and time!"
"Let's bet, let's bet, to see if Lord Taibu will agree immediately."
"Bet what? The Marshal has spoken, is there any suspense left in this matter?"
Listening to the clamor around her, the veins in Fu Xuan's forehead throbbed.
"Fu Xuan / Minister Fu, if you were an ordinary Xianzhou woman, even if the Marshal intervened, I could have stood up for you. After all, the Xianzhou no longer advocates arranged marriages."
"But... you are the Grand Diviner of the Divination Commission, a subordinate of the Marshal. You have responsibilities and obligations."
With things escalating to this point, Jing Yuan's tone also became serious.
Fu Xuan also didn't expect this matter to involve the Marshal's intervention, which forced her to re-evaluate the importance of this event.
She performed a divination in her heart. The hexagram showed that the Grand Diviners of the other Xianzhou had also performed their own divinations, and the results were identical to the Matrix of Prescience.
If they did not marry, a great catastrophe would befall them. At that time, not to mention Luofu, even the entire Xianzhou Alliance would be annihilated.
Six Grand Diviners all reaching the same hexagram meant that even the Marshal had to take this matter seriously.
There was no room for negotiation in this matter.
Although Fu Xuan held a high position and often spoke of obscure and difficult-to-understand hexagrams, maintaining a steady demeanor.
Ultimately, she was just a young girl with little romantic experience.
She hadn't even had any emotional experiences with the opposite sex, and now she was being asked to marry directly?
Even Fu Xuan, who was willing to sacrifice herself for the Xianzhou, found it somewhat difficult to accept.
But Fu Xuan still agreed, "Alright! This Seat agrees."
Jiang Ran was startled. Wait, agreed, which means... "However, I have one condition."
"This Seat, after all, comes from a noble family and has her own rules. Marriage has always emphasized matching social status. Therefore, Jiang Ran must at least become a Cloud Knight."
"The day he passes the Cloud Knights Martial Trial, I will marry him."
Fu Xuan stood on the steps, glanced at Jiang Ran, then quickly averted her gaze.
Everyone in the Divination Commission fell silent for a moment after hearing this, then they all cheered like mad!
The sound was so loud it almost lifted the roof off the Divination Commission!
Everyone saluted Jiang Ran with eyes that saw a hero.
If Lord Taibu got married, they would get a holiday!
Gossip and a holiday, today's work was worth it!
Only Jiang Ran felt bitter inside.
Fu Xuan had probably divined that with his abilities, he would definitely fail tomorrow's Cloud Knights Martial Trial.
Since the Marshal had spoken, Fu Xuan certainly couldn't refuse.
Proposing this condition now was actually just because she couldn't accept it immediately and needed time to prepare herself psychologically.
Since Fu Xuan had agreed, Jing Yuan no longer pressed the issue.
"In that case, we will make further plans after the results of the Cloud Knights Martial Trial are out."
Fu Xuan crossed her arms, glanced at Jing Yuan, and said, "General, you must not show favoritism towards him."
"Don't worry, Fu Xuan / Minister Fu. The Cloud Knights Martial Trial is fair and just. If anyone tries any tricks, it won't escape Fu Xuan / Minister Fu's Dharma Eye."
After speaking, Jing Yuan winked at Jiang Ran, probably telling him to do his best.
Fu Xuan glared at the people still gossiping, "Everyone must work overtime today! As for what happened in the Department, if anyone dares to leak a single word, this Seat will never forgive them!"
Seeing Lord Taibu speak, the other Diviners dared not cause trouble and quickly returned to their workstations.
But their eyes still sparkled, savoring the recent events.
If they couldn't talk about it outside, they could surely talk about it within the Department.
Thus, no matter where Fu Xuan went, she always felt people were whispering about what had just happened. The shyness in her heart was hard to dispel, so she could only pretend not to hear.
Forcing herself not to think about it.
Jiang Ran walked out of the Divination Commission's main entrance, still feeling somewhat unreal.
"Hey, hey, brave warrior? How strange, could it be that Lord Taibu scared him silly?"
"I told you, she's a fierce old lady."
A playful girl in blue waved her hand in front of Jiang Ran, talking incessantly.
"You are?" Jiang Ran asked, regaining his senses.
Qingque, who had secretly snuck out of the Divination Commission, looked excited.
"I'm Qingque, a Diviner of the Divination Commission... uh... now a library administrator."
"Never mind, that's not important. What's important is that I'm here for fun... to help you. Hehe."