Chapter 425: The Wedding Heist
“……”
The young man's hand slowly loosened, and he remained silent for a long time.
Since that day, the two hadn't seen each other much. Sang Luo was busy with social engagements and preparing for the wedding, genuinely unable to find time to comfort this sulking little fox. Yun Qi hadn't bothered her again, nor had he deliberately caused trouble like before to attract her attention.
He was being too well-behaved.
It made Sang Luo a little unaccustomed.
Whenever she fell into a deep sleep at night, she would always dream of someone standing in front of her bed, gently stroking her face. When she woke up from the dream, that person would disappear as if they had never been there…
She sighed softly.
Anyway, she was leaving soon. Ending the story here could be considered beautiful.
A month passed in the blink of an eye, and the preparations for the two clans' wedding were almost complete.
Yun Rong, as the young master of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan, couldn't possibly be a live-in groom for the Red Fox Clan.
Although the Red Fox Clan had developed into a major force in Qingqiu, with a status that could even rival those ancient divine beast families, it was still inferior to the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan with its noble bloodline. Logically, Ji Wan, the princess, should marry into the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan, but the old patriarch of the Red Fox Clan only had this one precious daughter, who he was waiting to take over the clan's affairs, so he would definitely not marry her off.
The two clan leaders had already discussed and decided during the engagement day that the two newlyweds would marry and be married to each other, as each other's primary spouse, without interfering with the other's right to marry husbands or take concubines to continue their clan's lineage.
Of course, if the two newlyweds were to form a partner contract, committing to one partner for life, the two clan leaders wouldn't object. However, the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan was a divine beast race that had existed since the ancient times, and it was very difficult to bear offspring. With the Red Fox Clan's bloodline, it would probably be difficult to conceive, at most enduring several thousand or tens of thousands of years to produce a mixed-blood fox beast, which would be difficult to shoulder the responsibility of expanding the branches and leaves for the two clans.
This marriage alliance was strangely free.
Sang Luo didn't sleep a wink the night before the wedding, letting the attendants dress her up and do her hair.
Two major banquets were to be held before and after the wedding.
One banquet was in Guangfu City, the Red Fox Clan's territory. Sang Luo, for convenience, simply held it in the Princess Manor, since the Princess Manor was large enough.
The second banquet would be held in Fancheng, the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan's territory.
In other words, after Sang Luo finished dealing with her own clan's wedding banquet, she would have to take the red luan bridal sedan to Fancheng, the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan's territory, going around in circles, busy as can be.
For the Red Fox Clan's little princess's wedding banquet, the old patriarch also valued and was very satisfied with this marriage, even more so than when he got married himself. He invited all the prominent figures in Qingqiu, and the major noble families were also very cooperative, sending congratulatory gifts one after another. Many beast king clan leaders also came in person with their families.
The banquet was grand, with winding streams for wine cups.
The several male consorts in the Princess Manor also formed a table. They usually fought for favor, but they didn't mind the princess marrying a primary husband, since that day would come sooner or later anyway. No matter who it was, it made no difference to them.
Yun Qi wasn't among them.
Behind the banquet hall was a rockery fountain. People were busy toasting and exchanging pleasantries at the banquet, so this place was quiet and deserted.
The young man lay coiled on the ground alone, holding a bottle of rice wine in his hand. He couldn't hold his liquor well to begin with, and the bottle in his hand was already drained, his cheeks flushed red like the sunset.
Footsteps came from beside him, and he raised his head to look intently.
A man in a green robe walked over with a large jar of wine.
He was tall and upright, with ordinary features, but his demeanor was extremely extraordinary, especially his begonia-red eyes, with a faint cyan halo around the pupils, extremely gorgeous and dazzling.
…A disguise technique.
The fox clan was skilled in illusions and also skilled in seeing through illusions.
Yun Qi's expression didn't change, but vigilance rose in his heart. "Is Your Excellency also a distinguished guest of the Princess Manor? I don't recall seeing you at the banquet."
"Hehe, there are too many people and eyes at the banquet. I am just an insignificant commoner," the man said with a smile. "I am acquainted with Her Highness the Princess and have helped her with a great favor."
"Since you are a distinguished guest invited by Her Highness, then you are also my distinguished guest. Please speak if there is any inadequate hospitality. Why doesn't the distinguished guest enjoy the dance at the banquet? Are you lost?" Yun Qi's vigilance slightly dissipated, and he stood up to salute, revealing a gentle smile.
"Well, this Princess Manor is quite large. I got lost after coming out. The scenery here is also good, much more relaxing than the bustling banquet. Why don't you have a couple of drinks with me?" the man said.
Yun Qi politely declined, "I can't hold my liquor well, so I won't disturb Your Excellency's enjoyment."
He turned to leave, but the man stepped forward to stop him. "Wait, I have something to ask you."
A coldness flashed in Yun Qi's eyes, and his fingertips moved, but he heard the man in front of him say in confusion, "When I saw you from afar, I thought the young master of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan had arrived. Only when I got closer did I realize I was mistaken. Are you and the young master siblings?"
The scar on Yun Qi's face had faded a lot. From a distance, it didn't affect his appearance, and his eyebrows and eyes were exactly the same as the young master of Qingqiu. In this world, apart from twins, there couldn't be two people who looked so alike.
"I never knew that the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan had two young masters!" the man exclaimed.
Yun Qi was expressionless. "Does Your Excellency have anything else?"
The man picked up the wine jar, poured a full bowl of wine, and handed it to him. "I have something else I want to ask. I heard that when the princess married you back, she only gave you the title of a male consort, while your brother, born of the same parents, can openly marry the princess and become the princess's primary husband, suppressing you in status. Aren't you envious?"
The young man said in a low voice, "This is the princess's decision, and others have no right to interfere."
"Hehe, alright, then I should change my wording," the man said, feeling rebuffed. He drank the wine in his hand in one gulp, and the corners of his lips curled up evilly.
"Don't you hate it?"
The young man's body shook, and his cold gaze shot at him like a sharp blade. He said angrily, "Don't talk nonsense in the Princess Manor!"
"Could it be that you have never thought in your heart—how good it would be if you could replace your brother. Don't you want to switch identities with him? Let him also experience everything you have suffered!" The man's voice seemed to carry some kind of strange bewitchment.
…
Before leaving, he stuffed a visiting card into the young man's hand. "If Your Excellency needs anything, you can come and find me. I am at your service at any time."
Yun Qi looked down at the visiting card in his hand.
Only three words were written on it—
Nightwatch Pavilion.
He looked in the direction the man had left, already disappeared without a trace.
He had heard of this place. Who…what exactly is this person's background?
After the three-day flowing banquet ended, Sang Luo was to go to Fancheng early tomorrow morning. Tonight was probably her last night staying here. Thinking of the little fox she hadn't seen for many days, she wanted to see him one more time to say goodbye, but when she arrived at the Plum Blossom Garden, she couldn't find him anywhere.
Gongzi Kong said that he had left two days ago, and he didn't know where he had gone.
Sang Luo felt regret in her heart, but she couldn't do anything about it.
Early the next morning, she put on her wedding dress and stepped into the bridal sedan chair under the crowd's entourage.
Just as she lifted the curtain and stepped into the bridal sedan chair, Sang Luo noticed that there was another presence in the sedan chair!
Her heart was filled with horror, and before she could see who it was, a hand pulled her into his arms.
