Chapter 416: On the Verge of Erupting

Zu An panicked. Even though he was certain that what he was waiting for would surely come, he wasn’t certain if it would be arriving today.

If it came today, everything would be perfect. If it didn’t, however, was he supposed to just watch as Zheng Dan and Sang Qian cemented their union as husband and wife?

Even though they had both known that this was going to happen, and he’d even gone as far as to poison Sang Qian with Ji Dengtu’s drug to make him impotent, he couldn’t prevent a strange mix of emotions from welling up in him as he watched the two of them proceeding with the wedding rites.

Sigh, it was just a casual fling! What am I doing, getting my emotions mixed up in this? Aren’t I just shooting myself in the foot?

A gentle voice spoke into his ear. “Ah Zu, I heard you gave Sang Qian a green hat?”

Zu An raised his head. Zheng Dan was walking while holding that red ribbon. Everyone was praising her for her gracefulness, yet none of them knew that she was actually talking to Zu An through ki transmission.

“What else can I give him?” Zu An replied in a huff.

“You’re too evil.” Zheng Dan’s voice sounded different, and her expression under the veil was surely more amazing. “Sang Qian might kill you if he knew what a green hat really meant.”

Zu An laughed. “You are the only other person who knows what it symbolizes. He won’t find out if you don’t tell him.”

Zheng Dan sighed. “Ah Zu, you’ve already had your fun with him. It’s already too late to stop this marriage between our two clans. Please don’t do anything that would put you in danger.”

“Too late? Maybe not,” Zu An said with a cold laugh.

Zheng Dan bit her lip. “I would just drop everything and leave with you if I only had to worry about myself, but this marriage goes beyond just Sang Qian and myself. It represents the joining of the Zheng and Sang clans, an arrangement that will bring mutual benefits to countless people. I really cannot back out of it.

“I’m sure you also know that I am only marrying him in name. I won’t let him touch me. Besides, after what you did, he can’t do anything to me even if he wanted to.”

Zu An replied, “Don’t worry, I won’t make trouble for you through my actions.”

Zheng Dan sighed deeply. “I hope so.”

A host of ceremonial procedures followed. Sang Hong glanced in Zu An’s direction several times, and sighed in relief when he saw that he was only drinking alone.

The situation would quickly grow complicated if Zu An really decided to start something during this wedding.

Xie Daoyun gave Zu An a strange look. “Ah Zu, is there something going on between you and Miss Zheng?”

“Why would you think that?”

“I don’t know either, but I feel like your relationship with her is quite strange,” Xie Daoyun said. “Zheng Dan would always consult you about arithmetic in the academy, but that’s probably unavoidable if she wishes to help out with her family’s business. However, you’re acting weird today as well! You look like a frustrated lover, full of unrequited love, drowning your feelings in alcohol.”

Zu An was stupefied. Women really possessed a ridiculous sixth sense! She’d managed to get this close to the truth from just these clues?

“Miss Xie’s imagination really is rich. You must have read quite a few romance novels in your spare time.” He naturally wouldn’t admit to it. Even if he didn’t care, he still had to show consideration for Zheng Dan’s reputation.

Xie Daoyun’s face heated up. “I read all kinds of books in my spare time,” she said, her voice tinged with embarrassment.

Zu An laughed and said, “Have you read ‘Sweet Pampered Wife: Dominating Sword Immortal’s Ninety-Nine Days of Searching For Love’?”

Xie Daoyun looked at him in shock. “You like that book too?”

Zu An felt his jaw drop open.

You’ve really read it?

Was this book some kind of drug? Why else would both the normally cold and arrogant Chu Chuyan and the publicly acknowledged genius Xie Daoyun actually appreciate this kind of stuff?

Xie Daoyun immediately grew excited when he mentioned this book, and launched into an enthusiastic and highly-detailed discussion with him.

Why in the world would Zu An have read this book, though? He tried his best to reply to her absent-mindedly. He had already seen his fair share of such dramas with female leads in his previous world, so he could more or less guess at the plot.

Eventually, the loud voice of the master of ceremonies sounded. “It is time for the bride and groom to pay their respects!”[ref]In old-fashioned wedding ceremonies, this is the part where both the bride and groom would kneel and acknowledge various people.[ref]

Zu An frowned. All of the other rites had been observed, and the ceremony had moved into the most important phase.

Sang Qian and Zheng Dan walked forward together, with the red ribbon between them, stopping at a table covered in red cloth in the center of the hall. Incense and red candles were arranged on top. This was known as the ‘heaven and earth table’.

The master of ceremonies shouted: “First, pay your respects to heaven and earth!”

The two of them slowly knelt down, and bowed three times towards this table.

“Second, pay your respects to your esteemed parents!”

Sang Hong and Zheng Yutang sat on an elevated platform, stroking their beards as they observed the two people below them with smiles. This scene clearly brought them great happiness.

“Lastly, pay respects to each other!”

This was the final step. The two of them were about to pay their respects to each other as official spouses.

A sudden, sharp crash interrupted the proceedings, and everyone immediately looked towards the source of the sound.

“Sorry, sorry, my hand slipped. My wine cup fell accidentally and broke,” Zu An said in embarrassment.

Both Sang Hong and Sang Qian were less than amused by this.

You have successfully trolled Sang Hong for 444 Rage points!

You have successfully trolled Sang Qian for 444 Rage points!

This is such a vital moment! Just how much of a fool did you have to be to accidentally drop a wine cup at this moment? Aren’t you basically telling everyone that you don’t approve of the marriage?

The expressions of the guests began to change, one after another. They were about to be treated to yet another mouth-watering drama.

Sang Hong coughed. “Young master Zu, please be more careful.”

With that, he waved his hand towards the others. “Please continue.”

The master of ceremonies shouted, “Pay respects to each other!”

Another crash, and a second cup fell to the ground.

All eyes darted towards the shattered cup by Xie Daoyun’s feet, whose face flushed red. She hurriedly waved her hands. “It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me…”

Sang Hong obviously knew that it wasn’t her. His gaze shot at Zu An. “Young master Zu, do not go too far!”

You have successfully trolled Sang Hong for 666 Rage points!

You have successfully trolled Sang Qian for 666 Rage points!

Zu An shrugged innocently and said, “That wasn’t my fault. She was the one who dropped it.”

Xie Daoyun was extremely annoyed. This guy was too shameless!

Sang Hong took a deep breath, and then he said to everyone. “It’s just a misunderstanding. It’s all just a misunderstanding. Please continue.”

The master of ceremonies gulped. His throat was about to go hoarse from all this hollering. He really hoped that nothing else would go wrong. “Husband and wife, pay your respects to each other!”

Zu An was holding a plate in his hand, about to throw it to the ground, when he suddenly froze. A figure was already standing in front of him, grabbing on tightly to his wrist. “Young master Zu, you aren’t going to say that this is also an accident, are you?”

Zu An was shocked to realize that his wrist had been grabbed. With a twist of his wrist, he struggled free at an inconceivable angle. He quickly backed up several zhang and looked at Sang Hong vigilantly.

An eight rank expert was no joke after all!

Sang Hong was stunned. He hadn’t expected that Zu An would be able to struggle free from his grip.

The technique he’d used seemed to be the Pei clan’s Entangling Feathersilk Art. Did he have the Pei clan behind him?

“The one called Zu, Are you trying to start trouble? Guards, capture this despicable bastard!” The constant interruptions had left Sang Qian utterly furious.

You have successfully trolled Sang Qian for 999 Rage points!

By now, his River Patrol Army brothers had already arrived. Together with his father’s eight ranks of cultivation, there was no need to fear the Chu clan’s Red Cloak Army anymore.

His soldiers had already been given prior instructions. They rushed out one after another, at the same time that the Red Cloak Army burst in to surround and protect Zu An. A battle was on the verge of breaking out at any second.

The surrounding guests quickly fled to the sides. Even though such drama was always worth watching, it wasn’t worth getting swept up in, especially if they were too close! 

Sang Hong’s patience was running thin as well. “Zu An, I have always treated you with all due respect, yet you’ve disturbed my son’s wedding again and again. State your intentions!”

You have successfully trolled Sang Hong for 567 Rage points! 

“What do you mean? Your clan is clearly to blame for providing cups and plates that are so easily knocked over! Why are you blaming me for that?” Zu An cried out as though severely wronged. Since this old man wants to play the fool regarding the Chu clan’s problems, then he should have no problem with me learning a trick or two.

“Dad, don’t waste your time talking to him! Just get rid of him!” Sang Qian grabbed a blade out of his servant’s hand.

Zheng Dan raised her veil slightly, looking at Zu An with a face full of worry. She had no idea how he was going to wriggle out of this situation.

He wasn’t usually such a reckless person! What was going on? Could it be because of me…?

Her expression oscillated between joy and worry.

Sang Hong snorted and said, “If I don’t teach you a lesson today, you might come away with the impression that my Sang clan is easily bullied!”

With a wave of his hand, archers appeared on the rooftops all around them. All of them had drawn bows, aimed towards Zu An and the Red Cloak Army.

After being humiliated by the Red Cloak Army earlier, how could he not take any preventative measures?

When Sang Qian had contacted the River Patrol Army, he had also secretly assembled some men to lie in wait nearby.

Seeing the situation Zu An was in, Zheng Dan could no longer hold herself back. “Father-in-law, today is Dan’er’s important day. It would be really inauspicious if blood was spilled today!”

Xie Daoyun was alarmed. Zheng Dan’s words seemed reasonable and fair on the surface, but she felt as though Zheng Dan was definitely speaking up for Zu An!

Sang Hong frowned. His would-be daughter-in-law’s words had clearly given him pause.

Just as he was hesitating, the main gate opened, and a shrill voice called out, “An imperial edict has arrived!”