books44 Chapter 351: Stepping Over the Fire Basin
Chapter 351: Stepping Over the Fire Basin
Chapter 351: Stepping Over the Fire Basin
Shen Bin frowned as he looked at his hand, which was being held by Princess Xiangping. He tried to break free but to no avail, and could only let Princess Xiangping hold his hand. Without the matchmaker, many tedious procedures were eliminated.
This made Shen Bin somewhat anxious, but he could only reluctantly let Princess Xiangping lead him by the hand slowly into Xiangping Palace. The last step was to step over the fire basin, and for some reason, Princess Xiangping seemed to be very afraid of fire, and hesitated to step forward.
The past events were still vivid in Princess Xiangping's mind, leaving scars. She thought that at least after so many years, she would have forgotten them, and even if she didn't, she wouldn't be afraid anymore. But she overestimated herself.
Beneath her veil, she appeared quite restless, gripping Shen Bin tightly. Although Shen Bin didn't understand Princess Xiangping's sudden behavior, he could tell that this proud princess was afraid of fire. He shook his head, inwardly marveling that such a ruthless person would be afraid of fire. But this was for the best; it would buy them time.
"Princess, step over the fire basin, don't miss the auspicious time." The old nanny beside her couldn't help but kindly remind Princess Xiangping, who was standing still for so long. Princess Xiangping came to her senses, shivered, and looked at the fire basin that was only a foot away from her feet. She was very conflicted about whether to step over it or not.
"Auspicious time..." she murmured, unconsciously tightening her grip on Shen Bin's hand, forgetting that she was holding Shen Bin's hand. Shen Bin's eyebrows furrowed, but he didn't want to speak, so she held his hand and made him stand still.
Princess Xiangping took a breath, preparing to step over the brazier, but then pulled her foot back. Turning around, she saw Shen Bin standing still, showing no intention of moving. Because of the veil covering her head, Princess Xiangping couldn't see Shen Bin's expression. She actually wanted to pull off the veil right now, to know what Shen Bin was still hesitating about.
She grabbed Shen Bin's hand and shook it a few times, as if she were being coquettish. Shen Bin lowered his head, but he still didn't want to step forward, cross the fire basin, and enter the bridal chamber. They would then be husband and wife in name and in fact. He really didn't want everything to happen so quickly, nor did he want to marry Princess Xiangping, and he especially didn't want to let Zhao Ning'er down.
"Is something troubling you, Shen Lang? What's on your mind? Everything will be resolved after our wedding night." Princess Xiangping spoke gently, her tone revealing no emotion, but Shen Bin found it extremely grating. Others might not know, but Shen Bin knew that Princess Xiangping was threatening him, telling him that only by consummating their marriage would Zhao Ning'er be safe.
"Heh, I hope so," Shen Bin said sarcastically, freeing his other hand to cover Princess Xiangping's hand that was gripping his, holding it tightly and refusing to let go. Princess Xiangping bit her lip in pain, and giggles came from under her veil, making Shen Bin feel uneasy.
"Who goes there?" The emperor, feeling drowsy in the Qingyi Palace, sat down in a chair to doze off for a while. Perhaps he was too tired, just as he was about to drift off to sleep, he suddenly heard some noises coming from the window. He immediately stood up, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.
After a while, a man appeared, kneeling on the ground, with a woman beside him. The Qingyi Palace was dark, without candlelight. Seeing that the man didn't seem to have any murderous intent, the emperor didn't call for the guards, but instead asked, "Who are you, and why have you broken into my bedchamber?"
"Your Majesty, I have come to ask you for a favor." This person was Lu Yu. Although he didn't know why Princess Xiangping was so arrogant and domineering, he was puzzled that the Emperor didn't care about the forced marriage and allowed Princess Xiangping to do whatever she wanted.
However, the only solution to this problem was to seek his help, so the first thing he thought of after rescuing Zhao Ning'er was to go to the emperor's palace.
There wasn't a single guard, maid, or eunuch in sight along the way; the palace seemed to have suddenly become a ghost town, which puzzled Lu Yu. He didn't dwell on it too much; his priority was to get Zhao Ning'er to the Emperor as quickly as possible. Because the palace was suddenly deserted, and he couldn't ask for directions, Lu Yu, unfamiliar with the layout, circled around several times before finally finding the Emperor's bedchamber. Not wanting to knock at the main gate, he had no choice but to jump in through a window.
Upon entering, it was inexplicably pitch black. By the moonlight, he recognized the man in his dragon robe as the Emperor and knelt on one knee in respect. A person who kneels on one knee is a martial artist.
"Get up. What brings you here?" The Emperor recognized the person beside Lu Yu at a glance—it was Zhao Ning'er. He then lowered his guard against Lu Yu.
Lu Yu rose, but dared not look directly at the emperor. The emperor was the supreme ruler, and could not be looked at directly as a sign of disrespect. Standing up, Lu Yu said unhurriedly, "Your Majesty, I have come regarding the marriage of Shen Bin, Young Master Shen, and your princess." Lu Yu slightly raised his eyes to observe the emperor's expression.
The Emperor's expression remained unchanged. With his hands behind his back, he turned and walked a few steps before sitting down in a chair. He picked up his teacup; the tea inside was long since cold, but he couldn't resist taking a sip. The sour taste lingered on his tongue as it slid down his throat. The icy sensation sent a chill down his spine.
Looking at Lu Yu standing there, he said, "I wonder why the princess's marriage has piqued your interest?" He asked deliberately, knowing Princess Xiangping's methods. Seeing Zhao Ning'er's pale face, he had guessed the gist of the matter. But he was the emperor, the supreme ruler, and could not admit defeat or compromise, for he bore too many responsibilities.
"Your Majesty, please forgive my bluntness, but Young Master Shen is already betrothed. If the princess likes him, there is no need to force her to marry. The princess will surely become the empress, how could she be so ruthless?" Lu Yu stopped speaking, worried that angering the emperor would implicate others.
The Emperor, however, continued drinking his tea, completely ignoring Lu Yu's words. Lu Yu couldn't tell if he was doing this on purpose or genuinely didn't want to hear his explanation. After all, the princess was his daughter, and no matter how harsh the words others spoke, he would likely simply ignore them.
"Young Master Shen's betrothed is the woman beside me. I found her in a thatched hut behind the Cold Palace. The princess not only tortured her but also had assassins from the Shadow Gang guard her." As Lu Yu spoke, he lifted Zhao Ning'er's sleeve, revealing wounds that had not yet healed and were still somewhat open.
The wound was a bloody mess, clearly inflicted with considerable force; bone was visible. It looked like it had been treated with medicine and was beginning to heal. Now it looked like it had been stabbed again.
The Emperor was about to take another sip of tea when he stopped and looked at Zhao Ning'er. She lay on the ground with her eyes closed, the wounds on her hands glaringly obvious, her face deathly pale. He put down his teacup, his lips moved slightly, but he didn't know what to say.