A newly carved bridal bed, draped in red silk curtains and adorned with double happiness characters. The bride, in phoenix crown and wedding robe, sat upright in the center. The groom was just about to lift her veil with the wedding scale.
This scene made Xing Muzheng’s vision go red with rage. He stormed forward and kicked the groom, Wang Tieniu, to the ground, drawing his sword Xuanyuan and stabbing it straight toward Wang Tieniu’s chest.
Hearing the noise, the bride Qian Jiaoniang lifted her veil herself. Seeing what was happening, she dove forward and shielded Wang Tieniu with her body. The blade came to her face—Xing Muzheng hastily redirected the strike, his sword slashing into the bedpost and sinking deep into the wood.
Qian Jiaoniang grabbed whatever was in her hand and hurled it. Xing Muzheng dodged sideways. The object smashed to the ground, shattering into several pieces.
Aunt Liu got a closer look—oh no! It was the bride’s evil-warding mirror! What a terrible omen!
“Which b*stard dares ruin my wedding day!” Qian Jiaoniang cursed, crisp and clear.
Xing Muzheng’s forehead and hands were bulging with veins. He drew his sword again, his face twisted in fury. “Qian! Jiao! Niang!”
Wang Tieniu, despite the pain in his chest, pulled the woman he had long loved behind him. “Jiaoniang, don’t be afraid!”
That move made Xing Muzheng even more furious. He reached out and yanked the two apart, then threw Wang Tieniu back against the wall. Though a hardworking, strong man, Tieniu was knocked out cold.
Aunt Liu gasped but didn’t dare scream.
Qian Jiaoniang’s eyes widened. She rushed toward Wang Tieniu, but Xing Muzheng wrapped one arm around her waist and hoisted her up. Before she could even curse, he flipped her and lifted her bodily. Qian Jiaoniang cried out, her legs kicking wildly. Xing Muzheng clamped her legs under one arm so she couldn’t move. She pounded him with her fists—strong from years of hard work, her blows genuinely hurt—but Xing Muzheng ignored them and carried her outside.
Outside, the entire courtyard was silent. Everyone was still kneeling, the soldiers holding swords over them. Though Qian Jiaoniang’s shouting echoed loudly, no one dared look up—for fear they’d be cut down.
Xing Muzheng carried her out of the courtyard and tossed her onto his beloved horse, Lightning. Then he mounted, scooped her up to sit against his chest, and rode off at full speed.
“Ah—!”
Qingya had just gone to the outhouse and came back to witness this scene, stunned. “Jiaoniang!”
Ah Da, who had followed Xing Muzheng, rushed forward and stopped her. “Miss Qingya, best not get involved! Come back with us instead!”
A troop of cavalry stormed in like a whirlwind and vanished just as swiftly. In the blink of an eye, they were gone.
The host and guests in the courtyard were all frozen in shock, unsure if they should even stand up.
Aunt Liu ran out of the house and shouted, “The groom has been knocked out!”
Wang Tieniu’s mother snapped out of it and wailed to the sky, “Heavens! Why is my life so bitter—!”
***
Qian Jiaoniang was abducted by Xing Muzheng and taken straight from Taoxi Village back to the Marquis’s estate. Even though Lightning was a famed steed, by the time they arrived, it was already night.
Xing Muzheng rode straight into the estate and stopped in front of his own courtyard. The horse neighed sharply. Xiangyue came running out upon hearing the noise—only to see her master carrying a bundle of bright red that… moved. She looked closer and realized—it was a person.
“Marquis…”
“Get out.”
Xiangyue saw the terrifying expression on Xing Muzheng’s face and quickly bowed and withdrew.
Xing Muzheng kicked open the door to his own room and threw Qian Jiaoniang onto the bed. After being jolted for so long on horseback and now thrown down like this, she nearly vomited. She turned her head and glared at him—Xing Muzheng’s fury only deepened. She dared to glare at him? Not even a shred of guilt?
She really dared to go marry someone else. She really went through the bowing rites and entered the bridal chamber with another man! Xing Muzheng’s eyes reddened further with rage. If he hadn’t rushed back day and night, she would’ve actually consummated her marriage with that Wang Tieniu! Just imagining that scene made his mind snap. He turned and kicked over the newly moved-in round rosewood table, grabbed a stool and smashed it straight through the landscape screen, breaking it into shattered pieces on the wall. The screen fell with a loud crash.
The candle flame in the corner wavered shakily. Qian Jiaoniang stared at the crazed Xing Muzheng—he looked exactly like he did when he had the gu poison. Had he lost his mind again?
Wang Yong had coaxed Xing Pingchun back to the marquis estate and stayed there since. As soon as he heard Xing Muzheng had returned, he rushed over. Before he could even check on Lightning outside, he heard the all-too-familiar crashing and smashing from within the room. He instinctively rushed in—only for a stool to fly past and smash next to his ear.
“Get out!”
Wang Yong’s heart jumped. He hurriedly retreated.
Seeing this, Qian Jiaoniang turned over and got out of bed to leave as well, but Xing Muzheng turned back and grabbed her, throwing her back onto the bed.
“Where are you going?” Xing Muzheng stood by the bed, backlit by the light, his expression dark and chilling. His voice sounded like it came from the depths of hell. Qian Jiaoniang’s back went cold, but she refused to show fear and straightened her spine. “I’m leaving.”
Xing Muzheng was so furious he laughed. That red wedding robe in front of him was a stabbing thorn. He kneeled onto the bed. A shadow fell over her. Qian Jiaoniang tensed and shrank back, alert. “What are you—”
Before she could finish, she heard two ripping sounds. She looked down in disbelief—her bright red wedding dress had been savagely torn to shreds by Xing Muzheng. The torn pieces of her wedding robe fluttered to the floor.
In an instant, she was left only in her undergarments. Qian Jiaoniang was stunned by his barbarity, unsure whether to cover herself or to scream.
“Xing Muzheng, are you insane?!”
Xing Muzheng leaned over and pinned her beneath him. His handsome face in the dim light was full of danger. He gripped her chin. “Qian Jiaoniang, how dare you marry someone else? Am I dead to you?” With that, he lowered his head and bit down hard on her lips.
Qian Jiaoniang’s eyes flew wide. She twisted her head away, struggling hard. But Xing Muzheng’s lips followed, gripping the back of her head, kissing her roughly.
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