Chapter 54: Welcoming the Assassination

edly in seclusion the rest of the time, but he’s actually traveling around the world. At this time of the year, the Imperial Tutor should not be back yet, so I’m just guessing. Plus, we need to see th...Chapter 54: Welcoming the Bride and the Assassination

The night before their wedding, the Cloud Royal Manor was brightly lit all night long, with candles in Yun Qianyue's Moonlit Pavilion burning till dawn.

In the early hours of the morning, Yun Qianyue got up, changed into her new attire, and left the Moonlit Pavilion accompanied by Ling Lian and Yi Xue.

The Cloud Royal Manor was extraordinarily festive today. Red ribbons and colorful decorations hung everywhere, with red banners plastered on every door. In particular, from the main gate to the front hall, then to the Western Maple Garden, the path was covered with high-quality red silk. As Yun Qianyue had instructed, the main road leading from the palace to the Cloud Royal Manor for the wedding procession was also decorated with a ten-mile-long carpet of brocade, and people holding flower baskets were arranged on both sides of the street waiting to shower flowers when the bridegroom's entourage arrived.

When they reached the front hall, Yun Li was already dressed in his new red wedding attire. He looked scholarly and handsome even more so today wearing a big red robe which added an air of elegance. He was waiting for the auspicious hour to go and welcome his bride.

The old Cloud Royal Prince and Prince were both dressed in festive clothes, sitting at the front hall awaiting the arrival of their guests.

"Sister!" Yun Li looked somewhat stiff as he saw Yun Qianyue arrive. He appeared a bit nervous.

Seeing Yun Li’s nervous demeanor, Yun Qianyue couldn’t help but chuckle, "Brother! It's said that the first time a man becomes a groom is usually quite tense! You could ask our father for advice since he has married his main wife and taken several concubines. He would be an expert at this."

Yun Qianyue’s words made the old Cloud Royal Prince snort.

The prince's face flushed red as he seemed a little embarrassed. With a stern voice, he called out to Yun Qianyue, "Qianyue!"

"You hit the nail on the head with that remark," Yun Qianyue smiled at the prince and playfully stuck her tongue out at Yun Li.

Yun Li was originally very nervous. Seeing Yun Qianyue’s playful manner, he couldn’t help but relax a bit. He found that as long as she was around, it felt like leaning against a sturdy wall. In a low voice, he smiled and said, "I don't plan to marry anyone else; I'll be satisfied with just the Seventh Princess in this life! No matter how many women there are, nothing compares to mutual love."

"Wow, Brother has such lofty principles!" Yun Qianyue looked at Yun Li in surprise and quickly patted his shoulder. "Since you have this idea, make sure the Seventh Princess knows about it. Tell her tonight on your wedding night. I guarantee she will be tender and gentle towards you after hearing that, and from then on, she'll be completely devoted to you."

Yun Li’s face turned red with embarrassment as he said, "... Sister!"

"Haha..." Yun Qianyue laughed. The most beautiful day of life was probably something like this: A ten-mile-long carpet of red silk leading to the bride and spending the wedding night painting a picture of happiness in the bridal chamber. What could be better than that

"You brat, what are you whispering about When will you get married so I can set off fireworks" The old Cloud Royal Prince, who was smiling at Yun Qianyue’s laughter, grumbled.

"Old geezer! How long has it been since we last saw each other Don't you miss me at all All you do is criticize me. Everyone sets off fireworks when they get married, not when their daughters marry. Are you trying to send me away" Yun Qianyue glared at the old Cloud Royal Prince and pretended to reach out to pull his beard, saying fiercely: "I'll definitely pull your beard today so that your granddaughter can make you look foolish when she serves tea."

"You brat! No respect for elders! Don’t call me Grandpa Who gave you the nerve" The old Cloud Royal Prince knocked Yun Qianyue's hand away.

Yun Qianyue quickly retracted her hand and muttered, "Since I’m your granddaughter, it’s your responsibility to teach me!"

The old prince glared at Yun Qianyue and pointed his finger at her. After a long while, he angrily said, "You deserve to be punished by Prince Jing for being such a brat."

When talking about Rong Jing, Yun Qianyue felt particularly homesick in this festive atmosphere; she lost interest in arguing with the old prince and lowered her head as she mumbled: "When will he return It's been half a month already. I haven't received any letters from him recently. Could it be that he’s heading back to the capital"

"Look at your behavior! Daydreaming about men every day; how could this be my granddaughter" The old prince’s beard moved up and down as he said.

"It's normal for me to think of a man, but if I thought of a woman, that would cause trouble!" Yun Qianyue didn’t feel embarrassed as she retorted.

The old prince was speechless for a moment, then lost his voice.

Yun Li found it amusing to watch the argument between an old man and a little girl. The tension in his heart dispersed due to their bickering, and he calmed down. He asked Yun Qianyue: "Sister, do you want to go with me to welcome my bride at the palace or stay here to entertain our guests"

"I won't go with you! I'll stay in the manor," Yun Qianyue shook her head. In these days, her aunt had been well taken care of by Rong Feng who went to the Imperial Palace after court sessions every day for a pulse check and treatment; everything was peaceful, so she felt at ease handling the wedding arrangements within the family. She didn’t feel like seeing the old emperor now.

"Alright!" Yun Li nodded in agreement.

"Ling Lian, Yi Xue, follow your brother to迎接新娘! Take care of things on the way and don't let anything go wrong," Yun Qianyue instructed Ling Lian and Yi Xue who were standing behind her.

"Yes, Miss!" Both of them immediately responded.

"The auspicious hour has arrived! Li'er, leave the residence now!" The Cloud王爺 glanced at the sandglass and said to Yun Li.

Yun Li replied and left the wedding hall, heading out of the residence. Ling Lian and Yi Xue followed him after receiving instructions from Yun Qianyue. Servants had been arranged to accompany them. They all went out of the Cloud王府 in a grand procession.

After the bridal party left, the remaining people at the Cloud王府 had nothing else to do but wait for them to return. During this period, guests came one after another, and arrangements were made to receive them. Yun Qianyue didn't need to handle these matters; Jade Bracelet and Green Twig took care of everything meticulously.

Yun Qianyue was lounging on a chair, thinking that she could take a nap during the time when the bridal party returned. Her martial arts recovery wasn't going well, but she had finally stopped drinking bitter medicine after a month. Today being such an important day, she could drink alcohol again. She would definitely have several cups later to justify her hard work for more than half a month.

"Little girl!" The sound of Ye Qingran suddenly appeared beside her ear.

Yun Qianyue opened her eyes that had just closed and saw Ye Qingran standing by her side. He looked flushed because it was the wedding hall, smiling at her happily. She blinked, "You're here"

"Mm!" Ye Qingran reached out to pull Yun Qianyue's arm, saying cheerfully: "What are you doing curled up like that Come on, let's go outside and see the fun!"

"Where is there any fun" Yun Qianyue shook off his hand and patted the creases he had made. "Don't touch me隨便. This dress is the most expensive one I have. It's brand new."

Ye Qingran withdrew his hand, looked at Yun Qianyue speechlessly, and said, "Little girl, it's not your wedding; why are you dressed so beautifully"

"It's also not your wedding, right Why are you dressed so nicely This outfit is new too, isn't it It must be quite expensive." Yun Qianyue pointed at the clothes Ye Qingran was wearing.

Ye Qingran chuckled and said, "I'm just taking advantage of the festive atmosphere! What's wrong with me enjoying myself when others are getting married"

Yun Qianyue remained silent for a moment before saying, "I'm also taking advantage of the festive atmosphere to get rid of my single status as soon as possible!"

Ye Qingran made a sound like 'tsk,' and asked: "Are you going or not Today's streets are bustling with two grooms and two flower cars. It would be such a pity if we don't go see! You're still a maiden aunt and have nothing to do in this residence anyway."

"Okay then!" Yun Qianyue stood up, realizing she hadn't been out on the streets for days.

Seeing that Yun Qianyue agreed, Ye Qingran was delighted and pulled her away immediately. They left the wedding hall and headed towards the street outside the residence. Upon reaching the main gate of the Cloud王府, Yun Qianyue saw a long stretch of black crowd filling up the road, stretching endlessly in sight. Everyone's eyes were fixed on something with anticipation; clearly they were waiting for the flower car carrying the bride to arrive.

"Can these two weddings be considered as the biggest events in recent years" Yun Qianyue remarked.

"Indeed! Uncle Emperor is taking a daughter-in-law and giving away his daughter, adding more joy. Naturally, it's grand and impressive. Even Emperor's birthday banquet was not this lively in the Imperial Capital. Now we finally have something to cheer about," Ye Qingran nodded at Yun Qianyue.

"Alright then!" Yun Qianyue agreed.

Ye Qingran lightly touched his toes and started leaping towards the Chancellor's residence, while Yun Qianyue blinked and followed him. There was a row of banyan trees in the back corner of the Chancellor’s residence, towering and lush with foliage. Ye Qingran landed on one tree trunk, sitting there, and Yun Qianyue perched herself on another tree trunk behind him. From this vantage point, they could clearly see the situation at the Chancellor's residence; they had a particularly clear view of Miss Qin's chamber.

Just like the Cloud王府, the Chancellor’s residence was plastered with red 'double happiness' characters everywhere. The red silk banners hung high above Qin Yuning's quarters, creating a dazzling array of redness that was extremely eye-catching.

Yun Qianyue grumbled, "Why do I feel so much more festive and joyful when looking at the Cloud王府 compared to this Chancellor’s residence which feels full of ominous energy"

"Little girl, you're actually right! There is indeed an ominous aura in this Chancellor’s residence," Ye Qingran concurred.

"Shouldn't it be killing intent instead" Yun Qianyue corrected.

"You could say that too! That's why I brought you here to see something interesting!" Ye Qingran seemed quite excited.

Yun Qianyue glanced at Ye Qingran with a somewhat speechless expression. Sometimes, this person was like an immature boy who never grew up. However, even though he appeared that way, he would never make baseless remarks. It seemed that there would be some interesting developments today in the Chancellor’s Mansion.

After waiting for a while, loud trumpet and gong sounds were heard from the front gate of the Chancellor’s Mansion, clearly indicating that Prince Er’s wedding procession had arrived. The door to Qin Yuceng’s room was opened from inside as maidservants and senior women rushed out in droves. Among them, they surrounded a beauty wearing an imperial phoenix robe and veil.

The beautiful woman’s slender figure was graceful and elegant. She was supported by both sides by a senior woman and a maid, stepping over the red cloth on the ground as she walked towards the front courtyard. The senior women were saying all sorts of auspicious phrases. The Chancellor’s Mansion became lively in an instant.

"Little girl, did you figure anything out" Ye Qingran leaned close to Yun Qianyue and asked softly.

"That bride is not Qin Yuceng," Yun Qianyue said, staring at the bride. Although she looked very similar, she was definitely not her.

"Right! She's not!" Ye Qingran nodded his head in agreement.

"What’s going on at the Chancellor’s Mansion Are they switching brides right before their wedding" Yun Qianyue收回目光看向秦玉凝的房間，從這個角度看不太清楚，想著要不要此時進去看看秦玉凝是否還在房間裡。

“Come, let's change our vantage point!” Ye Qingran did not allow Yun Qianyue to take any action. He grabbed her hand and they swiftly leaped over the high wall.

Yun Qianyue could only follow behind Ye Qingran as she leaped over the wall, leading them to a corner of a courtyard near the front gate of the Chancellor’s Mansion. Ye Qingran carried Yun Qianyue and landed on a cassia tree. The street was bustling with people, but no one noticed two people quietly landing there.

This time, they were much closer. They could clearly see what was happening at the front gate of the Chancellor’s Mansion. Night Tianqing wore his wedding attire, and he looked extremely handsome without his usual prince regent aura and gloomy demeanor. He dismounted from his horse and stood tall as he waited in front of the mansion's entrance. The bride was led out by Chancellor Qin.

Amidst the loud gongs and drums and the clamor of people, Chancellor Qin handed over the bride to Night Tianqing. Night Tianqing took her hand and personally assisted her onto a sedan chair. Senior women behind them spoke about having many children.

Yun Qianyue watched the bride's movements closely. She felt that something was bound to happen, and she knew it would definitely occur!

Sure enough, as soon as she had this thought, a cold light flashed from under the bride’s red wedding attire sleeve, directly aiming at Night Tianqing’s chest. The speed was too fast, so much so that it seemed like everything blurred before one's eyes. The cold light approached Night Tianqing’s chest in an instant, tearing through his clothes with a sharp sound.

"Shall we intervene" Yun Qianyue tilted her head to ask Ye Qingran. After all, she was brought here by him, and he must have known about this scene beforehand!

"No need!" Ye Qingran shook his head.

Yun Qianyue continued watching as Night Tianqing's face showed a look of disbelief. He shouted "Yuceng" and stepped back while striking the bride with a palm strike. Instead of retreating, the bride advanced forward without minding the force from Night Tianqing’s palm. She directly stabbed her dagger into Night Tianqing’s heart.

The dagger pierced straight through Night Tianqing's chest as his body was knocked away by her.

"Protect Prince Er!"

This sudden incident happened in a split second. Those who followed Night Tianqing, including guards and secret protectors, appeared instantly. Some held him up while others placed their blades at the bride's neck.

“How can this be... This…” Chancellor Qin seemed to be in shock as he collapsed on the ground, mumbling.

Blood was streaming down Night Tianqing’s chest. He clutched his chest and pointed at the woman lying on the ground with a trembling voice: "Lift her veil!"

Someone immediately lifted up the bride's veil to reveal Qin Yuceng's face.

"Yuceng… Why are you doing this Haven't I treated you well" Night Tianqing looked at Qin Yuceng like a heartbroken man, "Why do you want to kill me"

“Prince Er, she’s not Yuceng…” Chancellor Qin pointed at the woman on the ground.

"Not her" Night Tianqing looked puzzled and turned to look at Chancellor Qin.

"She's in disguise. This is a disguise," Chancellor Qin exclaimed, "Yuceng doesn't have that black mole on her hand."

“Unveil her disguise so I can see who it really is!” Night Tianqing supported himself and shouted angrily.

It didn't take long for someone to pull the woman's face, gently tugging from behind her ear. A delicate mask as thin as a cicada’s wing was pulled off, revealing an extremely youthful woman's face. She looked at Ye Tianqiong with a pale expression.

"Who are you Why do you want to kill this prince" Ye Tianqiong asked the woman.

The woman gave Ye Tianqiong a mocking smile, black blood flowing from her mouth. Moments later, she tilted her head and closed her eyes, her hand going limp as well. She didn't speak until the end.

Ye Tianqiong was stunned.

"Second Prince! She poisoned herself to death!" A guard hurriedly moved to pry open the woman’s jaw and checked for a pulse before reporting, "She has no breath left!"

Ye Tianqiong nodded, looking at Chancellor Qin with pursed lips. "Chancellor, this prince needs an explanation for what happened today!"

Chancellor Qin's face was already pale as he repeatedly said, "This old minister doesn't know what happened either! Old Minister… get someone to go and check if the young miss is still in her chambers!"

"Yes, sir!" Someone immediately responded and ran towards the inner courtyard.

"Second Prince, you need medical attention for your injury. Why don’t you come into my residence first" Chancellor Qin got up from the ground and walked toward Ye Tianqiong.

Ye Tianqiong’s hand that was covering his chest had been bleeding profusively; blood dripped to the ground, staining it red. He removed his hand and stopped Chancellor Qin in his tracks. "Your Excellency, there's no need for you to come this far! This prince got ambushed at the doorstep of your residence on my wedding day. How can I dare go inside Once I enter, I might never leave!" With that said, he painfully told those behind him, “Help me return to the palace!”

The person supporting him was likely one of his covert guards who hurriedly carried Ye Tianqiong towards the Second Prince Manor.

It didn't take long for them to arrive at the Second Prince Manor since it was only a few steps away from Chancellor Qin's residence. The covert guard took him into an adjacent residence, and the entourage that had accompanied the prince back hurriedly followed them back to the Crown Prince’s Manor.

The bustling entrance of Chancellor Qin's residence immediately turned quiet as everyone looked pale with fear. What was supposed to be a joyous occasion had become a murder scene right before their eyes. However, instead of dispersing, they waited to see how Chancellor Qin would handle the situation.

"Search her thoroughly for any clues! How did she manage to infiltrate my residence and pretend to be Yu Ning" Chancellor Qin seemed extremely angry as his voice trembled.

The servants hurriedly approached him. They searched the woman's body from head to toe but shook their heads at Chancellor Qin, "Your Excellency, there’s nothing."

"Nothing How did she get into my residence then What about Yu Ning’s wet nurse What is going on here" Chancellor Qin looked towards those who had carried out the bride and was enraged.

"I don't know either!" The wet nurse and a few maids immediately knelt down, shaking their heads.

"If you don’t know, then who does" Chancellor Qin's anger seemed to be at its peak.

"Your Excellency, we heard the young miss getting up from bed and hurriedly went in. When we entered her room, she was already sitting by the dressing table. Then we helped dress her up and didn't leave her side since then… this… I really don’t know what happened!" The wet nurse spoke with a pale face.

"What about Chu Xi" Chancellor Qin looked at the kneeling maids.

Everyone exchanged glances, shaking their heads. Chu Xi was Yu Ning’s personal maid.

"Chu Xi isn't here Go find her!" Chancellor Qin walked inside unsteadily but took only a couple of steps before someone who had been sent to the young miss's quarters earlier rushed back over. He immediately asked, "Did you check on her chambers Where is Yu Ning"

"Your Excellency, there’s no sign of the young miss in her chambers… Only Chu Xi was unconscious under her bed…" The man reported.

"Find Yu Ning immediately! Quickly find out where she is!" Chancellor Qin seemed to shake as he hurriedly said.

"Yes!" Everyone in Chancellor Qin's residence immediately rushed inside upon hearing this.

Yun Qianmo watched the unfolding events and felt it was like a farce. But she never expected something like this would happen on Ye Tianqiong’s wedding day with Yu Ning. She saw the body of the dead woman being dragged into the residence, while Chancellor Qin's unsteady figure directed everyone to search for clues. The crowd slowly dispersed as they speculated about what had happened. Yun Qianmo turned and looked at Ye Qingran.

"Little girl, is this performance entertaining" Ye Qingran asked in a low voice.

"Not bad!" Yun Qianyue nodded.

"Have you figured anything out" Ye Qingran asked again.

Yun Qianyue pondered for a moment, then said softly, "That woman is clearly an assassin. She could not have missed the vital spots with such speed and precision. How did she fail to hit Nie Tianqiong's vital points Minister Qin was able to notice the small black mole on her hand in such a chaotic situation, yet he didn't realize that his daughter had changed when he led her out earlier"

"Haha, so I told you I came here just for this show! It’s merely an act," Ye Qingran suddenly laughed.

Yun Qianyue tilted her head and asked, "So are you well-versed in this play Then where has Qin Yucning gone"

"To His Majesty's imperial palace!" Ye Qingran stopped laughing, his expression turning dark. "Who dares to search the imperial palace"

Yun Qianyue’s thoughts raced through her mind as she suddenly said indifferently, "So Minister Qin sold Nie Tianqiong! He sold him to the Emperor for a good price. But why didn’t he simply ask for his life instead"

"Little miss, isn't that strange His Majesty wouldn't kill Nie Tianqiong like this. After all, he is still his son," Ye Qingran’s tone seemed to hide something, making it sound dark.

“Indeed! He won’t just kill his own son like that! It's just a way to force him into a corner. If things don't go as planned, then there's no turning back,” Yun Qianyue snorted coldly.

Ye Qingran fell silent for a moment before saying, "Little miss, I used to respect His Majesty very much!"

"No longer" Yun Qianyue smiled as she looked at him sideways. She couldn't fathom Ye Qingran's thoughts but felt that despite his small demon personality, he was inherently kind-hearted. Even though he didn’t like Nie Tianqiong, he wouldn’t want to see the old emperor scheme against his own son.

"Nowadays... I just sigh at how one must be born a ruler and into the imperial family," Ye Qingran said solemnly.

Upon hearing this, Yun Qianyue fell silent. If the old emperor was an ordinary elder, he would likely not act like this. She had been busy preparing for Yun Li’s wedding in these days and hadn't bothered to inquire about external matters. In reality, she should have guessed that such a play would happen today. Just by paying attention to the movements of the imperial palace, Minister Qin's mansion, and the Second Prince's residence, she could have noticed something. But she didn’t want to. She didn’t wish to see too clearly into the human ugliness and darkness in this mire. Suddenly, she felt disheartened, "So boring! Let’s go back to watch Yun Li and Princess Seven’s wedding instead! The bride is probably already brought into the manor now."

"Alright!" Ye Qingran nodded and started walking off immediately. He grabbed Yun Qianyue and lightly touched his toe against the ground, heading towards Cloud Manor.

They walked in silence back to Cloud Manor where they just caught the groom's ceremony of shooting arrows at the bride’s轎門。

No words were exchanged as they arrived at Cloud Manor. At that moment, the groom was about to shoot three arrows at the bridal sedan chair door as part of his wedding ritual.

Ye Qingran pulled Yun Qianyue down and landed softly on the periphery of the crowd. The atmosphere in Cloud Manor was lively and festive with people wearing happy expressions, clearly unaffected by what had happened earlier outside Minister Qin's residence. It remained a scene full of joy.

Even though Yun Li didn't have martial arts skills, he still managed to shoot three arrows at the sedan chair door. Afterward, the Ten Fullness Blessing Grandmother invited the bride out of the sedan chair and handed her a red embroidered flower ball while taking an apple from her hand. Then, Yun Li led the bride into the manor with a red ribbon attached to their waists. They stepped over the threshold and walked through fire basin. Despite Princess Seven’s royal status, she followed Cloud Manor's traditional wedding customs without any privileges.

Seeing the newlyweds, Yun Qianyue couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Little miss, you said why did you fall for that weak beauty If only you had a fancy for me, how wonderful! I would have made sure to marry today too!" Ye Qingran suddenly expressed his envy.

Yun Qianyue turned her head and shot an annoyed look at him. "Who told you to be surnamed Ye Could I even dare"

"That weak beauty has good fortune! In my next life, I will reincarnate as a member of the Glory Manor," Ye Qingran grumbled.

Yun Qianyue found it amusing and reminded him, "Who knows if there'll still be a Glory Manor in your next life Stop dreaming and follow me inside!"

Ye Qingran harrumphed and squeezed through the crowd into the manor.

Yun Qianyue followed behind and entered the manor as well.

In comparison to the sparse attendance at Second Prince’s Manor and Minister Qin's residence, Cloud Manor was bustling with an unprecedented number of guests today. Most officials chose to attend Yun Li’s wedding at Cloud Manor instead of Second Prince’s Manor, outnumbering those who attended Yun Li’s adoption ceremony days ago. The manor was filled to capacity with people sitting on every seat available; even the pavilions and waterside terraces were set up with banquet tables, crowded with guests.

Ye Qingran whispered in admiration, "Indeed, it's Cloud Manor that is the grandest among the Four Manors today!"

"How long can such prosperity last It’s all about climbing high and stepping on lowly people to shift according to the wind direction. If Nie Tianqiong was still the Crown Prince today, Cloud Manor would have at least half fewer guests. Auntie’s pregnancy with a potential future crown prince carries great significance regardless of its title," Yun Qianyue said sarcastically.

"Human nature is generally like this. Little miss, when did you become so cynical" Ye Qingran turned back and smiled at Yun Qianyue.

Yun Qianyue rubbed her forehead with her hand. "It has been a long time since I became cynical! How long exactly I can't remember!"

Ye Qingran turned his head around, continued walking forward, and after taking two more steps said suddenly: "Little miss, the imperial uncle actually came to attend the ceremony today as well! It's unprecedented for a father to come to observe his daughter’s wedding ceremony!"

At this moment, Yun Qianyue also saw the old emperor. Not only was there the old emperor, but there was even Mingfei as well; she hesitated in her steps. She thought that had the Duke of Chancellor put on a show, would the Yun Family Estate put on another one today

Ye Qingran looked at the old emperor with a thoughtful expression and then said with some concern to Yun Qianyue: "Little miss, it seems like you need to be careful from now on! The imperial uncle never does anything without reason."

"Mm!" Yun Qianyue responded.

Ye Qingran continued walking forward while Yun Qianyue turned around and walked toward the back garden. Ling Lian and Yixue saw that Yun Qianyue had returned, so they hurriedly followed her. When the three of them arrived at a corner where there was no one, Yun Qianyue asked: "Did everything go smoothly when you escorted the bride"

"Everything went smoothly, Miss!" Ling Lian and Yixue nodded.

"Inform Hongge to have Hua Sheng and others pretend to be guests and slip into the mansion. Keep a watchful eye on every nook and cranny of the Yun Family Estate for me. Don’t let anyone suspicious go unnoticed. Especially in Xifeng Garden’s bridal chamber, nothing must happen that would interfere with today’s wedding ceremony. Ensure everything goes smoothly." Yun Qianyue instructed softly.

"Yes!" Ling Lian and Yixue saw how solemn Yun Qianyue looked and immediately answered her seriously.

After issuing the instructions, Yun Qianyue waved to them, took a deep breath, and proceeded toward the wedding hall.

When she arrived at the wedding hall, it was not yet time for the ceremony; the three bows to heaven and earth had not started. The bride and groom were waiting in the central chamber of the main hall. A functionary held a pair of red ribbons with the birth dates and horoscopes of the newlyweds printed on them, symbolizing the union of dragon and phoenix. The old emperor was seated at the top with Mingfei by his side; their faces were full of smiles. Below them sat the Old Duke Yun and the Duke Yun. A few elderly dukes such as the Prince Regent and the Filial Prince had been invited to observe from the sides, acting as intermediaries.

The wedding hall was filled with joyous harmony.

As soon as Yun Qianyue appeared, the old emperor saw her first and said smilingly: "I have not seen Moon for a long time since I arrived. Where did she run off to Since your brother is getting married today, can you still find some leisure time"

"Miss Yun Qianyue is in charge of the Yun Family Estate; even if she were to take a break no one would say anything!" Mingfei took over and said smilingly.

"Imperial Uncle, if my memory serves me correctly, there should still be a queen in your palace. I haven’t heard that you’ve dismissed her to make way for another woman. How come Empress Dowager Mingfei is wearing the official red attire of the empress today From afar I almost mistook her for my aunt! As I said, my aunt has an obviously pregnant belly; it’s impossible for her to attend such a ceremony on this day. This person doesn’t look like she could be the empress dowager!" Yun Qianyue didn’t answer their words but instead smiled and asked back.

Mingfei’s face froze.

The old emperor turned his head to look at Mingfei; a displeased expression flashed across his face, but he still said smilingly: "Seventh Princess is Empress Dowager Mingfei’s birth daughter. Today she is getting married, so it should be a joyous occasion. Even though there are rules for this, sometimes there can also be an exception."

"So that’s how it is! I almost forgot that Empress Dowager Mingfei was my sister-in-law’s mother! However, it’s not my fault if I have poor memory; the reason is that over the years, Empress Dowager Mingfei and my sister-in-law haven’t been very close. Now since my sister-in-law has just recovered from a major illness, their relationship has become close again. Huh huh..." Yun Qianyue smiled in an innocent manner as she looked at how pale Mingfei’s face had turned; her smile deepened.

Just as Mingfei was about to speak, the old emperor coughed lightly and asked a nearby functionary: "Has the auspicious time arrived"

"Your Majesty, it has arrived!" The functionary hurriedly replied.

"Good. Let’s start then." The old emperor waved his hand.

The functionary looked at Yun Qianyue who nodded to him; he called out loudly to Yun Li and the Seventh Princess: "Bow to heaven!"

Interlude:

Last two days of the month. Those with votes, throw them my way! I’m working really hard at typing!

I saw your votes; thanks for loving me! The monthly votes will reset this month.

Thanks to those who sent diamonds and flowers!

Thank you! looks also bear some resemblance to Lord," Old Man Han asked in puzzlement as he looked at Nan Lingrui."He’s my elder brother!" Yun Qianyue introduced with a smile."So he’s the young master! Old serv...