doitstory Chapter 2358 - 2357: Master Refuses the Marriage
Chapter 2358 - 2357: Master Refuses the Marriage
Princess Taihua happily put away the jade bottle, not because she cared that much about cultivation, but because Long Fei still remembered her.
She looked at Long Fei, then her expression returned to gloom as she said, "Master, I’ve got big trouble again this time. My imperial mother has betrothed me to her nephew again, and this time their background is even bigger than last time. I don’t even have a place to run."
"You changed how you address her quite fast!"
Long Fei drank his tea, looking utterly casual.
Princess Taihua gave a bitter smile and said, "Master, at a time like this, who still cares about that? As for etiquette and ranks, since my imperial mother proclaimed herself emperor, I naturally call her Imperial Mother."
Long Fei asked her, "The person you’re talking about is Wu Shansi?"
Princess Taihua said indignantly, "It’s him. He already has a wife, and he still insists on marrying me. I, a dignified princess, would have to go over there and be his concubine. Isn’t that infuriating?"
"Your imperial mother agreed to that?"
Long Fei raised his brow.
Princess Taihua said, "Imperial Mother naturally wants me to be the primary wife. I’m the one who refuses. No matter what, I can’t marry someone I don’t like!"
Her small hand propped up her chin, and she cooed at Long Fei in a spoiled tone, "Master, why don’t you elope with me?"
Long Fei burst out laughing. "What need is there for that? Can’t I just take you away in broad daylight?"
Princess Taihua’s expression turned serious. "This time can’t be like last time. In these past hundred years or so, Wu Shansi has been constantly befriending experts from the Cultivation World. First he befriended a great monk from Tianzhu, who supposedly just recently broke through to some Golden Body Arhat realm. Later he entered Qian Yuan Mountain as a disciple, and even became some Elder’s disciple. With that bit of cultivation level of his, Qian Yuan Mountain must be blind to take him in as a disciple. Master, you don’t know, Qian Yuan Mountain has an old Daoist who just broke through to the True Immortal Realm; the whole Great Tang Empire is talking about it. Our current option is only one—run away from this marriage."
Long Fei drank his tea, thinking to himself that it was nowhere near as simple as Princess Taihua imagined.
Since Qian Yuan Mountain was making a move, they were definitely trying to lay out a scheme in the secular powers, hence choosing to ally with influential nobles at court.
Outside the residence, the sound of gongs and drums drifted from afar.
Little Diee anxiously cried from behind, "This is bad, the wedding party is here."
Princess Taihua was so startled she immediately stood up. "Master, there’s no time, let’s run!"
Long Fei smiled faintly and instructed Little Diee, "Little Diee, go stand at the gate with the steward and block them. Just tell them the Princess’s master has returned. Make it clear to them that the Princess is unwilling to marry, and have them go back, that’s all."
"Ah?"
Little Diee hesitated and glanced at the Princess.
Princess Taihua looked at Long Fei, feeling guilty, and said, "Master, those two big figures he befriended are both True Immortal Level! You may not know, since you’ve been away. The environment of our Cultivation World has changed greatly—quite a few people have already broken through to the True Immortal Realm."
Long Fei set down the tea bowl and smiled faintly. "Even those in the True Immortal Realm have to talk reason. When they get here, your master will reason with them."
Princess Taihua eyed him suspiciously. Seeing how calm he was, she thought to herself that this master definitely had a way.
She signaled to Little Diee, telling her to go out and do as instructed.
Chang’an City was festooned with lanterns and colored banners, bustling with excitement.
This marriage alliance of Wu Shansi’s was a major event for the New Dynasty.
The Martial Emperor had just enfeoffed Wu Shansi as Prince Liang, a first-class Prince.
After she seized the Li Family’s empire, she lavishly bestowed titles upon the Wu clan.
Not only was Wu Shansi rewarded, even Wu Chengzong’s entire clan, who had been wiped out by Long Fei, received posthumous titles.
For this grand wedding, the Wu Family had been making preparations everywhere long in advance.
The entire East Market Street of Chang’an was hung full of lanterns and draped with red silk; the sound of firecrackers crackled endlessly, ringing out from Prince Liang’s Residence all the way to the Princess Mansion.
This wedding procession was, moreover, arguably the most extravagant since the founding of Great Tang.
At the front and back, there were hundreds of women carrying all sorts of wedding gifts, holding up canopies, carrying flower baskets, scattering flowers all along the way.
Wu Shansi rode a tall fine horse, pure-blooded descendant of a Dragon-Horse of precious blood, in the middle of the procession.
Before and behind him, a pair of ceremonial troops from the Imperial Guard escorted him.
Along the street, whether high officials and noblemen or common people, whoever shouted congratulations would have someone in the procession throwing money and candies.
A gaggle of children merrily followed along on both sides, their bellies bulging with sweets.
Groups of young maidens watched with envy, waving repeatedly toward Wu Shansi.
Wu Shansi sat ramrod straight in the saddle, nodding repeatedly to the people lining both sides of the street, his face full of indescribable smugness.
He could truly be said to be in high spirits now, not only having gained power in court, but also status in the Cultivation World.
The wedding procession came all the way to the gate of the Princess Mansion.
At the front, the steward in charge of receiving the bride hurried over to report that the main gate of the Princess Mansion was tightly shut, and not even lanterns or red silk had been hung.
Wu Shansi laughed loudly at the steward. "No problem, the Princess is just shy, that’s all, nothing serious. Find a few strapping fellows to go knock on the door. If that doesn’t work, you can just smash it in!"
"Yes, yes!"
The steward nodded repeatedly. With Wu Shansi’s instructions, his back immediately straightened with more confidence.
He found a few guards from the residence and, exerting all their strength, slapped the Princess Mansion’s door ring, shouting, "Listen up inside! Our Prince Liang has come to receive his bride. Open Gate at once and don’t delay the auspicious hour. We’ve prepared the gift money for you. Hurry and Open Gate—however much you want, we’ll give that much."
His bellow made all the onlookers burst into laughter.
The bolt inside the door rattled, and sure enough, a group of guards and the old steward came out from within. They cupped their fists repeatedly to the steward outside, faces deathly pale, and said, "Old friend, we’re really sorry! Our Princess has given orders, saying her master has returned. Her master has the final say, and this wedding is off. Your Prince Liang should go back the way he came!"
"What? Say that again?"
The steward thought he’d misheard, his eyes bulging like Bronze Bells.
Little Diee stood behind, forcing herself to stay calm as she snapped, "Are your ears deaf? Our Princess said this marriage is off, and you’re to go back the way you came!"
The steward opposite pointed at Little Diee and cursed loudly, "You little slut, is this a place for you to speak? How does your Princess usually teach you your manners? Today is the grand wedding day decreed by the Heavenly Empress herself. You’d best not make this ugly. When Prince Liang and the Heavenly Empress start blaming people, there’ll be nothing good in it for you lot."
Little Diee met him with a cold glare and said, "If you’ve got any complaints, just have someone come in and discuss it with my Princess’s master. He’s in there drinking his tea right now. We’re not even blocking this gate—whoever wants to go in can go in."
The steward was cautious by nature, and asked curiously, "Who is your Princess’s master? How does he dare have such nerve?"
Little Diee snorted lightly. "I’m afraid if I say his name I’ll scare you to death. Go ask your Prince Liang and you’ll know."
"You little slut!"
The steward, enraged, pointed at her, then first had men guard the gate while he hurried back to report to Prince Liang.
As soon as he mentioned that the Princess’s master had returned, Prince Liang’s body went weak and he almost fell off the Dragon-Horse.
"How has that harbinger of calamity come back?"
His heart pounded as he stammered, recalling the tragic scene of his brother’s entire clan’s extermination, still vivid before his eyes.
But times were different now; Wu Shansi at least had backing.
He calmed himself a bit and hurriedly ordered the guards behind him, "Quick, go back to the residence and invite my master over. This brat is not easy to deal with; if my master comes, he can still suppress him."
The guards behind him cupped their fists to take the order, then led men and flew straight back, swords under their feet, Sky-Treading through the air.