Chapter 96: Shocking Change at the Wedding Banquet (1)

The bridal sedan chair swayed for at least two hours before finally stopping. Fortunately, the sedan chair was spacious, so Zhuo Qing wasn't stifled, but she was stimulated by the sound of firecrackers and gongs and drums along the way until she was almost deaf. She only heard a shout from outside the sedan chair: "The bride has entered the house!"

The sedan curtain was also gently lifted at this time. Zhuo Qing looked up and saw Lou Xiyan still wearing a refreshing smile, reaching out to her, showing no signs of fatigue at all. Zhuo Qing suddenly felt a bit of admiration for him.

Zhuo Qing reached out her hand, and he led her out of the sedan chair. The front of the Prime Minister's mansion was also crowded with people. The originally magnificent door was covered with red lanterns, and red silk could be seen everywhere. The residual red left by firecrackers decorated the Prime Minister's mansion with joy.

The most eye-catching thing was naturally a large rectangular fire basin in front of the main entrance, with red-hot charcoal still crackling. Zhuo Qing sighed secretly. Was she supposed to drag her long skirt across this?

"The bridegroom and bride cross the fire basin, a hundred years of harmony, red and fiery!"

Sure enough, the matchmaker's shout announced their fate. Alright, cross it then. Fortunately, her wedding dress wasn't too complicated, so she should be able to jump over it.

Zhuo Qing generously grabbed the hem of her skirt, preparing to rush over, when a clear, teasing voice shouted loudly: "Shouldn't the bridegroom carry the bride over the fire basin? With such fierce flames, don't burn the bride!"

Zhuo Qing turned her head and saw Bai Yi, who was quirky and clever, blinking at her.

"Yes, yes!"

"Prime Minister Lou, carry Madam in!"

When someone started the commotion, naturally others followed. For a time, outside the bustling gate, whether it was common people or high-ranking officials, everyone followed the commotion.

Putting down the hem of her skirt, Zhuo Qing smiled sheepishly at Lou Xiyan. This was the voice of the masses!

Lou Xiyan laughed loudly and cupped his hands. Before Zhuo Qing could react, she felt her feet lighten, and she was already being carried by Lou Xiyan by the waist. The servants also hurriedly stepped forward, lifted his hem, and with a light leap, Lou Xiyan carried her over the fire basin.

Outside the door, there was naturally another round of cheers. Zhuo Qing leaned lightly against his chest, and could still feel his chest vibrating when he laughed. He seemed truly happy today. He accepted almost all of the crowd's commotion, and the faint smiles of ordinary days had turned into hearty laughter today. She really wasn't used to this version of him, and the overflowing excitement made her heart warm too.

Lou Xiyan carried her toward the lounge next to the main hall. The crowd wanted to follow, but Xue Xianxin hurriedly stopped them and smiled: "Alright, alright, if you want to make a scene in the bridal chamber, you have to wait until tonight! Thank you all, everyone go to the front hall, wine and food are prepared there."

This lounge was a lounge prepared for her by Lou Xiyan before bowing to each other. It was filled with various pastries and wine. Only after Lou Xiyan put her down did Zhuo Qing immediately lift the veil and fan herself. It really wasn't comfortable to cover this thing for several hours!

Her heroic actions made the maids behind her laugh low. Lou Xiyan didn't say anything, took the veil from her hand and put it aside, led her to the low table, and said gently: "You rest for a while, eat something. Later, when it's time to bow, the maids will come to invite you. If you are too tired, just take a nap."

"Mm, okay." Nodding, she wanted to take a nap now, having been tossed around from early morning until now.

Xue Xianxin hurried over, saw the two still chatting, and said anxiously: "Xiyan, you hurry out too, there are many guests outside waiting for you to greet them!" I didn't expect these officials to come so early. It's really busy, making me wish I had more hands and feet!

Standing up slowly, Lou Xiyan patted her cheek and smiled: "I'll go out first."

Seeing him looking exceptionally excited today, Zhuo Qing grabbed his hand and said: "You also have to be careful with your health, don't drink too much!" There were so many people outside who loved to make a scene. If he didn't restrain himself, he would probably collapse before bowing!

Lou Xiyan replied with a serious face: "Yes, Madam. Your husband will definitely keep it in mind!"

Zhuo Qing rolled her eyes at him, and Lou Xiyan laughed loudly as he left the lounge.

Not interested in the pastries on the table, Zhuo Qing lay on the soft couch nearby and closed her eyes to rest. She wondered, where did Gu Yun go?

When the bridal sedan chair reached the Prime Minister's mansion, seeing the crowded scene, Gu Yun decided to leave. She would come over for a cup of wedding wine in the evening; she was too lazy to join in the fun.

Gu Yun walked back to the General's Mansion and happened to meet Su Yu head-on at the door. Gu Yun didn't intend to pay attention to him, but Su Yu was surprised when he saw her: "You—why are you back?"

Gu Yun stopped and snorted low: "Can't I come back?" Qing getting married wasn't her getting married, so she couldn't take a small break?

Seeing her poor complexion, Su Yu frowned and asked in a low voice: "Did something happen at the Prime Minister's mansion?"

Gu Yun narrowed her eyes. Su Yu was very strange today? Looking at him without moving, Gu Yun asked: "What could happen at the Prime Minister's mansion?"

Gu Yun's two consecutive questions made Su Yu not know whether she knew or didn't know, so he could only smile sheepishly: "No, nothing! I was just asking!" If she didn't know, wouldn't he be talking too much?

Gu Yun stared at him coldly. Su Yu felt uncomfortable all over, lifted his feet and wanted to go out. A slender hand blocked his way. Gu Yun pressed: "What are you panicking about?" Obviously Su Yu knew what was going to happen at the Prime Minister's mansion, and it was related to the General's Mansion.

"Panic? Where am I panicking? Just kidding!" Remembering that his lies were seen through by her at a glance last time, Su Yu was a little nervous.

Sure enough, his feigned calmness was still seen through by Gu Yun. Worried that something might happen to Zhuo Qing, Gu Yun asked anxiously: "What happened?"

"I... I don't know!" Shaking his head firmly, Su Yu turned his back and walked toward the General's Mansion again. He was truly asking for trouble, going to provoke this difficult woman for no reason.

Grabbing Su Yu's shoulder, Gu Yun wouldn't let him go and shouted sternly: "Tell the truth!"

Su Ling turned around in frustration and sighed: "I really don't know. Wasn't Big Brother summoned to the palace early this morning? Just now, Second Brother was also summoned to the palace in a hurry. I heard that the two rebel leaders Second Brother brought back, after entering the capital, insisted..."

Speaking of this, Su Yu paused. Facing Gu Yun's pressing eyes, he patted his head, and Su Yu still said in a low voice: "The one who colluded with them and planned the Gold Case back then was Prime Minister Lou and his son!"

"What?" Gu Yun was so shocked that her hand gripping Su Yu shook. This, this couldn't be true, right! It wasn't that she believed in the character of Lou Xiyan and his son so much, but she was also present when the rebels were surrounded. At that time, there were indeed signs that the rebels were colluding with court officials, but it shouldn't be Lou Xiyan and his son! Lou Muhai could be considered to have made great contributions in surrounding the rebels!

Pondering for a while, Gu Yun asked: "What evidence did they produce?"

Su Yu shook his head helplessly: "Big Brother and Second Brother were both summoned to the palace. I don't know what evidence Second Brother brought back!" He knew about this because he overheard the Ministry of Justice official who came to pass the decree telling Second Brother that the prisoners he escorted back insisted that it was the Prime Minister and his son who colluded with them, and asked Second Brother to enter the palace immediately.

Actually, the rebels' confession was not the most important thing. As the Prime Minister of a country, Lou Xiyan absolutely could not be brought down by the confession of a few small thieves. The most important thing was what evidence they produced. Also, if this was a deliberate frame-up by their party members in the court, working from the inside and outside, Lou Xiyan would face even greater pressure!

Gu Yun let go of Su Yu and turned to leave the General's Mansion. Su Yu hurriedly followed: "Where are you going? You can't go and tip them off!" They didn't know what was going on with this case; it was all just a little clue he overheard. If it was all a misunderstanding, and she went to talk nonsense, wouldn't she be laughed at? If the matter was really related to the Prime Minister's mansion, and she tipped them off like this, if it was investigated, the crime would not be small.

Gu Yun narrowed her eyes and replied coldly: "I have my own sense of proportion!"

Still worried, Su Yu followed Gu Yun to the Prime Minister's mansion.

The common people gathered outside the Prime Minister's mansion had almost dispersed. Inside the mansion were all royal relatives and officials of all levels. Although there were not as many people as in the morning, the mansion was still packed.

Gu Yun was anxious to find the room where Zhuo Qing was resting. Looking from afar, she saw the main hall crowded with onlookers. Squinting, she saw Lou Xiyan leading Zhuo Qing all the way to the main hall.

Gu Yun pushed through the crowd and finally walked into the main hall, where she heard the ritual official shout loudly: "The newlyweds bow!"

Lou Xiyan's eyes were clear, but his face was already a little flushed, presumably because he had drunk a lot of wine. Standing in the main hall, Gu Yun decided to wait for them to bow before finding Qing to talk about this!

"First bow to Heaven and Earth!"

The ritual official's high-pitched voice rang out long and loud.

The newlyweds bowed deeply to the sky.

"Second bow to the high hall!"

Turning around, in the high hall seats sat Lou Muhai on one side and Qing Ling's eldest uncle on the other. Lou Muhai still didn't show much joy, but after all, it was his only son's wedding day. Even if he didn't like this daughter-in-law, he didn't make things difficult for them.

The two bowed deeply to their parents.

"Husband and..."

Before the words were even finished, a more majestic male voice interrupted this final bow.

"The Imperial Decree has arrived!"

Everyone looked back and saw Su Ling and Dan Yulan coming together, holding a bright Imperial Decree. Everyone thought it was the Emperor who couldn't come in person and issued a decree to congratulate the Prime Minister on his wedding. Everyone opened a path one after another, letting the two enter the front hall smoothly.

Gu Yun looked at Su Yu behind her. Su Yu shook his head and whispered in her ear: "Don't be impatient, let's see first!"

Lou Xiyan narrowed his phoenix eyes, seemingly sensing something. His face remained calm, and he bowed slightly to Su Ling and Dan Yulan.

Lou Muhai laughed heroically and said: "General Su, Lord Dan, I thought the two of you wouldn't make it for this cup of wedding wine!" He had always admired the Su Family Army. This time, surrounding the rebels, he was able to fight side by side with the Su Family Army, and he had always felt very satisfied. His impression of Su Ling was even better!

Su Ling and Dan Yulan's faces were a bit stiff, and they smiled low: "Old General, you are too polite!" I'm afraid they wouldn't be able to drink this cup of wedding wine.

Clearing his throat, Dan Yulan said loudly: "Prime Minister Lou, receive the decree."

Everyone in the main hall knelt down, the sound of gongs and drums stopped, and the crowded main hall became exceptionally quiet in an instant.

Dan Yulan held the imperial decree for a long time before reading aloud in a clear voice: "By the grace of Heaven and the mandate of the Emperor, it is decreed: The rebel forces in the Northwest have been completely suppressed. The rebels have confessed to colluding with the Lou father and son, stealing from the national treasury, and plotting treason. It is hereby ordered that Dan Yulan of the Criminal Justice Official's office and the Zhenguo General Su Ling shall jointly preside over this case. The Lou father and son are to be taken into custody and imprisoned. Let there be no error. This is the imperial command!"

Taken into custody and imprisoned!

How could this be?!

The huge main hall fell into dead silence again. No one knew how to react. Who would have thought that the once-prosperous Lou Xiyan would be imprisoned just like that? And on his wedding day? What exactly was the Emperor thinking?

Gu Yun's heart beat very fast. What evidence did the other party produce? To make Yan Hongtian issue a decree to imprison Lou Xiyan!

This scene was truly dramatic. The Emperor of Qiongyue actually imprisoned Lou Xiyan! Too interesting. Bai Yi narrowed his black eyes, looking at Lou Xiyan without a trace. Compared to the heavy expressions of the crowd, he was exceptionally calm, as if the one about to be imprisoned wasn't him. It was said that Lou Xiyan was steady and self-controlled, and his face wouldn't change even if Mount Tai collapsed before him. Today, it seemed that the rumors were true! And Su Ling, this was also the first time he had seen this world-famous God of War from such a close distance.

Lou Xiyan and Su Ling were definitely the two biggest obstacles to Liaoyue's dominance of the world!

Lou Muhai came back to his senses and immediately roared angrily: "Absurd! This is absolutely a frame-up! I will go with you immediately and confront those rebels face to face!" The Lou family was loyal for generations, how could they be slandered!

Lou Xiyan remained silent. Dan Yulan could only step forward, made a gesture of invitation, and said: "Prime Minister Lou, the Imperial will is hard to defy. Offense taken!"

"Wait!" With a light lift of her slender hand, the red veil fell, and a cold female voice sounded leisurely.

It was rare for a bride to lift her own veil in public, and her plain face had no rouge or powder, and the scar on her face was not covered at all. Although she didn't look as charming and soft as an ordinary bride, the peerless and beautiful features and the cold, isolated temperament still made everyone present gasp.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 97 =====