Chapter 95

In just two days, the snow on Mount Shenwu had melted away. He had only worn that mink-fur coat for two days before putting it back in the closet, waiting for the arrival of the next winter.

It was as if the heavens' wind vent had suddenly been shut; in just a day or two, the weather had warmed up.

This must have been the last snow of the winter.

A few miles away from the manor, Liu Xiaolou was hiding in a dense forest, wearing a hastily made straw hat and a black cloth covering his face, watching the winding mountain path beneath his feet.

The large pit in the middle of the path had been well-concealed by him; he figured it wouldn't be exposed. Liu Xiaolou turned to check the makeshift tree-crossbow he had finished in a rush, and there were no problems there either.

By the time noon had long passed, there was still no sign of the carriage, which made him feel slightly anxious. Today was the day of the grand wedding, and he had snuck out while he found a gap; he couldn't afford to be delayed here for too long.

Just as he was getting worried, the sound of horse hooves reached him. A carriage turned into the mountain pass. Liu Xiaolou felt a surge of joy and was about to—

He suddenly froze, threw away his straw hat, tore off his black mask, and rushed down, blocking the path in front of the carriage.

The horse was startled, its front hooves rearing high as it let out a shrill whinny, and the carriage came to an immediate halt.

A man stepped down from the carriage—it was Hou Hou Guanshi Song. He said in surprise, "New—" He glanced at the carriage cabin and corrected himself: "Young Master, why are you here?"

Liu Xiaolou laughed and said, "I came to see Brother Dong off! The thought that I don't know when we will meet again after we part made me feel quite melancholy. Sigh, why is Hou Hou Guanshi Song here too? Did I make a mistake? Is this not the carriage Brother Dong is riding in?"

Hou Hou Guanshi Song smiled: "After all, Young Master Dong was injured in the manor. Although it was caused by the match, the Master still feels guilty, so he specifically asked me to escort him a part of the way and also to provide an explanation to the Dong family."

As he spoke, he turned back to the carriage cabin and said, "Young Master Dong, Young Master Liu has come to see you off."

A roar of fury erupted from the cabin: "Make him leave! I don't want to see him! Go away, cough, go, cough!"

Hou Hou Guanshi Song spread his hands toward Liu Xiaolou, helpless: "Young Master, you see..."

Liu Xiaolou sighed: "If Brother Dong cannot forgive me, there is nothing I can do. I will go to Qishan another day to apologize. Hou Hou Guanshi Song, the road is bumpy, please take extra care and don't let Brother Dong's injuries worsen."

Dong Wei shouted from the cabin: "Fine, come then! If you dare to come to Qishan, let's see how I deal with you!"

Hou Hou Guanshi Song poked his head into the cabin to soothe the injured Dong Wei, then looked at the dejected-looking Liu Xiaolou and nodded: "I will escort Young Master Dong back to Qishan first. Qishan is not far from here, and I will definitely be back before dark. Young Master, rest assured."

Liu Xiaolou said no more. He personally took the reins and led the carriage for another stretch. After watching the carriage depart, he hurriedly uncovered the large pit behind him and filled it back in with soil. After finishing, he stomped on it for a long time, effectively restoring the mountain path to its original state.

Although the fresh soil after digging and refilling was a bit different, he could only wait for time to wear it down.

He then dismantled the homemade tree-crossbow in the dense forest by the path before returning to the manor.

That was a close call just now; he almost got exposed. It seems his cheap father-in-law still holds the Dong family of Qishan in high regard. He must think carefully and plan for the long term in the future.

As soon as he entered the manor, he was caught by several servants. One of them bolted into the inner courtyard to pass the message: "Found the Young Master-in-law! Found the Young Master-in-law!"

The others crowded around Liu Xiaolou and rushed toward the Gualu Hall, their voices chaotic:

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"Where did the Young Master-in-law go? We haven't seen him all day, it's worrying us to death!"

"The guests have already arrived..."

"There's only half an hour left, hurry and change your clothes, hurry..."

"Why is the Young Master-in-law covered in dirt?"

"Tell them to boil water first, serve the Young Master-in-law for his bath..."

"Quick, invite Hou Hou Guanshi Lin to take the guest list and read it to the Young Master-in-law..."

Once Liu Xiaolou entered the manor, he immediately ceased to belong to himself. He was pulled and swarmed by servants and maids into a side courtyard next to the Gualu Hall. His clothes, including his undergarments, were stripped off in an instant. Then, dizzy and disoriented, he was shoved into a large wooden tub and scrubbed thoroughly by several old matrons with brushes. Before he knew it, he was placed on a rug and spun around like a top, not knowing how many times, until he was wrapped in several layers of bright red wedding attire.

Hou Hou Guanshi Lin, who was in charge of receiving guests, held a large folder and recited the names of the guests, while an unknown number of hands were busy styling Liu Xiaolou's hair.

"Hou Hou Guanshi Luo, courtesy name Xin, of the Danxia Sect's Inner Sect Affairs... Uncle Mao, courtesy name En, of the Mao Gong Altar... Elder Wang, courtesy name Zhi, of Xunxi... Master Cai, courtesy name Jiucheng, of Longhu... Third Master Xin, courtesy name Buqi, of Hongdu, accompanied by his two sons, Xin Feng and Xin Bao... Eldest son Jiao Hu of Lion Ridge... These are the various branches of the Danxia Sect. The Jia family of Dongheng Town... The Qian family of Fuzhou... Lotus Village of Mount Wutong... The Xiong clan of Huagou... The Zhaiyue Sect... The Zhemei Sect... The Fuhu Sect... Daoist Lei Ming of Mingyu Temple... These are the noble families and high-ranking clans that are on good terms with our Su clan..."

While listening to Hou Hou Guanshi Lin report the guests' names, Liu Xiaolou tried his best to memorize their physical characteristics. Although he might not necessarily need it, it was always better to be prepared.

A man lifted the curtain and entered. He was over forty, with a dignified appearance and features slightly resembling Su Zhi. Seeing him enter, the stewards and servants bowed one after another, calling him "Second Master." He was Su Zhi's younger brother, Su Xun.

Su Xun scanned the room with a stern face and urged: "Hurry up!" He then glared at Liu Xiaolou with great displeasure: "Today is the grand dual-cultivation ceremony, where did you run off to?"

Liu Xiaolou lowered his head and admitted his fault: "It is my fault. I went to see a friend off and returned late."

Su Xun "hmphed": "If you mess up again, watch your skin!"

There was no help for it. Liu Xiaolou's status as a son-in-law was set; his position was low. He could still maintain the air of a master in front of servants and maids, but in front of the stewards, he was basically "on equal footing." If it reached the ears of the Su family, he would really be no different from a servant. Moreover, the one reprimanding him was the head of the second branch, so he could only obediently admit defeat: "Yes."

Su Xun urged again: "Hurry up, don't miss the auspicious hour!" With that, he flicked his sleeves and left.

The room became busy and chaotic again. Those with work worked desperately, and those without walked back and forth, also appearing to work desperately. The servants, maids, and matrons no longer cared about treating Liu Xiaolou as a person; they treated him purely as a mannequin, wiping, twisting, and adjusting him until he was dizzy and completely bewildered.

This grand dual-cultivation ceremony was just for show, to announce that the Su family's Fifth Daughter was already married and that no one else should covet her. Therefore, although the preparation time was rushed, the ceremony was very grand.

Amidst the sound of gongs and drums, Liu Xiaolou was ushered out, led through the connecting corridors to the back door of the Gualu Hall, and pushed into the main hall in a daze amidst the loud praises of the master of ceremonies.

Outside the hall, firecrackers crackled incessantly. The hall was packed with guests observing the ceremony. Amidst all the jeering and cheering, he finally saw his wife from the agreement for the first time. She was standing right in front of him, only inches away.

Su Wuniang's head was covered with a large red veil, and her body was also wrapped in countless layers of bright red wedding clothes. Her figure and appearance were completely invisible. Although it was their first meeting, it was as if they hadn't met at all.

Amidst the loud shouts of the master of ceremonies, he bowed to the Su Wuniang he had never met before.

At this moment, a strange and absurd feeling welled up in his heart: Is this me, the Daoist, getting married?

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