Chapter 271

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Protagonist:

Yan Qianqian

Shangguan Xingyan said with a solemn face: "You must treat my younger sister well! Although Father Emperor and Mother Empress are far away and cannot come, you must not think to take the opportunity to bully her!" His gaze was like a torch, staring tightly at the man before him who was about to marry his younger sister — Yan Si.

Yan Si nodded solemnly and replied: "I, Yan Si, swear here that I will never bully Shangguan Xingyu in the slightest in this life! I will use my whole life to love her, protect her, and dote on her; in this life and the next, besides her, no other person will ever enter my eyes!" His eyes were firm and burning, as if wanting to brand this oath deeply into Shangguan Xingyan's heart.

Looking at his former brother who was as close as kin, now dressed in magnificent wedding attire, looking every inch the proper gentleman come to marry his younger sister, Shangguan Xingyan couldn't help but feel somewhat speechless.

But things having come to this, he had no other choice but to silently accept this reality. After a moment of silence, Shangguan Xingyan spoke: "Mm, then I will believe you." Finishing, he turned his head to Shangguan Xingyu and said softly: "Younger Sister, let's go, Elder Brother will send you out the door now."

Immediately after, Shangguan Xingyan bent down, carried Shangguan Xingyu on his back, and walked steadily step by step toward the outside. Yan Si followed closely behind, carefully protecting them on both sides. The three of them descended the stairs slowly like this.

The moment Shangguan Xingyan carried the bride out the gate, the originally noisy and clamorous scene instantly fell utterly silent. Everyone was captivated by this beautiful and moving tableau, and for a time they actually forgot to breathe.

One saw Shangguan Xingyan's figure tall and straight, his steps steady, effortlessly delivering Shangguan Xingyu to the exquisitely decorated bridal sedan. Then, he gently helped Shangguan Xingyu up, as if cherishing the most precious treasure in the world, carefully assisting her into the sedan.

After Shangguan Xingyu sat down gracefully, he gently lowered the sedan's exquisite curtain slowly. Then, he turned around, looked at Yan Si, and said in a firm tone: "Younger Sister I entrust to you, go on."

Yan Si smiled and nodded, stepped forward and lightly patted Shangguan Xingyan's shoulder, comforting: "Rest assured, I'm here." Finishing, he turned gracefully and walked toward that tall, mighty, glossy-coated steed.

One saw him agile in movement, mount the horse's back in a single leap, and sit firmly. Immediately after, only the matchmaker's high and joyous shout rang out: "Lift the sedan! Strike the music!"

The words barely fell, the well-trained sedan bearers responded in unison, lifting the bridal sedan steadily. Simultaneously, gongs and drums shook the heavens, suonas blared together, joyful and stirring music resounded to the clouds, extraordinarily lively.

At this moment, on the faces of all present were beaming smiles of happiness and joy, yet only Shangguan Xingyan alone, watching the sedan carrying his younger sister grow farther and farther, couldn't help but feel a surge of indescribable bitterness well up in his heart.

And Shangguan Xingyu sitting in the sedan, too, was forcing back the tears spinning in her eyes, afraid that a careless cry would ruin her meticulously painted makeup.

Just at this time, Qianqian in the crowd did not follow along with the wedding procession. As it turned out, sharp-minded as she was, she had long since noticed Shangguan Xingyan's desolate and sorrowful expression.

Qianqian, deeply understanding his heartache, specially stayed behind. One saw her walk quickly to Shangguan Xingyan's side, gently tug his arm, and say in a coquettish voice: "Xingyan Elder Brother, let's hurry and go, if we delay any longer I'm afraid even the delicious braised pork knuckles will be eaten up by others!"

Shangguan Xingyan, originally immersed in sadness, hearing Qianqian's playful and cute words, instantly turned tears into laughter, the sorrowful expression on his face vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye. Just like that, pulled and dragged by Qianqian, the two of them jogged all the way chasing after the wedding procession ahead.

After a bout of urgent and slow chasing, they finally arrived before the An Wang Fu gate. At this time, An Wangfei was standing at the gate with myriad grace, welcoming guests; to one side, Yan Shuang'er was also full of smiles, enthusiastically greeting every arriving guest.

From afar, Yan Shuang'er spotted Yan Si and immediately shouted: "Mother Consort! Second Brother is back!"

Her face full of joy, An Wangfei had originally been lowering her head wondering about something when, hearing her daughter's excited shout, she slowly raised her head. Her gaze followed the direction the sound came from, and sure enough she saw her own son, valiant and dashing, leading the wedding procession slowly approaching.

When the procession finally reached their own gate, that magnificently decorated big red bridal sedan stopped steadily. The matchmaker shouted loudly with a face full of smiles: "Invite the bride to alight~" The words just fell, everyone held their breath, anticipating a glimpse of the bride's beautiful countenance.

One saw a hand, white as jade, slender and long, gently lift the red curtain on one side of the sedan. However, because a thick red veil covered her head, people could not see the bride's face. Perhaps because her vision was blocked, the bride's every movement appeared exceptionally careful, as if afraid that a single careless move would make her fall.

An Wangfei standing to the side, seeing this, kicked Yan Si reproachfully, lowered her voice and said: "Foolish child, what are you standing there dazed for? Hurry and go help Yu'er down! She can't see the road with that head covering!"

Reminded by his mother like this, Yan Si seemed to wake from a dream, a flush instantly rising on his face. He hurriedly jogged to the front of the sedan, reached out both hands, and carefully received the little hand Shangguan Xingyu extended.

Feeling that soft, warm touch, Yan Si's heart couldn't help but tremble slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He tightly held Shangguan Xingyu's hand and softly instructed: "Don't be afraid, I'm supporting you, walk slowly, watch your step." Speaking, he led Shangguan Xingyu step by step slowly out of the sedan.

All along the way, Yan Si concentrated fully on supporting Shangguan Xingyu, not daring to slacken in the slightest. He would occasionally turn his head, concernedly asking if she was walking steadily.

And Shangguan Xingyu just nodded slightly, indicating all was well. The two of them leaned on each other like this, passed through the courtyard, walked through the corridor, and finally arrived before the solemn ancestral hall.

At this time, An Wang was already seated on the main seat, his expression stern yet unable to conceal his joy. An Wangfei also hurriedly jogged to her own seat, arranged her skirt hem and sat down properly. The whole scene was extraordinarily lively, filled with a festive and auspicious atmosphere.

And a short while later, Shangguan Xingyan leisurely sat down on the other side. One must know, since the Dongying Huangdi and Empress could not attend in person, they couldn't very well leave the seat empty with no one to sit.

After these three each settled into their seats, the matchmaker was just about to open her mouth to preside over the wedding ceremony, when suddenly, from outside came an extremely sharp, ear-piercing high shout: "The Emperor has an edict—!"