Chapter 80: Let's just say we got married today

"Of course it's beautiful, this feathered robe wedding attire was personally selected by His Majesty, woven from a thousand spirit-bird feathers into a colorful phoenix!" the steward of the Imperial Household Department said proudly, "Let the famous embroiderers of Jingcheng work day and night, only then can we finish in time for Princess Yunxi's wedding!"

Pei Yunxi listened, her face full of pride and showing off.

How jealous Mu Yuanzhi must have felt? Clearly they were marrying together, but Father Emperor only gave her such an elaborate and luxurious wedding dress, while Mu Yuanzhi's is just an ordinary red wedding outfit, embroidered with a few unimpressive phoenixes, looking quite ordinary.

However, when she thought Mu Yuanzhi would be envious and jealous, she discovered that Mu Yuanzhi wasn't looking at her wedding attire at all, but directly picked up her own ordinary wedding outfit and went into the inner room to try it on!

Pei Yunxi's joyful mood instantly diminished by half.

Hmph, once she goes in to try it on and this feathered robe is shown, stunning everyone, Mu Yuanzhi won't be able to pretend she doesn't care!

"Brother Chen, I'm going inside to try on the wedding attire." Pei Yunxi clung to the outfit, unable to put it down, smiling as she said to Xiao Yichen.

"Hmm." Xiao Yichen nodded, his gaze still involuntarily drawn to the inner room where Mu Yuanzhi was trying on her attire.

Seeing this, Pei Yunxi's heart again began to feel unbalanced.

Once she shows off this beautiful wedding attire, Brother Chen will surely never look at Mu Yuanzhi again!

Pei Yunxi and Mu Yuanzhi both went to try on their wedding attire, and the head of the Imperial Household Department also brought out the groom's wedding attire for the two prospective princes-consort to try on.

Men's wedding attire is much simpler compared to women's; only the fabric is a bit more particular, while the styles are basically the same.

Xiao Yichen finished putting on his wedding attire and opened the door; just then the opposite door opened as well, and Mu Yuanzhi in a red wedding dress unexpectedly stumbled into his line of sight.

The dazzling phoenix crown, the fiery red wedding dress blazing in the sunlight, her heavily made-up features appearing cool and sharp, she looked at him, her gaze shifting without any emotion, like a proud plum blossom braving the deep winter snow, making him unable to look away.

In a daze, Xiao Yichen felt a sense of confusion—she was his bride, come to marry him.

As long as he reaches out his hand, they could be together forever.

Yuanzhi…

"Brother Chen!"

Pei Yunxi rushed forward and embraced him, shattering Xiao Yichen's dream; likewise dressed in wedding attire, she tightly held his arm, lifted her head to look at him, waiting for his praise.

"Am I beautiful today, Brother Chen?" Pei Yunxi said, her peripheral glance directed at Mu Yuanzhi.

She was confident she was definitely more beautiful than Mu Yuanzhi!

Only then did Xiao Yichen withdraw his gaze and turn it toward Pei Yunxi.

She was beautiful, yet he felt no stirring of the heart.

At this moment, Xiao Yichen clearly faced his own heart.

He felt not the slightest stirring of heart for Pei Yunxi.

He also completely lacked the sense that he was about to marry her.

Xiao Yichen stared at Pei Yunxi in silence; she thought he was dazed, her heart bursting with joy.

Sure enough, as she wore this wedding attire, Brother Chen's eyes held only her!

Mu Yuanzhi, you've lost!

Pei Yunxi again glanced sideways at Mu Yuanzhi, seeing her walk straight away, thinking to herself, 'You know your place.'

The phoenix crown and rosy veil were heavy; Mu Yuanzhi just wanted to quickly show the attending matchmaker how it looked, see if any alterations were needed, and if not, change out of it at once.

Marrying might be a once-in-a-lifetime event, but she had long since lost the childhood yearning to spend her life with a beloved; how could that be easy?

To her, this marriage was merely a transaction; each should take what they need, but she didn't know what Gu Rongjin needed, or what he sought to gain by agreeing to this union.

"Madam!"

Mu Yuanzhi unconsciously grunted an assent, only then realizing that, unbeknownst to when, she had grown accustomed to Gu Rongjin's odd way of addressing her as 'Madam'.

How could she be so easily led by the nose by him?!

Mu Yuanzhi turned her head irritably, seeing him in groom's attire, unusually solemn Gu Rongjin, who smiled and extended his hand: "Come here, husband."

Just opening his mouth ruined the act! Where's the propriety in that?

Nevertheless, he truly looks splendid in this outfit—dignified and majestic, making the deep red appear alluring and bewitching.

Actually, Gu Rongjin is extremely handsome in a bewitching way, but the former Mu Yuanzhi had never given him a proper glance; she disliked him on sight, so naturally she never bothered to note what he looked like.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Am I very good-looking?" Gu Rongjin said, lowering his head and leaning in.

However, as he leaned in and saw Mu Yuanzhi's face up close, he himself became entranced instead.

His bride-to-be looks very beautiful today.

"Beautiful." Mu Yuanzhi nodded.

Beautiful, Gu Rongjin thought the same—she was too beautiful!

"I really wish we could perform the wedding rites today!" Gu Rongjin sighed.

Mu Yuanzhi: "You're spouting nonsense again."

"No, I'm serious—I'm afraid time will pass too slowly and I'll lose my bride." Gu Rongjin gazed into the distance, sighing.

Mu Yuanzhi furrowed her brows, sensing there was more to his words.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

"Nothing, just feeling happy." Gu Rongjin suddenly pulled Mu Yuanzhi into an embrace.

Mu Yuanzhi found herself suddenly in a warm embrace, a bit at a loss, wanting to push away, but his hold was tight and she couldn't budge.

What on earth is wrong with him?

She had previously thought that before marriage, there would arise uneasy emotions, gains and losses.

She had also thought Gu Rongjin would not have such emotions.

"Let's just consider today as our wedding day, with heaven and earth as witnesses."

"Still spouting nonsense; after I let the matchmaker see the trial fit, I should change out of it. Quickly let go of me." Mu Yuanzhi poked Gu Rongjin's back.

Not far off, Xiao Yichen came over and saw this scene: the bride and groom in deep red wedding attire embracing each other, so harmonious.

But he only found it glaring.

By what right does Gu Rongjin take his place, becoming her groom?!

"Zhiyan sister and Young Master Jin are truly loving; I also count myself as having matched a good marriage!" Pei Yunxi laughed.

Matched a good marriage?

Xiao Yichen's complexion grew even uglier.

Yeah, if it weren't for Yunxi, Zhiyan would never have married Rongjin.

At this moment, he found Pei Yunxi's voice irritating, and her face too.

Why did he previously think she was so good, the only choice for his wife?

Xiao Yichen seemed to have awakened from going berserk, and he despised his past muddle-headedness.

He no longer wanted to marry her, he no longer wanted to marry Pei Yunxi!

"Brother Chen, why aren't you speaking?" Pei Yunxi tugged at Xiao Yichen.

However, the only response she got was a wave of his hand; Pei Yunxi stumbled backward, she looked at him in confusion, and instantly a sense of grievance welled up in her eyes: "Brother Chen, did I do something wrong?"

Xiao Yichen: "You haven't done anything wrong."

The fault is his; he insisted on pushing Zhiyan away, and with his own hands he handed over his fiancée to someone...