NOVEL WEB Chapter 498
Darkness...
Before her eyes was an endless darkness.
Light filtered through the cracks in the stones, falling on Su Yanran's face, her body numb and devoid of sensation.
Blinking her eyes open in a haze, she found herself staring at a deathly pale face, half crushed, dead.
On her chest, her clothes were stained with rotten flesh and sticky blood.
She wanted to scream, but no sound came out.
A dull pain surged from her paralyzed lower body; looking down, she saw her legs crushed and bloody beneath a massive stone, her knees shattered and broken.
How could this be? How could this be?
Only then did she vaguely recognize from the clothing that the mangled mess pinned beneath a wooden plank was Helian Chi.
"Help... someone... help..."
The empty valley was desolate, her cries like a needle falling on cotton, unheard by anyone.
"Rumble... rumble..."
The sound of countless horse hooves thundered overhead!
The Great Yan Army...
The Great Yan Army was crossing Over the Valley of Silence to attack the Jin Kingdom!
Su Yanran's eyes filled with terror, for she and Black Cloud had been hypnotized, bringing disaster to the Jin Kingdom.
She had wanted to use the Jin Kingdom to avenge herself and her family. She had wanted to confront Jiang Xinyue face to face, to trample her beneath her feet and make her repent for her sins.
Yet... not only had she failed to compete with Jiang Xinyue, but with just a single encounter, she had led to the Jin Kingdom's destruction?
Hope faded from her eyes as vultures scavenging in the piles of corpses dove down, blocking out the only sliver of light above her.
Her life... was reaching its end.
In the eighteenth year of the Xuande reign of Great Yan, the Jin Kingdom fell, followed by Fusang, Goguryeo...
With the fall of these nations, the remaining smaller kingdoms' rulers hastily submitted to Great Yan, offering to become vassals and pledge allegiance.
That winter, Jiang Xinyan finally welcomed Third Yan's return.
This time, neither the Cavalry General's Mansion nor Scholar Jiang's Mansion dared to delay further, setting the wedding date for the coming spring—less than two months away.
It turned out that the cold arrow shot by Helian Ying had struck the golden silk soft armor, a family heirloom of the Yan family, leaving Third Yan unscathed, not even a hair out of place. He had feigned injury to mislead the troops, spreading the rumor that the Jin Kingdom had assassinated their strategist to ignite vengeance in his soldiers' hearts.
As the news spread far and wide, the soldiers were driven to amass their energy to seek revenge from the Jin Kingdom.
By the time Great Yan turned its attention to the surrounding small nations, the Jin Kingdom, from the emperor to the common folk, had been condemned.
If not for the Jin Kingdom's provocative actions first, Great Yan would not have launched the war, let alone easily defeated these small nations struggling to survive in cracks.
Thus, the Jin Kingdom's people, their nation vanquished, were despised, marginalized, and expelled wherever they went throughout the land.
They desperately learned the Great Yan's official language, concealed their native accents, and became the wretched survivors.
"Crackle... pop... pop..."
Thunderous sounds of firecrackers echoed through the sky, interrupted endlessly. From the Cavalry General's Mansion to Scholar Jiang's Mansion, everywhere was adorned with red lanterns and silk banners.
All the surrounding shops closed, their doors adorned with various forms of the double-happiness character.
Today was the grand wedding of Third Yan of the Cavalry General's Mansion and the third daughter of Scholar Jiang's Mansion.
The wedding procession stretched from one end of the street to the other, orderly and without chaos, each passing tree adorned with red silk ribbons. A gentle breeze swept by, and the vibrant red banners danced among the lush green leaves, adding both jubilation and beauty to the scene.
On both sides of the streets, throngs of eager onlookers filled the streets, their faces packed together, creating a sea of heads.
Fortunately, the emperor, appreciative of the Cavalry General's merits and the prestige of the Jiang family, ordered the local authorities to dispatch numerous guards to maintain order and safety, preventing stampedes or crowd surges that could collide with the bridal procession.
In the ornate and resplendent bridal sedan, the bride adorned in phoenix coronet and bridal veil slightly lifted the red veil covering her face, revealing an ethereal countenance that made all else pale in comparison.
One of her maids spotted the move, quickly pulling the veil back down with a disapproving frown: "Miss, that veil must be lifted by the groom."
Jiang Xinyan blushed, knowing well that the veil should be lifted only by Third Yan.
She just... just...
Listening to the loud commotion outside, she felt somewhat unreal.
Back when Lady Zhou was still alive, she'd merely wished to marry into an ordinary family as a concubine—not necessarily wealthy or favored, simply seeking stability, to live out her days in peace.
Later, when her elder sister Jiang Xinyue entered the palace and gained the emperor's favor, she'd dreamed of marrying a poor scholar as his chief wife, supporting him in his efforts to pass the exams and become a valuable ally for her sister. Even if he desired concubines, he'd have to seek her consent.
As her sister's favor grew to a point of unparalleled supremacy in the harem, she dared not dream anymore; yet, deep within, she still hoped to encounter a companion who could offer her a lifetime of love and loyalty, a spouse who would share her life equally.
Now, it seemed she had met such a person.
This man accepted her weaknesses, understood her lack of self-confidence, saw beyond her exterior to all her flaws, and yet he still rejected others of greater status to choose her.
Though Third Yan often remarked that he had merely done what any decent man should, and nothing worthy of boasting, this world was full of the cold-hearted and mercenary. The kind and faithful were rare indeed; what a common man could do, most could not manage.
The Cavalry General's Mansion already had a house rule: only after forty years of age, without male heirs, would a concubine be permitted. The Riding General, including Third Yan's elder brother, had never possessed even a concubine, let alone a personal maidservant for comfort.
She wondered if Third Yan's pledge of this life encompassing only her held genuine feeling?
Or... how long would such sincerity last?
But for now, she was willing to wholeheartedly trust Third Yan.
Spring's warm breeze caressed the capital city as Jiang Xinyan was guided from the bridal sedan, the officiant stepping forward to offer her back when a wedding-clad bridegroom brushed her aside: "I'll do it."
"This... this isn't according to tradition."
"In my case, she won't be bound by tradition."
Third Yan grinned rogueishly, crouching down: "Yan, come up."
His wife, for life, deserved only happiness, joy, and health; unnecessary customs need not bind her.
Jiang Xinyan's lips curled into a sweet smile as she slowly leaned onto his back, feeling each other's warmth; their earlobes flushed as crimson as the spring blossoms.
In the crowd, Jiang Xinyue held the emperor's arm, their attire simple, blending in with ordinary folk as they joined the staff gleefully scrambling for the candies scattered from rooftop deportments, losing themselves in the moment as any common couple might.
Yet, their refined looks and bearing, unmistakably elite, betrayed any hope of anonymity.
"Ah!"
A woman's startled cry rang out beside the emperor, his brain momentarily faltering before instinct kicked in, his arm elevating swiftly to steady the figure plummeting behind him.
His forearm braced the young woman's neck more than his palm.
"Cough... cough... Young... gallant gentleman, you're choking... me with your arm."