Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot

The bride was abducted halfway, but fortunately, the groom rescued her.

The guests breathed a sigh of relief but were extremely puzzled as to who had the audacity to attempt to disrupt the marriage between the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion and the Jin Prince Mansion.

Moreover, it was said that the assassins only abducted but did not harm anyone; in fact, one of the assassins got injured while trying to save the bride.

It seems the other party was trying to steal the bride.

The first reaction of everyone was that it was done by the Crown Prince Mansion.

But, the Imperial Grandson, upon being titled the Guardian Qilin, hadn't even glanced at Miss Gongsun, instead frequently showing affection towards Miss Yan.

"Look at that."

A lady who witnessed the bride-snatching halfway pointed at the bride and said, "Isn't her wedding dress changed?"

Her maid widened her eyes and nodded.

Another lady named Zhong asked, "Madam Wu, perhaps you've seen it wrong?"

Madam Wu confidently said, "Didn't see wrong! That wedding dress was quite plain."

Madam Li asked, "How could the wedding dress of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion's young lady be plain?"

Madam Wu explained, "What I mean is, the wedding dress just now was a typical red bridal dress with a phoenix crown, the material was indeed good, and the pearls were top quality, but compared to this phoenix wedding dress, it was simply insignificant."

This wedding dress was so beautiful that it seemed to show a phoenix soaring to everyone.

Madam Zhong chuckled and teased, "Could it be that the bride was switched?"

Madam Li quickly stopped her, "Shh, don't talk nonsense!"

Whether they said it or not, the watching ladies had overheard it.

No one said a word, but the gossip started in their hearts.

Was it possible that something happened to the bride, and they switched her at the last moment?

"Didn't the Commandery Prince say it was Gongsun Liuying?" Madam Wu said, perhaps she just changed the wedding dress."

The ladies glanced at each other.

Changed the wedding dress?

What could have happened?

Could it be the bride had—

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Madam Li heavily cleared her throat.

The ladies quickly shut their mouths.

With Gongsun Liuying's hearing, how could she not hear these gossipy women slandering her?

She should have had a grand, world-renowned wedding, never thinking that before entering the door, she would suffer such humiliation.

Lu Qi politely said to Gongsun Yanming, "Father-in-law, the hour has come, Liuying and I should proceed to the main hall."

He gracefully and elegantly walked past Gongsun Yanming, holding the red silk with Gongsun Liuying.

His face maintained a gentle smile throughout.

"Here, people."

He said softly.

An attendant from the Jin Prince Mansion immediately came forward, "Commandery Prince."

Lu Qi accompanied the bride over the brazier while instructing the attendant, "Please invite the Pavilion Master to take a seat."

"Yes, Commandery Prince!"

The attendant replied, moving around to Gongsun Yanming's side from the back of the crowd, "Pavilion Master, the Commandery Prince invites you to take a seat."

The old woman grinned, saying, "The bride has crossed the brazier!"

Gongsun Yanming's deep gaze fell on the pair of newlyweds.

Suddenly, he noticed something, looking towards the other guests watching the bride's entrance.

A familiar figure came into view.

Meng Qianqian, dressed in the attire of a Thousand Mechanism Pavilion disciple, with a veil covering her face, only exposed a pair of eyes as still as ancient wells.

Meng Qianqian was also looking at him.

In that fleeting moment of eye contact, Meng Qianqian's gaze did not avoid in the slightest.

"Oh my goodness! Did he see me?"

Shangguan Ling quickly turned around, using his hand to cover his face.

Tan'er said, "With your disguise like this, even your biological father wouldn't recognize you!"

Shangguan Ling touched the fake beard and wrinkles at the corner of his eyes, "That's true, is he still looking?"

Tan'er said, "Yes, he is."

Shangguan Ling felt a headache.

If he had known Gongsun Yanming would come, he wouldn't have come to the Jin Prince Mansion to... oh, to attend the banquet.

Meng Qianqian and Gongsun Yanming exchanged glances, neither backing down.

"Pavilion Master?"

The attendant asked softly.

Gongsun Yanming retracted his gaze and left with the attendant.

The guests also followed Lu Qi and the bride to the main hall.

Once everyone dispersed, the path sides became quiet.

Shangguan Ling could finally speak freely, "What is Lu Qi thinking exactly? I thought he'd call off the wedding... is he not bothered by being cuckolded?"

Tan'er took a bite of the candied hawthorn purchased halfway, "Mother said if you want to get by in life, there's got to be a bit of green over your head!"

Shangguan Ling: "..."

Tan'er hummed, "You want green, but don't have it!"

Shangguan Ling: "The candied hawthorn is mine, give it back."

Tan'er went around to Meng Qianqian's other side, stuck her tongue out at Shangguan Ling: "Nyeh-nyeh-nyeh."

Shangguan Ling felt a headache again, first it was Yu Zichuan, and now this little girl, sooner or later, he'll be infuriated to death by these two troublemakers.

Meng Qianqian replied to Shangguan Ling's words, "Lu Qi is no pushover, the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion dared to do this to him, it's only natural he can't swallow his pride."

Shangguan Ling pondered, "Is he planning to retaliate against the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion?"

Meng Qianqian replied, "Human nature is fickle; whether it's retaliation or exploitation is yet to be decided."

Shangguan Ling thought the Young Madam made sense.

"Shall we go watch the wedding ceremony?"

He asked.

"No!" Tan'er flatly refused, "I want to eat braised pork!"

It's not like it's her sister's wedding.

She'd only watch if it were her sister's wedding!

Shangguan Ling gave up.

Why did he ever think it a good idea to split up with the Grand Commander, Ji Li, and Si Snake? In hindsight, he should've gone with them.

Thinking of the ceremony, he glanced once more at the gradually receding figures of Lu Qi and Gongsun Liuying.

"Young Madam, why do I feel like her wedding dress looks somewhat familiar?"

Meng Qianqian curved her lips into a smile, "Indeed, it's copied so well."

Gongsun Liuying, you stole my life chart, and even the wedding dress mimics the Phoenix Feather Robe master made for me.

You really like my things.

Main hall.

Prince Jin and Princess Jin were seated at the main table.

"First bow to heaven and earth—"

"Second bow to the parents—"

"Husband and wife bow to each other—"

The old woman supported Gongsun Liuying but noticed she was reluctant to bow, so she quietly reminded her, "Bride, it's time to bow."

Gongsun Liuying clenched the red silk tightly, her knuckles turning white.

The guests, seeing this scene, all wore strange expressions.

Prince Jin frowned.

Princess Jin nonchalantly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.

After all, it's not her biological son or daughter-in-law.

Whether they bow to her, she doesn't care.

"Bride, bride!"

The old woman was getting anxious.

Lu Qi gave the old woman a warning glance.

The old woman got the message and immediately pressed down on Gongsun Liuying, forcing her head down.

Lu Qi bent down to bow with her.

Gongsun Liuying had been born as a Phoenix Girl, the first daughter of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, yet for the first time, she was reduced to a helpless fish on a chopping board.

Her heart surged with endless humiliation.

Beneath the veil, her eyes turned red.

She wanted to struggle, but the old woman had some strength too.

The onlookers watched as the old woman forced the bride down, veins bulging on her hand, feeling increasingly that this marriage was exceedingly bizarre.

And the ritual, almost as if deliberately making things difficult for the bride, delayed the call for them to rise.

It wasn't until tears of humiliation and anger fell on the ground that the officiant finally announced in a loud voice, "The ceremony is complete—"