Who among the gangsters wants to fall in love?

Chapter 462 Shaking Red for One Night

Chapter 462 A Night of Shaking Red (9,000 words)
The wind stopped and the rain ceased; this sudden downpour came and went in a hurry.

The streets were muddy, and the people outside the city of Baihuo filled their broken bowls, large vats, and even chamber pots with water.

Although Baihuo City is located in an oasis, its lakes and freshwater are strictly controlled by the Holy Church... so they are still muttering to themselves at this moment.

"An immortal, a true immortal! If he weren't an immortal, how could it possibly rain on such a sunny day..."

"Who is that immortal?"

"I heard he is Marquis Weiming from the Central Plains."

Zhao Wumian carried his sword and walked slowly toward the temple, alone on the flower-lined white stone street.

His hand was beaten so badly by Uudam that the skin and flesh were stripped away, leaving only white bone, which was extremely gruesome, and it hung down at his waist.

Fortunately, he was proficient in the "Willow Without End" technique, and with the help of the space-time method, flesh and bone grew back in his palm in no time.

Zhao Wumian is not yet capable of bringing someone to life or death; it's too exaggerated and beyond the capabilities of ordinary people.

Even if it's an immortal, if they want to bring someone back to life... they at least have to preserve the soul and reshape the physical body.

But restoring flesh and bones was no longer a difficult task for him.

When ordinary people hiding inside the house saw this, they were immediately amazed and kept calling him an "immortal."

Zhao Wumian ignored her. After walking a few steps, Su Qingqi lifted her skirt and ran over quickly. With a light touch of her toes, she leaped into the air and pounced on Zhao Wumian, her delicate body trembling slightly.

Zhao Wumian, whose hand had fully recovered, touched Su Qingqi's black hair on the back, and then saw Xiao Yuanmu and the others flying over.

Meng Po was panting heavily, her lower abdomen as if pierced by Shen Tu Bu Zui's sword. It was wrapped in white cloth with some blood seeping through, but her face was rosy and she was in good spirits.

The first thing he asked was, "Zhao Wumian, Zhao Wumian, is Uudam dead?"

"Ah."

"Great!" Luo Chaoyan exclaimed, her face flushed with excitement. She then quickly stepped forward and glanced at Zhao Wumian.

"Uudam is no ordinary person... How are your injuries?"

Ji Zihuai had already approached, taking his pulse, and then lifted Zhao Wumian's robe to peek at him. Before Zhao Wumian could speak, she said:
"The external injuries are not noticeable, but the internal injuries are quite serious. A few days of rest will be enough."

Xiao Yuanmu knew Zhao Wumian's martial arts skills. Without the Liuxia Everlasting Lamp, he might have had a tough fight. Now that he had suppressed Wudamu's most prized Qi Luck Technique, defeating the grassland national teacher was a sure thing.

She approached carrying the ever-burning rosy lantern, and without asking any further questions, simply said:

"With Uudam dead, there is no one left in the world to check you... What are your plans next?"

"After finding the Azure Sword, the Imperial Seal, and the fragments of the Eastern Emperor, let's head straight back to the capital."

What about Xiliang?

“With Uudam dead, the morale of the Rong people will surely collapse. Then, once reinforcements arrive from all over the country, we can easily push through. Whether I go or not makes little difference.”

As they talked, they headed out of the city of Baihuo.

Meng Po glanced back at the direction of the temple. Shen Tu Bu Zui was nailed to the golden statue and had already lost his breath.

Shen Tu is not guilty and should be executed. The Holy Sect is now leaderless. It is still a force. Is it going to fall apart like this? Meng Po is a little reluctant.

But as Meng Po pondered, she thought to herself, "My dog of a man is about to become an immortal... Why should I care about these worldly organizations?"

Unexpectedly, Ji Zihuai turned and ran towards the temple, grabbing Zhao Wumian and saying:

"Why are you in such a hurry? Hurry up! The Holy Church has hidden countless treasures in the national treasury over the years. If you leave, aren't you just handing them over to others? Even if they're useless to us, we absolutely cannot let them benefit from them!"

Meng Po blinked, then her eyes lit up, and she took the lead.

"Come on, I'll lead the way!"

A witch is a witch.

With Shentu Buzui and Uudam dead, there is no one in the world who can rival Zhao Wumian.

Zhao Wumian almost wiped out all the military leaders of Nanzhao, the grasslands, the Western Regions, and Goguryeo... He truly conquered the world by force.

Of course, with the high-end combat forces wiped out, the remaining force would naturally have to rely on the mighty million-strong army of Dali to conquer cities and seize territory.

Zhao Wumian and Luo Chaoyan complemented each other perfectly; neither could be missing. Without either of them, the world would not have been pacified so smoothly.

The general trend of the world has already been set in stone.

The remaining trivial matters can be handled by his subordinates; there's no need for Zhao Wumian to run around everywhere.

The Azure Sword was placed in the central army camp of Xiliang by Uudam.

At this moment, the Rong army camp was littered with corpses, in complete disarray, and fleeing in panic.

Zhao Wumian, dressed in a blue robe, stood in front of the tent, raising his hand to grasp the Qingming Sword.

Click————

He flicked his thumb, and the longsword was drawn. The blade gleamed with an ancient, dark blue hue, and the cold light of the blade reflected Zhao Wumian's face.

He recalled the scene when he first met Su Qingqi and Luo Chaoyan in Jin after he lost his memory.

After a moment of silence, he drew his sword and left the tent.

Outside the military camp, tens of thousands of elite soldiers were waiting in the open space, dressed in black armor, with their flags flying high and fluttering in the wind, bearing the character 'Jin'.

The soldiers of the King of Jin were also the soldiers of Zhao Wumian.

This was the first time Zhao Wumian had commanded them since he received the Tiger Tally from the Prince of Jin.

But none of these soldiers from Jin were dissatisfied.

No one in the world would dare to disobey Marquis Weiming.

He drew his Azure Sword and pointed it at the Western Regions.

"strike camp!"

"Tiger tiger tiger—"

Qi Tian's shout shook the heavens and scattered the clouds.

Xiliang belonged to Zhao Wumian. Since Yumen Pass had been breached by the Western Regions, he naturally wanted to get revenge.

With Uudam dead, and the steppe Khan Asur shattered by Zhao Wumian's defeat, he bowed down and begged only for peace and trade, resulting in a clean and decisive defeat.

However, in the Western Regions, after Shen Tu Bu Zui died, several deputy generals still tried to make a comeback, but it was all in vain.

In just a few months, the garrison in the Western Regions was wiped out, and the flags of the imperial court were raised in various cities in the Western Regions.

But all of this has nothing to do with Zhao Wumian anymore.

In June, during the height of summer, the sun blazes fiercely.

The plane trees lining the streets of the capital spread out their dense green shade, and the chirping of cicadas leaked through the leaves, mingling with the shouts of vendors selling sour plum juice, floating and sinking in the sweltering air.

At the gates of the capital, carriages and horses lined the streets like dragons. An ordinary-looking carriage blended into the crowd of people entering the city.

Meng Po, dressed in Western Region attire, sat in front of the carriage, driving the horse. Her silver ornaments jingled as the carriage swayed.

Her beautiful, bright green eyes gazed at the thick city walls of the capital. As a sorceress from the Western Regions, she was used to sneaking into the capital as a petty thief. This was the first time she was entering the capital openly and legitimately as a member of the imperial court.

Inside the carriage, Zhao Wumian sat on a soft couch, holding a small, square piece of white jade in his hand... it was the Imperial Seal of the State.

During his time back in the capital, aside from helping the Imperial Tutor recover, he had nothing else to do, so he took every opportunity to contemplate the Nine Bells.

Now he has fully comprehended the nine bells, and only the Eastern Emperor Bell, which has been completely restored, remains to be fully understood. He has indeed gained much insight from it, and thanks to it, his understanding of the Way of Time and Space has also greatly improved.

On their way back to the capital, they also made a detour to Sichuan to help Madam Tang regain her memories... Although Zhao Wumian was exhausted afterward, he was not nearly dead like he was the first time.

For Zhao Wumian now, becoming an immortal seems to be just around the corner. He only needs to accumulate more resources to completely gather the fragments of the Eastern Emperor...

While I was pondering, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the carriage. For some reason, someone outside shouted:
"The Marquis and the Emperor are back!"

Zhao Wumian lifted the curtain and glanced to the side. The streets and alleys of the capital were deserted, and everyone was excited, looking at the carriages. There were also many little kids standing on the tables of tea stalls and wine shops, all with shining eyes.

Phew—bang!

Some people set off fireworks in broad daylight to celebrate, and soon the sound of fireworks became continuous, with wisps of hazy white smoke rising into the air.

Song Yun, dressed in the uniform of a detective, was holding the hand of a little girl and also standing on the side of the street.

As the carriage approached, Zhao Wumian gestured for it to stop, leaned out, and asked, "Senior Song, how... how did everyone find out about my sneaking out with the Emperor?"

"Wasn't this the Empress Dowager's idea? She was anxious and wanted to know as soon as you returned to the capital, which is why she exposed you two."

Song Yun's heroic face was adorned with a gentle smile, resembling a beautiful woman from the martial arts world.

Zhao Wumian thought to himself that this was indeed something the Empress Dowager would do, and then looked at the little girl next to Song Yun with a strange expression.

"This is...your adopted daughter?"

It's highly unlikely that Song Yun could have any perfect match at his age, and judging from his age, the timing doesn't match up either.

"No, she is Lan's daughter, named Gu Yuehan. Lan has turned over a new leaf and gone into seclusion in the martial world, but he discovered that his daughter has such good potential. He couldn't bear to part with this promising talent, so he made her become my disciple."

Song Yun explained for a moment, then said to the little girl, "Yuehan, this is the Marquis Weiming, as commonly known in the martial arts world. You can call him Brother Zhao."

Gu Yuehan had clearly heard a lot about Zhao Wumian's deeds. Upon hearing this, her eyes lit up, and she called out "Brother Zhao" in a clear voice.

Zhao Wumian nodded slightly and smiled at the little girl, "I also have a little sister in my hometown named Liu Wanqiu. You are about the same age. I'll introduce you to her next time."

After saying this, Song Yun glanced at Meng Po again, then turned to Zhao Wumian and said:
"Now that the Western Regions are pacified and Uudam died at your hands, your prestige among the common people is quite considerable... Someone even erected a golden statue in your honor."

"Golden statue?"

Zhao Wumian looked helpless. He had no interest in these empty titles, but based on his current formidable martial arts skills, his prestige among the common people had indeed reached a level that was unprecedented and unparalleled.

"Jiu'er, have you found it?" Song Yun asked softly.

Zhao Wumian replied, "We will find it."

"Um……"

He chatted with Song Yun for a few more minutes before returning to the palace.

The morning court session had just ended, and there were few people in the palace. However, a number of high-ranking officials had gathered in front of the palace gates to offer their congratulations and celebrate the victory. No one dared to say anything about the emperor feigning illness.

The emperor and the marquis had only been married a short time when they went to the Western Regions for a romantic getaway, and yet they still managed to turn the tables and kill Shentu Buzui and Uudam... They couldn't wait for Zhao Wumian to get married a few more times and take a few more girls out for spring outings.

Zhao Wumian and Luo Chaoyan exchanged a few perfunctory words and entered the palace gate. Before they had taken more than a few steps, the Empress Dowager, dressed in a phoenix dress, hurried over, lifting the hem of her skirt.

Zhao Wumian stepped forward, intending to bow and maintain the proper etiquette between himself and the Empress Dowager in front of outsiders. However, the Empress Dowager directly hugged his neck, jumped up happily, and complained.

"You, Zhao Wumian, you said you'd be back in two months, you left at the end of February, and now it's June... Are you late again?"

"On the way back, I took a detour to Shu, which delayed me for a while." Zhao Wumian embraced the Empress Dowager's slender waist, his nose filled with the captivating fragrance emanating from her.

"Hmph, the first time I invited you to the palace for a simple meal, you were late and delayed the appointed time..."

"Sigh... those are all things from the past..."

"It's only been a few years, and you're already bringing up old news... are you implying something about me?"

"The Empress Dowager looks to be only twenty years old."

"Not eighteen?"

"..."

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the two stood on the imperial road in the palace, whispering secrets between lovers.

Upon seeing this, the palace maids on both sides stared wide-eyed, then quickly lowered their heads, not daring to look any longer.

Only Lian Xue, the Empress Dowager's bed warmer, had her beautiful eyes shining.

The Empress Dowager is having an affair with the Marquis? Does that mean that one day she might become a bed warmer for the Marquis, just like Qingyan?
This is fantastic news!

Outside the palace gates, a group of civil and military officials were in high spirits and had not yet left when they heard the commotion. They turned around and saw that Marquis Weiming was actually holding the Empress Dowager, behaving in a manner that was not that of a subject to a ruler. They immediately fell silent for a moment.

They quickly looked away and left silently, not daring to say another word.

Some people even chuckled.

"Everyone says that Marquis Weiming has no interest in power or wealth, only women... Even with the Emperor and Empress Dowager in the palace, he's not afraid of the Marquis..."

"What more is there to say? Hurry up and leave." Someone tugged at him, and the courtier quickly retreated.

Meng Po stepped off the carriage and curiously looked at Zhao Wumian and the Empress Dowager. She never expected that Zhao Wumian would even be able to seduce the Empress Dowager.

She puffed out her cheeks, then remembered that the Empress Dowager was Shen Xiangge's aunt. Then... oh dear.

Shen Xiangge should be the one jumping up and down.

Meng Po couldn't help but smile when she thought about how anxious Shen Xiangge must have been about this matter.

"Hey? Why did you come along too?" Shen Xiangge was sitting on the palace wall at some point, looking down at Meng Po with a half-smile in her eyes.

It seems that he has already imagined the scene of Meng Po being forced to drink Meng Po soup by Zhao Wumian.

Meng Po looked up at her, and facing her junior sister, she couldn't help but cross her arms and speak in a provocative tone.

"Is there even a question? Of course, it's about stealing your man."

"Steal my man?" Shen Xiangge sneered. "Shameless."

"What does a vixen need shame for?"

At the end of the palace road, Guan Yunshu and Luo Xiangzhu arrived quickly in a palanquin, unlike the Empress Dowager who seemed to be in a hurry.

Guan Yunshu was dressed in a plain dress, her hair was tied up, and she looked no different from Zhao Wumian before she left the capital. She was still as beautiful and lovely as ever, only her aura was a little more ethereal, as if she had a hint of Qingyan.

However, Qingyan was born this way, while Guanyunshu had been in seclusion recently and had made some progress.

She lifted her skirt and stepped down from the palanquin, glancing at Zhao Wumian.

Zhao Wumian turned to look at her. "What are you looking at?"

"Check if you're injured."

"Even if there was an injury, it has long since healed over the past few months."

"But I still can't help being afraid."

Zhao Wumian paused slightly, and then the two of them laughed again.

Luo Xiangzhu was more decisive, walking up to Zhao Wumian and touching him.

Zhao Wumian held her soft, boneless hand and asked softly, "Where is Master?"

Luo Xiangzhu pointed in the direction of Yanyun, then opened her arms and drew a gourd-like shape in the air with her small hands.

This gourd... does resemble Luo Xiangzhu's figure somewhat, beautiful and plump.

Zhao Wumian couldn't help but scrutinize her. Luo Xiangzhu was wearing a pale yellow palace dress, her chest was bulging, and her toes were not visible when she looked down.

Since the matter of the gold-inlaid Boshan furnace was resolved, her health has improved considerably, and she has even become a bit more voluptuous. I wonder how comfortable and enjoyable it would be to hold her in my arms.

"Zhao Wumian?" Guan Yunshu suddenly spoke, bringing Zhao Wumian back to his senses.

Luo Xiangzhu noticed Zhao Wumian's gaze, blushed, covered her chest, and looked away.

But Zhao Wumian understood what she meant.

The fragments of the Eastern Emperor were scattered in various places, and even the Western Regions and the grasslands had not been completely searched. However, the Sword Sect still had some, so Mu Li'er went to retrieve them personally, also as an escort.

Of course, this is definitely not just the Sword Sect; the other three sects and six factions, and even other idle martial arts forces, probably also have some in their hands.

Mu Li'er is currently collecting the scattered fragments of the Eastern Emperor from the martial arts world; otherwise, she would have returned to the capital long ago.

Gathering them all would certainly not be easy, but if one were to leverage the power of the three sects and six factions, and with the phrase "Marquis Weiming wants it," many people would want to get on Zhao Wumian's bandwagon.

Offer this fragment of the Eastern Emperor as a pledge of loyalty. If they refuse, then you'll have to negotiate first and see what conditions they offer in exchange for the fragment.

If they still refuse to listen to reason or pressure, then we'll have to follow the rules of the underworld.

Mu Li'er's matter must have been going on for some time, and it shouldn't be long before she returns.

Ji Zihuai lifted the carriage curtain, stepped down, and, now that the world was newly settled, could enjoy a leisurely life. In a good mood, she smiled and asked:
What do you want to do next?

Zhao Wumian waved his hand and said, "Of course we'll get married when Master returns."

"Getting married?" Meng Po blinked, her pretty face suddenly flushing slightly. Realizing she would definitely have to die on her wedding night, she couldn't help but speak in a soft, gentle tone, "We, the people of the martial world, don't care about such things."

"I care." Zhao Wumian's attitude was firm. This was something that had been agreed upon beforehand, and there was no reason for him to stand aside now.

Meng Po glanced at Zhao Wumian secretly, then looked away. She thought to herself: Zhao Wumian clearly doesn't care about empty fame, but when ordinary people make golden statues of him and erect temples for him, he looks annoyed. Yet, he still cares about this little bit of recognition...

Shen Xiangge narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, gazing at Meng Po with her dazed gaze, and suddenly smiled... presumably pondering how to bully her senior sister on the bed.

"drive!"

Hoofbeats, hoofbeats.

The sound of horses' hooves echoed outside the capital's official road. A female knight-errant in white, with a long sword at her waist, rode a tall horse and galloped from the end of the road. The dust kicked up by the horse's hooves dispersed hazily in the morning light.

Mu Li'er held the reins, her white dress making her look somewhat travel-worn, but as she gently touched the bundle in her arms, she couldn't help but smile.

There aren't many fragments of the Eastern Emperor scattered throughout the martial world. Nowadays, most of the three sects and six factions are under Zhao Wumian's control, and with the help of Tai Xuan Palace and Cang Hua Lou, it wouldn't take much effort to collect them all. It was actually smoother than she had imagined.

With the capital city so close at hand, Mu Li'er couldn't help but wonder... had her lover returned?

Once inside the city, she dismounted, led her horse, and walked along the street. She noticed red lanterns fluttering and silks hanging, similar to the attire Zhao Wumian wore when they got married.

Mu Li'er frowned slightly, led her horse, and stood by the wine shop on the street for a while before she learned that Zhao Wumian had already returned to the capital and was now busy preparing for the wedding.

Even the full list was announced, including Empress Dowager Shen Nange, Xiao Yuanmu, Luo Xiangzhu... all familiar names.

After listening for a while, she heard her own name on the list. Mu Li'er blushed and muttered to herself, "What a misfortune for our sect, what a misfortune for our sect." Then, blushing, she quickly left.

Upon entering the palace, she had only walked a few steps when she was greeted by palace maids and led to Kunning Palace. In the corridor, she saw Zhao Wumian push open the door and walk out.

The two exchanged a glance and quickly approached each other. Mu Li'er had not seen her lover for several months, so she couldn't help but hug her disciple's neck and giggle, but with a hint of stuttering shyness.

"When are you returning to the capital? Why are you thinking of getting married so soon?"

“I’ll be back in early June… With my current prestige and achievements, I can marry whoever I want, so why are we delaying? It’s better to have a formal title sooner rather than later.”

Zhao Wumian couldn't help but smile, "Fortunately, Master is back. I was wondering if you would run into any trouble in the martial world."

"You've practically slaughtered all the martial arts champions of the Central Plains. With my martial arts skills, what trouble could I possibly encounter? All this time has been wasted mainly on searching..."

After exchanging a few words, Xiao Lengyue leaned out of Kunning Palace.

Her hair was styled in a bun, and she had applied rouge, already wearing red makeup, looking stunningly beautiful. When she saw Mu Li'er, she waved slightly to her.

"Come and try on your makeup. Whatever you wear tonight will be what you wear on your wedding day tomorrow. You should try on several different makeup styles."

"tomorrow?"

“We have been waiting for quite a while… but Sword Master Mu has had a long journey, so waiting a few more days will not be a problem.”

"Tomorrow's wedding ceremony would be perfect..."

They say that women of the martial arts world are unconventional, but that's only when they have no other choice.

If Zhao Wumian were just a wandering swordsman who couldn't provide Mu Li'er with a stable and comfortable life, then she wouldn't care about any marriage... Wherever Zhao Wumian went, she would go.

Now that she has such good conditions, she can't help but feel eager and excited.

Inside, the room was decorated like a wedding room, with red kites pasted on the window paper, lanterns and screens, and the bed and bedding all changed to red.

The table was even decorated with fruits and melons, symbolizing many children and good fortune.

Upon seeing this scene, Mu Li'er felt tense again.

She wasn't the only one who was nervous.

Guan Yunshu and Luo Xiangzhu were also sitting at the table, trying on their wedding dresses. They sat upright with dignified posture, their hands clasped tightly on their laps, motionless, like dolls.

As a married woman who had already been married, Luo Chaoyan was experienced and much more at ease than the other girls. She spoke of her feelings and customs when she got married.

Zhao Wumian stood in the corridor but didn't go in... He had been kicked out in the first place.

The girls were annoyed by his constant looking around, and felt embarrassed.

Footsteps could be heard outside the palace. The Empress Dowager and Xiao Yuanmu had just finished bathing and were now wearing their hair up as they descended from their palanquins.

The three walked towards Kunning Palace in the corridor, and Zhao Wumian said from the side:

"When Chaoyan and I got married, we rode around the capital from Xiangshan. We'll do that together then..."

Before he could finish speaking, the Empress Dowager glanced at him sideways, her expression extremely serious. Her hands were clasped over her lower abdomen, exuding an air of dignified elegance. Her lips parted slightly, and she said:

"My lord, don't worry about these troublesome rules... You'd better not do anything and rest well. Save your energy for the wedding night. There are many girls this time, but I still want at least five times, understand?"

When Luo Chaoyan got married, the Empress Dowager kept talking about palace rules, but now that it's her turn, she doesn't care about those things anymore.

These raunchy words made Zhao Wumian pause for a moment, then look at Yuan Mu again.

Xiao Yuanmu truly didn't care about such things. Upon hearing this, he casually waved his hand and said, "I don't care. You handle it as you see fit."

"Where has that girl Xiangge gone again?" the Empress Dowager asked.

"I don't know... Meng Po isn't here either. She and her fellow disciples often quarrel, but their relationship must be good. I guess they're together now."

"Xiangge is never one to be easy to deal with..."

The Empress Dowager muttered to herself as she entered Kunning Palace with Xiao Yuanmu and began trying on her wedding dress and makeup. However, it wasn't long before Xiao Yuanmu started arguing with Luo Chaoyan again.

Standing outside, Zhao Wumian realized that he, who had always been lawless, had become the one who cared most about the rules in this matter.

However, since the Empress Dowager said so, and the other girls also felt the same way, then there was indeed no need for excessive luxury.

Rules don't matter; what matters is that they got married.

The wedding ceremony will be held tomorrow.

After the news of the marriage spread, the Prince of Yan, the elders of the Mu family, the abbot of Dongwen Temple in Xiaoxitian, and Su Qingqi's mother had already arrived in the capital and were being entertained by the Shen family.

Many people get married, but they don't have many elders.

Most people in the martial arts world are like this.

Compared to the previous generation, their generation is obviously much happier.

After a day of hospitality, as night fell, the palace was bathed in red lanterns, and the palace maids who came and went changed into their wedding dresses, all of them happy.

It wasn't because they received a reward, but because they saw that the Marquis had married so many wives. If they took a liking to one another in the future, wouldn't they also have a chance?
Even without a formal title, just having sex with the Marquis would be good enough.

Inside Kunning Palace, Zhao Wumian, dressed in red, walked along the corridor.

He drank some wine with the Prince of Yan and the others, and was slightly dizzy, but with a burst of internal energy, he immediately felt no more drunkenness.

According to the hierarchy of seniority, Zhao Wumian should have been the first to consummate his marriage with his concubine, but if that were the case, he would be running between Zeng Lengyue and the palace.

The girls thought it was a waste of time, so they discussed letting Xiao Lengyue and the Empress Dowager consummate their marriage together.

The difference between the two of them is no more than first or second place. At worst, they can first support Ting Lieyue and then contradict the Empress Dowager during their wedding night, which will not be considered breaking the rules.

As Zhao Wumian pondered, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. He pushed open the door and saw that the Empress Dowager's phoenix bed had already been replaced with a wedding bed that could comfortably accommodate more than a dozen people.

All the girls were dressed in different styles of wedding gowns, sitting on the couch, their heads covered with red veils, sitting dignifiedly, quietly waiting there.

The candlelight flickered gently, the wedding dress was bright red, and it was the perfect time for the wedding to be held.

Zhao Wumian closed the door, glanced at them a few times, and asked with a hint of surprise, "What's going on with you...?"

Only Luo Chaoyan and Ji Zihuai were not wearing wedding dresses, so they naturally wouldn't steal the spotlight from the other sisters at this time.

Ji Zihuai sat at the small table, her delicate hand holding a piece of pastry, her cheeks slightly puffed out, chewing slowly and deliberately, saying:
“We’ve discussed it. The wedding night will only last one night. After tonight, when the sun rises, the special feeling of the wedding night will be gone… To save some time, why don’t we just stay together? Anyway, this bed is big enough, so you won’t have to run back and forth.”

Luo Chaoyan nodded slightly, her pretty face blushing slightly. She thought to herself that it was a good thing she got married early, otherwise, it would have been so embarrassing to have her wedding night in front of all her sisters.

She picked up the gold scale beam, handed it to Zhao Wumian, and smiled slightly, "Alright, my lord, choose."

"What to choose?"

"They're all wearing red veils. Before you lift the veils, you have to say their names first..."

"What kind of rule is this?"

"Our rules."

"What is the punishment if I don't recognize it?"

“There will be no punishment, but someone will definitely be sad... like my sister. If you didn’t recognize her, she would definitely cry.”

"?"

Luo Xiangzhu sat on the edge of the bed, already extremely shy. Now that Luo Chaoyan had said these words, her delicate body trembled slightly. She turned her head to look in Luo Chaoyan's direction, signaling her not to say anything more.

Zhao Wumian, Luo Chaoyan: "..."

Luo Chaoyan said with a hint of helplessness, "Alright, now you know which one is the older sister... Go choose the other girls."

Luo Xiangzhu trembled again, her little face under the red veil looking like she was about to cry.

Zhao Wumian took the scale rod and went to the wedding bed, where Luo Chaoyan reminded him from behind.

"My lord, you mustn't use martial arts, or you'll seem guilty."

Zhao Wumian, of course, would not feel guilty and refuse. He looked at the ladies a few times.

The Empress Dowager has the best figure, with hips wider than her shoulders and a full bust. Now it's midsummer and the weather is hot, so the girls aren't wearing much. The thin wedding dress draped over their bodies accentuates their figures even more.

Even when wearing a bellyband and a small top, one can still tell at a glance what kind of figure she has.

Girls with figures as good as the Empress Dowager, as well as Miss Su, Xiangge, Master, Aunt, and Sister Xiangzhu.

But Xiangzhu has already given herself away for nothing, so what about the remaining five...?

Zhao Wumian lifted a young woman's red veil. She had been waiting for a long time and was picking out embroidered shoes when she saw Zhao Wumian enter the room. She immediately became serious.

Xiao Lengyue's pretty face slowly appeared in the candlelight.

She couldn't help but smile, but felt embarrassed, fearing that Zhao Wumian would pick her up and pin her against the wall, so she quickly gestured to the side with her mouth.

"Go and lift the red veils of the other girls."

Zhao Wumian looked at a woman with her hands folded over her lower abdomen, sitting in a graceful and noble posture, and gently lifted her with the scale rod.

The Empress Dowager, adorned in red makeup, raised her mature and noble face slightly, gazing at Zhao Wumian, and asked curiously:
"How did you know, Lord Marquis?" the Empress Dowager said, straightening her back, her body almost bursting out of her body.

Clearly, the Empress Dowager considered herself the most important person...

"Your Majesty is the most noble." Zhao Wumian smiled slightly.

"Oh..." The Empress Dowager pouted her lips. Although it wasn't the answer she had imagined, it wasn't bad either.

She chuckled, glanced around, then stood up and gave Zhao Wumian a quick kiss on the lips.

Xiao Lengyue's beautiful eyes widened slightly, as if she wanted to curse, but she was not as bold as the Empress Dowager. She could only think about how she must do it in front of the Empress Dowager during the wedding night...

Zhao Wumian smiled, pondered for a moment, and then approached a girl wearing a wedding dress.

Her figure was indeed slightly inferior to the Empress Dowager's; although it was still good, it wasn't as exaggerated as the Empress Dowager's, and it was similar to Guan Yunshu's.

Upon hearing that Zhao Wumian had come before her, she showed no shyness and looked up directly, her gaze seemingly able to penetrate the veil and look into Zhao Wumian's eyes.

Lifting the veil, Xiao Yuanmu, her hair piled up, looked up at him. Seeing this, Xiao Yuanmu raised her eyebrows slightly, hesitated for a moment, and then asked:

"You only recognize me when I look up at you?"

"Look up, and I'll be right here."

"Why?"

“I can recognize you even if I don’t remember you, let alone now that you’re just covered by a red cloth?”

Xiao Yuanmu was slightly taken aback, then pursed her lips, suddenly becoming shy, lowered her eyes, and remained silent.

Zhao Wumian then appeared before a dashing, tall woman in red and lifted her veil.

As the tallest woman from Yanyun, Mu Li'er posed little challenge, but she didn't care. She simply blushed and whispered:
"If only I hadn't been born in Yanyun... How wonderful it would have been to be a woman from Jiangnan."

"Why? Just so I can look at my master a few more times?"

"Of course it's because you're from Jiangnan. If we were teacher and student in Jiangnan, we might have had some entanglement before."

"That's not bad."

"right?"

As soon as they finished speaking, the two of them started laughing again.

After laughing for a while, Zhao Wumian began to look for Shen Xiangge and Meng Po.

The two women were about the same age, but Meng Po, as the senior sister, was actually a few months older, yet she was surprisingly easy to find.

As a woman from the Central Plains, Meng Po did not wear a wedding dress from the Central Plains, but rather the sacrificial robes worn during the fire worship ceremony that day.

Different styles naturally stand out.

Zhao Wumian approached Meng Po. Meng Po looked up at him, smiled slightly, and asked directly:
"Do you like it? I knew you'd like me in this outfit back at the Fire Worship Festival..."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wumian did not answer, but merely looked at Meng Po, yet hesitated to lift the red veil.

Meng Po's smile gradually faded, and her tone became slightly tense, "You, why don't you lift the veil... Do you regret marrying a barbarian woman like me?"

“You are not Meng Po,” Zhao Wumian suddenly said. “You are Shen Xiangge.”

After she finished speaking, the bridal chamber fell silent for a moment. Then, 'Meng Po' looked up and gestured for Zhao Wumian to lift the red veil.

After lifting the lid, it was clearly Meng Po's face, but her expression was no longer tense as before. Instead, she seemed a little annoyed and lightly tapped her embroidered shoes on the ground as if she were being coquettish.

"how do you know?"

"Your senior sister isn't as bold as you. At a time like this, she'd be sweating profusely with nervousness. How could she possibly have the leisure to joke around with me?"

Shen Xiangge raised her hand to cover her face, and she returned to her original appearance.

She glared at a woman in a wedding dress beside her, "Useless! You're a demoness from the Demonic Sect, what's the big deal about getting married?"

Meng Po, her head covered by a red veil, raised her eyebrows upon hearing this and turned her head to look.

"Your acting skills are bad, so you're blaming me?"

Who knew you were so shy?

"Don't think I haven't talked to the Empress Dowager. When you two got married in Kunning Palace, you weren't much better off than me."

Seeing the two women arguing loudly on their wedding night, Guan Yunshu couldn't help but speak up:
"Stop arguing, he hasn't even lifted my veil yet. If you want to argue, go outside."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiangge couldn't help but look at him and said, "He hasn't even lifted the lid yet, what are you saying? Isn't this just exposing him out of thin air?"

"Boring, he'll definitely recognize me."

Why are you so convinced?

"There's no reason," Guan Yunshu replied.

Zhao Wumian did not speak, but gently lifted the veils of Meng Po and Guan Yunshu in turn.

Guan Yunshu gave him a smug smile, "Am I right?"

Zhao Wumian couldn't help but rub her pretty face, and Guan Yunshu raised her hand and placed it on the back of his hand.

Only the youngest Princess Xiangzhu and Miss Su remain to be listed on the card.

After lifting the veil, Xiao Lengyue immediately pressed herself against Luo Chaoyan and Ji Zihuai.

"On your wedding night, aren't you two leaving yet?"

Luo Chaoyan and Ji Zihuai paused, hesitating.

Zhao Wumian scooped up his aunt around the waist and carried her to the door, where he locked the doors and windows even tighter.

"Since we're already here... it's no trouble."