After the favored concubine remarried, the aloof and powerful minister forcibly took her away.

Chapter 213 I am the ex-lover, he is the groom

The two exchanged a smile, and Shang Yan left the Lu residence without saying anything more.

The wedding was held as scheduled, and Ling'an City was decorated with lanterns and streamers, bustling with activity. But beneath this excitement, only Xiang Ning and Shang Yan knew the truth behind it all.

Wearing a phoenix coronet and wedding gown, Xiang Ning looked at her radiant yet helpless reflection in the mirror, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

I never imagined that I would wear a wedding dress for the first time under such circumstances.

The wedding was a fake, so there wasn't much of a complicated process.

Just as Chunxi put the veil over Xiangning's head, they heard the sound of rain pouring down outside.

"Girl, it's raining."

Hearing this, Xiang Ning didn't say much, but with the rain, the wedding sedan chair that had been prepared couldn't be used.

"Go prepare the carriage and have someone deliver the prepared goods to the merchant first."

She gave a stern order: "Those are all fakes, just to pass them off as real."

Chunxi agreed and went to prepare with a smile.

Before long, the carriage was ready, and Shang Yan arrived. Xiang Ning was helped out by Chun Xi.

The sound of rain hitting the umbrella was like a musical piece.

As soon as he stepped out of the Lu residence, Lu Jiang looked at Xiang Ning's attire and felt uneasy.

Even though it's fake, I feel like my little sister really got married.

In short, he was very unhappy.

Shang Yan looked at Xiang Ning, his heart tightening. Just as he reached out to hand over the red silk, an umbrella came from behind him.

The rain soaked Xiang Ning's wedding dress. She turned her head to look and saw that the red veil embroidered with mandarin ducks had also been lifted up.

Pei Yanzhi's hand holding the umbrella trembled slightly, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and pain.

He stared intently at Xiang Ning, as if trying to see right through her.

The tip of the rain-soaked umbrella was pointed at her, and even though he didn't say anything, Xiang Ning seemed to understand what he wanted to say.

"You said that if you were with me, it would be for life, and I took it seriously. You also made a promise to me, and I kept it."

"How come you're marrying someone else after only a few days?"

Pei Yanzhi looked at Shang Yan and stepped down from the carriage: "I am your ex-lover, and he is your groom. You are deceiving me again."

Rainwater slid down her cheeks, mingling with the emotions in Xiang Ning's eyes.

She opened her mouth, but was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to explain.

Shang Yan stood aside, looking at the tense scene before him, feeling embarrassed and helpless.

He stepped forward, trying to break the deadlock: "Lord Pei, there is a reason for this, and I hope you will listen to my explanation."

Pei Yanzhi, however, acted as if he hadn't heard: "I don't need your explanation."

In his eyes, pain was gradually replaced by anger.

Xiang Ning took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down: "My marriage to Young Master Shang is a sham. It's only to save his father. There's nothing else to it."

She stepped forward, took the umbrella, pulled Pei Yanzhi aside, and quickly recounted the whole story.

Upon hearing this, Pei Yanzhi frowned, and the doubt in his eyes did not completely disappear.

"A fake marriage? Such a big deal, why didn't you discuss it with me? Am I really so untrustworthy in your heart?"

"It's not a big deal. We'll wait until Shang Yan rescues his father..."

Before Xiang Ning could finish speaking, Pei Yanzhi interrupted her: "You've lied to me time and time again. This time, I don't believe you."

"Believe it or not, this is what I promised Shang Yan to do, and he has already paid me."

She couldn't be someone who broke her promise, given that the business owned half of its shares.

"You're wearing your wedding dress and marrying someone else, and you expect me to be magnanimous? I won't agree to that."

Pei Yanzhi looked at Xiang Ning's outfit, and the sourness in his eyes was almost palpable.

"Didn't you lift the veil?"

Xiang Ning said this with a hint of helplessness.

When would someone as perceptive as Pei Yanzhi ever confront someone so directly without even considering the reasons? Even if she were to marry, given Lu Jiang and Lu Weimin's affection for her, would she do it so quietly?
"He can get someone else to help him..."

"Lord Pei, have you forgotten our agreement?"

Upon hearing Xiang Ning's words, Pei Yanzhi's heart tightened: "I haven't forgotten..."

"When I understand your thoughts and truly know you, you will consider being with me."

After he finished speaking, Xiang Ning raised her eyebrows slightly: "I'm helping Shang Yan because I can get half of the company's shares after the deal is done."

"If you want to understand me, then you should understand what I want to do now."

Xiang Ning has her own things to do now and will not give up such a good opportunity because of other people's opinions.

Furthermore, since Shang Yan had come to her for help, and lives were at stake, she wouldn't stand idly by.

"Okay, I understand, but..."

Upon seeing Xiang Ning's attire, Pei Yanzhi, amidst her exclamation, directly carried her horizontally into the Lu residence.

Half an hour later, Chunxi, dressed in wedding attire, came out and boarded the merchant's carriage.

Pei Yanzhi said that he could understand what Xiang Ning wanted to do, but he could not accept her marrying Shang Yan.

That's just etiquette; once you've bowed to heaven and earth, you're husband and wife.

Chunxi happened to be there as well, so she said she would go to the wedding ceremony in Xiangning's place.

She didn't say much; she could even get a good reward from the merchants.

After everyone left the Lu residence, Xiang Ning looked at Pei Yanzhi sitting opposite her.

"Chunxi went in my place, what are you still watching me for?"

"After the ceremony, I actually came here today because I had something to tell you."

Pei Yanzhi sat down in front and reached out to take Xiang Ning's hand.

"Lu Yongkang's whereabouts have been discovered in the North. Wei Ziqian and I will go there together."

As long as Lu Yongkang lives, he will always be a menace, so he must personally go to the Northern Border.

"Duan Zhuo is in the capital, now serving as the Commander of the Capital Guard. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to go to the Wen family to seek help."

“I will leave Chenghua with you. He has my token and can mobilize my private guards.”

"besides……"

Pei Yanzhi kept talking, but before he could finish, Xiang Ning suddenly pulled her hand away.

"What you're saying sounds like a will."

This made her heart inexplicably tense.

"The Northern Border and Daqing have always been at odds, so my trip here may not be very safe."

He carefully considered his words, only saying that things weren't entirely peaceful.

But Xiang Ning knew from listening that this trip was fraught with danger.

"And Shang Yan, he's going too. Perfect, I'll take him with me."

When he said this, there was still a hint of jealousy in Pei Yanzhi's voice. He took the person away to save himself from doing anything else.

“I don’t need Duan Zhuo’s protection, nor do I need Cheng Hua. If you’re really worried about me, then protect your own life.”

“Pei Yanzhi, I haven’t even agreed to your request yet. If something happens to you, I’ll immediately marry someone else and become your widow. You wish.”

Xiang Ning turned her head away and stood up. Pei Yanzhi listened to her words and reached out to hug her.

He rested his head on her lower abdomen and quietly pulled off the jade pendant from her waist.

“I’ve said it before, I value my life, I’m not willing to die, and I won’t do anything to make you a widow.”

He wanted to tell Xiang Ning to wait for him to come back, but he was afraid that the word "wait" was too heavy.

If he doesn't come back, how can we keep people waiting?

"I will come back safely."

After thinking for a moment, he said those words and put the jade pendant into his pocket.

After the intense suffering comes the ultimate sweetness!
(End of this chapter)