Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 511 Exploring Luo Yuheng's Secret (7,000 words, many thanks to Yong Su for being the Alliance Leader)
The marriage with Hua Lianyue?
Song Yan sat ramrod straight. This was extremely important. Although Hua Lian Yue was about to marry him, Song Yan understood that Hua Lian Yue still had many people she couldn't bear to part with in the Chu Kingdom. Leaving aside others, her sister Lin Xue and Princess Chu Meng Lan of Chu were both Hua Lian Yue's disciples. There were dozens of such disciples in the Su Nu Pavilion. Since he was going to marry Hua Lian Yue, he had to make sure all those she valued were satisfied, and he couldn't leave any imperfect memories in Hua Lian Yue's heart.

Hua Lian Yue raised an eyebrow. Even though she was a Grandmaster-level expert, her cheeks flushed slightly upon hearing that her marriage would be discussed. Normally, a young woman's marriage would be decided by her elders, and she herself should be absent... But Hua Lian Yue's situation was special, so she didn't care much about such things.

Chu Yue was also helpless.

According to the Chu Emperor's wishes, Hua Lian Yue's marriage must not be stopped unless there is sufficient evidence to prove that Song Yan is a complete scumbag and that he is confident enough to destroy the relationship between Hua Lian Yue and Song Yan. Otherwise, no one should say anything, otherwise it will only anger Hua Lian Yue and be of no use.

Although Song Yan was a bit bloodthirsty, he was genuinely good to the women around him.

Song Yan already has a legal wife, so Hua Lian Yue can only be considered a concubine. However, Hua Lian Yue herself has no objection, so Chu Yue can't say anything more... At most, they can call themselves Hua Lian Yue's family and help with the wedding arrangements. But if they say or do too much, they will only anger Hua Lian Yue.

If this marriage cannot be stopped, then try to bring Song Yan and Hua Lianyue back to Chu. Any women around Song Yan that you want to bring can also be brought along. No matter what conditions Song Yan has, Chu will do its best to agree.

Unfortunately, this option also cannot be successful.

After all, if they had stayed in Dongling City for another ten days or half a month, they might have been able to witness Song Yan ascend the throne and become emperor.

No matter how generous the Chu emperor was, he would never offer any higher terms.

He can't just become an emperor emeritus, can he?

If all else fails, then, as Hua Lian Yue's family, we should hold a grand wedding for her, so that she will remember the good things about Chu and never forget that she is from Chu, and that Chu is her maternal home.

In short, one must not offend them, but also maintain a good relationship. In case one needs Hua Lian Yue's help in the future, Hua Lian Yue will find it difficult to refuse. The Chu Emperor is very clear about this matter; unless absolutely necessary, he would never offend a grandmaster-level expert.

Thinking this, Chu Yue cleared his throat and said loudly, "As you know, Lord Marquis, Pavilion Master Hua is from the State of Chu. With her looks, talent and ability, she naturally has many suitors, but she has rejected them all."

This even includes the Emperor of Chu.

"Now that the Pavilion Master is willing to submit to the Marquis, we, the people of Chu, though reluctant, respect the Pavilion Master's wishes. We only hope that the Marquis will treat the Pavilion Master sincerely and not let the Pavilion Master suffer any injustice in Ning Kingdom."

Song Yan nodded: "Lian Yue is married to me, and I will never let her suffer any grievances. I will always treat her with sincerity."

Are you kidding me? You want Hua Lianyue to suffer?
Let's talk about it after we can beat them.

Don't be fooled by Luo Tianxuan's status as a grandmaster; if it really came down to a fight, even if Luo Tianxuan, Luo Tianyi, and Ziyu were all together, they might not be a match for Hua Lianyue.

Hua Lianyue's blush deepened.

A light mist rose in her eyes. Although she was many years older than Song Yan, she still felt a little secretly pleased when she heard such sweet words.

After all, Song Yan doesn't usually say sweet words.

"Your word is as good as gold, and I certainly believe it." Chu Yue nodded: "It is customary for elders to be present at a wedding. However, the parents of Pavilion Master Hua have passed away early. But General Lin Xue and Princess Chu Menglan of my Chu Kingdom are both disciples of Pavilion Master Hua. Our Emperor has said that if Pavilion Master is to marry, then Chu Kingdom will be her maternal home. Can Your Majesty accept this?"

Hua Lianyue blinked, perhaps thinking that such a condition would put Song Yan in a difficult position. Just as she was about to speak, Song Yan waved his hand and smiled, "Of course it's not impossible."

“Although the Marquis already has a wife, as her family, we don’t want the Pavilion Master to suffer any injustice when she gets married,” Chu Yue nodded and said again.

This time, it was not Song Yan who responded to Chu Yue, but Luo Yuheng.

After all, Luo Tianxuan was Song Yan's legal wife. If Song Yan were to speak up at this time, it would be seen as mistreating his legal wife. Luo Yuheng took over the conversation, which not only relieved Song Yan's predicament but also demonstrated the magnanimity and tolerance of the Luo family.

Luo Yuheng was a shrewd and astute person, and he would not show weakness at such a time: "Please rest assured, Envoy Chu, neither Yan'er nor Tianxuan will treat Lianyue unfairly."

"I also like Lian Yue very much."

"Regarding Lian Yue's marriage, I have already discussed it with Tian Xuan. Yan'er is a marquis, so we will proceed according to the standard for a marquis to marry his principal wife, which is an overreach."

"The ceremonial robes and carriages are of the highest quality, and the floor is adorned with seven treasures. I wonder if the Chu envoy is satisfied?"

This is actually a huge overstepping of authority.

It's much higher than the specifications that Luo Yuheng and Luo Tianxuan had previously discussed.

Luo Yuheng was helpless. The Chu envoy had stated that the entire Chu Kingdom was equivalent to Hua Lian Yue's maternal family, implying a status even higher than that of a Chu princess. Even disregarding Song Yan's feelings for Hua Lian Yue and her own Grandmaster-level strength, this marriage could not be arranged according to the standards of an ordinary marquis's wedding. If the ceremony was not grand enough, it would be disrespectful to a Chu woman and an insult to Chu's national dignity. In an era that placed great importance on reputation and dignity, Chu could even use this as a pretext to wage war, let alone the fact that Chu had always wanted to attack Ning Kingdom.

The phrase "yu fu chao pin" (舆服超品) refers to a special privilege granted to a person who has usurped the right to use official ceremonial robes and ceremonial attire.

In ancient times, wedding ceremonies and attire were strictly regulated, with even a dedicated "Treatise on Carriages and Clothing" imposing legal restrictions. Normally, a concubine would enter the household in a small sedan chair, while ordinary people would have a sedan chair carried by two or four people. Women from noble families would be carried in a large sedan chair by eight people, and those of higher rank would be carried in an eight-person palanquin, a standard reserved for the royal family when a princess was married or when a prince married an imperial concubine.

As for wedding attire, ordinary people mostly wore bright red wedding dresses, while concubines could only wear light red. If it was a powerful family, they could have special patterns embroidered on their wedding dresses. For example, court ladies could wear pheasant patterns, princesses and imperial concubines could wear phoenix patterns, and the emperor could wear phoenix patterns when marrying the empress. Wedding attire of superior rank could generally reach the level of phoenix patterns, while phoenix patterns were impossible to achieve under any circumstances.

The main feature of the Seven Treasures store is its extravagance.

The porch is sprinkled with dust, the Vermilion Bird sits atop agate bricks, the main hall is constructed of gold to resemble the Big Dipper, the green pavilion is covered with glazed tiles, coral and pearls adorn the path to the nuptial cup, and the bridal chamber is inlaid with amber on the bed.

It probably has some meaning of the five elements generating each other and yin and yang harmonizing, but Song Yan was not very clear about it.

As for the elaborate wedding procession, that mainly refers to the bride's dowry, which is not something Luo Yuheng can easily discuss.

Upon hearing these words, Chu Yue and Hua Lian Yue were both shocked. No one expected that Luo Yuheng could arrange things for Hua Lian Yue to such an extent. Even Song Yan and Luo Tian Xuan's wedding did not have such a grand scale.

Although Hua Lianyue knew that Luo Yuheng did not want Chu to find fault with her, she still felt that it was going too far. She immediately shook her head and refused: "Princess, there is no need to do this. According to the standards for a marquis's marriage, it is already quite considerate. We cannot go too far. Let's forget about the phoenix sedan chair and the seven treasures. In any case, Tianxuan married her husband before me. We must not surpass Tianxuan."

"I don't think the Chu Kingdom will have any objections, right?" Hua Lianyue said, looking at Chu Yue.

His eyes turned slightly cold.

Every woman hopes to have a grand and perfect wedding, and Hua Lian Yue was no exception. However, she did not pursue the most extravagant and luxurious wedding, nor did she want to affect her relationship with Luo Tian Xuan because of a wedding ceremony, nor did she want to cause unrest in her husband's household because of these things.

If a woman is always causing trouble and creating problems, no matter how many eyebrows she has, how much a man likes her, or how deep her feelings are, they will eventually be worn away and she will gradually be disliked by her husband... Even though she has never been married, Hua Lianyue still understands this principle.

Chu Yue's expression froze, and his body tensed instantly. Hua Lian Yue's gaze made him feel immense pressure.

A sense of foreboding washed over them. It seemed they had inadvertently angered this grandmaster... They had come as Hua Lian Yue's family to support her, so how did their attempt to flatter her backfire?

What should I do?

In an instant, a layer of cold sweat appeared on Chu Yue's forehead.

Fortunately, Chu Yue was quite clever and quick-witted. He immediately said, "What the Pavilion Master says is correct. Although Chu Kingdom does not want the Pavilion Master to suffer any injustice, it will not break the rules. We will proceed according to the arrangements made by the Pavilion Master."

"Of course, as the bride's family, we will also prepare a dowry."

A black line appeared on Song Yan's forehead again. When it came to the dowry, he suddenly remembered that he had been too busy lately and hadn't even had time to prepare the betrothal gifts.

He just said he wouldn't let Hua Lian Yue suffer any injustice... As a husband, he really failed in this respect.

The main reason was that he had been too busy lately, and he hadn't expected Chu Yue to come back today specifically to discuss the marriage.

He had only brought 5,000 soldiers straight to Dongling this time, and had nothing of value. As for the dowry, it was quite a problem for him. Just then, Luo Yuheng spoke up and said, "Envoy Chu, you don't need to worry about the betrothal gifts. We will definitely arrange everything properly. No matter what, we will not let Lian Yue lose face."

Next, they discussed the details in more detail.

As for the wedding date, it was set for five days from now.

The time was a bit tight, but there was nothing that could be done. After all, the Chu delegation couldn't stay in Dongling indefinitely. Although Lin Xue felt strange about her master marrying her younger brother, she also felt that both Song Yan and Hua Lian Yue were extremely important to her. If they could live together, it would be a good thing.

The matter was settled in this way, and at noon, the Chu delegation was invited to stay for lunch.

After noon, Chu Yue and Chu Menglan prepared to leave.

As for Lin Xue, she needed to go back to the post station to pack her things before moving to the Marquis of Champion's residence.

In Lin Xue's words, the eldest sister is like a mother.

With her mother gone, as the older sister, she naturally had to help with the wedding arrangements.

Looking at Chu Yue's back, Song Yan suddenly remembered something: "Brother Chu, wait a moment."

Chu Yue was taken aback upon hearing this, stopped in his tracks, and turned to look at Song Yan: "Lord Song, is there anything about the wedding ceremony that hasn't been discussed yet?"

Song Yan shook his head, a slight hesitation on his face. After a brief moment of thought, Song Yan spoke again: "I have another piece of news here, which can be considered an extra betrothal gift from me to the State of Chu. Brother Chu, may I speak with you in private?"

Although Chu Yue was suspicious, Song Yan's expression didn't seem like he was joking, so he nodded and followed Song Yan to the side: "Lord Song, what is so mysterious about this?"

Song Yan pondered, "Is the Yang family of Huilong in the state of Chu?"

"It is natural."

In the State of Chu, because the rank of nobility decreased year by year after three years, most powerful and noble families found it difficult to maintain their prosperity. Often, after three to five generations, as the rank gradually declined, the family's influence diminished with each generation. If a prodigy emerged from the family, there was still a chance to revive the family's glory. However, if the descendants of the family were all mediocre, the decline of the family was inevitable.

If things go wrong, a few more spoiled brats or ignorant fools might emerge, bringing disaster to the family. They could be stripped of their titles and ranks, or even exiled or executed.

Therefore, the nobles of Chu attached great importance to the education of their clan members... to the point that it could be described as strict.

In the clan, young men who are ignorant and incompetent may be punished or even lose their lives by their elders.

Such a situation, where the descendants of powerful and wealthy act with impunity, is rare.

However, Yang was an anomaly.

It is said that when Emperor Taizu of Chu raised his army, the Yang family provided a large amount of gold, silver, and grain. Moreover, some of the family members followed Emperor Taizu and made great contributions. In gratitude for the Yang family's kindness, Emperor Taizu of Chu bestowed the title of Duke upon the head of the Yang family at that time. In addition, three of the family members were granted the title of Earl, and three others were granted the title of Viscount.

A family with seven noble titles.

It can be described as unparalleled glory.

That's not all; the descendants of the Yang family have also lived up to expectations.

Just as the Yang family, like other families, began to reduce their titles, another son of the family became a skilled warrior. He led the Chu army to expand Chu's territory in the southwest and was once again honored as a Duke.

Currently, the State of Chu has only two dukes: the old master of the Lin family and the old master of the Yang family.

The sons and grandsons of the old patriarch of the Yang family abandoned military affairs for civil service. His eldest son became the Minister of War, his second son served as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and his eldest grandson was even selected as the top scholar by the Emperor of Chu in this year's imperial examination.

The entire family seemed to be thriving.

Although both the Lin and Yang families were dukes, it was clear that the Yang family's power and influence were a level higher.

Therefore, when he suddenly heard Song Yan mention the Yang family of Huilong, he couldn't help but feel a little curious.

"Brother Chu, do you know that the Yang clan of Chu and the Yang clan of Langya in Ningguo were originally from the same lineage hundreds of years ago?"

Chu Yue nodded again. With a name as prestigious as the Yang family of Huilong, there was no way this could be kept secret.

"However, I have heard that the Yang family of Huilong and the Yang family of Langya have not had any contact for many years, and their blood ties have long been severed," Chu Yue said.

Song Yan smiled and said, "It's good that it's broken off, it's good that it's broken off. After all, the Yang family of Langya is really audacious. Brother Chu, you may not know this, but the Yang family of Ningguo likes to use women from their clan to marry into noble families. For example, my father's wife was Yang Miaoqing, the eldest daughter of the head of the Yang family. The Marquis of Anning's ex-wife was Yang Shuxuan, the eldest daughter of the third branch of the Yang family, and his current wife is Yang Shuxuan's younger sister, Yang Shuyi..."

"In addition, there are nearly a hundred dukes, marquises, and earls who are related to the Yang family by marriage."

Chu Yue frowned. Even though he was intelligent, he couldn't understand what Song Yan was trying to say for a moment.

"However, the Yang family's family traditions are not very good." Song Yan's smile became even more cheerful, as if it were just some casual gossip between friends: "The Yang family's daughters are often dissolute."

"This is a family scandal, and I shouldn't have said it, but I hit it off with Brother Chu at first sight, so I thought it would be better to tell him... Brother Chu, do you know that my father, Song Zhen, the fifth son of the Duke of Song, was originally the designated heir to the Duke, but he is not actually my father's bloodline."

"His biological father, whose real name was Yang Zhen, was originally a member of the Yang family of Huilong."

Chu Yue's pupils contracted slightly.

Chu Yue knew the name Yang Zhen.

This person is the legitimate son of the seventh branch of the Yang family in Huilong.

Disliking poetry and literature, but preferring martial arts, he was one of the few纨绔子弟 (spoiled brats) in the State of Chu. He was sent into the army by the old master of the Yang family, and he did achieve some success.

“Zhao Feng, the only son of Marquis Anning, is not of Marquis Anning’s bloodline. His biological father is Yang Feng of Huilong Yang Clan.”

"In addition, there are many heirs of noble families who are pure-blooded Yang family members."

Gudong.

Chu Yue swallowed silently, his puzzled expression gradually turning into a serious one.

Even if he were slow-witted, he would have basically understood what Song Yan meant by this point.

Is this referring to the Yang family of Langya, who usurped the throne by having an affair with a member of the Yang family who was already beyond the fifth degree of kinship, thus having a child with a member of the Yang family, in order to seize the noble title of Ningguo? Song Yan was reminding him that if the Yang family of Langya was like this, then the Yang family of Huilong was probably doing the same thing.
Chu Yue subconsciously didn't want to believe such a thing. After all, noble families valued offspring highly, and it was not easy to confuse bloodlines. However, he subconsciously remembered that the Yang family of Huilong had indeed married into many noble families.

Although the nobility in Chu would be downgraded and the influence of the nobility was not as great as in Ning, the meritorious nobles were still a force that could not be ignored in the court.

If the Yang family of Huilong also seizes all these noble titles...

A sudden panic gripped my heart.

Immediately afterwards, Chu Yue remembered something even more important—in the Chu Empress's palace, there was another imperial concubine who was also the legitimate daughter of the Yang family, and her son was the second prince of the Chu Kingdom.

If even the imperial bloodline is confused...

Chu Yue's face suddenly turned pale.

Chu Yue was a smart man, and of course he wouldn't believe Song Yan's words so easily.

Whether you believe it or not is not important; it's enough to have doubts in your heart.

Chu Yue couldn't help but smile wryly; this Marquis of Champion had truly given him a difficult problem.

He was a member of the royal family and could not stand by and watch the royal bloodline be confused. But what could he do? Was he supposed to run up to the Emperor of Chu, point his finger at him, and shout: "Your concubine has cheated on you!"
Even if the King of Chu was a wise ruler, could he still live if he knew about such a shameful affair?

"Even one of the princes of the Ning Kingdom's royal family has been replaced by the Yang family of Langya with Yang blood."

Rumble, rumble.

Chu Yue trembled. He had been thinking about the Second Prince when he suddenly heard these words. He was struck dumb, his eyes wide as he stared intently at Song Yan, as if trying to see through her eyes to see if Song Yan's words were true or false.

After a few breaths, Chu Yue let out a heavy sigh and bowed to Song Yan: "Thank you for informing me, Your Excellency. I will investigate this matter myself."

Song Yan smiled and didn't say anything more.

Song Zhen was a descendant of the Yang family of Huilong.

He had experienced bullying since childhood, and had almost died at Song Zhen's hands many times. The Yang family of Huilong had played a part in this. Song Yan's reach wasn't long enough to extend to the Chu Kingdom, but he could still annoy the Yang family of Huilong.

Only after Chu Yue had walked far away did Song Yan turn his gaze away.

Looking back, she saw Ziyu, who had only been asleep for a short time, coming out to serve tea and water. She remembered what she had promised Ziyu: "Lianyue, please cure Ziyu's poison."

"If it weren't for Ziyu, I wouldn't be alive today."

Song Yan could tell the difference.

At the time, Kong Nianhan was accompanied by thirty to fifty martial arts masters. Even if a shotgun could kill one of them with a single shot, he would definitely be torn to pieces next.

Hua Lianyue nodded, clearly quite satisfied with Ziyu's performance over this period of time, and did not refuse.

Zi Yu's face lit up with joy. Although Hua Lian Yue and Luo Tian Xuan would give her the antidote on time, it would still be better to completely detoxify her. So she hurriedly followed Hua Lian Yue. Detoxifying is much more troublesome than poisoning.

Luo Yuheng watched quietly as Song Yan made arrangements, and only after everyone around him had left did he smile and ask, "What did Yan'er just say to Chu Yue? Why does Chu Yue seem to have been greatly frightened?"

"It's nothing serious, just causing a little trouble for the Yang family." Song Yan smiled, and the two walked towards the inner courtyard: "By the way, Mother, how should the dowry be arranged?"

"I didn't bring anything good with me this time from Pingyang."

Luo Yuheng simply shook her head casually, stretched her arms, and lazily relaxed her slightly stiff body. At this moment, Luo Yuheng had changed out of Luo Tianyi's figure-hugging dress and put on a beige long dress. The dress was loose, but it couldn't hide her extremely graceful figure. When she stretched her waist, she showed off her graceful curves.

At this moment, Luo Yuheng was simply too tempting.

It is truly captivating and mesmerizing.

Even Song Yan had to shift his gaze to the other side.

Silently recite in your heart: Do not look at what is improper.

Although Luo Tianxuan is tolerant and generous, not only does she not mind Song Yan taking a concubine, but she even actively tries to get women to Song Yan's side. Although Luo Yuheng is not Luo Tianxuan's biological mother, but her aunt... if she really sets her sights on Luo Yuheng, Luo Tianxuan will probably take a sword and kill him... Well, even if Luo Tianxuan doesn't, Luo Tianyi probably will.

Luo Yuheng didn't think too much about it. Hearing this, he just glared at Song Yan and said, "You kid, you're usually quite smart, but you've suddenly become delusional. We don't need to worry about the betrothal gifts at all."

“You are now the most sought-after person in the entire Ning Kingdom. As long as the news of your upcoming marriage is revealed, you won’t have to do anything. People will come knocking on your door to arrange everything perfectly for you. Not to mention, the Fang family will not let this opportunity pass by. They will even cover the entire dowry for you.”

"Even without the Fang family, my brother has been thoroughly confiscating their property recently, so there must be quite a few rare treasures. We can just pick some from his private treasury."

Song Yan was taken aback, not expecting that things could be resolved so easily.

But is Emperor Ning really willing to bring out the best things?
That guy is such a cheapskate.

Song Yan hadn't forgotten that when he inadvertently mentioned the gold mines on the Haixi Grassland, Emperor Ninghe immediately demanded a 50% share.

Luo Yuheng was walking a little ahead.

His gaze inadvertently swept over Luo Yuheng's back, noticing her flat back, slender waist, and even more captivating curves. Shaking his head to suppress his distracting thoughts, Song Yan hesitated briefly before finally speaking: "Why were you at the Prince's residence last night?"

"How could it be sealed in ice?"

Song Yan didn't know what was going on either. He knew that everyone had secrets, and it was presumptuous to pry into other people's secrets.

But he just wanted to know more about Luo Yuheng.

I want to know more about her.

Upon hearing this, Luo Yuheng suddenly turned around, gazing at Song Yan with a charming smile. Her beautiful eyes sparkled, and her every glance conveyed a myriad of emotions.

"You want to know?"

My heart skipped a beat.

Song Yan nodded, then quickly added, "If Mother doesn't want to say, then forget it."

Luo Yuheng just chuckled: "Telling you wouldn't be a problem, but no matter what, it's still one of my secrets. I feel like I'm losing out by telling you for nothing. How about this, after you hear it, you have to promise me one thing, okay?"

Without even thinking about it or asking Luo Yuheng what his requirements were, Song Yan nodded and agreed.

No matter what, could Luo Yuheng possibly harm him?
……

at the same time.

Outside the Marquis of Champion's residence.

Lei Yi had already led eight hundred brothers and borrowed enough carts.

He felt that there were still many good people among the officials in Ningguo. When he brought seven or eight hundred brothers to their door, almost none of them refused. There was even a wealthy family who only had one cart, which was broken. Without saying a word, the family dismantled a door panel and put it on the cart, wanting to lend it to the Silver Feather Guard.

They are so incredibly kind.

Lei Yi was somewhat moved.

What a good man.

The warhorses had been led out, and ropes were used to connect the cart and the horses.

Arms, legs, bodies, and heads were being piled onto the cart. The cart wobbled and was a bit unstable, but luckily the yellow mud they had mixed earlier hadn't been thrown away. They were using it to build miniature mounds of heads on the cart.

This made things much more stable.

Looking around, the alleyway was filled with dozens of handcarts.

People who frequently commit murder know that when someone is stabbed to death with a sharp blade, the blood will continue to flow for a long time. Unless a major artery is hit, it is normal for the blood to flow for several hours.

Therefore, thick blood began to flow from the bottom of each of the carts, forming crimson threads, and soon the ground was covered with pools of blood.

Lei Yi and Zhang Han, both clad in silver armor, exchanged a glance, both able to see the excitement in each other's eyes, clearly extremely satisfied with their masterpiece.

This time, we must make sure everyone in the entire Dongling City knows that the Marquis's authority is not to be trifled with.

I imagine the Marquis will reward them handsomely.

(End of this chapter)