“Where on earth is that fellow Chu Ruo?” Duan Ning grumbled, scanning the room with dissatisfaction. “Earlier, she was so impatient she practically broke down the door to see Xue’er, yet now that it’s time for the ceremony, she’s nowhere to be found. What is she playing at?”
Xiao Guo’er looked around and offered her thoughts. “Could she have gone to find that woman surnamed Bai and bring her here?”
“She really has no sense of priority. Who is she even marrying today? It was enough to send word to that Bai woman; does she really need to go and personally invite her? A-Yue, Xiao Guo’er, go and drag that scoundrel back here!”
“Yes.”
“Pah!” A voice arrived before the person did, followed closely by the person herself as she strolled in. “I say, Duan Ning, you just can’t stand to see things going well between me and Xue’er, can you? On the great day of our wedding, you’re still trying to drive a wedge between us. I was busy with this, alright?”
Everyone followed the direction of her finger—though they didn’t really need her to point. There, cradled in Chu Ruo’s arms, was Wotou. Chu Ruo had tied a massive red bow around the dog’s neck, and coupled with Wotou’s utterly dazed expression, the sight was more than a little ridiculous.
“Are you sick? Why would you torment a dog like that?”
“Watch your mouth! This is called being festive! Wotou is my little brother. If I’m getting married, he has to dress up for the occasion too. Well? Isn’t he cute and—”
“Enough with the ‘and,’” Yin Liuli interrupted her rambling. “Do you intend to miss the auspicious hour?”
“Absolutely not!” Chu Ruo hurriedly set Wotou down and rushed to Nan Muxue’s side. She glanced around; Bai Zhi’er had not come. Deep down, she felt a mix of gratitude and guilt toward that woman. As a friend, she had hoped she would come, but at the same time, she didn’t—she feared seeing the pain and loneliness in the other woman’s eyes. She reached out and took the hand of the person beside her, a hand she had clasped countless times before. “Xue’er, I’m here.”
Nan Muxue didn’t speak. Perhaps for her, this very moment was the most important of her life.
Nangong Yan spoke up at the right time. “Let the ceremony begin.”
“Mhm.” Chu Ruo carefully supported her beloved girl, preparing to lift her robes and kneel, when a voice drifted in from outside the door.
“How lively indeed.”
The person who appeared was someone neither Chu Ruo nor anyone else expected. “Bai Shan?!”
After being missing for so long, why was this woman showing up now? More importantly, this was Baihua Palace—how had she managed to get up here?
Bai Shan was smiling, but her gaze remained fixed on Chu Ruo as she spat her usual vitriol. “You heartless wretch. My sister treated you so well, yet here you are, embracing another woman and getting married. What ceremony is there to have...”
The other four Great Protectors were clearly much more experienced in handling such situations. They drew their swords in unison, prompting Bai Shan to burst into laughter. “So this is your Baihua Palace? Sending four against one—you certainly think highly of me.”
Chu Ruo managed to temporarily restrain the four protectors. “Matters of the heart cannot be forced. Regardless, Zhi’er has been wonderful to me, and I am deeply grateful to her.”
“Grateful? Who do you think you are? Are you taking pity on her? Chu Ruo, listen well. If you don’t want this Baihua Palace of yours to be turned into a wasteland, then behave yourself. Divorce this slut beside you and return to my sister’s side. Otherwise, every single one of your disciples will pay the price!”
The mystery of how Bai Shan had ascended the mountain was truly suspicious. Where was Tu Ao’zhi? And what was Zhi’er doing? If only she were here, she could at least help restrain her sister. “Zhi’er wouldn’t agree to this. She knows we are just friends.”
Bai Shan let out a cold snort. “You certainly have an answer for everything. In short...”
“In light of the fact that your sister saved Ruo’er,” Nan Muxue, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke, “get off my mountain.”
“Heh, I hadn’t even pointed at you yet, and you’ve already delivered yourself to me. You slut, I’m getting my revenge today!”
Normally, even if Nan Muxue didn’t strike personally, she would have ordered one of the four protectors to seize the woman. Yet now, she remained exceptionally calm, not even lifting her bridal veil. “Are you doing this for your sister, or for yourself?”
“What do you mean?”
“Or perhaps... for Ruo’er?”
The first part was easy enough to understand, but for me? Chu Ruo’s eyes widened in total confusion. “What do you mean, for me?”
She hadn’t caught on, but the other four women understood immediately upon hearing those words and seeing the sudden shift in Bai Shan’s expression. Nangong Yan let out a mocking laugh. “Oh, you still don’t get it? It turns out she isn’t doing this for her sister at all, but for her own sake.”
“But what does that have to do with me?”
Nangong Yan arched an eyebrow. “You still don’t understand?”
Nangong Yan’s smile was a bit suggestive, but Chu Ruo knew that smile was directed at Bai Shan. *I don’t understand? Bai Shan is doing this for herself... for me... wait a minute. Does that mean Bai Shan has feelings for... No. Way. !!!!!!!!!* Although she had shown a few hints of it back on Xianlai Island, she had later admitted she only did it to make Bai Zhi’er give up. This was getting awkward. The worst part was that everyone else seemed to understand perfectly while she was left in the dark. Chu Ruo looked around and realized that if she spoke now, she’d definitely get stung by someone’s tongue. So, she shut her mouth.
Bai Shan raised both hands, revealing black, pill-like objects wedged between each of her ten fingers. She laughed triumphantly. “These are the result of my painstaking refinement: Thunderfire Puppet Gu. When the thunderfire explodes with immense power, the Gu insects inside will leap out and latch onto living hosts, turning them into puppets. I’ll use you lot to test them out...”
Nan Muxue finally reached up and tore off her own veil, drawing a loud laugh from her opponent. “Hahaha! You slut, are you afraid now...?”
But Nan Muxue said only one sentence, and it was enough to make Bai Shan’s face turn pale. “When you came up the mountain, did you not see your sister?”
“You...!”
“Your adoptive father said before that he would turn everyone in Baihua Palace into medicinal thralls. Did you not run into him? Why don’t you ask him why he has been so slow to act?”
This time, it wasn’t just Bai Shan; even Chu Ruo was stunned. The meaning behind those words was unmistakable. Looking at the "Little Scorpion’s" confident expression, it was no wonder she hadn’t been worried about Tu Ao’zhi causing trouble. No wonder Zhi’er was nowhere to be seen today. She whispered softly, “You hid Zhi’er away?” She had even kept it from her. This woman had learned some bad habits; she was being very naughty.
“Bound her,” came the simple two-word reply. Nan Muxue glanced at her sideways. “Does your heart ache for her?”
“...Well...” Chu Ruo knew that for her sake, the Little Scorpion wouldn’t actually do anything terrible to Zhi’er. But the others didn’t know that. They couldn’t read her; they only knew that the Young Palace Mistress of Baihua Palace was a cold-hearted, mercurial woman. That she would kidnap a love rival for the sake of her beloved was not surprising at all. *Tsk tsk, brilliant. Truly brilliant.*
“You slut, you dared to kidnap my—”
*Slap!* A burst of internal energy struck Bai Shan across the face, leaving a clear red mark instantly. “If you dare utter another word of abuse, I will pull out one of your sister’s teeth.”
“You!” Bai Shan forced herself to endure it. She looked at Chu Ruo. “Chu Ruo! Look at how my sister treated you! Are you just going to stand there and watch...?”
“There is no need to say these things to Ruo’er. It is useless for her to hear them, because,” Nan Muxue placed her hands behind her back, her gaze indifferent to all, “I am the one who decides.”
“You...”
“If you and that adoptive father of yours hadn’t started making trouble, I wouldn’t have done this. In any case, she is safe for now. But later... that might not be the case.”
“Where are you hiding my sister? Hand her over, or I’ll turn this entire palace upside down searching for her!”
Nan Muxue nonchalantly picked up a cup of tea and flicked the lid. “Since you’re so capable, feel free to search for yourself. However, if the hour passes and I haven’t returned to her, you can prepare to collect her corpse.”
Bai Shan’s expression was one of intense conflict; her inner struggle was clearly agonizing. Finally, she dejectedly lowered the Thunderfire Puppet Gu in her hands. “If my sister loses so much as a single hair, I will slaughter every one of your disciples.”
“Your brain is even worse than the last time we met,” Nan Muxue said with disdain. “Why would I need to lift a finger? Your sister will die of anger sooner or later anyway.”
As expected of the venomous-tongued Little Scorpion—she was utterly ruthless when it came to shutting people down. But Bai Shan, held by the throat by this threat, didn’t dare to erupt. Nan Muxue flicked her hand dismissively. “Scram.”
“Release my sister.”
“I will release her when it is time.”
“My dear daughter,” a voice echoed from outside the door—one that no one wanted to hear. “Getting married without even informing your mother?”
*Meeting before the ceremony really is bad luck. The Little Scorpion tearing off her own veil is also bad luck. Sure enough, bad luck’s mother has come knocking on bad luck’s door—bad luck has come home to roost!!!*
*Dammit!!!!!!!*
***
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Master, Spare My Life: A Disciple's Sweet Rebellion | Chapter 135 | Uninvited Guests | Novela.app | Novela.app
