Chapter 18: Kill You

Song Ning smiled at Xia Ling’s praise but said nothing.

He couldn’t see his own appearance in this life anyway, and he couldn’t even hear an honest evaluation.

Who would tell a blind man to his face that he was ugly?

Song Ning had once suspected he was so hideous that it caused Qi Chuyao’s poor attitude toward him.

Xia Ling looked up at him.

His face appeared even more handsome and refined against the red wedding robe.

His brows were relaxed, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Those white eyes were slightly downturned, his eyelashes casting shallow shadows over his eyelids.

‘He’s so handsome,’ she thought.

‘If I were the one marrying him…’

As soon as the thought surfaced, Xia Ling suppressed it, a self-deprecating smile curling her lips.

She was nothing more than a little beggar he had picked up from the roadside when she was about to starve to death.

She was lucky enough to stay by his side, learn to read, wear warm clothes, and no longer suffer from hunger or cold.

This was already a heavenly blessing; what else did she dare hope for?

Even if he wasn’t marrying Qi Chuyao, it would never be her turn.

Footsteps outside the door interrupted her thoughts.

Xia Shuang pushed the door open, still wearing her green dress and cradling a sword in her arms.

She scanned the room, her gaze lingering on Song Ning for a moment before shifting away.

She didn’t speak, simply standing silently by the door with her usual cool expression, occasionally spacing out.

Song Ning heard the movement and turned his head slightly in her direction.

“Is everything ready?”

Xia Shuang nodded and gave a soft “Mhm.”

The sound of drums and gongs echoed from afar, drawing closer and closer.

The noise was incredibly lively—clanging and rhythmic, mixed with the popping of firecrackers, surging all the way toward them.

The wedding procession had arrived.

Today, the Song Mansion was decorated with lanterns and streamers.

Large red lanterns hung from the main gate to the back courtyard, while the veranda pillars were draped in red silk and covered in golden Double Happiness characters.

The carriages and horses of the guests stretched from the entrance of the alley to the end of the street.

People in silk robes, official hats, palanquins, and on horseback came and went in an endless stream.

In the main hall, Mother Qi greeted the guests with a beaming face, dressed in a vermilion ceremonial gown.

“Minister Qi, congratulations, congratulations!”

“Your daughter’s wedding is a major event for our Capital City!”

“The union of the Qi and Song families makes you even closer relatives!”

Congratulations echoed one after another. Mother Qi responded to each one, her smile filled with genuine joy.

She was truly happy today. She had watched Song Ning grow up; his character, appearance, and abilities were all top-notch. He was more than a match for her unruly daughter.

As for whether her daughter was willing?

Hmph, once she understands in the future, she will naturally be grateful.

……

In the back courtyard, Qi Chuyao was changing clothes.

She stood before the mirror, letting the maids help her into the crimson wedding dress.

The person in the mirror wore bright red, her hair swept up high and adorned with gold hairpins and swaying ornaments. A thin layer of powder had been applied to her face.

Qi Chuyao looked at herself and suddenly felt extremely strange.

“Do you think I count as marrying young?” she asked, turning to Qin Junyue with a hint of disbelief in her voice. “It feels like I’m dreaming.”

Marrying someone she didn’t like in such a rush made her feel like a duck being driven onto a perch.

Even now, it didn’t feel real.

Qin Junyue stood by the window. She had also changed into new clothes today, swapping her black martial attire for a deep green robe, which added a touch of calm to her heroic aura.

She frowned slightly upon hearing the words but quickly adjusted her emotions and said softly, “Settling down and starting a career… it’s for the best.”

Her tone was flat, revealing no emotion.

Qi Chuyao pursed her lips, wanting to say more, when a group of people suddenly burst through the door.

They were her peers—young ladies from various families in the Capital City, companions with whom she usually played polo, drank, and had fun.

They swarmed in giggling and laughing, filling the originally spacious room to the brim.

“Oh, how beautiful!”

“Sister Qi is truly radiant today!”

“Come, come, let us have a good look!”

The group surrounded Qi Chuyao, chattering and laughing.

Caught in the middle of the crowd, Qi Chuyao wore a smile, but her heart felt increasingly uneasy.

‘Why does it feel like they’re all here to see me make a fool of myself?’

When someone cares about something too much, that very thing is more likely to haunt their mind.

Sure enough, a woman in a goose-yellow dress approached with a faint smile on her lips.

“I heard the young master of the Song family is exceptionally handsome. Sister Qi is truly lucky.”

Qi Chuyao smiled but didn’t respond.

The woman was relentless and continued, “It’s a pity. While his looks are a good match, his eyes…”

She intentionally trailed off, giving Qi Chuyao a meaningful look.

The surrounding laughter faltered.

Qi Chuyao’s face instantly flushed red.

“What nonsense are you talking about?” she growled through gritted teeth.

The woman remained unhurried, her smile deepening.

“What did I say? I’m just telling the truth. Don’t mind me, Sister Qi. After all… it’s just how it is, right?”

Several women around her laughed along. Their laughter was piercing, as if they were looking for trouble on purpose.

“In the future, Sister Qi will… sigh, what a pity, what a pity.”

Sentence after sentence stabbed at Qi Chuyao’s heart like knives.

This woman was named Wei Ning. Her mother was a capital official, and she had been adopted as a goddaughter by Wei Yang, thus changing her name to Wei Ning.

She was an acquaintance of Qi Chuyao, as they were both children of officials in the Capital City.

Qi Chuyao trembled with rage but found herself speechless.

She knew these things better than anyone. But having it said to her face like this made her feel like she had been publicly slapped.

Just then, a hand suddenly shot out.

Qin Junyue grabbed Wei Ning by the collar and hoisted her up.

“You—”

Before Wei Ning could react, Qin Junyue slammed her hard against the wall.

The back of her head hit the wall, and she saw stars. Just as she was about to scream, a cold light flashed before her eyes.

A short blade was pressed against her mouth.

The blade was icy, resting against her lips. A slight push would have sliced through her flesh.

“If I hear you talking nonsense about Song Ning behind his back again,” Qin Junyue’s voice was frigid, “believe me, I will cut out your tongue. A wretched lackey of the Eunuch Faction dares to run wild in my presence? Do you think I won’t kill you right now?!”

She looked down at Wei Ning, her eyes brimming with murderous intent.

Wei Ning froze, not daring to move.

She could feel the blade against her lips, smell the faint scent of rust, and see the blatant killing intent in Qin Junyue’s eyes.

The other woman truly wanted to kill her; this murderous intent belonging to a Martial Artist could not be faked.

A few streaks of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, where the blade had nicked her.

The surrounding area fell into a deathly silence.

The ladies who had been laughing and joking moments ago were now as quiet as cicadas in winter, not even daring to breathe.

Qin Junyue was a Second-Rank Martial Artist, a genius of her generation.

If she truly moved to strike, all of them combined wouldn’t be enough to handle her alone.