usatvline Chapter 31: The Wedding Proposal
Chapter 31: The Wedding Proposal
As soon as it gets light, the auspicious time arrives.
Forty-nine men in blue robes carried the coffin, followed by a large procession that slowly moved along the main street of Lin'an.
Colorful tents were erected along the road, and a chorus of melodies was played.
All eight families of the Duke's Mansion set up sacrificial tents.
Upon arriving at the sacrificial tent of the Duke of Zhenguo, Xiao, Qiao Qingshu immediately spotted that tall figure in the crowd.
That was her husband Xiao Chengyan from her previous life.
This was the first time he had seen him since his rebirth. At this time, Xiao Chengyan was only seventeen years old, full of vigor and spirit, and the air of an aristocratic family was undisguised between his brows.
Qiao Qingshu was captivated by his charm in her previous life. Not only her, but many noble ladies in the capital were also fascinated by him.
In this life, she was sharp-witted and clear-sighted, and secretly vowed that she would never repeat the same mistakes!
Xiao Chengyan stood behind the old lady of the Xiao family, together with a group of Xiao family descendants.
Their eyes met in the crowd. Qiao Qingshu looked at him, her eyes flashing with cold hatred.
She will never forget how Xiao Chengyan used and deceived her sincere heart in her past life.
She devoted herself wholeheartedly to the Xiao family, clearing all obstacles for Xiao Chengyan, paving the way for him, and laying the foundation for his future. In the end, however, Xiao Chengyan betrayed her, bullied her, and hurt her.
After Xiao Chengyan ascended the throne, he neglected state affairs, became obsessed with the harem, and became a tyrannical and incompetent ruler who indulged in pleasure.
Thinking about all this made Qiao Qingshu's eyes sting, and she quickly looked away.
Now that she's been reborn, even looking at this man makes her feel unlucky and disgusted.
Seeing Qiao Qingshu avoid his burning gaze, Xiao Chengyan in the crowd assumed it was just girlish shyness and couldn't help but smile wickedly.
He had seen many women with shy expressions like Qiao Qingshu; most of them reacted the same way when they saw him.
He was already used to it; his handsome face, comparable to that of Pan An, had attracted the attention of too many women.
When he was in a good mood, he was happy to flirt with them; when he was in a bad mood, he found these women annoying.
But Qiao Qingshu was different; he and Qiao Qingshu were childhood sweethearts and grew up together.
From as far back as he can remember, the adults would tell him that Qiao Qingshu was his future wife.
Having been exposed to her for many years, Xiao Chengyan naturally felt very close to her, unlike with others.
He also liked her gentle, quiet, and dignified demeanor, which had become increasingly beautiful over the years.
He wasn't entirely satisfied with the marriage, but he still gave it about 80% approval.
Xiao Zhijie, the second son of the Xiao family and the most prominent member of the family, glanced at Qiao Qingshu and then at Xiao Chengyan, his expression inexplicably gloomy.
He shrank further into the crowd, completely disappearing into the shadows.
The matriarch of the Xiao family stepped forward, grasped Qiao Qingshu's hand, and said to Qiao Qingshu,
“Good child, in a few days I will go to your home to discuss the wedding date with your grandmother, and we will hold the wedding for you and Chengyan during your mother’s mourning period.”
Qiao Qingshu's lowered eyes suddenly flashed with a thousand sparks.
A wedding is being held!?
No! Absolutely not!
There is absolutely no way she could marry Xiao Chengyan again in this lifetime!
She looked up at Old Madam Xiao's face, her expression obedient and sorrowful, and said...
"Naturally, it's entirely up to the elders to decide."
Liu Wan'er, who was in the funeral procession, heard every word clearly, and she gritted her teeth in jealousy!
Having been given a second chance at life, she is determined to prevent Qiao Qingshu from marrying Xiao Chengyan smoothly.
She wants to take her place!
In her past life, Liu Wan'er and Xiao Chengyan had an illicit affair for many years.
Although she won Xiao Chengyan's heart, she did not become his legal wife. She secretly became his mistress for many years, and even gave birth to his child in secret. She lived like a rat in a sewer.
Later, when Xiao Chengyan's identity as a prince was revealed and he successfully ascended to the throne, she still had to endure humiliation and remain a lowly concubine for many years.
Why should Qiao Qingshu enjoy so much wealth and luxury from the very beginning? Why should all the glory and respectability be hers?
But Liu Wan'er had to endure humiliation and hardship for many years before she could rise to power through painstaking planning!
Having been given a second chance at life, Liu Wan'er is determined to take away Qiao Qingshu's position as his legal wife.
In this life, she will take everything away from Qiao Qingshu.
She wanted to rise from the matriarch of the Xiao family to the Empress of Nanzhao, in a grand and dignified manner, just like Qiao Qingshu had in her previous life!
Liu Wan'er turned her gaze to Xiao Chengyan, who happened to be looking at her as well. Their eyes immediately locked.
Xiao Chengyan's eyes and brows revealed a lewd glint, his gaze seemingly trying to see through Liu Wan'er's clothes.
Since Liu Wan'er got involved with Xiao Chengyan half a year ago, the two have met quite a few times, and Xiao Chengyan's words are always extremely ambiguous and provocative.
Liu Wan'er was happy to play along, and the two exchanged flirtatious glances and kisses, but they had never actually consummated their relationship.
Therefore, both of them were extremely anxious, and when their eyes met, they were unrestrained and full of passion.
Liu Wan'er deliberately flirted, throwing several seductive glances at the desolate crowd.
This almost made Xiao Er angry. He clenched his fist, looked away, and took several deep breaths to suppress his anger.
Watching the funeral procession disappear into the distance, Xiao Chengyan pondered the past.
He thought to himself, one of them is dignified and elegant, the other is charming and alluring. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have them both in my household?
Although Qiao Qingshu was beautiful and elegant, she was far too reserved. She immediately looked away shyly when their eyes met.
Liu Wan'er was truly charming and knew how to have fun; with just a few glances, she had him itching with desire and unable to control himself.
He suddenly felt a sense of anticipation for going to the Qiao family to propose marriage. He was sure that his two stunning cousins would be extremely attentive to him. Just thinking about it made him feel wonderful.
The funeral concluded at Lingyun Temple in the evening.
The remains of the Qiao family's Bai clan were eventually buried at Babao Lingshan.
As the night grew quiet, Qiao Qingshu woke up in the middle of the night and sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought.
She knew that what was coming would eventually come.
Her marriage to Xiao Chengyan had been arranged several years ago.
In her past life, she obediently married into the Xiao family, thus beginning her tragic and miserable fate.
She will never repeat the same mistake in this life!
She gazed quietly at the exceptionally bright moonlight outside the window, plotting her plan to annul the engagement.
Xiao Mansion
Xiao Chengyan was still savoring the memory of the two beauties from earlier that day.
Xiao Chengyan's mother, Madam Xing, however, kept complaining.
"Why are our grandparents so stubborn? The Qiao family has caused such a huge scandal. Her father and aunt actually had an affair. What kind of good girl can a family like that raise! And they still rushed to marry into their family. Aren't they afraid of being laughed at?"
"What was our old master thinking, insisting on a marriage alliance with them? The Qiao family has no money, no power, and their reputation is ruined now. If you ask me, we should just call off the engagement!"