Forced Marriage
A few more people burst in and surrounded the blood-soaked Second King amidst the crowd, restraining his struggles. Ye Youqing shielded Ci Ke’s view with her body to calm her down.
When a woman loses control, she becomes extremely strong. Ye Youqing had to use all her strength to hold her, softly calling her name.
Inside and outside, chaos reigned. The clashing of swords and the mingling of curses and shouts assaulted the ears, making one’s head buzz.
The person in her arms finally stopped struggling, her rigid body gradually relaxing, leaning against her as if she had been holding her breath underwater and had finally surfaced, breathing so heavily she almost fainted.
Only then did Ye Youqing let her go, holding her wrist to make her see her face clearly.
That delicate, exquisite face was covered in tears, washing away some of the powder and revealing the tender, flushed skin beneath, reddened from agitation.
“Ye Youqing,” she said breathily, her words fragmented, then reached to touch Ye Youqing’s face.
“It’s me,” Ye Youqing replied.
Ye Youqing was not much better off herself. Having just dealt with the guards outside, she opened the door to see the woman covered in blood, startling her to the point of blacking out. Her heart was still racing wildly.
Ye Youqing knew Ci Ke wasn’t as she appeared, but she had never seen her so out of control and fierce, like a fallen celestial being or a vengeful demon, making anyone who saw her tremble with fear.
Of course, more than anything, it made her heart ache.
“Calm down, let go.” Ye Youqing softened her voice as much as possible, afraid to startle her. Then she reached into her palm and gently took out the tightly gripped hairpin. At first, Ci Ke didn’t let go but eventually did.
Ci Ke hadn’t yet recovered from the intense struggle earlier. She was trembling, kneeling on the ground, her hand still dripping with fresh blood from her fingertips.
Ye Youqing wiped the blood from her hand with her sleeve, not finding any wounds, and breathed a sigh of relief. Ci Ke allowed her to move, her gaze never leaving her for a moment.
“He said you were dead,” Ci Ke whispered.
Ye Youqing suddenly felt a pang in her nose. She had thought it was that man who had done something to her, but it turned out it was because of herself.
“I’m not dead, don’t worry,” Ye Youqing said, reaching out to wipe the tears from her face, her hand coming away wet. “Can you stand?”
Ci Ke nodded, trying hard to stand up with Ye Youqing’s support. Ye Youqing pulled her along, blocking an incoming chair leg with a swift move.
The Second King had already been pinned to the ground by several people, his rough, scarred face pressed to the floor, blood continuing to flow from his chest, smearing the ground.
“Who are you people? Help, help!” he yelled hoarsely. Ye Youqing, not wanting to hear his harsh voice, waved her hand, and several people bound his arms, lifting his large body from the ground.
Outside, the clash of swords continued, the black-clad figures clearly at a disadvantage. Shi Li had just punched one down and landed lightly.
“Xiaoqing, although they have many people, we’ve taken care of the other guards. Only these are still struggling.” Shi Li, catching her breath, reached out to support Ci Ke’s shoulder.
“Ci Ke…” Shi Li’s phoenix eyes lowered, full of pain.
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“Sister Shi Li,” Ci Ke, much calmer now, said weakly.
Ye Youqing remained expressionless, but those who knew her well would know that the angrier she was, the calmer she became.
“Come here,” she said flatly, twirling the hairpin she had taken from Ci Ke in her fingers, the tip pressing against the Second King’s throat. The man who had been shouting wildly fell silent, glaring at Ye Youqing with wide eyes.
“You, you are that pretty boy?” he said angrily and fearfully, shocked.
“Yes,” Ye Youqing nodded, then ran the blade along his neck, drawing a shallow cut. “Tell them to stop.”
Feeling the pain, the man gasped and stopped struggling, stammering, “Stop, stop!”
The sound of swords outside gradually subsided, and with a few clangs, the remaining black-clad men were disarmed, leaving only the sound of breathing around them.
“A fine thief, sneaking into my stronghold, what are your intentions?” the Second King cursed, the wound on his chest making him grimace in pain, looking grotesque.
“What are your intentions, kidnapping civilians to serve you?” Ye Youqing said, cutting his sleeve to reveal a cross-shaped tattoo on his arm. “You, as a member of the Iron Cavalry, deceive your subordinates to serve you, keeping them in darkness, what are your intentions?”
“When did I ever!” the Second King’s lips trembled as he spoke, hastily glancing at the grey-clad men in front of him, his face turning ashen.
They were covered in dust, their eyes filled with disappointment and anger, glaring at him fiercely.
“Don’t be fooled by this deceitful person!” the Second King suddenly shouted, “We Iron Cavalry owe our lives to King Si Rong, always united, how can we kill each other, believing an outsider’s nonsense!”
“And you, I am your leader, how dare you treat me like this!” the Second King struggled, but Ye Youqing grabbed his hair and pressed him to the ground.
He looked up and met Ye Youqing’s mocking eyes, his voice weakening. In those eyes, he saw no emotion, enough to crush his panic.
“The Iron Cavalry is loyal to the people and King Si Rong, what do they have to do with you?” Ye Youqing said contemptuously, raising her fist and holding a crystal pendant, exposing it under the bright lights.
For a moment, there was silence.
A tall, thin man in the crowd knelt first, followed by a wave of kneeling, until even the black-clad men loyal to the Second King wavered and knelt.
Ye Youqing’s voice broke the silence, warm and calm, “By the way, who did you say is the outsider?”
The Second King stared at the delicate pendant, his expression turning from hatred to despair.
“The Fenghua Pendant…” he muttered.
“You, you’re all together?” he murmured, then lunged at Ci Ke, “You venomous woman…”
Before he could move a few steps, someone kicked him in the chest, blood gushing from his wound and mouth, and he fell sideways.
“That kick is for you,” Ye Youqing said, soothingly patting Ci Ke’s hand. Then she slowly squatted down and whispered, “You should be glad you didn’t touch her.”
The Second King glared at Ye Youqing angrily. Suddenly, he endured the pain, elbowing the man holding him, then twisted his body to break free, rushing inside, and forcefully overturned a table with memorial tablets, shattering the porcelain plates of fruits.
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He frantically scratched at the ground, his fingers bleeding, and pulled out a piece of wood, revealing a dark hole, desperately reaching into it.
“Damn women, you ruined everything! Trying to take my stuff, my woman, no way!” he laughed hoarsely, his eyes venomous, “Fools, today you’ll all die with me!”
“Ye Youqing!” Ci Ke panicked, grabbing Ye Youqing’s arm, but saw her turn and wink, smiling.
Several people inwardly groaned, knowing something was wrong, and urgently tried to intervene, but it was already too late.
They saw the Second King forcefully twist something, and suddenly there was a sharp crack. The house shook violently, accompanied by the sound of something burning. Outside, there were wails and screams, with everyone retreating and dodging in a chaotic mess.
The Second King closed his eyes with a satisfied smile. However, as time slowly passed, everything calmed down again, leaving only the wind joyfully swirling around the house.
He opened his eyes, shocked, and continued to frantically manipulate the mechanism. But then, a hoarse, hearty laugh sounded, and a middle-aged man with a beard staggered in from outside, holding a piece of fuse, dancing with joy.
The Second King steadied himself against the wall, staring at him in astonishment.
“What, after a few years, you don’t recognize me?” The man laughed, pushing aside his mop-like hair to reveal a high-browed face. Upon seeing his appearance, the Second King slid down the wall, sitting on the ground in shock.
“After all these years, you’re still the same.” The man leaned closer, examining the now cowering Second King.
“Big brother, I…” the Second King began.
The man quickly waved his hand. “Big brother? I can’t accept that. You drugged me because of our disagreement and imprisoned me underground for four whole years. How can you call me big brother?”
The Iron Cavalry members exchanged glances. Suddenly, someone shouted, “The King! It’s the King!”
Then, like an explosion, everyone started shouting chaotically, excitedly. Their voices echoed to the heavens. Ye Youqing pulled Ci Ke and Shi Li into a corner to avoid being trampled by the surging crowd.
Knowing it was all over, the Second King turned ashen and collapsed to the ground, allowing people to drag him out the door, leaving a long trail of blood behind.
“Wait for me; we’ll catch up later,” the man said, waving at the Second King being dragged away.
After he left, the crowd quieted down. The lights illuminated their faces, worn from long confinement underground, but their eyes were clear, filled with tears and hope, looking at the ragged man.
“My King, you…” someone sobbed, but the man raised his hand to stop him.
“I am an Iron Cavalry officer, not some mountain king. Do not call me that,” the man said, raising his hands. “Moreover, the Iron Cavalry has always been loyal to King Si Rong. Now that his descendants are here, you must not call me king.”
All eyes turned to Ye Youqing, who suddenly felt like she was under a spotlight. The man extended his arm and pulled her to the center.
Ye Youqing was about to suggest they discuss this later when she saw the man already kneeling on one knee, his hoarse voice clear in the howling wind.
“Iron Cavalry, welcome the lady!”
Ye Youqing turned around to see a sea of bowed heads outside, their deafening cries shaking the mountain birds into flight, forming a line that shot into the sky in the pale light.
“Iron Cavalry, welcome the lady!”
“Iron Cavalry, welcome the lady!”
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……
Half an hour later, Ye Youqing finally escaped the busy aftermath, entering the house where the celebratory candles had been removed. Ci Ke was sitting at the table, having changed out of her blood-stained wedding clothes but still wearing her makeup.
Shi Li was just putting away the bowl Ci Ke had drunk from. Seeing Ye Youqing, she spoke, “All done?”
“Almost. The Second King’s followers have been imprisoned. Now they’re bringing out the others from the caves. It’ll probably be busy until daylight.” Ye Youqing replied, taking a sip of water from the teapot on the table.
“I just made some calming soup for Ci Ke, but she hasn’t said a word. I think I’ll need to make a few more batches,” Shi Li said, tapping her chin thoughtfully, then carrying the bowl and walking out.
“Medicine is three parts poison; don’t make too much,” Ye Youqing called after her.
Shi Li had already disappeared. Ye Youqing then turned back, cautiously approaching Ci Ke. The woman sat stiffly like a statue, only relaxing and extending her arms when Ye Youqing got close, allowing Ye Youqing to bend over and nestle into her embrace.
Ci Ke exhaled softly and contentedly.
LP: Finally something sweet!
