Chapter 21
Chapter 21
With the Count's command, the estate officially announced the news of Jin Mulan's marriage. In an instant, the whole of Xuanwu City was in an uproar. Countless young men beat their chests and stomped their feet in frustration; some even looked as though they had lost the will to live.
Within Xuanwu City, the Count's precious daughter, Jin Mulan, was the very picture of a perfect woman, someone no man dared to easily covet. Some even called her the greatest goddess in all of Nujiang Commandery. It was no exaggeration to say that every young man in Xuanwu City adored her.
While Xu Qianqian, from a great merchant family, had made countless public appearances and painstakingly cultivated her looks to finally become a renowned beauty in Nujiang Commandery, Jin Mulan was hailed as the commandery's foremost goddess by her very existence. Any comparison to the likes of Xu Qianqian was a grave insult to Jin Mulan.
But surprisingly, for a lady from a prestigious noble family with a century-long history, Jin Mulan received no notable courtships or marriage proposals. Not a single one of the most distinguished young men in Xuanwu City could even imagine possessing her, for no man was considered her equal.
Everyone believed that a peerless beauty of Jin Mulan’s high standing should marry into a family of at least a marquis’s rank, if not higher. So the men of Xuanwu City only ever dreamed of her, never daring to approach her in reality, keeping their feelings locked away in their hearts. But now, the princess of Xuanwu City was getting married—it was as if the sky itself had fallen.
All the men harbored the same selfish thought: *You are a goddess beyond our reach, but we hope you never marry. In fact, it would be better if you never married at all.*
"Who is it? What bastard is marrying our princess? I'll kill him, I'll kill him!"
"My goddess, how could you? How could you get married? You've betrayed us!"
Amidst the chaos, those in Xuanwu City with some renown and authority began to question the situation. The Count’s daughter, Jin Mulan, was marrying so suddenly? To whom? The groom’s name wasn't on the invitation, and there had been no prior rumors of her engagement. Even stranger was that the wedding was to be held that very night. No matter how they looked at it, it was far too abrupt.
The weddings of hundred-year-old noble families like theirs were grand and complex affairs. First, the elders of a family would visit with their people to make a proposal. Once both sides agreed, an engagement ceremony would be held. After the betrothal, the two families would exchange gifts several times, hold numerous grand banquets, and go on several hunts together. Through this process, other nobles would learn of the union, and the engaged families would await the king's blessing.
The king would not only offer his joyous blessing but also bestow gifts. Once the king’s blessing was received, diviners and astronomers would be consulted to find an auspicious day for the union of the two families. Only after that day was set would the wedding ceremony finally take place. This entire process took at least a year and a half. To announce a marriage and hold the ceremony on the same day was a breach of all rites and etiquette.
* * *
Everyone in the Count’s estate prepared for the wedding to be held that night, arranging vast quantities of food, fruit, and fine wine. Lanterns were hung throughout the manor and along the castle walls, which were adorned with colorful silks.
No matter how rushed it was to bring in a matrilocal husband, the wedding had to be grand and solemn. Yet, Shen Lang was simply resting comfortably in his guest room. Though he was the star of this wedding, there was nothing for him to attend to.
* * *
While the news of Jin Mulan's marriage had thrown Xuanwu City into a frenzy, it was of no concern to Tian Heng. He hadn't received an invitation in the first place, and even if he had, he had no intention of attending. No matter how notorious a gangster he was, he was nothing compared to the Count of Xuanwu's Estate; attending the wedding would be almost disrespectful. Of course, as he also served as the head of the city's militia, he planned to send a congratulatory gift to the Count's estate, but it was unlikely his gift would ever reach the young newlyweds.
Tian Heng wasn't bothered that the Count's estate wouldn't accept his gift. His current mission was far more important than their wedding. He was actually quite grateful to Shen Lang. The original payment for the job requested by the Xu Clan was only a hundred gold coins, but after the incident with Shen Lang and the golden-yellow dye formula, the Xu Clan had paid him a thousand.
And it wasn't just the Xu Clan. Lin Mo of the Brocade Pavilion had also given him five hundred gold coins as a reward. Originally, Lin Mo had intended to ally with the Xu Clan for his son's martial examination. But when Shen Lang created the golden-yellow dye formula, things took a strange turn. Realizing the immense profits the formula would bring, the three factions conspired to kill Shen Lang and seize the profits for themselves.
The dirty work that followed was naturally Tian Heng's responsibility. He had sent Thirteen to annihilate Shen Lang's family and pretend nothing had happened. Shen Lang was as insignificant as an ant; no one would care about him. That was why Lin Mo had paid him.
Thirteen, an assassin from the Black Clothes Gang, had brought a dozen men to Maple Leaf Village and surrounded Shen Lang's dilapidated house from both front and back. Looking at the crumbling earthen wall, Thirteen felt a pang of pity.
‘To be powerless is a sin.’
He gave a slight wave of his hand and said, "By order of the City Lord. The Shen Wan family has concealed farmland to evade taxes and are to be arrested immediately. If anyone resists, kill them without question! Go!"
At Thirteen's command, the warriors of the Black Clothes Gang, dressed in militia uniforms, drew their swords and rushed into Shen Lang's house. Although they were a force from the criminal underworld, they observed certain formalities. They didn't just barge in and start slaughtering; they used an official pretext to apprehend the family. This method not only reduced the likelihood of future trouble but was also an effective way to threaten Shen Lang.
*Crash, crash.*
The front door, as weak as the collapsed wall, flew open instantly. As Thirteen stepped inside, he was taken aback by an unexpected sight. Despite the sudden intrusion, Shen Lang's family was calmly and quietly prepared to meet them. Shen Lang's father lay in bed, but he held an axe in his hands. His mother clutched a sharp kitchen knife. And Shen Lang's younger brother stood ready to defend them with a thick wooden staff.
The three of them didn't beg for their lives, but glared coldly at the Black Clothes Gang warriors. With Shen Lang absent, their weakness was gone, and they had nothing to fear. Seeing this, Thirteen gave a faint smile and asked, "Old man, what do you think you're doing?"
As he spoke, he drew an iron ruler and walked toward Shen Lang's father, a friendly smile still on his face. Although he didn't know Shen Lang's whereabouts, if he captured his family, Shen Lang couldn't run and would surely appear.
Shen Lang's father said, "We're all useless people anyway. It doesn't matter what happens to us."
Thirteen replied, "So you intend to resist arrest with weapons? This can be considered treason. My apologies, but I'll have to be rough."
As he finished speaking, his iron ruler swung toward Shen Lang's father's forearm. A direct hit would have shattered the bone. As Thirteen moved, his men prepared to rush Shen Lang's mother and brother.
In that instant, Thirteen was startled by a sudden chill on his back. He stopped his advance on Shen Lang's family and turned his head. A shadow of a figure stood outside the house. The appearance of this ordinary-looking middle-aged man made Thirteen's palms sweat. To have appeared behind him completely unnoticed meant the man was a master.
"By order of the City Lord, we are here to arrest tax evaders. Uninvolved parties should leave at once."
The man watching Thirteen and his men from outside the house was none other than Jin Zhong, a steward from the Count's estate. He had actually arrived some time ago but had waited until Thirteen kicked down the door.
"Mm, we do not normally interfere in the affairs of the City Lord's office, but my master has ordered me to escort Master Shen's family to attend a wedding. If I cannot bring them with me, I will be unable to face my master. I ask for your understanding."
Jin Zhong's reply made Thirteen realize at once that something had gone wrong. His opponent was not only a master of martial arts but also exceedingly polite and composed. Having lived by the sword for many years, Thirteen could tell from the man's dignified and authoritative demeanor that his background was anything but ordinary.
"May I have your esteemed name?" Thirteen couldn't back down so easily. If the man truly had a powerful background, he would have to proceed with caution. But if not, he would deal with him on the spot. He was, after all, acting on official orders, so there would be no repercussions.
"Jin Zhong."
Hearing this, Thirteen's expression changed. He instantly knew who stood before him. While Jin Zhong was neither famous nor a man of great stature, he was one of the people the Black Clothes Gang was strictly forbidden to provoke. He was a servant of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate and a trusted confidant of the Count himself.
But what was more troubling was that if this man's master was Count Jin Zhuo, then the invitation to the Shen family was also his will. Realizing this, a cold sweat trickled down Thirteen's back and his breathing grew ragged, but he managed to compose himself enough to ask, "Did your master truly ask you to bring Shen Lang's parents to attend a wedding?"
Jin Zhong said calmly, "That is correct!"
Thirteen pictured Shen Lang's handsome face. He had lost track of him after they parted at dawn yesterday. Was it because he had been inside the Count's estate all along? This was getting complicated. Having lived by the sword his entire life, Thirteen immediately sensed danger. He couldn't yet be sure how deeply Shen Lang was involved with the Count's estate. He could only pray that the connection wasn't too deep.