Upon hearing Chen Mo’s words, Ji Xi’Er was so furious that her liver trembled. This guy not only took her body by force but also extracted the method to activate the Top Grade Magical Artifact from her, as well as the location of the last Red Sun Bell. Now he acted in this manner, deliberately bringing up her pain.

"You... what exactly do you want?" Ji Xi’Er gritted her teeth and said.

"I don’t want anything; I just want to bully you," Chen Mo said with a smile.

Ji Xi’Er: "..."

Her eyes seemed as if they wanted to flay Chen Mo alive.

"Hey, after you die, I will find your Nan Zhou’s treasure, wield your ancestor’s Top Grade Magical Artifact, show off across the Canglan Continent, bullying your people. Just thinking about it is wonderful." Chen Mo clicked his tongue and said.

"I’ll fight you to the death..." Ji Xi’Er couldn’t take it anymore. She charged towards Chen Mo with all her strength, using her hands, feet, and even her mouth, trying to get a piece of flesh from Chen Mo, even if it was like an egg hitting a stone.

However, with her cultivation wasted, this behavior was almost similar to throwing herself into Chen Mo’s embrace. Her hands were directly locked by Chen Mo, who held her from behind and said with a smile, "Why are you throwing yourself into my arms?"

With anger burning in her heart, Ji Xi’Er struggled desperately. The determination to die dissipated a bit, and she resolved that one day, she would make Chen Mo pay for all the humiliation she suffered, even if she had to pursue him across the skies and the underworld, unless she died.

Chen Mo blew a breath of hot air into her ear, as he loosened her collar and reached into her inner clothing, "Seeing your response, it seems like you want to be entangled again. Alright, I’ll satisfy you."

With that, Chen Mo carried her towards the bed.

...

March 5th.

On the eve of the wedding, the entire Bianliang City was filled with a festive atmosphere. The streets and alleys were adorned with colorful decorations, and red lanterns were hung everywhere.

The streets from the Witch Mansion to the Chen Mansion were already laid with a red carpet in advance.

It was Prince Zhen Nan’s grand wedding, and nobody in Bianliang was unaware of it. The bride was the legitimate daughter of the Wu Family, and it was truly a strong alliance.

In recent days, the topic of discussion in taverns and teahouses was all about Prince Zhen Nan’s wedding. The excitement was no less than the recent enthronement of the new Emperor.

Hongfu Restaurant had even announced early on that on the day of Prince Zhen Nan’s wedding, drinks would be free, allowing people to drink to their heart’s content in celebration of the wedding. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

As the wedding approached, the defenses in Bianliang grew more stringent. The number of patrols by the Imperial Guard increased noticeably. Anyone deemed suspicious was imprisoned without question until after the wedding.

After all, on such a joyous day, Chen Mo didn’t want anyone disrupting the event and leaving a bad memory.

Outside Bianliang City.

"Who goes there?" The Defender General saw a peculiar procession approaching the city walls, quickly waved his hand, prepared the archers, and shouted.

At the front of the procession, a man in a brocade robe stepped forward and cupped his hands, saying loudly, "Your Excellency, I am Li Yuwen, an envoy from Great Wan. I am escorting our princess here to seek an audience with your Emperor. Please relay this information to your superior."

"Great Wan?" The Defender General was puzzled, and the Deputy General beside him said, "I think it’s the Wan Kingdom."

"Wan Kingdom..." This was a diplomatic matter that the Defender General couldn’t decide on, so he quickly sent someone to report to Prince Zhen Nan.

After going back and forth, it took about half an hour.

"What did the Prince say?" the Defender General asked.

"The Prince said to let them in."

"...Open the city gate!"

...

The Defender General descended from the city wall and said, "My Lord, the Prince has instructed that your envoy can rest at Hongfu Restaurant in the west of the city."

"Your Prince?" Li Yuwen asked in respect and then said, "May I trouble you to inform me who your Prince is?"

"Prince Zhen Nan, Chen Mo," the Defender General said.

"He is already a Prince?" Li Yuwen was momentarily stunned, and this thought flashed through his mind. Then he said, "I apologize for the trouble."

The Defender General arranged for someone to take them to Hongfu Restaurant in the west of the city.

Once the Wan Kingdom Princess settled in, she called Li Yuwen over.

"Lord Li, is this Prince Zhen Nan Chen Mo the same Chen Mo you previously mentioned as the Commander of the Infantry Division?" the Wan Kingdom Princess asked.

"To report to the Princess, it should be the same person, but to be sure, I need to inquire a bit," he responded respectfully.

They had traveled thousands of miles from the Wan Kingdom to Bianliang, facing assassination attempts by domestic assassins along the way, leaving no time or opportunity to investigate the current situation in Great Song.

The Wan Kingdom Princess nodded.

Li Yuwen went out, spent some money, and found out about all the major events that had happened in Great Song recently. Then he reported everything in detail to the Wan Kingdom Princess.

Learning that Chen Mo not only repelled Loulan’s invasion amidst national chaos but also captured the Loulan Queen and then seized control of the nation, the Wan Kingdom was immediately taken aback by his capabilities.

Her heart found some peace, believing that with Chen Mo’s might, if he were willing to send troops to Wan Kingdom to suppress the Ning clan, it would be like removing thorns from his palm.

"Lord Li, since you have met him before, please present my Jade Token and invite him to the restaurant for a meeting," she said.

"I will," Li Wenyu respectfully departed.

...

Chen Mansion.

"The Wan Kingdom’s Benevolent Princess invited me for a meeting?" Upon hearing Chun Lan’s report, Chen Mo laughed, "She doesn’t possess much strength, but her airs are not small. Seeking my help yet wanting me to go see her. Tell her that I’m getting married tomorrow and have no time in these two days. Besides, meeting privately would be improper; if there’s an opportunity, we will meet at the palace."

Chun Lan understood.

...

"Getting married, no time..."

After hearing Li Yuwen’s words, the Benevolent Princess was extremely disappointed, with a hint of resentment.

As a princess of Great Wan, although Great Wan was not as large as Great Song, she was turned down without a face-to-face meeting by a minister of Great Song due to a lack of time; this left her feeling quite embarrassed.

But considering that the situation in Great Wan couldn’t afford delays, where every day wasted would increase the danger to her father, she needed to meet Chen Mo as soon as possible.

"Isn’t his wedding tomorrow? We will attend as well, presenting the pearl obtained from the North Sea as a gift," the Benevolent Princess suggested.

...

Weiyang Palace.

In the bedchamber, Cai’Er was holding a tray on which lay a set of phoenix coronet and red robe, a wedding gown, and gold and jade jewelry, standing quietly at the side.

Xiao Qing’Er looked at the items on the tray, feeling bewildered, yet a trace of a guess formed in her heart.

"This is the wedding dress I wore on my wedding day, and today the Empress Dowager is gifting it to you," Xiao Yunxi said.

Xiao Qing’Er was stunned. Although it was as she guessed, she was nonetheless incredibly surprised.

Xiao Yunxi walked over with a smile, placing one hand on Xiao Qing’Er’s shoulder and gently caressing her face with the other, saying, "You have served the Empress Dowager for so long. Tomorrow, as you marry, the Empress Dowager will make sure you are as grand and honorable as the others."

Xiao Yunxi picked up the wedding gown, "The phoenix coronet and red robe, you cannot wear it openly, as it would be overstepping, but you can first wear this set. Once the ceremony is complete, you can change into the phoenix coronet and red robe for Chen Mo to see."

"Empress Dowager, these are too valuable; I cannot accept them," Xiao Qing’Er declined.

"Listen to the Empress Dowager, this is decided," Xiao Yunxi asserted.