FBC – Chapter 117 A Narrow Encounter

Seeing what was happening, Mu Feng quickly signaled to the matchmaker with his eyes.

The matchmaker beamed and loudly announced, “The auspicious hour has arrived—light the firecrackers!”

For the sake of appearances, Madam Wang had no choice but to push the inconsolable Gu Wanru toward Granny Zhou, letting her escort the girl into the manor.

“Go comfort her. We still have to return to the Duke’s estate later to entertain the guests.”

Granny Zhou hurriedly helped Gu Wanru into the house.

With a wave of Madam Wang’s hand, someone immediately lit the long strings of firecrackers hanging on both sides of the main gate.

A series of pili-pala explosions echoed, blending with the lively sounds of drums and music.

At the same time, members of the Gu family tossed prepared tea leaves and grains of rice onto the bridal sedan chair.

Gu Ruiwen and Gu Jinwen, the two brothers, followed alongside the sedan in what was known as the “send-off ceremony.”

Inside the sedan chair, Gu Hua sat nervously, her heart heavy with unease.

Was that all Concubine Pei had prepared—just three petty troublemakers?

The bridal procession had been marching with loud fanfare for quite a while now. Curious, Gu Hua quietly lifted the curtain to peek outside.

Huh? Why had they entered such a bustling area?

As they continued, the people Mu Feng had brought along tossed copper coins all the way, drawing a frenzied crowd from all over the city.

Fortunately, on either side of the street stood rows of guards dressed in dark robes, adorned with red sashes and red headbands. Their stern and murderous expressions clashed strangely with the festive colors.

“Is Second Aunt feeling unwell?”

Mu Feng, who had been watching the curtain closely, immediately spurred his horse forward and leaned in to ask softly.

Gu Hua quickly let go of the curtain. “No… I’m fine. Liu Lang, this route seems wrong.”

If Mu Feng hadn’t personally come to fetch her, she would’ve suspected foul play—like someone trying to abduct her.

That fear of being kidnapped still hadn’t faded.

Mu Feng’s heart clenched.

Yesterday, when he heard that a female member of the Mu household had been abducted, he had nearly rushed straight to his Second Uncle’s estate in the middle of the night. His parents had clung to him, weeping and begging him not to go.

Fortunately, the next morning, the Duke’s estate had sent someone to invite him to fetch the bride, and only then did he finally feel at ease.

Just earlier, someone had tried to smear Gu Hua’s reputation, and he had been so enraged he wanted to tear them apart.

Gu Hua was so obedient, so pitiful—why did everyone seem to want to bully her?

Leaning low over his horse, he whispered through the curtain, “Second Uncle instructed that we must follow the ceremony for a principal wife. So the bridal sedan must circle the city once and pass by the Tianfa Altar as well. A revered monk has lit incense there, waiting to bless you with the ‘Thousand-Year Longevity’ fortune.”

Gu Hua was speechless.

Warmth surged in her heart, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Mu Junyan was proclaiming to the entire capital that he would treat her with the rites befitting a legal wife.

“Mm, thank you for your efforts, Liu Lang.”

Hearing that, Mu Feng’s heart turned sour.

He straightened his back and forcibly swallowed the sting at the corners of his eyes.

The Tianfa Altar was a place where the people of Bianjing commonly prayed for blessings. It was known for its year-round incense and spiritual reverence.

When the bridal procession arrived, it came to a halt. Mu Feng stepped forward, saluted the high monk, accepted a stick of incense, lit it at the altar’s burner, and respectfully bowed toward the top of the altar before placing the incense into the burner.

Gu Ruiwen and Gu Jinwen followed. Gu Jinwen held a red lacquered incense box carved with intricate patterns, while Gu Ruiwen received three sticks of incense from the monk. After lighting them, he carefully placed them into the box.

They would be taken back to the Gu residence and placed in the brazier—this was known as “receiving the fire.”

The brothers returned to the bridal sedan and bowed in front of it.

“Second Sister, we’re heading back now.”

Gu Hua responded with a soft “Mm,” and reminded them to study hard.

The brothers cupped their hands and bowed again, preparing to leave.

Gu Jinwen held the incense box tightly, turning back with every step. His eyes gradually filled with tears.

From now on, it would be hard to see the only sister who had ever doted on him.

He felt like crying.

Only then did the wedding procession grandly head toward the Duke Yong’s residence, and Gu Hua finally let out the breath she’d been holding.

On the grey-tiled roof of an inconspicuous building, a man in a grey robe sat silently.

If one didn’t look carefully, they wouldn’t even notice there was someone there.

Ji Xuanyu stared intently at the bridal sedan, watching the lively wedding procession. The silver half-mask in his hand was nearly crushed by his grip.

His refined face was completely bloodless, pale with a sickly hue.

He had wanted to snatch her away.

But with his current identity, even if he succeeded, what could he offer her?

If he really did take her, everyone in the capital would think she had been abducted.

He had already harmed her once—he couldn’t hurt her a second time.

Inside the bridal sedan, Gu Hua had just breathed a sigh of relief when her heart suddenly grew anxious again for no reason.

She quietly lifted a corner of the curtain to peek outside. The wedding procession had already passed through the imperial avenue and was heading toward the inner city. Just three more wards, and they’d arrive at the Duke Yong’s residence.

The inner city had stricter security; nothing should go wrong now.

Suddenly, Gu Hua heard a burst of commotion. The wedding procession had stopped. There were screams, and the sound of chaotic footsteps followed.

The sedan bearers panicked, carefully setting the sedan down before crouching low to hide.

Startled, Gu Hua was about to lift the curtain and ask what was going on. The moment she did, she saw three arrows whizzing straight toward her face.

Zhou Zhilan drew her sword and leapt into the air, deflecting one of them.

She cried out, “Sister Hua, dodge!”

Gu Hua broke out in a cold sweat and immediately flattened herself to the ground.

Surprisingly, the remaining two arrows didn’t enter the sedan. When she got up and looked outside, she saw two figures—one in red and one in grey—facing each other on horseback.

It was the two of them who had each used a sword to knock away the other two arrows.

Not far away, a few masked men were being restrained and dragged over.

A trembling voice softly called out, “My lord!”

Mu Junyan turned to glance at her and nodded gently.

The man opposite him, wearing a silver half-mask, also suddenly looked over.

Gu Hua was startled.

Wasn’t this the leader of the kidnappers?

“My lord, be careful! He’s ruthless and cruel!” Gu Hua rushed to the front of the sedan, shouting anxiously.

Ji Xuanyu stared fixedly at Gu Hua, not even sparing a glance at Mu Junyan, who was swinging a sword at him. The blade was already at his throat—any second now, blood would spurt forth.

Gu Hua quickly shut her eyes.

But after a moment, there was no sound.

She cautiously opened one eye, then widened both in surprise, staring in confusion at the man wearing the silver mask.

His eyes… looked just like the ones of the man who had saved her from falling off the cliff that day—filled with an inexplicable sorrow.

Her chest suddenly ached with a dull pain, like something had pierced her heart.

Mu Junyan’s sword tip had already pricked Ji Xuanyu’s neck.

But he stopped. He didn’t stab deeper.

Though this man was the leader of the group who had abducted Gu Hua, he had twice saved her from danger.

Mu Junyan was shaken by the man’s willingness to risk death for the girl before him.

He began to suspect his identity.

Ji Xuanyu saw how nervous Gu Hua was, and his lips trembled. He wanted so badly to tell her—he was her Brother Ji.

Gu Hua’s heart clenched tightly. She was afraid Mu Junyan might get hurt.

“Junyan, don’t go easy on him. He’s extremely devious,” she urged anxiously.

Mu Junyan looked at her in surprise.

She called him “Junyan”?

This was the first time she’d addressed him so intimately.

And it sounded… quite nice.

He coaxed her ever so gently, “Be good. Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

The young woman nodded obediently.

Ji Xuanyu’s eyes turned red in an instant, heart twisting with pain.

Suddenly, he burst into wild laughter. His shaking neck caused Mu Junyan’s sword tip to graze him a few more times.

Not knowing the man’s full background, Mu Junyan retracted his sword and said, “Today is my and my lady’s wedding day. Hero, might you allow us to finish our ceremony? I shall host a feast another day for us to drink together.”

Gu Hua’s eyes turned warm with emotion.

He just called her my lady.

Ji Xuanyu’s laughter abruptly stopped, his gaze cold and chilling. “I’ll come back for you both!”

He pointed to the three restrained men. “They aren’t mine. My men wouldn’t be this stupid!”

Mu Junyan nodded.

Ji Xuanyu leapt down and swiftly vanished into the crowd, disappearing into a nearby alley.

Mu Junyan rushed to the bridal sedan and asked with concern, “Were you frightened?”

Gu Hua shook her head. “No.”

“Good. Let’s not miss the auspicious hour.”