Wayfarer

Chapter 852: The Grand Wedding

Chapter 852: The Grand Wedding

Yanzhi walked through the old family estate where she had spent her childhood.

Her father, once a righteous and noble official, had lived a modest life despite being bequeathed a rural estate as a reward from the emperor. After her family was falsely accused of treason and executed, the estate had been abandoned and left to decay.

The old manor was overgrown with weeds, with cobwebs hanging in the eaves and moss covering the once-pristine floors. Her subordinates had done their best to clean it up, leaving Yanzhi to wander through its familiar halls. She arrived at the now-empty study, memories from her childhood flooding back.

"Yanzhi, did you draw little turtles on Father's papers again? Just wait until he comes back—you're going to get a beating!"

"Well, Father didn't buy me any peach blossom cakes! Sister, don't tell Father it was me, alright?"

"You little rascal, you're always causing trouble! Here, I kept your favorite dish in the kitchen for you—chicken drumsticks."

"Yanzhi, try to stay out of trouble, alright? Here, I got you some candied hawthorns today."

"Next time, you can't scribble all over my papers, understand?"

Father, Mother, Brother, and Sister's voices seemed to echo in her mind.

Before she realized it, tears were streaming down her cheeks.

She walked through the manor, her gaze seeming to pierce the veil of time. She could almost see her younger self, running and laughing in this very place—a life once happy and carefree.

Now, however, she was the only one left.

Just as sorrow was about to overwhelm her, a warm hand gently clasped hers. She looked up to see Xiao Nanfeng standing beside her.

With tenderness in his eyes, he brushed the tears from her cheeks and said softly, "I'll be with you for the rest of your life."

A surge of warmth filled Yanzhi's heart. She threw herself into Xiao Nanfeng's arms and cried freely, letting his embrace soothe her aching heart. Gradually, her grief was replaced by a deep, fiery love.

When she finally calmed down, she tilted her head up and met Xiao Nanfeng's gaze. Unable to contain her emotions, she leaned in and kissed him.

Xiao Nanfeng, moved by her deep affection, returned her kiss.

The two shared a moment of passion, pouring their love and trust into the embrace. Time seemed to stand still until Yan Zhi, breathless, had to pull away.

"You must have appeared in my life thanks to Father and Mother watching over me from the heavens," Yanzhi murmured, her voice trembling with emotion.

Xiao Nanfeng gently stroked her hair and replied, "It's true. The heavens brought me here for you, just as they brought you to me. I don't want to go back to where I came from. Having you is enough."

Nestled in Xiao Nanfeng's arms, Yanzhi's eyes sparkled with gratitude and love.

After a long embrace, Xiao Nanfeng broke the silence. "I've already found the remains of your father, mother, brother, and sister. I've buried them all in your father's hometown—but we can't pay our respects right now. We have to leave immediately."

"What's wrong?" Yanzhi asked. Then, she belatedly noticed the turmoil in the sky above the capital. "The emperor—he's dead?"

"I killed him," Xiao Nanfeng replied matter-of-factly. "Before his death, I intercepted the edicts he was sending to the various feudal lords. In each one, I declared in his name that, in the event of his unexpected death, the recipient of the edict was to succeed him as emperor. Dahuang will quickly fall apart. Soon, there'll be no shortage of self-proclaimed emperors."

Yanzhi's eyes widened. "What?"

"Xuan Kun is too powerful for us to assassinate just yet. He's been consolidating his forces and will likely have military leaders swear fealty to him as the new ruler soon enough. I've created this chaos to pit the feudal lords against Xuan Kun's forces, buying us time to return to the Phoenix Army, rally our troops, and establish our own faction to contend for the empire."

"But isn't that going to plunge the realm into chaos?" Yanzhi asked, frowning.

"You're worried about the suffering of the people, aren't you?" Xiao Nanfeng asked gently. "The truth is, Xuan Kun has been planning this coup for years. Conflict between him and the feudal lords will be inevitable. The longer this drags on, the more the common people will suffer. I've only expedited the process—we'll make this end as quickly as we can. Besides, we've been preparing for this moment. With the Phoenix Army and our assassins' guild, we can end this war faster than anyone else."

Yanzhi hesitated, but then nodded. "You're more suited to lead than I am. Why not take the throne yourself?"

Xuan Kun's expression twisted with regret and rage. "It's you, you little wretch? I should have spared no expense to hunt you down after killing your father, you wretched brat!"

With a furious roar, Xuan Kun charged forward.

"Kill him!" Yanzhi commanded icily.

With a loud battlecry, Dahan's generals surged forward.

It would be beneath Yanzhi's station to personally fight someone like Xuan Kun. There were plenty of generals serving under her who were eager to claim the glory of defeating him.

The battlefield erupted into chaos as Yanzhi and Xiao Nanfeng watched calmly from atop an imperial carriage.

The surrounding officials were no longer surprised by Xiao Nanfeng's presence. They all knew about the origins of the kingdom of Danan and dared not question his involvement.

After a fierce battle, Xuan Kun was gravely wounded, his tricks exhausted. He could no longer resist; Danan's forces closed in on him.

"No!"

Xuan Kun screamed as his head was severed from his body.

The battlefield erupted in victorious cheers.

"Enter the city!" Yanzhi declared.

"Enter the city!" the soldiers echoed, their voices thunderous.

Xuan Kun's remaining subordinates quickly surrendered, not daring to resist further.

At least, the entirety of Dahuang's lands fell into the hands of Danan.

At the same time, the kingdom of Danan began to amass power to elevate itself into an empire.

For the first time in years, Yanzhi and Xiao Nanfeng could breathe without the urgency and pall of war hanging over them. Together, they traveled to Yanzhi's family's ancestral home, accompanied by a host of followers, to visit her parents' and siblings' graves.

In the tranquil cemetery, the two carefully cleaned and tended to the graves as they burned incense and paper offerings.

Xiao Nanfeng knelt solemnly before the graves.

"Yanzhi's father, mother, brother, and sister, I humbly ask for your blessing. Please entrust Yanzhi to me. Allow her to become my wife. I promise to cherish her for my entire life. I will never let her suffer any harm or sadness. Together, we shall be forever united in love."

Xiao Nanfeng kowtowed deeply three times.

Yanzhi, her eyes red with emotion, knelt beside him. "Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, from now on, Nanfeng will take care of me in your stead. I will live a good life with him. Please rest assured."

The two kowtowed three more times before rising together.

Then, as they returned to Danan's capital, they held a grand wedding.

The ceremony was extravagant and drew admiration from the entire realm. Countless officials and civilians alike sent their blessings.

When the festivities concluded, the two finally retired to their bridal chamber.

Xiao Nanfeng lifted Yanzhi's red bridal veil, revealing her radiant beauty in the soft candlelight. Her elegance left him utterly captivated.

"My wife, from today onward, we'll walk through life together. Never shall we part," Xiao Nanfeng said tenderly, offering her a cup of wine.

Yanzhi's eyes glowed with affection as she took the wine. The two drank from their cups, sealing their union. Then, as they sat down their cups, Xiao Nanfeng scooped Yanzhi into his arms. Their gazes met, filled with love and longing.

The drapes on the bed were unpinned and the candlelight dimmed as their clothes were discarded. The ornate bed began to rock rhythmically, bearing witness to their consummated love.