Chapter 3: Chang'an Tong Que Ming (Melody of Golden Age)

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Chang'an Tong Que Ming (Melody of Golden Age)

 Chapter 3: 

  The Inner Guard’s Chief Officer’s Wedding

Sitting in the bridal sedan chair, Zhu Yan adjusted her wedding clothes, unable to fathom how she had gone from being in the prison this morning to becoming a wife in just a short time.

Sighing, the sedan chair came to a halt. The sounds of footsteps shaking the ground came from all directions, and the joyful noise disappeared.

Zhu Yan heard the matchmaker nervously say, “Chief Officer, we haven’t finished the wedding chants yet; you can’t…”

Then a stranger’s voice responded, “The Chief Officer’s wedding must follow the rules of the Inner Guard. The Chief Officer is also eager to present gifts to the bride, so be prepared.”

“Ah—”

A sharp scream was heard from outside, and a black object was thrown in, landing with a thud at Zhu Yan’s feet.

Zhu Yan looked down to see red liquid splattered all over the wedding sedan. Confused, she kicked the object, and a pair of wide-open eyes stared back at her!

Zhu Yan immediately stood up, her heart racing, and lifted the curtain of the sedan chair to ask, “Who threw this?”

No one answered. A large black horse approached, and a dragon-patterned cloak woven with gold thread flowed from the saddle. The owner of the cloak, with cold eyes, stared at her.

He exuded an aura of authority without needing to be angry, instilling fear in those who saw him. He was the opposite of the Black Lord of Hell in his harsh demeanor.

This was Shen Du.

Zhu Yan was scrutinized by him, and she lifted her head, holding up the severed head in her hand, “Chief Officer, this is yours...”

“Liuniang,” Shen Du replied.

Upon hearing him recognize her, a flicker of surprise crossed Zhu Yan’s eyes, and then she heard Shen Du sneer, “You’re quite bold.”

Zhu Yan’s words were abruptly cut off.

This was because Shen Du had drawn his sword and placed it against her neck!

The matchmaker, terrified, scrambled to her feet and hurriedly said, “Chief Officer! Prime Minister Zhang Xingwei has instructed that the young lady must be delivered to the residence intact. His Majesty has also promised Prime Minister Zhang that this is a favorable match. You must not act like this!”

Shen Du raised an eyebrow and glanced at the matchmaker, “Is that so?”

Zhu Yan quickly spoke up, “She is an official matchmaker. If you harm her, you will face serious consequences. If you take me into the residence, then it will be a matter between us as husband and wife.”

Zhu Yan stared at Shen Du and stated, “Chief Officer, it’s not worth the loss.”

These words undoubtedly provoked the authority of the Chief Officer of the Inner Guard. Jing Lin was immediately angered: “What audacity! How dare you teach your superior how to do things!”

As Jing Lin's horse was about to kick, Shen Du shifted slightly in his saddle.

The black horse neighed and stepped in front of Zhu Yan, blocking her.

Jing Lin, unable to control his horse in time, lost his balance and fell from the saddle. His cloak, adorned with gold thread and the Sea Eastern Blue pattern, was muddied and unrecognizable.

Shen Du showed no reaction, casting a cold, indifferent glance at Jing Lin. Yet, Jing Lin, who was one of Shen Du’s trusted subordinates, did not seem to be deterred by Shen Du’s warning. He simply got up silently and said, “This subordinate is at fault.”

The other Inner Guard members also showed no sign of displeasure.

Loyal to a fault.

But this was not good news for Zhu Yan. The more loyal the Inner Guard was to Shen Du, the more it indicated that Shen Du had significant power beyond what was granted by the Empress Dowager. 

This kind of power was enough for him to deal with any spies planted by others—meaning, spies like her.

Realizing this, Zhu Yan could hardly breathe. The knife still pressed against her neck made her feel a chilling fear that went from her feet to the top of her head.

The blade was directly facing her pulse.

As Zhu Yan tried to speak, Shen Du raised the knife.

Zhu Yan watched the knife descend, and then, her wedding fan in her hand wobbled slightly, leaving only the handle in her grasp.

“Before entering the residence, I need to remind you of three things. First,” Shen Du sheathed his knife, “don’t fantasize about becoming a true Madam Shen after you’re in the house; second, don’t hope to learn anything about the Inner Guard from me; third…”

“You remember this well—” Shen Du pinched her chin and brought it to his face, leaning in to chuckle softly in her ear, “You’re not the wife that Shen Du willingly married, don’t expect to survive more than three months. Understand?”

His cold gaze withdrew from Zhu Yan’s face, and before leaving, Shen Du flicked her jawline with his fingers.

A dull pain.

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