"We Are Both Guilty" - Chapter 103: The Wedding Dress

As the year drew to a close, Xiao Lujue, who had been fighting in Xinjiang for two years, suddenly brought back a four-year-old child from the northern frontier. Everyone assumed that he had gotten into a romantic affair while on the march, but Xiao Lujue said that the child was the son of his friend Li Xun, named Li Mingjun, courtesy name Shuyan.
Speaking of Li Xun, he was also a general of the Tianqing Kingdom, but he was two years older than Lu Jue. He went to the southern border to fight the enemy two years earlier than Lu Jue. Later, he expanded the territory and made great achievements. He was favored by the emperor and became the emperor's son-in-law.
This was originally a beautiful story, but for some reason, the princess ran away from home every few days after the marriage. In the end, Li Xun had no choice but to entrust his four-year-old son to Xiao Lujue's care and go after his wife.
Upon hearing this, Lu Ying burst into laughter, causing the tassel hairpin in her hair to sway wildly. Little Lu Jue, puzzled by her laughter, asked, "Why is Sister laughing so loudly?"
Lu Ying held back her laughter for a long time before finally stopping. "I just found General Li and his wife's story funny, nothing more."
“I see. But Li Xun is really unreliable. He left me with a four-year-old. How can I, an unmarried man, take care of him? Besides, the child doesn’t seem very bright. He refuses to call me godfather and just keeps calling me ‘Daddy’ all day long, which is driving me crazy. The most important thing is that the military camp is full of rough men, and the environment is harsh. Raising a child is harder than climbing to heaven. So I can only send him home when I have time, hoping that my family can help take care of him.” Xiao Lu said.
"Hmm, hahaha, don't worry, Shuyan will be fine in the family. You just need to focus on protecting the country. Today, Tianqing has four generals stationed in the east, west, south, and north, and life is getting more and more prosperous every day." Lu Ying couldn't help but laugh again because she really couldn't help but associate the little child in front of her with the modern Shuyan. She couldn't help but laugh whenever she thought of Shuyan calling Lu Jue "Daddy".
“Actually, Shu Yan is quite pitiful. His father sent him to my camp when he was just a month old. Back then, he could go back to his father’s place for a few months every now and then. But now his irresponsible parents have completely disappeared. This child has been in the camp for almost half a year. It’s about time for him to start school, so I think it’s better to send him back.” Xiao Lujue said with a sigh.
Lu Ying was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to laugh or not. So she coughed lightly to compose herself and said, "He is indeed quite pitiful. Don't worry, I will take good care of him."
“But I heard that my sister has started looking for a husband in the last two years, so it won’t be long before she starts to get married…” Xiao Lujue said, his voice lowering.
"Marriage is still a long way off. I wasn't born to be a wife and mother, nor do I want to rush into marriage with a stranger without considering feelings and my own wishes. Even if I were to marry, I would definitely choose someone I like and who pleases me. This can't be rushed, so you don't need to worry about me not being able to take care of the child." Lu Ying never thought about getting married in this ancient era. She only wanted to endure until she died and return to the modern world as soon as possible. If she hadn't been unsure whether suicide would send her back to the modern world, she would have committed suicide long ago when Zhiyan helped her see her fate.
A glint of light flashed in Xiao Lujue's eyes, but he quickly concealed it. "Then I'll have to trouble you, sister."
Lu Ying smiled and shook her head, indicating that it was fine. Then she asked, "There are still half a month until the New Year. Do you want to stay and celebrate the New Year?"
"Does my sister want me to stay?" Xiao Lu asked suddenly.
“Hmm… Mother hasn’t been feeling well lately, perhaps because she misses you so much. If you have time, it would be best if you stayed to spend the New Year with her.” Lu Ying pondered for a moment and said. She sensed that Lu Jue’s words had a hidden meaning, so she revealed her true intention to have him stay for the New Year.
"Then, does my sister miss me?" Little Lu Jue seemed unwilling to change the subject.
Lu Ying smiled faintly, "Of course I miss him. It's only natural for an older sister to miss her younger brother."
"..." Xiao Lu Jue was silent for a moment, then said, "It's probably not possible to stay for the New Year, but I can rest for a few days and spend time with my mother. The nomads in the northern frontier know that my country is celebrating the New Year, and they always take the opportunity to invade. Since I was stationed in the frontier, I have been personally leading people to guard it and have never relaxed. This year should be no different."
Lu Ying nodded, indicating her understanding: "Very well, it is only right for a general to be at the forefront of defending against the enemy. I just hope you take good care of yourself and rest well at home for the next few days, and spend more time with your mother."
"After I leave, I'll have to trouble you to take care of the family, sister." Xiao Lu clasped his hands in a fist salute.
“Of course, there’s no need for us siblings to be so formal,” Lu Ying replied.
...
Xiao Lu Jue stayed for another three days before setting off back to the Northern Frontier. However, he did not return for a full six years. During these six years, he expanded his territory, and with only 50,000 elite troops, he conquered a territory twice the size of Tianqing. During this time, he received countless rewards, all of which were sent to the General's Mansion. In addition to offering tributes to the Emperor, he also sent many of the rare treasures he collected in the Northern Frontier to the General's Mansion. In short, the General's Mansion gained extreme glory by being supported by him alone.
Later, because of his outstanding achievements, the emperor granted him the title of Marquis of Zhenbei and wanted to recall him and marry the Fourth Princess to him. However, he repeatedly refused to return to the capital on the grounds that it was difficult to defend against foreign enemies. Everyone in the general's mansion knew that he did not want to marry the Fourth Princess, but the entire royal family felt that he was arrogant because of his achievements, had ulterior motives, and did not want to give up power.
Moreover, because he was indeed young and brave, he expanded the territory of Tianqing three times at the age of only twenty-six. However, the emperor could not take back the military power in his hands, and fearing that he would not return to the capital and would develop rebellious intentions, he devised a plan to have the Third Prince marry his twenty-six-year-old sister, who was still unmarried and spent her days in a temple with her adopted son.
The imperial decree caught everyone in the General's Mansion off guard, including Lu Ying. She had never intended to get married in this era and was hoping to reach the next stage of her life. Moreover, she had already felt her body was depleted this year and was constantly tired. She thought it might be coming soon, but she was suddenly tricked, which made her very angry.
Just as she was considering whether disobeying the imperial decree would implicate the entire general's mansion and lead to the execution of the whole family, Zhiyan found her.
“Miss, this marriage cannot proceed. It would be best to have the General return to the capital immediately to hand over his seal and relinquish power!” Zhiyan said with a solemn expression.
"What do you mean?" Lu Ying asked, puzzled.
"Well... Zhiyan has analyzed your and the Third Prince's birth charts. If you agree to marry the Third Prince as a concubine, I'm afraid it will bring you bad luck," Zhiyan said hesitantly.
"You mean, if I marry the Third Prince, I'll die even sooner?" Lu Ying asked directly.
"Hmm..." Zhiyan hesitated for a moment, but still responded.
"Alright, I understand. You may leave now." Lu Ying waved her hand, indicating that Zhiyan could leave.
"Miss, should I send a message to the general?" Zhiyan asked, still worried.
"No need, I know what I'm doing, you don't need to worry about it," Lu Ying said directly.
She had a chance to die sooner, so how could she easily let go of that opportunity?
...
The wedding was set for two days later. The Emperor originally intended to take advantage of Lu Jue's absence to quickly complete the marriage and make it a fait accompli. At that time, regardless of whether Lu Jue relinquished power, the Emperor would have to think carefully before acting, which is why it was so rushed.
However, the royal family never anticipated how much Lu Jue valued Lu Ying. They even managed to kill five fast horses to get back to the General's Mansion on the day of Lu Ying's wedding.
When he returned to the mansion, it was just past midnight. The sky was still dark, with stars twinkling. At this time, Lu Ying, the bride, had not yet gotten up. It would not be too late for her to get up and do her makeup at dawn. However, she did not expect that Xiao Lu Jue would suddenly break into the house at midnight.
"Young man?" Lu Ying sat up in bed, still wearing her undergarments. "What are you doing in my boudoir in the middle of the night? This is outrageous!"
Lu Ying's first reaction wasn't to ask why Lu Jue had returned, but to scold him for sneaking into her room in the middle of the night, which made Lu Jue feel disappointed for a moment.
However, he did not show it. Instead, he stood a meter away from the bed and said, "Sister, if you are unwilling to get married, I can hand over my military power and ask the Emperor to rescind his order."
"What nonsense are you talking about? Retracting your order? The emperor's word is law. What makes you think that by handing over your military power you can make the emperor retract his order? Besides, how do you know I don't want to marry the Third Prince?" Lu Ying threw off the covers and got up from the bed. Her tone was sharp, but her steps were unsteady, indicating that she was not feeling well.
Lu Jue hurriedly stepped forward to support Lu Ying, but Lu Ying used all her strength to shake off his support, walked to the table and lit the candles. Only then did she see clearly that Lu Jue was covered in dust and dirt, as if he hadn't slept in a long time. His lips were pale and cracked. In the years she hadn't seen him, he had become even more upright and vigorous, and his eyes were full of fierceness. These two aspects alone made him completely different from Lu Jue.
"Sister, are you really willing to marry the Third Prince?" Lu Jue's expression was inscrutable. In the candlelight, Lu Ying seemed to see a trace of sadness on his face for a moment, but upon closer inspection, it seemed that there was nothing else besides determination.
“I am truly willing.” Lu Ying pulled out a round chair and sat down. “I am already twenty-six years old, long past the age for marriage. Your status is now too high for me to marry into, so I cannot marry into an ordinary family. Now that a prince is willing to marry me as his principal wife, why would I not?”
"If you were truly willing, why didn't you marry when so many noble families sought your hand years ago? Why did you only want to get married after you had missed the prime marriageable age? And why did you only want to get married when I was being feared by the royal family?" Lu Jue lowered his eyes and looked at Lu Ying. "This is too much of a coincidence."
"The fate of this world cannot be explained in a few words, so how can you explain it in a few words?" Lu Ying said calmly, unwilling to say more to him. "Now that you are back, you should rest early. I have to get married on time tomorrow morning. If I miss the wedding time, it will be bad luck."
Xiao Lujue's hands, hanging by his sides, were clenched into fists. The veins on the back of his hands and the scars on his hands were crisscrossed, making him look extremely ferocious and terrifying. "If I don't agree to your marriage, I'll see who can make you leave this General's Mansion even half a step."
Lu Ying looked up at him with a probing gaze, and she had some guesses in her heart, but she couldn't be sure. She and Xiao Lu Jue had kept their distance since childhood, and after he turned fifteen, he was away from home for many years. How could he still have such unusual feelings for her after all these years?
"What if I insist on getting married?" Lu Ying asked.
Xiao Lu Jue gritted his teeth and remained silent. After a moment, he turned and left. Lu Ying thought he had compromised. But just as she was about to blow out the candle and lie back down on the bed, Xiao Lu Jue suddenly jumped in through the window with a box in his arms.
Lu Ying was somewhat surprised, but remained calm on the surface. "Why are you here again? If you can't give me a reason, I'll kick you out. You're becoming more and more unruly."
"If you insist on getting married, I will give you this wedding dress." As Lu Jue spoke, he opened the box, and inside was a beautifully crafted wedding dress. The moment the box was opened, Lu Ying seemed to see a red light emanating from the dress.
Lu Jue took the wedding dress out of the box, and with a flick of his wrists, the dress unfurled in the air.
This wedding dress is unlike any other wedding dress in the Tianqing Kingdom. Even the royal princesses have never worn such a special wedding dress for their weddings. Its skirt is like a pomegranate flower, with petals that unfold but do not reveal the skin. The fabric is also embroidered with gold thread and adorned with pearls the size of grapes. If worn, it would surely be delicate but not seductive. What is most remarkable is that this wedding dress is also designed to be fitted at the waist, which can show off a woman's beautiful figure.
But that wasn't what truly surprised Lu Ying. What truly shocked her was that this wedding dress was the same one she had seen at the Gulingcheng Temple!
She was momentarily dazed. She didn't know what to do with the wedding dress. She only remembered that in modern times, Zhiyan said that he had kept the wedding dress all along. She didn't know if the Zhiyan of modern times was the same Zhiyan of this era, or if the descendants of the Zhiyan of this era had been using the name Zhiyan.
So if she wants this wedding dress to appear in modern times, then she must now instruct Zhiyan to preserve it.
After a brief moment of rapid thought, she said, "I can't wear this wedding dress. There has never been a custom in Tianqing Kingdom for a younger brother to give his older sister a wedding dress."
Lu Jue said in a low voice, "Customs are all man-made. Since the ancients could create customs, then I can also change them."
"It's been years since we last met, and you've brought your decisive and innovative nature home with you, General?" Lu Ying sneered. "Wedding dresses have always been a gift from a man to a woman he loves, a symbol of mutual affection. Now you're offering one to me? That's a complete departure from tradition. Do you want Mother to bring out the family rules and break your legs?"
“You’re always away from home, fighting battles all year round. It’s understandable that you’re a little thick-skinned and have some innovative ideas. But if I were to wear this wedding dress and get married like you, I would have no face to live in this world anymore! Are you trying to force me to my death?” Lu Ying’s voice became more and more severe as she spoke, and in the end, it even trembled with anger.
"I...I didn't!" Xiao Lujue panicked the moment he heard Lu Ying say that. "If my sister doesn't like it, I'll destroy it." With that, he was about to tear the wedding dress in his hand to shreds.
"Wait!" Lu Ying stopped her in time. "Although I can't wear it to my wedding, I can keep it for you. I'll have Zhiyan keep it safe. When you meet someone you love someday, you can give it to that girl. And this jade bracelet, I've worn it for over eight years. Now that I'm getting married, I'm returning it to you as a keepsake. If you miss me in the future, just look at this bracelet." As Lu Ying spoke, she deliberately took the bracelet off her wrist and put it on Lu Jue.
Since the bracelet appeared in the ancient city temple in modern times, it certainly couldn't leave with her. So she found an excuse to leave the bracelet for Xiao Lujue, and deliberately said that she was leaving it for him as a keepsake. Otherwise, she was afraid that he would destroy the bracelet the moment she gave it to him.
After Xiao Lu put on the bracelet, his face turned ashen and looked terrible.
"That's enough. I'm tired. I need to rest for a while before I have to get up and get ready. I'm touched that you came all the way back to see me off. Since it's still early, you can leave your wedding dress here and go rest for a bit. When it's time to leave, I'll need you to carry me out of my parents' house." Lu Ying's voice did indeed weaken as she spoke, and she looked very tired.
Although Xiao Lu Jue was unwilling, he was a child who had been bound by feudal morality since childhood. So no matter how unwilling he was, he couldn't say anything at this moment. He could only leave the wedding dress behind and leave feeling resentful.
After Lu Ying waited for Xiao Lu Jue to leave, she called the servants to pack the wedding dress and send it to the family temple, instructing Zhiyan to take good care of it.
She then lay back down on the bed, but couldn't fall asleep. With her eyes closed, she wondered what would have happened between Xiao Lu Jue and "her" if she hadn't come to this era. Would he still like "her"? Or would they have fallen in love? But they were all people from ancient times; they probably wouldn't dare to be so bold.
Then she wondered, if she really married the Third Prince, would she die immediately? Would she really return to the modern world after death? If she couldn't really die immediately, how could she avoid consummating her marriage with the Third Prince?
In short, she was making random plans in her mind. Finally, someone came to call her to get up and do her hair. They called her three times before she came to her senses and got out of bed.

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"We Are Both Guilty" - Chapter 103: The Wedding Dress

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