Gu Qingcheng knew she had no choice but to change. If she didn't, these people would surely force her, and being stripped unwillingly was certainly worse than doing it herself.
Seeing Gu Qingcheng obediently change into the wedding attire, the maids appeared quite pleased.
Perhaps they thought Gu Qingcheng had accepted her fate, accepting the reality of marrying General Huo.
One maid boldly said, "Miss Gu, marrying our General Huo, you've truly fallen into a nest of fortune. General Huo now commands over 3,000 soldiers, all former subordinates of Prince Xia. They are skilled and valiant fighters; ordinary bandits and brigands are no match for these regular troops."
Seeing Gu Qingcheng show no signs of displeasure, everyone eagerly vied to curry favor with her, afraid of missing their chance and being forgotten by Gu Qingcheng later.
"That's right, Miss Gu, marrying our Prince Xia, you will live in bliss. We have mountains of grain and countless jewels here. Won't all of this be yours in the future?"
The crowd noticed a softening in Gu Qingcheng's expression. They assumed that, being a woman, she would eventually come to her senses and become compliant after realizing the situation.
Furthermore, they thought that after marrying General Huo, she would become the mistress of the household. They felt it was crucial to win her favor now, as they might become her confidantes or trusted aides in the future. Thus, they all came forward to fawn over her.
Gu Qingcheng did not treat these unfortunate women harshly. Moreover, what they said provided her with valuable information. She simply smiled and listened, then casually inquired, "With General Huo's strength, are the surrounding islands all under his control?"
"Indeed, the three surrounding islands are garrisoned by his troops. General Huo has stated that once he accumulates enough power, he intends to become Emperor, and the dynasty will be named the Great Huo Dynasty. You will then be the Empress of the Great Huo Dynasty, how wonderful that would be!"
"Yes, yes, General Huo is a very good person. Look, he likes you the most," some maids said with admiration.
Gu Qingcheng nodded perfunctorily.
At this moment, the noise outside grew louder, and a deafening sound, like that of a pig being slaughtered, could be heard.
Gu Qingcheng realized that Huo Yu was indeed preparing a grand wedding.
A bitter smile played on her lips. She never expected her first marriage to be a forced one.
Suddenly, Gu Qingcheng had an idea and said, "Since the makeup is already done, and there's nothing else to do, why don't you take me to see my friend? I want to see Sister Lan Yue."
"Ah? This? The General didn't say you could go out for a walk," one maid hesitated before boldly replying.
"But the General also didn't forbid it, did he? Besides, for a wedding, shouldn't there be bridesmaids? I won't make things difficult for you. How about you bring Sister Lan Yue over, and you can help her get ready to be my bridesmaid? That would make it feel like a real wedding!"
Gu Qingcheng's request was reasonable and simultaneously reinforced her apparent acceptance of the marriage. The maids, unable to refuse, said, "Then we will go ask General Huo for his opinion first."
"Alright."
Gu Qingcheng wasn't afraid of Huo Yu knowing. After all, she had to rely on Du Lan Yue to escape together.
The maids did not dare to delay and quickly went to report to Huo Yu.
Huo Yu thought that two women together wouldn't cause much trouble. Moreover, he believed that Gu Qingcheng willingly looking for a bridesmaid indicated a change in her feelings and acceptance of marrying him. He was overjoyed.
"Fine, take Miss Du to be with Madam, and make sure she is dressed beautifully."
Mentioning Du Lan Yue, a lustful glint appeared in Huo Yu's eyes. Du Lan Yue was so beautiful; if it weren't for appeasing Gu Qingcheng, he would have made a move on her long ago. Now, asking Du Lan Yue to be a bridesmaid? Huo Yu thought, "That means I'll take them both!"
The thought made Huo Yu even happier, believing Gu Qingcheng was truly a lucky star who brought him boundless beauty upon arrival.
Gu Qingcheng was unaware of Huo Yu's ulterior motives at this moment. However, seeing the servants genuinely bring Du Lan Yue into the room, she was delighted. She stepped forward, clasped Du Lan Yue's hand, and said, "Sister Lan Yue, you're finally here."
Du Lan Yue, suddenly grabbed by Gu Qingcheng, was startled. She took a few steps back, and her first reaction was, "You? Who are you?"
Gu Qingcheng was also taken aback. "Huh? What's going on? Sister Lan Yue doesn't recognize me?" In the cave, they had relied on each other for over ten days, living day and night, familiar as the palm and the back of a hand. Now, she didn't recognize her? Had Du Lan Yue been stunned? Oh, perhaps it was the makeup? The stark contrast was too great, so Du Lan Yue didn't recognize her?
Gu Qingcheng touched her nose to ease the awkwardness and smiled, "Sister Lan Yue, you must be shocked by this outfit. It's me, Qingcheng!"
"Ah? You're Qingcheng? How is that possible? Isn't Qingcheng a man?" Du Lan Yue's reaction was somewhat intense.
Gu Qingcheng touched her nose again and finally realized that Du Lan Yue had always mistaken her for a young master, not a woman. It seemed her disguise was too good, making her indistinguishable. It was understandable; she was only sixteen, at an age where gender could be ambiguous, and some boys' voices, before changing, were rather clear and not deep. At most, people would call her effeminate. Seeing her in male attire, they would certainly not suspect she was not a man.
Gu Qingcheng quickly explained, "Sister Lan Yue, I am Qingcheng. I've been wearing male attire before for convenience when traveling. Look at this chaotic world; it's quite dangerous for a woman to travel alone everywhere, so I simply dressed as a man."
With Gu Qingcheng's clear explanation, Du Lan Yue was struck as if by lightning. She collapsed onto the red sandalwood chair behind her and murmured, "So, so you are Miss Gu, and you're not Young Master Gu?"
"Yes, I am Qingcheng."
Seeing Du Lan Yue so disheartened, Gu Qingcheng felt a pang of guilt, like a mischievous child who had tricked Du Lan Yue. So, she quickly stepped forward to explain, "Sister Lan Yue, I didn't mean to deceive you. Please don't be angry, okay? Now that you know the truth, can we still be good best friends?"
"Good best friends? Good! Very good!" Du Lan Yue never imagined that the person she had confided in was a woman. A mix of emotions overwhelmed her, and she didn't know how to react. Moreover, it was then that she finally understood why Gu Qingcheng had been so virtuous, never succumbing to temptation. As women themselves, of course, she could remain chaste. It wasn't a hidden ailment; it was simply because they were both women.
Du Lan Yue's eyes lost their focus, her spirit wilted, and a faint glimmer of tears appeared at the corners of her eyes.
Gu Qingcheng was a bit bewildered. She thought Du Lan Yue was merely worried that she, being a woman, couldn't protect her. So, she stepped forward to reassure her, "Sister Lan Yue, don't worry, I will definitely protect you completely."