"Dragon Marshal, here is the information you requested."
Ye Chen respectfully handed a document to the young man sitting in the courtyard, sipping tea.
The young man took the document, flipped through it, and said, "Ye Chen, how many times have I told you? I'm no longer the Dragon Marshal of the Northern Frontier. I'm just an ordinary person now. Just call me Brother Xiao."
"Yes, Brother Xiao."
Lin Xiao nodded, satisfied with Ye Chen's response.
A few seconds later, the hand holding the document began to tremble.
"Is the information true?"
"Reporting to Brother Xiao, we have confirmed this information multiple times. It is absolutely true," Ye Chen said quickly.
As soon as he finished speaking, the document in Lin Xiao's hand turned to dust.
Instantly, the once lively courtyard, filled with the sounds of birds and insects, fell into a profound silence. Not only did Ye Chen dare not make a sound, but the sounds of nature also vanished at that very moment.
Lin Xiao stood up. At this instant, his killing intent enveloped the entire courtyard. Ye Chen, standing beside him, turned pale. It had been half a year since he had felt this aura emanating from Lin Xiao. At this moment, the Dragon Marshal who had once made the entire world tremble had returned!
The killing intent flashed and vanished. Ye Chen let out a long sigh of relief. No matter when, an enraged Dragon Marshal was still terrifying.
"Let's go."
Lin Xiao gave the order, "To Shashi."
...
Huatian Hotel.
The hotel's wedding banquet hall was filled with joy. Lanterns and colorful decorations adorned the space. Below, several signs read, "Wishing Ms. Luo and Mr. Qin a long and happy marriage."
However, inside a private room, the bride-to-be, Luo Qinghan, sat still as the makeup artist worked on her face, showing no reaction. In the mirror, she wore a wedding dress, her exquisite makeup making her look like a fairy descending from heaven.
Yet, at this moment, she appeared more like a marionette, devoid of any spirit, her eyes vacant, as if she were already dead.
Beside her, Luo Qinghan's mother, Li Xin, was filled with rage. Her fists were clenched tightly as she glared at the Luo family members, who were merely watching the scene unfold.
"Why?! The Luo family is so prosperous, why are you forcing her to marry such a man!"
"Why?"
Upon hearing Li Xin's question, Luo Qinghan's uncle, Luo Buwei, sneered, "Because she got pregnant before marriage and gave birth to that bastard, bringing shame upon the Luo family!"
Three years ago, Luo Qinghan had given birth to a daughter. To this day, no one knew who the father was, and Luo Qinghan herself never spoke of it. Outsiders only knew that Luo Qinghan was pregnant before marriage and didn't even know her father's identity. Both Luo Qinghan's and the Luo family's reputation had plummeted.
"Not only that, but your husband, my dear brother, is my father's illegitimate son. If it weren't for kinship, you would have been kicked out of the Luo family long ago!"
"Of course, your daughter is so outstanding. With great ability comes greater responsibility. This matter should rightfully fall upon her shoulders, wouldn't you agree? This would be a fitting reward for father's affection towards her, wouldn't it?"
After saying this, he chuckled, quite pleased with his own logic. Not only him, but the many young disciples of the Luo family beside him also burst into laughter. It was clear that in the Luo family, someone as beautiful and accomplished as Luo Qinghan, who always surpassed them, was deeply resented.
"You! You are despicable!"
Li Xin knew exactly what they were plotting. She clutched her chest with one hand, pointing at them with the other, her expression agitated as if she were about to suffocate.
The Luo family's patriarch was now critically ill, and the matriarch was elderly and nearing her end. Everyone could see that the family fortune would soon be divided.
This marriage was intended to bring good fortune to the patriarch, ostensibly to help him overcome his illness.
When the patriarch was still well, he doted on Luo Qinghan, unconcerned by Luo Qinghan's father Luo Yi's illegitimate status. But now, things were different. The patriarch's health was declining, and he had little time to wake and speak each day.
This "good fortune" marriage was arranged by Luo Buwei, the eldest son.
However, if the patriarch were to know the true intention behind this arrangement, the "good fortune" would be utterly meaningless.
"What? Is there a problem? Don't you think about it, your useless husband is still in a wheelchair, with no abilities whatsoever, and has become that pathetic. If it weren't for the family paying hundreds of thousands in medical expenses every year, would he even be alive?" Luo Buwei sneered, "Now is the time for you to contribute to the family."
Luo Qinghan's father had been in a car accident previously. The surgery and hospitalization fees alone had already cost millions, and there were still rehabilitation expenses to consider. Now, her father could walk like a normal person, but he couldn't exert himself.
Li Xin stared at Luo Buwei, gritting her teeth. She and her daughter suspected that Luo Buwei was behind her husband's current state.
Amidst everyone's arguments, a little girl sat quietly in the seat beside Luo Qinghan. Listening to the Luo family's laughter and Li Xin's angry shouts, she timidly pulled Luo Qinghan's hand.
"Mommy... I'm scared..."
Only then did a glimmer of life return to Luo Qinghan's vacant eyes. She moved the makeup artist's hand away and quickly comforted her daughter, "Xun'er, be good, it's okay, Mommy is here."
Holding her daughter in her arms, she coldly turned her head and looked at the Luo family. "Could you all quiet down? You're scaring my daughter."
Her icy gaze made Luo Buwei and the others instinctively fall silent for a moment. Then, they glared fiercely at Luo Qinghan. "Do you think you're still your father's favorite? I am your uncle, how dare you speak to me like that?"
"Today, since it's my wedding celebration, can you please not spoil the mood, Uncle?" Luo Qinghan's tone remained cold. "It won't be good if we delay the auspicious time."
"You... Humph!"
Luo Buwei's face darkened. This woman, no matter what, was always so unlikable.
"It's fine, Father. After she's married off, it will be too late for anything," Luo Qinghan's cousin, standing behind Luo Buwei, whispered to his father with a sinister grin. "Let's see how long she can keep pretending!"
Upon hearing his son's words, a cruel smile spread across Luo Buwei's face. Luo Qinghan, the renowned beauty of Shashi, was about to marry such a man today. It was truly, dramatically ironic.