Chapter 2 — Catching Them Red-Handed on My Wedding Day

Now that Chu Dieu Am was securely locked away, and Lu Moc had not touched a drop of wine, surely this looming disaster had been successfully averted? The very thought had barely crossed my mind when a piercing shriek suddenly pierced the night air from outside. No sooner had that thought formed than a second, even more frantic cry echoed through the courtyard.

"Someone has fallen into the water!"

I ripped off my bridal veil and bolted outside instantly. Surrounding the deep pond in the back courtyard, the wedding guests were packed so tightly that not even a trickle of water could escape. Several elderly maids were wrapping Chu Dieu Am in heavy outer garments. She was completely drenched from head to toe, her tangled hair clinging to her face like a wet shroud. She and a man dressed in a vibrant crimson wedding robe were hopelessly entangled, their limbs twisted together, their bare skin pressed intimately against one another, completely ignoring the frantic efforts of the matrons who tried desperately to pull them apart. A heavy buzzing filled my mind, as if my very thoughts were exploding from within. The courtyard gates had been securely bolted, and four or five trusted matrons had stood guard in shifts; exactly how on earth had she managed to escape?! The moment Chu Dieu Am caught sight of me, she staggered unsteadily to her feet, making as if to fling herself back into the pond. The matrons lunged forward to hold her back. Choking back her sobs, she collapsed heavily onto the mud.

"I have guarded my chastity for a decade, and now my purity is utterly ruined! Better that I die and wash away this shame!"

Whispers of profound pity rippled through the surrounding crowd.

"Lady Chu is a paragon of virtue publicly honored by the imperial court itself, even granted an official plaque of chastity under the imperial decree!"

"If this scandalous affair leaks out, she will never be able to face the world again. The Marquis Estate must provide a satisfactory explanation for this."

"Such a tragic fate for Lady Chu. Having guarded her widowhood for twenty long years, she has fallen into such a wretched plight in the end. Since the Marquis has taken her, he must render justice no matter the cost."

Every eye in the courtyard turned spontaneously toward Lu Moc. An elderly gentleman stepped forward from the assembly.

"The noble character of Lady Chu is a known virtue across every village for ten miles around. Who in these parts is unaware of her righteousness?"

"Today she came solely to bid farewell to the young woman who is half a daughter to her as she leaves to be wed, never expecting such a cruel twist of fate to befall her. The Marquis cannot shirk his responsibility!"

Someone else let out a cold, biting scoff.

"What twist of fate do you speak of? To my mind, it is simply the Marquis seeking the boundless blessings of a harmonious household! Taking one bride is not enough for him; he hungers to seize another as well!"

Hearing this, Chu Dieu Am buried her face in her hands and wept with renewed, heart-wrenching vigor.

"The Marquis is a man of formidable strength and vigor, while I am merely a fragile, defenseless woman. I had no earthly way to resist him..."

Even as she spoke, she raised a trembling hand to push back her damp, tangled hair, deliberately exposing a vivid, unmistakable hickey blooming upon her pale neck. A collective gasp of shock swept through the gathering throng.

"There is nothing left to be said!"

"Marquis, how can a man of your stature stoop to shifting the blame for your own deeds onto a helpless woman?"

"Since you have touched her, you must bear the responsibility for her!"

Lu Moc roared in incandescent fury, his voice shaking the courtyard.

"I never touched her! It was she who suddenly lunged out of the shadows, threw her arms around me, and dragged me down into the water!"

Chu Dieu Am let out a desolate, mocking laugh.

"Is the Marquis seriously suggesting that a man who has practiced martial arts for decades was somehow overpowered by a frail, unarmed woman like myself and forced into the freezing pond?"

Lu Moc was instantly struck dumb, choked by his own words. At that very moment, Lu Moc’s personal guard, Ly Binh, suddenly broke from the ranks and threw himself onto his knees.

"My Lord, matters have reached this point. You might as well confess the truth."

"You have long cast a covetous eye upon Lady Chu. Marrying Miss Shen was merely a convenient pretext to draw closer to Lady Chu, all carefully calculated to bring about this exact scene today!"

The assembled guests erupted in absolute uproar.

"So that was the truth of it all along!"

Lu Moc’s knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists so tightly they turned white.

"Ly Binh, I have treated you with nothing but generosity and loyalty. Why on earth would you betray me like this?"

Ly Binh raised his head, his expression a mask of righteous indignation.

"Lady Chu constantly performs good deeds throughout the countryside and is a truly benevolent soul. This subordinate simply cannot bear to stand idly by and watch her be bullied and trampled upon!"

Abruptly, he swiveled his head to fix his gaze directly upon me.

"Lady Chu and Miss Shen share a bond as deep as mother and daughter. Surely Miss Shen possesses enough magnanimity not to cast her aside?"

Every gaze in the courtyard converged accusingly upon me. I drew in a long, steady breath, my voice remaining ice-cold and composed.

"Since matters have come to this, the two of you should simply be together."

Someone in the crowd immediately chimed in with warm approval.

"Lady Chu is both a respected mentor's wife and a paragon of chastity; naturally, she must assume the position of the primary wife."

"You ought to gracefully yield the seat of the mistress of the house. It is nothing less than your proper duty."

Chu Dieu Am spoke up with gentle, saccharine grace, her voice dripping with false humility.

"Lac Nhan, you need not worry. Even if you must be relegated to the position of a concubine, this mentor's wife will certainly treat you with kindness and ensure the Marquis shows no unfair favoritism."

I arched an eyebrow, staring at her with feigned astonishment.

"What on earth does this have to do with the Marquis? That man is not the Marquis."

She froze, a flicker of confusion crossing her features. At that exact instant, the heavy sound of footsteps echoed from behind the crowd. Lu Moc, impeccably dressed in a crisp, unblemished crimson wedding robe, strode calmly out from the shadows of the onlookers. The color drained entirely from Chu Dieu Am’s face, leaving her as pale as a corpse, and instinctively she whipped her head around to stare at the man standing right beside her. As the flickering torchlight illuminated his features, casting his face into stark, uncompromising clarity, absolute and unadulterated terror seized her soul! With a swift motion, the man standing beside her ripped off a realistic silicone mask, revealing an entirely unfamiliar countenance. He dropped heavily to his knees before me with a resounding thud.

"My Lady, this lowly servant has been grievously wronged!"

A sharp-eyed guest immediately cried out in sheer disbelief.

"Isn't this Liu Tuong, the lead actor and master of the Sheng Family Troupe?!"

The tumultuous roar in the courtyard was instantly silenced, as if someone had violently seized it by the throat. Chu Dieu Am remained collapsed upon the muddy ground, the water glistening on her garments reflecting the cold, merciless gleam of the torches. Her wide, unblinking eyes stared with mounting horror straight into the exposed face of Liu Tuong.