Establishing Might in the North: Chapter 127 - Abducting the Bride (Part Two)

At the mention of their daughter, the couple’s spirits sank once more.

Qian Ju glanced at his wife and said helplessly, "To save the lives of the Qian family, Yu'er was forced to agree to marry that scoundrel. But the bastard is so afraid that she might commit suicide after the wedding that he has locked us away to use as leverage against her. I heard from those fellows that they are to be married in Blue Sea City the day after tomorrow." His voice was heavy with desolation and helplessness.

"How far is Blue Sea City from here?" Yang Ruiyun inquired.

A soldier took out a map and measured carefully. "General, Blue Sea City is located in the far east of the Celestial Kingdom. From here, even with a forced march, it would take us at least three days."

"Three days?"

"Young Yang, what are you planning to do?"

Yang Ruiyun lifted his long spear and declared, "Back then, you always called me a coward. Because of my father’s rigid constraints, I never found the courage to respond to Yu'er. But I don’t want to be a coward anymore. I am going to marry Yu'er; nothing will stop me."

"Young Yang, we appreciate your heart. My daughter hasn’t waited all these years in vain. But Blue Sea City is a major stronghold of the Celestial Kingdom, and more importantly, it is the territory of the Lan family. If you go with just this many men, you are walking into your own grave."

"I will not run away again," Yang Ruiyun said, his gaze resolute. "Yu'er has waited for me for so many years; I will never let her marry anyone else."

"General, we will go with you."

"No, you are too slow. I will head to Blue Sea Pass alone. You will divide into a small squad to escort the Master of the Qian family to North Town Pass, while the rest proceed to Blue Sea Pass. Once I break through the barrier, you can provide me with backup." Having said this, Yang Ruiyun ignored the objections of those around him and leapt onto his warhorse.

"Uncle, Aunt, do not worry. I will bring Yu'er back. When that time comes, I hope you will not stand in the way of our marriage." With a swing of his spear, Yang Ruiyun charged ahead. There was no hesitation in his heart now; he only wanted to rescue the girl who had been waiting so bitterly for him.

The remaining soldiers watched his retreating figure and immediately began to reorganize, following in his direction.

Watching the shimmering silver-clad warriors disappear over the horizon, Qian Ju felt conflicted. He hoped with all his heart that Yang Ruiyun could save his daughter, yet he knew the chances were slim.

"Old Qian, can Ruiyun really save our daughter?"

"I don't know. But I choose to believe in him—I choose to believe in the man our daughter chose."

"Master Qian, we should leave now."

Qian Ju looked toward the distance. "No, I will wait here for them."

The soldiers had no choice but to agree. To avoid the search parties of the Celestial Kingdom, they retreated toward a city in the Qin Kingdom, intending to wait there for news from the main force.

Two days later, in Blue Sea City, at the Lan residence.

"Miss Qian, are you ready?" a maidservant asked from outside the room.

"Come in," Qian Jinyu replied, her voice listless, devoid of the vitality she once possessed.

"Miss Qian, if you are ready, we shall depart."

"Yes."

As the maid stepped inside, she sensed something was wrong. "Miss, aren't you going to dress up?"

Qian Jinyu said faintly, "What is the point of dressing up?"

"But Miss, even without dressing up, you possess the grace of a celestial being."

"Let's go."

At the gates of Blue Sea City, Yang Ruiyun, having traveled day and night, finally arrived within two days. However, he was now disheveled and covered in dust, and his bright silver armor had lost much of its luster.

The gate guards, seeing a man in armor clutching a long spear charging toward them with an aggressive aura, immediately leveled their weapons to block his path.

"Who goes there?"

Yang Ruiyun pulled a token from his bag. "I am a garrison general from Sky Sea Pass, here with urgent intelligence."

The guard took the token—which Yang Ruiyun had picked up by chance when he broke out of Sky Sea Pass—examined it carefully, and nodded to his comrades. "You may enter."

Yang Ruiyun retrieved the token and rode his horse into the city.

As one of the most prosperous cities in the Celestial Kingdom, Blue Sea City boasted a vast expanse, a large population, and rich marine resources. It was also home to the Celestial Kingdom's largest port, Blue Cloud Port, which the Lan family had used as their base for centuries to guard the eastern reaches of the East Martial Continent.

The noisy, crowded streets left Yang Ruiyun unsure of where to go.

"Hey, kid, what are you doing here?"

Yang Ruiyun turned to see a middle-aged man with sharp, sword-like eyebrows and a cold, imposing demeanor.

"Brother, do you know where a wedding is being held in the city today?" Yang Ruiyun asked.

The man looked him over and pointed to the west. "I saw a wedding procession over there earlier. You look like you're from out of town."

"That is correct."

"I'll show you a shortcut. Follow this alleyway, and you should be able to get ahead of them." The man pointed to a secluded path.

"Thank you, brother." Yang Ruiyun did not doubt him; after bidding farewell, he pulled his horse and turned toward the direction indicated.

The man watched Yang Ruiyun’s retreating back in silence. "Such a sharp aura... it feels familiar." After a moment of thought, he suddenly remembered.

"Is he from the Yang family? But his aura is much stronger than the former head of the Yang family ever was." Fragmented memories surfaced in the man's mind.

"A pity. The Yang family spear technique is too restrictive and overly aggressive. Aside from its sharpness and speed, it holds little value as a martial art. No matter, I should go to the Lan residence and see; it has been so many years since I last returned." The man muttered to himself.

Following the man's directions, Yang Ruiyun soon heard the sound of firecrackers and the discordant playing of various instruments.

On a main road, a large red sedan chair swayed forward amidst the bustling noise. A man dressed in crimson robes rode a tall steed at the front, looking joyous.

As Yang Ruiyun rushed out of the alley, he collided head-on with the wedding procession.

"I’ve caught them." Without a second thought, Yang Ruiyun charged with his spear. His target was clear: the large sedan chair and the bride inside.

The guards surrounding the procession immediately spotted him and drew their blades to intercept him.

"Who goes there? Halt!" Before the words even left their mouths, the blades of four or five guards were knocked flying. At the crisp sound of the swords hitting the ground, the surrounding crowd fell into a panic.

"Quick, someone is killing people!"

"This is bad!"

"What are you panicking about? Who is it?" the bridegroom roared, silencing the chaotic crowd.

Yang Ruiyun stood in front of the sedan chair, his white armor striking, while the sedan bearers had already fled in terror.

"My name is Yang Ruiyun, and I am here to stop this wedding. You have no right to marry her." Yang Ruiyun pointed his silver spear directly at the man responsible.

"What? You insolent fool! Who do you think you are, daring to stop my wedding?"

"Today, I am not just stopping this wedding; I am going to kill you, you beast." Yang Ruiyun spoke with icy killing intent.

"What is happening?" A woman in a phoenix coronet and robes, her figure slender and graceful, lifted the curtain of the sedan chair in confusion. A faint red veil covered her face, partially obscuring her stunning beauty.

Yang Ruiyun turned, looked at the graceful woman, and thrust his silver spear into the ground.

"I am here, Yu'er. I am sorry to have kept you waiting for so long."

The bride was about to speak, but Yang Ruiyun interjected, "Let me speak first. Once, there was a boy and a girl who grew up together. They liked each other. The girl always asked the boy if he would marry her in the future. But when faced with such a sweet question, the boy, burdened by his family's responsibilities, dared not make a promise. He kept evading, never responding to her heart. Later, one night, disaster struck the boy's family. Everyone died, and he was the only survivor. The girl wanted to leave with him, but the boy was already consumed by rage and hatred. For the first time, he truly rejected her, leaving her alone in the rain as he set out on his path of vengeance. Years passed, and the boy experienced much, seeing things more clearly. He finally grew up and realized how much space that girl occupied in his heart. He regretted failing her. When he heard she had been waiting for him all this time, never forgetting him, he finally realized what a warm, devoted heart he had ignored. But just as he wanted to make amends, she was to be married—to a man she didn't even know. So now, I want to stop all of this. I want to respond to the girl's original heart. I want to make up for my shortcomings. I am here, Yu'er. Will you marry me? I wish to spend my whole life making up for these years of waiting."

As he finished the last sentence, Yang Ruiyun knelt on one knee. His usually cold face finally wore a smile, filled with expectation.

The bride covered her red lips in surprise, but the bridegroom could not sit still; he jumped off his horse and ran between them.

"What kind of joke is this? My bride and I are childhood sweethearts! Where did this fool come from?"

"What did you say?" Yang Ruiyun’s eyes narrowed, and he looked up in shock.

The bride lifted her red veil, revealing a face of peerless beauty to Yang Ruiyun—but it was not the girl from his heart.

Seeing the shock on Yang Ruiyun's face, the bride said, "Young master, I am truly sorry, I am not the strong-willed girl you speak of. But your words just now truly touched me. I believe that the girl who is waiting for you will surely be moved."

Yang Ruiyun’s expression turned to one of despair; he stared blankly ahead.

"Enough. Since you mistook me for someone else, I won't hold it against you. Seeing your state, I invite you to join our wedding feast and have something to eat," the bridegroom relented.

But Yang Ruiyun could not care about food. He sighed helplessly, "No, thank you both for your kindness. I apologize for interrupting your wedding."

"So he just mistook her for someone else, haha."

"I don't know which family he's from, how embarrassing."

"I think this man has some mental issues." The surrounding jeers rose one after another.

Yang Ruiyun stood there, looking utterly defeated, and pulled his long spear from the ground.