Chapter 1064: Father and Daughter

With Bai Wuya stepping in to mediate, Ding Wei had no intention of continuing to answer Lan Ming's question.

The others could not understand what lay behind Lan Ming's words, but Ding Wei could.

Back in Wentian City, although Lan Ming had put Long Fanhai to death, he had ultimately given Ding Wei face. Otherwise, Xuan Yao would never have escaped that calamity.

Under those circumstances, whether Xuan Yao confessed or not had not actually mattered. Lan Ming had gone to Wentian City specifically to demonstrate severity. Xuan Yao had become entangled in the affair, and if Lan Ming had tortured him to death during interrogation, no one would have had much grounds to object.

Put another way, the Sacred Venerables wanted to strengthen the inspectors' courage and show that they stood behind them. Lan Ming naturally understood what sort of result he had been expected to produce.

If Xuan Yao had died, Dayuan Sacred Land would not have said anything.

So Lan Ming truly had given Ding Wei face.

Now that he had reminded Ding Wei of it, Ding Wei naturally shut his mouth.

Of course, with host Bai Wuya stepping forward, all he really accomplished was preventing several distinguished guests from openly falling out on the spot.

As for Niu Youdao, the others still did not think much of him.

Elder Hei Shi of Tianmo Sacred Land teased, "Niu Youdao, this old man has heard a few things about you too. I hear you've got quite some nerve. You barely arrived in Wentian City before filing complaint after complaint, and even got the Demon Fox Bureau's deacon killed. But looking at you today, why are you so timid and obedient, like a dog? Doesn't quite match the rumors."

That brought another round of chuckles from the group.

Expressionless as ever, Sha Rulai cast Niu Youdao a sidelong glance.

Niu Youdao, meanwhile, bent slightly toward Hei Shi with utmost respect and smiled. "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. Before gentlemen such as yourselves, how could I possibly act discourteously? What happened in Wentian City was merely the discharge of my duties."

No matter how they humiliated him, Niu Youdao kept smiling, perfectly willing to let spit dry on his face.

Gradually, the others lost interest in toying with him.

If they went too far, they would only make themselves look ill-bred.

Lan Ming also did not want them continuing to make things difficult for Niu Youdao. Niu Youdao was, after all, in direct communication with Tianlan Sacred Land. If the ridicule continued, Lan Ming's own face would begin to suffer.

He immediately threw Niu Youdao a curt line.

"Go back down."

"Yes!" Niu Youdao answered.

He cupped his hands toward everyone again, respectfully backed away two steps, and only then lowered his hands, turned, and left.

Once he was out of everyone's sight, the smile piled across his face slowly disappeared.

On the terrace, Elder Hei Shi of Tianmo Sacred Land soon found an excuse to leave as well.

After departing the terrace and joining the subordinates waiting outside, Hei Shi walked on while saying quietly, "Niu Youdao is here. Send word to that side."

His subordinate understood and nodded.

Back on the terrace, the others chatted for a while before gradually dispersing.

Sha Rulai did not leave in a hurry.

He had business with Bai Wuya.

Once the others had gone, he said, "I hear my daughter came here?"

Bai Wuya nodded. "She's with Luo'er at the bridal residence. You want to see your daughter?"

Sha Rulai nodded. "Trouble you to have someone notify her."

Bai Wuya had no reason to refuse and understood perfectly well.

He turned, beckoned someone over, and instructed the man to lead Sha Rulai there.

The moment Sha Rulai stepped off the terrace, Wang Zun, who had been waiting nearby as part of his entourage, immediately came forward.

When no one was paying attention, Wang Zun asked quietly, "Was that Niu Youdao just now?"

Sha Rulai gave a quiet acknowledgment.

Wang Zun said, "I thought it was strange when I saw him outside earlier. What is he doing here?"

Sha Rulai said, "He's here playing the obedient grandson."

"Playing the obedient grandson?" Wang Zun looked puzzled.

"Behind people's backs, he has the nerve to do anything and dares commit any outrage. Then he comes here bowing and scraping. If that isn't playing the obedient grandson, what is?"

Wang Zun still wanted to ask something, but the guide ahead turned and called for them to follow around a bend.

He temporarily closed his mouth.

...

Inside the bridal chamber, someone came in to report.

"Pavilion Master, the groom has arrived."

Xue Luo'er turned in surprise. Why had he come at this hour?

Beside her, Sha Huanli immediately teased, "He wants to enter the bridal chamber already? Looks like the groom can't wait even another moment."

The roomful of women instantly struggled to suppress their laughter.

Xue Luo'er glared at her. "You're an unmarried girl. Have you no shame saying such things? Do you even know what a bridal chamber is?"

Sha Huanli looked pointedly at Xue Luo'er's belly. "Yes, yes. How could I compare with you? You haven't even married yet, and you've already consummated the marriage."

"Shameless thing." Xue Luo'er rolled her eyes at her, then turned and instructed, "Invite the son-in-law in."

An older woman nearby immediately advised, "Pavilion Master, the ceremony hasn't been completed yet. It isn't appropriate for the son-in-law to enter the bridal chamber now."

Sha Huanli promptly covered her mouth to hide her laughter.

Xue Luo'er shot her another glare, then removed the wedding clothes she had been trying on and changed into an ordinary outer robe before going outside.

The groom, Chuan Ying, was waiting in the courtyard.

The moment he saw the bride emerge, he smiled.

Perhaps because of the hour, the setting, and the atmosphere, a trace of shyness unexpectedly appeared on Xue Luo'er's face when she saw him. She approached with a faintly reproachful tone.

"Why did you come over now? People will laugh. What could possibly be so urgent that you had to see me before the ceremony?"

Chuan Ying got straight to the point. "I heard Linghu Qiu's sworn brother Niu Youdao has arrived?"

So that was what this was about.

Xue Luo'er had thought something serious had happened.

She nodded. "Yes. He was nearly stopped outside. I was the one who gave permission for him to enter. I heard he also brought a painting as a wedding gift."

"A painting?" Chuan Ying sounded interested. "I've seen the portrait he painted of you before. It had a distinctive style. If this one is a wedding gift, I imagine it must be even more special. Why not have someone bring it over so we can take a look?"

Xue Luo'er frowned. "You came all this way just for that?"

Chuan Ying sighed. "Actually, I want to meet him. I've heard his name for a long time but never had the chance to see him. Today happens to be an opportunity. Before I entered Sacred Realm, Brother Linghu also entrusted me with a letter for him. I may as well give it to him now and meet the man at the same time."

Xue Luo'er frowned slightly. "Honestly, you... Couldn't you give him the letter some other time?"

On a day like this, before the ceremony, receiving outside guests was hardly proper by either sentiment or etiquette. She was also somewhat unhappy that unrelated matters were intruding before the wedding rites had even begun.

Chuan Ying smiled bitterly. "I thought the same before I came here. But after arriving, I discovered there are rules everywhere. I'm not allowed to wander here, I'm not allowed to wander there, and they've taught me endless ceremonial procedures for the wedding. Once the ceremony begins, everything has to follow the arrangements. When would I have a chance to meet him privately then?"

"And after we're married, I don't even know whether I'll be permitted to move around freely. I'm afraid that if I miss today, I may not have another chance to see him."

Hearing that, Xue Luo'er's displeasure faded.

She knew perfectly well that Chuan Ying had married her under enormous pressure, even at the risk of his life. Many people inside Ice and Snow Sacred Land were unhappy with him.

His future would probably not be easy at all, nothing like the glorious picture outsiders imagined.

She immediately comforted him. "You're thinking too much. Since Grandmother agreed to the marriage, there shouldn't be any problem afterward."

Chuan Ying sighed. "I hope so."

Seeing him gloomy, Xue Luo'er immediately beckoned someone over and ordered that Niu Youdao be invited over.

She also had someone fetch the painting.

They had only waited a short while when another person arrived to report.

"Pavilion Master, City Lord Sha's father has come. He wants to see City Lord Sha and is waiting in the outer courtyard."

"Oh. Go tell City Lord Sha." Xue Luo'er quickly gave the order.

She herself did not go out to receive the guest. Today, it was inconvenient for her to appear casually before visitors.

Before long, Sha Huanli emerged from the bridal chamber.

As she passed the bride and groom, she forced a smile and nodded a greeting to the two of them before continuing on.

Chuan Ying watched her go. "Is something wrong? City Lord Sha doesn't look very happy."

"Ah." Xue Luo'er sighed. "What could it be? Same as always. Their father-daughter relationship has always been like this. If it weren't for my wedding, she probably wouldn't have returned to Sacred Realm at all."

Chuan Ying gave a soft sound of acknowledgment, his gaze flickering slightly.

...

Inside a pavilion in the outer courtyard, Sha Rulai saw Sha Huanli approaching at an unhurried pace.

Wang Zun, who had been accompanying him, immediately stepped out of the pavilion and moved some distance away, leaving father and daughter a private space.

Sha Huanli entered the pavilion and stopped before her father.

She said nothing.

Her head remained lowered.

Sha Rulai looked at his daughter with a complicated expression. In the end, his voice was still cold when he asked, "You returned to Sacred Realm. Why didn't you go home?"

Sha Huanli lowered her head and replied softly, "Home? Where is home? That home was destroyed long ago. The family in it is dead."

Sha Rulai's cheek twitched. "Don't make things harder on yourself. After the wedding ceremony, come home with me. You haven't been back in a long time."

"No need. There are still matters in Star-Plucking City. I'll go back there first."

"What matters could there possibly be? Even if there are, leave them for now or let Xiang Ming handle them."

Sha Huanli raised her head.

Her emotions seemed to flare all at once.

"Go back for what? To humiliate myself? So I can stand before the woman who killed my mother and call her Mother? You can marry the woman who murdered my mother and pretend nothing ever happened, but I can't! You can marry another woman, but I only have one birth mother!"

Sha Rulai's anger erupted.

He barked, "Insolence! I am your father. Who gave you the nerve to speak to your father like this?"

Sha Huanli said nothing further.

She turned and walked away.

Sha Rulai suddenly reached out and seized her by the arm.

Sha Huanli struggled, but how could she possibly break free?

Sha Rulai needed only one hand to hold her. No matter how she fought, she could not move him in the slightest.

At a distance, Wang Zun glanced over twice and saw that father and daughter had fallen into an unpleasant argument.

He quickly turned his head aside and pretended he had seen nothing.

Only after Sha Huanli realized all her struggling was useless did she finally stop.

Sha Rulai slowly said, "Girl, many things are not what you think. Some of the rumors you've heard cannot be trusted. Do you understand?"

Sha Huanli gave a miserable smile. "When I was very young, I personally saw that woman stop my mother in public. I personally saw her mock and humiliate my mother before everyone. Do you know how low my mother had to humble herself then?"

"She warned my mother to her face that my mother was courting death. I'll never forget that scene for as long as I live. Are you telling me the things I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears were false?"

Sha Rulai took a deep breath. "She may have been capable of saying such words, but that doesn't mean she would actually kill your mother. Girl, even things you see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears are not always the truth. Come home with me. Build a good relationship with her. It will do you no harm."

Sha Huanli said, "I was still a child back then. I didn't understand anything. I didn't want to leave. I cried and begged you, but you insisted on sending me away and left me all alone in Star-Plucking City."

"Now I don't want to go back, and you're forcing me to return again. What exactly do you want from me? Back then, were you afraid I'd interfere with you marrying your new wife? And now are you planning to use me to smooth over your relationship as husband and wife? What do you take me for?"

Sha Rulai gripped her arm and shook her hard several times. "Things are not what you think! When something happened to your mother, I was afraid you would be in danger too. That's why I sent you away. I agreed to marry her for your safety as well. Do you understand?"

Sha Huanli's eyes reddened.

She stared fixedly into his eyes.

"So you're admitting the person who killed my mother is inside Daluo Sacred Land, aren't you?"

"You're thinking too much!"

Sha Huanli suddenly began struggling with all her strength again and roared, "I'm not going back!"

[End of Chapter 1064]