In ancient times, she gave birth to seven daughters and was divorced by her husband's family.

The crisp sound of a slap echoed in the hall.

One sound followed another, urgent and heavy.

Ru Bao's cheeks quickly swelled up and blood seeped from the corners of her mouth, but she still held her neck straight and glared at Bai Lu with resentment in her eyes.

She didn't apologize.

Even though she was beaten until she was dizzy and disoriented, she still refused to say a single soft word to Bai Lu!

Bai Lu watched this scene quietly.

Her expression was indifferent, showing neither anger nor sympathy.

This girl named Ru Bao was indeed spoiled by Zhao Bingyu.

Her words and actions were filled with an unfounded sense of superiority...

Although Bai Lu is not actually much older than Bao, she feels that she is much more mature than Bao.

Ru Bao, at her age, already knows how to be competitive, but her own body, at this age... has already raised seven children alone, moved to a bigger house, become independent, and even saved the people of Liangzhou.

Bai Lu has no interest in competing with a spoiled child.

She took a step forward.

The sound of footsteps stopped the king of the Great Stone Kingdom from his actions.

He was panting heavily, looking at Ru Bao's stubborn face, feeling both angry and helpless.

Bai Lu's gaze passed over the king and landed directly on Ru Bao's face.

"Did you say these words yourself, or did Zhao Bingyu teach you to say them?"

Ru Bao's body visibly stiffened.

A flicker of panic crossed her eyes.

Bai Lu noticed this slight change in her and was speechless.

Sure enough.

Even if Zhao Bingyu didn't like herself, she wouldn't say such things, because she herself was very similar to Bai Lu.

Bai Lu's husband died, so did Zhao Bingyu not remarry? Who is more noble than whom?

You are actually very insecure.

She continued, "You think that we are both Zhao Bingyu's daughters, but I have received far more than you. So you are jealous and insecure."

"A truly confident person never needs to belittle others to elevate themselves. The reason you speak so rudely to me is simply to cover up your inner weakness."

"You use Zhao Bingyu's favoritism towards you as a weapon, but that just proves that you have nothing else besides this."

"You are not as good as me."

The last three words were spoken lightly and casually.

But Ru Bao's psychological defenses completely collapsed.

"You bullshit!"

She screamed, her voice hoarse.

"I'm the one my mother loves most! Who do you think you are! You're nothing but a piece of trash she abandoned!"

She struggled, trying to lunge at Bailu, but was held down firmly by the guards beside her.

Her body writhed wildly, and she cursed incessantly.

The emperor's brows furrowed deeply.

Zhao Bingyu's daughter... is like this?

It's not that he's complaining, but it's really far inferior to Bailu!

He waved his hand, his face full of disgust.

"Take her away and lock her in the dungeon. Let her sober up."

"Yes."

The guards obeyed and immediately dragged Ru Bao, who was still screaming and yelling, out. Silence finally returned to the main hall.

The emperor turned around and looked at Bai Lu, his stern expression instantly softening into gentleness.

"Bai Lu, don't take her crazy talk to heart."

He stepped forward, his tone reassuring.

"She's young and doesn't know any better."

The King of Dashi Kingdom also hurried over, his face full of apologies.

"Lord Anguo, this woman... alas! I never expected her to be so rude, offending you, my lord. It is my fault that you have suffered this injustice."

He bowed deeply to Bailu.

Both monarchs were extremely amiable at this moment.

This posture is so similar to that of his father...

If a stranger with no blood relation can love you very much, why doesn't your blood-related mother love you?

Bai Lu really couldn't understand it.

She herself is a mother of daughters, but she doesn't love them.

Seeing that Bai Lu looked calm, the emperor assumed she was still upset about Ru Bao's words.

He thought for a moment, then said in a gentler tone, "Zhao Bingyu... she may not be as Ru Bao said. Perhaps she loves you, but she has her own unavoidable difficulties."

He felt somewhat powerless when he said those words.

That kind of talk is used to fool children.

Bai Lu used to believe it too. But now, she no longer does.

She shook her head slightly, not responding to the topic of the emperor.

"Your Majesty, the King of Dashi Kingdom."

She raised her head and looked at the two of them calmly.

"My second brother, Bai Liezhao, and my third brother, Bai Qingze, are about to get married. According to the etiquette of seniority, my second brother's wedding will be first."

"Your Majesty, I hope that you two will pay close attention and strictly supervise the banquet at my second brother's wedding, so as not to let any unrelated people easily sneak in and disrupt the wedding feast."

Both the emperor and the king of the Great Stone Kingdom were stunned.

They immediately understood the deeper meaning behind Bailu's words.

What she was worried about was Zhao Bingyu.

The emperor nodded slightly.

"Of course. I will personally issue an edict to ensure that the Jingzhao Prefecture and the Imperial Guards are jointly responsible for security at General Bai's wedding. There will be absolutely no mishaps."

The King of Da Shi Kingdom also immediately expressed his opinion.

"Don't worry, Marquis Anguo."

They agreed verbally, but in their hearts they felt that Bailu was overthinking things.

Zhao Bingyu is, after all, Bai Liezhao and Bai Qingze's biological mother. What mother in the world would ruin her own son's wedding? It makes no sense, neither morally nor logically.

But looking into Bai Lu's eyes, they suppressed their doubts.

Since Marquis Anguo has brought this up so solemnly, they will do as he says.

With the Lunar New Year approaching, Dawu is filled with joy.

After the New Year, Seven Little Moons will be seven years old (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning), and will be big kids now.

As Bai Liezhao's wedding day drew closer, the entire mansion began to bustle with activity.

The six pre-wedding rituals are elaborate and solemn, and not a single step can be wrong.

The first ceremony is betrothal.

The Imperial Clan Court, appointed by the royal family, personally acted as matchmaker, bringing lavish gifts to propose marriage to the Shangguan family in Qingzhou. Among the gifts, the most prominent was a pair of live geese, symbolizing unwavering loyalty as geese mate only once in their lives. Accompanying them were hundreds of palanquins laden with silks, satins, gold, and silver jewelry, demonstrating the sincerity of both the imperial family and the Bai family.

The Shangguan family was quite surprised to receive the royal matchmaker's message.

Shangguan Yi had no parents, and Shangguan Fusheng, as her elder brother, agreed to the marriage on her behalf.

The second ceremony was to ask the name of the person in question.

The matchmaker requested Shangguan Yi's birth date and time from the Shangguan family and then submitted it to the Imperial Observatory for divination. The head of the Imperial Observatory personally conducted an divination, and after a complex process, finally arrived at the auspicious result: "A match made in heaven, shining like the sun and moon."

Of course, this step is just for show.

The third ceremony is the Najib ceremony.

After receiving an auspicious omen, the Bai family prepared gifts again and went to the Shangguan family. This time, they brought tokens symbolizing the marriage agreement, including a dragon and phoenix gold bracelet and a jade pendant symbolizing their union, formally announcing the marriage and their eternal bond.

The fourth ceremony is the presentation of betrothal gifts.

This is the engagement ceremony, and it is the most important of the six rites.

The betrothal gifts presented by the Bai family were jointly funded by the royal family and the Bai family!

Bai Chuyao and Bai Qingze each received a subsidy.

A subsidy was also given for the White Dew solar term.

The retired emperor and empress dowager also received a subsidy.

Its abundance shocked the entire Great Wu!

The list of betrothal gifts filled dozens of pages.

Ten thousand taels of gold, one hundred thousand taels of silver, a thousand bolts of various top-grade tribute silks, a hundred bushels of pearls from the South China Sea, and several boxes of gemstones from the Western Regions. In addition, there were a thousand acres of fertile land in the suburbs of Beijing, ten prime shops in the most prosperous area of ​​the capital, as well as calligraphy and paintings by famous artists from the previous dynasty and rare antiques, all filling dozens of large boxes.

The procession delivering the betrothal gifts stretched for miles from the mansion gate.

At the very front of the procession was the Imperial Guard's honor guard, who led the way with gongs and drums, attracting people from all over the city to flock to the streets to watch. The scene was so grand that it was comparable to the Crown Prince's wedding!

The fifth ritual is to set the date.

After exchanging name cards and betrothal gifts, the two sides began to discuss the wedding date.

Finally, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau selected the nearest auspicious day, reported it to the Emperor, and approved it with imperial approval in vermilion ink before it was finalized.

The sixth ceremony is the welcoming of the bride.

On the wedding day, the groom, Bai Liezhao, must personally go to the Shangguan family to fetch the bride.

The Shangguan family of Qingzhou hastily bought a house in the capital and held the ceremony there to welcome their new bride on the very day the matter was clarified.

Everything is going on in an orderly manner.

Bai Liezhao, who usually only knew how to wield swords and spears, was much more serious at this moment.

He wore a brand-new brocade robe and personally inspected all the arrangements inside and outside the mansion, from how the red silk was tied to how the lanterns were hung, leaving no detail unattended. This surprised Bai Lu.

Finally, the wedding day arrived.

Before dawn that day, the entire capital city was already in an uproar.

The wedding banquet of Bai Liezhao, the second son of the Marquis of Anguo, was personally organized by the royal family and held in Yingbin Garden outside the palace.

This place was specifically used to receive foreign envoys and hold major celebrations, and its scale was second only to the imperial palace.

Today, Yingbin Garden is brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful ribbons. A huge double happiness character hangs above the main gate, golden ribbons are wrapped around the pillars, and a thick red carpet is laid on the ground, extending from the entrance to the main hall, creating an extraordinary atmosphere.

The emperor, empress, retired emperor, and empress dowager—the four supreme rulers of the royal family—all attended in person.

Every official, regardless of rank, was present.

Even the Crown Prince, who usually keeps to himself, dressed in a magnificent robe and attended the event in full regalia.

He even volunteered to personally lead the wedding procession to accompany Bai Liezhao to the Shangguan family's temporary lodgings to welcome his bride, Shangguan Yi.

Such an honor is unprecedented since the founding of the nation!

Within the capital, all the prominent dukes, marquises, earls, and aristocratic families prepared lavish gifts to offer their congratulations.

At the entrance of Yingbin Garden, cars and people were bustling about, and guests were numerous.

The wedding ceremony was extremely luxurious and grand.

The wedding procession was led by the Crown Prince and escorted by three thousand imperial guards, with banners waving and drums and music filling the air.

Bai Liezhao, dressed in a bright red wedding gown and adorned with a large red flower on his chest, rode a magnificent white horse, exuding heroic spirit and drawing cheers from the girls on the roadside.

After receiving the bride, Shangguan Yi, the eight-bearer sedan chair, escorted by the Imperial Guards, slowly drove around the main road of the capital, receiving blessings from the people.

Along the way, servants threw candy and coins to the crowd, creating an extremely lively atmosphere.

The wedding ceremony was held in the main hall of Yingbin Garden.

Inside the main hall, everything was resplendent in gold and jade, and the hall was filled with guests.

The emperor and empress sat in the main seats and personally blessed the newlyweds.

Bai Liezhao, holding the other end of the red silk ribbon, led the bride Shangguan Yi, who was covered with a red veil, into the main hall slowly amidst the master of ceremonies' loud announcements.

"Worship the heavens and the earth-"

The two turned around and bowed deeply towards the direction outside the hall.

"Second worship high hall-"

They then turned to the emperor and empress, who were seated high above, and performed the full kowtow.

He then bowed to Shangguan Fusheng.

Sitting in the corner, Bai Yansong's face darkened: "..."

"Husband and wife pay homage——"

Bai Liezhao and Shangguan Yi stood facing each other, and Bai Liezhao bowed gracefully.

Every step was solemn and sacred.

After the ceremony, a grand wedding banquet will be held.

The banquet was set up from the main hall all the way to the square outside, with over a hundred tables.

The dishes were developed by the imperial kitchen after a month of research, and they used only the finest delicacies from land and sea.

The wine is a secret recipe from the imperial court, with an incomparably mellow and fragrant flavor.

The banquet was also entertained by performances by musicians and dancers from the imperial music academy, creating a lively and extraordinary atmosphere.

The crowd gathered together, marveling at the sight.

"I never expected that Shangguan Yi, who is just the daughter of a merchant, would have such good fortune."

A noblewoman in a blue official robe held a wine glass and spoke in a low voice.

A lady next to her nodded in agreement.

"Who can argue with that? Although her family is the richest in Qingzhou, in our eyes they are ultimately a small and insignificant family, not worthy of being discussed."

"But now she has risen to the top and become a general's wife."

"These are the Crown Prince's family members! The Marquis of Anguo's sister-in-law! Her sister-in-law is a girl from the Murong family, and there's also a daughter from the Lin family!"

Another person chimed in, "What's so special about this? Didn't you see? His Highness the Crown Prince personally escorted her to the wedding, and His Majesty and the Empress personally officiated. Even a princess's wedding wouldn't be this grand!"

His tone was full of envy.

"Who would have dared to imagine this before?"

"It's all because of Marquis Anguo," the first official to speak sighed. "The Bai family is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor."

“Especially Marquis Bai Lu of Anguo, who holds military power... His Majesty’s favor towards him has long surpassed that of all the princes.”

"If it weren't for Bailu's sake... in fact, the Empress Dowager and the others wouldn't have attended."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

They looked at Bai Lu, who was sitting at the main table.

She was also dressed in a red palace gown today, with stunning beauty and a gentle demeanor.

Bai Lu sat there quietly, a faint smile on her lips, watching her second brother and new sister-in-law, raising her glass to drink.

Normally, Bailu doesn't drink alcohol.

But today is a very special day, as her second brother is getting married, and Bai Lu will definitely have to toast everyone.

Especially since Bai Liezhao is about to have his wedding night... If I don't help him offer the toast, how will he consummate the marriage? He'll probably just fall asleep right away.

Bai Lu overheard the guests' discussion, frowned slightly, turned to look at them, and warned them, "Gentlemen... if the food can't shut you up, then eat more!"

At that moment, she suddenly saw a somewhat unfamiliar figure.

That was a wealthy woman; she had just been speaking ill of her second brother.

He had actually seen all the noble ladies in the court before. But this person's appearance was so unfamiliar...