Only after everything had been set up did Ling Tian leap off from his horse. Holding on to Ling Chen, he leisurely stepped on the red carpet, walking towards the jade table at the far end.
The city guards standing at the side, as well as the Yang Family guards, almost had their eyeballs popped out of their sockets!
What mental illness had afflicted this young noble Ling today?
Seeing how Ling Tian had zero intention to greet him, Yang Lei, who was a generation senior to Ling Tian, could only harrumph loudly and spit out, "Uncultured junior!", before turning his horse around and commanding, "Let’s go!"
Seeing the Yang family leave, a smile hung on Ling Tian’s face. Pulling Ling Chen to sit beside him, his expression suddenly changed to one of determination.
Although Ling Chen did not understand the meaning behind this, she would never defy her young noble. Thus, she moved to perch on a seat beside him like a little sparrow, just that her actions were more constrained. However, she only felt jubilation at how Ling Tian treasured her.
Ling Tian grabbed the two white jade cups on the table and opened up the seal on the wine. After batting off the offered hand of Ling Chen to pour the wine, he personally poured out two cups of wine. He then placed one in front of himself and another in front of Ling Chen. The aroma of the wine drifted up in the form of mist — this was precisely the famed wine, "Maiden’s Heart!"
A hint of doubt appeared on Ling Chen’s pretty face and she hesitated a moment before receiving the wine cup. Seeing such a solemn and serious look appearing on Ling Tian’s face, she could not help but feel a little worried at what was to come.
"Chen’er, I would like to tell you a story before we down this cup of wine." Ling Tian’s expression was seven parts solemn, two parts distracted and one part sentimental as he continued, "Do you know why I requested for such a huge red carpet today? Does it feel as though I’ve become a little crazy?"
In a daze, Ling Chen shook her head and replied with a heavy tone, "Whatever young Noble chooses to do, he will definitely have his reasons. Chen’er has never thought that young noble would make mistakes." Her gaze was tender, like the gentle caress of the sea waves landing on Ling Tian’s face. What she displayed was her innermost feelings, of her wholehearted and undivided trust, as well as unshakable love! In her eyes, no matter what this youth in front of her wanted, she would put in her heart and soul into it without any hesitations! Even if he commanded her to die!
Ling Tian smiled as he stroked her face, before speaking in almost a whisper, "In a very faraway place, there was a country. In that country, a boy and girl once made a pledge that one day, the boy would hold the girl’s hand and walk down a red carpet together. In their country, a red carpet symbolized the most scared existence in the hearts of all the youths! This was because the red carpet symbolized the beginning of a couple’s life!
A sudden gasp of ‘ah!’ sounded from Ling Chen as she bent down to look at the red carpet below her. Sparkling jewels of happiness could be seen filling up those dreamy eyes of hers as her lips trembled. Her chest heaved up and down in emotion as she raised her head to stare at Ling Tian with undisguised joy. At this moment, she had already forgotten the concept of bashfulness and the reservedness a lady should show!
She only felt as though her entire heart could explode, so full of happiness she was! Boundless and limitless happiness seemed to enshroud her in that instant. Her eyes seemed to be unable to hold on to the happiness any longer, finally overflowing and dropping down...
His voice seemed to be filled with some sort of magnetism as he spoke, his gaze tender as he stared at her. Stretching out his right hand, he carefully wiped away the sparkling beads on her face before cupping her face as he continued,
"Chen’er, I would like you to know today that while I may have other women in the future, and while I may not be able to give you the status of a legitimate wife, you’ll be the only one who has accompanied me to walk on this red carpet!"
So overwhelmed with happiness she was, that Ling Chen failed to respond. She could only sit there dumbly, as though she had become a human vegetable, with half her soul having already flown into the skies!
With a grin, Ling Tian now raised his wine cup, and tapped onto Ling Chen’s wine cup gently. A clear ‘ding!’ sounded as he whispered, "Drink up, Chen’er. From today onwards, you need not feel anymore grievances!"
As though she had awoken from a dream, Ling Chen’s body jolted, and fresh tears from her face dripped into her cup as she whimpered, "Young noble… uuu… as long as I can be by your side, Chen’er is willing to do anything… in this life… I will never feel wronged, be it this life, next life, and for all my lives on… thank you… young noble..."
Ling Tian had on calm expression as he replied, "No need for further words. This young noble does not want you to feel wronged, and neither do I wish for you to sacrifice yourself blindly. You must live on, healthily and well!"
Ling Chen looked at Ling Tian with a questioning gaze as she stammered, "Young noble…"
A warm smile resurfaced on Ling Tian’s face as he replied, "Chen’er, you must understand that it is simple for a person to die, but living on is the hardest thing to do. You must be someone for lives on for me!"
Hearing such heartfelt words, Ling Chen felt her heart strings being tugged, and with an involuntary twitch, a portion of wine spilled out from her wine cup. "Ah!" Ling Chen stared at the spilled droplets with a face of endless regret. To her, this wine was a love token from the young noble, with every single drop being incomparably precious to her! Tilting back her head, she allowed the dream-like substance that was the Maiden’s heart to float down her throat, as though imbibing a whole lifetime of fortune, securing seventeen years of youthful girly love!
She then threw aside all pretense as she leaped into Ling Tian’s bosom, as though she wanted to be absorbed into the arms of the man she loved!
Holding onto her lithe body, Ling Tian felt a myriad of sentiments brewing in his chest. Throughout this few years, Ling Tian had long sensed the love Ling Chen had for him, ever since her first blossoming of love. Ling Tian was no statue, how could he not feel her overflowing love? But the shadow of being hurt by Ling Xue’er still lingered in his heart, leading him to never trusting any female. Even for a childhood sweetheart like Ling Chen, he would rather seal up his heart tightly than to regret.
For the past ten years, watching Ling Chen who was two years his senior always treating him with so much care and concern, Ling Tian felt that she had already became an inseparable part of his life. This was especially so for the recent few days after Yu BingYan stepped into the Ling Family. Ling Tian had always discovered a hint of bitterness in Ling Chen’s eyes when she stared at him, which left an inexplicable prick in his heart. Finally, he decided to bestow this cute little girl, who had never grumbled nor complained, a place that she deserved!
Seeing Ling Chen crying tears of joy, Ling Tian also let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as though a huge burden had been lifted off his heart!
Under the setting sun, the clouds were tinged with scarlet hues and a huge carpet, the colour of the freshest roses, laid outside the majestic city walls. On it were two figures in snow-white robes, hugging each other tightly, forming a wondrous picturesque scenery...
From afar, one could see dust and smoke rising up.
A troop, comprising of around a hundred cavalry troops, appeared like a tornado, rushing forth recklessly! So fast were they, that the moment one observed the dust clouds rising, they would have already appeared in front of them. Just based on quality, this group of elite troops seemed to be a notch above the NanGong cavalry!
From afar, a muscular person on horseback came out from the Ling family’s troops to meet them. He cupped his fists as he paid his respects, "Are you perhaps the Xiao Family’s second master who came from the southeast? Our house’s young noble has been waiting for you."
With a command, the hundred-odd cavalry stopped simultaneously. A man with a long beard and sharp eyes spoke in a calm and refined manner, "Brother, are you part of the Ling family?"
That person was the head of the Ling family guards, Wang Tong. Upon hearing this statement, he hurriedly replied, "I do not deserve to be called your brother. My house’s young noble is waiting ahead. Please allow me to escort you and your men, second master."
Xiao FengYang looked past Wang Tong and towards the city gates. Seeing a luxuriously designed large red carpet with a male and female intertwined within, he could not help but let out a cold snort.
While the Xiao Family was reputed as the number one merchant family, with ample wealth that could be said to be number one under heavens, what many people did not know was that they had a similar reputation regarding their intelligence network. Ling Tian coming out to receive them had long been reported to Xiao FengYang. Xiao FengYang was long unhappy with the reputation of Ling Tian, and even unhappier that the wise and farsighted elder brother of his had repeatedly praised this rascally fellow. With his personal appearance at the Sky Bearing City, he was actually greeted with such ‘hospitality’.
Xiao FengYang was after all Xiao FengHan’s biological brother. While he had not passed forty years of age, his seniority in the family could be considered high. If they were to really talk about seniority, then Ling Tian’s father, Ling Xiao, was actually beneath him! It was still acceptable that Old Master Ling did not receive him personally, but to think that they did not even send out Ling Xiao, only sending that silkpants to receive him! To think that Ling Tian would actually set up a banquet, staring at the scenery with an arm around a beauty, totally not placing him within his eyes! Xiao FengYang could not help but simmer silently.
However, Xiao FengYang was one who was profound in schemes, and would not display his emotions in front of others. Getting off his horse, he replied blandly, "I would not dare to make young noble Ling wait, let us go and meet him!" Obviously, he was extremely displeased with how Ling Tian was receiving him, fooling around with a lady without showing the slightest bit of courtesy. The mockery in his tone was sky high!
"Is the one dressed in white the first young noble of the Ling family?" A sweet sounding yet cold voice sounded out as Xiao YanXue stepped out from behind Xiao FengYang. Dressed in black robes with a black veil over her face, she only revealed a pair of clear and witty eyes.