Chapter 641: 568 Wedding Fiasco (3): Isn’t That Embarrassing Enough!
"After we get married, you will be my wife."
"..."
"I will leave you to languish alone, I will let you taste the bitterness of loneliness, and for the coming decades, I will make you feel every single day the agony of yearning without fulfillment. I want you to pay for everything you’ve done, I demand that you pay a hundredfold for the pain you’ve afflicted on the woman I love. Chinian... even if you have a face as adorable as a doll’s, do not take me for a fool."
"..."
Chinian looked at Zhongli Wuzhi in disbelief, feeling her legs go weak. She was unable to stand straight for a moment and staggered two steps back.
The words Zhongli Wuzhi whispered in Chinian’s ear were just loud enough for her alone. While the "spectators" below the stage whispered and discussed among themselves, full of curiosity, none could penetrate the truth.
Zhongli Wuzhi pursed his lips, walked up to Lu Xiaoer, slowly crouched down, and then... knelt on both knees.
Lu Xiaoer’s eyes widened, and her slightly raised hand became stiff...
Men do not lightly kneel down... and yet he knelt...
Zhongli Wuzhi’s act of kneeling silenced all the whispers and discussions among the crowd.
At that moment, His Highness Chiluo could no longer bear it. Seeing his own beloved sister standing aside in her beautiful wedding dress, crying like rain, and witnessing Zhongli Wuzhi showing not a trace of affection yet kneeling to another woman!
But just as he was about to ascend the stage, Song Lili called out to him,
"What do you intend to do, Your Highness Chiluo?"
Chiluo narrowed his eyes,
"Madam President, it’s not about what I intend to do, it’s about what you all are doing!"
His voice carried clearly, so that all the guests heard the question loud and clear.
Song Lili took a deep breath, she stood up,
"The dramatic turn of events at today’s wedding is something no one wished to see. But this is a matter between the three of them; even the Zhongli Yuting couple did not intend to intervene. Why not let them sort it out themselves, Your Highness?"
"Madam President! The one who is hurt now is the Seventh Princess of my country!"
"Your Highness Chiluo, are you certain that only your sister is the one who is suffering?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"I hope Your Highness sees clearly that the ones in love are the two people who are kneeling on the ground. How do you plan to help Chinian, Your Highness?"
"Madam President!"
Chiluo flushed red with surging anger, struggling to speak!
"Moreover, I recall that just before the wedding ceremony, Your Highness Chiluo, you told me that if Lu Xiaoer and Zhongli Wuzhi reconciled before the wedding of Princess Chinian and Zhongli Wuzhi, you would respect them and wish them happiness, because matters of the heart cannot be controlled."
Song Lili’s eyes sharply fixed on Chiluo,
"Your Highness, did I remember your words incorrectly?"
"..."
Chiluo was rendered speechless by Song Lili’s retort.
By now, Chiluo was absolutely certain that Song Lili must have known that Lu Xiaoer would come to disrupt the wedding!
Those words before the wedding ceremony were but a precaution she had taken for Lu Xiaoer and Zhongli Wuzhi’s sake!
"The Kingdom of G and the Kingdom of M have always been allied, and Your Highness Chiluo has been good friends with my husband, President Wen Nian. Both Wen Nian and I have always been worried that problems arising in the affection or marriage between Zhongli Wuzhi and Princess Chinian would affect the friendship between our two nations. Hence, hearing the words Your Highness said before the wedding, I felt relieved and at ease from the bottom of my heart."
"But now it seems... Your Highness Chiluo is not exempt from common customs."
Song Lili sighed, looking at Zhongli Yuting and whispered,
"Uncle Zhongli, I know Xiaoer and Zhongli Wuzhi are in love, but after all, Zhongli Wuzhi has agreed to marry Princess Chinian. Please be the bad guy and split up the pair on stage, and let Zhongli Wuzhi marry Princess Chinian as agreed upon. This would also provide an explanation to King Qing Lin and His Highness Chiluo."
"..." Zhongli Yuting was silent for a moment, then he sighed and nodded.
Just as he was about to stand up, Chiluo, with a cold face,
"There’s no need."
"..."
Song Lili frowned slightly and looked toward Chiluo.
Chiluo took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on Song Lili, "Since I have boasted to the President’s wife, I will fulfill my word."
"Your Highness Chiluo, there’s no need to force yourself, although it’s lamentable to see a loving couple separated, by reason and by law, Zhongli Wuzhi should proceed with his wedding to Princess Chinian."
"President’s wife, I know you are angry with Chiluo."
Chiluo pursed his lips,
"When Zhongli Wuzhi and my sister, Chinian, were together, you repeatedly reminded me of the deep feelings between Zhongli Wuzhi and Lu Xiaoer, but I didn’t heed your advice. I agreed and even urged their marriage, which has led to today’s awkward situation."
Chiluo spoke earnestly, not just to Song Lili, but also addressing all the guests present.
"Today, all who have gathered here are distinguished nobles of G country. On behalf of the M country Royal Family, I apologize to everyone, I’m sorry."
"Your Highness Chiluo..."
"President’s wife, I also apologize for my earlier rashness. I hope today’s incident... will not affect the diplomatic relations between our two nations. Nor will it affect the friendship between me and the President and his wife."
President Wen Nian, who had been silent, stood up and walked over to King Qing Lin, holding a wine glass in his hand,
"King Qing Lin, this glass is for you."
King Qing Lin was sitting with a grim face, Wen Nian’s wine glass already extended toward him, to accept or not to accept...
As he watched Princess Chinian on the stage in sorrow and distress, his original plans were completely scattered.
He traveled from M country to attend his daughter’s wedding, but now what presented before him was his daughter being humiliated...
The frustration caught in his chest was really hard to swallow in the moment.
Whether President Wen Nian or the President’s wife, even Zhongli Wuzhi’s parents...
They seemed genuinely upset by such an incident, but... every one of them was siding with Lu Xiaoer and Zhongli Wuzhi.
Now, raising a glass to toast him was giving him, as the King, a way out.
As Qing Lin hesitated, Zhongli Yuting and Lady Zhongli also came over holding wine glasses,
"Your Majesty, the King, we both deeply regret today’s incident."
Zhongli Yuting’s brows were tightly knit, he then sighed, seemingly deeply sorrowed.
Qing Lin stood up, he glanced at them, then raised his wine glass and clinked it with Wen Nian’s, downing it in one gulp, and then he went on stage to take Princess Chinian’s hand,
"Come home with daddy."
"..." Princess Chinian blinked at her father, tears streaming down, as if she was reluctant to just leave.
Qing Lin looked sternly at Princess Chinian, the words almost squeezed through his teeth,
"Aren’t you ashamed enough?"