Chapter 1659 — That Zun's Wedding

These past few days, both the Upper and Lower Capitals of Jingping had been in extraordinary uproar, bustling with coming and going. Qingniu told Libationer Bashan, "Master, Elder Sister is drinking herself drunk in the tavern. Wine jars are piled on the tables and in the corners. " Libationer Bashan immediately panicked.

"Keep an eye on her. Don't let her cause trouble. I'll go tell Granny Zhu!

" Qingniu hurried to the tavern, where he saw a little girl of about ten, lovely as ice and snow, sitting by a wine table shouting and hollering for the proprietor to bring more wine. The nine fox tails behind her rump had already emerged, and she was on the verge of reverting to her true form. Yet she had already drunk the tavern dry. The proprietor was at his wit's end, and recognizing this drunkard, dared not drive her out. He could only stand helplessly to one side, listening to her scolding.

". . . I've been through the bowing ceremony too.

I may not be the first wife, but at least I'm a concubine. .

. " Xue Hu'er, drunk and clumsy, clambered onto the wine table, one leg standing in a wine jar, the other splayed outside. She rolled up her sleeves, reeking of alcohol, her white fur robe soaked with the stench of wine. She complained to the proprietor, "This time I've got to be given a proper status, haven't I? Don't you think so. .

. " Qingniu hurried forward.

"The Right Vice Director is drunk! Quick, quick! Send the Right Vice Director back to her residence! " "I'm not drunk.

I know you. You're the third.

. . uh, the fourth. No, that's wrong! Long Pi swore brotherhood with Tian Shu and Qi Jiuyi. You must be the sixth or the seventh.

. . " Xue Hu'er was still spouting nonsense. Qingniu hurriedly helped her down and escorted her to the Vice Director's residence in the Department of State Affairs.

When Xue Hu'er arrived at the Department of State Affairs, she cast a drunken sidelong glance and caught sight of the Left Vice Director. She sneered, "Here's a fellow sufferer! Si Yunxiang, you're the second wife. You come and judge what's fair. Back then, Blind Old Master made the decision and married all three of us off.

We went through the bowing ceremony!

" Si Yunxiang, who served alongside her as Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, one on the left and one on the right, holding Jingping's financial power between them, had grown far more steady through the years of experience. She said with a smile, "Little Sister is drunk. Go back and rest first. " Xue Hu'er said carelessly, "Old Nine, I don't need your help.

I can walk! " With that, she pushed Qingniu away and staggered forward, then tumbled with a gurgle into a flower bed, only her tails sticking out.

They twitched twice and then went still. Qingniu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"How did I become Old Nine again? " When Granny Zhu received Bashan's report, she immediately became alert.

"Bashan, find me some people and keep watch on the dangerous elements! At this juncture, nothing can go wrong! " Seeing how seriously she spoke, Bashan hurried to say, "Rest assured, Granny. I'll handle this matter perfectly! " He hesitated, then asked, "Which dangerous elements am I to monitor? " "The little fox is the first! And then that girl Si Yunxiang! " Granny Zhu spoke rapidly, "Especially Si Yunxiang.

The little fox is straightforward, but that girl is crafty beyond measure. She must be guarded against. Besides her, there are other key targets to monitor, such as those wild girls from the Western Lands. They still have the custom of walking marriage. Be careful they don't lure the groom into their rooms on the wedding night!

And then there's Dide Yuanjun.

She must be watched as well.

. .

" Bashan committed this to memory carefully. Hearing this, he couldn't help but say with difficulty, "Dide Yuanjun's cultivation and attainments now place her at the very pinnacle of Jingping. Apart from figures like Old Hierarch Wei and Crown Prince Youming, who could stand against her? " Granny Zhu glared at him. "If you can't stand against her, you still have to try! " Bashan shrank his neck.

Granny Zhu continued, "Besides them, you also need to be wary of Langwan. . . " Bashan shuddered and hurried toward the door. "Granny, you'd better find someone more capable! Dide Yuanjun is one thing, but Langwan is a God King, a being at the level of a Zun. In all the universe and primeval chaos, apart from a handful of people, who is her match?

" Granny Zhu said hastily, "Don't worry. Langwan is one who has forgotten emotion, and she places the Creator's interests above all.

She won't act recklessly. I'm only worried that if she wants to bear a little Creator with the groom, it will cause trouble in the future. You don't need to watch him closely, only Shen'er. If he can control his belt, there's no problem.

" Libationer Bashan complained bitterly, "If my junior brother can't control his belt, how am I supposed to control it for him?

" Granny Zhu laughed. "It doesn't matter if he can't. At worst, there'll just be a few more cubs to hold.

As for Ling Zun, she has no designs on Shen'er. It's only Moon Zun that I'm not quite certain about. . . " Bashan's face turned ashen, and his legs trembled. Granny Zhu continued, ".

. . But she wouldn't go so far as to snatch the groom. If she did, she'd have to consider her own reputation, wouldn't she?

She needn't be considered. . .

" She thought it over from every angle and drew up a list of those who might cause trouble. Before she knew it, it was deep into the night. Libationer Bashan looked up at the starry sky and saw the stars twinkling.

He laughed, "This sky is strange too. It's clearly the fifteenth, a clear night, yet there's not even a moon.

. . " Granny Zhu suddenly came to her senses.

"Oh no! I forgot her! The moon has vanished, so it must be her! Go find your junior brother at once.

Any later and she'll have spirited him away! " Libationer Bashan also came to his senses and blurted out, "You mean the one on the moon?

This is indeed a serious matter! I'll go find my junior brother right away! " He hurried off, heading straight for Shen Mu's residence.

Before he even reached Shen Mu's dwelling, he saw moonlight rippling there, illuminating the entire estate. Clearly, the moon in the sky above Jingping had slipped down from the heavens without anyone noticing and landed in Shen Mu's residence! Bashan braced himself and barged in, thinking, "No matter what, I can't let the Sword God of the Supreme Emperor ruin this marriage! " He burst into the estate and saw that moon hanging above Shen Mu's courtyard, about ten zhang high. The moon had been refined into a treasure, able to grow or shrink at will, and now it hung there only about a foot square.

Bashan hurried in. There were few servants in Shen Mu's estate, and they had no time to stop him before he pushed past.

Before the main hall, Shen Mu and Bai Qú'er sat on the stone steps below the hall, one with graying temples, the other still like a young maiden. The two were chatting about something or other. When Bashan barged in and saw that both were fully dressed, he felt relieved and bowed.

"Bashan pays his respects to the Sword God of the Supreme Emperor.

Junior Brother, you are about to be married. It is not proper for you to share a room with another woman.

" Shen Mu smiled gently. "That is why Qú'er and I are talking outside the hall.

We have not entered the room. " Bai Qú'er rose and beckoned.

The moon descended, growing larger and larger, until it stopped about a zhang and three or four feet above the ground.

The woman walked into the moon palace without glancing at Bashan.

Bashan felt relieved. "As long as nothing goes wrong at this critical moment.

. .

" Bai Qú'er stood within the moon palace, a sash fluttering down. She extended her slender jade hand downward, her face showing anticipation. Shen Mu stood up and raised his right hand.