Chapter Fifteen: The Unbelievable

“Elders, I apologize. The Serpent Maiden had no intention of disrupting the joyous occasion of the Marquis's son. It’s simply that the general’s daughter loved another, and I only wished to see lovers united. I ask you all to announce to the world that the general’s daughter has passed away. The Serpent Maiden takes her leave!”

Silver Yao rose, cupping her fists in salute, and before departing, flashed a faint smile at the Marquis’s son, Chu Su Yi, and Silver Bell.

“You cannot leave!” Chu Su Yi and the Marquis’s son spoke in unison.

Silver Yao paused, then replied with a teasing lilt, “Oh?” as if to say, Do you two really think you can stop me if I wish to go?

“No means no!” declared the Marquis’s son, striding forward and seizing her hand in a firm grip.

“Are you sure you can leave, in my territory?” Chu Su Yi responded with his usual elegance, snapping his fingers. Instantly, the courtyard was surrounded by men in black, allowing not so much as a crack for escape, while Chu Su Yi stepped closer to Silver Yao.

The elders exchanged bewildered glances, quite at a loss as to what was happening. They only felt more certain that their new alliance leader was anything but ordinary. Without much hesitation, they each found an excuse to leave this increasingly tension-filled place.

Silver Yao felt her hands gripped so tightly she grew sore. With a sharp shake, she broke free and, massaging her hands with care, glared at them both in anger. “Do you two have no understanding of pity for a lady?”

Both men were taken aback, but Chu Su Yi recovered first. “My dear, did I hurt you? Come, let your husband soothe it.” With that, he gently took Silver Yao’s hand, brought it to his lips, and softly blew on it, then kissed her palm. A sly smile played at his mouth—clearly delighted with himself.

“Chu Su Yi! You—”

“Me? What? I merely kissed my own wife, after all…”

“She’s my wife!”

“Oh? And who can prove that? I’d love to hear it.” Chu Su Yi looked genuinely curious, his eyes shining with delight—quite the sight.

Seeing Chu Su Yi’s nonchalance only fanned the flames of the Marquis’s son’s anger, and he hurried to think of a way to prove his claim.

Chu Su Yi watched the Marquis’s son flounder and secretly laughed—Ha! You want to play this game with me? You’re still too green.

“What’s wrong? Can’t come up with anything, Young Master Xia? Would you like my help? If you really can’t manage, perhaps you’d better just give up,” Chu Su Yi said with an innocent smile.

The Marquis’s son was clearly less cunning than Chu Su Yi. At these words, his handsome face twisted in frustration.

The performance was rather entertaining. Silver Yao nodded in approval, watching the verbal sparring between the two men with great interest. She pulled the stunned Silver Bell over to the pavilion to sit and enjoy some pastries. Mmm, delicious—if only there were a little wine to go with it. She signaled for a maid to bring a small jug, and began to sip slowly—so leisurely, so free.

Silver Bell, who was used to these two always being courteous and smiling, was utterly dumbfounded by their antics.

“We performed the marriage rites! Everyone present can testify!” The Marquis’s son seemed to see hope, his voice growing stronger with confidence. But unexpectedly, Chu Su Yi burst out laughing.

“Haha! It seems you’re forgetful, Young Master Xia! Everyone knows today you were to wed the general’s eldest daughter, not the infamous Serpent Maiden! Or are you saying you didn’t marry the general’s daughter?”

Chu Su Yi had planned this from the start and was delighted to see the Marquis’s son walk right into his trap.

“…”

The Marquis’s son was speechless. Indeed, everyone believed he was marrying the general’s daughter, but now it was Silver Yao, the Serpent Maiden, at his side. The elders would never support his claim. A miscalculation!

“But she’s not your wife either!” the Marquis’s son retorted, floundering for words. It was all he could come up with.

Chu Su Yi paused, then his eyes lit up. “See? So you’re the only one deluding yourself. Who can prove your claim?”

“…”

Chu Su Yi hadn’t actually thought of how Silver Yao had become his wife either, while the Marquis’s son was secretly pleased with his accidental success.

“I—I snatched Silver Yao away at the wedding. Of course she’s my wife!” Chu Su Yi declared after much thought.

At this, the Marquis’s son smirked wickedly, while Silver Yao, sitting aside, could only shake her head in exasperation. Digging your own grave and jumping in…

“So, Master Chu admits to stealing ‘my’ wife, does he?” The Marquis’s son deliberately emphasized the word ‘my,’ clearly delighted.

“Uh…” Chu Su Yi was at a loss—how had the Marquis’s son managed to outmaneuver him? He’d been too careless!

Meanwhile, Silver Yao watched their bickering, which was becoming a male version of a shrewish quarrel, with growing impatience.

Clearing her throat, Silver Yao, now full and a little flushed from the wine, stepped between the two men. The alcohol had painted her cheeks with a rosy glow.

“Perhaps I can offer you both a suggestion,” she said.

Both men halted immediately, their noses catching the faint scent of wine on her breath as she spoke.

“What suggestion?” they asked in unison, eager for a resolution.

She cleared her throat. “Well, why don’t you both simply share one wife between you?”

In that instant, a deathly silence fell.

Chu Su Yi and the Marquis’s son stared suspiciously at Silver Yao, finding her words utterly unbelievable. What woman would dare say such a thing? She was too…

With the two men regarding her strangely, Silver Yao’s blush deepened. She steadied herself, exhaled a gentle breath of wine-laced air, and said, “What? Didn’t you understand? Shall I repeat myself?”

A wicked smile played on her lips as she watched the two men, stunned by her shocking proposal.

Chu Su Yi, standing to her left, was momentarily captivated by her flushed cheeks and mischievous smile—enchanting, alluring.

The Marquis’s son’s mouth twitched in disbelief. This Serpent Maiden truly was a remarkable woman, daring to repeat such words. In all his days, he’d only ever heard of several women sharing a husband—never two men sharing a wife!

Suddenly, Silver Yao’s left hand was seized, and she was pulled into a familiar embrace. She caught her breath as the scent told her it was Chu Su Yi.

She looked up to scold him, but he only grinned radiantly.

Night slowly descended. The Marquis’s son stood there, dazed, as Chu Su Yi held the Serpent Maiden tightly, while Silver Yao, unable to break free, found herself trapped. None of the three wished to break the silence.

Silver Bell, watching from the pavilion, had long since been petrified by the trio’s words and actions—utterly dumbfounded.

At this moment, Silver Yao was filled with regret: What did I just say? How did I end up creating the perfect storm for a battle to erupt?

“Uh…” Silver Yao finally broke the silence, struggling to escape Chu Su Yi’s embrace. But he only held her tighter.

“My dear, are you trying to flee your husband’s arms? You wound me! You break my heart!”

Chu Su Yi grinned mischievously, watching Silver Yao squirm in his arms, though he had to admit—if she kept this up, things could get dangerous.

“Let go!” Silver Yao and the Marquis’s son demanded in unison. Chu Su Yi was taken aback—was it his imagination, or had they just spoken with perfect harmony?

Taking advantage of Chu Su Yi’s distraction, Silver Yao slipped free, used her lightness skill to put five meters between them, and longed to be even farther away.

“Clearly you two gentlemen are not willing to accept my suggestion, so I’ll take my leave first.” A charming smile curved her lips, and in the blink of an eye, Silver Yao vanished from the courtyard.

The two men left behind could do nothing but stare after her in silence.