ATLAS TRANSLATES

The red wedding dress must be matched with a new bride.

Luo Lingyu often thought about getting married, wanting someone to rely on. Love would be ideal, but even without it, she would accept it – as long as she married a good husband.

However, after witnessing Fan Qingchen’s true nature in her youth, she never considered Fan Fourth Young Master as a potential match.

She left Nanyang back then to escape from him… yet unexpectedly, she still ended up in his grasp.

The young lady was very unhappy.

Yet the carriage continued northward.

As Luo Lingyu observed, Fan Qingchen only brought two attendants and one driver for this journey. When Fan Qingchen sat in the carriage, the two attendants rode horses in front to lead the way. Such light travel arrangements were unlike what would be expected for a noble young master’s journey.

The lady lifted the carriage curtain to observe the situation outside, her bright eyes scanning the two tall and straight-backed guards.

Only two guards in total… this made Luo Lingyu’s defeated spirit start stirring with hope again.

Fan Qingchen, sitting in the same carriage, stared at her and laughed dismissively: “Sister is still so unwilling to give up. Even though I only have two guards on this journey, sister is just a delicate lady – how could you possibly escape? I know sister has always been practical, so I hope you won’t waste both our time with such futile struggles.”

Unexpectedly, Luo Lingyu turned her head, gave him a look, and asked in a slightly surprised tone: “…Are you having conflicts with the Fan family?”

Fan Qingchen: “…”

His face instantly turned cold.

His reaction was so strong that Luo Lingyu immediately knew she had guessed correctly. Fan Fourth Young Master was, after all, a legitimate young master of the Fan family.

He used to travel with a large entourage, but now with so few people, and their carriage not even being in Nanyang, Fan Qingchen must have had a falling out with the Fan family. Luo Lingyu had almost casually guessed that this conflict might be related to herself… The lady’s beautiful eyes rolled upward, her expression flickering, clearly thinking about how to use this situation to her advantage.

Fan Qingchen’s smile turned cold as he slowly said: “Whether or not I have conflicts with the Fan family doesn’t affect my marrying you. If you’re hoping for Lu Yun to save you, forget it. Lu Yun isn’t even in Nanyang – even if you die by my hand, he’ll only have the chance to regret it afterward. Of course, how could I bear to let sister die? Rest assured, once we’re married, I’ll give you everything you want.”

Grabbing her hand, he leaned forward, looking up at her intently, as if gazing at the divine lady from his countless admiring dreams.

Fan Qingchen murmured: “As long as you marry me.”

Luo Lingyu frowned, feeling utterly disgusted. She dared not resist too fiercely, fearing it would trigger Fan Qingchen’s inherent brutality.

She pulled her hand away from his grasp and said with distaste: “Lu Yun saves your Nanyang on the battlefield, yet you, a well-known young master of Nanyang, scheme behind his back to steal his woman.”

Fan Qingchen’s eyes turned cold.

He gripped her wrist with icy coldness and pulled her into his embrace. Lowering his head to press against her face, his nose brushing against her jade-like features.

Fan Qingchen said coldly: “He stole my woman, I’m merely taking back what should have been mine. Sister Luo speaks this way today, I’ll let it slide; but after we’re married, if you still speak for him, don’t blame me…”

His voice dropped lower as Luo Lingyu was forcibly held in his embrace by her waist. Her beautiful eyes showed fear.

Fan Qingchen laughed softly, his gaze dropping to Luo Lingyu’s flat stomach. After a pause, Fan Qingchen reached out and gently stroked it.

He suddenly looked up, trying to soothe Luo Lingyu’s unease: “Sister Luo, how many months along is the child in your belly?”

Luo Lingyu: “…?”

In a flash, she reacted quickly, immediately showing a wary expression: “What do you intend to do?!”

Fan Qingchen said softly: “Don’t worry, sister. Though this child isn’t mine, it’s still your flesh and blood. I couldn’t bear to harm any part of you. Even though this child’s father…” He snorted, the cold look in his eyes causing anxiety.

Fan Qingchen stared at her, repeating: “How many months?”

Luo Lingyu’s back stiffened: “…Three months.”

Three months along – trying to terminate it now would be extremely harmful to her body. What a pity. Fan Qingchen slowly let out an “Oh.”

The young master’s regretful expression was terrifying… Luo Lingyu hid her unease, keeping her face expressionless, because she wasn’t actually pregnant at all.

She frowned, truly not understanding why Fan Qingchen would think she was pregnant. But since he suspected she was with child, at least… at least this madman would only kiss and embrace her to avoid hurting her, and wouldn’t do anything else. Though she had fallen into Fan Qingchen’s hands, she could at least keep her body pure for Lu Yun. After all, he was wary of her being intimate with other men…

Luo Lingyu lowered her eyelashes, her eyes showing changing emotions as her mind turned partly to thoughts of Lu Yun, partly to desperately recalling information about women’s pregnancy from the medical books she had read.

Being embraced by Fan Qingchen, the lady put on a weak and tired appearance, saying listlessly: “Could we slow down the carriage? I’m not feeling well.”

A slower carriage would give potential rescuers more time.

Fan Qingchen curled his finger under her chin, lifting the beauty’s face. After judging whether she was being truthful, he knocked on the carriage window to signal the outside to slow down. He then comforted Luo Lingyu: “Don’t be afraid, sister. Early pregnancy is always like this. Once your body adjusts, you won’t feel so unwell.”

Speaking thus, his eyes lowered, once again staring at her stomach. That gloomy look in his eyes was hidden by himself, but he was well aware of the extreme disgust underneath. What nonsense about raising Lu Yun’s child, about treating it as his own – it was all just to deceive Luo Lingyu, just to put her mind at ease.

He could tolerate her previous betrayal, but he couldn’t tolerate seeing her child with Lu Yun before his eyes every day. As soon as this child was born, he would kill it… a newborn life, there were always many ways to make it disappear without a trace.

Luo Lingyu took the opportunity to struggle free from his embrace, sitting in the farthest corner of the carriage. To appease Fan Qingchen’s mind, she even asked perfunctorily: “Where exactly are you taking me?”

Fan Qingchen laughed softly: “Taking sister away from the Southern Kingdom, to live in Luoyang in the Northern Kingdom for a few years, how about that?”

The two kingdoms were in a state of both war and peace. While officially traveling to each other’s territories was not allowed, there were naturally some unofficial methods in private. After Lord Fan let his youngest son leave, to avoid future conflicts with the Lu family of Jianye, he directly arranged means for his son to hide in the Northern Kingdom for a few years. When Fan Qingchen returned to Nanyang with wife and children, even if Lu Yun was unwilling, he would have to accept the reality.

Leave the Southern Kingdom!

Luo Lingyu pressed her lips together – once they left the Southern Kingdom, the possibility of Lu Yun finding her would be almost zero… She couldn’t let Fan Qingchen have his way.

While the lady pondered how to thwart Fan Qingchen’s plans, Fan Qingchen was thinking about the marriage. For a time, as the carriage gently swayed, the two occupants each harbored their own schemes, and actually fell silent.

…

Throughout the journey, she kept delaying time using excuses of stomach pain, physical discomfort, hunger and thirst. As the carriage slowed, the two accompanying guards showed expressions of dissatisfaction.

Fan Qingchen, however, only gave her several meaningful looks, his cat-playing-with-mouse attitude making him watch with interest as Luo Lingyu struggled in his hands, though it was nothing more than harmless small protests.

Luo Lingyu didn’t care what he thought.

Pregnancy was such a good excuse – if she showed no discomfort at all and Fan Qingchen brought a doctor to examine her, wouldn’t she be exposed? And given Fan Qingchen’s obsession with her, once he knew she wasn’t pregnant, she would certainly not be able to maintain her purity.

Although men and women nowadays didn’t care about such things, but Lu Yun’s attitude… if he truly didn’t care, he wouldn’t have refrained from touching her until now.

Luo Lingyu was anxious inside, wondering how she could escape and return—

This madman Fan Qingchen!

After Luo Lingyu had caused trouble for an entire day, they stayed at an inn for the night. Fan Qingchen’s two guards took care of their master and the lady’s meals and rest. While they were respectful to Fan Qingchen, they showed displeasure toward Lady Luo several times. In their view, this woman had only beauty but an affected nature; their master had rebelled against the Fan family for her, treated her with constant care along the way, yet she showed no gratitude, instead constantly making trouble and finding excuses to bully their master.

This woman was even carrying another man’s child!

She displayed her arrogance and unreasonableness to the fullest throughout the journey. While Fan Qingchen didn’t get angry, happily watching his Sister Luo throw tantrums, indulging and spoiling her, his two subordinates rolled their eyes countless times at Luo Lingyu. Luo Lingyu actually hoped these two subordinates would speak ill of her to Fan Qingchen, so naturally didn’t care what they thought of her.

But Fan Qingchen’s tolerance toward Luo Lingyu, the gentle look in his eyes when he watched her, made Luo Lingyu panic. She had to admit, while Fan Qingchen would kill others without hesitation, he truly showed much tolerance toward her. However, the strong possessiveness behind this tolerance was truly impossible to be happy about.

While preparing to rest at the inn, after Luo Lingyu had finished causing trouble and was obediently eating, Fan Qingchen actually called over the innkeeper and asked him to arrange their wedding for tomorrow. Acting on urgency, Fan Qingchen didn’t care about ceremony, only wanting to settle the matter.

Luo Lingyu suddenly panicked and stood up: “…I cannot marry you!”

A cold light flashed in Fan Qingchen’s eyes, instantly replaced by a loving gaze. Under the innkeeper’s puzzled observing glance, he picked up some vegetables with his chopsticks and put them in the lady’s small bowl, sighing as if helpless: “Be good, don’t make trouble. We have our marriage contract as proof, how can you throw a tantrum at this time?”

With the marriage contract pressing down, even if Luo Lingyu sought help from the innkeeper it would be useless.

Of course Luo Lingyu had thought of this too.

But she was not one to easily give up.

Meeting the gazes of everyone in the inn, Luo Lingyu showed a sorrowful look, gazing softly at Fan Qingchen: “…It’s not that I’m unwilling to marry Young Master Fan, but that the wedding is far too simple, my heart is unwilling. Living under others’ roofs for many years, I lost my parents early, and now even my sister isn’t by my side. If they knew my wedding day was so rushed, how sad they would be.”

Fan Qingchen asked impassively: “What do you want to do?”

Luo Lingyu’s beautiful eyes moved gracefully as she spoke gently: “I know this journey isn’t easy, so I won’t make things difficult for young master. Young Master Fan, take me to Ruyang, let us pay respects at my parents’ graves, then marry – how about that? For such an important matter as my marriage, I should at least report to my parents, let them know, right?”

Fan Qingchen remained silent, seeming to be deep in thought.

Luo Lingyu urged: “Since we’re going to the Northern Kingdom anyway, Ruyang is on the way. After leaving Ruyang, we can directly enter the Northern border, it won’t delay our time.”

Fan Qingchen glanced at her: “Fine, I’ll grant sister’s wish.”

Across the table, he leaned forward, reaching out to wind her dark hair that had fallen beside her cheek around his finger. Staring at the lady’s peach blossom face, Fan Qingchen said in a low voice: “When we reach Ruyang, I’ll see what other methods sister has to delay the wedding.”

“Sister Luo, you will eventually marry me. You can hide for a day, but not for a lifetime. Don’t make me completely lose my patience… When that time comes, you’ll be the one who suffers.”

Luo Lingyu forced a smile, lowering her head uncomfortably. She was about to take a sip of wine when Fan Qingchen said coldly from beside her: “Pregnant women can’t drink alcohol, didn’t Lu Yun tell you?”

Luo Lingyu: “…!”

It was her fault for focusing too much on beauty treatments when reading medical books, only having a superficial understanding of pregnancy matters, now exposing a flaw.

She forcefully maintained her composure, raising her head unhappily: “He’s not here to control me, can’t I even have one small cup?”

Fan Qingchen’s eyes narrowed, he very much liked her saying that Lu Yun wasn’t here. Besides, he had already decided to kill Luo Lingyu’s child, so an unstable pregnancy wasn’t a bad thing for him. He was only concerned about her body… Fan Qingchen smiled: “Then just one cup.”

Luo Lingyu gave him a grateful smile.

The smile was radiant, like flowers blooming in March, dazzlingly bright.

People watching in the inn were all stunned for a moment, thinking what an incredible beauty she was.

…

The Jianye court welcomed the Northern Kingdom’s diplomatic envoys, and the Northern Princess entered the Emperor’s harem. The Northern envoys half-truthfully half-falsely negotiated peace with the Southern court, trying to buy time for their upcoming major battle preparations. Yet they didn’t know that at this moment, a hundred li from Nanyang, the Southern army had encountered the Northern army, and war was about to break out!

The negotiations in Jianye were like a joke, the news hadn’t reached them yet.

After patiently waiting through the night, with the army’s sneak attack operation lasting all night, Lu Yun remained with the troops, constantly adjusting strategy. After fighting through the night until dawn the next day, the Northern army they were besieging retreated, withdrawing from the mountain, bringing the first victory report for the Southern Kingdom.

At noon, General Wei led men to search the mountains, first to manage the battlefield and capture prisoners, second to prepare eagerly for the upcoming battles. The Northern army wouldn’t easily admit defeat and would surely return. The Southern army stationed in the mountains, conserving strength and discussing how to engage with the Northern army in the next phase.

After the meeting ended, Wei Cong was still studying the terrain map when Lu Yun lifted the tent flap to enter, saying he needed to leave first.

Wei Cong’s face immediately fell.

Lu Yun: “The major battle is here, but the border between North and South is extremely long, other places will certainly be affected by this war. Nanyang, Yingchuan, Ruyang, are all included. While searching for someone, I can take the opportunity to observe the situation. The border prefectures need to unite to resist the enemy, only then can the whole situation change. Otherwise, even if Nanyang wins but Ruyang or Yingchuan loses, the Northern army’s might will still sweep over.”

Wei Cong: “…You can even find so many reasons just to look for Lady Luo.”

However, Wei Cong had to admit that Lu Yun’s reasons were valid. Wei Cong only wondered which was more important to Lu Yun – his heart to serve the country or his heart to find Luo Lingyu.

That day, Lu Yun took over a thousand men from General Wei, leaving this place to return to Nanyang. After investigating the situation in Nanyang, he mounted his tall white horse and headed north, searching for traces of where the lady had been taken. At the same time, he contacted other prefectures, searching for traces of the Northern army along the way, seeing how their forces were dispersed.

In mid-October, the northern vegetation was withering, endless yellow earth as far as the eye could see.

Over a thousand troops crossed rivers, occasionally engaging in battle with Northern forces that had infiltrated the Southern border!

Lu Yun dismounted, crouching on the ground to study the carriage tracks hidden by grass. He touched the dry earth, dismounting every so often to calculate the direction and speed of the carriage from these traces. At night, Lu Yun made his judgment: “Their carriage heads north, moving slowly… Lingyu should be temporarily safe.”

Such slow carriage speed clearly showed the kidnappers were taking care of a weak woman like Luo Lingyu… whether they were actively being considerate, or Luo Lingyu had schemed to make herself more comfortable, at least it meant she was still alive.

Lu Yun’s heart beat rapidly, when he made this judgment, a great weight lifted from his chest, and cold sweat actually appeared on his forehead.

A follower beside him asked: “We’ve reached Yingchuan’s borders, should we meet with Prince Hengyang?”

First to discuss military matters, to have Prince Hengyang cooperate with Nanyang’s actions; second if Prince Hengyang had news of Lady Luo, he could tell them immediately or offer assistance.

Lu Yun was silent for a moment, his expression slightly strange. Since receiving his second brother’s letter, he had been very, very… However, the situation was now urgent… Lu Yun said: “We’ll go see Prince Hengyang.”

…

War broke out in various places, some with great fanfare like Nanyang, some with small skirmishes like Yingchuan. However, the flames of war had not yet reached Ruyang. But the situation along the border between the two countries was already very precarious, the distant Jianye court could no longer control it.

When Fan Qingchen and his group reached Ruyang, after the two guards gathered information on the streets, Fan Qingchen made a decision – after completing the wedding with Luo Lingyu tomorrow, they would immediately head to the mountains. Using the methods his father left behind to cross secretly, they would leave the Southern Kingdom for the North… after all, even Ruyang was no longer safe, and could be affected by war at any time.

Luo Lingyu had delayed all along the way, refusing to marry. After reaching Ruyang, seeing Fan Qingchen’s face grow more impatient by the day, she didn’t dare provoke and stimulate him too much anymore. Seeing her stop making trouble, Fan Qingchen let out a relieved breath and invited respected elders from Ruyang to preside over their wedding.

To prevent Luo Lingyu from finding more excuses, Fan Qingchen simply had her parents’ memorial tablets brought to the wedding.

When Luo Lingyu first saw her parents’ memorial tablets that Fan Qingchen had brought, her heart felt bitter – leaving Ruyang before age ten, returning at fifteen for her coming of age ceremony. What should have been a destined feeling of life coming full circle, instead became marrying the person she feared most.

Not visiting this place for five years, it felt both so familiar yet so strange.

The night before the wedding, the two guards watched the doors and windows to prevent Luo Lingyu from escaping. Fan Qingchen entered the room, seeing the lady crying by the window, displeasure flashed across his heart. Fan Qingchen looked at her beautiful profile by the window and said impatiently: “What is Sister Luo crying about now? Haven’t I already brought your parents’ memorial tablets? Someone who’s getting married tomorrow shouldn’t cry her eyes swollen.”

Luo Lingyu remained silent.

Her wrist suddenly hurt as she cried out in pain, her entire body pulled toward Fan Qingchen who stood behind her.

Fan Qingchen hooked her chin, looking down at her. He slowly leaned closer, watching as the lady’s entire body instantly stiffened. After all this time, she was still so repulsed by his proximity… Fan Qingchen’s heart kept rising with irritation and violence, he barely suppressed his emotions, forcing himself not to explode. But that thread in his mind was also about to snap…

Fan Qingchen’s fingertips rubbed her chin as he smiled darkly: “Sister Luo, stop using tricks. Be good and marry me.”

“You don’t want to truly anger me and make me harm you, right?”

“I’m still being considerate of you now… don’t provoke me.”

Luo Lingyu pressed her lips together, her heart amplifying the terror, she was also at a loss for how to escape this madman’s clutches – did she really have to marry him? Was there truly no way to delay anymore?

She felt utterly desperate inside: Lu Xuechen, you bastard, how have you still not found me!

Is it that in your heart, national affairs outweigh me… do you perhaps not care at all that I’m marrying another?

Fan Qingchen was almost going mad… if she kept refusing, things would spiral out of control, but if she didn’t refuse, spending a lifetime with this madman would be worse than death!

…

That night Fan Qingchen’s men watched the doors and windows strictly. Every time Luo Lingyu walked to the door, finding countless excuses, the people outside wouldn’t let her out. Even when she said she needed to relieve herself, the people outside would rather bring a chamber pot than let her take one step out the door.

And the old women and maids filed in, dressing her up, applying makeup, forcing her to wear the new red wedding dress.

Despite Luo Lingyu’s objections, they forcefully placed a round fan in her hands – the fan covering her face, its tassels elegant and beautiful.

The heart of the new bride being manipulated by them sank deeper and deeper.

With various old women and maids coming and going, there would be no chance of escape at this rate, and Luo Lingyu’s heart was in such torment. She endured until seeing Fan Qingchen again. Before dawn, he appeared at the door, looking clean and bright in his new bridegroom’s clothes. So handsome that he caused all the men and women in the room to gasp in admiration.

He stepped into the room, reaching out to grasp the delicate hand of the lady who was being forced by the maids to sit at the table.

Under the tassels, the lady was as beautiful as a flower. When he pulled her up, her entire being possessed an ethereal grace that made him unable to look away. She lowered her head without speaking, but he felt extremely pleased. Fan Qingchen bent down, taking a sniff at her neck, smiling: “Sister is mine now…”

In that instant, tears rolled down from Luo Lingyu’s eyes.

She could no longer endure it. Taking advantage of the crowd, she suddenly pushed Fan Qingchen away, crying out fiercely: “You force me to marry, coerce me to wed, want me to elope with you. But you’re dreaming! I would rather die than let you succeed, marry someone as beastly as you!”

For a moment, Fan Qingchen was stunned, then his face suddenly darkened.

Luo Lingyu lowered her head and bit his wrist. He released her hand in pain, and she turned to run into the crowd. The onlookers were stunned by the message in Luo Lingyu’s words, looking in shock at the handsome young master who had been abandoned by his bride. Wearing her wedding clothes, the lady ran into the crowd, lifting her skirts desperately trying to escape. Her tears fell like pearls as she pitifully begged the strangers blocking her way for help, telling them of Fan Qingchen’s evil intentions.

Behind her, Fan Qingchen strode after her, his face cold as ice: “Luo Lingyu—”

“BOOM—” Suddenly, an explosive sound like thunder came from the direction of the city gate, the entire ground shaking as the wedding guests’ expressions changed drastically.

As the ground trembled, the explosions continued unabated with violent force. The guests were shocked and confused – after one sharp scream, they scattered in all directions. People cried out—

“The Northerners have attacked! It must be the Northerners attacking!”

“Quick, everyone run! Run!”

The crowd scattered like birds and beasts, the bride in her elaborate wedding clothes caught among them, being jostled about unsteadily. In the chaos, several sharp arrows suddenly shot from the sky… Fan Qingchen leaped forward, grabbing the swaying Luo Lingyu into his arms, pulling her down with him to the ground, dodging the arrows shooting into the courtyard.

Horse hooves thundered outside as the vanguard of the Northern army had already climbed the city walls with ropes, swaggering into the city, killing indiscriminately!

And in the distance, the city gates were still being violently struck with boom after boom.

In the small wedding venue, Fan Qingchen held the lady tightly in his arms. He helped her dodge, preventing panicked fleeing people from stepping on her, while he himself was stepped on several times by passersby, letting out muffled groans. Luo Lingyu struggled to get up but was heavily pressed down in his embrace.

Though he had been angry with her before, now lying on the ground, his wide sleeves shielded her face, not letting even a trace of her be seen by others. The lady’s long hair scattered across his arms, and for a moment, Fan Qingchen felt a sense of unreality, a ridiculous feeling of “this moment will never come again.”

As if he only had this moment left.

When the two servants squeezed through to help their master up, Fan Qingchen’s eyes were dark as he gripped Luo Lingyu’s hand. Fan Qingchen’s face looked terrible: “Ruyang is likely in trouble… we need to find a way out of the city.”

Looking down at Luo Lingyu’s pale face, Fan Qingchen said softly: “Don’t be afraid, I’m not angry about you trying to escape the wedding… Don’t make trouble now, come with me, alright?”