I cannot marry you in this lifetime, nor will I marry anyone else

"Lu Shuang?" Zhang Shi asked in confusion. "What a familiar name. Holy crap, isn't she the woman Wang Ming said he owed so much to?"

"Yes. She had been hiding in the mountains. After she came out, she was found by the people from our Demon Suppression Division. I personally asked her if she was willing to join us, and she readily agreed."

"Right now, she needs an opportunity to earn some merit."

Zhang Shi nodded, "No problem. I am not someone who hoards credit. As long as she completes her mission well, I am more than willing to share the credit with her."

Su Jin nodded. Lu Shuang was a candidate she had personally selected. After finding her, Su Jin had carefully evaluated her and found the girl to be clear-headed and calm. She was highly worth cultivating and would surely be able to take on great responsibilities in the future.

Thus, once she gained some experience, she could be assigned to assist Zhang Shi. After all, according to the Duke, Zhang Shi had become a rare military talent after being tempered on the grasslands.

However, he was completely clueless when it came to the messy, overly romantic entanglements of the world, which caused him to fall at a disadvantage at every turn.

If there was a suitable person to advise him, it was almost certain that General Zhang Shi's future achievements would be limitless!

Su Jin knew very well that what Ren Tianye worried about was exactly what she needed to consider. With this move, she had made a clear choice for Zhang Shi.

However, the current Zhang Shi was still very confused.

"Su Jin, could you repeat what you and Yun Wanyi just talked about? Why do I still not quite understand it even now?"

Su Jin: "..."

...

With the clatter of hooves, Yun Wanyi galloped wildly, returning to Huai'an City overnight.

As the daughter of the former garrison commander, she could easily leave Huai'an City, and naturally, she could also easily enter the heavily guarded city. At the same time, she brought along some guards and Lu Shuang, who was disguised as her personal maid.

"Miss, where... where did you go?"

"The wedding is approaching, and Lord Xu Shang is about to come and marry you. Why did you suddenly disappear? We were worried sick."

Facing the butler's questions, Yun Wanyi's expression remained indifferent. "I just went out for a bit."

"I didn't miss the time, did I? There was no delay."

Yun Wanyi's cold and stern attitude made the butler afraid to ask further. More importantly, she indeed hadn't missed the time, so he felt relieved and quickly ordered the maids and old servants to help Yun Wanyi dress up.

Yun Wanyi's return was indeed perfectly timed. Just as she hurriedly finished her makeup and put on her red wedding dress, the Xu family's bridal escort arrived.

The Yun and Xu families were the most prestigious families in Huai'an City. Their marriage had already attracted the attention of the whole city. Especially now, everyone knew that the union of the Yun and Xu families meant the consolidation of power in Huai'an City, which would allow them to better resist Ren Tianye. As a result, the crowd of onlookers was an absolute sea of people.

Yun Wanyi did not act coy or hesitant. Wearing a red bridal veil, she strode out and got into the bridal sedan chair. With Lu Shuang disguised as a maid following beside her, they soon arrived at the Xu residence.

After the initial pleasantries, the wedding ceremony began.

Under the red veil, Yun Wanyi couldn't see anyone, but she could clearly sense that the person standing next to her was not Xu Shang, whom she had grown up playing with since childhood.

It was a different aura.

It was the aura of Xu Shang's younger brother, Xu Sha.

Perhaps Xu Shang and Xu Sha looked identical. Whether it was outsiders or herself, at first glance, it would be hard to tell them apart. But many things are not perceived with the eyes.

Feelings are often more accurate than sight.

Yun Wanyi had long anticipated this scene and had made countermeasures, but at this moment, she still couldn't help but feel a pang of pain in her heart.

Childhood sweethearts and years of companionship couldn't compare to a first love dropping from the sky!

Since that was the case, Xu Shang couldn't blame her for being ruthless.

"First bow to Heaven and Earth!"

"Second bow to the parents!"

"Husband and wife, bow to each other!"

"Escort the bride to the bridal chamber!"

After the procedures were completed, Yun Wanyi was taken to the bridal chamber. As the groom, or rather the fake groom, Xu Sha should have gone to entertain the guests, but he took the initiative to escort Yun Wanyi there.

When their fingers inevitably brushed against each other, Yun Wanyi could clearly sense the temperature and trembling of the fake groom Xu Sha's fingers, as well as... the ambition that he hid very carefully, but which Yun Wanyi saw with absolute clarity.

Under the veil, Yun Wanyi revealed a smile.

She knew it. Everything was exactly as she had expected.

After sitting down, she called for Lu Shuang, who had been following closely by her side.

"Miss Lu Shuang, did you see that person at the wedding ceremony?"

Lu Shuang nodded and said, "I saw him. It's truly rare. Twins are already uncommon in this world, but ones like Xu Shang and Xu Sha, where even at this age you can't tell any difference at first glance, are even rarer."

"But the absolute rarest thing is..."

"One of them is in the hall bowing and getting married to you, while the other is among the guests, acting all lovey-dovey with another woman."

Yun Wanyi's hand tightened slightly, and hatred shot from her eyes, but it quickly disappeared. Instead, she laughed, "What's even rarer is... an older brother letting his younger brother marry in his place."

"And the only reason he is unwilling to marry me is because his precious first love cannot accept it."

"Hah!"

"Ten years of sincere devotion, no match for that bitch falling from the sky."

Lu Shuang nodded, expressing sympathy for Yun Wanyi as a fellow woman. She asked, "Miss, what do you need me to do now?"

"Help me keep an eye on him."

Yun Wanyi said, "Normally, after this wedding, Xu Shang would be able to legitimately take over the entire military of Huai'an City. Now, he's dreaming!"

"I will handle Xu Sha."

"You help me watch Xu Shang, lest he pull any more tricks!"

"Understood, Miss!" Lu Shuang agreed, leaving the boudoir to find Xu Shang.

Lu Shuang's martial arts had not been specially trained, so tracking was somewhat difficult for her. Fortunately, she was now Yun Wanyi's maid. With this identity, even in the Xu residence, no one dared to stop her, allowing her to move about like a fish in water.

She quickly spotted Xu Shang and the woman next to him. The two of them acted like thieves, twisting and turning this way and that, before slipping into the kitchen.

Lu Shuang immediately pressed herself against the wall behind them.

The kitchen was not soundproof, which allowed her to clearly hear what the two inside were saying.

"Ah Yao, Ah Yao, please don't be angry, don't be angry. I already had Xu Sha marry Yun Wanyi in my place. Everything was done exactly as you said. Why... why are you angry again? I beg you, please don't be mad, okay?"

"Hmph! Xu Shang, don't think I can't tell. You simply can't bear to let Yun Wanyi go. The look in your eyes just now when you watched her marry your brother was full of jealousy. You haven't forgotten her at all. You... you're just humoring me!"

"No, no, Ah Yao, I only have you in my heart. Marrying Yun Wanyi was truly a matter of urgent necessity. Right now, Ren Tianye's army is pressing down on our borders. I need Yun Wanyi to take control of the entirety of Huai'an City. Besides, my father told me to marry Yun Wanyi on his deathbed, and he forbade me from bringing you into the family in any capacity, but..."

Pausing, the male voice inside the room became incredibly firm, "Ah Yao, rest assured. Even though I, Xu Shang, cannot marry you in this lifetime, I will absolutely never marry anyone else either!"

"My heart will forever belong to you!"

...