Half an hour later, Sangmo was invited to the main hall.
By then, Gu Chao had already changed his clothes and was seated in the seat of honor.
The hall was crowded with guests who had attended the wedding banquet the day before.
Su Family's Elder sat in the foremost seat on the right, with the second aunt and Su Qianqian standing behind him.
As Sangmo entered the door, all eyes in the room turned towards her in unison.
Su Family's Elder suddenly threw a cup filled with tea at Sangmo.
Just as she was about to dodge, her body was suddenly immobilized by an unexpected force.
The tea poured over her head, and the cup struck her forehead, leaving a large gash.
She looked up to see Shen Yanqing sitting in the foremost seat on the left, watching her with a playful expression on his face.
Sangmo's heart trembled. Why hadn't he left yet?
"Unfilial wretch! Kneel down!" the Elder's powerful voice cursed from within the hall.
"To the misfortune of our household, we have raised a shameless creature like you. Today, before everyone present, I shall beat you to death to console the spirits of our ancestors."
As he spoke, the Elder raised his hand to strike Sangmo.
At the critical moment, Gu Chao intervened.
"Father-in-law, Ajin and I are sincerely in love. This matter was my idea. If punishment is to be meted out, let it be directed at me."
After his words fell, Su Qianqian's sobbing voice suddenly filled the hall. "Father, don't blame my sister. Qianqian is willing to give up her husband to her. It's Qianqian who is useless and cannot hold onto Gu Chao's heart."
Instantly, the gazes of everyone in the hall towards Sangmo became pregnant with meaning.
In particular, the ambiguous red marks on her neck, clearly made by a man's kiss, further confirmed her abilities to keep a man.
An amused Family Head suddenly suggested, "Enough, Elder Su. Which daughter marries is the same. Sister and brother-in-law—just thinking about it is thrilling."
As his words landed, everyone in the hall stifled their laughter.
Gu Chao's face darkened immediately. "Su Qianqian and I have not yet wed, so what brother-in-law? Everyone, don't talk nonsense."
"Hey, that's not right!" A chubby middle-aged man suddenly stood up, urgently saying, "Last night, Gu Family's Head was clearly with me; he never left halfway through, so with whom did Su Jinyi spend the night?"
With that, everyone in the hall also began to realize, and they all turned to look at Sangmo, their eyes lit with the excitement of catching an adulterer.
"Ladies and gentlemen, don't speculate wildly. Ajin was alone in my family's secret chamber last night. Would I, the esteemed Family Head of the Gu Family, take an unclean woman for a wife?" Gu Chao said sternly.
Without giving others a chance to speak, he addressed the Elder directly, "Father-in-law, this is entirely my fault, and I am willing to pay an additional dowry to take Ajin as my wife."
"As for sister Qianqian, when the time comes for her to marry, I will prepare a dowry equal to today's as compensation."
Upon hearing this, not only did the Elder's heart waver, but the eyes of everyone in the hall also widened, wishing they could marry their own daughters into the family as well.
All seemed to be going well, and just as everyone was preparing to stand up and offer their congratulations, Shen Yanqing suddenly interrupted, "Hold on."
Only then did everyone remember that Shen Yanqing was still in the hall.
All eyes turned to Shen Yanqing; after all, as an Elder of Changli Mountain, could he be so leisurely?
Not only had he escorted Su Family's bridal party, but he had also stayed overnight to help the Gu Family find the bride, and he was still here.
What was he planning to do?
Sangmo was also puzzled. She didn't understand what the Shen Yanqing of this life was up to, why he seemed to be against her at every turn?
Under the inquisitive eyes of the crowd, Shen Yanqing took out a golden scroll.
"Su Jinyi is on the list for disciple recruitment at Changli Mountain. She cannot marry within three years."
Upon hearing this, the onlookers all craned their necks to glimpse at the golden scroll.
Someone spoke up in discontent, "Who doesn't know about Su Jinyi's flawed spiritual roots? What makes her qualified to be on the list for Changli Mountain's recruitment?"
Another ingratiatingly inquired, "Grandmaster, is my son on the list?"
"My daughter is exceptionally talented, she must be on the list, right?"
Changli Mountain is the premier academy of the Cultivation Realm, and anyone who makes it onto the recruitment list must enter the mountain to study the arts for three years, provided they do not die.
If one is taken as a personal disciple by an elder of the mountain within those three years, they belong to Changli Mountain in life and death. All their marital and funeral matters must take place within Changli Mountain.
It's admittedly a rather domineering rule, but members of the aristocratic cultivation families vie for it eagerly.
Being the offspring of such families, even just remaining in Changli Mountain to sweep floors or guard the gate is considered a great honor for their ancestors.
The Su Family was not surprised by Su Jinyi's inclusion on the list for Changli Mountain's recruitment, for her mother had come from Changli Mountain herself.
In fact, it was in defense of Changli Mountain that Su Jinyi's mother, while pregnant, had withstood the invasion of Xie Sui, which caused Su Jinyi to be born with a flawed spiritual root, turning her into a cultivator with no potential.
But understanding was one thing, and envy and jealousy quite another. Su Qianqian and the second aunt almost simultaneously seized the sleeve of Old Master Su.
All the father could do was offer a forced smile, step forward, and ask Shen Yanqing whether Su Qianqian's name was on the list.
After learning that it was not, Old Master Su did not dare to bother Shen Yanqing any further. After discussing the marriage arrangements with Gu Chao, he led his family back home.
As they were leaving, Sangmo glanced back again, and Shen Yanqing was also looking at her. When their gazes met, Sangmo saw a hint of provocation in his eyes.
Once back at the Su Family home, a jealousy-crazed Su Qianqian and the second aunt could no longer hide their true feelings.
Upon entering the main gate, the second aunt turned and slapped Sangmo. Sangmo was about to dodge when that inexplicable force fixed her in place again.
Sangmo stood there dumbfounded, realizing that she couldn't avoid being hit by others.
She truly could not understand why this life's Shen Yanqing seemed to have gone mad, picking on her at every turn.
She was forced to take the slap from the second aunt forcefully.
"Su Jinyi, you lowly creature, are you so desperate for a man that you'd even make a move on your brother-in-law?" the second aunt chided as she reached to grab Sangmo's hair.
Su Qianqian was also livid with rage, raining blows and kicks on Sangmo.
Sangmo, harboring anger of her own, quickly got entangled in a fight with the two of them.
In the midst of the scuffle, Sangmo managed to pull out a lock of the second aunt's hair.
"Enough! What sort of behavior is this?" Old Master Su shouted angrily.
At his words, the three separated from each other.
Unwilling to let it go, Su Qianqian complained, "Father, you are just going to ignore the fact that I've lost a marriage proposal?"
"Enough. Your sister is now partly a member of the Gu Family. From now on, you all need to get along peacefully."
Old Master Su then turned to Sangmo, "You were born with defective spiritual roots and cannot cultivate, so why not give your opportunity to study at Changli Mountain to your sister?"
Sangmo, while tidying her disheveled hair, did not even raise her head to respond, "It's not as if I have the final say, impersonating someone else is a grave crime. If you're not afraid, I have no objections."
At this, everyone fell silent, and Old Master Su waved them off, "We are all tired today, go rest."