Dearly Detested: Grooms in Hate

Who is to blame?

The ceremony concluded successfully, with Jiang Cheng replacing the parents of the bride. A single tear was visible on the young man's face.

As soon as the basic rituals were done and the last bow made, Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan asked to be excused to their quarters. It seemed that the new Madam Jin wasn't feeling too good and required some peace. 

To make up for the couple's absence, Jin Guangshan asked for the entertainment to be brought in. Lan Wangji decided that now was a good time to go and clear the air with Wei Wuxian. He immediately spotted the one he was looking for on the other side of the hall, quickly intercepting his sister to hug and greet her excitedly. But after only a short exchange Yanli and her husband went on to the rooms in the back, leaving behind a lost looking Wei Wuxian, gripping a package tight in his hand, where Lan Wangji knew the gift Wei Wuxian had worked on so hard was inside. 

Just as Lan Wangji was starting to step through the room , his hand was grasped and he got half-dragged away from the crowd into an alcove in a corner of the room by Lady Luo.

In that moment Wei Wuxian had turned to look at them and his just regained composure dropped visibly. Lan Wangji had to explain everything to him once they would leave, he swore to himself. 

Lady Luo politely bowed, "Hanguang Jun."

"Lady Luo. We must discuss-"

"I agree with you. We cannot marry." She interrupted him. 

Lan Wangji was dumbfounded.

"I have a man I love. A mortal, not a cultivator. I'm very sorry." She explained, bowing apologetically. 

"No need. I wish you the best, Lady Luo. Though I presume Wei Ying will be very sad."

"Wei Wuxian? Why would he be sad? He already has someone he likes."

This was news to Lan Wangji and it made his heart sink.

"Who?" His brows knitted together in confusion. 

"Oh, you didn't realise it yet? It's-"

All of a sudden a ripple of dark energy spread through the room and hit them both. They felt how suddenly their golden core got blocked by this wave of energy, their Cultivation  now disabled, they felt powerless and unsure. It was as if a snake of dark energy had coiled around their cores and was squeezing the life out of them. 

Lan Wangji immediately thought of Wei Wuxian and how he had left him. Not only had he broken his promise to Wen Qing and Wei Wuxian, he also had created more emotional turmoil to the already unstable man. 

As screams and shouts of horror arose around the hall, Lan Wangji shook off the thoughts that had prevented him from moving and rushed into the hall. The music had stopped abruptly and the screaming ceased to whimpers as an unfamiliar, cruel laughter could be heard. 

Lady Luo right behind him, he entered the middle of the room, finding Jin Guangshan's head rolling over the floor to his feet.

Next to his freshly beheaded body stood a young boy, laughing maniacally. He seemed to be not more than sixteen years old, and Lan Wangji recognised him at first glance. He was about to speak, when across the hall Wei Wuxian already started yelling.

"Xue Yang!"

The boy smiled, a vicious, crooked smile that could make even the bravest cultivator's blood curl.

"It's me! Wei Wuxian, did you miss me? Oh, right, it's the Yiling Patriarch now! What an honour to finally meet my idol!"

Wei Wuxian snarled back at him. "Why did you kill Clan Leader Jin?"