Chapter 1- A Forced Marriage

"Shove this bastard in" The prime Minister's wife was commanding the servants to push a man in a scarlet wedding robe into a sedan chair. "Even if he does today, he must be married into Lord Pinghe's Palace."

Li Hengyuan was woken up by this sharp voice, feeling as if his head was about to explode with pain. And almost immediately, countless fragments of memories that didn't seem to belong to him kept pouring into his head, making him contort his face in agony.

Before Li Hengyuan could digest the extra memories that suddenly surged to him, a heart-wrenching cry of sadness and entreaties came: "Madam, I'm begging you. Please don't force Hengyuan to get married. He's a man. How can be marry someone of the same gender? His life will be ruined! Madam, I'm begging you!"

Hearing the voice, Li Hengyuan felt his heart skip a beat. Regardless of his bone-aching discomfort, he broke free from the grip of the servants and ran to the woman who was kneeling on the ground in coarse clothes.

"Mother"

All his actions were dictated by the body, and not untill he had lifted up the woman did Li Hengyuan suddenly realize what kind of situation he was in.

However, the urgent situation didn't allowed him to think further. his body followed the last residual thoughts of his body and protectively shielded the woman in coarse clothes behind him.

However, the woman pushed him away and knelt down again, her knees bumped heavily against the bluestone ground. Hitting her forehead hard on the ground while knowtowing, she said; "Madam, Hengyuan can't marry another man! Please have mercy on us!"

Li Hengyuan felt that the scene he was watching was extremely jarring, but his body was even wimpier, who didn't want this forced marriage, and had to seek help from this mother, who had long lost her status in the Prime Minister's Mansion, making the aged and haggard woman more miserable.

Li Hengyuan broke out of his trance and stood again in front of the woman. His body was still weak and frail as if it couldn't muster any strength, but he still stood up straight: "ask someone to take my mother away and take good care of her. If I ever learn that you have made my mother suffer, I would rather die than marrying His Highness."

How ridiculous it was! His body belonged to a man, who had to marry Lord Pinghe, who was of the same gender to ward off His Highness's imminent death.

Seeing that Li hengyuan had made his decision, that woman grabbed his hand and begged while wailing on sorrow: "No, Hengyuan! Your life will be ruined!"

If he got married like a woman and become the Lord's consort, he could never become an official or fulfill his ambition. Her son was so excellent that he shouldn't be ruined like this!

Li Hengyuan leaned over and helped that woman up. "It is the emperor's command. We can't disobey it."

This was also the reason why Li Hengyuan had remained calm. In this society. how would he, with this frail body, and his mother who had mostly been sick and bed-ridden. ever be able to disobey it?

Since there was no way to resist it, he had to follow the tide for the time being, and there would definitely be a chance later when he could change the present situation.

The prime minister's wife watched their drama coldly. Realizing that it was about time, she asked the servant to go forward and drag the woman away.

The woman was still struggling, and the prime minister's wife sneered: "Don't even try to disobey the imperial edict. You brazed woman! Just let your cheap bastard get married submissively. Of course, if you are still stubborn, don't blame me for being rude. After all, in the eyes of the society, you are already a dead person, so even if you end up being killed, nobody will say anything."

The woman's face turned ashen. Her whole body was suddenly drained of all the strength, and she collapsed on the ground like a boneless doll. Yes, that was indeed the case, How useless she had been! She couldn't even protect her son.

Li Hengyuan held the woman up by the waist and looked coldly at the prime minister's wife: "You'd better not harm her, or I'll have the whole Prime Minister's Mansion go down with her.

The prime minister's wife felt a chill down her spine. The ruthlessness in Li Hengyuan's eyes was like a sharp blade, stabbing at her and making her afraid. She unconsciously stood upright and said with forced dignity: "anyone can talk tough, but if you want your mother unharmed, get yourself inside that sedan chair now. If you miss the auspicious time and displease the emperor, even the prime minister himself won't able to help."

Li Hengyuan did not immediately get in the sedan chair, but watched the servants help his mother away. He glanced around the yard, and the corners of his mouth curved up slightly.

The smile was as cold as a ghost which had come treading on blood from hell, sending chills to the hearts of the onlookers.

the prime minister's wife felt something slowing seeping out from her heart, which was thickly and densely enveloping her. And though it was in summer, she felt like she had sunken in an ice cellar, which chilled her to the bone.

Her embarrassment was immediately turned into fury and she said angrily: "Why are you still standing? Get him into the sedan chair!"

"Don't bother." Li Hengyuan lifted the curtain with a chuckle, bent over and sat inside.

The moment he had just sat down, a mouthful of fresh blood spurted out from Li Hengyuan's mouth, as dark as black.

It took a long time for Li Hengyuan to set his mind at ease. Tremblingly putting his right hand on the wrist of the left, he took his own pulse, trying to check the condition of his body.

Sure enough, the former master of his body had been killed with poison. And his soul had taken advantage of the situation and reincarnated in his body.

No matter how the current situation was, God had been merciful to him. After he'd been shot dead, God had still allowed him to come back to life in another body, and in another time as well as space.

When the sedan chair was lifted up, Li Hengyuan felt a rush of dizziness. the poor physical fitness was really beyond his expectation.

He wiped off the blood from his lips with one hand, and his gaze gradually turned calm and thoughtful. Who had poisoned the former master of his body?

In this seemingly "warding-off" wedding, how many force and people were involved?

Hearing gongs and drums getting nearer. Li Hengyuan knew that the bridal escort team from Lord Pinghe's mansion had arrived.

The sound of trumpets and horns disrupted Li Hengyuan's thoughts. Li Hengyuan simply gave up thinking an lifted the curtain slightly to see the situation outside.

He saw Lord Pinghe, namely Cheng Zheng, ridding on a tall horse and coming towards him.

Li Hengyuan, who was used to seeing all kinds of beauties in his previous life, was stunned when he saw Cheng Zheng.

What was that saying again? He who was as beautiful as jade, a prince unparalleled in this day and age.

Li Hengyuan thought the saying was more than appropriate to describe Cheng Zheng, and he couldn't help staring at Cheng Zheng more, although deep, he felt sorry for Cheng.

It was true that Cheng Zheng looked good, but his face was clouded by the shadow of sickness, looking totally lifeless, as if he was about to drop dead any moment. He sat frailly on the horse, and two guards were down beside guarding him, in case he would drop from the horse.

It seemed that the rumor was right, which had it that Cheng Zheng wouldn't be able to live beyond the age of 20.

Li Hengyuan shook his head. As he was trying to look away, his gaze unexpectedly collided with that of Cheng Zheng, who nodded at him before he turned away.

It got Li Hengyuan thinking. If he hadn't been wrong about it just now, he noticed that the gaze of Cheng Zheng was piercing, unlike that of people who were seriously ill.

That was interesting.

Li Hengyaun chuckled and looked down.

The sedan chair was lifted, and with the sound of gongs and drums, it headed leisurely toward Lord Pinghe's Mansion.