The gap grew larger, and the intruder didn’t seem to mind being conspicuous, making quite a racket as they fully opened the window. Moonlight poured in, and a nimble figure swiftly climbed through the window, landing steadily inside.
Ji Yuluo, having heard the commotion, went from being cautious to gradually feeling at ease. The Huo Residence was heavily guarded, especially the East Courtyard. It was difficult for an ordinary person to sneak in silently, let alone so brazenly, unless it was one of their own.
Who would dare to break into the main house? It could only be the master himself.
Ji Yuluo leaned against the wall by the window, watching as the person scanned the room and took a few steps forward.
He was looking for someone.
But the room was empty.
Huo Xian reacted quickly, squinting his eyes as he glanced at the two shadows cast by the moonlight. Just as he was about to turn around, someone pressed a sharp weapon to his neck. “Don’t move. What are you doing sneaking in through the window at this hour?”
Huo Xian smiled, hinting at his purpose. “I’m here to pick flowers. I see there are no men in the lady’s room, so I boldly came in. Who knew the lady would be so fierce? It’s quite scary.”
“You—”
In that moment of hesitation, Huo Xian swiftly turned around, snatched her hairpin, lifted her up, and pressed her against the windowsill. Under the moonlight, he could clearly see her face.
He laughed, “What about me?”
Ji Yuluo propped herself up on the window. “You have no shame.”
“Why would a flower thief need shame?” Huo Xian tilted his head, nudging her with his nose. “Come on, before your husband returns, let’s make the most of the time and steal a kiss.”
Ji Yuluo, tickled by his nudging, laughed out loud, tilting her head back. Amidst their playful shoving, their lips brushed against each other several times. Huo Xian paused, slightly tilting his neck, and looked at her.
At this moment, he seemed like a young man. His eyes, full of light, shone brightly under the moonlight, like a fine aged wine, filled with wantonness and exuberance.
There was a latent power within him that only occasionally surfaced.
Ji Yuluo looked at him and asked, “Why did you come here?”
Huo Xian, recalling something amusing, said, “What do you think? With a fierce wife like you, who dares to come near me?”
When Ye Linlang was rescued, she was barely alive. Although Ji Yuluo didn’t mean it that way, her actions served as a warning. As soon as Huo Xian stepped into the West Courtyard, the doors and windows of the other courtyards were tightly shut, except for Sheng Lanxin, who acted as if nothing had happened and invited him in for two cups of tea.
Huo Xian didn’t leave until dusk.
He joked, “So, what do we do now?”
Ji Yuluo hesitated. She hadn’t anticipated this outcome when she took action. These women in the deep courtyard might seem cunning, but in reality, they were more timid than sesame seeds.
But Huo Xian wasn’t truly without a place to go. Wasn’t there still Sheng Lanxin? Why pretend to be pitiful with her?
Seeing Huo Xian’s peculiar expression, Ji Yuluo looked away and then said seriously, “Ye Linlang came from the palace and was originally released by the Directorate of Ceremonial. Although she has cut ties with the palace over the past two years, she remains restless. You should keep a close watch on her.”
Huo Xian responded with a grunt and hugged Ji Yuluo tightly, resting his chin on her shoulder, savoring the fresh scent of soap from her body. He said, “If she wasn’t someone released by Zhao Yong, she would have been thrown into the mass grave long ago.”
He then laughed and said, “Ji Yuluo, you are so…”
People who leave their words unfinished are the most annoying. Ji Yuluo pushed him, but he didn’t budge. Then she heard Huo Xian whisper softly in her ear, “You are so adorable.”
After saying that, he chuckled quietly.
Ji Yuluo was stunned and suddenly struggled violently. Huo Xian laughed while holding her down. He was indeed very strong. She couldn’t move her hands, so she simply lifted her leg and kicked him, leaving a white mark on his black robe.
“Hiss.” Huo Xian said, “Why are you in such a hurry? Are you angry out of shame?”
“What do I have to be angry about?” Ji Yuluo, now sweating after just having bathed, pushed him away. “Get off.”
“Master!” Nanyue didn’t want to interrupt at this moment either. He turned his back, his face serious, and said, “Officials from the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice have entered the palace, allied with Marquis Xuanping to arrest Zhao Yong. The Eastern Depot has already surrounded the Dongzhi Gate.”
Huo Xian stood up straight, the laziness and teasing in his demeanor completely disappearing, as if he had transformed from a young man into a fierce beast in an instant. He straightened Ji Yuluo’s disheveled collar and said, “Why the rush? Gather the Jinyiwei. The Eastern Depot is in trouble, outnumbered, so let’s go help them.”
–
Outside Dongzhi Gate, the troops of the Eastern Depot and the Jinwu Guards stood in neat rows, surrounding the palace gate so tightly that not even water could pass through. Both sides were like frozen statues, not moving an inch. Any slight disturbance could trigger a battle.
The night was solemn and majestic, casting a heroic glow on the faces of all the soldiers.
At this moment, the sound of horse hooves suddenly echoed down the long street. The faces of the Eastern Depot and the Jinwu Guards changed, all drawing their swords, thinking it was reinforcements sent by the other side.
As the figure emerged from the white mist and reined in the horse before the palace gate, only the Jinwu Guards remained tense.
The leader of the Eastern Depot was a thousand-household official surnamed Hou, who had been transferred from the Jinyiwei. Due to his outstanding abilities, he had gained Zhao Yong’s heavy trust.
He dismounted and said, “Chief Inspector! You arrived just in time. The Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice have framed us and abused their power by daring to storm the palace at night to arrest people. Marquis Xuanping’s troops have even surrounded the Eastern Depot. They are rebelling!”
The leader of the Jinwu Guards, Feng Ling, who had a stern face and dark skin giving him a resemblance to Guan Yu’s uprightness, struck his broadsword on the ground and said in a deep voice, “The Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice have entered the palace with proper documentation and the cabinet’s approval. If the Eastern Depot can produce similar documents, they can enter too. Otherwise, it is you who are trespassing the palace! Who is really rebelling?”
“You—” Hou Qianhu clenched his fists and looked at Huo Xian, “Lord Huo, do you have any news from the Chief Eunuch?”
Huo Xian shook his head and asked him, “Did my foster father give you any instructions beforehand? Was it his idea to gather troops to besiege the palace?”
Hou Qianhu, anxious, pulled Huo Xian aside and whispered, “The situation in the palace is unclear. I’m worried…you know, if the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court find evidence and imprison the Chief Eunuch, it will be difficult for him to get out.”
Huo Xian understood that this was a self-directed move.
If Zhao Yong were in trouble, he might not be the most worried one. The Eastern Depot’s prosperity and decline were tied to Zhao Yong’s fate. The subordinates tethered to him were the most terrified.
He patted Hou Qianhu on the shoulder and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll go into the palace and take a look.”
Huo Xian had a palace pass personally bestowed by Emperor Shun’an, allowing him to enter the palace at any time without reporting in advance. As long as Emperor Shun’an was alive, this pass held significant value.
Feng Ling glanced hesitantly at the Jinyiwei behind Huo Xian. Huo Xian said, “Don’t worry, the men will stay outside. I’ll go in alone. The emperor is still ill; are you going to stop me from seeing him, Lord Feng?”
The Jinyiwei and the imperial guards never got along. Hearing Huo Xian’s nonsense, Feng Ling coldly tossed the pass back to him, raised his hand, and ordered the gate to be opened.
The Office of Ceremonial Supervision was brightly lit, its tense atmosphere matching that outside the palace.
The Vice Minister of Justice stood with his hands behind his back, angrily shouting, “The Ministry of Justice has legitimate grounds to arrest someone. What is the meaning of this? Defying the law is an additional crime!”
The eunuch, smiling, said, “Lord Lin, your words are severe. The Ministry of Justice may have legitimate grounds, but without the emperor’s golden seal, it’s not in accordance with regulations.”
The Vice Minister of Justice retorted, “The emperor is currently unconscious. I may not have the imperial seal, but I have the stamps of the Three Judicial Offices and the red approval from the cabinet. That is more than enough for arrest and interrogation. Do I need a mere eunuch to teach me how to do my job?”
The eunuch, still smiling, was about to respond when he saw a man striding over from a distance. The eunuch’s eyes lit up as if he had seen a savior. “Chief Inspector.”
As soon as the words fell, the opposing crowd became wary.
Huo Xian approached, patted the eunuch on the head, and said, “It’s quite lively here. Look at you, failing to speak properly again. Look how angry you’ve made Lord Lin. If Lord Lin, being over fifty, were to collapse here, you’d be in big trouble.”
The eunuch quickly slapped himself. “Yes, yes, it’s all my fault. I hope you won’t be angry, Lord. How about coming inside for a cup of tea?”
The Vice Minister of Justice, seeing Huo Xian, felt his anger rise. The second son of the Huo family had always been taciturn in his youth, never looking people in the eye. As he grew older, he learned to speak, but never said anything pleasant.
The Vice Minister had grown tired of chastising him and ignored Huo Xian, saying only, “No tea. Bring Zhao Yong out now. If you obstruct us any longer, you’ll be an accomplice!”
The eunuch was already flustered but forced himself to remain calm. He smiled and said, “The Chief Eunuch caught a cold last night and hasn’t risen yet. Lord Lin, please be patient.”
Huo Xian turned slightly and, covering his lips, coughed. Lowering his voice, he asked, “Where is my foster father?”
The eunuch’s face showed distress. “He’s asleep inside. Truly, he caught a cold last night and took some medicine before bed. I’ve already sent someone to wake him. Chief Inspector, what’s going on? Is it serious or not? Please, give me a hint.”
Huo Xian smiled. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing major.”
Inside, only one oil lamp was lit. When the young eunuch tried to light another, Zhao Yong stopped him.
He didn’t like bright lights.
The young eunuch helped him off the bed, saying, “Chief Eunuch, your cold hasn’t subsided, and you still have a fever. I’ve sent someone to fetch the imperial physician. The people from the Ministry of Justice are making a ruckus without any sense of propriety.”
Zhao Yong drank his tea, his wrinkled face looking exhausted.
He was already old. At his age, he could have enjoyed a peaceful retirement, but he hadn’t slackened his grip on the Eastern Depot for a moment in recent years, keeping a close watch on the emperor. No one knew why.
In their eyes, a eunuch with no roots was merely someone greedy for power.
He rasped, “No need for the imperial physician. Have the people outside withdraw and let the Ministry of Justice wait. I’ll come out now.”
The young eunuch was shocked. “Chief Eunuch, this—”
With a creak, the door opened, and a beam of light shone in. Huo Xian called out, “Foster Father.”
He closed the door and hurriedly said, “Foster Father, I have already gathered the Eastern Depot and Jinyiwei. Just say the word, and we’ll fight. The Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court are playing for keeps!”
Zhao Yong looked at him with an inscrutable gaze and said, “This time, the Ministry of Justice has the upper hand. If I run, I’ll be a fugitive, which is exactly what they want.”
Huo Xian pressed his lips into a straight line. “Are we just going to accept this?”
“They came prepared. The charges listed implicate many court officials. They’re trying to cut off my escape routes, but because of this, they won’t be able to settle the case quickly. Leaving now would be unwise.” After a long silence, he asked, “Huo Xian, tell your foster father the truth. Were you involved in this?”
His gaze was too calm, like a judgment in the dead of night.
