The disgraced Huo Xian idled at home for a few more days. During this time, the students of the Imperial Academy made a second plea for Xie Subai to ascend the throne. They knelt in the long street where Xie Subai resided, blocking the road completely, attracting the attention of onlookers. Some bystanders even joined in, kneeling alongside them.
The scene was grand, more so than the Emperor’s own procession.
Thus, the Northern Zhenfu received its first assignment in two months.
They were to disperse the students and the citizens.
This was a thankless task that neither the imperial guards nor the local officials wanted to undertake. They pushed the responsibility back and forth until it fell to the Jinyiwei.
Huo Xian was at home when the news came to him. He tugged at the corner of his mouth upon hearing it.
The Imperial Academy intended to imitate the “Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage,” but Xie Subai understood clearly that no matter how grand a gesture the Imperial Academy made, the decision of who would ascend the throne lay with the court, with the Cabinet.
Previously, with the eunuch faction in power, the Cabinet was powerless. Now that the eunuch faction was weakened, the Cabinet’s influence was at its peak.
The Empress had taken the young crown prince out of the capital amidst such turmoil, deliberately avoiding the court and refusing to return. Her intent to abdicate in favor of the crown prince was evident. Everything hinged on the Cabinet’s deliberations.
Before the Cabinet expressed its stance, it would be absurd for Xie Subai to rashly accept the Imperial Academy’s request.
Most of the Jinyiwei had been dispatched to Taiyuan Prefecture by Huo Xian. Today, he managed to mobilize a small squad. Upon reaching the street, faced with the dense crowd, the Jinyiwei were immediately troubled.
The most difficult to deal with in the court were the students of the Imperial Academy. These students were considered the pillars of the nation, and even the Cabinet did not dare offend them. A group of hotheaded youths, they could kill with their pens. It was infuriating because others couldn’t retaliate. What bad luck!
As expected, the Jinyiwei had not even drawn their swords before they were cursed at.
The Jinyiwei, with their notorious reputation, were no strangers to insults, but in the past two years, no one had dared to curse them to their faces!
Some of the guards couldn’t stand it anymore. They drew their swords and shouted, “Damn it! You snot-nosed brats! Do you think we’re giving you face? Disperse immediately!”
In response, one of the students stepped forward angrily and said, “The Jinyiwei are the dogs of the eunuch faction. Now that your masters are locked up in the Ministry of Justice’s prison, are you starting to bite people without a leash?”
At this, someone else shouted, “The Jinyiwei are killing people! The Jinyiwei are killing people!”
The scene became extremely chaotic.
Huo Xian stood amidst the crowd, looking annoyed by the scorching sun. He glanced occasionally towards the second-floor window of the inn, his eyelids heavy.
He waited until the situation was about to spiral out of control. Finally, a maidservant opened the door and stepped out.
“Everyone.” Proud and composed, Ao Zhi walked out, nodded slightly to the crowd, and said, “We appreciate your concern, but His Highness considers himself unworthy of the great responsibility of the realm. Please disperse.”
The students were unwilling to leave. “But—”
Ao Zhi replied, “His Highness is unwell and needs to rest.”
The noisy crowd instantly fell silent.
The students looked at each other, pondering for a long time, and finally said, “We still hope Your Highness can rest and recuperate. For the sake of the nation and the people, we are all waiting for you.”
After speaking, they bowed deeply and left with a sigh.
Gradually, everyone dispersed completely.
As expected, Huo Xian ordered his men to sheath their swords, mounted his horse, and departed.
One of the Jinyiwei said, “What’s all this about…”
“A good thing,” Huo Xian replied, “At least there was no trouble.”
The Jinyiwei choked on his words, feeling that their lord’s previously arrogant aura had vanished these days. In the past, he would have been the first to draw his sword in such a situation.
What does it matter if there was no trouble? He’d be happier if there had been trouble!
Immersed in these desolate thoughts, they suddenly saw a team of soldiers pushing a cart toward the city gate, heavy sacks pressed upon it.
Huo Xian stepped aside, glancing more closely, and asked, “What’s going on here?”
The Jinyiwei replied, “Oh, they’re repairing the city gate in preparation for defending against enemies. The gate has been in disrepair for years, and the Imperial Guards are worried it’s not secure. They’re reinforcing it, along with the palace gates.”
Huo Xian said nothing, noticing the fine sand leaking from the sacks. Just as he was about to step forward, the Jinyiwei suddenly said, “That’s the carriage of Marquis Xuanping.”
A group of soldiers entered through the city gate, led unmistakably by Marquis Xuanping.
Thick armor weighed down on him, and his boots were muddy, indicating he had just returned from the training grounds.
With bandits heading north, Marquis Xuanping had volunteered to go south to capture them a few days ago and was now hurriedly organizing his troops.
The two exchanged glances across the half-street distance. Huo Xian paused, casually looking away. However, before he could leave, Marquis Xuanping rode straight up to block his path.
Sitting high on his horse, Marquis Xuanping glanced around at the onlookers, clearly having something to say.
The Jinyiwei were momentarily stunned but quickly made excuses to leave.
Huo Xian raised an eyebrow, “Marquis, what guidance do you have?”
Marquis Xuanping, gripping the reins, said, “Did you know about the Xiao family’s matter early on? It was your idea to send Xiao Cheng to serve the king. Now he heads north in rebellion. Is this related to you?”
Every word was sharper than the scorching sun above.
He stared intently at Huo Xian, not willing to miss any flicker of expression on his face.
Yet Huo Xian met his gaze squarely, his expression calm and indifferent, betraying no emotion.
It seemed as if he had just heard the most ordinary remark.
After a moment, he finally said, “Although I am now a tiger fallen to the plains, if you, Marquis, want to accuse me of being involved with the rebels, you will need to provide evidence.”
Marquis Xuanping stared at him. “Are you truly uninvolved? The emperor has passed, Zhao Yong is certainly doomed, and the court is about to change drastically. You’re like a green mountain turned to ashes, and without backup, what are you still doing in the capital? What, afraid your misdeeds aren’t enough, and people won’t come for you?”
“I am afraid,” Huo Xian replied. “That’s exactly why I’m planning to flee. It’s just that I have too many valuables and the city gates are heavily guarded. I need to figure out how to transport them out. Marquis, could you… make an exception?”
“You—” Marquis Xuanping glared at him angrily. “If I discover you have any collusion with the Xiao family, I will personally take your life!”
With that, he snorted, whipped his horse, and left.
The dust raised by his departure settled on Huo Xian’s face. Huo Xian raised his hand, waved it nonchalantly, and brushed the sand off his shoulder.
But what he told Marquis Xuanping was true; he did need to leave the capital for a while.
Calculating the distance, Xiao Cheng’s army would soon arrive in Taiyuan.
As expected, seven or eight days later, Ji Yuluo and her group stopped at Shunde, no longer pursuing northward. Meanwhile, the Jinyiwei in Taiyuan had already set traps and mounted firearms at the city gates.
When Huo Xian received the scout’s report, there was another letter inside—a letter from Ji Yuluo.
He squinted as he felt the letter. She still remembered to write. This woman, who had tempted him just before she left, gave him a taste and then ran off for a long time without sending any news.
Huo Xian almost thought she was doing it on purpose.
On purpose to make him constantly remember that taste, itching for it.
Ji Yuluo’s letter didn’t mention any irrelevant matters. It briefly summarized the events since the Ningfu incident, most of which Huo Xian already knew, but he still read every word carefully, feeling somewhat more reassured.
At the end of the letter, Ji Yuluo finally left him a small message: “How’s the wound on your back?”
She was teasing him.
Even through the letter, she was teasing him. What a bad person.
Huo Xian caressed that line of words, and he couldn’t help but recall that night. She was drenched, soft as water beneath him, like spring wind melting snow, seeping into his heart.
That was Ji Yuluo at her most vulnerable.
It was hard not to want to bully her a little more.
Huo Xian’s throat itched. He pressed the letter face-down on the table, covering his eyes with his palm and taking a deep breath, muttering a low curse.
Nanyue stared at him in a daze, asking, “Master, is something wrong with Madam?”
His face tightened as he spoke.
By now, he understood well that nothing could happen to Ji Yuluo.
Huo Xian rubbed his face, waking himself up, and said, “No, bring paper and pen. I need to reply.”
However, when he spread out the white paper, he hesitated to write.
Nanyue craned his neck, but Huo Xian shot him a look, making him back off.
After a moment, Huo Xian stepped out, handed the letter to the scout, and instructed Nanyue to prepare the horses.
Nanyue asked, “Are we leaving the city now?”
Huo Xian replied as he walked out, “Yes, but before we leave, we need to visit a place.”
–
The sky was filled with sunset hues, flowing clouds swirling—it was dusk.
The number of visitors at Chengyuan Temple gradually dwindled, and the golden bell tolled, signaling the closing time.
“Dang—”
The sound echoed.
In the Pantheon, Abbess Jingchen, kneeling before the deity, opened her eyes at the sound. The woman beside her, wearing a veiled hat, helped her up.
The two walked together towards the meditation room in the temple’s backyard.
Upon reaching the courtyard, Jingchen said, “You should go and rest too.”
The woman asked, “Are you still pondering over the prescription, Abbess?”
Jingchen paused and sighed. “Yes, it’s shameful to say, but after all these years, I still haven’t perfected it.”
The woman comforted her, saying, “Abbess, you are highly skilled in medicine. If even you cannot find a solution, no one else can. Besides, haven’t you already made progress and are close to success? There’s no need to rush; your eyes are already dark from lack of sleep.”
Despite her words, Jingchen looked worried. Having devoted her life to worship, she often had premonitions of the future. Recently, she had been feeling uneasy, fearing impending disaster. She only wanted to finish the matter quickly to set her mind at ease.
She said, “Go and sort through my notes again. We are only missing one ingredient for the antidote, and we must find it.”
The woman agreed and left.
Jingchen returned to her room, troubled. As she pushed the door open, she paused and then closed it again. She pressed her hands together and bowed to the person inside.
Huo Xian nodded at her.
Previously, to prevent Zhao Yong’s spies from discovering Abbess Jingchen, he seldom visited the temple himself, leaving Shen Lanxin to maintain minimal contact with her, solely for the purpose of obtaining medicine.
The last time he came in person was for the matter concerning Ji Yuyao.
Huo Xian said, “I came to ask if there has been any progress on the antidote.”
Jingchen paused and said, “I mentioned it to Madam Sheng before. Now we only lack one ingredient. I’ve tested each one, and if I’m correct, this ingredient is among the remaining nine herbs.”
She then asked, “Sir, has something happened? I heard that Zhao Yong was imprisoned. Has this affected your supply of medicine?”
Huo Xian replied, “No, I was just inquiring. It’s good to know things are progressing smoothly.”
“That’s good to hear,” Jingchen said, feeling slightly relieved, but she hesitated and glanced at him.
Previously, Huo Xian never inquired about the medicine-making process. When he first approached her, his tone was casual, asking her to do her best, and saying it was fine if she couldn’t succeed.
That indifferent, fatalistic attitude once made Jingchen anxious to achieve results, causing her to make several mistakes with the prescription and waste more than a month.
Now, he seemed different.
Jingchen repeated, “That’s good to hear.”
