Staring at Huo Xian, he said, “But from what I heard, you didn’t give the Duke of Zhenguo any room to refuse. You clearly forced him to send troops. You killed the Grand Tutor and now want to target the Xiao family? But the court is beset by enemies within and without, already in tatters, with various factions eyeing the borders hungrily. Do you know what a military commander means in this situation?”
Huo Xian looked at the Marquis of Xuanping and suddenly laughed. He said, “Beset by enemies within and without, let others fight the war. Let others die, especially virtuous people like you who will surely die before me. Why should I be afraid? Yes, I want to target the Xiao family. Next will be the Marquis of Xuanping’s family. Marquis, are you afraid?”
The Marquis of Xuanping, having endured years of anger, did not lose his temper but still frowned and said, “You rebellious son—”
“Pfft, who’s your son?” Huo Xian said nonchalantly. “When the hare dies, the hound is cooked. I advise you to hand over your military power before the Xiao family falls, pack up, and leave the capital. Use the money left by your ancestors to live in peace. After all, your unfortunate youngest son can’t inherit your legacy. Don’t wait until another one dies and there’s no one left to continue your line.”
“You—you—”
“Rebellious son, that’s right.”
Huo Xian echoed his words. Before the Marquis of Xuanping could faint from rage, Huo Xian mounted his horse, flicked his whip, and disappeared into the rain.
–
Ji Yuluo held an umbrella as she walked out of an alley, not taking a carriage but strolling aimlessly down the street. She looked at the dust on her shoes, seeming distracted. Though she had remained calm in front of Lou Panshun earlier, her mind had been shaken.
She couldn’t reconcile Huo Xian with the notion of a good person.
To Ji Yuluo, the term “good person” was too jarring, almost laughable.
She had seen Grand Tutor Xu’s downfall at the city gates. Xu He could be considered a loyal and righteous person, but she never felt reverence or pity for such people. She only thought they were foolish, too foolish.
In this world, being a bad person meant surviving longer.
Ji Yuluo wandered aimlessly until the rain grew heavier. The low houses gradually became taller, and the people around her changed from wearing coarse cloth to fine silks. She then realized she had walked to the front of the Shuntian Prefecture. Further ahead was the imperial palace.
Next to her was a teahouse. The waiter greeted her, and Ji Yuluo closed her umbrella and went inside.
On the second floor, there was a terrace where scholars and poets often gathered to admire the rain and compose poems. Ji Yuluo found a spot near the railing, sheltered from the rain by a canopy. The waiter brought tea, saying it was the best Longjing of the year.
She acknowledged with a hum, resting her chin on her hand as she gazed at the distant red palace walls, unsure of what she was waiting for.
At this time, a few people at the neighboring table were chatting:
“I heard Prince Xingnan is about to march into the capital. They say the court is incompetent and the Emperor is fatuous. He’s rallying people to denounce the Emperor, and several prefectures are even willing to open their gates for him.”
Huo Xian’s face remained impassive, but he managed a slight smile and said, “I was wondering who it was. What brings you here, Marquis?”
The Marquis of Xuanping had always despised Huo Xian’s sarcastic tone. Suppressing his irritation, he asked, “You just said that the Duke of Zhenguo has long been prepared. Is that true?”
Huo Xian nodded. “Speaking before the Emperor, how dare I deceive him?”
The Marquis furrowed his brows. He had fought battles and held military power. Huo Xian and Xiao Cheng’s statements seemed flawless and were, to many, an ideal solution, as rectification was a thankless task. But upon closer examination, it was quite odd.
The Huo and Xiao families were noble families, and he had worked alongside Xiao Cheng for many years. He knew Xiao Cheng well; he was not one to seek attention and rarely spoke in court, never taking the initiative in matters.
He looked at Huo Xian and said, “But from what you said earlier, you left the Duke of Zhenguo no room to refuse, clearly forcing him to deploy troops. You killed the Grand Tutor, and now you’re targeting the Xiao family? The court is besieged both internally and externally, already riddled with problems. With enemies eyeing the borders, do you understand what a general means?”
Huo Xian looked at the Marquis of Xuanping and suddenly laughed. “Besieged both internally and externally, let others fight the war, and let others die, especially those like you, loyal and steadfast, bound to die before me. What do I fear? Yes, I am targeting the Xiao family. Next will be the Marquis of Xuanping’s residence. Are you afraid, Marquis?”
The Marquis, long accustomed to such provocations, did not explode in anger but furrowed his brows and said, “You ungrateful wretch—”
“Ha, who is your son?” Huo Xian replied casually. “When the rabbits are dead, the hounds are cooked. I advise you to hand over your military power before the Xiao family falls, pack up, and leave the capital. With your ancestors’ wealth, you can live in peace. Your unfortunate youngest son can’t inherit your legacy anyway. Don’t let another one die without a successor.”
“You—you—”
“Wretch, you said it.”
Huo Xian picked up the Marquis’ words, mounted his horse, cracked his whip, and disappeared into the rain before the Marquis could faint from anger.
—
Ji Yuluo walked out of the alley with an umbrella, without taking a carriage, wandering aimlessly on the main street. She looked at the dust and mud on her shoes, lost in thought. Though she appeared calm before Lou Panshun, her mind was elsewhere.
She could never equate Huo Xian with a good person.
To Ji Yuluo, the term “good person” was grating, even ridiculous.
She had seen Grand Tutor Xu’s miserable state at the city gates. Xu He was undoubtedly a loyal and upright man, but she never felt reverence or pity for such people. She only thought they were foolish, too foolish.
In this world, being a villain meant living longer.
Ji Yuluo wandered aimlessly until the rain grew heavier, and the low houses gradually became grander. The passersby around her changed from simple folks to those clad in fine silk. She realized she had wandered to the front of the Shuntian Prefecture’s main office. Ahead lay the imperial palace.
Nearby was a teahouse, where the attendant greeted her. Ji Yuluo put away her umbrella and went inside.
On the second floor, there was an open terrace where scholars often gathered to enjoy the rain and compose poetry. Ji Yuluo found a seat near the railing, under a canopy that shielded her from the rain. The attendant brought her tea, saying it was the best Longjing of the year.
She acknowledged with a hum, resting her chin on her hand, gazing at the distant red palace walls, uncertain what she was waiting for.
At that moment, the people at the next table were chatting:
“I heard that Prince Xingnan is about to march into the capital. They say the court is incompetent, the Emperor foolish. He claims to be denouncing the Emperor, and several prefectures are willing to open their gates for him.”
“He has a point. Maybe with a new Emperor, we might have some peace.”
“Not necessarily. They say the Emperor is foolish, but isn’t it the eunuchs and Jinyiwei who are the real problem? If that Huo dies, wouldn’t we have peace?”
“The Marquis of Xuanping’s house must have sinned in a past life. The elder son died for the country, but the younger turned traitor, recognizing a eunuch as his father. How disgraceful.”
Suddenly, a wooden chopstick flew across, embedding itself in the table, with a fierce wind that made the faces of those speaking pale. They immediately fell silent, fearing they had encountered the Northern Surveillance Office’s men, and fled in a rush.
The terrace quieted down.
Ji Yuluo stood on the terrace, holding her teacup, idly twirling her umbrella, scattering raindrops. She watched two children, a boy and a girl, playing in the water under the eaves, splashing each other, lost in thought.
Huo Xian rode over from the west, seeing a figure on the teahouse terrace from afar. He reined in his horse, slowing down gradually.
The sound of hooves caught Ji Yuluo’s attention. She looked down and saw Huo Xian, stunned. She met his gaze for a long moment, then, without thinking, extended her umbrella toward him. From this angle, it seemed to cover him.
Suddenly, she let go, and the umbrella floated through the air, landing in Huo Xian’s hand.
Black robes and a red umbrella, quite a sight.
Ji Yuluo leaned on the railing and called out, “Lord Commissioner, care for some tea?”
She stood in the rain, a faint, insincere smile in her eyes. She didn’t seem to do much, but Huo Xian felt that her gaze carried a hint of affection, as if it was flowing into his hands along with the rain.
