Ji Yuluo is a rather ruthless person, thought Huo Xian as he leaned on a hanging chair in the courtyard of the Zhenfu Office, his arms folded.
When she decided to act, she did it immediately. For three to five consecutive days, she didn’t allow Huo Xian to rest in his room.
The most outrageous part was that she banged her head, made a detour halfway around the capital, and went to the Renren Hall in the west of the city. Under the banner of the Zhenfu Officer’s wife, she cut in line to have a doctor look at her injury.
In less than half a day, rumors were flying everywhere, and even the entire Zhenfu Office had heard about it.
After finishing his shift, Liyang walked out and saw a few Jinyiwei crouching by the eagle statue, looking around like thieves. He stepped forward and said, “Why aren’t you leaving? Haven’t you done enough work?”
“Shh!” The Jinyiwei were startled. Seeing it was Liyang, they quickly pulled him closer and said, “Have you noticed that the Lord has been acting very strange lately? It was fine when he was busy before, but now he’s free these past few days, and he sits here late every day before returning to the mansion. I heard that…”
The Jinyiwei coughed and lowered his voice, “Liyang, you are the Lord’s confidant. Is it true about what’s happening in his mansion?”
Another person, slightly excited, chimed in, “Did our Lord marry the lady just to spite Lady Ji? I heard that his kindness to the lady is fake, just an act. Once back in the mansion, he’s still partying every night with the concubines, and he even hit the lady. Is that true?”
“This…” Liyang was momentarily at a loss for words, then he said sternly, “How can we discuss the Lord’s family affairs? Get going, if you have time to gossip, there are still piles of documents in the archives that need sorting.”
Before he finished speaking, the group scattered.
The commotion was too loud, and Huo Xian’s gaze swept over.
Liyang touched his nose and had no choice but to walk over, saying, “Lord, are you going back tonight? If not, I’ll stay here on standby in case you need anything.”
Huo Xian leaned back on the mesh of the hanging chair, swaying with the motion. The wooden posts at both ends were creaking under his weight. He raised his hand to rub his temples.
He had been listening to music for several days, and his ears were growing calluses.
He got up and said, “You go back. There’s nothing urgent tonight. I’ll go to the office to look at some documents.”
Halfway there, he stopped and turned around, saying, “Keep a close watch on the Marquis of Xuanping’s mansion. We need to be aware of their movements at all times.”
Liyang responded affirmatively, and Huo Xian turned, mounted his horse, and headed back to the mansion.
Hitting her own forehead, she wasn’t afraid of ruining her looks. Huo Xian planned to go back and give Ji Yuluo another beating.
—
It was long past the time to end classes at the Imperial Academy, but the students still refused to leave. They were discussing fervently, some questioning the truth of the rumors, some feeling indignant for Ji Chongwang, and others feeling ashamed for previously distancing themselves from the dean.
“The dean is upright and honest, and just because he refused to collaborate with the Jinyiwei, he has to suffer such treatment. Where is the justice in this? Our previous doubts about the dean must have really hurt him.”
“The Lord has taught us so much about how to conduct ourselves and how to be officials. How could he possibly… Alas! It’s all my fault for believing those treacherous words!”
“Don’t be so quick to say that. I have personally seen the grand spectacle when Huo Xian returned to his home. He gently helped Miss Ji down from the carriage, truly gentle and considerate. It might not be fake.”
“I saw it too… Huo Xian even took her to attend Qin San’s capping ceremony. According to Qin San, the two of them were mingling in the inner courtyard, and Huo Cong even ran into them, right, Huo Cong?”
Huo Cong snapped back to reality, furrowing his brows and said, “I saw it.”
The person slapped the table, “See, even Huo Cong saw it!”
“No.” Huo Cong took a deep breath and said, “Before… at Huo Xian’s mansion, I saw that eldest daughter of the Ji family. There was a red mark around her neck, as if she had been strangled.”
At that time, he was there to see Huo Xian about his father’s matters, in a hurry, and didn’t pay attention to the girl. He only caught a glimpse of her and didn’t think much of it, but now it seemed like some sort of evidence.
As his words fell, the room was filled with murmurs.
The deep-seated enmity between Huo Cong and Huo Xian meant he would never speak on behalf of Huo Xian or his faction. Thus, his statement unexpectedly cleared the last bit of stain on Ji Chongwang’s name.
Someone slowly suggested, “Should we… go to the Ji residence to apologize to the Lord? We don’t want to break his heart.”
“You’re right, let’s prepare some fruit and pastries. Expensive items won’t do, as Lord Ji certainly won’t accept them.”
“Huo Cong, are you going?”
Huo Cong, who looked sickly every day, shook his head while packing his books and writing materials, saying, “No, my family has arranged for a new doctor to see me. I need to go back and see him. When you get to the Ji residence, please apologize to the Lord on my behalf.”
Everyone agreed and left with their school supplies.
Huo Cong returned to the marquis’s mansion, where Madam Huo, Huo Qin, had been waiting in the hall for a long time, eagerly calling him over for a pulse check.
They said the doctor was a reclusive master, but Huo Cong no longer had any expectations.
From childhood to now, he had seen countless so-called reclusive doctors and taken countless miraculous medicines, yet he never improved.
The imperial physicians said that his constitution was weak from birth and it couldn’t be cured. But Madam Qin only had this one son and was determined to see him healthy, married, and with children.
However, the expression on the doctor’s face after checking his pulse gave both mother and son a clear idea.
Madam Qin barely maintained her composure. After making sure the doctor was sent off properly, she clutched her chest and sighed, her eyes turning red.
Huo Cong said, “Mother, let’s leave it. The imperial physicians have said it can only be managed, not cured. Don’t trouble yourself anymore.”
Madam Qin, distressed, murmured, “Why is your life so hard?”
Huo Cong sighed as well. After drinking his tea, he got up to go to the backyard. A young servant said, “Madam is upset again. If it weren’t for the Second Young Master back then, this wouldn’t have happened…”
Huo Cong pursed his lips, feeling melancholy. He happened to run into the Minister of Justice and the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice, who were being led by a servant to the study.
Huo Cong encountered the two men on his way, managed to muster some energy to greet them, and then stepped aside without much conversation.
Watching the backs of those two uncles, he asked, “They’ve been coming frequently these days. Has something happened?”
The young servant shook his head. “I don’t know. The wind is strong. Young Master, you’d better go back inside.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice and the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice entered the study.
As soon as the door closed, the Assistant Minister quickly stepped forward, speaking before the Minister of Justice could, “I’ll go first. I had someone verify the matter in Yunyang, and every detail matches up. It’s probably not baseless. Besides, consider this: the military reports claimed that Xiao Cheng defeated King Jianxing with a flanking attack. I don’t know much about battlefield matters, but Marquis, you have experience in warfare. Even disregarding the number of troops Xiao Cheng brought, is it really enough for such a victory? To reach the rear of Jiujang Prefecture, they must pass through several relay stations. I inquired with the station chiefs, and none had seen them. So where did his troops come from? Were the forces that besieged Prince Xingnan from the south, or were they hidden in Yunyang and then moved north?”
The Marquis of Xuanping fell silent, unable to deny that the Assistant Minister made a good point.
The Duke of Zhenguo’s recent military campaign had seemed destined for defeat, as the court had provided neither sufficient troops nor adequate supplies. This had appeared to be a hopeless task, leading the Marquis to believe Huo Xian was trying to suppress dissent by targeting Xiao Cheng.
Xiao Cheng’s successive victories were unexpected. The triumphant reports had blinded everyone to the details. Besides, the Duke of Zhenguo was a hero in quelling rebels.
The Minister of Justice said, “If that’s the case, the Duke of Zhenguo returning to court with a large army is like inviting a wolf into our house. Now that we have evidence, why not take down the Xiao household first, especially Xiao Yuanting, Xiao Cheng’s only son? I think it’s best to leave this matter to our Ministry of Justice.”
The Marquis of Xuanping waved his hand, “No, no. If we act now without cause, we might force Xiao Cheng to rebel if he has no ill intentions.”
“So what do you propose?”
The Marquis of Xuanping stood up and said, “Do not touch the Xiao family. Pretend we know nothing. To catch the thief, we must first capture the king. To prevent the Jinyiwei from colluding with them, let’s deal with Zhao Yong first. With so many cases against him, the Ministry of Justice can detain him for a while.”
The Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice worriedly said, “It’s difficult. The Eastern Depot won’t release him. What can we do?”
The Marquis of Xuanping, filled with fervor, slammed the table and said, “I’ve fought countless battles, risking my life. Do you think I fear those eunuchs? Previously, we had no evidence, and the Secretariat of Ceremonial oversaw the emperor, leaving us with no options. Now that the evidence is right in front of us and the emperor is in his current state, if we don’t act now, are we to wait for them to install another incompetent ruler?”
The emperor wasn’t dead yet!
Such treasonous talk made the two officials break out in cold sweats. They instinctively checked the windows and asked, “Then when should we act?”
The Marquis of Xuanping, full of righteousness, said, “No time like the present. Tonight! Draft the documents, and I’ll mobilize the troops. We must catch them off guard tonight!”
The three judicial departments balanced and restrained each other. To arrest someone, they needed approval from all three. But this wasn’t a major issue; all three were keen to see Zhao Yong taken down. Once they sent the documents to the Censorate, it would be done. The hard part was facing the Jinyiwei head-on. In a real fight, the men from the judicial departments were no match for the ruthless Jinyiwei; they would need to rely on the Marquis of Xuanping.
The Marquis of Xuanping, rarely so passionate, had a booming voice. The two officials nodded repeatedly as they watched the Marquis stride out.
He went to mobilize the troops.
The Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice wiped his sweat and said, “Doesn’t the Marquis’s demeanor look familiar to you?”
The Minister of Justice caught his breath and said, “Indeed, that fiery temper and impatience remind me exactly of that unfilial son of the Huo family in his youth.”
