The one calling out was a young man, slender and not yet of age, appearing to be around eighteen or nineteen, looking only slightly older than Ji Yuluo. His face was pale, and the heavy cloak on his body seemed to bend his waist under its weight.
This was the youngest legitimate son of the Huo family, Huo Cong.
In two years, when he came of age, he would inherit the title of heir.
His frail body always reminded people of the time he was schemed against by his elder half-brother.
The maidservants and servants in the courtyard knew his identity was unusual. Seeing him behaving wantonly in the courtyard, they only surrounded him to persuade him, while the guards were troubled and dared not lay a hand on him.
It was said that the master had severed ties with the Marquis of Xuanping’s household, and indeed, over the years, his actions showed he didn’t regard the Marquis at all. However, some things Huo Xian could do, but those below him dared not.
Huo Xian pushed the door open, and the clamoring finally ceased.
Nanny Liu looked at Ji Yuluo, then at the situation outside, and hesitated. Finally, she sighed and chose to stay inside, pouring water for Ji Yuluo. As Ji Yuluo stroked her neck, she peeked through the crack in the window to observe.
It was said that the third young master Huo had been weak and sickly since birth, always a medicinal jar. After being drugged by Huo Xian’s schemes, his body ended up like this, panting after just a few steps.
Seeing the sparks of anger in his eyes, he must deeply resent this elder brother.
Indeed, Huo Cong hated him intensely.
He pushed away the servant supporting him and rushed to the corridor, grabbing Huo Xian by the collar, “Where is Father? The Jinyiwei Guards took him away, what did you do to him!”
Huo Cong’s brows and eyes bore some resemblance to Huo Xian’s, but he was still young, with a lingering childishness. Huo Xian looked at this younger brother, who ranked higher in legitimacy, and smirked mockingly. He easily pried off Huo Cong’s impolite hand and gently pushed him, sending Huo Cong tumbling down the steps.
The servant was shocked and hurried over to help, “Young Master!”
Huo Xian brushed off his wrinkled clothes, “Huo Cong, the older you get, the more unruly you become. No manners and disrespect for your elder brother. Is this what you learned at the Imperial Academy?”
Huo Cong staggered to his feet and spat at him, “What kind of elder brother are you? The Huo family has no scum like you who bring disgrace to the family! Release Father, and I might still think you have a shred of conscience left!”
“Ah, right.” Huo Xian nodded as if waking from a dream, “I have nothing to do with your Marquis of Xuanping household anymore—did you all hear that? Who allowed you to let people into the manor so casually! If you don’t want to work here, then get lost early!”
Like a thunderclap on the ground, the guards and maidservants who let Huo Cong into the courtyard were all frightened, realizing their grave mistake. They hurriedly went to drag Huo Cong away.
Huo Cong struggled, “Huo Xian! Father’s leg injury has relapsed; he can’t endure the cold and hardship of Zhaoyu Prison. If you still have any family feelings left, don’t do such a heinous thing!”
Huo Cong’s face turned blue, whether from illness or anger, it was unclear. Huo Xian glanced at him and said lightly, “You’re too noisy. Throw him out.”
As the boy’s shouts grew distant, Nanny Liu in the room caught the key points from those few words. Her expression changed, and when Huo Xian entered the room, she said, “The Marquis…”
Nanny Liu paused, not speaking as directly as Huo Cong, and tactfully asked, “Is he in trouble?”
Huo Xian glanced at Ji Yuluo behind Nanny Liu, “Is Nanny also going to plead for him?”
Nanny Liu hesitated for a moment, “After all, he is your biological father. Since ties are severed, it’s fine to mind your own business on ordinary days, but—”
Huo Xian wiped his hands, which still carried the medicinal scent from Huo Cong, and said impatiently, “Enough, Nanny, there’s no need to say more.”
Ji Yuluo, her eyes lowered, had watched half of the commotion but lost interest and fell silent, deep in thought. The truth of Huo Xian’s words remained uncertain; she needed to consult her master or Xie Subai to clarify. However, he hadn’t sent her to Zhaoyu Prison, indicating that whatever he wanted, it wouldn’t be her life, which was a relief for now. Additionally, there was clearly a rift between Huo Xian and Zhao Yong, though its extent was unknown, and she wondered if she could use it to her advantage.
Having sorted her thoughts, Ji Yuluo felt somewhat reassured. But when Nanny Liu seemed about to leave, she quickly called out, “Nanny…”
From what she knew, Nanny Liu was Huo Xian’s wet nurse and held some influence.
Hearing her, Nanny Liu paused, turned back to see the fear on Ji Yuluo’s face, and felt concerned. She hesitated for a moment, worried that the master, having been angered twice tonight, might again…
Perhaps it would be best to place the lady in a side room for the night, allowing the couple some peace.
Nanny Liu had just decided when Huo Xian spoke first, “It was my fault earlier, causing you distress, my lady.”
Nanny Liu immediately felt relieved, thinking the master was still a sensible person. She said comfortingly, “That’s right, in a marriage, quarrels should be resolved quickly. Look, with the door and windows open, even the brazier can’t keep the room warm.”
With that, she closed the window and left without looking back, thoughtfully shutting the door behind her.
The fearful expression on Ji Yuluo’s face vanished, as did the guilt on Huo Xian’s. She remained expressionless, still on guard, only tilting her head up to look at him, revealing a section of her white neck with clear red marks.
Huo Xian’s gaze lingered there for a while.
He had acted impulsively.
After a moment of silence, he looked her up and down and said, “Go bathe.”
Ji Yuluo understood that at least tonight, he wouldn’t harm her. With her life no longer in immediate danger, and given her disheveled appearance and the unknown blood on her, she went to the bathing room without arguing and called a young maid to add water.
Huo Xian glanced at the beaded curtain hanging on the door of the bathing room for a long while before he pushed the door open and went out. He instructed the guards to watch carefully and then summoned Liyang.
Too much had happened tonight—first in the palace, then at the gambling house, and many people had been taken to Zhaoyu Prison. Liyang was busy interrogating them.
Rushing to the Huo residence, Liyang entered the study where Huo Xian had only lit a candle, creating dim lighting that highlighted his slightly damp hair after bathing.
Liyang approached, “Master, many of those caught at the gambling house are ordinary people. Some workers escaped, and the ones we caught are tight-lipped. It may take a few days to get them to talk.”
Huo Xian acknowledged with a hum and asked, “What about the officials from the Three Judicial Offices?”
“They refuse to speak,” Liyang replied.
As expected. Huo Xian said, “Keep them locked up, just keep them alive.”
By keeping them alive, he meant to ensure they suffered greatly in prison but wouldn’t be killed. The jailers were skilled at this, inflicting severe pain without causing death.
However…
Liyang hesitated, “And the Marquis… should he be treated the same?”
After a long while, so long that Liyang thought the candle might extinguish, he finally heard Huo Xian respond coolly, “Mm,” and added, “Take care of his leg.”
Liyang acknowledged.
Huo Xian then asked, “Did you run into Huo Cong on your way here?”
The Marquis of Xuanping’s residence and the Zhenfu Division were in the same direction. Huo Cong traveled by carriage, Liyang on horseback, so they likely crossed paths.
Liyang replied, “Yes, I did.”
Huo Xian asked, “He didn’t look well, did he?”
Liyang pondered briefly. More than just unwell, he looked very unwell. He said, “Third Young Master had actually caused a ruckus at the Zhenfu Division earlier, but no one paid him any attention, so he came here… His health has been deteriorating over the years, and now that it’s winter and he’s agitated, his condition has worsened.”
Huo Xian rubbed his brow and sighed, “And the doctor I asked you to find for him?”
Liyang said, “Over the years, the Marquis’ wife has sought out many renowned doctors for the Third Young Master. I’ve also sent many to her, but they’ve only provided temporary relief. The Third Young Master has a frail constitution and needs careful nurturing; it’s not something that can be cured with a few potent medicines.”
After he finished speaking, Huo Xian remained silent, only furrowing his brows.
Liyang didn’t dare speculate on what he was thinking. He recalled Third Young Master Huo’s angry accusations earlier; the look in his eyes towards Liyang was as if he were a collaborator with the enemy, not to mention his attitude towards Huo Xian.
A heavy sense of melancholy settled over Liyang.
Huo Xian glanced outside at the sky, estimated the time, and stood up, preparing to return to his master. He shot Liyang a sidelong glance and said lightly, “Wipe that sympathetic look off your face before you go out.”
Liyang stood straight, “Yes!”
After Huo Xian left, Liyang stood for a moment longer, tilted his head back, patted his face, and then extinguished the candle before stepping out into the cold wind.
—
Huo Xian’s timing was indeed accurate. Ji Yuluo had just come out of the bathing room.
No longer in plain white nightwear, she was now properly dressed, sitting at the table, seemingly intending to sit quietly through the night.
It made sense; after their confrontation, there was no need to pretend anymore.
Huo Xian approached, and she only glanced at him before closing her eyes to rest.
He looked down at her from above.
Hmm, Huo Cong’s arrival had given her time to clear her thoughts. She knew she was safe for now, so she relaxed a bit.
But not completely relaxed—her mouth was still tight.
Huo Xian smirked inwardly, thinking that if Lou Panshun were here, he would probably enjoy this stubborn attitude.
Lou Panshun was someone who, to put it nicely, liked to face challenges head-on. To put it bluntly, he had a penchant for dealing with difficult people.
Huo Xian sat down beside her, pulling her small arm. Ji Yuluo’s eyes snapped open, and she immediately moved to strike him.
Huo Xian caught her hand. “Haven’t you had enough of fighting? I don’t like taking advantage of people when they’re down. We’ll fight again when you’re healed.”
He spoke as if he wasn’t the one who had just strangled her. He seemed to change faces effortlessly.
Ji Yuluo looked at the medicinal wine in his hand. After weighing her options, she extended her palm toward him. Huo Xian raised an eyebrow but handed her the medicinal wine.
She pulled back her sleeve, revealing large patches of bruising.
These were from earlier when she used her arm to block his kick. Huo Xian hadn’t held back, and the force was heavy and swift. She was fortunate to have reacted quickly, or it wouldn’t have been just bruises.
Ji Yuluo roughly applied the medicinal wine and then sat back up, closing her eyes.
Since she was already here, she might as well stay calm. Sharing a roof with Huo Xian, she needed to avoid giving him reasons to get angry and resort to violence again. Knowing she couldn’t win a fight now, she decided to avoid any interaction with him.
She planned to sit there all night, waiting for morning when Hongshuang would likely find out what had happened tonight.
So, Ji Yuluo closed her eyes. But before long, her sharp ears picked up a series of metallic clinking sounds. She frowned slightly, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart. Then she heard a “click” and felt a cold shackle snap around her wrist.
Her eyes flew open to see Huo Xian holding the other end of the shackle, fastening it with a calm expression. He smiled faintly and said, “It’s fine if you don’t want to talk today. We have plenty of time. I’m tired and don’t want to sit here all night with you. Madam, let’s go to bed.”
Ji Yuluo: “….”
