Late at night, the courtyard was quiet with no maidservants on night duty. Everything happening inside the house went unnoticed by anyone, even Nanny Liu only thought that the master was drunk and had a headache. She brought some medicine and then left, thinking it was just another ordinary night.
Doctor Qi hurriedly left the Huo residence and rushed to the palace in a carriage. After presenting the Huo residence’s token, someone went to announce his arrival.
The palace also had corner gates for palace servants to go in and out for errands, but it was long past curfew. However, Huo Xian’s name worked wonders, and soon an attendant opened the door.
Facing Zhao Yong, Doctor Qi’s legs trembled instinctively.
He tried his best to stand firm and explained his purpose. Zhao Yong, sitting there, frowned deeply, and a prolonged cold silence spread through the room. After a while, he finally said, “Get the medicine.”
The eunuch behind him hurried to the Office of Eunuch Services. Such medicines couldn’t be placed just anywhere. After some time, Doctor Qi finally got the medicine and was about to leave when he heard Zhao Yong say behind him, “Tell him to come see me after he recovers.”
Doctor Qi agreed and quickly left.
Zhao Yong stared in the direction Doctor Qi had left, his mouth set in a straight line. The walnut in his hand was heavily placed on the table as he closed his eyes to compose himself.
Seeing this, the attendant also held his breath and said, “The commander has been busy lately, under a lot of pressure. Now that things have calmed down, it’s understandable for him to relax a bit.”
Zhao Yong opened his eyes, his tone always steady and without any ripple, “He is certainly capable, brave, and decisive, which is why I valued him in the first place. But young people are too arrogant and will eventually be tripped up. If he had stayed in the mansion for a few days during this plague incident, even the Censorate couldn’t have found any fault with him.”
The attendant listened, always speaking up for Huo Xian. He knew that although the chief eunuch picked on Huo Xian, he still cared for him. The chief eunuch always covered for Huo Xian’s eccentric ways, often cleaning up after him. After all, the chief eunuch often said that Huo Xian’s temperament was exactly like his own when he was young. When he said this, there was even a touch of melancholy and nostalgia in his eyes.
Therefore, the attendant understood that as long as Huo Xian didn’t make a big mistake, he would always have a place. Zhao Yong wouldn’t demote him, and neither could the attendant.
The attendant said, “The commander is like this, which is why he needs you to look after him.”
Zhao Yong snorted coldly and said, “You always speak for him.”
The attendant smiled, knowing that Zhao Yong wasn’t truly displeased and had now calmed down.
—
Nanyue took the medicine delivered by Doctor Qi and immediately brought it inside.
Huo Xian sat upright on the couch, his back straight and muscles tense from the pain. The more he hurt, the more expressionless he became. If it weren’t for the fine sweat on his nose and temples, it would be hard to tell he was in pain.
The toxin had been expelled, but the Gu worm started to move more vigorously than usual. After taking the medicine, the black lines along his meridians moved slowly as the poison and the medicine countered each other. However, the Gu worm was unusually disobedient tonight, struggling wildly and pulling violently along his meridians as if it wouldn’t stop until it tore his internal organs apart.
Huo Xian suppressed it with his internal energy. Seeing the slight bulge on his wrist where the Gu worm was trying to move, he teased it with a touch and asked Nanyue, “Where is she?”
Nanyue’s face immediately turned long with sarcasm, “She left. That little girl is still here. You worried about her going her own way and tried to keep her in the mansion, but she’s heartless and invited a wolf into the house!”
Huo Xian replied indifferently, “Oh. You can leave now.”
“…”
Leave then.
Nanyue walked out with a wooden expression.
As the door closed, the man’s face turned cold and silent.
The name “Xie Subai” remains a mystery, with rumors about him circulating widely. There are even conflicting reports about his age, leading Huo Xian to originally believe that the owner of Cuixue Tower was Lou Panshun. Because of a particular ring, he was certain the green jade on the silver ring belonged to Lou Panshun. Lou Panshun also knew he could recognize it, so he deliberately leaked the information.
The reason for this was Ji Yuluo.
Lou Panshun pleaded with him to remember their years as master and disciple and spare Ji Yuluo. This was the most distressing thing for Huo Xian.
Because in Lou Panshun’s eyes, he was the same as in the eyes of the world: a ruthless killer and a lackey of the wicked.
But Huo Xian was also certain of one thing: Lou Panshun would never poison him, at least not now.
So, who was the person behind all this?
At an inn, Shen Qingli pushed open the door.
In the smoke-filled study, Ji Yuluo stood by the window, turning her head when she heard the sound. Seeing who it was, she frowned.
The despised Shen Qingli clicked his tongue, “Miss, look at the time. He just took his medicine and fell asleep. He won’t wake up for a while.”
Xie Subai’s health was poor, and he needed medication to sleep. But medicine is three parts poison, and long-term use had damaged his health. Yet, if he didn’t take it, staying up day and night would also harm him, leaving him no choice but to use the medicine.
Ji Yuluo knew this, but Shen Qingli suddenly asked, “Do you know why?”
Ji Yuluo didn’t know before and never asked, just as Xie Subai never asked about her past. Because both had heavy pasts they didn’t want to reveal, they wouldn’t pry into each other’s secrets. Xie Subai was the same.
Even when they were close, there was always an invisible chasm between them. Xie Subai always kept a certain distance, and Ji Yuluo never actively inquired about his secrets.
But now, she had glimpsed a few clues.
Shen Qingli smiled, “You guessed it too. How is Huo Xian?”
When Shen Qingli asked this, he knew Huo Xian must be fine. Ji Yuluo replied with a “Hmm,” and after a while, said, “Thank you.”
“Ah, what? What did you say? Say it again, thank what?” Shen Qingli leaned closer, provokingly.
Ji Yuluo gave him a cold look.
Shen Qingli bent over laughing, “Do you know, back then Xie Qiao, oh, General Lou, insisted on taking you as a disciple because you were so much like Huo Xian. Your bad temper is exactly like his, even the way you give cold stares. Didn’t you notice?”
Ji Yuluo looked puzzled and said stiffly, “No.”
Shen Qingli leaned against the window sill, spreading his hands on the railing, waving his fan, and said with emotion, “You are the same, competitive and quick-tempered, ready to fight at the slightest disagreement. But in terms of competitiveness, you’re a bit inferior to him. He never backs down. Don’t be fooled by his strong physique and excellent martial arts; it’s all to surpass his brother. You must have heard of Huo Jue.”
Of course, she had heard of him, the eldest son of the Marquis of Xuanping. There were many stories about him, easy to gather. Outside, he was described as an almost celestial figure.
But Shen Qingli said it wasn’t just rumors; it was true.
Huo Jue was the “perfect child” in everyone’s eyes, the ideal husband for noblewomen in the capital.
He was talented in both literature and martial arts but humble and courteous. Every bit of arrogance and rudeness seen in Huo Cong, a typical noble son, was absent in Huo Jue. He treated his two younger brothers equally and was the pride of the Marquis of Xuanping, the hope of the court officials, and the future of the Huo family.
But Huo Xian was a concubine’s son, and one with an unsavory background at that.
Imagine, out of three sons, only he was born of a concubine. It was inevitable that he felt sensitive and defiant, his pride overflowing. Hence, he strove to surpass Huo Jue in everything, competing with him in every matter and always aiming to come out on top.
It was as if he wanted the whole world to know about him, flaunting his brilliance without restraint.
Shen Qingli said, “He was also very handsome. When he was studying at the academy, the little girls, too young to hide their feelings, would steal glances at him, their faces blushing and hearts racing. The teacher even had to use mats to separate the boys and girls. But later, it wasn’t necessary anymore because Huo Xian was so impulsive. If there was any disagreement, he would immediately resort to violence, and he was ruthless. As time went on, the girls began to avoid him.”
“Moreover, he was solitary and didn’t like to smile, always wearing a cold expression. When he was younger, General Lou would often tease him about it, poking his cheeks and joking that it took half his life to make him smile. Don’t you think his temperament is just like yours? When the general saw you, he was reminded of him.”
As Ji Yuluo listened, she tried to picture Huo Xian as a child, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t reconcile that image with the Huo Xian she knew now.
Very similar, yet very different.
Now, he was full of resentment, capable of smashing the Censorate’s door plaque in a fit of drunken rage, or riding a horse through the streets and injuring people because of an insult from the Grand Tutor. Many officials had been beaten to death by him, leading to his current infamous reputation.
But something seemed to be missing.
Ah, yes, what was missing was the competitive spirit Shen Qingli had mentioned.
Furthermore, it wasn’t that he didn’t like to smile. On the contrary, Ji Yuluo often saw him smile, and sometimes, even in extreme anger, he would grin. His solitary nature was also not entirely accurate; he could be very sociable, laughing and talking at banquets, exuding charm from his very bones.
Just tonight, she had witnessed such a scene.
Ji Yuluo even suspected whether the Huo Xian Shen Qingli described and the Huo Xian she knew were the same person.
Shen Qingli raised an eyebrow and said, “Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I’m describing someone else?”
He sighed, turned, and looked up at the sky, lamenting, “People change. When he was young, he wanted to be in the spotlight. Now… well, this is just another form of accomplishment. So, it’s not surprising that he ended up this way. But you have to understand, it was inevitable for each of us to end up where we are now.”
Shen Qingli looked at Ji Yuluo, and she stared back at him for a long time before saying, “Do whatever you want, but don’t harm him.”
Shen Qingli’s lips stiffened, a fleeting look of surprise in his eyes, which then turned into silent contemplation. He smiled lightly and said, “Do you remember the task you took two years ago, where you killed someone and also took their dog?”
Ji Yuluo lifted her eyelids, clearly impatient with Shen Qingli’s habit of asking questions and then answering them himself.
Shen Qingli continued, “You were just like that then, protecting it fiercely, not letting anyone touch it.”
He recalled feeding the dog a treat, which made the poor creature vomit and have diarrhea. Ji Yuluo, enraged, nearly killed him. Fortunately, the dog only suffered from an upset stomach, but ever since, Ji Yuluo wouldn’t let him near the dog, guarding it like a treasure, just as she was now.
The same thing happened with Chaolu.
Chaolu was a little girl Ji Yuluo had picked up from some corner during one of her outings. She was a delicate and charming child. Shen Qingli, with his teasing nature, had tried to joke with her when they first met. Seeing this, Ji Yuluo coldly said, “Stay away from her.”
She was cold and indifferent, lacking in compassion. Faced with others’ suffering, she wouldn’t blink an eye. In her eyes, human life was so trivial it wasn’t worth mentioning. In Ji Yuluo’s heart, everything in the world was divided into two categories.
One belonged to others, and the other belonged to her.
Perhaps because she had so little to call her own, she always held onto her portion tightly. If someone dared to touch it, Shen Qingli had no doubt that she would chop off that person’s hand.
And without hesitation, stuff it into their mouth.
Therefore, Shen Qingli dared not tease Chaolu anymore.
After a long and eerie silence, Shen Qingli coughed lightly, pressing her lips together, and cautiously asked, “How far….have you two gone?”
