Huo Liuxing didn’t sleep all night.

The legitimate imperial prince was ambushed and injured on Qingyang Street. The Huo family, as subjects, should naturally exert every effort to investigate the assassins’ identities, give the imperial family and court an explanation, and guarantee Zhao Xun’s safety going forward.

Although the truth was already understood in their hearts, the surface formalities still couldn’t be neglected. Throughout the entire night, the Huo mansion’s guards maintained strict watch in three layers inside and out, “protecting” the Fourth Prince who was currently staying here “recovering from his injuries.”

At dawn, after a night of busyness, Jingmo returned to the mansion and reported to Huo Liuxing in his study, saying the assassins had left no survivors, but on the back of every corpse’s neck was discovered a bright red Sacred Fire marking.

This mark was precisely what Baiying Cult followers possessed.

Kongqing scoffed from the side: “Been curious all night long about who exactly this prince was planning to frame with his self-directed, self-performed assassination drama—turns out it’s the Baiying Cult. What a pitiful scapegoat. Used to acting with impunity in the past, now anyone can splash a basin of dirty water on it, and even if they appeal for justice, no one will believe them. If you ask me, who knows whether the Baiying Cult even still exists these years? Maybe it was already exterminated long ago. The so-called Baiying Cult followers nowadays are nothing more than certain noble persons’ secret pawns.”

“You know what, that really does sound about right.” Jingmo rarely unified with Kongqing on the same front, cupping his hands toward Huo Liuxing. “Master, this subordinate discovered that the Peach Blossom Valley matter you ordered this subordinate to investigate is actually also connected to this Baiying Cult.”

Huo Liuxing hadn’t been surprised that last night’s batch of assassins was assigned such an identity, but hearing this, he frowned: “How so?”

Jingmo roughly explained how Shen Lingzhen had been abducted by Baiying Cult followers at Peach Blossom Valley, concluding: “The person directing these so-called cult followers behind the scenes should be someone who intended to sabotage your marriage alliance with the Shen family. Because they couldn’t make a move against you, they moved against the young madam instead.”

Huo Liuxing fell silent, recalling how Shen Lingzhen had been plagued by nightmares on their wedding night. After spacing out for a moment, he asked: “How was she rescued?”

“The specific circumstances are unknown—the information seems to have been deliberately suppressed. However, the young madam was sent back to the Duke’s mansion by the Imperial Guards, that much is certain.”

“Then why were the Xue family’s guards mixed up in it?”

Jingmo’s expression showed difficulty.

Huo Liuxing swept a glance his way.

Jingmo coughed lightly: “It’s like this—heard that the Xue family’s legitimate eldest son, Xue Jie, had a childhood friendship with the young madam. That day he met with the young madam once at Peach Blossom Valley, and afterward they both disappeared without a trace. The Shen and Xue families mistakenly thought the two had eloped…”

Huo Liuxing gave a light scoff, as if his interest in this matter had diminished, and changed the subject: “Back to last night’s matter—what do you two think?”

Jingmo and Kongqing exchanged a glance. The Fourth Prince’s position and intentions—the master already understood them clearly in his heart without their counsel. So perhaps what he was asking about was…

“You mean the young madam?” Seeing that Huo Liuxing didn’t object, Kongqing continued: “It’s not that this subordinate is biased toward the young madam, but truly last night, witnessing her heart burning with anxiety like that—it didn’t look like an act. In this subordinate’s view, the young madam’s feelings toward you are genuine and sincere.”

A heart burning with anxiety that could be witnessed with one’s own eyes?

Huo Liuxing pulled at the corner of his mouth: “Just over a month ago she was still plotting to elope with someone, and now she has genuine and sincere feelings for me?”

“Master, now you’re being unreasonable. That elopement business—wasn’t that just others’ misunderstanding?”

Jingmo picked up: “Since they could misunderstand to such an extent, naturally that also proves the young madam was originally deeply attached to that Xue Jie. This subordinate still feels this matter is suspicious. The young madam treating you this way should have some special reason.”

Huo Liuxing looked at Kongqing, using his finger to point vaguely at Jingmo, signaling the former to listen carefully.

“Also, more crucially,” Jingmo couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard he thought, “this subordinate truly cannot understand the young madam’s jump into the river last night—was it done in urgency, or was it intentional? If we say it was done in urgency, yet it just happened to use the method that could most help you, master—that seems a bit too coincidental.”

“But if we say it was intentional, then the young madam undoubtedly saw through the Fourth Prince’s scheme and also discovered the truth about your legs, master. That being the case, she absolutely couldn’t be as innocent and naive as she appears on the surface. Otherwise, how could she comprehend everything upon just arriving, when even our lord’s crafty old political enemies cannot investigate this matter? Furthermore, she is imperial family, and knowing you deceive the sovereign yet still concealing it for you—how could she not have ulterior motives?”

——

The mistress who had the three of them thinking back and forth to no avail was currently troubled over a bowl of medicinal decoction.

The servants of the former Duke’s mansion had long been accustomed to serving Shen Lingzhen and knew she couldn’t bear bitterness, so they always kept sweet fruits and preserved sweets in the mansion. But the Huo mansion had no such treats. Combined with last night’s turmoil coming so suddenly, plus a distinguished guest in the neighboring courtyard keeping everyone busy rushing about, her side had been somewhat neglected.

“Good medicine tastes bitter, young madam—please bear with it a little.” Bailu sat at the bedside comforting her. “This maid just sent someone to procure some. By the time you finish one bowl, there will definitely be preserved sweets.”

Shen Lingzhen knew she couldn’t wait for this one bowl, so she could only pinch her nose shut and force herself to gulp it down. When the bowl was empty, her tongue root felt waves of numbness, the bitterness making her gasp continuously.

Nanny Ji felt distressed beside her: “Young madam, if you encounter danger again in the future, you must put yourself first. The master is someone who has seen many storms—those open spears on the battlefield, those hidden arrows in court—which aren’t more dangerous than last night? Rest assured, he can handle them all.”

Hearing this, Shen Lingzhen seemed to think of something, even forgetting about the bitterness. She gave Bailu a look: “Take the others and go down first. I have something to say to Nanny alone.” After the servants from all sides had left, she asked: “Nanny, do you know what kind of situation the Huo family has been in at court these years?”

“Why does the young madam suddenly ask about this?”

After a night had passed, Shen Lingzhen felt belated fear, shocked by Zhao Xun’s determination to achieve his goal even at the cost of sacrificing dozens of death warriors, and truly puzzled by Huo Liuxing’s reasons for risking the crime of deceiving the sovereign.

She made an excuse: “The Fourth Prince is currently recovering from injuries at the mansion. If I know more, I can better avoid errors in words and actions.”

Nanny Ji fell silent for a moment, then said: “Speaking of those first years, the Huo family as former dynasty’s important officials—a tall tree attracts the wind, so naturally they walked on thin ice. Especially since after founding the country, His Majesty has consistently implemented a policy of revering civil officials and suppressing military ones. Those former dynasty military generals, even those who voluntarily surrendered twenty-seven years ago, constantly lived in anxious vigilance.”

Shen Lingzhen nodded, understanding this well enough. After all, the current sovereign had been the former dynasty’s Grand General. Back then he led troops in rebellion against the last emperor of the former dynasty. Thus, when it came to being emperor himself, naturally he had to take this as a warning.

This was also why the position of Grand General had remained vacant since Daqi’s founding.

Shen Lingzhen asked again: “So twenty-seven years ago, was the Huo family among those who voluntarily surrendered?”

This time Nanny Ji’s silence lasted even longer. After a long while, she gently shook her head.

Shen Lingzhen’s heart tightened, making a connection: “Could it be that the master’s elder brother and birth mother…”

Nanny Ji lowered her eyes: “They passed away in the turmoil of war twenty-seven years ago.”

Even though this term “passed away” was used euphemistically, Shen Lingzhen vaguely caught the scent of military conflict, of life-and-death struggle.

“What happened after that?”

“Later the Xiqiang tribe outside the passes took advantage of our country’s internal chaos to invade Hexi. Our lord, who was originally guarding the capital and protecting the former dynasty’s imperial family, had no choice but to withdraw and go repel the foreign enemies. After the Huo family army withdrew, the capital’s situation took a sharp turn for the worse. His Majesty led troops to attack and achieved great victory.”

In other words, it was because the Huo family chose the common people over the imperial family that the current sovereign was able to ascend the throne.

“When our lord pacified the Hexi chaos, the capital’s overall situation was already decided. His Majesty founded the country and established its name, ascending the throne as emperor. Mindful that the Huo family had merit in protecting the nation, he pardoned their transgressions and ordered the Huo family to leave the capital, henceforth garrisoning the northwest.”

Shen Lingzhen fell silent.

Whether this so-called “pardon” was her imperial uncle’s heartfelt gratitude and mercy, or whether it was to use the Huo family to check Xiqiang, ensuring that after the internal chaos, the devastated Daqi could have the breathing room to rest and recover its military strength—this was still unknown.

She lowered her eyes, suddenly feeling that compared to this bloody history, the medicinal decoction she’d just drunk wasn’t so bitter after all.

Nanny Ji comforted her: “But young madam need not worry too much. Dynastic changes are the general trend, absolutely not something individuals can control. As long as one can see through it, isn’t living one way or another still living? The Grand Princess often says that in this world no one is forever a friend, and no one is forever an enemy. People in court all move according to ‘momentum.’ What this old servant just said was only the beginning. Now momentum shifts with time. The Huo family has been far from the center of political power for years—if not for Xiqiang knocking at the gates again last year, they should have been forgotten by the court.”

But the problem was precisely that last year the Huo family defeated Xiqiang again and was picked back up by the court from its dusty corner. And judging by her imperial uncle’s intention in arranging the marriage, he clearly intended to repair relations between both sides and have the Huo family return to court.

Shen Lingzhen sighed deeply, then suddenly heard a knock at the door. Bailu’s delighted voice rang out: “Young madam, your preserved sweets have arrived.”

She was currently worrying about Huo Liuxing’s future prospects and had already lost interest in preserved sweets, sighing as she replied: “No need. Tell the preserved sweets to go back.”

Who knew that the next moment she heard a male voice: “Oh, then I’ll go back.”

Shen Lingzhen froze, hurriedly throwing off the covers to get out of bed to stop him: “Husband!”

Huo Liuxing pushed through the door just in time, his tone somewhat stern: “What’s the rush? Think your injury isn’t serious enough?”

She gave a soft “oh,” saying sheepishly: “I didn’t know it was you coming.”

Bailu said: “Young madam, hearing that you found the medicine bitter, the master specially invited a sugar figurine artisan from the street to come to the mansion.”

Shen Lingzhen’s face finally showed a smile: “How did you know I wanted to eat sugar figurines last night?”

Naturally because he just happened to have eyes.

Huo Liuxing didn’t directly answer this question: “If you just want to eat them, have someone make them and bring them here. If you want to watch, have Bailu help you dress.”

“But my foot can’t walk…”

Huo Liuxing gestured with his chin toward the empty wheelchair behind him.

Shen Lingzhen immediately gave Bailu a “come here” look. After finishing dressing and sitting in the wheelchair, being pushed all the way out of the courtyard, she forgot all about the earlier matter, laughing as she said to Huo Liuxing beside her: “So this is what sitting in a wheelchair is like.”

She looked quite excited. Unfortunately, Huo Liuxing had sat in a wheelchair for ten years and really could no longer experience this kind of feeling, only saying flatly: “After sitting long enough, the novelty wears off.”

When he said this, a trace of perfectly appropriate desolation showed in his eyes. Only in Shen Lingzhen’s view, it seemed quite false.

She kindly refrained from exposing him, heavily sighing: “Yes, you really are so pitiful.”

“…” Hearing this sarcastic tone, Huo Liuxing glanced at her sideways, suddenly feeling a bit like sending the sugar figurine artisan back.