After treating Shen Lingzhen’s wound, Huo Liuxing left the manor to inspect the disaster.
Qingyang hadn’t suffered such severe hail damage in nearly ten years. Though Huo manor guards had mobilized early to evacuate the dense crowds near the marketplace, greatly reducing civilian casualties, houses, farmland, and livestock could not be spared.
Large households like the Huo manor had solidly built structures that wouldn’t be destroyed by a hailstorm. However, the city was full of common households with simple dwellings, and outside the city were even poorer families living in thatched huts. With their shelters destroyed in an instant and their livelihoods suddenly lost, chaos naturally ensued.
From the moment disaster struck, wailing cries filled the city inside and out, with refugees scattering everywhere.
Fortunately, officials in this border region were accustomed to such upheavals. The local prefect reacted swiftly, immediately undertaking disaster relief, beginning construction of simple shelter tents within the city, opening granaries, and personally comforting the people.
The Huo family took the lead, voluntarily contributing household resources. The remaining wealthy families in the area also followed by donating considerable goods and funds.
By late night, when the situation had somewhat stabilized, Huo Liuxing returned to the manor.
The Huo family held positions in the Dingbian Army and shouldn’t interfere too much in Qingyang’s local affairs. Having done this much, they should now withdraw to the background.
As soon as Huo Liuxing entered, Jingmo hurried to meet him: “Master, the old madam requests you visit her courtyard after returning…” He lowered his voice. “It’s probably about that incident in the front hall.”
Jingmo had missed Shen Lingzhen’s carriage that afternoon. Upon returning to the manor later, he’d already heard from Kongqing about Huo Liuxing’s loss of composure.
Huo Liuxing smiled faintly, seeming unsurprised, and first asked: “Has the young mistress retired for the night?”
“She should have, but around the first watch, Jianjia sent someone to ask if the manor had pain-relieving medicine. It seems the young mistress’s wound hurt too much for her to sleep.”
“Tell Jianjia to leave the door open. I’ll go over shortly.”
“Will you rest at the young mistress’s place tonight?”
Huo Liuxing nodded and first went to Yu Wanjiang’s courtyard.
The courtyard was brightly lit with candles. Yu Wanjiang sat at the head position in the main hall with her hand supporting her forehead, as if she’d been waiting for him a long time. Seeing him arrive, she immediately dismissed all the surrounding servants.
Huo Liuxing bowed his head to her: “Mother.”
“Liuxing, you should know why Mother summoned you here.”
“I know.”
“So many years—you’ve always been cautious and thorough in handling affairs, cold and self-controlled as a person. No one is perfect, so occasional miscalculations are naturally forgivable, but you shouldn’t…” Yu Wanjiang sighed at this point.
Huo Liuxing shook his head: “I admit today’s matter was improper, and it’s fortunate no great disaster resulted. But Mother, I know what I’m doing.”
Yu Wanjiang frowned: “You once told Mother that in this matter of husband and wife, you had your own sense of proportion. These days, Shen Shi’s character has indeed been impeccable, but you must remember—she is ultimately the Grand Princess’s daughter. Behind her there’s always the Zhao family. How can you be so devoted to her and still face the spirits of your elder brother and birth mother?”
“Mother also said her character is truly impeccable. From that night at the teahouse when she risked herself for me, to later when Shuyi confronted her repeatedly yet she swallowed her anger and showed great tolerance, never once displaying even a fraction of aristocratic airs, to today when sudden danger struck and in that moment between life and death, her first thought was for Miaoling’s safety… Does she not have parents who gave birth to her and family who love her? She’s treated me and my family with such wholehearted sincerity, fulfilling her duty to the utmost. If today, to comfort my elder brother’s and birth mother’s spirits, I treat her coldly, then tomorrow, how shall I repay what I owe her? If I fulfill my responsibilities as a brother and son, must I therefore abandon my responsibilities as a husband?”
“Liuxing, what you say is indeed reasonable, but has the grudge between Grand Princess Zhengguo and the Huo family simply vanished into smoke? Since you intend to settle old scores with the Grand Princess, yet now acknowledge Shen Shi as your wife, how will you resolve this in the future?”
Huo Liuxing smiled: “What does Mother consider to be revenge? A life for a life? If a life for a life were revenge, there’d be no need to lie dormant for twenty-seven years—I could have stormed Bianjing long ago.”
“Naturally it’s not a life for a life. All of us are merely pieces in the game of restoring the nation. What we must ultimately do is return the Meng family’s child to the throne.”
“Since that’s the case, why must the Grand Princess’s debt to the Huo family be repaid with her life? Until now, all my decisions have been based on the greater good. I won’t do things that court death. Mother, Shen Lingzhen’s surname is Shen, not Zhao.”
“You mean…”
Huo Liuxing smiled: “If Mother considers carefully, you’ll discover the relationship between the Shen family’s main branch and the imperial family shouldn’t be monolithic. If the Grand Princess and the Emperor were truly so close, then why did the Grand Princess, who reached marriageable age twenty-seven years ago, never settle on marriage connections? Why did she marry years later to a hollow Duke with no actual court position and no great ambitions? And why, until now, does she have only one daughter, Shen Lingzhen, with no son to inherit the Shen family title? All these years, what has she been avoiding, what has she been yielding on?”
Yu Wanjiang’s gaze flickered slightly.
“Yet despite all this avoidance and yielding, in the end, without batting an eye, the Emperor demands her only daughter help them repay debts. Having fought alongside the Emperor to conquer Daqi’s realm, loyally and diligently serving the court for so many years, yet receiving such an outcome—how much affection do you think the Grand Princess still has for the Emperor, for the imperial family?”
Moreover, Huo Liuxing had long tested the Grand Princess’s attitude toward the Emperor through Shen Lingzhen.
When Zhao Xun came to the manor, Shen Lingzhen had been polite but distant with this cousin, citing the Crown Prince’s riding accident as a warning to be careful. Though she’d frequented the palace since childhood, she had little contact with her imperial cousins—there must be the Grand Princess’s teachings behind this.
Later, regarding the matter of her savior, Shen Lingzhen was frank that the Grand Princess hadn’t revealed everything to the Emperor. This showed the Grand Princess had her own private interests in the Shen family’s affairs.
Then there was the night Shen Lingzhen drunkenly spoke truthfully, saying she resented the Emperor over the arranged marriage, and that the Duke had intended to stand up for her. This further demonstrated that the Shen family’s main branch had reached an attitude of resentment they dared not voice toward the Emperor.
It was that very night, hearing Shen Lingzhen’s seemingly confused but actually sincere words and confirming the relationship between the Shen family’s main branch and the imperial family was already walking on thin ice, that Huo Liuxing had resolved to give that promise—as long as she didn’t betray him, he would protect her completely.
He said: “The Grand Princess—in understanding people’s hearts and recognizing situations—is more skilled than the Emperor. If I’m not mistaken, she’s already given up on the imperial family, and likely isn’t close to the Shen family’s second branch who remain loyal to the Emperor either. What she wants now is merely to preserve the Shen family’s main branch, only that until the moment of urgency arrives, she’s still wavering about which ship to board. What I want to do is make the Shen family’s main branch completely commit, boarding the Huo family’s ship. This Grand Princess Zhengguo’s debt to the Huo family—let her repay it with all the capital she’s accumulated over half her lifetime. What does Mother think?”
She’d sent him a honey trap; he’d return the favor by turning her trap against her.
Two eagles pecking at that dragon together should be faster, shouldn’t it?
——
Coming from Yu Wanjiang’s courtyard to Shen Lingzhen’s room, Huo Liuxing saw she wasn’t obediently lying in bed, but sitting at a table in front of a bronze mirror, resting her chin in her hand.
Hearing the sound of wheelchair wheels, she turned in surprise: “Why did you come, husband?”
Huo Liuxing glanced at her: “I can’t come?”
“You can, of course you can. This is your manor, husband. Even if you wanted to tear off the roof tiles, no one could stop you.” She rose to greet him. “It’s just that recently you’ve been sleeping in your own courtyard, so I thought…”
“I slept there because you said you couldn’t sleep at night sharing a bed with me, didn’t you?”
Shen Lingzhen touched her nose: “That nightmare was so long ago. It’s fine now.”
“Then from today on, I’ll sleep here.”
Shen Lingzhen bent down to look at him: “Is it bad for me to summon you and dismiss you like this?”
“…” The feet were on his body—who was being summoned and dismissed by her?
Huo Liuxing was quite annoyed and pointed at the bronze mirror: “Not sleeping in the middle of the night, looking in the mirror here—aren’t you afraid of frightening yourself?”
Who knew Shen Lingzhen would be startled, then turn her back, saying in a muffled voice: “Yes, I also think I’m quite frightening now.”
Huo Liuxing’s finger pointing straight at the bronze mirror suddenly bent as he recalled what he’d seen upon entering—her worried expression in front of the mirror—and vaguely understood.
Shen Lingzhen’s injury was at her forehead. Though the wound was somewhat concealed by stray hairs, upon close inspection it was still quite obvious. She was worried she’d scar and be disfigured.
He’d spoken thoughtlessly in momentary pique, without any deeper meaning.
He paused and explained: “…That’s not what I meant.”
Shen Lingzhen wrinkled her nose: “I’m going to sleep.” She turned toward the bed.
Huo Liuxing leaned forward and grabbed her arm: “Turn around and let me see.”
Shen Lingzhen rarely acted particularly coy, but this time she shook her head, firmly refusing to turn her face.
That made sense. During the day, concerned about this and that, she hadn’t said a word, but what young lady didn’t care about her appearance?
He said with certainty: “Don’t worry, it won’t scar. The wound medicine I used on you is more than adequate for this kind of injury.”
Shen Lingzhen turned her head slightly, covering her forehead while glancing at him from the corner of her eye: “Really?”
“Absolutely certain. If it scars, you can hold me accountable.”
Only then did Shen Lingzhen slowly turn around to show him.
Huo Liuxing raised his hand to brush aside her few stray hairs and looked carefully: “In ten days it won’t be noticeable. In another month it will heal completely.”
She nodded with drooping eyebrows: “Then I won’t look good for a whole month.”
Huo Liuxing said with amusement: “Other boudoir ladies worry about this and that because they fear they won’t marry. You’re already married—what are you afraid of?”
“I’m afraid you…” She paused halfway through. “I’m afraid you’ll find me displeasing to look at and won’t pay attention to me anymore.”
Huo Liuxing thought to himself he wasn’t like her, marrying someone while caring whether they looked good or not.
He said: “How I treat you has nothing to do with your appearance.”
Shen Lingzhen frowned, suddenly interested. She lowered herself, supporting herself on his wheelchair armrests: “Strange to say, why has my husband never praised my appearance? In Bianjing, people often said I was beautiful. How does my husband see me?”
Huo Liuxing blinked and looked her over: “Just a little girl who hasn’t fully grown yet. When I look at you, it’s not much different from looking at Miaoling.”
This wasn’t false. After all, Huo Liuxing was twelve years older than her. He often saw her as a child who’d stolen adult clothes to wear. Moreover, she had delicate, refined features, appearing even more petite than her actual age. To have any “feast for the eyes” thoughts about such a young girl would seem rather indecent.
Shen Lingzhen seemed somewhat disappointed: “Oh, I see…” Then she complained: “However my husband thinks, he just says it. My husband’s words used to be quite pleasant to hear, but lately you increasingly don’t like saying those things.”
That was because those previous words were all false.
“Then grow well for another year. In a year I’ll praise your looks from the bottom of my heart.”
“How does my husband know I’ll definitely look good in a year?”
“The foundation is already there. How could it be bad?”
Shen Lingzhen brightened immediately: “My husband is truly far-sighted with keen insight!”
Huo Liuxing watched her so elated she seemed ready to spin in circles, shook his head, and smiled himself. Just as he was about to tell her to go to sleep, he suddenly heard knocking: “Master, this servant has urgent business to report.”
It was Jingmo’s voice.
Huo Liuxing wheeled out: “What is it?”
Jingmo lowered his voice: “An urgent message came from the north. The lord suspects there’s a traitor in the Dingbian Army, but tonight there was another Xiqiang refugee riot. The lord’s old injuries have flared up. He’s barely maintaining the situation at the front line now, but for matters in the rear, he truly cannot be in two places at once.”
Huo Liuxing’s brow furrowed. Just as he fell silent, he saw Shen Lingzhen, fully dressed, emerge from the bedchamber: “Husband, has something happened?”
Huo Liuxing signaled Jingmo with his eyes to come in. After closing the door, he answered: “There’s some trouble. I need to make a trip to the Dingbian Army.”
He couldn’t hide his departure from Shen Lingzhen, his pillow companion. Since she was now loyal to him, better to tell her honestly.
Shen Lingzhen was startled: “Tonight?”
“Tomorrow at the latest. My return date is uncertain. There may still be the Fourth Prince’s informants in the manor. I need you and Mother to provide cover for me.”
“But if there really are informants, relying only on Mother and me might still be too risky.”
Huo Liuxing and Jingmo both fell silent. Shen Lingzhen then knew this matter must be critically important.
She frowned in thought, then suddenly had an inspiration: “Husband, I have a plan. Look—if the eldest miss and I perform a scene of discord in front of the manor servants, then I leave heartbroken and move to the Shen residence, Mother tries to persuade me but fails, and to avoid offending me, she has you accompany me to live at the Shen residence for a while—wouldn’t you leave the Huo manor quite naturally?”
Jingmo’s eyes lit up: “Master, this idea is quite good.”
Huo Liuxing shook his head: “What about after I leave? Right now refugees are scattered throughout the city, disaster relief hasn’t been implemented, disturbances could occur at any time. If she’s alone at the Shen residence and refugees come knocking in the middle of the night, what then?”
“You could send people to protect the Shen residence…” She stopped halfway and shook her head.
That wouldn’t work either. Setting aside whether the sent people were reliable, if they mobilized forces so conspicuously, those with designs would find ways to investigate the Shen residence. Thus they’d lose the original purpose of setting up this ruse.
“What if you took the young mistress with you when you leave? That way, even if by some chance the Shen residence is discovered empty, as long as the young mistress is by your side, you can disguise this as something else. After all, the Dingbian Army is still the lord’s territory, and you’re not going to fight on the front lines, merely maneuvering in the rear. The young mistress following along wouldn’t be dangerous, only…”
Only it would inevitably be a hard journey.
Huo Liuxing looked at Shen Lingzhen with furrowed brows.
She immediately nodded eagerly: “For you, husband, I’d brave water and fire without hesitation. Exposure to the elements is nothing!” Seeing he was still deliberating, she gently tugged at Huo Liuxing’s sleeve. “Besides, husband, if you leave, I’ll be bored staying here alone. I don’t want to be separated from you…”
Huo Liuxing looked at her hand pulling his sleeve, paused, then nodded: “All right.”