Huo Chang’an rode swiftly all the way, and before long he and Ji’er Zhang arrived at the villa.
This was one of his private properties, located in the near suburbs, very secluded, which was why he had lent it to Suzhen to take refuge. Arriving here now, Ji’er Zhang called out loudly, but didn’t see the usual old servant who maintained the place come out to open the door. Huo Chang’an coldly ordered, “Wait here. When people arrive, bring them in to see me.”
“Yes, this subordinate understands.” Ji’er Zhang answered cautiously. Huo Chang’an nodded. He didn’t have the mansion key with him, but this height was naturally nothing to him. Gathering his qi and leaping up, he had already vaulted inside.
The moment he landed, his heart grew alert and vigilant. There were voices inside the house!
And it seemed like more than one person?!
The sounds were coming from the second courtyard building. His brow darkened as he lightened his steps and walked over.
In the courtyard of the second building, someone stood before a bare summer flower tree. Seeing him, they smiled excitedly, “You finally came!”
He kept a stern face, looking at the pile of scattered petals on the ground beneath that person. At this time, people in the house also stood up one by one. These were all people he hadn’t expected. The person in the central position nodded to him, “Marquis Huo.”
No wonder they’d all come to this building. The hall here was much larger than the front courtyard. Before each person were placed hot tea and fruits. Very good – they were all treating his place like their own home, making themselves completely at ease. He cupped his hands toward the person who had greeted him, then sneered coldly at the person beside them, “Excuse me, is this a gathering? Are you certain you haven’t found the wrong place?”
Lian Qin, having finished destroying the flowers outside, clapped his hands and walked in, just in time to hear his words. “Oh my, Huo Chang’an, how can you be so petty?”
Huo Chang’an said coldly, “What Ninth Master just plucked were exotic flowers from foreign lands, worth a thousand gold. This marquis spent months carefully tending them until they finally survived, and I truly thank you for helping me lay them all to rest.”
Lian Qin immediately dared not make a sound. Beside Lian Yu, Suzhen, who had just been questioned by Huo Chang’an, frowned, “Marquis Huo, please be magnanimous and overlook Ninth Master’s transgression. We have matters to discuss with you.”
“Wei Wuyan wrote to me, but it’s Sixth Young Master’s people who came, along with people from your Court of Judicial Review. Truly quite interesting,” Huo Chang’an said sarcastically, directly addressing the person beside her who had more authority, “Where is she?”
“I’m here.”
There was no need for Lian Yu to answer. A man and woman walked in from outside the courtyard. The speaker was Wuyan, the other was Lian Jie.
Wuyan’s face was somewhat pale. When crossing the threshold, her steps faltered, and Lian Jie, quick-eyed and swift-handed, immediately gathered her into his arms. Huo Chang’an’s lips curved slightly as he spoke mockingly, “Those who don’t know might think this is Seventh Master and his wife.”
Wuyan’s expression changed. She didn’t speak, only smiled bitterly.
Lian Jie was furious. Lian Yu shot him a look and spoke to stop him, “Since everyone has arrived, let’s begin our discussion.”
Huo Chang’an replied lightly, “Sixth Young Master, if you want to use this mansion, feel free to take it. Forgive me, but Huo cannot accompany you.”
As he spoke, he turned to leave. Passing by Wuyan’s side, he suddenly reached out and grasped her wrist, “Didn’t you have something to tell me?”
Lian Jie’s heart flared with anger as he also grabbed Wuyan’s arm, “Huo Chang’an, show some respect!”
Huo Chang’an’s eyes flickered with dangerous intent, his lips curving high, “What, Seventh Master wants to have a fight?”
“Seventh Brother!” Lian Yu’s tone grew heavy. Lian Jie’s brow furrowed tightly. Wuyan’s other hand was free, and at this moment she suddenly reached out, gently covering Huo Chang’an’s hand, “You and I have been… friends for many years. Can you help me one last time?”
This unexpected sentence struck Huo Chang’an’s ears. His eyelids jumped violently. After a long while, with deep suspicion, he slowly spoke, “What exactly has happened?”
The old servant had servants move a round table from the dining room so everyone could sit around it for discussion.
It turned out that after receiving Lian Jie’s oral message, Lian Yu and Suzhen quickly returned to the Court of Judicial Review. However, Lian Yu was concerned that the Court of Judicial Review was located in a bustling area, and these groups of people coming and going would be too conspicuous. Since this matter involved confidential affairs, he planned to change locations. Suzhen had a flash of inspiration and suggested the Huo family villa. This was a place all three parties knew, and it was much closer than Lian Yu’s villa. Lian Yu then had someone send messages to Lian Jie and Lian Qin.
At the time, Wuyan was with Lian Jie at the nunnery, which was their originally agreed farewell location. Upon receiving Lian Yu’s message, she also invited Huo Chang’an here. She and Lian Jie then found ways to avoid watchful eyes and came via a small path.
Thus, three groups gathered here: Suzhen’s people from the Court of Judicial Review, Lian Yu’s people, and Huo Chang’an.
Due to the table’s limited size, Ming Yanchu, Wuqing, and others consciously stood behind Lian Yu and Suzhen.
Among those seated, only Huo Chang’an still didn’t know the whole story. Suzhen understood Wuyan’s current state of mind, and without waiting for her to speak, she briefly recounted everything.
After hearing this, Huo Chang’an’s expression was almost identical to everyone else’s initial reaction – he frowned tightly, then looked at Wuyan indifferently, “So, you were planning to leave the capital.”
A trace of unnatural flush appeared on Wuyan’s somewhat pale face. She softly hummed in agreement and said nothing more. For her, this matter involved Huo Chang’an and was a matter between men and women, which had already made her feel utterly ashamed. At this moment, she felt completely empty inside.
Huo Chang’an didn’t force her to speak either, curving his lips in a cold smile, “I always knew Wei Chenghui was no simple man, but I never imagined he’d have such arrogant ambitions!”
“But why is this? Does he want to join forces with Marquis Huo’s troops and rebel?” Lian Qin’s thick brows were like storm clouds, heavy murderous intent flashing in his eyes, “That damned old bastard!”
“Isn’t this too fantastical – that a distinguished general would rebel with him just for a woman?” He curled his lips disdainfully.
Suzhen glared at him fiercely.
Lian Qin suddenly realized his mistake and looked guiltily at Huo and Wei. Huo Chang’an was inscrutable and nothing could be discerned, but Wuyan slightly lowered her head, her body seeming to stiffen.
“What I actually meant was,” he said anxiously. Lian Jie shouted, “Old Ninth, those who should be speaking here haven’t said much yet, and you who shouldn’t be talking so much, hurry up and shut that stinking mouth of yours!”
“Sixth Brother, Marquis Huo, what do you say?”
Huo Chang’an glanced at Lian Yu, “Setting aside that old thief’s purpose, since Wei Wuyan secretly sought you out, she’s already made her position clear – she absolutely won’t follow her father’s arrangements. Having my aunt or you step forward to have Fifth Madam enter the palace for casual conversation is the most ordinary thing possible. Even as a distinguished minister, he wouldn’t dare refuse. Can’t this matter be resolved this way?”
“No,” Lian Yu struck the table with his hand, “If I haven’t guessed wrong, the Wei mansion has probably already posted missing person notices, even reported to the capital prefecture office, saying Madam Wei mysteriously disappeared.”
Everyone was shocked upon hearing this. Wuyan smiled bleakly, “Sixth Young Master is correct. This morning the Wei mansion already announced to the outside that my mother disappeared late last night. I was trapped all last night and was only released today to meet with Seventh Master. Everything was already too late.”
Lian Jie nodded, sighing silently, “Just now in the urgency, I didn’t explain clearly. It’s exactly as Sixth Brother predicted. What kind of person is Wei Chenghui? How could he not think of what we can think of?”
He was sitting right next to Wuyan. At this moment, his heart stirred and he couldn’t help secretly reaching over to cover Wuyan’s hand. Wuyan was obviously startled. Suzhen, seeing her expression was wrong, was somewhat worried, “Wuyan, are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
Wuyan quickly shook her head. Her hand was tightly gripped in the other’s palm, the man’s warm strength flowing through her hand like a current. She struggled lightly but couldn’t break free, and was instead gripped even tighter. The rough touch made her feel flustered, but in front of everyone she couldn’t expose this, or it would look bad for everyone. She could only let him hold it.
Undercurrents surged beneath the table while those above were immersed in thought and conversation, seemingly unaware.
Zhuiming interjected hatefully, “If he wants to file complaints, let him complain to the Court of Judicial Review! Huaisu can interrogate him and severely punish him!”
Little Zhou shook her head secretly. Wuqing had already spoken softly, “This matter probably cannot be handled by official governmental power. In such a vast capital, hiding one person isn’t difficult, especially for someone with Wei Chenghui’s power and influence. Without finding the person, there’s no way to make accusations. Even if the person were found, Fifth Madam and the Minister have been husband and wife for many years – she might not be willing to testify against him.”
Lian Yu, Lian Jie, and Huo Chang’an listened and nodded in succession. This disabled youth was talented, even remarkable.
Suzhen had been contemplating and hadn’t spoken much. Hearing this, she said, “The Court of Judicial Review still needs to investigate, but it can only be done secretly. For now—”
She looked at Lian Yu beside her, then at Huo Chang’an.
Lian Yu stood up, “Marquis Huo will probably have to play along for now, while we secretly try to find the person and figure out Wei Chenghui’s true intentions. Join forces to rebel? I’m afraid it won’t be that simple. Zhang Liang’s strategy, climbing over the wall ladder.”
Suzhen was in tune with his thoughts, “Your Majesty means that Wei Chenghui probably anticipated long ago that Wuyan wouldn’t submit to him and would discuss everything with us. Even if she didn’t seek us out but consulted with Marquis Huo to put on a show for him, that’s not impossible either.”
In front of everyone, she still addressed him as Your Majesty.
Baihu suddenly spoke up, “Might Li Judicial Commissioner be overthinking? Consort Wei and Fifth Madam have deep mother-daughter feelings. It’s not impossible that Minister Wei is certain Consort Wei wouldn’t dare gamble with her own mother’s life. If he truly is suspicious, why doesn’t he place his own people beside Consort Wei to monitor her every move?”
“Hu’er,” Suzhen smiled and explained, “Minister Wei wouldn’t do that. Wuyan and Marquis Huo will always have private moments. In the boudoir,” she said, feeling she was being too talkative, her face growing slightly warm, yet unable to stop speaking, “within the bed curtains, even the most intimate maids cannot always follow. Wuyan would have plenty of opportunities to explain this matter to Marquis Huo. Therefore, regardless of whether he guesses Wuyan’s thoughts or not, he wouldn’t act this way.”
“Oh, I see.” Baihu hummed through her nose in response, showing undisguised contempt.
Suzhen still smiled, touching the teacup in front of her without saying anything.
Beside her, Ming Yanchu shot Baihu a fierce glare. Baihu pretended not to see, when suddenly she heard Lian Yu say lightly, “Baihu, Li Judicial Commissioner’s tea has gone cold. Go get her a fresh hot cup. Also, I don’t like people who are loose-tongued. If you don’t want to serve by my side, then leave the palace.”