After tending to Shen Lingzhen’s wound, Huo Liuxing left the manor to inspect the damage caused by the storm.
Qingyang hadn’t seen a hailstorm this severe in over a decade. Though the Huo family’s guards had mobilized early to evacuate the crowded marketplace, greatly reducing civilian casualties, homes, farmland, and livestock were not so fortunate.
Households like the Huo family, with solidly built structures, could withstand such a storm. But the city was full of humble dwellings, and beyond the walls were poor families living in thatched huts. With their shelters destroyed and livelihoods lost in an instant, chaos was inevitable.
From the moment the hail began, cries of anguish echoed throughout the city and countryside. Refugees scattered in all directions.
Fortunately, the local officials in this border region were seasoned in handling crises. The prefect responded swiftly, launching relief efforts immediately. Temporary shelters were erected throughout the city, granaries were opened, and he personally worked to calm the people.
The Huo family took the lead, offering household supplies. Other wealthy families followed suit, donating generously.
By nightfall, the situation had stabilized somewhat, and Huo Liuxing returned to the manor.
As the Huo family held military posts in the Dingbian Army, it wasn’t appropriate for them to interfere too deeply in Qingyang’s civil affairs. They had done their part and now needed to step back.
Upon entering the manor, Huo Liuxing was met by Jingmo, who hurried over. “Young Master, Madam asks that you visit her courtyard once you’ve returned…” He lowered his voice. “I suspect it’s about what happened in the front hall.”
Jingmo had missed Shen Lingzhen’s carriage earlier that afternoon, but upon returning to the manor, he’d already heard from Kongqing about Huo Liuxing’s moment of lost composure.
Huo Liuxing gave a faint smile, as if unsurprised, and asked first, “Has Young Madam retired for the night?”
“She likely has, but around the hour of Hai[mfn]9-11pm[/mfn], Jian Jia sent someone to ask if the manor had any pain medicine. It seems that Young Madam’s wound was hurting too much for her to sleep.”
“Have Jian Jia keep the door open. I’ll go over shortly.”
“Young Master, will you be staying in Young Madam’s quarters tonight?”
Huo Liuxing nodded, then turned and headed to Yu Wanjiang’s courtyard.
The courtyard was brightly lit with candles. Yu Wanjiang sat at the head of the main hall, her hand resting against her forehead, as though she had been waiting for some time. Upon seeing him enter, she immediately dismissed the attendants around her.
Huo Liuxing gave her a respectful nod. “Mother.”
“Liuxing, you should know why I’ve called you here.”
“I do.”
“All these years, you’ve handled matters with caution and precision, you’ve always been calm and composed. No one is perfect, an occasional misstep is understandable. But you shouldn’t have…” Yu Wanjiang paused and let out a sigh.
Huo Liuxing shook his head. “I admit, what happened today was inappropriate. That it didn’t cause a greater scandal is sheer luck. But Mother, I knew exactly what I was doing.”
Yu Wanjiang furrowed her brows. “You once told me that in matters of marriage, you knew where to draw the line. In recent days, Shen Lingzhen’s conduct has indeed been beyond reproach. But you must remember, she is still the daughter of Princess Royal. Behind her stands the Zhao family. You treat her with such devotion, how will you answer to the spirits of your Elder Brother and birth mother?”
“Mother, you yourself said her conduct is beyond reproach. From that night at the teahouse when she risked herself for me, to later when Shuyi repeatedly provoked her, she endured it all with grace, never once assuming the airs of nobility. And today, in the face of sudden danger, when her life hung by a thread, her first thought was for Miaoling’s safety… Is she not flesh and blood, born of parents who loved her? She treats me and my family with such sincerity and devotion. If today I slight her to appease the spirits of my brother and birth mother, then how shall I repay the debt I owe her tomorrow? If I bear the duties of a son and a brother, must I cast aside the duty of a husband?”
“Liuxing, what you say is not without reason. But can the enmity between Princess Royal and the Huo family truly vanish so easily? You seek to settle old scores with her, yet now you’ve accepted Shen Lingzhen as your wife. How will this end?”
Huo Liuxing gave a quiet smile. “Mother, what do you consider vengeance? A life for a life? If that were true vengeance, I wouldn’t have waited twenty-seven years. I would’ve stormed Bianjing long ago.”
“Of course it’s not about a life for a life. We are all but pawns in the restoration of the Meng family. In the end, our goal is to return their heir to the throne.”
“Then why must Princess Royal repay her debt to the Huo family with her life? Every decision I’ve made has been for the greater cause. I won’t walk a path of self-destruction. Mother, Shen Lingzhen bears the surname Shen, not Zhao.”
“You mean to say…”
Huo Liuxing smiled again. “Mother, if you consider it carefully, you’ll see that the Shen family’s main branch and the imperial family are not as united as they appear. If Princess Royal and His Majesty were truly close, then why did she remain unmarried well past the age of betrothal? Why did she later wed a hollow titleholder with no real post or ambition? Why, after all these years, does she have only one daughter and no son to inherit the Shen family’s title? What has she been avoiding, yielding to?”
Yu Wanjiang’s gaze flickered.
“Yet despite all her concessions, all her restraint, in the end, His Majesty didn’t even blink before sending her only daughter to repay their debt. She helped him conquer Great Qi, served the court loyally and tirelessly for years and this is the reward she receives. Tell me, Mother, how much affection do you think Princess Royal still holds for His Majesty, or the imperial family?”
Moreover, Huo Liuxing had long since tested Shen Lingzhen to gauge Princess Royal’s attitude toward His Majesty.
When Zhao Xun visited the manor, Shen Lingzhen treated her Cousin with polite detachment and even brought up the Crown Prince’s fall from his horse as a subtle warning. Though she had frequented the palace since childhood, she rarely interacted with her royal kin, which was clearly a reflection of Princess Royal’s upbringing.
Later, when speaking of the person who had once saved her life, Shen Lingzhen admitted that Princess Royal had never disclosed the matter to His Majesty. This revealed that Princess Royal harbored private intentions regarding the affairs of the Shen family.
Then came the night Shen Lingzhen, drunk and unguarded, spoke her truth. She confessed her resentment toward His Majesty for the imperial marriage decree and mentioned that the Duke had once considered standing up for her. This further confirmed that the Shen family’s main branch harbored silent grievances toward the throne.
It was that very night, hearing Shen Lingzhen’s seemingly muddled yet heartfelt words, that Huo Liuxing became certain the relationship between the Shen family and the royal court was already walking a tightrope. That was when he made his promise: so long as she did not betray him, he would protect her completely.
He said, “Princess Royal, when it comes to reading hearts and judging circumstances, is far more adept than His Majesty. If I’m not mistaken, she’s already given up on the imperial family. As for the Shen family’s second branch, which remains loyal to the throne, I suspect she keeps her distance. What she wants now is simply to preserve the main branch of the Shen family. It’s just that the moment of crisis hasn’t yet arrived, and she’s still wavering over which side to choose. What I intend to do is make sure the Shen family’s main branch boards our Huo family’s ship. Princess Royal owes the Huo family a debt, let her repay it with the full weight of her life’s accumulated leverage. Mother, what do you think?”
She offered him a beauty trap. He returned it with a counter-strategy.
Two hawks pecking at the dragon[mfn]refers to the Emperor[/mfn], surely that would hasten the fall.
Leaving Yu Wanjiang’s courtyard, Huo Liuxing arrived at Shen Lingzhen’s room. She wasn’t obediently lying in bed, but rather sitting at her desk, resting her chin in her hand before a bronze mirror.
Hearing the sound of his wheelchair wheels, she turned in surprise. “Husband, what brings you here?”
Huo Liuxing glanced at her. “Am I not allowed to be here?”
“You are, of course you are. This is your manor. Even if you wanted to tear the roof off, no one could stop you.” She rose to greet him. “It’s just that lately, you’ve been sleeping in your own courtyard. I thought…”
“I slept there because you said you couldn’t sleep sharing a bed with me.”
Shen Lingzhen touched her nose. “That nightmare was ages ago. It doesn’t happen anymore.”
“Then from tonight onward, I’ll sleep here.”
Shen Lingzhen bent down to look at him. “Is it not improper for me to treat you like someone I can summon and dismiss at will?”
“…” His legs were his own, who exactly was being summoned and dismissed?
Huo Liuxing, clearly annoyed, pointed at the bronze mirror. “It’s the middle of the night and you’re staring into a mirror. Don’t you find that a bit eerie?”
To his surprise, Shen Lingzhen froze, then turned her back to him and muttered, “Mm. I think I do look rather frightening right now.”
Huo Liuxing’s stiffly extended finger curled slightly. He recalled the moment he entered the room, her troubled expression in front of the mirror and suddenly understood.
Her wound was at her temple. Though partially hidden by loose strands of hair, it was still quite visible upon closer inspection. She was worried it might leave a scar and ruin her appearance.
His earlier words had been spoken in irritation, without much thought.
He paused, then offered a quiet explanation. “…That’s not what I meant.”
Shen Lingzhen wrinkled her nose. “I’m going to bed,” she said, turning toward the bed.
Huo Liuxing leaned forward and grabbed her arm. “Turn around. Let me see.”
Shen Lingzhen was rarely shy, but this time she shook her head, refusing to show her face.
Understandable. She’d held her tongue all day, mindful of everything and everyone. But what girl doesn’t care about her looks?
He reassured her. “Don’t worry. It won’t scar. The wound salve I gave you is more than enough for this kind of injury.”
Shen Lingzhen turned her head slightly, covering her temple with one hand and peeking at him from the corner of her eye. “Really?”
“Absolutely. If it leaves a scar, you can hold me accountable.”
Only then did Shen Lingzhen slowly turn to face him.
Huo Liuxing reached out and gently brushed aside a few strands of her hair, examining the wound carefully. “In ten days, it’ll barely be noticeable. In a month, it’ll be completely healed.”
She lowered her brows and nodded. “So I’ll be ugly for a whole month.”
Huo Liuxing chuckled. “Other young ladies worry about their looks because they’re afraid they won’t get married. But you’re already married, what’s there to fear?”
“I’m afraid husband…” Shen Lingzhen paused mid-sentence. “I’m afraid you’ll find me no longer pleasing to the eye, and stop paying me any mind.”
Huo Liuxing thought to himself that he wasn’t her, after all. When marrying someone, did one really need to judge their looks?
He replied, “How I treat you has nothing to do with your appearance.”
Shen Lingzhen frowned slightly, then leaned in with sudden curiosity, resting her hands on the armrest of his wheelchair. “It’s strange, isn’t it? You have never complimented my looks. Back in Bianjing, people often said I was pretty. What do you think of me?”
Huo Liuxing blinked and gave her a quick once-over. “You are just a young girl who hasn’t fully grown. When I look at you, it’s not much different from looking at Miaoling.”
That wasn’t untrue. He was a full decade older than her, and often saw her as a child playing dress-up in adult clothes. Her features were delicate and youthful, she looked even younger than her age. To harbor any romantic thoughts toward such a girl felt improper, even vulgar.
Shen Lingzhen seemed a little disappointed. “Oh, I see…” Then she grumbled, “You used to speak so sweetly. Lately, you’ve stopped saying those things.”
That was because, back then, those words weren’t real.
“One more year,” he said, “and I’ll sincerely praise your beauty.”
“How do you know I’ll be beautiful in a year?”
“With your foundation, how could you not be?”
Shen Lingzhen instantly brightened. “My husband truly has foresight and a discerning eye!”
Watching her spin around in delight, Huo Liuxing shook his head and chuckled. Just as he was about to tell her to go to bed, a knock came at the door.
“Young Master, I have urgent news to report,” came Jingmo’s voice.
Huo Liuxing wheeled himself out. “What is it?”
Jingmo lowered his voice. “An urgent message from the north. Commander suspects there’s a traitor within the Dingbian Army. And tonight, there’s been another riot among the Western Qiang refugees. Commander’s old injury has flared up and he’s barely holding the front line. As for the rear, he’s stretched too thin to manage.”
Huo Liuxing’s brows furrowed deeply. Just as he fell into silence, Shen Lingzhen emerged from the bedroom, fully dressed.
“Young Master,” she asked, “has something happened?”
Huo Liuxing gave Jingmo a subtle look, signaling him to come in. Once the door was closed, he said, “There’s trouble. I need to make a trip to the Dingbian Army.”
It was impossible to hide his departure from Shen Lingzhen, his closest companion. Now that her heart leaned toward him, it was better to be honest.
Shen Lingzhen was startled. “Tonight?”
“By tomorrow at the latest. Once I leave, I don’t know when I’ll return. There may still be spies from the Fourth Prince within the manor. I’ll need you and Mother to help cover for me.”
“But if there really are spies, relying solely on Mother and me might be too risky.”
Huo Liuxing and Jingmo both fell silent. Shen Lingzhen understood then, this matter was grave.
She frowned in thought, then suddenly lit up. “I have a plan. What if I stage a quarrel with Eldest Miss in front of the household staff, then leave in sorrow to stay at the Shen residence? Mother tries to persuade me, but to avoid offending me, she lets you accompany me to the Shen residence for a while. That way, your departure from the Huo manor would appear perfectly natural.”
Jingmo’s eyes brightened. “Young Master, that’s actually a clever idea.”
But Huo Liuxing shook his head. “And after I leave? Refugees are still scattered throughout the city, and relief efforts haven’t yet stabilized. There could be disturbances at any time. If she’s alone at the Shen residence and refugees show up in the middle of the night, what then?”
“You could assign guards to protect the Shen residence…” She trailed off, then shook her head.
That wouldn’t work either. Even if the guards were trustworthy, such a conspicuous move would draw attention. Anyone with intent would surely investigate the Shen residence. That would defeat the purpose of the ruse.
“Then what if Young Master takes Young Madam with him? That way, even if someone discovers the Shen residence is empty, as long as she’s with you, the story can be spun another way. After all, Dingbian is still under Commander’s jurisdiction, and you’re not heading into battle, just managing affairs from the rear. There’s no real danger in her accompanying you. It’s just…”
Just that it would be a hard journey.
Huo Liuxing furrowed his brow and looked at Shen Lingzhen.
She immediately nodded with determination. “For you, I’d walk through fire without hesitation. A few rough nights are nothing!” Seeing that he was still pondering, she gently tugged at his sleeve. “Besides, if you leave, I’ll be miserable here all alone. I don’t want to be apart from you…”
Huo Liuxing glanced at her hand clutching his sleeve, paused for a moment, then nodded. “Alright.”
