Upon hearing such an unreasonable outburst, the Queen’s tense nerves finally relaxed completely.
That fool, Noble Consort Li, had finally arrived.
This woman was born lacking a few screws, and when she made a scene, she was utterly lawless.
When the Emperor eventually blames someone, it would have nothing to do with her.
Huo Ci glanced up and saw a flurry of crimson storm into the hall.
“You little wretch! Huo Ci had my son beaten with seventy heavy strokes, so I’ll return the favor with seventy slaps on your face!”
Before she finished speaking, a delicate, fair hand was already swinging toward him, the force of it stirring the air.
Huo Ci reached out, deftly deflected her arm, and stepped back, evading her.
Taking a closer look, he saw it was Noble Consort Li.
She was dressed in a magnificent coral-red robe embroidered with phoenixes and peonies, her hair styled in an elaborate phoenix crown. Despite her age, her beauty was still dazzling.
She truly was a stunningly remarkable beauty, worthy of the character “Li” (beautiful) in her title.
Usually, though arrogant and overbearing, she had always been fairly polite to “Jiang Xingyan” when she came to the palace to deliver pastries.
In their conversations, she had even subtly hinted at wanting to win “her” over.
Huo Ci had skillfully deflected all her advances with tactful evasions.
Now, to tear apart their relationship over such a trivial matter—it seemed she was quite impatient.
“I have already divorced General Huo.
If it is General Huo who has offended you, Your Noble Consort, then you should send someone to settle the matter with him. It has nothing to do with me.”
The Noble Consort knew this perfectly well.
If she had the courage to confront “Huo Ci,” she wouldn’t be throwing a tantrum here.
She let out a cold sneer to mask her unease:
“Ha! What a joke!
I’ve never seen a divorced couple still living and traveling together.
Who knows if your divorce is real, or just some peculiar marital game you play?”
Huo Ci’s face flushed bright red.
Th-this was utterly improper!
The Queen, her own face red, scolded: “Noble Consort Li, how can you be so rude!”
The Noble Consort waved dismissively: “Tsk, it’s not like she’s some innocent maiden. Why are you all acting so pure?
Guards! Drag Huo Jiangshi out and beat her face in!”
“I’d like to see who dares!”
Huo Ci unleashed an aura of chilling bloodlust, making everyone in the room freeze.
“Report! Your Majesty the Queen, General Huo has sent word requesting Madam Jiang return to the residence with him.
He also said that perhaps the pastries made today did not suit Your Majesty’s taste. He will have Madam Jiang prepare some new, fashionable ones another day to accompany you in the palace.”
At the mention of “Huo Ci,” Noble Consort Li instantly turned pale with fear. Terrified that he might find out she was bullying “Jiang Xingyan,” she fled in a panic.
The Queen was speechless: Useless, incompetent fool!
Don’t come back here to embarrass yourself again!
Huo Ci’s heart tightened.
A Yan’s message surely held deeper meaning.
He didn’t dare delay, immediately turning to take his leave with a formal bow. He instructed Dong Yang and Xia Feng clearly: “Since Her Majesty is displeased, take all these back.
Don’t leave them here to offend her eyes.”
“Yes.”
The Queen: ??
When did I say I was displeased?
Is it really polite to just force your assumptions on someone like that?
By the time she recovered her senses, Huo Ci had already taken the food boxes away without a trace.
She smiled apologetically at Shangguan Luoyue: “It seems, Princess, we’ll have to settle for the imperial kitchen’s lunch today.
Servants, bring the meal!”
As the Queen busied herself making arrangements, she didn’t notice Shangguan Luoyue’s fingers, hidden in her sleeves, turning white from clenching them so tightly.
Damn it!
“She” escaped again!
It seemed she needed to deal with “Huo Ci” first.
She had to stop “him” from protecting “her.”
——-
Huo Ci walked briskly.
This was the first time Jiang Xingyan had actively come to meet him.
Before, even if she knew he was in the palace, she would never ask about him, always leaving early with Yun Chunfeng instead.
Her unusual behavior today, though not a sign of reconciliation, was not something he could afford to take lightly.
Finally arriving at the gate of Kunning Palace, Wang Qi greeted him from afar: “Miss Jiang!”
Huo Ci quickened his pace, leaving Xia Feng and Dong Yang struggling to keep up.
“A Yan, what is it?”
He lifted the carriage curtain, his voice urgent.
Jiang Xingyan held a piece of decorative letter paper in her hand and casually handed it to him: “Get in and read it yourself.”
Huo Ci glanced at the paper, which read: “Shangguan Luoyue plans to frame the general’s wife.
She intends to poison the refreshments the general’s wife sends to the palace.”
“How could this be!”
Huo Ci quickly took the food boxes from Xia Feng and Dong Yang and arranged them neatly on the carriage table.
He opened each one and tested them with a silver needle.
The first two plates were fine. But the third, a plate of water chestnut cake, was unnaturally redder than when it was freshly made.
The moment the silver needle touched it, the entire needle turned black, glinting ominously.
Huo Ci sucked in a breath and hurriedly explained: “A Yan, I had nothing to do with this.
No one else handled these food boxes before they were sent to the palace.”
Jiang Xingyan crumpled the letter paper and ground it to dust with her inner strength.
“I know that.
But then, when was the poison actually added?”
Yun Chunfeng gently waved his feather fan, seemingly struck by a thought.
“Legend has it that Shangguan Hanshan trained five shadow guards for his only adopted daughter.
These five guards obey only Shangguan Luoyue’s orders.
They are known for their elusive, unpredictable movements.
Perhaps this insidious, stealthy poison was administered by Shangguan Luoyue through them.”
Jiang Xingyan frowned.
Even if they were shadow guards, they shouldn’t commit such a heinous act!
This suggested that Shangguan Hanshan was ruthless in his own way.
As she was pondering this, the carriage passed through a bustling alley.
They overheard an elderly man’s resolute voice asking for directions: “Young man, would you happen to know a wealthy family by the name of Jiang?”
Jiang Xingyan’s scalp tingled. She quickly lifted the carriage curtain to look.
Everyone inside had heard it too and leaned out to search.
But today was market day, and elderly men were everywhere along the streets.
They couldn’t pinpoint the direction of the voice.
A heavy weight settled on Jiang Xingyan’s heart.
She didn’t know how to face the man who should be her father.
The initial hatred had turned into overwhelming confusion.
Her mother had loved this man so deeply, and he had so many hidden hardships. Would her mother forgive him?
Jiang Xingyan returned to the military camp in a daze.
Yun Chunfeng followed behind, holding Xiao Ya, silently offering her comfort through his presence.
“General! I’ve done it!”
Tie Shi, a military officer from the Ordnance Camp, burst excitedly into the tent. He held a copper mace in his left hand and an improved spiked club in his right.
“General, these two weapons can definitely take down the Iron Pagoda Cavalry!”
Jiang Xingyan pushed aside her thoughts and looked up. Tie Shi’s face was glowing with excitement.
“The copper mace concentrates all its force into a single point for instant armor-piercing.
And the spiked club, as you know, uses minimal effort for maximum damage.”
He spoke with great animation. Jiang Xingyan stared at him steadily, mentally simulating the scenarios. After a long while, she simply said: “Take your weapons, put on your armor. Meet me at the training ground in one incense stick’s time.
We’ll test it in actual combat.”
Tie Shi readily agreed and bounded off happily.
Jiang Xingyan donned the thick, layered armor of the Iron Pagoda Cavalry, layer by layer. She took no heavy weapon, only a tasseled spear.
On the training ground, Tie Shi charged at her, brandishing his two new weapons.
“General, take this!”
Jiang Xingyan paid him no heed. She drew her tasseled spear with a backhanded motion, flourishing it in a dazzling arc from horseback.
The moment Tie Shi entered her attack range, she raised her hand, and the copper mace flew from his grip.
Before Tie Shi could react, Jiang Xingyan used the shaft of her spear to smack the back of his hand, the one gripping the spiked club.
The pain made him drop it instantly, and he raised his hands in surrender: “General, have mercy! I see what’s wrong!”
Tie Shi showed no sign of discouragement at his defeat.
With a serious expression, he scooped up both weapons from the ground and ran back towards the Ordnance Camp.
“General, there’s an elderly man at the gate asking to see you.
He says he’s looking for Miss Jiang.”