Jiang Xingyan woke up right on time during the Chou hour (1-3 AM).
But this time, something felt off.
Why did it seem like there was someone in her arms?
“Qiu Yan, bring the lamp.”
Hearing her call, Qiu Yan came in carrying an oil lamp.
“Ah! Miss, the General—”
The moment she saw the scene inside the warm chamber, she gasped.
Startled, Jiang Xingyan’s hazy eyes flew open.
“What?!”
There, curled up in her arms, was a person—Huo Ci.
Last night, she and Young Master Yun had been too deeply immersed in each other’s affection. They had unconsciously shut off their physical senses, completely unaware of what was happening in the outside world.
“When did he come in?”
Jiang Xingyan tried to sit up, but her arm was firmly held by Huo Ci.
She had no choice but to lean back against the couch.
Where would Qiu Yan have ever seen such a scene? Her face was already flushed bright red as she stammered in reply: “I, I slept soundly last night too. I didn’t hear anything.”
Jiang Xingyan was both anxious and helpless.
If Yun Ge’er saw this, he’d get angry again.
“What is the young lady doing?”
Hearing this questioning tone, laced with both anger and jealousy, Jiang Xingyan’s anxious heart sank completely.
“Yun Ge’er, let me explain!”
Just then, Huo Ci happened to stir awake. Still holding Jiang Xingyan’s arm, he asked in a soft, sticky-sweet voice: “A Yan, is it time for the morning court session yet?”
Jiang Xingyan felt like she was going crazy.
“Just stop making things worse!”
Huo Ci sounded wronged: “But A Yan said yesterday that we’d better not be apart. When I came back, I had nowhere to sleep, so I just— A Yan won’t blame me, will she? If the Imperial Advisor isn’t happy about it, I can go sleep in the side room again.”
Yun Chunfeng closed his eyes, the veins on his temples throbbing.
Had this man been possessed by a ghost? Or had the blow he suffered last night been too great, leaving him delirious?
Jiang Xingyan got goosebumps all over and quickly pulled her hand back: “Have you lost your mind?!”
“I’ve lost my mind to being in love with A Yan.”
Everyone shuddered with disgust.
“I’m warning you, act normal!”
Huo Ci lowered his head in agreement, but a bitter smile tugged at his lips.
For him, there was a thousand kinds of gentleness, a million kinds of compliance. For me, it’s harsh refusal, not a shred of consideration left?
Even so, he wouldn’t give up easily.
Last night, Huo Ci had secretly made up his mind.
Since he couldn’t meet A Yan in her dreams, he would meet her in her bed.
He was not letting go!
Unwilling to get tangled up in this, Jiang Xingyan took the little maid with a dark expression and announced: “Going to court.”
High above the Huo residence, on a floating white cloud, chubby little feet were crossed, dangling and swinging back and forth.
“My good disciple, this wasn’t my original intention. I hope you can understand, right?”
Yun Chunfeng seemed to sense something and abruptly looked up.
That certain Master suddenly felt a resentful gaze shoot her way.
She didn’t have time to hide and could only smile awkwardly, waving back at him in greeting.
Yun Chunfeng was speechless: Hah, truly my own wonderful Master, repaying kindness with harm and meaning well but causing disaster!
——-
At the morning court session today, Xiao Ao was furious.
He sat cold-faced on the dragon throne, not uttering a single word for a long time.
Throughout the Taihe Hall, only the sounds of rising and falling breaths remained.
The civil and military officials knelt prostrate, cold sweat soaking the fronts of their robes.
“Eldest one, do you know your crime?”
Xiao Mingxu scrambled out, kneeling before Xiao Ao and immediately starting to kowtow.
“I, Your Son, was negligent for a moment and let my subordinates overstep. I beg Father Emperor to punish me!”
— It wasn’t my fault, I just wasn’t paying attention to him.
How could Xiao Chonghua let such a perfect opportunity slip by? He immediately stood up, bowed to Xiao Ao, and said: “Father Emperor, please see clearly. Since ancient times, wicked masters breed wicked servants. My Imperial Brother’s personal conduct is truly worrying.”
— A crooked beam leads to a crooked house. Dare you say you have no faults?
Xiao Mingxu was a bit slower with words, just continuing to kowtow: “Father Emperor, Your Son just returned from Jiangnan. The minor servants and attendants in the palace were all managed by the Crown Prince’s Consort. I suspect they paid lip service but acted otherwise, getting used to bullying others outside the palace. We were completely unaware! Third Brother had them beaten to death at the market entrance yesterday, and I am also willing to accept an additional half-year’s salary deduction to set an example. I wonder what Third Brother said before Father Emperor to incur such great anger.”
— The punishment has been given, the execution carried out. Yet you still won’t let it go, angering Father Emperor. What crime do you deserve?
The Third Prince chuckled lightly: “A prince breaking the law shares the same punishment as a commoner. This Younger Brother merely finds it outrageous that, under Father Emperor’s repeated exhortations before the arrival of the envoys from both countries, my Imperial Brother could still make such a blunder. Isn’t it making us a laughingstock for both nations?”
— Don’t punish the diligent or the lazy, only the clueless ones who cause trouble.
Xiao Mingxu was momentarily speechless.
Xiao Chonghua pressed on relentlessly: “This time it was just bumping into an ordinary commoner. What if it had been an envoy from Great Xia? The consequences would be unimaginable!”
Xiao Mingxu was like a drowning man, grabbing at any straw he could reach.
“Regarding yesterday’s incident, General Huo also witnessed it. I assume Father Emperor won’t just listen to your one-sided story. Everyone knows General Huo is upright and impartial. Why not let him be a witness? Let’s see if this was a minor mistake or a major fault.”
— Huo Ci, your cousin is still in my hands. I don’t believe you’ll truly abandon her.
“Father Emperor, yesterday General Huo and I dealt with the wicked servant together. That wicked servant even took out his whip, intending to strike the woman who was seeking justice for the old man. With such behavior, what is there to bear witness for?”
Xiao Ao watched coldly as his two sons tried to destroy each other, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart. He was still in the prime of his life, yet his two sons were already fighting tooth and nail over his position. It couldn’t help but fill one’s heart with desolation.
“Oh? Since Lord Huo is also present, why not tell us the entire story from beginning to end?”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Jiang Xingyan took a large step forward, knelt very reverently on the ground, and loudly begged for forgiveness.
“Your Majesty, Your Subject has sinned! Yesterday, I investigated and found out the identity of the woman who sought justice for the old man, but due to personal family matters, I failed to report it to Your Majesty in a timely manner. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!”
Both Xiao Mingxu’s and Xiao Chonghua’s hearts skipped a beat simultaneously. A very ominous premonition crept up their spines.
Xiao Chonghua wanted to speak up to stop her, but was pinned down by a sharp glare from Xiao Ao and had to restrain himself.
“Oh? Who is that woman?”
Jiang Xingyan respectfully replied: “She is none other than the sole princess of Great Xia, Princess Huaiwan, Shangguan Luoyue!”
Boom!
Xiao Mingxu was stunned senseless.
Meaning, Zhang Yuan nearly struck Princess Huaiwan yesterday? Even executing him wouldn’t be enough to apologize to the Great Xia ruler!
Xiao Chonghua was even more terrified.
Xiao Ao slammed the dragon throne: “What?!”
Hearing Huo Ci say this, he was genuinely startled. Everyone knew Princess Huaiwan’s place in the heart of the Great Xia ruler. If something had happened to her, would Western Zhou still exist as a nation?
Jiang Xingyan feigned ignorance: “Your Majesty, didn’t the Third Prince report back to you?. I privately think that the Third Prince possesses extraordinary abilities to catch spies, so his skills in investigating people should also be quite good. How come he didn’t find out the woman’s true identity?. Or perhaps he already found out but is concealing it to achieve his own ulterior motives? Who knows?”
Xiao Mingxu and Xiao Chonghua both felt like crying.
We just wanted to drag you down, we didn’t expect you to flip the whole table over!