Xin Zhui trudged back to the Huo mansion in low spirits. The servants at the gate greeted him warmly, ushering him all the way to the Old Madam’s courtyard.
Yinzhu limped forward, her face plastered with an ingratiating smile. “Young General Xin, why hasn’t the General returned with you?”
She wanted news of her sister.
Already irritable, Xin Zhui took one look at the woman’s face—bearing an uncanny resemblance to Jinzhu, who had nearly drowned Xiao Ya—and his temper flared.
He was a straightforward man, his emotions worn plainly on his sleeve.
Huo Ci had reprimanded him countless times, but it never made a dent in his bluntness.
Now, his eyes widened in outrage as he barked, “How dare you, you old crone! Since when is the General’s whereabouts any of your concern?”
His outburst immediately drew the attention of Old Madam Huo inside.
Supported by Baozhu and Yuzhu on either side, she stepped out of the main hall just in time to witness Xin Zhui berating Yinzhu.
Never in her years at the Huo mansion had Yinzhu suffered such humiliation.
Her face flushed and paled in turns before her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed in a dead faint.
Servants scrambled to carry her away as Old Madam Huo studied Xin Zhui’s defiant stance. Not wanting to provoke him further, she signaled Baozhu with a glance.
Baozhu stepped forward, her smile saccharine. “General Xin, is there urgent business that brings you here?”
Out of respect for Huo Ci’s mother, Xin Zhui forced a curt bow and relayed the message through gritted teeth. “The palace will soon send an envoy with an imperial decree. The General asked me to inform you in advance.”
Old Madam Huo gasped.
Even the matrons serving her paled.
Had yesterday’s incident reached the Emperor’s ears?!
Was His Majesty about to punish the Huo family?
Baffled by their funeral-like despair, Xin Zhui frowned. “What’s the matter? The General has been personally promoted to First-Rank General by His Majesty. Aren’t you happy?”
“What?!”
Old Madam Huo couldn’t believe her ears.
“F-First Rank?”
My son is this remarkable?!
Her joy squeezed her eyes into slits, her wrinkled face blooming like a chrysanthemum as she clapped her hands ineptly.
The maids and matrons around her immediately dropped to their knees, showering her with endless streams of flattery.
“Congratulations, Old Madam! This is such glorious news!”
“Our Young General is truly a dragon among men! All thanks to your wise guidance, Old Madam!”
“With such boundless prospects, the Young General will ensure your golden years are filled with endless blessings!”
Xin Zhui had been pleased too—until he remembered this promotion had been requested by the Imperial Preceptor. The realization left a sour taste in his mouth.
Not wanting to join the sycophantic celebration, he turned toward the side courtyard.
Halfway there, he suddenly remembered something and spun back, cutting through the chorus of praise. “Oh, right. There’s also the matter of the General’s wife.”
“She’s been conferred the title of First-Rank Noble Consort. You’d best prepare for that too.”
Boom!
In an instant, Old Madam Huo’s world crumbled.
Her smile froze grotesquely on her face.
The elation she’d felt moments ago curdled into venomous envy.
A merchant’s daughter—how dare she receive a First-Rank title?!
She’s just leeching off my son’s glory!
I served my husband for twenty years, bore him a son, and fulfilled my duty to continue the Huo lineage. Yet only after his tragic death was I granted this honor.
And now that little wretch dares to stand as my equal?!
Dizziness swamped her.
Baozhu and Yuzhu rushed to steady her, their own hearts quaking with fear.
After all the abuse we heaped on Jiang Xingyan… Now that she’s soared to the heavens, will she seek revenge?
When Old Madam Huo finally regained her composure, her eyes opened—glinting with poison.
“Come. To the rear courtyard!”
…..
Huo Ci was tending the kitchen fire.
Years of campaigning had taught him how to control flames for field cooking, and he managed the heat skillfully.
Finding no fault, the maidservant snorted and turned to assist the chef.
Suddenly, the kitchen flooded with people—led by Old Madam Huo herself.
The entire staff dropped to their knees in panic.
Ignoring them all, the Old Madam marched straight to “Jiang Xingyan,” seizing her ear and yanking her outside.
“You lowborn fox-spawn! How dare you ride on my Ci’er’s coattails!”
A merchant’s daughter—what right do you have to stand beside him?!
Huo Ci instinctively clutched his ear, his mind blanking.
Even as he was dragged into the courtyard, he couldn’t comprehend what was happening.
Blind with rage, Old Madam Huo snatched a broom leaning against the wall and began thrashing him.
“This is for dragging my Ci’er down!
A worthless wretch like you, daring to claim equal status with me?!
Look at yourself in the piss-pot—do you have the face to be a Noble Consort?!”
Each strike landed heavier than the last.
The physical pain was nothing compared to the agony in Huo Ci’s heart.
“Kind and benevolent mother”—that had been his unwavering belief for over twenty years.
Now, in an instant, the illusion shattered.
His entire worldview collapsed, demanding reconstruction.
Devastated, Huo Ci barely registered her words.
When Old Madam Huo raised the broom for a blow aimed directly at “Jiang Xingyan’s” face—
“Old Madam, you mustn’t!”
Baozhu threw herself in front of her, while Yuzhu desperately grabbed the broom.
“The imperial envoy will arrive soon—she must receive the decree. If her face is marred, it would reflect poorly on the Huo family. His Majesty might take offense!”
“Indeed, Old Madam,” Yuzhu added quickly. “It’s not her that’s worthy of the title—it’s the position of the General’s principal wife that holds the rank.”
The words struck like lightning.
Of course.
Jiang Xingyan had always been beneath notice.
What mattered was who occupied the role of the General’s wife.
The Huo mansion bears the name Huo—not Jiang.
With a snort, Old Madam Huo tossed the broom aside. “Clean her up. Don’t let her shame our Huo name!”
Huo Ci lay in the dirt, his body burning with pain.
The weight of his guilt toward Jiang Xingyan grew heavier, more suffocating.
This life—he couldn’t endure it for even a day.
Yet she had lived it for three long years.