Huo Ci quickly stood up and turned around, confirming that Jiang Xingyan’s body was unharmed before he could relax.
What had just happened was a dream, yet it wasn’t.
It was the reappearance of his missing memories from his previous life.
It chilled him to the bone.
Yun Chunfeng had loved A Yan deeply.
But this person was too extreme and stubborn. If he one day let go of his obsession, he would only hurt A Yan even more.
Huo Ci closed his eyes and changed his clothes with practiced ease.
A Yan didn’t have to favor him anymore, but she also shouldn’t pin all her hopes on Yun Chunfeng.
He had to warn her.
Thinking this, Huo Ci stepped out of the side room.
The lights in the main room were already on.
Yun Chunfeng stood tall and graceful by the window, speaking to Jiang Xingyan about something.
Huo Ci hurried over. “Husband, what happened? Does your wife need to go and check?”
Yun Chunfeng glanced at him indifferently, seeming to know what he had just dreamed. He simply stopped pretending, openly releasing a bloodthirsty aura in front of him.
Huo Ci tensed his body, enduring the fear in his heart, and listened to Jiang Xingyan’s arrangements.
Jiang Xingyan should have gone over herself, but Xiao Ya needed to hold her arm to sleep tonight; pulling it out even a little would startle her awake.
She knew Xiao Ya still had lingering fears about the General’s Manor, and her heart ached too much to leave her side for even a step.
Added to that, the servant reported that the scream had come from the Old Madam in the main courtyard, which made her even less inclined to get involved.
Let whoever’s mother it was, deal with her.
She was just about to have the maids and servants waiting outside wake Huo Ci and send him over.
Unexpectedly, Yun Chunfeng was the first to arrive. “General,” he said, “This humble one has detected a trace of ghostly aura and wishes to investigate.”
Jiang Xingyan, worried Yun Chunfeng might be slighted, had even considered picking up Xiao Ya and going together.
She hadn’t expected Huo Ci to actually show some initiative and offer to go himself.
“Mm. Since you are so filial, you may go with the State Preceptor to take a look.”
The two walked towards the main courtyard in silence.
Huo Ci suddenly stopped and turned to Yun Chunfeng. “I don’t know what price you paid in our previous life to avenge A Yan.”
“But I don’t want you to give A Yan hope, only to let her down later.”
Yun Chunfeng found this amusing. “And from what position, may I ask, are you lecturing me?”
Huo Ci’s face grew warm, but he spoke his mind directly. “I’m not lecturing. I’m just worried.”
“I caused the deaths of A Yan and Xiao Ya. It’s an unforgivable sin.”
“So, I don’t want you to, just because of a momentary obsession—”
“Obsession?” Yun Chunfeng chuckled coldly. “If it were truly just an obsession, I have ten thousand ways to have you die quietly without a sound back when you were adrift in Jiangnan.”
Yun Chunfeng looked at Huo Ci with a heavy gaze. “You were a good match, otherwise Old Master Jiang wouldn’t have chosen you.”
“But you are a coward.”
“You didn’t dare acknowledge the desires deep in your heart. You didn’t dare accept your feelings for the Young Lady.”
“You were afraid it would make you ‘long on romance, short on heroism’.”
“You were afraid you would disregard filial piety to dote on one person exclusively.”
“But you still fail to understand: when filial piety has too much folly, it becomes unfilial.”
“It was your blind obedience and trust that personally sent your mother to her doom.”
Yun Chunfeng paused, suppressing the boiling killing intent in his heart.
“You simply don’t understand what it means to hold one person in your heart, making all others pale in comparison.”
“So, you would assumed that I will follow in your footsteps.”
“Great General Huo, you are truly arrogant to the extreme.”
His words were like sharp arrows, piercing straight into the softest part of Huo Ci’s heart.
“However, there is one thing you can rest assured about.”
“The Young Lady was never someone who couldn’t live without a support.”
“She is fine.”
“Even if she is not with anyone in the future, she will still live very well.”
Yun Chunfeng turned and left, leaving a stunned Huo Ci behind.
He had rarely spoken so much, and to Huo Ci of all people.
It was only because he didn’t want anyone to misunderstand the sincerity of his feelings for the Young Lady.
And he would not allow anyone to look down on her.
Yun Chunfeng’s words stirred up a tidal wave in Huo Ci’s heart.
Having lived a second life, how could he still have made no progress?
——-
Old Madam Huo’s mouth was parched. She pushed herself up to sit, and in her dazed state, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a human figure flashing past the window.
“Baozhu, what are you doing standing outside the window?”
Whoosh!
The figure, hearing the sound, suddenly turned back and stood plainly visible before the window.
When she clearly saw the shape of the figure, Old Madam Huo was immediately terrified into stillness.
It… had no head.
“Ah! Help! Baozhu! Yuzhu! There’s a ghost!”
Yuzhu, who had been caned and had her tongue cut out, was running a high fever.
Hearing the Old Madam’s shrill scream, she still forced herself to stand up and light a lamp.
Baozhu was also awake. She followed the Old Madam’s gaze, but there was nothing on the window screen.
“Old Madam, did you have a nightmare?”
The Old Madam was both frightened and angry. “I’m not so senile yet!”
“Go open the window and check.”
Baozhu had just opened the window latch when, before she could lean out, a figure flashed into view from beside the window.
Terrified, she gasped and shrank back inside.
A blood-stained hand reached in.
“J-Jinzhu?!”
Standing outside the window was a headless female corpse, missing its right arm.
Who else could it be but Jinzhu?
The corpse’s hand, failing to grab Baozhu, stretched stiffly forward.
Baozhu, scared out of her wits, fell to the floor and scrambled back on hands and knees.
Jinzhu had no intention of letting her go. She pressed one hand on the windowsill, preparing to climb into the room.
Snapping back to her senses, Old Madam Huo finally began screaming for help.
Soon, several servants had surrounded the main courtyard.
Yun Chunfeng and Huo Ci also arrived.
Yun Chunfeng waited outside. Huo Ci pushed the door open and saw Old Madam Huo and her two maids huddled in the corner of the bed, their eyes fixed on the window in terror.
He looked back. The space was empty, save for the open window.
“What happened?”
“Get out! Send Ci’er here!”
“Since when do I need your false concern?”
Huo Ci looked at his mother in astonishment.
Even at a time like this, she showed not a shred of remorse.
He frowned. “Now that I hold the authority to manage the General’s household, I naturally have reason to be concerned for you, Mother.”
This only made things worse. At his words, Old Madam Huo even forgot her fear.
She jumped up from the bed and pointed at his nose, cursing him. “You vile seductress! Fox spirit!”
“What kind of bewitching potion have you fed my Ci’er?”
“He doesn’t even acknowledge his own mother anymore!”
“You’ve made him bear the charge of being unfilial, and that makes you happy, doesn’t it!”
Huo Ci was rendered speechless.
She was simply incapable of communicating properly with A Yan.
She just plain disliked A Yan.
So, whatever A Yan said or did was wrong.
Huo Ci pressed his lips together and went out.
Facing Yun Chunfeng’s mocking gaze, he felt ashamed.
But for his mother’s safety, he swallowed his pride, clasped his hands, and requested his help.
“State Preceptor, I beg your assistance in investigating this.”
“Nothing to investigate.”
“Loyal servants who die unjustly often turn into vengeful spirits seeking revenge.”
“The more loyal they were in life, the fiercer the vengeful spirit they become.”
“If it didn’t succeed this time, it will come again tomorrow.”
“It won’t stop until it has slain its enemies with its own hands.”
“It’s as simple as that.”
Yun Chunfeng shrugged and turned to leave.
Huo Ci hurriedly stopped him. “State Preceptor, is there a way to resolve this?”
Yun Chunfeng lightly fanned himself with his feather fan, glancing sideways at Huo Ci.
“Let’s not even mention that my expertise lies in divination and alchemy, not exorcism.”
“Even if I had a method, why would I tell you?”
“She just now spoke recklessly, spewing nonsense at the Young Lady’s body.”
“The fact that I didn’t charge in and run her through with a sword is me sparing her life.”
“Don’t push your luck, Great General Huo.”
“You know my methods.”
Yun Chunfeng snorted coldly and moved to leave.
Huo Ci gritted his teeth and blocked his path. “State Preceptor, the mistakes my mother made in the past… let me bear the blame alone, as repayment for her raising me.”
“From now on, I will not indulge her in harming anyone else.”
“I beg you, for I truly repent—”
“Stop.”
“Your sincere repentance is worthless to me.”
“What are you two talking about?”
“Huo Ci’s” voice rang out. Both men fell silent and put distance between them.
After the two men left, Xiao Ya had woken up.
Jiang Xingyan thought it over and felt uneasy.
So she got dressed properly, picked up Xiao Ya, and came to see for herself.
Jiang Xingyan, holding Xiao Ya, passed through the moon gate and saw Yun Chunfeng looking displeased and Huo Ci appearing utterly wretched.
It seemed they had had a disagreement.
How was that possible?
Brother Yun was always so calm; he hadn’t even gotten angry at her while in Huo Ci’s body, so why would he target her now?
A thought struck Jiang Xingyan like lightning: Does Brother Yun… did he know all along?