Yun Chunfeng still dared not raise his head.
He was afraid the tears covering his face would make him look too wretched.
Jiang Xingyan reached out and lifted his face, using her palm to wipe away his tears.
Just like when he used to comfort her when they were young.
“Brother Yun, when I recognized you, do you know how happy I was?”
Yun Chunfeng’s tears fell even more.
“It felt like I had family again.”
Jiang Xingyan cupped Yun Chunfeng’s face.
Yun Chunfeng’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as he gradually lifted his gaze.
Until they saw their own reflections in each other’s eyes.
The world fell silent, leaving only the synchronized beating of two hearts.
“I am so happy that you would do so much for me.”
“Though I do not understand the ways of Heaven, it surely would not let human lives be treated as worthless.”
“Brother Yun… just how much suffering have you endured?”
Jiang Xingyan’s hand covered Yun Chunfeng’s eyes, her voice now choked with sobs.
“The hardships of cultivation, the pain of punishment… you endured it all for me. Was it worth it?”
Yun Chunfeng grabbed her hand and pressed it firmly against his own chest, eager to prove his point. “For the Young Mistress, it is the most worthy thing in the world.”
“Brother Yun has no regrets. Never any regrets.”
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Jiang Xingyan felt a powerful heartbeat, transmitted through his chest, striking against her fingertips.
It was Brother Yun’s most sincere devotion to her.
She lowered her head shyly, curling her fingers. “In this lifetime, take good care of yourself. Do that for me too.”
“Good. Brother Yun only listens to the Young Mistress.”
Bang, bang, bang.
The watchman’s clapper sounded, marking the third watch.
Jiang Xingyan sat bolt upright in bed with a start.
Looking down, she saw she was still Huo Ci.
This damned muscle memory meant Huo Ci’s body would jolt awake at the third watch every night.
This time was especially inconvenient.
Jiang Xingyan sighed, resigned to getting up, washing, and preparing for the morning court session.
In the side room, the similarly awakened Yun Chunfeng shook his head with a wry smile, wiping the remaining tears from the corner of his eye.
Perhaps after court today, the Young Mistress could finally secure that divorce from that man.
——-
Huo Ci had originally intended to stick to Jiang Xingyan like a shadow from now on.
But returning to the servant’s quarters, he found himself unable to sleep.
He simply sat up, waiting straight until the Chou hour arrived to go to court with them.
Unexpectedly, right at the third watch, he suddenly fell asleep.
When he awoke again in a daze, it was already the Chen hour.
He hurriedly put on the clothes Chunxue had prepared in advance and went outside to look.
The entire compound was empty, save for him alone.
Even Wang Qi had gone with Dongyang to manage the shops.
Huo Ci felt an unprecedented sense of desolation and loneliness.
He hastily ate his breakfast and sat listlessly in the back garden, staring into space.
Did the former Jiang Xingyan used to wait for his return like this too?
Catching occasional glimpses of the bustling maids and servants, a dull ache bloomed belatedly in Huo Ci’s heart.
She would never have had such leisure.
His mother would send people to harass and torment her before dawn even broke.
After a busy day, she still had to submit to beatings and punishments.
When would she have had the time to think of him?
And even if she did think of him, what use was it?
Huo Ci could only hate himself; he couldn’t blame anyone else.
“Madam, someone from the side courtyard sent a message to ask how the Old Madam’s allowance should be distributed?”
It wasn’t until the steward of the side courtyard called out to him several times that Huo Ci snapped back to reality.
“…How was it done before?”
The steward produced an account book and answered carefully, according to the records: “Five hundred taels daily.”
“What?!”
Huo Ci shot to his feet, shocked.
His annual salary, with all its various supplements combined, was only fifty thousand taels.
Half was used to subsidize the Huo Army. The remainder, besides covering the household expenses, also had to pay the monthly wages for all the maids and servants.
His mother alone required five hundred taels a day for her personal allowance?
Who had been making up the shortfall was it goes without saying.
Huo Ci was utterly ashamed.
No matter how hard it was to believe, the accounts written in black and white were right before his eyes.
“How could it possibly cost that much?”
The steward replied respectfully, “Although this humble one was only purchased and brought into the mansion recently by the General, I have made some private inquiries.”
“The Old Madam requires three main meals a day – breakfast, lunch, and dinner – interspersed with several servings of seasonal fruits, the latest pastries from Wufang Zhai, and appetizing pickles from Liubiju.”
“In summer, she needs thick ice for cooling; in winter, heated floors for warmth.”
“During festivals and holidays, she hosts banquets to invite the noble ladies and matrons of the capital, either for flower viewing excursions or boating trips on the lake.”
“Her regular clothes for the four seasons and her ceremonial dresses for specific occasions are all newly made each season.”
“This humble one privately thought that although the Old Madam is currently residing in the side courtyard, her allowance should not be reduced.”
“However, the Young Lady is also in the side courtyard, reflecting on her mistakes behind closed doors.”
“If the Old Madam continues this way, I fear it might cause discord between the aunt and niece, which would be detrimental to the peace of the household.”
Huo Ci couldn’t help but look favorably upon the person Jiang Xingyan had bought and brought in.
Even a mere steward of the side courtyard could report matters so logically and with such compelling reasoning, leaving no fault to be found in terms of sentiment or principle.
He had never handled household affairs before, and with his own mother involved, it was even harder to decide.
The side courtyard steward offered a suggestion at the opportune moment: “Perhaps Madam could accompany me to the side courtyard to see for herself, so a decision can be made?”
Huo Ci quickly nodded. “That’s an excellent idea. Take me there.”
Following the steward’s steps, he had just entered the side courtyard when he heard his mother’s voice inside, shouting and cursing: “You have some nerve! How dare you place me under house arrest just because I’m staying here temporarily!”
“Let me out! I’ll have my son judge this!”
The four guards turned a deaf ear.
The few rough-handed maidservants specifically left in the courtyard still remembered the Young General’s instructions: “I say, Old Madam, you should just rest. You’ve been relegated to the side courtyard, what authority are you still trying to flaunt?”
“Exactly, stop making such a racket, it’s truly annoying.”
Before Old Madam Huo could react further, Huo Ci had already approached.
The rough maidservants immediately put on terrified expressions, kneeling on the spot and kowtowing repeatedly.
“Young Madam, this old servant truly knows her wrongs! It was all the Old Madam’s orders before! Please, be magnanimous and don’t hold it against a lowly person…”
“Silence!”
Huo Ci felt a vein throbbing on his forehead.
How could people be so shameless and without integrity.
Unexpectedly, Old Madam Huo couldn’t stand it any longer. She pointed at ‘Jiang Xingyan’s’ nose and scolded, “You wretched hussy! Since when does the Huo Family your turn to dictate orders and issue commands?”
“Who knows what kind of seductive tricks you used to make Ci’er disregard his own birth mother!”
“And now you come here putting on a hypocritical act? Pah! It makes me sick to my stomach!”
“Heaven has no eyes! When the main beam in the master room collapsed last night, why didn’t it just crush you to death?”
“That vengeful ghost Jin Zhu was useless too! She should have taken you straight to the underworld!”
Huo Ci froze instantly.
Last night, he had rushed to check on his mother’s safety and saw Jin Zhu’s corpse, contorted in an extremely grotesque posture, squeezing in through the skylight.
His mother had screamed in terror.
He had grabbed a wooden club and forced Jin Zhu back.
Jin Zhu seemed to be very afraid of him, hesitating and not daring to advance.
His mother had noticed this too and pleaded tearfully, “Xiao Yan, Mother was wrong, please don’t hold a grudge against me, alright?”
“Protect me. Once we get through this, I promise I’ll treat you well, make it up to you, I won’t let Ci’er take any concubines, I’ll agree to anything you say.”
Once the crisis passed, she had completely changed her tune.
Huo Ci smiled bitterly.
His wonderful mother.
Her sweet talk came so easily to her. Who knows how many times A Yan had been deceived by her.
“From now on, the total daily allowance for everyone in the side courtyard must not exceed one tael of silver.”