As soon as they returned to the general’s manor and Xin Zhui jumped down from the carriage, Jiang Xingyan grabbed him by the collar and dragged him inside.
Xin Zhui scrambled awkwardly to keep up with the forced movement.
Wang Fu, an honest man, was terrified by this scene and stood frozen at the gate.
It was Wang Qi, more perceptive, who quickly stepped forward and had the main doors opened.
“Please escort the Young Mistress to the main hall!”
Huo Ci, hearing that Jiang Xingyan had returned, hurried out to meet her.
The moment he stepped into the main hall, he saw Xin Zhui, covered in blood, being held firmly by a furious Jiang Xingyan.
His heart sank with panic, and he quickly tried to distance himself. “A-Yan, has he upset you again? Just punish him properly, don’t let him ruin your health.”
Xin Zhui snorted and turned his head away.
As if you’re any better!
Jiang Xingyan gave a cold laugh. “Today, he knelt outside the command tent offering a token punishment, demanding that I switch back with his general. He threatened to spread the news about the body swap otherwise. He warned me that causing panic within the Huo army would be a minor issue, but if it reached the Emperor’s ears, it would be a major disaster. So I brought him back to the manor, to let him properly persuade you to sign the divorce agreement. It would be a virtuous deed for you, for me, and for all the soldiers in the army.”
Xin Zhui stared in shocked horror.
That’s not what happened, I didn’t! I went to apologize!
But seeing the sidelong, contemptuous look in Jiang Xingyan’s eyes, he swallowed his arguments whole.
Huo Ci was both frantic and furious, feeling like he could kill Xin Zhui himself. He grabbed Xin Zhui’s wrist, gritting his teeth as he scolded him, “I told you to serve A-Yan properly as her assistant! What is this nonsense you’re pulling now!”
Xin Zhui looked at him.
The bitterness is indescribable.
“Enough,” Jiang Xingyan interjected. “Sign it now, and we might still make it to the magistrate’s office before they close for the day to separate mine and Xiao Ya’s household registrations.”
Xia Feng, standing nearby, deftly opened a bamboo tube, unrolled the pre-written divorce agreement onto the desk, and smoothed it out. Jiang Xingyan had already signed both copies herself; they only awaited Huo Ci pressing her fingerprint onto them.
Huo Ci clasped his hands behind his back, retreating two steps, his face a mix of panic and anguish. “No, I don’t want a divorce. A-Yan, please, I’m begging you, don’t divorce me.”
His eyes welled with tears. He had only recently come to understand his own heart, realizing just how deeply he cared for her. How could they be getting a divorce now? He didn’t want to let go!
Memories of their time together flashed vividly before his eyes: Jiang Xingyan sitting on the swing under the tree, her eyes shimmering like liquid light, watching him intently as he practiced his sword forms in the courtyard. That was the first time he had ever fumbled his grip. The sword flew from his hand, landing straight in the backyard pond. In that moment, he had even forgotten the Huo family sword techniques he had practiced countless times. That was the moment the seed of affection had been planted within him.
So why had it taken him so long to see it clearly? A wave of regret and shame washed over him, making it hard to bear.
“An urgent report from the border requires leading five hundred elite cavalry to Qingzhou to recapture the iron mines seized by Bei Luo,” Yun Chunfeng stated, cutting straight to the point without further engaging with Huo Ci. “Huo Ci, if you don’t sign, do you intend to have the Young Mistress go in your place?”
Only then did Xin Zhui grasp the full situation, his eyes widening in terror. The general’s wife had never studied military strategy! If she went recklessly, not only might she suffer heavy losses, but she could very well lose her life there!
Blurting out without thinking, he added, “General, press the fingerprint quickly! Switch back with the general’s wife! You can’t keep compounding your mistakes!”
Even though he disapproved of Huo Ci’s actions, this was, after all, the only son of the old General Huo, the brilliant commander who had led them to countless victories over the years. He still had to try and help him. Right now, the general’s wife felt nothing but hatred for the general. If the general stubbornly clung to the marriage contract, it would only breed more resentment.
As the art of war says: ‘No breakthrough without destruction, place them in peril and they will survive, trap them in a fatal situation and they will then live.’ Why not agree to an amicable, dignified divorce, and then win her back afterwards? The general was truly blinded by his own involvement.
Xin Zhui gritted his teeth.
If only Old General Huo had had another son, I wouldn’t be in such a dilemma.
“General, sign it! Do you truly intend to disregard the lady’s life?”
Yun Chunfeng gave Xin Zhui a strange look.
Since when did this guy become so glib? Shouldn’t he be persuading Huo Ci from the standpoint of duty and loyalty to the state? Why is he suddenly concerned about the Young Mistress’s safety?
Jiang Xingyan remained silent, sitting in the armchair, her gaze fixed indifferently on Huo Ci.
Huo Ci bit his lower lip, tears streaming down his face.
Suddenly, Jiang Xingyan found it somewhat laughable. He had once, in a fit of anger, threatened to divorce her. Back then, she had been the one crying just as miserably. And Huo Ci? He had watched her expressionlessly, just as she was watching him now. Even though their positions were reversed, on the surface, the scene seemed almost identical.
An inexplicable irritation rose within her.
Why is it always me who ends up crying?
“Huo Ci, stop crying using my body this instant!” she ordered.
Huo Ci hurriedly lowered his gaze, turning away to wipe his tears. As he looked up again, he saw Xiao Ya staring intently at him, seemingly deep in thought.
Seeing his daughter so thin and small, Huo Ci’s heart ached with unbearable pain. This was the consequence of his own misdeeds. He could no longer bind them with his mistakes. The general’s manor was their nightmare, a long-overdue bad dream that needed to end.
“Fine,” he said, his voice heavy. “I’ll press the fingerprint.”
He walked forward. Each step felt like treading on knife blades, cutting his heart to shreds. The distance of less than ten feet seemed to take an eternity.
When he finally reached the desk and saw the divorce agreement clearly, the black characters on white paper stated:
“Now, the man named Huo Ci and the woman Jiang Xingyan, finding resentment deep-rooted and mutual aversion strong, have agreed upon a consensual separation, using this as proof. Henceforth, they part to pursue their own paths, and shall never meet again.”
Each word that jumped into Huo Ci’s eyes turned into a sharp blade, mangling his heart. His hand trembled as he pressed it onto the red ink paste.
He had promised not to cry using A-Yan’s body again, yet the teardrops staining the paper betrayed another broken promise.
Xin Zhui turned his head away.
They say the greatest pain is when a son wishes to care for his parents, but they are no longer there. But isn’t it just as painful to finally recognize one’s true feelings, only to find the beloved’s heart has already turned cold?
Just as Huo Ci’s finger was about an inch from the divorce agreement, a clear, young voice suddenly rang out.
“Father.”
Jiang Xingyan was startled, shooting to her feet.
Yun Chunfeng’s fingers, holding the feather fan, tightened abruptly.
Huo Ci looked at Xiao Ya, both surprised and hopeful.
Xiao Ya stared directly at him, her expression unreadable.
Bad Father hadn’t always been so bad.
When he first returned home, he had liked Xiao Ya very much. He had held her high in the air, put her on his shoulders, and bought her candy. Bad Father was very tall; sitting on his back, Xiao Ya was even taller. It was the first time she had seen so far.
She had wanted to tell Father that Grandmother kept bullying Mother. But she hadn’t known how to speak yet.
Then, one day, Father wanted to take her away from Mother. She knew then that the bad Grandmother must have said something bad about Mother again. She had only cried and said ‘bad Grandmother’ once, and after that, Father didn’t like Xiao Ya anymore.
Even though Grandmother was bad, she was Father’s mother. If anyone said bad things about Mother, Xiao Ya wouldn’t like them either.
So, Father should go and take good care of his own mother.
“Father,” Xiao Ya said calmly, “you go take care of your mother. Xiao Ya will take care of Xiao Ya’s mother. This way, Mother won’t be bullied by your mother anymore.”
Jiang Xingyan’s eyes reddened instantly. She could no longer hold back, turning around to hide her flowing tears.
Huo Ci stood frozen in place. After a long moment, he gave a bitter smile. Two clear trails of tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Okay,” he whispered hoarsely. “Father promises you.”