Chapter 063: Thank You for Saving My Life!
The matter had even reached the Emperor’s ears!
Empress Jiang felt a faint headache creeping in and could only instruct Madam Fang to help Huo Yunhua up before inviting Tao Renzhi in to speak.
Consort Zhao, still fuming, sat back down on her chair. Princess Lin’an had never seen her mother so out of sorts and, feeling uneasy, she grasped her mother’s hand, whispering to comfort her, “Mother, please…”
Consort Zhao’s anger finally subsided a little.
Tao Renzhi entered from outside the hall, bowing deeply. “This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress, His Highness the Crown Prince, and all the honored ladies and nobles present.”
Empress Jiang raised her hand slightly, signaling him to rise. “Is everything proceeding smoothly at the Emperor’s banquet?”
“Your Majesty, all is well. The banquet has just concluded, and His Majesty is concerned for Princess Lin’an. He has specially sent this servant to check if the Princess is unharmed,” replied Tao Renzhi.
As he entered, he saw Huo Yunhua crouched in a corner, tear-stained and bruised. Yet, being an experienced servant with remarkable composure, he paid it no mind and answered Empress Jiang’s questions with calm assurance.
Upon hearing this, Princess Lin’an immediately stood and replied softly, “Thank you, Father, for your concern, and thank you, Eunuch Tao, for making this trip. I am unharmed.”
“Your Highness is blessed, and it is a relief that you are well,” Tao Renzhi said, before returning his gaze solemnly to Empress Jiang. “Your Majesty, just now Lord Huo Wenshan entered the palace at night seeking audience and has already been summoned to the imperial study by His Majesty. His Majesty has specially asked this old servant to deliver a message: since it is late, those not involved should be sent out of the palace as soon as Your Majesty deems fit, and then Your Majesty, Consort Xian, Princess Lin’an, and the two young ladies of the Huo family are to proceed to the imperial study.”
When Huo Wenshan knelt outside the palace gates begging to be seen, he was witnessed by many courtiers and noblewomen leaving the palace, stirring much speculation. The Emperor’s decision to send everyone else away was clearly to keep the matter from escalating further. Ultimately, it was all for the sake of Princess Lin’an’s reputation.
Empress Jiang nodded. “Very well. Return and inform His Majesty that as soon as I have made arrangements here, I shall come to the imperial study.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” replied Tao Renzhi, neither hurried nor slow, bowing as he withdrew.
Upon hearing that Huo Wenshan had come in person, Huo Yunhua grew somewhat calmer, but having been so severely kicked by Consort Zhao, she hurt everywhere and remained terrified, kneeling and trembling, not daring to look up.
“Fang Jin, go and see that the ladies in the rear hall are sent out of the palace. Say nothing more—just inform them that there was an incident at Huayang Palace today that frightened everyone. The palace will compensate them another day,” Empress Jiang instructed Madam Fang, then swept her gaze over those present.
Wu Tan, with calm dignity, spoke up, “Your Majesty, though His Majesty has decreed that I should say no more, you have seen what just transpired. May I ask, Your Majesty, do the malicious accusations Miss Huo made against my brother count for anything? Our Wu family, though not as illustrious as Lord Huo’s, is nonetheless a proper household with generations of honor. If tonight’s events are not clearly resolved, I fear my entire family will spend the night in anxiety.”
Huo Wenshan had hurried into the palace, no doubt seeking to salvage his children’s reputation. Given that Princess Lin’an’s name was at stake, it was natural for the Emperor to want as few people as possible involved. But in this state of uncertainty, the Wu family needed an answer.
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As soon as she finished, the Princess of Qingyang, ever one to stir the pot, broke into a sly smile. “Family honor? Miss Wu, that is a choice phrase! The stories about Grand Preceptor Huo have been quite the talk lately—I’ve heard them myself. Now, with today’s incident involving his son and daughter, I find myself not the least surprised.”
The Huo family had only just begun to weather the storm of Grand Preceptor Huo’s scandal, yet today brought further disgrace with his son’s amorous poetry tarnishing another’s name. Even though Huo Yunhua denied everything, and the main parties hadn’t yet faced each other, it was hard not to see a pattern—there was precedent, and the Huo family’s reputation for troublemaking was well earned.
Huo Yunhua, burning with shame, instinctively wanted to protest, but knowing the Princess of Qingyang’s sharp tongue, she dared not cross her and could only dig her nails into her palm and endure in silence.
Kneeling quietly behind, Huo Yunhao kept her head lowered, face flushed with humiliation.
Princess Qingyang laughed on, amused.
Li Xun’er tugged at her sleeve, whining softly, “Mother, since Uncle the Emperor is taking care of Cousin, let’s go. We shouldn’t delay Her Majesty the Empress from seeing His Majesty.”
Princess Qingyang was tempted to stay and see how the drama unfolded, but being the Emperor’s half-sister rather than a full sibling, she chose discretion and did not risk inviting trouble. She rose, offering a respectful bow to Empress Jiang. “Your Majesty, I shall take my leave.”
“Changping takes her leave as well!” Li Xun’er also bowed.
“Go on, it’s getting dark. Be careful on your way,” Empress Jiang nodded graciously.
“Yes!” Princess Qingyang replied, turning to leave.
Li Xun’er, bold as ever, quickly hurried ahead to Wu Qinglin, dipped into a swift curtsy, and said, “Thank you for saving my life, Lord Wu!”
Her eyes sparkled, cheeks flushed, and though she didn’t dare look at Wu Qinglin directly, she stole a shy glance at him before scampering after her mother.
Her intentions were plain to see, and Wu Qinglin frowned slightly.
Princess Qingyang, seeing her daughter’s boldness, understood her thoughts perfectly but was quickly tugged away by Li Xun’er.
Meanwhile, Consort Zhao observed the scene, her expression flickering as she pressed her lips together, deep in thought.
Empress Jiang now turned to the Wu siblings. “His Majesty and I have always trusted the Marquis of Dingyuan and his son. I witnessed the young lord’s bravery in rescuing people from the fire tonight with my own eyes. You two may leave the palace without worry. Though the matter was chaotic and remains unresolved, once the truth is found, I will see that your family receives a fair answer.”
Though Wu Tan seemed headstrong and reckless, her conflict with Huo Yunhua tonight was not without reason. Empress Jiang, disinclined toward Huo Yunhua, held no real malice toward Wu Tan; on the contrary, her favoritism was clear in her words.
Wu Tan, who was not easily cowed, knew not to press the issue further. She and Wu Qinglin knelt to offer thanks before taking their leave.
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As they departed, Wu Tan couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. Trusting her instincts, she glanced back—
And there sat the young Crown Prince, Xiao Yun, his face cold, eyes fixed on her with a chilling intensity.
Wu Tan knew she had caused quite a stir tonight, but she had never lived her life for Xiao Yun’s approval. Though he was always picking on her, causing all sorts of trouble, she cared little for his opinion, and so ignored him, following Wu Qinglin out.
They concerned themselves no further with what happened next. On their way out of the palace, guided by a eunuch, they remained silent for convenience’s sake.
Once beyond the palace gates, most of the other households had already departed, and their own carriage was in sight.
After a few steps, Wu Qinglin suddenly stopped, his expression grave as he turned to Wu Tan. “There’s been a development I need to tell you about.”
His serious tone made Wu Tan a little nervous. “What is it?”
Wu Qinglin replied, “I’ve already investigated—within the Huo household, Huo Yunhua’s closest accomplice is Third Young Master Huo Changyu. The matter with the birth characters last time was also their doing. Huo Yunhua is cunning and always leaves herself an escape, so it’s unlikely she wrote the original note. But after comparing the handwriting on today’s letter with the previous note, I discovered—it wasn’t written by Huo Changyu either.”
Though the affair with the birth registry was past, its problems remained. Not only did Huo Yunhua know the details, but any servant who had attended the Wu family then could, if questioned, recall Wu Tan’s exact birthdate.
As the matter involved a crime of deceiving the sovereign, everyone in the Wu family was careful. Wu Tan kept the note bearing Huo Yunhua’s signature and seal, both to hold leverage over her and as a piece of evidence for self-protection if needed. Every detail had to be confirmed precisely—nothing could be left ambiguous.
Now, with the identity of the note’s author unknown, Wu Qinglin feared this might be a smokescreen planted by Huo Yunhua in advance, leaving him unsettled by the turn of events…
He told Wu Tan to warn her to be more alert for the time being, but upon hearing this, Wu Tan only blinked, then suddenly smiled with sly amusement.
—End of excerpt—
It seems, judging by the situation, that eldest brother is about to embark on a tight campaign to cut off unwanted romantic pursuits…
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