Jiang Xingyan clenched her fingers, ready to explode, when she heard Yun Chunfeng let out a cold snort:
“General Huo, what a fine display of duplicity—one face in public, another in private. You had the soldiers recite that so-called code of conduct just a moment ago, and now you turn a blind eye to your own mother harming others. Is there no justice left? Is there no law?”
Jiang Xingyan’s heart tightened.
Yun Ge’er was saying this to remind her that Xiao Ao’s secret guards were watching.
She thought it over briefly and quickly grasped the full picture.
“Huo Ci’s” transformation had been too sudden. How could someone as cautious and suspicious as Xiao Ao not investigate thoroughly?
It seemed the matter of Old Madam Huo abusing servants at the General’s residence had likely already reached the emperor’s ears.
If she showed even a hint of impatience or disgust today, all the effort she’d put into her act over the past days would be wasted.
From then on, she would never be able to win Xiao Ao’s trust again.
So she forcefully suppressed the fury surging within her, put herself in Huo Ci’s shoes, mimicked his tone and mannerisms, darkened her expression, and shot back at Yun Chunfeng in a cold voice:
“National Master, you’re overstepping. This is this General’s family matter—it’s none of your business as an outsider.”
Huo Ci, who had been following behind them, quickly caught up to their line of thought after his initial shock.
However, the shame and embarrassment he felt were uniquely his own.
Yun Chunfeng, of course, wasn’t one to back down. He simply treated the young lady before him as if she were the real Huo Ci:
“Heh, matters of state, family affairs, and all under heaven—aren’t they all under His Majesty’s jurisdiction?
Come tomorrow, I will surely report this to His Majesty and see how the laws of the Western Zhou Dynasty deal with officials who arbitrarily abuse their servants and show reckless disregard for human life!”
The secret guard hidden in the shadows saw with his own eyes “Huo Ci’s” gaze sharpen, his eyes brimming with murderous intent as he stared at Yun Chunfeng.
His hand had even moved to his sword hilt, as if he were about to draw his blade and take the National Master’s life in the very next instant.
“Huo Ci” seethed with anger: “Yun Chunfeng! What right do you have to lecture this General!”
Yun Chunfeng let out a cold laugh: “Heh, General, don’t forget—Wang Qi was hired by me. Their contracts of servitude are still in my possession.
They’re merely stationed at your residence to help with affairs—how could they be subjected to such humiliation?
When your esteemed mother punishes Wang Fu, she’s slapping my face!
Today, I will see justice done for the Wang brothers, Wang Qi and Wang Fu!”
“Huo Ci” sneered: “The National Master sure knows how to twist words.
How do you know it wasn’t that servant who first disrespected my mother?
Could it be that this General, a top-ranking official of the court, doesn’t even have the right to have his own mother discipline a mere servant?”
Yun Chunfeng said nothing more and simply gave Wang Qi an order: “Go to the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice. Invite Minister Cui and Lord Liu here.
Tell them that I, Yun Chunfeng, cordially invite the two esteemed lords to the General’s residence to adjudicate this case!”
Wang Qi stood frozen in place, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
He couldn’t understand why the General, who had always been so good to them, had suddenly become like a completely different person.
His words were so hurtful.
“…Wang Qi?”
It wasn’t until Yun Chunfeng called him a second time that he jolted back to his senses.
The General’s past instructions to him instantly surfaced in his mind.
“From now on, even though you belong to the General’s residence, always remember: follow the lead of the National Master and Miss Jiang above all else.”
“When the time comes, you may need to abandon your duties at the General’s residence and go with the National Master.”
His heart skipped a beat. He didn’t have time to overthink it—it seemed this was exactly one of those critical moments, and following those instructions was the right call.
He quickly acknowledged the order, climbed onto the two-horse carriage, and sped off toward the Dali Temple.
“Huo Ci” and Yun Chunfeng were like needles against each other’s points, bickering without pause.
By the time Cui Yu and Liu Suwu arrived, the two were still going at it, locked in a heated argument.
Cui Yu and Liu Suwu exchanged a glance: same old, familiar feeling.
When the National Master first arrived, they had been just like this—like fighting cocks, ready to clash at the slightest provocation.
They’d calmed down for a month, growing so close that everyone had forgotten their earlier squabbles.
Cui Yu sighed inwardly: If he’d known he’d have to make another trip in the afternoon, he wouldn’t have gone back at noon.
Liu Suwu, being a cautious man, asked about the details and immediately sensed that something was off.
He quickly stepped in to mediate: “Now, now, we’re all officials serving the same court—at the very least, we share a bond as colleagues.
General Huo and the National Master are His Majesty’s right and left arms. Why must you fight like this?”
Yun Chunfeng snorted, turned around, and clasped his hands in a bow toward Cui Yu and Liu Suwu:
“Gentlemen, you’ve arrived just in time.
General Huo has allowed his mother to harm others. I beg you both to seek justice for me.”
“Huo Ci” swept his piercing gaze across everyone present and declared loudly:
“He’s just a servant! Even if he were beaten to death at the General’s residence, this General will compensate you ten times the silver and be done with it. How dare you trouble my mother over this!”
Cui Yu frowned.
Hadn’t General Huo taken his words to heart just this afternoon? Barely a few hours had passed—how could he have changed so drastically?
Once his stubbornness kicked in, he threw caution to the wind, stepped forward, and fixed “Huo Ci” with a burning stare:
“Article 10, Clause 21 of the Western Zhou legal code states: If a person arbitrarily beats another’s servant to death, the matter may be dropped if both parties agree to settle.
If one party insists on reporting it to the authorities, the case shall be judged according to the severity of the circumstances.
For those found guilty of heinous acts, regardless of rank—even if they be royalty or nobility—they shall be thrown into prison and await judgment!”
“Huo Ci” sneered: “This General would like to see who dares to haul my mother into prison from the General’s residence!”
Cui Yu grew agitated: “General Huo, I had thought you were a man of reason who knew when to advance and retreat. I never imagined you’d be such a hypocrite—strict with others, yet lenient with yourself!”
Seeing Cui Yu getting more and more carried away, Liu Suwu hurriedly tried to smooth things over: “Alright, alright, why are we getting so heated?
The National Master called us here to solve a problem, not to escalate it.
Why don’t we head over to the General’s residence and see the situation with our own eyes?”
“Huo Ci” flicked his sleeves: “Fine, let’s go see!”
He mounted his horse and was about to ride off.
“Hold it!”
Cui Yu called out again.
“General, if you’re thinking of going back ahead of us to stage the scene, that won’t do.
To prove your mother’s innocence, I ask that General Huo follow behind us.”
“Huo Ci” let out a cold snort, turned his horse around, and reluctantly fell in behind the carriage.
Wang Qi wiped away his tears and quickly invited Yun Chunfeng and the two lords to board the carriage.
“Giddyup!”
He drove the carriage as fast and steadily as he could, desperate to get back and save his brother.
Dusk was settling, and the streets were quiet. The carriage soon came to a halt before the General’s residence.
Wang Qi suppressed the grief and anger in his heart.
He had once admired General Huo deeply; now, his disappointment was just as deep.
He brought the carriage to a stop, jumped down, and pounded on the door: “Open up! The General is back!”
Creak!
He knocked for a long time before the door finally swung open.
Before Wang Qi could step inside, a foot shot out from within and kicked him to the ground.
“Knock, knock, knock—what’s the hurry? Going to a funeral or something?”
Liu Suwu and Cui Yu’s expressions darkened.
Were even the servants at the General’s residence this arrogant?
As the door opened wide, an elderly woman with her hands tucked into her sleeves stepped out.
Others might not recognize her, but Jiang Xingyan knew her all too well.
Wasn’t this Baozhu—the one whose hands she had cut off, leaving only two stumps?
Jiang Xingyan suppressed the hatred surging in her eyes, then looked up and kicked Wang Qi herself.
“Damn you! Mother is advanced in years. How dare you make such a racket! Is this any way to behave?!”
Ignoring the searing pain in his body, Wang Qi stared blankly at “Huo Ci’s” predatory glare, tears welling up in his eyes.
“Huo Ci” didn’t spare him another glance and strode inside.
Baozhu finally had her moment to shine. Her long-suppressed arrogance made her insufferably arrogant, fawning over “Huo Ci” even more obsequiously.
“General, there’s a blind fool of a servant who offended the Old Madam. She’s had him kneeling all day.
Not only does he refuse to admit his fault, but he’s also running his mouth with all sorts of insolence—”
Before Baozhu could finish, “Huo Ci” cut her off: “Is that so? Then beat him to death, and don’t spare him!”
