Xiao Ao coldly sized up the respectful woman before him. He hadn’t expected that such a frail body could have the boldness to go to the battlefield.
Vice General Jiang. Vice General Jiang.
Did he really think the Emperor was a fool?
“You’ve never been to the battlefield, so why are you so eager about military camp affairs?
Ten million taels is no small sum.
Those shops of yours—you couldn’t earn that back in years, could you?”
Xiao Ao’s words carried a hidden meaning, putting Jiang Xingyan on guard.
He wasn’t just suspicious of her identity—he also clearly knew the ins and outs of her shops’ revenue.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, this humble woman’s maternal grandfather left behind quite a bit of savings.
Previously, it was all kept in the General’s residence. Now that General Huo has returned it to me, it isn’t profit from my shops.
Now that Yun’er has lost his powers and can no longer serve Your Majesty, this humble woman is deeply uneasy. That’s why I’ve brought out all my savings—first, to reward the brothers who fought risking their lives, and second, to make amends for Yun’er’s mistakes.”
Xiao Ao understood now—she was using money to shut him up.
He nearly laughed out of anger. A mere ten million taels—did she think he, the Son of Heaven, would care about such a sum?
If the Immortal Lady hadn’t rewarded him with five elixirs, this matter would not have been settled so easily.
“It’s rare to see such sincerity from you. After court, go take a look at the military camp—let the soldiers know who erected their monument.”
“Understood! Your Majesty is wise, and the realm is at peace!”
Xiao Ao truly couldn’t be bothered with those two.
He watched as Yun Chunfeng, who had knelt alongside Jiang Xingyan, rose with her hand in his, the two of them standing to one side arm in arm.
So sickeningly sweet it made his teeth ache!
On the other side, Huo Ci’s eyes had gone red.
Xiao Ao couldn’t bear to look at all, but he still forced down his displeasure and said coldly:
“Minister Huo, now that matters have settled and you and the Jiang woman are completely cleared of any entanglement, I shall grant you and Princess Shi’an a marriage.”
Huo Ci was startled and quickly lifted his robe, kneeling on the ground: “Your Majesty, absolutely not!
My mother’s sins have not been atoned for. As her son, I should share in her punishment. How could I delay Princess Shi’an?
I beg Your Majesty to take pity on this minister’s heart of repentance and atonement, and permit me to never marry for life, so as to dissolve the sins!”
Xiao Ao’s brow twitched violently.
Whenever this matter came up, his heart felt blocked.
Ever since Xiao Shi’an learned the truth that day, she refused point-blank to marry Huo Ci again, saying things like: “His mother is so absurd—how could her son be any better?
General Huo was once known for his filial piety, but now it seems he’s nothing but a muddle-headed fool who can’t tell right from wrong, loyal from treacherous!
That Jiang woman was clearly a perfectly fine person, but marrying into their family made it seem like she owed them something!
Where’s the logic in that?”
It was only through the Empress’s words—using both threats and incentives on the Mu family—that Xiao Shi’an barely agreed to take Huo Ci as her consort.
However, she had three conditions.
“First, I can only give him the title of consort. I will never consummate the marriage with him.
Second, if I ever meet the person destined for me in the future, I will divorce him and remarry.
Third, he can only stay alone at the Princess’s residence. I will not go back to the Grand General’s residence with him.
And that old Lady Huo is not allowed to set foot in my home!
If the Emperor doesn’t agree, I will take my own life to atone, and never implicate the Mu family.”
She had said this angrily to the Empress.
When the Empress relayed it to him, Xiao Ao could picture Xiao Shi’an’s resolute expression.
After finally getting Xiao Shi’an to agree, now Huo Ci was refusing.
What right did he have?
“Insolence!”
“Your Majesty, please calm your anger!”
“Huo Ci, I think you’ve eaten a leopard’s heart and grown a bear’s gall—you’ve completely forgotten the proper order between ruler and subject!”
Huo Ci pressed his forehead to the ground, bitterness rising in his heart: “This minister would not dare.”
“Thunder and rain, dew and grace—all are the ruler’s bounty.
When did it become acceptable for one after another to either privately return their title or defy an imperial edict in open court and refuse marriage? None of you take my words seriously anymore, do you!”
Jiang Xingyan, who got dragged into this: ?
Wait, how did this involve her?
“Since you wouldn’t dare, then from today on, go back and prepare all necessary arrangements. Choose an auspicious day and marry Princess Shi’an!”
“Your Majesty, this minister still has one matter to report.”
“Speak!”
Huo Ci pulled out a brocade box containing the military seal and command tally from his robes and respectfully held it above his head.
“Your Majesty, North Luo is now pacified and the realm is at peace. This minister’s national and family grievances have all been avenged. I beg Your Majesty to permit me to surrender my seal and resign from office.
In the battle to pacify North Luo, both the Second Prince and Third Prince already showed the bearing of great generals. Entrusting the Huo family army to the two princes—this minister is endlessly grateful.
From now on, I only wish to be a farmer, return to the fields and gardens, and no longer involve myself in court politics or military affairs.
How could Princess Shi’an marry a nameless commoner? I beg Your Majesty to retract the order.”
Xiao Ao’s cold gaze pierced through the hanging jade beads, stabbing straight at the box Huo Ci held up.
He hadn’t expected Huo Ci to actually be willing to give up military power?
Could it be that his past obsession with military authority was only about revenge?
Was he overthinking it?
Before Xiao Ao’s thoughts could cycle through a thousand turns, a young eunuch at the door was already rushing in, holding a letter stuck with a chicken feather, crying: “Urgent report from the border!”
Su Sheng hurried forward to receive it, carefully opened it, and presented it on a carved nine-dragon golden silk nanmu tray.
Xiao Ao held it in his hand, reading ten lines at a glance. His eyes already flashed with sharp light, and his fingers holding the letter unconsciously tightened, even trembling slightly.
The civil and military officials knelt on the ground, not daring to breathe, not knowing what had happened.
Xiao Ao crumpled the urgent report and threw it to the ground.
“This is too much!”
His eyes, stained with killing intent, fixed straight on Huo Ci: “I do not permit it!
From today on, get yourself to the prison and reflect on your crimes. All military affairs shall temporarily be handled by the Second and Third Princes together with the deputy generals in the camp.
I give you three days. If you still insist on this and defy the edict, I will have the entire Huo family executed!”
Seeing Xiao Ao’s extreme anger, Su Sheng hurried forward and directed the imperial guards: “Hurry and drag General Huo away!”
As Huo Ci was dragged off left and right, the court became even more terrifyingly silent.
“Father, your son has been ill for so long that I’ve become frail and weak. I fear I cannot bear great responsibilities.
It should be Third Brother who takes charge. If there is any place where I am needed, I will spare no effort and hold nothing back.”
Xiao Zhenhuai still hadn’t found the person who poisoned him.
If this campaign made him even more conspicuous, he feared the enemy would be in the dark while he was in the light, making it even harder to guard against.
The current plan was that he absolutely could not show off, and must continue to bide his time, waiting for that person’s next move.
Xiao Ao’s heart felt truly blocked.
How was it that the military power he valued most—one after another, everyone acted like it was a hot potato, making him seem like he was picking up something others didn’t want.
“What, you want to defy the edict too?”
Xiao Zhenhuai hurriedly knelt: “This son would not dare!”
“You don’t dare, he doesn’t dare—then why is it that my words carry so little weight?
Does everyone have to raise some objection!”
“Your Majesty, please calm your anger!”
Xiao Chonghua quickly knelt beside Xiao Zhenhuai: “Father, please calm your anger. Second Brother is only afraid that his sickly body will drag him down and delay the tasks Father has arranged. He means nothing else by it.
After all, Second Brother has been frail since childhood and hasn’t had a proper examination by an imperial physician. Now that Father needs capable people, why not have Imperial Physician Sun examine him daily and nurse Second Brother’s health back? In the future, he and I can together expand territory for Father—wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
At his words, Xiao Ao’s anger instantly diminished by more than half.
He had never paid much attention to this second son, and had forgotten that he had been weak from birth.
“Very well. You show concern for your second brother—do as you say.”
Xiao Ao sighed: “All of you, rise. No need to be so rigid.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Having vented his anger, Xiao Ao’s fury had calmed somewhat. He still addressed Xiao Chonghua:
“I’ve calculated that your eldest brother’s confinement is almost over. These next few days, go visit him.”
Xiao Chonghua’s heart stirred—the cunning he’d developed since returning to the capital was coming alive again.
Was Father planning to have the brothers take over the Huo family army’s military power?
He answered respectfully and properly: “Yes, Father. It is indeed time to visit Eldest Brother.
What happened that day—this son was also at fault.”
Xiao Ao waved his hand, signaling that no more need be said.
Su Sheng, understanding the cue, stepped forward: “Court is dismissed!”
Jiang Xingyan squeezed Yun Chunfeng’s hand. She was very curious about what was written in that border urgent report.
The moment Yun Chunfeng stepped out of the Taihe Gate, he leaned close to Jiang Xingyan’s ear and said softly: “Great Xia has amassed a hundred thousand troops at the border.”
