Chapter 83: The Free and Easy Young Marquis (16)
Wengzhou.
The Huo Family Ancestral Residence, a standoff between two parties.
Calling it a standoff might not be accurate, because one party was the internal attendant Huang Yu sent by Emperor Haoyuan to deliver a decree, and the other was the Eldest Princess. The decree was for the Little Marquis Huo Xian, but the protagonist was late to accept it. The Eldest Princess wanted to accept it on his behalf, but the other party wouldn’t allow it, even invoking Emperor Haoyuan, thus creating the current situation.
“Princess, please don’t make things difficult for this slave. If the Little Marquis accepts the decree, this slave can return to the capital sooner.” Huang Yu put on a troubled and helpless expression, but his heart was full of doubts, suspecting whether Little Marquis Huo was actually in Wengzhou.
The Eldest Princess was bitter in her heart too. It wasn’t that she didn’t want “Huo Xian” to accept the decree. Two days ago, the guard posing as Huo Xian encountered a dandy galloping a horse on the street. To save a child, he took a kick from a horse hoof, injuring his ribs and suffering internal injuries, forcing him to stay in bed to recuperate. Only a few people knew about this matter. Even the guard himself only reported the injury after entering the gate. The Eldest Princess naturally wouldn’t publicize it, planning to use a wind-chill infection as an excuse to let him rest first. She calculated everything, but didn’t calculate that Huang Yu would descend from the sky with an imperial decree.
“Yi’er has caught a chill and is resting in bed. It is inconvenient to disturb him.” The Eldest Princess had to use her previous lie.
Hearing this, Huang Yu immediately looked worried. “How did the Little Marquis catch a chill? Is it serious?”
“The doctor ordered that he needs quiet recuperation.” The Eldest Princess showed mild sorrow.
Huang Yu’s brow relaxed slightly. He said, “His Majesty specially had an imperial physician accompany me on this trip. Originally, it was to check the pulses of the Eldest Princess and the Little Marquis for peace of mind, so that…”
The Eldest Princess couldn’t hear clearly what he said afterward. If not for her status, she would definitely be swearing right now. Makeup as a disguise was ultimately not turning one face into another. It was fine from a distance, but up close, one could still distinguish the difference between the guard and Huo Xian himself.
“Princess, if you please?” Huang Yu bowed in a gesture of invitation.
The Eldest Princess felt the worry at the corner of his mouth was incredibly fake. Her fingernails dug into her palms, but she seemed not to feel the pain at all.
“Thanking His Majesty for his concern, Huo Xian is ashamed.” A slightly hoarse voice came from afar to near.
Both groups of people present looked toward the comer. With just one glance, the Eldest Princess’s eyes turned red. Ignoring etiquette, she rushed forward hurriedly: “Yi’er, you…” The “you’re back” on the tip of her tongue took a sharp turn: “Why did you get up?”
Huo Xian opened his mouth to reply but covered it and coughed a few times instead.
Beside him, Huo Yuan said with a face full of worry, “Princess, the Young Master just woke up and heard someone from the capital came to announce a decree. He didn’t dare delay and rushed over. He even lost a shoe while running and wouldn’t let me put it on him. What if he catches another cold?” As he spoke, he motioned with the shoe in his hand, his eyes red-rimmed.
regarding acting, ten Qingzhus couldn’t compare to Huo Yuan, who was rich in drama-watching experience. This sense of drama came instantly. Huo Xian couldn’t help but think that if they went to a world with an entertainment industry identity, Huo Yuan could definitely win Best Actor.
“Nonsense!” The Eldest Princess scolded immediately upon hearing this. She took the shoe from Huo Yuan’s hand to put it on him personally, but was stopped by Huo Yuan’s quick eyes and hands. Huo Yuan cleverly snatched the job: “Princess, let me do it.”
Huang Yu watched the interaction between mother and son from the side, the doubts in his heart deepening: The Little Marquis’s wind-chill seemed genuine. Could his previous guesses be wrong?
Since the main person had dragged his sick body here, Huang Yu couldn’t delay any longer. He quickly read the decree. The content was nothing more than that his dear sister and nephew weren’t in the capital for the New Year, so he felt lonely. After narrating his longing, he could only send some gifts to express his feelings.
The Eldest Princess sneered repeatedly in her heart, but on her face, she showed a gratitude that hid her perfunctoriness well.
Subsequently, Huang Yu had the imperial physician examine Huo Xian’s pulse. The two exchanged glances secretly; the physician nodded to Huang Yu, indicating that Little Marquis Huo had indeed contracted a wind-chill.
Huo Xian took in their eye contact. Speaking of luck, it was indeed true. Last night, he was sleeping fine, but in the middle of the night, Huo Yuan got hot and kicked the quilt. Huo Yuan slept comfortably, but he froze and caught a cold. Unexpectedly, it came in handy.
Before leaving, Huang Yu unintentionally mentioned the Third Son of the Duke of Wei, Ning Chen. He said a courtesan in the capital publicly stated she wanted to marry the Third Son as a concubine, angering the Duke of Wei so much that he cursed his son at home and said he would arrange a marriage for him as soon as he returned to the capital.
He told it as a joke. Huo Xian understood his meaning and walked directly towards a person, cupping his fists. “Ning Chen, congratulations.”
Ning Chen was baffled. “What joy is there?”
“Eunuch Huang said Uncle Ning is arranging a marriage for you. Cough… When you return to the capital, you’ll be a groom. Cough, cough…” Huo Xian didn’t forget to maintain his character while teasing.
Ning Chen looked sharply at Eunuch Huang. Eunuch Huang tightened up and laughed dryly, “This slave, this slave only heard, only heard.” In his heart, he criticized: Why did this Little Marquis sell him out so fast? He just wanted to confirm if Third Young Master Ning had come to Wengzhou.
After Huang Yu and his entourage left, the Eldest Princess ordered the main gate closed, dismissed the servants, shut the room door, and discussed matters solemnly.
Huo Xian briefly recounted the bandit suppression at Black Wind Mountain. Learning that her husband was safe and the suppression was complete, the Eldest Princess let out a long breath. The heart that had been suspended for so long finally settled down a bit.
Then, the Eldest Princess spoke of Huo Xian’s body double, Qinglan. The original host’s nature wasn’t one to stay idle at home, so to keep in character, Qinglan often went out after coming to Wengzhou. Subsequently, Qinglan discovered someone was following him. The stalker was well-trained and obviously targeting him specifically.
“First your father, now you. What exactly does Xiao Shicheng intend?” The Eldest Princess frowned tightly, slapping the table and causing the teacups to clatter.
Xiao Shicheng was Emperor Haoyuan’s real name. The Eldest Princess didn’t even use “That One,” but called Emperor Haoyuan by his real name directly, showing she was furious.
Huo Xian didn’t remind her that calling the Emperor by name was a crime. He said to himself, “The Huo family’s military power was handed back when Grandfather was still alive. Dad came from the military ranks; although he had achievements, they weren’t as great as Grandfather’s. Moreover, since Grandfather handed over military power, he also retired. Now he holds no important position, and no one in the Huo family’s collateral branches is in a heavy position… What is he afraid of?” This was the place that puzzled him. He even agreed with the theory that Emperor Haoyuan was possessed by an evil spirit.
Hearing his words, the Eldest Princess’s eyes flashed slightly. She suddenly said, “Yi’er, you said That One taught you the ways of governing?”
Saying “ways of governing” was actually a modest way of putting it. Emperor Haoyuan was truly grooming the original host as the next emperor. He taught him things the Crown Prince and other princes hadn’t learned. The original host was intelligent; guessing his intent, he deliberately pretended not to understand in hopes of escaping, but was seen through. The relationship between uncle and nephew used to be somewhat like a loving father and a mischievous child. Although the original host avoided Emperor Haoyuan’s teaching every time, when Emperor Haoyuan feigned loneliness and sorrow, he couldn’t help but soften his heart and learn half-reluctantly.
Everything changed after Huo Xian arrived. He clearly sensed Emperor Haoyuan’s attitude toward him becoming distant and guarded.
Because of the Third Prince, Xiao Jinli?
Thinking of Xiao Jinli, Huo Xian suddenly remembered something. He asked the Eldest Princess, “Mom, do you know why His Majesty took the Noble Consort in back then?”
The Eldest Princess was stunned by his question. A look of disgust flashed in her eyes, and she asked back, “Why do you ask this?”
“The Third Prince is adept in both civil and martial arts, healthy, and easygoing. Why would Uncle skip him and wish to groom me?” Huo Xian didn’t answer but continued asking. “I know the Third Prince’s birth mother, the Noble Consort, was already married to another before entering the palace. There has never been a precedent in any dynasty for a widow to enter the palace as a consort. Why did Uncle break this precedent for her?”
The Eldest Princess was also a smart person. Initially stunned by Huo Xian’s question, her brain spun and she thought of the key point: “You suspect your Uncle changed his mind and wants to pass the throne to the Third Prince? Fearing you would be unwilling, he’s clearing the path for the Third Prince in advance?” She shook her head here. “That won’t be the reason. Of the four princes, the Crown Prince, Second Prince, and Fourth Prince could all possibly inherit the throne. Only the Third Prince is impossible because… he isn’t a Xiao at all. He doesn’t have a drop of the Xiao family blood.”
This answer was within Huo Xian’s expectations; many people probably knew it in their hearts.
“The Third Prince is the son of Wang Yujie and the former heir of Duke Liang, Jiang Feng.” The Eldest Princess felt a bit ashamed mentioning this, hesitating to continue.
“…Mom, I suspect the person who framed me for killing Wang Yunshi back then was the Third Prince.” Seeing this, Huo Xian administered a strong dose of medicine directly.
“What did you say?!” Sure enough, the Eldest Princess exploded upon hearing it, but calmed down instantly: “Failed to frame you for murder, framed King Ji, Zhang Yong and Qiu Chenghan are dead with no proof… Why would the Third Prince do this?”
Huo Xian smiled. “Mom, are there many people who know the Third Prince isn’t Uncle’s blood? Guess, does he know it himself?”
The Eldest Princess understood immediately: “You mean, he wants the throne?”
“How many people in the world do you think can withstand the temptation of the throne?” Huo Xian asked back, then said, “The imperial physician predicts the Crown Prince won’t live past twenty-five. The Second Prince is born foolish. The Fourth Prince is blind. Compared to me with a different surname and Xiao Jingming (Ning Chen’s alias or similar noble?) who, though surnamed Xiao, is the capital’s second biggest dandy, at least the Third Prince’s surname holds an advantage. Leaving aside whether he knows his background, as long as he is surnamed Xiao, he is the Emperor’s third son, clearly the Third Prince, a legitimate royal bloodline.”
The Eldest Princess’s lips moved, opening and closing several times before she sighed deeply, “If it’s really him, it wouldn’t be surprising.”
Huo Xian knew there was an inside story as soon as he heard this and immediately looked at the Eldest Princess expectantly.
After cursing “what a mess” in her heart, the Eldest Princess finally compromised. She told Huo Xian a story of “A Kingdom for a Beauty.”
Emperor Haoyuan wasn’t the Late Emperor’s only son. besides Emperor Haoyuan, her full brother, the Eldest Princess had two other brothers, both adept in civil and military affairs. In comparison, the current Emperor Haoyuan was the least capable in all aspects among the three brothers. He ascended the throne largely because the other two brothers fought each other for the throne, both suffering heavy losses, allowing Emperor Haoyuan to pick up a bargain.
However, because he was the least favored prince, the court wasn’t stable after Emperor Haoyuan ascended. The two factions originally supporting the First and Second Princes remained in a standoff, overwhelming Emperor Haoyuan. Forced by circumstances, he could only silently cultivate his own power and rope in all possible connections.
Duke Liang was one of them. Unfortunately, Duke Liang didn’t buy it; he was a staunch supporter of the First Prince Party. Thus, when foreign aggression came, this general willfully refused to lead troops. Therefore, the Emperor could only find another way. This “way” was the heir of Duke Liang, also Duke Liang’s only son, a man addicted to wine and women and fond of romantic affairs. The Emperor set a trap, sending his cousin and childhood sweetheart, Wang Yujie, to him, where they were caught in the act.
Sleeping with a woman the Emperor hadn’t yet taken into the palace meant only death for the Duke Liang’s heir. Thus, even knowing it was a trap set by Emperor Haoyuan, Duke Liang had to preserve this bloodline.
Duke Liang led troops to expel foreign enemies but was unexpectedly found to have “evidence” of treason by his subordinates. Emperor Haoyuan wanted to bring him back to the capital for punishment. Marquis Huo was ordered to arrest him, but unexpectedly, Duke Liang slit his throat to prove his innocence. Later, it was confirmed the “evidence” was fabricated by the foreign enemy, but Marquis Huo also bore infamy.
What followed was the heir of Duke Liang, who was mud that couldn’t support a wall. After Duke Liang passed away, he inherited the title. But whether he was naturally a scoundrel or for other reasons, he played increasingly recklessly. Not only did he squander the vast Duke Liang estate in a short time, but one day a maid from the estate reported a case, claiming Duke Liang killed people and buried the bodies. The government investigated and indeed dug up several female corpses that had been tortured to death in the courtyard. Everyone in the household, including Duke Liang’s wife Wang Yujie, had visible or hidden injuries on their bodies. Only then did everyone know how absurd this Duke Liang was.
Duke Liang was stripped of his title and sentenced to death by a thousand cuts (Lingchi). Marquis Huo was ordered to confiscate the property. When Duke Liang was taken away, he pointed at Marquis Huo and cursed him with extreme resentment. To those with intentions, it sounded as if Marquis Huo was the main culprit behind all the tragedies.
Subsequently, ignoring the opposition of the officials, Emperor Haoyuan took Wang Yujie into the harem and directly titled her Noble Consort. It was as if he was proving to everyone that his imperial power was supreme, and also announcing to the world his deep love for Wang Yujie. There were even many storybooks in the folk world praising the love between the Emperor and the Consort.
Huo Xian listened with a cold expression.
The Eldest Princess couldn’t tell what he was thinking and said listlessly, “He is the Emperor first, then your Uncle. No matter how kind he is in front of you, in his bones, he is ultimately that deep-scheming Emperor whose word is law.”
Huo Xian didn’t speak, but he couldn’t help pondering a question in his heart: Was Wang Yujie, the Third Prince’s birth mother and Emperor Haoyuan’s “true love,” sent to Duke Liang’s heir willingly or forced back then? What role did she play in the Third Prince’s upbringing and her relationship with Emperor Haoyuan?
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