Chapter 242: Chapter 241: SilencingSilence.
A prolonged silence.
It caused unease.
Unable to bear the wait, Qi Bingshuang forced a smile and hurriedly asked, "Father, what are you thinking about?"
Huo Dingyuan looked at her as though he saw someone through her and finally spoke, "I was thinking... Shuangshuang, do you truly love Ah Yue?"
Hearing this, Qi Bingshuang tensed, but her face broke into a smile.
It was a tender smile, touched with reminiscence and affection.
"Father shouldn’t ask such questions."
She said, "Ah Yue is my husband, he’s gentle and wise, pure-hearted, the finest young man in the world, how could I not love him?" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
Huo Dingyuan scrutinised her microexpressions but found nothing amiss.
Her acting was too good.
He nodded, his demeanor softening somewhat, "That’s for the best."
Then his tone abruptly intensified, "Qi Bingshuang, you must love him for a lifetime."
Qi Bingshuang: "..."
For a lifetime?
He still wanted to bind her for a lifetime!
Ridiculous!
She was infuriated deep down but on the surface, her smile grew even more tender, "Of course. I will love Ah Yue for a lifetime. Father, you must take care of your health. I’ve been attending to the Crown Prince these days and haven’t been able to personally serve you; please forgive me. Once the Crown Prince wakes up and all is settled, let’s go to Man Mountain to see Ah Yue together. I dreamt of him the night before last, and he was still longing for plum blossom wine."
Hearing the mention of plum blossom wine, Huo Dingyuan frowned and without wanting to say more, waved his hand, "Hmm. Go attend to your tasks."
Qi Bingshuang didn’t want to linger either. Seeing his usual demeanor, she took her leave.
Upon exiting the General Mansion, her face still wore a smile.
Those responsible for surveillance on the General Mansion immediately relayed the news to the Beiqi Palace.
Songde Divine Hall
The highest temple within the Beiqi Palace.
It holds the spirit tablets of Beiqi’s past emperors.
Wuya, as usual, finished paying respects to the late Emperor and stepped outside.
The sunlight was brilliant outside.
But it wasn’t warm; the cold was piercing.
He was dressed in a white fox fur coat, with a hat covering his head, his silver hair entirely concealed within.
Only two locks of silver hair had escaped, fluttering in the wind.
"Leaving with a smile, eh..."
He supported himself on a Han white jade balustrade, overlooking the majestic Beiqi Palace complex, and smiled, "It seems the Eldest Princess has gotten her wish and fooled General Huo once again."
Han Mo, standing by his side, nodded in agreement, "Yes. After all, there’s no evidence. And with rumors surfacing at such a time, General Huo must also suspect it’s your doing."
He implied that the strategy of sowing discord had failed.
Wuya seemed unconcerned, shaking his head with a smile, "Since he knows it’s my doing, if I don’t act further, wouldn’t that disappoint his expectations?"
Han Mo frowned upon hearing this, "What does Mr. Jiu intend to do?"
Wuya smiled with a devil-may-care attitude, "Add fuel to the fire."
His eyes and tone seemed innocently pure, but his words were increasingly sinister, "As far as I know, General Huo loves not just the person but all that pertains to him, having taken good care over the years. Have some people go kill a few. Only with some deaths will he become more vigilant and recognize the severity of the situation."
Han Mo understood he was still framing others.
The Eldest Princess had just left the General Mansion, and if Huo Yu’s servants were to suddenly die, it would seem all too much like silencing witnesses.
Wuya was rendering her speechless.
"Yes."
He immediately went to arrange it.
Tomorrow the period of mourning for the nation would end, and the Eldest Princess was very likely to confront him in court with her people. He didn’t have much time left.
Huo Family Mansion
Huo Yu’s two wet nurses lived here.
They were both widows, and after Huo Yu’s death, Huo Dingyuan arranged for them to retire here.
One wet nurse had a son.
That son had once been a personal servant to Huo Yu.
The other wet nurse had a daughter.
That daughter had once been a personal maid to Huo Yu.
The servants and maids, after Huo Yu died, were all given their freedom papers by Huo Yu.
With this freedom, they each went to find their mothers, and all came to the mansion.
The two wet nurses had a good relationship after many years of companionship, so they decided to let them marry each other.
As a result of the marriage, two families of four lived a rich and flavorful life.
But fortune and misfortune are intertwined.
On a warm noontide,
The family was just having a meal.
The door was kicked open.
A black-clad figure with masked face and sword barged in.
Without a word, he slashed and stabbed, and the two wet nurses fell to the ground.
"Mother!"
The young man cried out in agony, intending to protect his young and beautiful wife.
Unfortunately, he was decapitated midway.
Blood splattered on his wife’s face.
"I’m pregnant!"
The young and beautiful wife screamed.
She looked at the man in black, clutching her belly, tears rolling down in large drops.
She did not hide or beg for mercy, but stood there, foolishly repeating, "I’m pregnant! I’m pregnant!"
As if her pregnancy was her amulet of life.
The black-clad figure gave her a deep look, then turned and left.
Indeed, he did not kill her.
The wife still stood in place, tears streaming, foolishly repeating, "I’m pregnant! I’m pregnant!"
*
The pregnant woman, covered in blood, collapsed in the General Mansion.
When she awoke, disheveled, with swollen red eyes and tears streaming down her face, she seemed terrified out of her wits, repeating over and over, "They’re all dead. They’re all dead. The young master has come to claim lives. The young master’s death was so unjust."
Huo Dingyuan witnessing this scene, felt as if he were going out of his mind.
He kicked over tables and smashed vases, roaring, "Investigate! Go investigate! Bring to me all of the people who took care of the young master!"
*
Crown Prince Mansion
Qi Bingshuang was the first to know of the tragedy at the General Mansion.
Huo Dingyuan’s thorough investigation into the young master’s death terrified her.
With her mouth agape, she stumbled a few steps and collapsed back onto the soft couch, hands cold and entire body trembling, "Impossible! Impossible!"
Bi He, seeing her so scared, hurriedly supported and soothed her, "Princess, Princess, stay calm, stay calm. Yes, you are right, it’s impossible."
The act they committed was done in secret; it was impossible for anyone to know.
She held the Eldest Princess’s cold hands and immediately brought over some hot tea, "Don’t be afraid, Princess, come, have some hot tea, warm up your body."
Qi Bingshuang’s hands were shaking so much that she couldn’t hold the teacup steady.
The hot tea spilled over, scalding her hands and body.
She let out a cry of pain from the scald, but she wasn’t concerned about that, instead gripping Bi He’s hand, seeking strength, "Bi He, you know, I did it for his sake. He was living in such pain, I did it for his sake."
Huo Yu was never destined for a long life to begin with.
He lay weak and emaciated on his bed, skin and bones, no longer able to leave his bed.
"I’m in so much pain."
He said weakly, time and again grasping her hand, "I’m going to die. Shuangshuang, save me, I’m going to die."
She did save him!
So she sent him on his way.
He passed away so peacefully.
He should be thanking her.
"I did nothing wrong."
In the end, she managed to steady the teacup.
She then tilted her head back and drank it all down.
The hot tea flowed down her throat into her stomach and soon warmed her body.
She regained her composure, her hands stained with rouge gripping the skirt tightly.
She exhaled deeply and said with a determined look, "I did it for his sake. The Huo Family should be grateful to me."