Chapter 38 : Our Huo family is not one that you can come and go from as you please

In her previous life, Cui Yunzhao’s ten years weren’t spent in vain.

From each step she took while stumbling, she learned one lesson after another. One of these lessons was that nothing should be handled ambiguously. Once things are exposed, they should be addressed directly and clarified thoroughly.

Since the root of the issue lies in the marriage between the Wanyan and Huo families, she would start from the very beginning of the marriage.

Cui Yunzhao’s shift in focus left everyone present a bit stunned.

Even the usually obstinate Old Madam Zhao immediately stood up, visibly agitated, and said, “Yes, exactly.”

The marriage had been orchestrated entirely by Old Madam Gu.

Now that the marriage had turned into such a mess, and her granddaughter had suffered such great grievances, the whole family was blaming her.

Old Madam Gu felt a deep frustration, but the marriage had indeed seemed promising initially.

A young and talented man, a virtuous young lady, both families matched well, it seemed like a match made in heaven.

Cui Yunzhao remained silent, allowing Old Madam Gu to express herself.

Old Madam Gu pointed at Old Madam Zhao and said, “At that time, our son Zhan Lang had passed away, but our family’s wealth remained, and with Ninth Brother’s abilities, your family was quite willing.”

“What’s more important is that we had accumulated a dowry for Zhi and you valued her skills.”

“All of this was known by the matchmaker and the wedding officials.”

Marriage wasn’t something done casually, it required three letters and six rites, and matchmakers and wedding officials were there to witness and ensure both families agreed. They were the ones who knew best.

Now, the Wanyan family was holding Wanyan Dawang’s death against them, which was truly unreasonable.

Old Madam Zhao, however, was not afraid of Old Madam Gu. She stood up and said, “Yes, at that time both families were delighted. But we didn’t know that you had misremembered Zhi’s birth date and horoscope. She was completely incompatible with our Dawang. If it weren’t for her, Dawang wouldn’t have died so young.”

Cui Yunzhao was unaware of this detail and looked at Aunt Lin Xiu.

Aunt Lin Xiu nodded at her and said, “It was a mistake by the matchmaker who recorded one incorrect character.”

Cui Yunzhao narrowed her eyes and suddenly smiled, “I see now.”

She looked directly at Old Madam Zhao and asked, “When did your family check the elder sister’s horoscope again?”

Before Old Madam Zhao could finish speaking, Cui Yunzhao interrupted her, making her more unsettled than ever.

“Dawang is dead, and I can’t check it again?”

“Oh, so before Dawang’s death, did no one in your entire family ever suspect the elder sister’s horoscope?”

Old Madam Zhao suddenly fell silent.

This was indeed accurate.

Or perhaps, because of Dawang’s death, they wanted to extort from the Huo family and gain the maximum benefit.

Hence, they focused on Huo Xinzhi’s horoscope.

But this was something that couldn’t be openly admitted.

Old Madam Zhao squinted her eyes and said arrogantly, “We always wanted to check, but Dawang was too soft-hearted to allow it. We had our suspicions long ago.”

Cui Yunzhao asked, “Suspicions about what? Does your family have any evidence?”

Old Madam Zhao couldn’t provide evidence, so she looked at Madam Jin, who began speaking, “When Sister Huo married into our family, Cong fell ill, then the old lady also fell ill, and even the family’s dog was suddenly poisoned.”

Cui Yunzhao: “…”

Cui Yunzhao sneered, “The elder sister married Wanyan Dawang in winter, a season that is prone to illness. Wanyan Cong was young, and the old lady was elderly, both are susceptible to sickness. As for the dog…”

“Why don’t you consider whether your own family has committed too many misdeeds and faced retribution?”

Madam Jin’s expression changed “You…”

Cui Yunzhao gave her no chance to speak. She stood up, took a step forward, and stood directly in front of everyone.

Her stature wasn’t imposing; on the contrary, she was a typical Jiangnan woman with a graceful and delicate figure.

But at that moment, everyone could clearly feel the immense pressure she exuded.

It was the aura of someone who had long held a position of power.

This gave the Wanyan family a clearer understanding once again.

A Cui family woman was still a Cui family woman.

Cui Yunzhao furrowed her brows and lowered her gaze, speaking with precision “So, it goes like this back then, when the two families were getting married, due to a mistake by the matchmaker in recording the birth dates, the compatibility forecasted was for a lifelong harmonious union. Hence, the marriage took place, and our elder sister brought a substantial dowry into the Wanyan household. Six months after the marriage, Wanyan Dawang died in battle. At this point, your family believed it was due to our elder sister’s horoscope, and after rechecking, you discovered the mistake. Then you consulted a fortune teller, who claimed that the mismatch between our elder sister’s and Wanyan Dawang’s horoscopes was the cause of his death.”

Cui Yunzhao took a breath and continued, “As a result, your family harbored resentment against our elder sister, mistreated her, and subjected her to inhumane suffering.”

Beside her, Huo Xinzhi’s face turned pale, her teeth clenched tightly to prevent herself from speaking.

Every word Cui Yunzhao said was a reflection of the blood and tears she had shed over the past few months.

“Is this correct or not?”

Madam Jin did not catch any issues with Cui Yunzhao’s words. She exchanged a glance with Old Madam Zhao and promptly said, “Yes, that’s right. The situation is so clear, what more is there to discuss?”

Cui Yunzhao smiled faintly.

“There is plenty to discuss.”

“My grandmother and mother are not familiar with matters in Bo Ling City, and my husband is busy with official duties and hasn’t concerned himself with these trivial matters, but I am different,” Cui Yunzhao smiled slightly, “I am from Bo Ling.”

The mention of Bo Ling made the Wanyan family’s expressions change slightly.

Madam Jin looked at her with suspicion, seemingly puzzled about how she knew these details.

Cui Yunzhao didn’t clarify, instead she said, “In Bo Ling, there are only two famous fortune teller the auspicious Fairy and the Clear Wind Scholar. Both are reputable scholars of the I Ching, and proper people. They were the ones who should have been consulted about the horoscopes.”

Cui Yunzhao continued, “Your family is also from Bo Ling. Why did you consult a fortune teller who had no local background instead of asking the two well-known figures here?”

“I was born in Bo Ling and have never heard of such a master.”

Upon hearing this, Aunt Lin Xiu’s expression changed, and even Huo Xinzhi looked up in surprise.

They had just arrived in Bo Ling at that time, were unfamiliar with the place, and with Wanyan Dawang’s sudden death and the family’s chaos, they hadn’t delved deeply into the matter.

They had no idea that there were hidden truths.

But Cui Yunzhao, as an outsider, saw things clearly.

The people involved might be confused, but the observer was clear.

She had pinpointed the key issue.

Cui Yunzhao smiled faintly and said, “I suspect that you deliberately hired a swindler, using the slight mistake by the matchmaker as a pretext to create a scheme to extort a widow’s dowry.”

Madam Jin’s expression changed abruptly “You’re slandering us!”

Cui Yunzhao looked at her calmly and said softly, “Whether I am slandering or not depends on whether that fortune teller is still around and how the two masters in the city would interpret the horoscopes.”

“Since each side has its own arguments, we can take the horoscopes of our elder sister and Wanyan Dawang to consult the two masters and see what they say,” Cui Yunzhao said with a smile, “Don’t worry, I’ll cover the consultation fees.”

“If it turns out that our elder sister’s horoscope really has issues, then our entire family will apologize to your family, and we will forgo any claim to the dowry. Additionally, we will no longer pursue the matter of Wanyan Cong mistreating Shierlang. However…”

Cui Yunzhao raised her phoenix eyes, which were once again filled with an overwhelming pressure.

“But if you conspired to deceive us,” Cui Yunzhao said “then my husband will have a thorough discussion with your family about this.”

Cui Yunzhao was indeed extremely astute.

She was not swayed by the apparent sincerity or deceit in the story but focused on the details.

For instance, while discussing Huo Xinzhi’s marriage, Cui Yunzhao had not paid attention to anything other than the mention of the fortune teller.

She had heard of such a person, though it was only many years later that this person’s fraudulent activities, deceiving an innocent young girl and causing significant trouble, came to light.

Cui Yunzhao wasn’t sure if it was the same individual, but it was already suspicious that the Wanyan family, being locals of Bo Ling, did not consult the well-known figures in Bo Ling, namely the auspicious Fairy and the Clear Wind Scholar, but instead asked an unfamiliar fortune teller.

Given the Wanyan family’s behavior, Cui Yunzhao became more convinced.

They aimed to swindle Huo Xinzhi’s dowry and, through their mistreatment, compel Huo Tan to forgo the dowry and divorce Huo Xinzhi, thus eliminating the need to support a widowed daughter-in-law. It was a win-win situation for them.

At that time, the Huo family, newly arrived in Bo Ling and facing the sudden death of Wanyan Dawang, did not investigate further but chose to resolve the matter financially, valuing their family’s peace and security.

Thus, this issue had only recently been uncovered.

Cui Yunzhao looked at the pale-faced Wanyan family with heavy sarcasm in her voice: “Human greed knows no bounds. You’ve already deceived the Huo family once, and instead of reflecting on your actions, you still dare to attempt another deception.”

Cui Yunzhao coldly added, “Aren’t you afraid of retribution?”

She was no longer the young newlywed of the past. Now, after experiencing war, the loss of loved ones, and life-and-death situations, she had grown through all of it.

Now, she spoke and acted based on her own happiness.

Cui Yunzhao looked at the Wanyan family with a cold smile:“Perhaps you’ve already faced retribution. Think about the unfortunate Wanyan Dawang, he lost his life due to your family’s lack of virtue and incompetence.”

Cui Yunzhao’s words were heart-wrenching.

Old Madam Zhao gasped and fell back into her chair, looking as if she might faint.

Madam Jin’s eyes were red, and she could not speak but went to help Old Madam Zhao calm her breathing.

Wanyan Shan, however, remained seated with a fierce look at Cui Yunzhao.

Cui Yunzhao was not afraid of him.

She had seen many scenes, and to her, someone like Wanyan Shan was just a paper tiger.

Cui Yunzhao looked at him and said, “What? Wanyan Commander, don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment. You should consider your position as commander…”

Cui Yunzhao left her sentence unfinished.

Wanyan Shan’s expression changed slightly. He suddenly stood up, causing a screeching sound from the chair behind him.

“We’re leaving.”

As these words fell, the entire Wanyan family stood up in unison.

Even Old Madam Zhao, who had seemed on the brink of collapse, forced herself to stand.

But they ultimately did not manage to leave.

Because the next moment, Cui Yunzhao’s voice rang out again “Our Huo family is not one that you can come and go from as you please.”

She raised her hand and clapped three times. Immediately, a dozen soldiers surged out from behind the screen.

These were the soldiers under Huo Tan’s command.

The leader was a young soldier who had come early to deliver the orders. Though his face was youthful, it was very serious.

He bowed to the Huo family and then turned to look at Wanyan Shan with a stern expression.

“Wanyan Commander, your family is suspected of defrauding the military envoy and needs to be investigated by the Military Affairs Department,” the young soldier’s clear voice echoed through the entire Lotus Flower Alley. “Wanyan Commander, please come with us.”

Wanyan Shan never expected that the extortion would end with such a conclusion.

He had not anticipated that Huo Tan, the high-born lady, would be such a formidable figure.

But now, it was too late to regret.

With the mistake made and the arrest impending, he could not resist.

His face was ashen as he looked at the young soldier before him.

The soldier was dressed in the navy blue uniform of the city defense troops. Although he was young and did not have fish tokens or iron army badges, indicating he was likely a low-ranking soldier, his eyes were large, bright, and full of determination.

Wanyan Shan had heard that Huo Tan was highly regarded by General Lü and was well-liked in Bo Ling, with good relations with both the city defense troops and the garrison camp.

Huo Tan had led his troops out of the city to suppress the rebellion, so there should no longer have been any of his men left in the city. Yet now, more than a dozen city defense soldiers were stationed at his family’s doorstep.

Wanyan Shan clenched his fists tightly and glared fiercely at the young soldier “Who do you think you are? If you want to take me, you better have the capability to do so.”

The young soldier remained composed and respectful.

He glanced at Lin Xiu Gu, who nodded at him. Taking a deep breath, he spoke clearly “Wanyan Commander, we have heard everything regarding the dispute between your family and the Huo family. The dozen or so brothers present are also aware of the situation.”

“Today, during our patrol, we encountered this major issue. We cannot make decisions on our own and have reported the matter to the Military Affairs Department in advance.”

The young soldier spoke with a smile, but his words were firm and undeniable.

“The Military Affairs Department has issued an order in advance. Please, Wanyan Commander, return with us to accept questioning. We are waiting outside to escort you.”

Wanyan Shan’s face darkened severely.

He had originally thought to resolve the matter quietly, perhaps by returning the dowry to settle things, but the Huo family was too ruthless.

Or rather, that Cui Yunzhao was too ruthless.

From the beginning, the Huo family had no intention of letting them leave unscathed.

Wanyan Shan, deep in thought, quickly looked at the anxious Old Madam Zhao.

“Aunt, you stay with grandmother at home. I will go to the Military Affairs Department.”

Madam Jin’s face was full of worry. Knowing they were at a disadvantage, she was increasingly fearful of the situation.

The current emperor was very strict with military matters, and the Military Affairs Department was specifically set up to handle violations and irregularities within the military.

Though there was a possibility of favoritism, cases reported by soldiers were generally handled fairly.

The Wanyan family’s initial extortion and subsequent mistreatment left them in the wrong. Wanyan Shan would certainly fare poorly at the Military Affairs Department.

But faced with so many soldiers, Wanyan Shan could not disobey orders. He could only grit his teeth and say, “It’s fine, I have a clear conscience.”

Beside him, Wanyan Cong had already started to cry out of fear. “Father…”

Wanyan Shan shot a fierce look at him, and Wanyan Cong immediately fell silent.

After glaring at his son, Wanyan Shan coldly addressed the young soldier: “This… please lead the way.”

The young soldier saluted and then signaled the other soldiers to restrain Wanyan Shan and escort him away.

Once Wanyan Shan had left, Old Madam Zhao seemed unable to bear any more, rolling her eyes and collapsing onto Madam Jin.

Madam Jin, alarmed, called for the other women to help her, trying to leave the Huo family’s home immediately.

However, before they could leave, they heard Cui Yunzhao’s final words.

“Madam Jin, remember to return and take stock of my elder sister’s dowry. When my husband returns, he will personally come to retrieve the dowry.”

Madam Jin’s face turned ashen. She trembled and, after a moment of silence, led her group out in defeat.

Once they had all left, everyone in the main hall collectively exhaled in relief.

Grandmother Gu was always self-serving.

With the matter escalating to this point, she didn’t care about Huo Chengpu or Huo Xinzhi. She directly said, “Back then, Wanyan Dawang was truly talented, honest, and upright. I only valued him for that. But who would have known that the Wanyan family would turn out to be such vile people, causing today’s mess? It’s really not my fault.”

“Now that things have come to this, it wasn’t intentional on my part. At that time, I was just hoping Xinzhi would have a good life, too.”

Huo Xinzhi had experienced dramatic highs and lows today.

First, the Wanyan family had come to her door, leaving her panicked. Then her past wounds were exposed, naturally filling her with fear and resentment.

But in the end, Cui Yunzhao’s every word had pulled her out of the mire.

It turned out she had never been wrong.

The fault lay with that family of heartless wolves.

Huo Xinzhi felt the heavy burden and pressure on her shoulders vanish in an instant.

Even the nightmares of the past could no longer affect her.

At this moment, hearing the old lady’s refusal, Huo Xinzhi suddenly stood up, her eyes red as she looked at her.

Among all the people in the family, the old lady was actually the one who feared her the most.

It wasn’t exactly fear, it was more that she had always cared deeply for her eldest granddaughter and had made careful plans for her. Unfortunately, things did not go as hoped, and her granddaughter’s life was forever changed.

Therefore, after Huo Xinzhi returned home, she tried to please her, and no longer dared to act imposing in front of her.

In the past two years, she had become accustomed to reading Huo Xinzhi’s expressions. So, at this moment, under Huo Xinzhi’s gaze, she immediately fell silent.

The old lady felt aggrieved in her heart.

She believed she had good intentions and had only ended up causing harm due to a series of unfortunate events. She felt she had done nothing wrong by Huo Xinzhi.

But those words couldn’t be spoken now.

Huo Xinzhi, with her eyes red, looked at her for a long time without being able to utter a single word.

Time had passed, and the suffering had ended, yet she could not express the feeling of having sailed past countless mountains.

Her small boat had weathered storms and gales and now did not know where its future lay.

The hall fell into silence for a while.

Cui Yunzhao sighed.

She knew Huo Xinzhi’s heart was surely tumultuous. Anyone faced with such a situation would have trouble stabilizing their emotions.

What Huo Xinzhi needed most right now was time.

Cui Yunzhao thought for a moment and turned to Lin Xiu Gu “Mother, originally today my husband was supposed to accompany the Twelfth Master to Baihe Academy, but since he is not here, why don’t we wait a few days?”

“I didn’t realize the Twelfth Master had so many injuries. Let’s allow him to rest and recuperate these few days before going, alright?”

Her words were directed at Lin Xiu Gu, but her gaze was on Huo Chengpu.

Huo Chengpu was different from Huo Xinzhi. He was just an eight-year-old child. Due to the lack of a father’s guidance, he was more timid compared to the other boys in the family.

But timidity was not his true nature.

With today’s clarity, having removed his own shackles, he appeared brighter and more open.

From the first glance, Cui Yunzhao could see that he had grown.

No longer did he hang his head, avoid eye contact, or look at the world with trepidation.

Now, Huo Chengpu looked at the world with the curiosity and shyness of a young creature, exploring family members he had never truly cared about before.

At Cui Yunzhao’s gaze, Huo Chengpu instinctively smiled.

The smile of the young boy was still shy and timid, but his eyes sparkled with a newfound brightness, as if the sunlight had finally illuminated them.

Huo Chengpu nodded at Cui Yunzhao“I will listen to my eldest sister.”

Even his voice was noticeably firmer than before.

Cui Yunzhao smiled, and Lin Xiu Gu was also very pleased.

She said to Huo Chengpu “Eleventh Master, it’s almost time for your class. Take the buns and go to the martial academy to eat. Don’t be late.”

“Twelfth Master, go change into another set of clothes, then get some more sleep to restore your energy. I will visit the pharmacy in the afternoon to buy some medicine for your injuries. It should heal faster with proper treatment.”

With Lin Xiu Gu’s prompt arrangements, Huo Chengpu obediently left.

Huo Chenzhan, however, stood hesitantly and said after a moment “Mother, I want to go to the Military Affairs Department to keep an eye on things.”

Although the Military Affairs Department prided itself on fairness and justice, with Huo Tan currently away from Bo Ling and Wanyan Shan’s position not as high as Huo Tan’s, they were still locals with deep roots in Bo Ling.

There was a possibility that the Wanyan family might try to manipulate things to their advantage by removing Wanyan Shan in advance.

Despite his young age, Huo Chengzhan was quite perceptive about such matters.

Lin Xiu Gu looked at him and, seeing his resolute expression, said after some thought “No need. Even if you keep watch, they can still do as they please. Xiao Tan should have gone with them. He is sharp and should be able to handle it without us worrying.”

Seeing that Huo Chenzhan still wanted to say something, she added “Eleventh Master, focus on your martial studies. It is most important that you become a strong support for your elder brother in the future so that no one dares to bully our family. For now, you don’t need to worry about the family matters.”

Grandmother Gu also spoke up at the right moment “Yes, Eleventh Master, your future is important. Just focus on your studies for now.”

Seeing both elders speak, Huo Chenzhan had no choice but to accept. He took the buns, bowed, and left.

Once the children had all gone, Lin Xiu Gu turned to Cui Yunzhao “Daughter-in-law, today’s events were thanks to you.”

Cui Yunzhao smiled and said “When one is involved, it’s hard to see clearly. As outsiders, we had no understanding of Bo Ling when we first arrived and were deceived by local tricks.”

“The Wanyan family is used to such deceitful tactics and handles these matters with ease. Our family’s integrity cannot compete with that.”

Cui Yunzhao’s calm and soothing voice eased the tension among those present.

“Now that we know the truth, that is enough.”

Cui Yunzhao smiled and finally looked at Huo Xinzhi “Sister, you should move on from the past shadows and not let the Wanyan family bind you any longer. There is a long future ahead, and the years to come belong to you.”

Cui Yunzhao did not delve deeper. She simply smiled warmly at Huo Xinzhi and said “If you want to explore Bo Ling or see the city, feel free to find me. I’ll accompany you.”

With today’s matters resolved, Cui Yunzhao stood up and bade farewell to the two elders.

“It’s getting late. Grandmother and Mother should have dinner soon. I will take my leave now.”

Cui Yunzhao did not stay for the meal in the main house. She returned to the eastern courtyard and had a simple breakfast.

After eating, she began to feel somewhat tired.

Mother Xia called for Li Qing to massage her shoulders, smiling as she said “Miss, you were really impressive today. I could tell from the twists and turns. You’re still as sharp as ever.”

Cui Yunzhao sighed.

“Anything involving supernatural threats usually lacks real evidence and is meant to confuse people with vague and mysterious things.”

Cui Yunzhao said: “Had I known about my elder sister’s experiences earlier, I would have confronted them sooner.”

Mother Xia couldn’t help but laugh: “Miss, you’re really different from before.”

Cui Yunzhao looked back at her, her eyes clear and bright.

“Do you think I’ve improved?”

Mother Xia naturally replied: “Of course, it’s wonderful.”

“I think you’re much happier than before. Living this free and easy life is truly great.”

Cui Yunzhao smiled and did not say more.

Once Li Qing had finished the massage, she finally said “I wonder when my husband will come back.”