Chapter 47 : My Lord, will you kill me?

Cui Yunzhao ignored his flattery and only asked, “What happened in the end?”

Huo Tan poured her another bowl of hot tea and said, “I have solid evidence. The Wanyan family came to our house to make trouble that day, and there were so many patrol soldiers who heard the inside story and could all serve as witnesses. Wanyan Shan can’t deny it.”

“Although Wanyan Dawang’s father is still alive, he was injured in the previous war and was considered a retired wounded soldier. Naturally, it is impossible to punish him. But Wanyan Shan brought so many people to our house to make trouble, so of course I only caught him to make trouble.”

Huo Tan is very smart.

Wanyan Dawang’s father will no longer be promoted and he is injured. Punishing him will not only ruin Huo Xinzhi’s reputation, but also be useless. You have to hit the snake at its weakest point.

Currently, Wanyan Shan holds the highest position within the Wanyan family and enjoys the greatest trust from Zhang Shouzhang. Without today’s incident, it wouldn’t take him more than three to five years to be promoted to military envoy. Huo Tan wouldn’t allow that to happen.

Cui Yunzhao looked up and saw Huo Tan calmly sipping her tea. “I reported all the evidence to the inspector, specifically mentioning that Wanyan Dazhuang’s father is old and weak, a retired soldier, and I didn’t want to make things difficult for him. After consideration, the inspector decided to demote Wanyan Shan from squad leader to guard, imposing a three-month salary penalty and an additional two years without promotion.”

This outcome was excellent. Cui Yunzhao sighed, “The inspector is truly impartial.”

Of course, Huo Tan couldn’t directly confront Wanyan Shan and his family; it wouldn’t be worth punishing them for just this one family. But letting them off the hook was also unacceptable.

A dull knife to slay a donkey is the best approach. Wanyan Shan’s demotion and two-year ban on promotion would gradually make him forgotten by Zhang Shouzhang, given his abilities.

“Zhang Shouzhang cares about this matter not out of gratitude or because of the Wanyan family, but because he doesn’t want to lose face in front of the cavalry camp.”

“Moreover, Wanyan Dazhuang hasn’t been dead long. If Wanyan Shan were to be ungrateful, his reputation would suffer. But with time, if Wanyan Shan is dealt with under military law, how could Zhang Shouzhang still use him?”

Huo Tan said lightly, “The military is not as simple as the Civil Hall. In fact, here, blood and tears are the currency of struggle. If one accomplishes nothing and their family has no successors, they will gradually be forgotten in the military.”

“Wanyan Shan is already the most promising figure of the current Wanyan generation. His downfall will deal a heavy blow to the family.”

“Unless another genius emerges from the Wanyan family, in less than five years, they won’t be able to wield any power in Boling.”

“They previously relied on Wanyan Dazhuang and his father, but now they have no one to lean on.”

This might be the heaviest blow to the Wanyan family. Cui Yunzhao let out a sigh of relief and smiled, “That’s quite good.”

Huo Tan looked at her, “Yes, it’s quite good.”

The couple chatted for a while. Cui Yunzhao glanced at Huo Xinzhi’s dowry list and said, “I don’t see any omissions. I’ll go get it for my elder sister this afternoon and ask her about managing the household.”

Huo Tan replied, “Thank you for your hard work, my Lady.”

Cui Yunzhao shook her head. They were both hungry, so they ordered lunch. The sauce beef they bought today tasted great, its aroma delightful, and dipping it in a bit of soy sauce made it even more flavorful.

Huo Tan ate two big bowls of rice and suddenly said, “My Lady, for our food and clothing, you can take from the spoils of war. What’s mine is yours, and from now on, you can be in charge of all the major and minor matters at home.”

Cui Yunzhao paused, her hand gripping the chopsticks for a moment.

“Why suddenly bring this up?” Huo Tan laughed lightly but felt a bit drained. “Sometimes I’m not very detail-oriented. When I spoke with you before, I didn’t explain clearly,” he continued after a light cough. “It was only after seeing my elder sister’s dowry that I realized you shouldn’t have to use your dowry to support the household with all your maids. All household expenses should come from me.”

Huo Tan hadn’t considered these matters much, coming from a humble military background. Now, he recognized that his approach was irresponsible. He sighed as he saw Cui Yunzhao looking at him seriously.

“I don’t understand these things; it’s my first marriage. If I’ve done anything wrong, I hope you can forgive me. Just tell me directly if something’s amiss; I will definitely change. Don’t put yourself in a difficult position.”

Cui Yunzhao didn’t expect to hear Huo Tan say this. In her past life, they only spoke during meals, usually in silence, never sharing much. She had never voiced her grievances, and he had never asked. That’s how distance grew.

Neither of them knew how to navigate marriage, especially since she lost her parents young and learned nothing about relationships. She felt like a child struggling to protect her siblings, and when she ended up in the Huo household, she felt lost, unsure of what to do.

The stories she read offered no guidance for living in a new family or interacting with a stranger, even if he was her husband. Did Huo Tan understand any of this?

Cui Yunzhao recalled that when they first married, Huo Tan had tried to talk to her, but she felt too shy about intimate matters and ignored his advances, adhering to her noble demeanor. Over time, he might have thought she truly disliked him, leading him to speak less.

As words faded and passion waned, life became dull and colorless. For a while, she felt a semblance of calm, but that only left an emptiness. She had felt lonely, and the losses of Li Qing and Lan’er hit her hard.

Cui Yunzhao didn’t admit to having emotional troubles in her past life, but living alone in a distant courtyard was indeed a way to escape pain. At least in those final years, her life had been peaceful.

Huo Tan noticed Cui Yunzhao lost in thought, her eyes downcast, her long lashes motionless. She looked like a silhouette etched by the setting sun, lingering in twilight without a sound. He was startled by his own thoughts.

He waited a moment before gently touching Cui Yunzhao’s hand. Her hand was somewhat cold. Startled, she shivered slightly and instinctively opened her beautiful eyes, staring intently at him.

Moments earlier, an impulse surged within her. She wanted to lay everything bare and clarify the matters that weighed heavily on her heart. Although it was ten years ago, Huo Tan was still Huo Tan, and she remained herself. Should she ask? Could she ask? This question had lingered in her mind for a long time, but today, she finally felt a surge of courage.

Cui Yunzhao suddenly wanted to disregard her worries, not caring if Huo Tan would suspect her or what the consequences of her questions might be. Taking a deep breath, she looked directly at him. “My lord, I have two questions. I wonder if you can answer them?”

Huo Tan didn’t understand why she was so serious, nor what she had pondered so deeply just now. But since he had promised to let her speak freely, he couldn’t go back on his word. He vowed to keep this promise to her for life.

He gently held her hand and nodded firmly, “Please go ahead, my Lady.”

Cui Yunzhao bit her lip but didn’t pull her hand away. Their hands clasped together, and she could clearly sense Huo Tan’s emotions. He was serious and solemn.

Though it was just an ordinary afternoon, for Cui Yunzhao, it was one of the most important days since her rebirth. “My lord, I want to ask, if one day I were to request a divorce, would you agree?”

“I would not,” Huo Tan instinctively replied, without hesitation or offering her a chance to explain.

His two words were the most straightforward expression of his thoughts, requiring no deliberation. Cui Yunzhao felt a sudden lightness in her heart; the heavy burdens she had carried seemed to vanish with his response.

Huo Tan continued to look at her earnestly. He didn’t ask why she had such doubts, nor did he explain his own feelings. He simply sat there, listening attentively to what she would say next, because she had mentioned two questions. This was just the first.

Cui Yunzhao hadn’t anticipated Huo Tan would refuse so decisively. Yet, she recalled that in her previous life, he had also responded without hesitation. On that day, recovering from a long illness, she had felt drained, lying by the bedside when she suddenly heard that Huo Tan had returned.

She had been ill for over ten days and finally sent a letter to Huo Tan, but he disappointed her by not coming to visit even once. To Huo Tan, perhaps this wife wasn’t that important. Cui Yunzhao suddenly felt disheartened. Their marriage felt meaningless, leaving her feeling utterly defeated—or perhaps she was just avoiding the truth.

So when she saw Huo Tan stride in, she didn’t pay attention to his injuries or the worry in his eyes, nor did she ask how he was doing. She simply looked at him calmly and said, “Huo Tan, let’s get a divorce.”

If one were to say that Huo Tan agreed without hesitation, that wouldn’t be entirely accurate. Cui Yunzhao vaguely remembered him pausing for a moment. She was in poor health, devoid of energy, and her memories were hazy. She hadn’t noticed his later expressions or actions. After speaking those words, she felt a deep ache within her.

Four years of marriage, four years of companionship, had finally reached a breaking point. Cui Yunzhao felt regretful, but she also harbored a faint hope. If Huo Tan were to firmly oppose her request for a divorce, she would open her heart to him, share everything, and face their challenges together. But things didn’t go as she wished.

That last flicker of hope faded when Huo Tan replied, “Alright, my Lady, I will listen to you.”

Cui Yunzhao suddenly pulled away from her memories. The sadness and resentment of her past life, along with her grievances and dissatisfaction, had slowly dissolved through her experiences in this life. Previously, she had been confined to the inner quarters, bound by propriety and her own heart.

The four years in the distant courtyard brought her tranquility, allowing her to read many books, witness various events, and hear countless stories from those around her. Her character gradually changed. In this life, it only took a small step for her to feel as if the world had turned upside down.

Cui Yunzhao asked him, “If you agreed to the divorce, what would be the reason?”

Huo Tan’s expression grew more serious. He didn’t seem anxious or angry about his new wife’s divorce remarks. Instead, he pondered deeply, considering his answer. He wouldn’t brush her off now, nor would he in the future.

After a moment of thought, he finally provided a response he had likely contemplated. “If that day ever comes, it might be because I’m afraid of implicating you.”

Cui Yunzhao was taken aback. “Implicate me?”

Huo Tan nodded, letting out a soft sigh. The room was warm, but outside it was cold. The chilly wind, laden with snow, rustled the jujube tree in the courtyard. At the year’s end, it was the coldest time of the year.

Huo Tan shifted his gaze away, looking towards the other side of the door where the winter landscape lay. This time, he didn’t look at Cui Yunzhao. He spoke deliberately, “As a soldier, there isn’t a single day that isn’t dangerous. You’ve read many books, so you likely understand this.”

“If I were really in danger, and you were certain about wanting a divorce, perhaps to avoid implicating you, I would agree,” Huo Tan said, his voice steady. The light caught his profile, giving him an indescribable air of determination.

Every word he spoke was sincere, devoid of deception. Cui Yunzhao felt a storm brewing in her heart. At that moment, the wind and snow outside seemed to settle within her.

She felt momentarily disoriented, unable to distinguish between her past and present, losing track of the years gone by. Was this really the truth?

Cui Yunzhao didn’t blindly trust Huo Tan; her faith in his honesty came from the ten years they had shared, from the promises he had kept after his rise to power. Huo Tan never lied. What he had said came from his heart. Perhaps this was indeed the truth.

Cui Yunzhao blinked, feeling a tightness in her throat, but ultimately, she let out a gentle sigh. “So that’s how it is,” she murmured.

Huo Tan replied, “That’s exactly it.”

At that moment, he slowly withdrew his gaze and met Cui Yunzhao’s slightly reddened eyes. He continued to hold her hand, warm and strong, just like him. Suddenly, he smiled at her.

“Wife, you’re not the shy type. Since our marriage, I’ve seen you as wise and graceful, quick-witted—someone who wouldn’t be caught up in these baseless assumptions.” He gently squeezed her hand, his tone softening. “I won’t give you the chance to utter those three words.”

Cui Yunzhao blinked again. It was strange, people were strange. A small change could alter everything. For her, this might be the best outcome, not about divorce or love, but about her ability to change the world.

She could bring back those who had left her side, gradually fill the voids of regret and pain with her efforts in this life. With tears welling up, she smiled at Huo Tan. “I was just dreaming.”

Huo Tan replied, “A dream is just a dream, it won’t come true.”

Cui Yunzhao nodded, pondering for a moment before looking back at him. “Husband, I have another question.”

Huo Tan teased her lightly, “My Lady, that’s the third question.”

Cui Yunzhao ignored his teasing and carefully began, “Husband, I want to ask, if my existence were to hinder you, would you kill me?”

This was the question she truly wanted to ask. The earlier questions were merely to ease his defenses. This one might have been too unsettling, as she felt Huo Tan’s grip on her hand tremble slightly. It was a subtle movement, but Cui Yunzhao caught it instantly.

“Would you?” she asked, locking her gaze onto his, unwavering.

Compared to his earlier seriousness, Huo Tan suddenly exuded an inexplicable air of intimidation. Although he still looked back at her calmly, Cui Yunzhao could sense the intense undercurrents swirling in his deep, starry eyes.

She suddenly felt the urge to retract her hand. Clearly, topics like divorce paled in comparison to the weight of murder and harm, which evidently made Huo Tan uneasy. She shouldn’t have asked. Yet this doubt had lingered in her heart for a long time, and she desperately needed an answer, one that would allow her to trust Huo Tan completely.

Though Huo Tan was only nineteen, everything was still in its infancy; he hadn’t yet become that aloof, solitary figure. But Cui Yunzhao understood that the answer she received now would remain unchanged for five, ten, or even a lifetime. Rather than probing and guessing, it was better to break through and directly ask for the truth she wanted.

Taking a deep breath, she stood tall and met Huo Tan’s gaze without flinching or backing down, unafraid of his intense scrutiny. Huo Tan studied her for a long time, until the imposing aura around him dissipated, and he gradually loosened his grip on her hand, though he did not let go.

This time, he didn’t immediately provide an answer. “Why would you think that, my Lady?” he asked softly. His tone was similar to before, yet somehow colder, retaining its gentleness but lacking warmth.

Cui Yunzhao took a deep breath and remained honest with him. “Husband, I mentioned that I had a dream, a nightmare.”

The ice in Huo Tan’s eyes began to melt. “What kind of dream? Can you tell me about it?”

Cui Yunzhao pondered for a moment, feeling a bit shy. “Will you laugh at me for being scared of nightmares like a child?”

Huo Tan seemed to chuckle lightly, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Cui Yunzhao suddenly realized that this question had upset him. Acknowledging this, she felt a sense of relief.

She smiled in return and then said, “A few days ago, when you were away, I had a nightmare. I dreamed that we were an unhappy couple, growing to resent each other, and due to various misunderstandings, I asked for a divorce, which you agreed to.”

“After the divorce, I lived alone, and one day, I was killed.”

“I woke up terrified.”

Cui Yunzhao forced a bitter smile and added half-jokingly, “I guess I was just too worried about you, fearing you might be in danger on the battlefield, which led to such morbid dreams.” She cleverly offered that as an explanation.

Huo Tan listened quietly as she spoke, not looking into her eyes, seemingly willing to believe her as long as she spoke. Cui Yunzhao cautiously glanced up at him, her voice lighter, “My Lord, you’re not angry, are you?”

Huo Tan initially shook his head, then nodded after a moment. “I am indeed a bit angry.” Saying this, he let out a long breath. “When I first heard your question, it made me uncomfortable. Now I realize I’m angry because you don’t trust me.”

He rubbed his brow, showing he had been tense. “But after hearing your dream, I understand that I shouldn’t be angry. It’s my fault for not earning your trust, which led you to have such dreams and ask such questions.”

Cui Yunzhao could see he was trying to relax and not direct his anger toward her. It seemed that Huo Tan had never truly been angry with her. In their past life, whenever they had disputes, he was always the first to apologize. His sincerity slowly calmed her anxious heart.

Cui Yunzhao nodded, then shook her head. “I can’t say that. After all, we’ve only been married for less than a month, we don’t really know each other well yet.”

Huo Tan sighed lightly. “Still not familiar?” He relaxed, a smile appearing on his face. It seemed that Cui Yunzhao’s attitude reassured him she wasn’t suspicious, making him feel much better.

He squeezed her hand again. “My Lady, you are much more sincere than I expected. Because of this sincerity, let’s clear everything up today, okay?”

Cui Yunzhao was pleased. “Of course.”

After a moment of thought, Huo Tan continued, “The answer to this question is different from the previous two. I said before that if I were ever in danger and it would implicate my family, I wouldn’t let you be affected.”

“So, if that day ever comes, if you bring it up, I would agree. But I would never bring it up myself.”

Cui Yunzhao nodded, understanding. Huo Tan raised his gaze, looking earnestly at her. “For the third question, I can clearly tell you, my Lady,” he said, his voice firm and powerful, “no matter what happens, even if it means I die for you, I will never let you be in danger, and…”

“I will never harm you.”

“That is absolutely impossible.”

Cui Yunzhao felt a rush in her ears, her heart racing so violently it made her dizzy, almost drowning out Huo Tan’s words. But his unwavering, resolute gaze gradually calmed her beating heart. In that moment, she felt reassured. She was certain that this was Huo Tan’s answer.

Although Cui Yunzhao had some doubts about Huo Tan because of the phrase “that person,” she wasn’t entirely certain. In her understanding, Huo Tan was definitely not that kind of person. He would never harm women and children. Over the past month and a half, she had tested and observed him closely, finally asking this question and receiving an answer. This was also why she hadn’t immediately chosen to leave him at the beginning. She needed to be sure that she could trust him.

Now, everything seemed settled. Sitting in her home with Huo Tan, she felt a sense of relief. All the hidden forces behind the scenes would gradually come to light. What she needed to do was protect herself and those around her, and then push the wrongdoers into the abyss. And now, she could finally feel safe entrusting her back to Huo Tan. This feeling was truly wonderful.