Chapter 26 : My lady, I will. I will treat you well.

After crying through it all, Cui Yunzhao’s emotions gradually settled down.

She knew that ever since her rebirth, she had been holding her emotions tightly. It was only when Huo Tan’s provocation came that she suddenly broke down.

Although her breakdown might arouse Huo Tan’s suspicion, Cui Yunzhao knew very well that she really needed to have a good cry.

After crying her heart out, she felt much better, and all the pent-up frustration inside her was released.

Having died once, she knew that pride was worth the least, so she didn’t feel ashamed now.

She pressed her lips together and lowered her eyes, thinking about how to appease Huo Tan.

Huo Tan did not immediately answer when he heard her question.

He had always been cautious, and his words were always valuable and never misleading.

After waiting for a moment without receiving his response, Cui Yunzhao looked up at him.

Because of the awkwardness, her phoenix eyes were red and puffy, looking like a little rabbit. Her face also had some tear stains, making her look delicate and pitiful.

Seeing her with such watery eyes, Huo Tan instantly lost his composure and, without thinking, responded, “I will.”

Once these words were out, Huo Tan felt much lighter.

Perhaps, this was his true feeling inside.

Huo Tan looked at Cui Yunzhao with sincerity and earnestness in his eyes: “My lady, I will. I will treat you well.”

He didn’t want to say such sentimental things, but under Cui Yunzhao’s gaze, it was hard not to show his softer side.

Instinctively, everything seemed to come out.

Hearing this, Cui Yunzhao relaxed a bit.

A blush appeared on her face, her eyelashes fluttered, and she quickly looked away.

Then Huo Tan heard her say, “Don’t laugh at me for crying like that earlier.”

“I am not usually so unreasonable.”

At that moment, Huo Tan still held her in his arms, protecting her small frame. Seeing her like this, his doubts were dispelled.

During the first few days of their marriage, Cui Yunzhao had seemed poised and always had a smiling face.

He thought she had a cheerful and steady nature.

It now seemed that perhaps she was just putting up a brave front.

Anyone who married from a family like the Cui’s to a place like this might have a hard time adjusting. Her ability to present herself so well was already impressive.

She was only eighteen this year, one year younger than him, and was a young lady from a secluded family. He shouldn’t be too harsh.

Moreover, Cui Yunzhao’s behavior was not entirely without fault on his part.

In that case, he realized he hadn’t been attentive enough to her.

Huo Tan pondered for a moment and then thought of another perspective.

“My lady, it’s also my negligence for not caring enough about you. I will treat you better from now on.”

“Compared to many young ladies, you’re already doing wonderfully. I won’t let you cry again in the future.”

Cui Yunzhao was taken aback.

She naturally didn’t know what Huo Tan was thinking, but hearing these words, Huo Tan didn’t seem suspicious of her sudden crying, which made her breathe a sigh of relief.

No matter what he thought, it was good as long as it was beneficial to her.

Cui Yunzhao responded smoothly, “You’re really kind, my lord.”

The two had lingered in the carriage for quite a while, and outside, Li Qing had grown anxious. She now asked, “Master, Miss, we’re home. Should we go anywhere else?”

Cui Yunzhao came back to her senses.

A blush appeared on her face again. She quickly detached herself from Huo Tan and sat at the farthest spot away from him.

“My lord, we’ve arrived home.”

Seeing the absence of the warm and gentle embrace, Huo Tan suddenly felt that her coquettish crying wasn’t so bad after all.

Although he felt regretful, he wasn’t in a hurry.

Huo Tan nodded. Noting the tear stains on her face, he said, “Let’s go home. After you wash your face, you’ll feel better.”

The two of them got out of the carriage, one in front of the other.

Li Qing, who had been following behind with Ping Shu’s carriage, didn’t know what had happened. Seeing Miss covering her face with a handkerchief, she hurried forward, anxious.

“Miss…?”

Before she could finish her question, she saw Cui Yunzhao shake her head.

So Li Qing didn’t ask any more questions.

After crying, Cui Yunzhao’s throat was a bit hoarse. She said, “Li Qing, have Ping Shu help move Mother Xia’s luggage inside.”

Li Qing nodded and, seeing her enter the East Courtyard with the young master, turned to get busy.

Back in the bedroom, Cui Yunzhao relaxed considerably. She had Tao Fei bring hot water to wash her face and then carefully applied a layer of pearl powder.

Huo Tan had drunk quite a bit and had been tossed around in the carriage for a while, so he now felt a bit dizzy. He sat at the Eight Immortals table, propping himself up with his hands, his eyes slightly lowered.

By this time, it was past the hour of Shen. The incense by the window had burned down halfway and was emitting a faint lingering smoke.

Cui Yunzhao quietly instructed Tao Fei to prepare a hangover remedy for Huo Tan. Then she came up behind him and gently placed her hand on his temple.

If anyone else suddenly touched Huo Tan, he would have immediately reacted to control the situation.

However, since they were at home and Huo Tan recognized the familiar osmanthus fragrance, he didn’t react defensively when he realized it was Cui Yunzhao behind him.

When the cool and soft hand touched his temple, Huo Tan was instinctively alert but soon relaxed.

“My lady, you should also rest for a while.”

Cui Yunzhao’s voice was gentle but still a bit hoarse.

“I only had a few drinks, so I’m fine. Let me give you a massage to help ease your discomfort.”

Huo Tan nodded. He closed his eyes and enjoyed Cui Yunzhao’s massage.

Cui Yunzhao might have learned it specifically, her touch was just right, comfortable without being too weak.

After a while, Huo Tan indeed felt much better and wasn’t as dizzy.

At this moment, Tao Fei came in with the hangover remedy.

Cui Yunzhao released her hand and urged Huo Tan to drink the remedy.

“My lord, drink the hangover soup and then rest for a bit. I’ll go give Mother the return gifts from my family so she can feel assured.”

After crying, Cui Yunzhao had returned to her graceful self.

Huo Tan looked at her deeply. Seeing that she had re-done her makeup and looked mostly normal except for a bit of redness around her eyes, he felt much more at ease.

“You’ve worked hard, my lady.”

Despite not being very drunk, Huo Tan had had quite a bit to drink and felt somewhat dizzy and sleepy. He fell asleep as soon as he lay down.

Cui Yunzhao went to see Lin Xiu Gu with the return gifts prepared by her family. She found that Lin Xiu Gu hadn’t taken a nap but was waiting while doing some needlework. Cui Yunzhao entered and directly said that the return visit had gone well and everyone was happy.

Lin Xiu Gu patted her chest and chanted a Buddhist verse.

“That’s good, very good.”

Seeing Lin Xiu Gu working on needlework, Cui Yunzhao said, “Mother, from now on, please let the embroidery shop handle the needlework. My dowry shop has a silk store and has hired embroiderers.”

Lin Xiu Gu smiled and replied, “I can’t stay idle.”

“Usually, I only buy groceries and do some cleaning. If I have nothing to do, I feel restless.”

“Since you’re here, take a look at this jacket. Do you like it?”

Cui Yunzhao was a bit surprised.

“Mother, is this made for me?”

Lin Xiu Gu looked a bit embarrassed.

She said, “I don’t know how to do embroidery, but I’m good at mending. I used to learn it specially, and when our family was poor, I did a lot of mending work.”

“I hadn’t seen you before, so I didn’t want to make something rash. Now that I’ve seen you, I could get the size right.”

Cui Yunzhao leaned in to look and indeed saw that Lin Xiu Gu was sewing a fur collar onto a brocade jacket.

The jacket was festive in pattern and unique in style. Most importantly, it fit well at the waist and had a white fox fur collar, making it look very beautiful.

Both the material and craftsmanship were top-notch.

Cui Yunzhao was quite pleased.

She hadn’t expected that Lin Xiu Gu had made this specifically for her.

Cui Yunzhao touched the soft brocade fabric and looked up to see Lin Xiu Gu watching her carefully.

Cui Yunzhao was taken aback for a moment, then immediately said, “Mother, it’s really well done. It’s perfect for the New Year, and I can wear a new outfit.”

Seeing that she liked it, Lin Xiu Gu’s face broke into a bright smile.

“Good, if you like it, I’ll make a whole set for you. You can match it as you like.”

Cui Yunzhao hadn’t expected Lin Xiu Gu to be so pleased and thus didn’t refuse, saying, “Thank you, Mother. Just don’t overwork yourself, and be sure to rest your eyes.”

Lin Xiu Gu nodded.

Seeing that Cui Yunzhao wasn’t in a hurry to leave, she wanted to chat a bit more.

“When the match was first arranged, I was quite nervous, fearing you might not like the small house or the way we live.”

Lin Xiu Gu continued,  “I was thinking that if our family’s business gets better in the future, I must buy a good house and I can’t let you, a daughter of the Cui family, lose face.”

Despite her words, Lin Xiu Gu was mainly concerned that Cui Yunzhao might not like the home or Huo Tan.

To an outsider, it might seem like Lin Xiu Gu was subtly criticizing, but Cui Yunzhao knew she spoke straightforwardly and didn’t harbor ill intentions, so she listened attentively.

“But after you came in, I realized I was worrying too much. You really are a good girl.”

The compliment from Lin Xiu Gu made Cui Yunzhao feel a bit embarrassed.

“Mother, you’re a very good mother-in-law as well.”

In this household, aside from the difficult old lady, everyone else was easy to get along with. Lin Xiu Gu, as a mother-in-law, had never made things difficult for Cui Yunzhao. As for Huo Tan, he had a bright future, was calm and steady, and exceptionally handsome. Life here was already better than that of many high-born young ladies.

Cui Yunzhao knew there was quite a contrast between her current life and her past reputation. After some thought, she said, “Mother, you’re such a wonderful mother-in-law, treating me as if I were your own. With a considerate husband like mine, my life is far better than that of many newlywed brides.”

“I’m very grateful.”

Lin Xiu Gu looked at her earnestly. Though her hands continued with the needlework, her tone was unusually serious.

“Dear daughter-in-law, it hasn’t been easy for Huo Tan. At such a young age, he’s shouldered this family and worked much harder than most. I don’t have any other wishes or seek great wealth and nobility. I only hope that you both can be healthy and live a long, happy life together.”

Lin Xiu Gu looked at Cui Yunzhao with earnest eyes.

“Can you promise me that?”

Cui Yunzhao didn’t shy away from her gaze. Once she had finished speaking, she nodded seriously, “I promise, Mother.”

After returning from the front courtyard, Cui Yunzhao’s mind gradually calmed.

She sat at the Eight Immortals table and slowly began to sort through her thoughts.

Bai Xiaochuan was currently a soldier under Huo Tan, but that didn’t necessarily mean he would always be. Regardless of his future, as long as Cui Yunzhao was patient, she would certainly find clues from him.

As long as there were clues, the truth could be uncovered.

And with Huo Tan, she should maintain their current state of affairs. Until everything was clear, there was no need for her to break apart from Huo Tan.

Cui Yunzhao took a deep breath and suddenly heard a man’s low voice from the bedroom.

“My lady, you’re back?”

“Let’s rest together.”

—-

Cui Yunzhao, having been busy all day, was indeed a bit tired and didn’t refuse.

Just as she was about to get up, she heard a commotion from outside.

Most of the residents of Lotus Flower Alley were military families, and disturbances were rare. Since the noise was coming from the East Courtyard, it must be from their own home.

Cui Yunzhao didn’t originally plan to investigate, but as soon as she turned around, she heard a familiar loud voice.

“Mother, you’re back.”

Cui Yunzhao was a bit surprised and quickly stood up, hurrying into the inner room.

As she rounded the screen, she saw Huo Tan sitting up, leaning against the edge of the bed and putting on his shoes.

Perhaps due to the alcohol and the warmth from the charcoal brazier in the room, he was only wearing a thin shirt, with the collar open, exposing his honey-colored skin.

Cui Yunzhao couldn’t help but recall their past intimate moments, her face slightly reddening.

Huo Tan had an excellent physique.

He was tall and slender, with a well-defined back and waist, especially his chiseled abdomen, each muscle perfectly proportioned.

His body was all lean muscle, not overly bulky, but rather light and sharp.

Looking at him, one might be tempted to reach out and touch.

Cui Yunzhao’s gaze wandered, and she cleared her throat lightly, “My lord, it seems that Grandmother has returned.”

Huo Tan nodded. He had only slept for half an hour and was still half-dreaming.

Half-awake, Huo Tan’s eyes were clearer at this moment.

He said, “I heard.”

Even his speech was deliberate and clear, indicating that he had a good tolerance for alcohol. Despite having drunk so much at lunch, he wasn’t thoroughly drunk.

This was something Cui Yunzhao hadn’t known before.

“Grandmother has returned, so we need to go greet her. Please wait for me a moment, we’ll go together.”

Cui Yunzhao went to find a new outfit for him, hanging it on a rack and smoothing out the wrinkles.

Huo Tan glanced at her and put on his shoes and socks before starting to comb his hair.

“Didn’t Grandmother say she was going to take care of Yuan Ge’s wife during her confinement? Why has she returned so soon, after only a few days?”

In her previous life, this detail hadn’t occurred. Cui Yunzhao vaguely remembered that Yuan Ge’s wife did give birth, but Grandmother Gu hadn’t returned.

It was unclear why she had come back this time, especially since she had only stayed for less than a month under the pretext of caring for the confinement period.

Cui Yunzhao concealed her surprise and only inquired about the family matters.

“Who is Yuan Ge?”

Huo Tan took a sip of the cold tea on the table and then began dressing.

The outfit Cui Yunzhao chose for him was a narrow-sleeved long robe in bamboo green. After putting it on and tying the belt around his waist, it immediately highlighted his refined and elegant demeanor.

Huo Tan, still under twenty, had his hair loosely styled, with strands falling around his neck, giving him a roguish, young master air.

“Yuan Ge’s full name is Gu Yuan. He is the eldest grandson of Grandmother’s older brother, and three years older than me.”

“The Gu family is also a military household. However, both my uncle and grand-uncle passed away early. Yuan Ge used the military pension to buy a civilian household, so he no longer serves in the military.”

This introduced Cui Yunzhao to a policy she wasn’t aware of.

Seeing her look of confusion, Huo Tan quickly explained.

“My uncle was the only son in the family and had only one child, Yuan Ge. After my uncle and my uncle died in battle, the imperial court stipulated that if there were two martyrs in the family and only one male or only female household left, half of the pension silver could be used to exchange for civilian household.”

This policy was decreed at the beginning of the current emperor’s reign.

Years of warfare in the Central Plains had left the common people in dire straits. Because of the war, many non-military youths had joined the army, causing a sharp decline in the population and the number of households.

With young men off fighting, who would farm? Who would ensure the continuation of families? Who would take care of the wives, children, and elderly at home?

For the long-term survival of families, the emperor devised this policy to prevent entire families from becoming extinct, thus providing some relief to households with few members.

Upon hearing this, Cui Yunzhao couldn’t help but sigh, “The Emperor is indeed wise.”

Huo Tan smiled slightly.

His smile was clean and handsome, but perhaps due to the wine he had today, there was an extra hint of tenderness in his eyes that was usually absent.

He looked at Cui Yunzhao and said softly, “This was proposed by my father many years ago.”

He said no more on the subject.

Cui Yunzhao suddenly recalled that Huo Tan’s father was also an only child.

However, their family had many children, which clearly did not fit the criteria. Nonetheless, Huo Tan’s father’s ability to conceive such a compassionate policy was quite admirable.

As the couple continued their conversation, Huo Tan had already finished dressing.

They both left the East Courtyard and arrived in front of the main house.

As they passed through the Moon Gate, Cui Yunzhao heard the familiar and sarcastic voice of Old Madam Gu, “Liu girl, tidy up the bedding and let Yinghong move in with you. It will be nice for you cousins to keep each other company.”

Cui Yunzhao frowned. She searched her memory but couldn’t recall who Yinghong was.

Huo Tan whispered in her ear, “Gu Yinghong is Gu Yuan’s sister.”

Cui Yunzhao immediately understood.

In her previous life, Old Madam Gu had always been watching Lin Xiu Gu at home, often disliking her, and had never brought this distant relative from three thousand miles away into their home.

Even if they had met during festivals, Cui Yunzhao had long forgotten.

Now, it seemed Old Madam Gu wanted to have Yinghong move in.

Cui Yunzhao couldn’t help but frown.

She exchanged glances with Huo Tan and saw that his expression was calm. It seemed he had grown accustomed to Old Madam Gu’s antics. Cui Yunzhao sighed inwardly.

The Huo family was great in many ways, but Old Madam Gu was a constant worry.

It was particularly annoying because she was the eldest, in good health, and would likely continue to live comfortably as the Empress Dowager once Huo Tan ascended the throne.

Even someone as well-mannered as Cui Yunzhao couldn’t help but grumble a bit.

The couple couldn’t avoid meeting her. If they did, Old Madam Gu would ensure everyone in the neighborhood knew about it by tomorrow. Huo Tan said, “Let’s go see what’s going on.”

It was also a coincidence that Huo Xinzhi was not at home.

Huo Chenzhang had already completed the procedures for withdrawal and enrollment and was taking Huo Chengpu to see what the Baihe Academy was like. Only Lin Xiu Gu and Huo Xinliu were at home.

When Cui Yunzhao and Huo Tan arrived at the front courtyard, they saw Old Madam Gu standing with her hands on her hips, imperiously instructing Huo Xinliu, who was bowing her head and remaining silent.

Lin Xiu Gu stood beside her.

Guang Lele’s face showed no trace of a smile.

Next to the old lady stood a young woman who looked somewhat like her. The girl had a long face and delicate eyebrows, giving off an aloof impression, though her youth still had a certain innocence about it.

So she didn’t seem as harsh as the old lady.

She stood quietly by the old lady’s side, keeping her head down and saying nothing.

Huo Xinliu did not respond, and Lin Xiu Gu did not immediately warm up to the situation, making the old lady’s expression even more unpleasant.

“Why do I have no say in this family now?”

“You have climbed up to a high-ranking family and look down on us, a military family.”

The old lady immediately began to sing, recite and act as she spoke: “Why is my life so hard? The son I raised with great difficulty is gone, my daughter-in-law is unfilial, my grandchildren are not obedient, and none of them can let me enjoy my old age in peace.”

Cui Yunzhao: “…”

She had always detested the old lady’s dramatics in her past life.

So she avoided her as much as possible, trying to limit interactions, but living under the same roof meant encountering her frequently, and over time, Cui Yunzhao felt increasingly frustrated.

The old lady was the type who couldn’t be happy herself unless she made others miserable too.

With her shouting, Lin Xiu Gu had no choice but to speak up “Mother, please stop shouting. Be careful, or the neighbors will hear and it will embarrass Ninth Lord.”

Lin Xiu Gu’s voice was already loud, and now she raised it even more to cover the old lady’s, creating quite a commotion in the courtyard.

Cui Yunzhao thought, the neighbors might not have paid much attention before, but now they’d be straining their ears to listen.

The old lady’s face immediately fell when Lin Xiu Gu spoke. Just as she was about to say something, she turned and saw Cui Yunzhao and Huo Tan.

Her eyes shifted, and she immediately adopted a formal tone“Ninth Lord, you’ve always been the most filial. Now that there’s a celebration in Cousin Gu’s family, and since Yinghong has fallen ill, I’ve taken her in to care for her.”

“Do you agree or not?”

Huo Tan, being the younger generation, and called as Ninth Lord, could not refuse the elder’s request. Lin Xiu Gu was anxious upon hearing her directly challenging her son, but before she could speak, she saw Huo Tan shaking his head at her and then smiling at Old Madam Gu.

“Grandmother’s words are very true. Since Cousin Gu is ill, it is only natural to take good care of her.”

The old lady puffed up like a victorious hen, holding her head high and staring at Lin Xiu Gu .

But Huo Tan’s next words wiped the smile off her face.

“But since my cousin is sick, it’s not right for me to say anything.

“How about letting Second Sister live there? Second Sister has always been in poor health, and she prefers to live alone to avoid bothering others.”

In the main courtyard, there were the main house and two side rooms. The side rooms were each designed for two people, so each of the four children had their own room, which was quite comfortable.

The main house had three rooms: a large central hall where the family usually dined, and two rooms on either side for the old lady and Lin Xiu Gu to live separately.

With the entire Huo family living separately, none of them were close to each other. This separation was a sign of the Huo family’s good fortune and dignity.

However, with only a few rooms available in the Huo residence, if Gu Yinghong could not stay with Huo Xinliu, there would be no place left for her.

Huo Tan’s response had been practically meaningless.

The old lady frowned and immediately retorted, “You’re such a child, so thoughtless. If that’s the case, where should your cousin stay?”

Huo Tan calmly replied, “Why not let Cousin Gu stay with Eldest Sister? Eldest Sister is very attentive and caring. If Cousin Gu stays with Eldest Sister, she’ll likely recover quickly.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the courtyard fell silent.

The old lady’s expression stiffened. No matter how articulate she was, she couldn’t immediately come up with a counterargument.

The atmosphere became tense.

At this moment, Gu Yinghong spoke up softly. She first cleared her throat and then said gently, “Eldest Cousin likes quiet. I don’t want to disturb her during her rest at home. If Eldest Cousin also falls ill because of me, wouldn’t that be my fault?”

The girl spoke with grace and a pleasant, melodious voice, clearly skilled at striking the right tone.

Cui Yunzhao glanced at her, narrowing her eyes. Compared to the old lady’s unreasonable behavior, this Cousin Yinghong clearly had more finesse.

Sure enough, she continued, “I’ve endured hardship since I was young and don’t mind where I stay, as long as I have a place to live. Even if I have to sleep in a simple bed, it’s still fine.”

With her mentioning this, the old lady’s eyes immediately brightened.

She then looked at Cui Yunzhao and Huo Tan, her narrow eyes filled with smugness and joy.

“See, how considerate Yinghong is!” Old Madam Gu continued in a pretentious tone. “What you said makes sense. Since it would disturb them, it’s better for her to stay alone. Ninth Young Master…”

“I remember there is a small partition in the main house of the East Courtyard?”

Old Madam Gu made an effort to appear kind and smiled. “Why not let your cousin stay in that small room? It doesn’t need to be too well-furnished, just add a bed.”

Cui Yunzhao: “…”