Chapter 41 : Now, she is finally alive again

The statement was made with unusual certainty.

Cui Yunzhao didn’t think Huo Tan was speaking recklessly. He had always been a man of his word, when he said something, it was reliable and he could deliver on it.

After Huo Tan finished speaking, Cui Yunzhao said, “I have already informed the Wanyan family. I asked them to carefully count your elder sister’s dowry. When you return in a few days, you can go to their house to retrieve it.”

Huo Tan nodded. He attentively poured a cup of tea for Cui Yunzhao, then gently clinked his cup with hers. The tea cups made a crisp sound.

“Thank you again, my lady,” Huo Tan said with a relaxed smile. “It’s not necessary for us to make a special trip, the Wanyan family will return the items themselves.”

Cui Yunzhao knew that Huo Tan would not easily let go of this matter, but she didn’t press him on what he intended to do. Instead, she was somewhat puzzled “I usually observe that my grandmother is very caring towards my elder sister. Despite my elder sister’s cold attitude, she still shows concern and listens to her. So why did she arrange such a marriage for her?”

Although the Huo family had been in Qiyang and was not very familiar with Bo Ling, one could still hear some general information about families like the Wanyan family if they inquired carefully.

Moreover, except for prominent families or those with existing marital connections, daughters from smaller families usually married locally. Huo Xinzhi’s marriage from Qiyang to Bo Ling seemed unusual. However, when Lü Jiming was transferred to Bo Ling and Huo Tan followed, the Huo family was not far from home.

At that time, the Huo family moved to Bo Ling because they were given a residence as a reward by Lu Jiming. They relocated before Huo Xinzhi’s marriage. This puzzled Cui Yunzhao, but she did not ask directly.

Huo Tan, however, was perceptive and understood her confusion, so he began to explain.

“It was actually my grandmother’s stubbornness,” Huo Tan said. “When my father suddenly died in battle, the whole family was devastated. My mother fell ill after forcing herself to handle my father’s funeral.”

“I was still young and didn’t pay much attention to many things back then.”

Huo Tan sighed slightly. “Otherwise, I might have noticed something unusual about my elder sister.”

Cui Yunzhao looked at him. Even this usually calm man showed some regret when talking about his elder sister.

“You know, the position of an inspector is essentially an honorary title, a display of courtesy and kindness. My father’s actual position was the deputy commander of the cavalry in Qiyang’s military camp, with a whole camp of soldiers under him and personal guards.”

At that time, Huo Zhan’s rank was already high above him was Lu Jiming, the commander of the Qiyang Rear Army, and above him was the Military Governor, Guo Ziqian.

Cui Yunzhao was aware of these details. If Huo Zhan had still been alive and advanced further, their marriage would have been a match of equal status, a happy union. But unfortunately, Huo Zhan died too early, just as he had risen to the battlefield, leaving behind a widow and orphans.

Seeing that Cui Yunzhao understood Huo Zhan’s rank well, Huo Tan did not elaborate further and continued, “At that time, my father had a hundred personal guards. One of them was named Fu Jiashu. He was skilled in both literature and martial arts and was the most capable person around my father.”

“The battle was extremely brutal. My father sacrificed himself for the country, and Fu Jiashu was severely injured and disfigured.”

Cui Yunzhao’s heart stirred. “So this Fu military officer…”

Huo Tan nodded. “Brother Fu joined my father’s service at fifteen, and he and my elder sister grew up together. They were indeed childhood friends.”

“It’s just that Brother Fu was injured and implicated by my father’s death, resulting in his demotion and exile to the Yanzhou border in the Thirteen Prefectures of Youyun.”

Cui Yunzhao looked up. “Did my elder sister want to go with him?”

Huo Xinzhi was far from a weak character. If it weren’t for the inhumane torture from the Wanyan family and the various hardships she faced, Cui Yunzhao believed that Huo Xinzhi was a woman of great integrity. She would not fear hardship.

Huo Tan sighed again. “At that time, my elder sister wanted to marry Brother Fu and go with him to the border. She believed that he would earn enough military achievements to return home in glory.”

The story, as it reached this point, was indeed touching and admirable. But, as with many stories, reality often falls short.

Huo Tan said, “My grandmother fainted when she heard about it. My mother, being ill, didn’t inform her about this matter.”

“At that time, the family was in chaos. After my father’s death, I immediately sought to see the Military Governor, and I joined the army right after my father’s seventh-day mourning period. I was also unaware of the situation at home.”

Huo Tan was truly strong. He made the best choice at that time to protect his family to the greatest extent possible and to support the family as quickly as he could. He could only forge ahead relentlessly, fighting for their future.

In the army, Huo Tan did his best. He rose to the rank of military officer as quickly as possible and gradually replaced his father as the pillar of the Huo family, becoming the young hero whom people praised when they spoke of the Huo family.

But he was not omnipotent. He couldn’t manage everything at once. Because his mother was gradually improving, Huo Tan focused solely on her recovery, neglecting the various issues at home.

Ultimately, without his knowledge, his grandmother arranged his elder sister’s marriage with the Wanyan family.

Huo Tan said, “It wasn’t until the three letters and six rites were being prepared that I learned about everything. At that time, I asked my elder sister if she was unwilling, and I would go to the Wanyan family to apologize and stop the marriage.”

“But my elder sister said she was willing.”

“I didn’t know it was my grandmother’s threat of death that forced the marriage. By then, Brother Fu had already left Qiyang, and my elder sister had no way to change the situation. She was left separated from her beloved, with their marriage becoming irrelevant.”

Cui Yunzhao felt heavy-hearted upon hearing this. She hadn’t expected Old Lady Gu to have done such a thing.

As Huo Tan spoke about this, his tone had returned to calm, but Cui Yunzhao could still sense his deep self-reproach. He blamed himself for not uncovering his elder sister’s true feelings, not learning the full truth, and not rescuing her from the Wanyan family’s clutches sooner.

Time had passed, and circumstances had changed, but who could have known that the seemingly prosperous and thriving Wanyan family was, in fact, such a den of iniquity?

Huo Tan said, “My elder sister insisted on going to the border with Brother Fu, but my grandmother would not agree. After my father’s death, she became stubborn and always believed her way was the right way.”

“She was afraid my elder sister would die with Brother Fu at the border and that our family would lose another loved one. So she threatened to die if my elder sister did not stay at home.”

“My elder sister compromised. Throughout her life, my grandmother had been very good to her and was partial to her.”

Cui Yunzhao sighed.

“I’ve mentioned before that after my older brother’s early death, our family had only my elder sister as the sole child. My grandmother cherished her deeply, and even after we were born, she still favored her the most.”

“My elder sister was intelligent and beautiful from a young age, and she had some fame in Qiyang. Every time my grandmother spoke of her, she was proud and delighted. Who would have expected things to turn out this way?”

Cui Yunzhao asked, “Since my elder sister did not go with Brother Fu, how did my grandmother end up choosing the Wanyan family?”

Huo Tan’s eyes flickered slightly. “At that time, my elder sister compromised and did not go with Brother Fu. But my grandmother was concerned that she would wait in vain for Brother Fu to return and miss a good match. Coincidentally, Wanyan Dawang’s father happened to be on a business trip to Qiyang. While drinking with others, he heard about our family’s situation, and it also happened that Wanyan Dawang was of similar age to my elder sister. So he became interested and sent a matchmaker to propose.”

Cui Yunzhao pondered, “So it was actually the Wanyan family that first sent the matchmaker.”

Huo Tan nodded, his eyes dark. “Looking back, our family matched the Wanyan family’s criteria for a daughter-in-law perfectly.”

“No background, no connections, with my father’s early death and modest estate. We wouldn’t come to demand a large dowry, and we were even from a different place, which was even better.”

Cui Yunzhao felt a sense of revulsion. “It’s truly heartless.”

Huo Tan did not comment and continued, “At that time, we were in Qiyang and didn’t know about the Wanyan family’s background. We only heard that the Wanyan family was also a military household, and Wanyan Dawang had a good reputation. He had already joined the army and was favored by his superiors, reportedly becoming a squad leader at a young age.”

That was indeed a promising young talent.

“So my grandmother was swayed?” Cui Yunzhao asked.

Huo Tan nodded. “My grandmother agreed to the marriage partly because the Wanyan family was generous with their gifts and had a grand manner of presentation. Moreover, since the Wanyan family was far in Bo Ling, separated from Qiyang by a mountain, even if Brother Fu returned later, my elder sister would likely never see him again.”

Perhaps the old lady’s initial intention was to secure a good match for her granddaughter. At that time, the Wanyan family might have put on a show, but she didn’t consider that sending Huo Xinzhi alone to Bo Ling without family support would lead to such suffering. How could she live well under such circumstances?

In the end, it was merely a matter of shallow perception, focusing on the value of the dowry.

“After the marriage was settled, I met Wanyan Dawang. Actually, this brother-in-law had good character,” Huo Tan sighed. “He was quite different from the rest of the Wanyan family and treated my elder sister well. He could protect her, but unfortunately, he passed away too early.”

Cui Yunzhao seemed to recall something and suddenly said, “Good people don’t live long, bad people live for a thousand years.”

Huo Tan said, “At that time in Qiyang, there weren’t many opportunities for promotion. So when General Lu was transferred to Bo Ling, I applied to come along. On one hand, it was to seek more opportunitie, on the other, it was for my mother and elder sister.”

“Although my mother seems cheerful and lively now, deep down she still misses my father. I didn’t want her to remain at home all the time, so I moved the family to Bo Ling. Fortunately, we moved in time.”

It was only after moving to Bo Ling that Huo Tan could learn immediately about Huo Xinzhi’s mistreatment by the Wanyan family and rescue her.

“I didn’t think much at the time. I always felt that money and possessions are secondary. Instead of endlessly arguing over these material things, it was better to bring my elder sister home quickly, to get her away from all the troubles.”

“But I didn’t expect that it was all a trap set by the Wanyan family.”

As Huo Tan spoke, the sun began to set, and it was already evening.

The clouds in the sky were drifting, with the setting sun casting a beautiful glow, creating a stunning view.

The doors of the main room were tightly shut, blocking the howling wind.

Cui Yunzhao suddenly noticed that, at some point, it had started snowing again.

Heavy snow fell, quickly blanketing the entire city of Bo Ling in white.

Inside the room, the brazier was crackling, with the charcoal burning warmly and heating Cui Yunzhao’s hands.

As Cui Yunzhao was lost in thought, Huo Tan reached out and gently held her hand.

His hand was warm, and hers was warm as well.

When their hands were together, it was the perfect completion.

Huo Tan’s voice echoed in the quiet room, like a sincere and resolute chant.

“My lady, thank you for saving my elder sister from the mire.”

“I know that even though my elder sister is back home, her spirit was still imprisoned in the dark, cold room of the Wanyan family.”

“Now, she has finally come back to life.”

When Huo Tan spoke sincerely, he was very earnest. His sincerity made one unconsciously nod in agreement with every word he said.

Cui Yunzhao glanced at Huo Tan, then quickly looked away and said, “It’s time for dinner.”

Huo Tan responded affirmatively.

Huo Tan tidied his hair, put on a simple home garment, and then left with Cui Yunzhao.

Unknowingly, the light snow had turned into a heavy snowfall.

The snow was falling heavily, and winter had arrived.

Cui Yunzhao exhaled a breath of warm air, watching the white mist rise in the snow.

She sighed, “This winter is hard to endure.”

Huo Tan said, “Yes.”

This winter, there had already been two snowfalls, and the snow on this night was particularly heavy. Many poor families were struggling because of it.

The two of them walked westward through the courtyard, the snow crunching under their feet, creating a clear and pleasant sound.

Huo Tan said, “The refugees from Wuping have been flocking to Bo Ling recently. I wonder how they’re doing.”

Cui Yunzhao was taken aback. “Aren’t they returning to Wuping?”

“With their homes and land gone, and perhaps their relatives too, what would they return for? General Lu’s strict control and discipline over his soldiers naturally attracts many homeless refugees seeking refuge.”

Cui Yunzhao nodded. Wrapped in her cloak, her small face was barely visible within the hood, highlighting her large, bright eyes.

“Tomorrow, I’ll see to it that the grain shop’s manager and some people go outside the city to distribute porridge if needed.”

Huo Tan looked at Cui Yunzhao with some surprise. Seeing her earnest expression, he smiled and took her hand in his.

After walking a few steps, Cui Yunzhao’s hand had grown a bit cold.

Fortunately, his hand was still warm and could warm hers.

“You have a kind heart, and you will surely be rewarded.”

Cui Yunzhao smiled slightly and said, “It’s not about seeking any reward.”

Having been reborn, there were many things she had not yet clarified, but she understood one principle: as long as she could, she should complete the things left unfinished in her past life. Even if it was just saving one refugee, it would be worthwhile.

What is the meaning of being reborn? It’s not just to live a good life for oneself; otherwise, she would not feel she could bear such great fortune.

Distributing porridge and saving people were not difficult for her. If it was within her capability, why not do it?

Thinking this way, Cui Yunzhao felt quite content.

“Refugees are like us. If one day we were to fall into hardship, we would hope someone would come to our aid. I’m just treating others as I would like to be treated.”

Cui Yunzhao said.

Huo Tan could tell she was being stubborn. His wife was smart and generous, with a sharp tongue, but a soft heart.

Since she wouldn’t admit it, Huo Tan didn’t press further and simply said, “Tomorrow, I’ll lead a team out of the city to see the situation and report back to the general to see if he has any instructions.”

The couple entered the main hall.

Cui Yunzhao stood outside the door, shook her cloak, and handed it to the maid who came to greet them.

When they appeared, the people inside immediately brightened up. Old Lady Gu rarely showed a happy face, but today she looked pleased. “Ninth Brother is back, you’ve worked hard.”

She usually treated Huo Tan with indifference, whether he was away at war or returning victorious. Especially after he agreed to General Lü’s marriage proposal without consulting her, Old Lady Gu had been sarcastic and never said a kind word.

Today, however, she unexpectedly gave a smiling face.

Anomaly often signals something unusual.

Cui Yunzhao noticed and made a mental note.

Huo Tan greeted the old lady and then went to see his mother. “Mother, what delicious food have you prepared today?”

Lin Xiu Gu had been watching him since he entered. Seeing him in high spirits, her heart finally felt at ease.

“Today’s dishes are all your favorites.”

Cui Yunzhao looked down and saw that the table was set with an unusually generous spread of seven or eight dishes.

There was a whole crispy roast duck, a plate of crystal-clear cold cuts, a bowl of braised chicken pieces, and various other dishes, filling the entire table.

Huo Tan and Cui Yunzhao sat beside Lin Xiu Gu and then looked at his siblings.

Huo Xinzhi was sitting to the right of the old lady. She was wearing a new outfit in pale yellow that made her look several years younger.

Additionally, she seemed well-rested recently, looking less fatigued, with much of the dark circles under her eyes faded, making her appear vibrant and spirited. Her gaze toward Huo Tan was warm.

“Little brother is back, you’ve worked hard.”

“I specially made the roast meat for you.”

Compared to before, Huo Xinzhi seemed more talkative.

Huo Tan felt a sense of emotion, realizing that Cui Yunzhao had truly been effective in alleviating his elder sister’s suffering and helping her gradually recover.

Huo Chenzhang quickly sought credit. “Elder brother, the crispy roast goose today was bought by me after waiting in line.”

As he spoke, a young boy beside him, blushing, looked up at Huo Tan earnestly.

“Elder brother, I also went.”

The young boy’s voice was still soft, but the fact that he could take the initiative to speak was already quite notable.

Huo Tan felt once again how impressive Cui Yunzhao was.

It’s not easy to resolve a matter so perfectly and to make both Elder Sister and Twelfth Brother so much more cheerful. Huo Tan’s gaze inadvertently fell on Huo Xinliu, who was sitting quietly in the corner.

Huo Xinliu had always been shy, naturally introverted. At this moment, she just looked up at her elder brother with a bashful smile and didn’t say anything.

That’s not too bad.

Huo Tan looked at his well-ordered family and felt quite content. On the battlefield, he had seen so much bloodshed and cruelty, seen families torn apart and lives lost. But once he returned from the bloody battlefield, the smoke from home cooking and the lights inside the house would pull him back to the human world.

Is the human world good? Of course, it is very good.

Huo Tan raised his cup and said loudly, “May our home be as peaceful as ever.”

Everyone raised their cups in response, and Cui Yunzhao also toasted with a bowl of wine. “May our home be as peaceful as ever.”

Amidst the clinking of cups and plates, the dinner was warm and lively.

Only Gu Yinghong, sitting in the corner, seemed detached from the merriment. She ate the crispy roast duck she had never tried before with caution, glancing timidly at the tall man across from her.

Huo Tan was so handsome, so tall, and so captivating.

Every move he made was extremely attractive.

Huo Tan always drank with moderation. Tonight, he only had one cup and stopped drinking, preferring to remain clear-headed.

Halfway through the banquet, Lin Xiu Gu finally asked Huo Tan, who was eating roast meat, “Ninth Brother, was there any danger this time? Were you injured?”

Huo Tan didn’t blink an eye. “No injuries.”

Cui Yunzhao watched him, and when she saw him wink at her, she gave him an exasperated look.

Huo Tan smiled and said to Lin Xiu Gu, “Mother, I’ve made a significant contribution this time. General Lu mentioned that I’ll receive a reward first, and if I achieve more next time, I’ll be promoted.”

Lin Xiu Gu was instantly excited. “Really?”

Huo Tan nodded with a smile, looking both determined and steady.

Although he was only nineteen and not yet of age, the whole family had already regarded him as the pillar of the household.

Huo Tan was indeed the head of the family.

“This time, General Lu has awarded us twenty acres of land, a hundred taels of silver, and other medicinal herbs and fabrics. In a few days, the Military Affairs Office will come to discuss it. I’ll need to trouble you then, Mother.”

Lin Xiu Gu was genuinely pleased. With her daughter’s issues resolved and her younger son looking much better, the whole family was thriving, and with such a smart and capable daughter-in-law, she seemed radiant.

Cui Yunzhao could even see that the wrinkles on her round face had diminished.

Lin Xiu Gu said, “This is what you’ve earned. There’s no need for me to collect your military achievements. The daughter-in-law knows a lot, so it’s better to…”

Before Cui Yunzhao could refuse, Old Lady Gu, with a scowl, spoke up. “Nonsense.”

“Your mother is still alive. How could the daughter-in-law take charge? It was because of the interference from the Wanyan family that I didn’t stop it then, but today I must speak up.”

These days, Cui Yunzhao had avoided the main courtyard, so she didn’t expect Old Lady Gu to still be brooding over this matter and to bring it up on such a joyous day.

If it were any other time, Huo Tan would have certainly stopped her from causing trouble. But today, Huo Tan hadn’t yet made a statement, and it was Lin Xiu Gu who spoke first.

Lin Xiu Gu sat firmly in her chair, looking at Old Lady Gu with her almond eyes. Her expression was calm, and her smile hadn’t faded, but the look she gave Old Lady Gu was unusually resolute.

Old Lady Gu seemed taken aback.

Since the day Lin Xiu Gu entered the family, Old Lady Gu had done everything in her power to suppress her. Over the years, Lin Xiu Gu had been submissive and had given up on resisting her.

Who would have thought that now, this woman, despite being a widow, would still dare to look at her like this?

Old Lady Gu’s face flushed red with anger.

“You…”

Before she could finish, Lin Xiu Gu interrupted.

“Mother, my husband has long passed away. Now, the whole family depends on Ninth Brother. We all rely on him to live.”

Lin Xiu Gu spoke very bluntly, as if to wake up Old Lady Gu.

She continued to stare at Old Lady Gu and said, “Ninth Brother fights bravely outside, and I don’t want him to come home and still have to deal with your sarcasm.”

Old Lady Gu was fuming. “Lin Xiu Gu, you!”

Beside her, Gu Yinghong quickly patted her chest and whispered, “Auntie, Auntie, let’s focus on the important matters.”

Old Lady Gu’s face stiffened, and her hand holding the chopsticks trembled.

Cui Yunzhao’s keen ears caught these words.

Important matters? What important matters?

Lin Xiu Gu, defending her son, was entirely focused on reasoning with Old Lady Gu and hadn’t heard Gu Yinghong’s words. She continued, “Mother, we live off the family assets left by my husband, so we needn’t worry about our food and clothing. Now that Ninth Brother is married, everything he earns should rightfully belong to him.”

This statement was indeed somewhat biased.

The Huo family had not been divided. Although Huo Tan now held a strong position, he still had his grandmother and mother above him, and younger siblings below him. Initially, having Lin Xiu Gu handle the Military Affairs Office was the right choice.

After all, Lin Xiu Gu should be managing the household affairs, and the internal management of the household had not yet been handed over to Cui Yunzhao.

Cui Yunzhao had her own money, and Huo Tan had his private savings. Since it wasn’t part of the public funds, and Huo Tan had explained it to Cui Yunzhao simply, she had no objections.

But Lin Xiu Gu thought otherwise.

Cui Yunzhao was surprised. From Lin Xiu Gu’s perspective, even though the family hadn’t been divided, everything Huo Tan earned was solely his own.

When this was said aloud, Old Lady Gu scolded, “Lin Xiu Gu, what are you trying to do?”

“Have you ever seen a mother act like this? Isn’t he that important?” Old Lady Gu pointed aggressively. “Why don’t you think about Xinzhi and the others? What about Eleventh and Twelfth Brothers?”

Old Lady Gu began to cry and wail. “What kind of fate do I have!”