Chapter 53 : You will live in harmony and grow old together.

Thank you is certainly something to be said.

Huo Tan is truly shameless, insisting on Cui Yunzhao’s “reward” for everything he does. The two of them were intertwined for quite a while, until Cui Yunzhao’s face turned red, and she pushed him away, saying, “You promised me.”

Reluctantly, Huo Tan let her go with a sigh. “My lady, when will you get familiar with me?”

Cui Yunzhao thought for a moment and found this playful tugging quite interesting, it was somewhat addictive. “That depends on how you perform, my lord,” she said with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

Huo Tan felt a bit disappointed, but he still stubbornly held onto her, trapping Cui Yunzhao in his arms. “My lady, how about another kiss?”

Cui Yunzhao realized that Huo Tan wouldn’t allow himself to lose at all. She tapped his chest lightly, trying to get him to let go, but in the end, she succumbed to his advances.

Both of them went to bed early that night. The next morning, when Huo Tan got up, Cui Yunzhao was still groggy.

Huo Tan was somewhat surprised. Seeing her rubbing her eyes, he pressed down her hand and kissed her forehead. “My lady, go back to sleep, it’s still early.”

Cui Yunzhao had intended to wake up, but Huo Tan’s gentle kiss sent her back into dreamland.

When she awoke again, an hour had already passed. She sat up, called for Li Qing to come in and serve her, and then heard Huo Tan’s voice from the hall “I’ve already taken a leave of absence, I’ll be free this morning. I’ve also talked to Mother and Twelfth Brother, so we’ll be going together soon.”

Cui Yunzhao replied, “Alright.”

She thought for a moment and chose a water-blue coat, paired with a skirt adorned with cloud patterns, looking graceful as she walked. It was cold outside, so she added a cotton cloak lined with fur before stepping out of the room.

Huo Tan’s eyes lit up immediately. Perhaps he realized Cui Yunzhao loved compliments, so he immediately said, “My lady, you truly look stunning today.”

Cui Yunzhao smiled and shot him a glance. “Yesterday, while I was busy with the spoils sent by the military envoy, I forgot to ask about my elder sister’s side.”

Huo Tan served her a bowl of chicken soup and wonton noodles he had specially bought that morning, saying, “The Wanyan family has sent everything over. Some of my sister’s ornaments couldn’t be found, but the Wanyan family converted them into cash, and Mother said it’s worth just as much.”

Cui Yunzhao nodded, finally letting out a sigh of relief. “At least we’re no longer involved with that family.”

At this point, Cui Yunzhao suddenly asked, “Did you inquire about Brother Fu’s situation? Is he still…?”

Huo Tan knew what Cui Yunzhao was thinking, so he sighed, “Yanzhou is just too far, I can’t reach out. Even if I wanted to inquire, there’s no way. But if something happened to Brother Fu, Yanzhou would send a messenger to report it.”

“I did tell the Huo family over at Qiyang to keep an eye out, but there’s been no news. For now, let’s just assume Brother Fu is still alive.”

Cui Yunzhao took small bites of her noodles while chatting with Huo Tan about the trivial matters at home, mentioning that her cousin might go to Fulu.

Huo Tan glanced at her, seeing how serious she was about eating, and couldn’t help but smile. “My lady, do you have such confidence in me?”

Cui Yunzhao seemed to think that Huo Tan would indeed go to Fulu in the future, which is why she made plans.

She didn’t respond to him but said, “Hurry up and eat, we can’t be late for the teacher.”

The Huo family currently had no useful servants, and Wang Huzii had been sent out by Cui Yunzhao to keep watch. So they could only send Uncle Ping to run an errand. He had gone to Bauhe Academy yesterday and had arranged a time to pay respects to the teacher with Zhu Shanzhang.

Huo Tan nodded. “Am I not eating fast enough?”

Once they finished their meal, Cui Yunzhao put on her cloak, and they both stepped out.

As they approached the moon gate, they saw Twelfth Brother standing under the porch, gazing up at the sky.

He was still short and thin, but Cui Yunzhao could no longer see any weakness or cowardice on his face. Since that day, Twelfth Brother had grown overnight.

His spirit and courage had returned, allowing him to straighten his back and lift his head to look at others.

Hearing their footsteps, Twelfth Brother turned and looked at his older brother and sister-in-law.

Huo Tan was still in his dark blue military uniform, exuding a sense of competence, with his headband fluttering in the wind, his brows filled with heroic spirit.

Next to him was Cui Yunzhao, with her hair down, smiling charmingly.

Huo Chengpu had only seen Cui Yunzhao in the family and at martial arts events, he had never encountered someone like her before. Now that he saw her, he was struck by the elegance and grace she embodied.

A noble lady, exuding charm.

Especially that day when Cui Yunzhao sat leisurely in a chair, neither humble nor haughty, calm and composed. With just a few words, she had forced the once daunting Wanyan family to retreat, leaving a significant impact on Huo Chengpu.

It was also that day that Huo Chengpu clearly realized that only by becoming strong, impeccable, and knowledgeable could one become truly capable.

One must stand unassailable.

Even if he was still weak and powerless, he could still hold his head high.

Study well, value education.

Knowledge could change one’s fate, and Huo Chengpu cherished this opportunity immensely.

He quietly watched them, and when the two approached, Huo Chengpu earnestly performed a salute. “Greetings, elder brother and sister-in-law.”

Cui Yunzhao smiled and said, “Let’s go.”

As they walked out, Cui Yunzhao turned back to see a corner of the main door’s curtain lifted.

She didn’t say much, once the three were in the carriage, she said, “Mother is still worried.”

Huo Chengpu sat properly next to his brother, looking serious. He said, “Mother wanted to go too, but I didn’t agree.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Huo Tan and added, “I’m not a child anymore.”

Huo Tan couldn’t help but chuckle.

He reached out to ruffle Huo Chengpu’s hair, messing up his hairstyle. “You little rascal, acting all grown-up.”

Cui Yunzhao shot him a glare.

She waved to Huo Chengpu, saying, “Twelfth Brother, let me fix your hair.”

Huo Chengpu blushed and shook his head. “Sister-in-law, I can do it myself.”

Cui Yunzhao didn’t insist.

She took out a comb, let Huo Chengpu tidy his hair, and then began to remind him.

The Huo family had never been to a proper academy, so there were some things they didn’t understand.

Cui Yunzhao chatted for a while and then noticed Huo Chengpu’s face turning red, even his eyes were a bit misty.

Cui Yunzhao looked at Huo Tan, then back at Huo Chengpu. “Twelfth Brother, what’s wrong?”

Huo Chengpu shook his head and then nodded again. He took a breath and said softly, “Sister-in-law, you’re really nice.”

Huo Tan smiled, wanting to ruffle his hair, but as soon as he reached out, Cui Yunzhao smacked his hand. “Don’t be silly.”

The atmosphere remained light-hearted throughout their journey.

Upon arriving at Bauhe Academy, everything went smoothly.

Zhu Shaohe liked Twelfth Brother because the young man had clear eyes, was sensible and polite, and spoke in a cultured manner. After asking him a few questions about his studies, Zhu found he could respond fluently, indicating he hadn’t neglected his academic work while focusing on martial arts.

Zhu Shaohe drank the apprenticeship tea and accepted the offerings, thus officially taking him as a disciple.

He told Cui Yunzhao and Huo Tan, “I think Huo Chengpu has good talent. As long as he studies diligently, he might achieve great things in the future.”

Zhu Shaohe was different from other teachers, he always encouraged his students, fostering a positive atmosphere at Bauhe Academy.

Huo Tan observed all of this and gained a deeper understanding of Zhu Shaohe. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “I was fortunate to meet you back then, and although my time with you was short, I couldn’t receive your guidance. Now that Twelfth Brother has this opportunity, I will urge him to study hard and cherish this hard-won chance.”

Though Huo Tan was a military general, he spoke quite articulately, which was also why Zhu Shaohe remembered him so well.

Back then, Huo Tan was just an ordinary soldier at fifteen, but Zhu Shaohe felt he wasn’t an ordinary person.

Exceptional individuals cannot hide their brilliance.

Zhu Shaohe couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling gratified. “It seems you’ve taken my words to heart. In your free time, read more, observe more, think more, and you will get better and better.”

Cui Yunzhao was somewhat surprised that he had also advised Huo Tan this way. It showed that, as a teacher, he had a kind heart and wanted to guide promising students.

After some polite exchanges, Cui Yunzhao and Huo Tan bid farewell, leaving Twelfth Brother at the academy to officially begin his studies.

Zhu Shaohe accompanied them to the gate.

Understanding the situation, Huo Tan went to call for the carriage, and Zhu Shaohe turned to Cui Yunzhao. “Young niece, if your family has any matters, feel free to come to me,” he said. “Though I’m just an ordinary teacher, I will help to the best of my ability. You don’t need to worry about many things. Your parents are gone, but we are still here.”

Cui Yunzhao realized he knew about what had happened during her recent visit home.

She smiled and replied, “I understand, thank you, Uncle.”

Zhu Shaohe paused and added, “I know this is against the rules, but if Tinglang and the others don’t want to stay at home, they can also come to the academy to study. The academy has accommodations. Just let them come find me from the Cui family.”

Cui Yunzhao was a bit taken aback.

Zhu Shaohe’s words indicated he was prepared for a falling out with Cui Xu, but for the Cui siblings, this could be the best opportunity to escape his control.

Zhu Shaohe, who had always been indifferent to fame and fortune, showed great loyalty and affection by going this far for the children of an old friend.

Cui Yunzhao bowed deeply to him, feeling very touched. “Your kindness, Uncle, I will remember and not forget,” she said with a smile. “Now that my sister-in-law is with the Third Uncle, things are very different from when we were at the main residence, it’s much better now.”

Hearing this, Zhu Shaohe relaxed his brow.

“That’s good to hear. I trust Cui Hao’s character, that’s good, that’s good.”

He repeated “that’s good” several times, clearly relieved and showing his long-held concern over this matter.

Cui Yunzhao bowed again. “Uncle, I leave Twelfth Brother in your care.”

“Rest assured,” Zhu Shaohe said, waving his hand. He watched as Huo Tan helped her into the carriage, then turned to Huo Tan with a serious expression. “Nephew-in-law, I’m taking the liberty to address you as such.”

Huo Tan stood still, looking earnestly at Zhu Shaohe.

Zhu Shaohe glanced at the carriage and then back at Huo Tan. “Nephew-in-law, although the young niece’s parents have passed, her uncles and aunts are still here, and we, her uncles, are also still here.”

“You must remember, don’t let her down.”

These words should ideally come from the maternal family elders.

But after the uproar on the day of her visit, how could Cui Xu ever say such a thing?

Yet now, Zhu Shaohe spoke on behalf of Cui’s father.

He looked at Huo Tan earnestly, his tone more serious than ever. “You’re both good children. I believe you will harmonize well and grow old together.”

“Live this life well.”

After delivering Twelfth Brother to the academy, their task was complete.

When they returned to the carriage, Huo Tan looked at the sky and said, “Shall we eat out for lunch? I’ll treat my lady to something delicious.”

Cui Yunzhao couldn’t help but smile. “Then I won’t hold back.”

She added, “First, let’s stop by the grain shop. I want to see how Manager Sun is preparing. We’re distributing porridge tomorrow, so it must be flawless.”

The couple first went to the grain shop. When Manager Sun saw Huo Tan had also arrived, he hurriedly came forward to greet them.

Huo Tan helped him up and said straightforwardly, “Manager, you’re an elder in my lady’s family and don’t need to go through such formalities. Right now, the business in Boling City relies on you to navigate it. You’ve worked hard.”

His words were considerate and polite, moving Manager Sun deeply.

“Thank you, Ninth Lord, for your kind words.”

Once they entered the account room, Manager Sun relayed the news.

“Madam, I’ve exchanged the rice and grains as you instructed. Just like you said, other grain shops have no objections, and some have even said they will also distribute porridge, and I’ve exchanged for two-year-old grain.”

Cui Yunzhao was pleasantly surprised. “That’s great news!”

Manager Sun smiled in return.

He found that this lady was not only composed and experienced but also generous; such an attitude was essential for running a successful business.

Manager Sun continued, “However, the refugees are at the north city gate. The other two grain shops said they would wait until we’re finished before continuing to distribute porridge, ensuring the refugees can have a few more days of meals.”

“Even though it’s not much, it’s the thought that counts.”

Huo Tan sighed. “In the past, it was always the scholar, farmer, artisan, and merchant, but not all merchants are solely profit-driven. In this world, kindness comes first, good people don’t care about their backgrounds or professions.”

Manager Sun nodded. “What you say is very true, Ninth Lord. One of those shops is the Lu family, and the other is a local merchant from Boling.”

Huo Tan and Cui Yunzhao exchanged glances and chose not to continue discussing that topic. Instead, Cui Yunzhao directly asked, “How are the hands for helping out?”

Manager Sun replied, “Since you don’t have a restaurant, I’ve discussed borrowing a stove and porridge pot from Ding Shixuan at the street corner. Additionally, I’ll hire three cooks to help make the porridge.”

“Besides that, I’ve also hired four young men from the pawn shop to distribute the porridge.”

Manager Sun was well-organized in his work.

Cui Yunzhao nodded, saying, “You’ve worked hard, this is all handled well.”

Manager Sun waved his hand, insisting it was only his duty.

After they finished discussing, Huo Tan said, “In that case, for the next few days, I will apply to my superiors to be on guard at the north city gate. There will be soldiers patrolling, so if there are any issues, you can come find me directly.”

Cui Yunzhao’s eyes lit up, and Manager Sun was equally delighted.

Huo Tan added, “My lady’s actions are charitable, and I should do my part.”

The porridge distribution was thus settled. That afternoon, Cui Yunzhao and Huo Tan went to Ding Shixuan for lunch, ordered several dishes, and brought home a pot of braised ribs.

After dropping her off at home, Huo Tan headed back to the camp.

Cui Yunzhao took a short break during lunch and, when she got up in the afternoon to read, she heard Mother Xia’s voice from outside “Miss, Huzi has returned.”

This was an unexpected delight.

Cui Yunzhao quickly invited Wang Huzi in, and he shyly stepped through the door. He was dressed in a neat, clean gray outfit and wore a headscarf, looking capable and somewhat like a house servant. The cold weather had prompted him to wear the new cotton coat he had just bought, so he didn’t appear to have caught a chill.

Cui Yunzhao asked Mother Xia to pour him a bowl of hot tea to warm his hands. Wang Huzi placed the burlap bag he was carrying on the floor, wiped his hands with a handkerchief, and then took the teacup.

“Boss wife, I followed that Mr. Bau for a few days and discovered that he boils medicine every day. But he is very cautious, he always throws away the dregs at night, and by morning, the street sweepers come to collect the trash, so I couldn’t find them.”

Since there was a curfew at night, Wang Huzi couldn’t tail him then. “I waited for several days for an opportunity, and today, because he had to be on duty, he threw out the dregs early in the morning. I waited for the street sweeper to take away the garbage, and then I quietly followed to find the dregs.”

“This is it, though I’ve switched the bag out for a smaller one,” Wang Huzi said, grinning, “It’s not dirty.”

Cui Yunzhao praised him, “Well done.”

Wang Huzi’s face turned red, and his smile became even brighter. He was quite an endearing child.

“I figured you’d want to look at the prescription, so I found a pharmacy to check. I told the apprentice there that the medicine was from out of town, and I had returned home to finish it, but I couldn’t find the prescription, so I asked them to see what it was.”

What he did afterward wasn’t something Cui Yunzhao had instructed him to do. She only asked him to find the dregs, not expecting Wang Huzi to be so thorough and even copy the prescription.

“Boss wife, here’s the prescription.” He handed it to Cui Yunzhao and tried to remember, “The doctor asked me if someone at home was injured because there are many pain-relieving medicines in here.”

Cui Yunzhao nodded, examining the prescription closely. She had been studying medical books for the past few days and could roughly understand some of it, especially the large dosage of yanhusuo, which she had heard about at the pharmacy on Qingpu Road, much larger than a typical prescription.

Cui Yunzhao could only make rough assessments of medical practices; she couldn’t tell what exactly this prescription was for. But Wang Huzi had indeed made progress.

Feeling quite pleased, she decided to reward him with two taels of silver, telling Mother Xia to give it to him.

Wang Huzi was hesitant to accept.

Cui Yunzhao said, “You did an excellent job this time. First, it’s freezing out, so tailing someone isn’t easy. Second, you handled it neatly, and the prescription certainly requires money. Also, you need to keep this to yourself.”

Wang Huzi nodded vigorously. “Boss wife, I understand. Uncle Ping has taught me, and even if he hadn’t, I know what to do.”

Cui Yunzhao insisted, “Then you should accept it. This is a reward for you.”

Only then did Wang Huzi excitedly take the silver.

Cui Yunzhao thought for a moment and asked, “Has Bau Xiaochuan shown any other unusual behavior?”

Wang Huzi had clearly put thought into this as well. However, noticing what was odd about someone requires skill, and as just a messenger and tail, he might not have noticed before. But after dealing with the dregs, he suddenly became insightful and showed some growth.

As he recalled, Wang Huzi said, “I vaguely saw him with a young lady.”

Cui Yunzhao tapped her fingers on the table. “A young lady?”

Wang Huzi closed his eyes, trying hard to remember, then slowly replied, “The soldiers are very alert, so I didn’t dare get close. I only vaguely remember a young girl going to 18 Liuzhao Alley, which is where Mr. Bau lives.”

“From too far away, I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I did see the girl give Mr. Bau something.”

Wang Huzi thought hard, but ultimately sighed in regret. “Boss wife, I’m useless, I don’t know anything else.”

Cui Yunzhao shook her head, encouraging him a bit more before saying, “From now on, just follow Uncle Ping in your tasks. Whatever he is busy with, you’ll do the same. When I go out, you come with me. We can talk about other things later.”

Wang Huzi quickly agreed and obediently left.

Once he was gone, Mother Xia came over to take the bag of dregs away. “Let’s have Tao Fei go out and ask what the medicine is for.”

Cui Yunzhao replied, “Make sure she dresses warmly, it’s cold outside.”

Tao Fei was afraid of the cold, so Cui Yunzhao generally didn’t take her out in winter unless Li Qing was unwell, then she would bring Tao Fei along. However, Tao Fei was clever and could often ask a few more questions, so this task was best suited for her.

After sorting everything out, Mother Xia returned to the main room and closed the door.

“Miss, I’ve felt that Mr. Bau isn’t quite right,” Mother Xia sighed. “When you first mentioned it this morning, I thought you might be overthinking it, but the more I investigate, the more suspicious it becomes.”

Cui Yunzhao poured a bowl of hot tea for her, and they sat by the warming pan to talk.

Mother Xia slowly continued, “At first, I heard he went to Chunfang Brewery. The wine there is very expensive; one bottle costs more than a dou of rice. Ordinary families can’t afford it, they usually drink water wine costing a few dozen wen, and they wouldn’t dare drink it every day.”

“This Mr. Bau not only drinks wine daily but also takes medicine. We know that wine and medicine shouldn’t be taken together. Either he doesn’t eat one of them himself, or he’s in a lot of pain.”

Cui Yunzhao sat up straight, listening intently to Mother Xia’s analysis. With Mother Xia around, she felt like she was achieving twice the result with half the effort. Moreover, different people think differently; Mother Xia was considering another angle.

“Miss, you’re worried about where he gets his money, but I wonder what injury he has sustained. Or if someone at home is ill, what is their illness?”

“If that young girl really did give him something, could it have been money?”

Upon hearing this, Cui Yunzhao felt like she was starting to grasp something, but it remained shrouded in a veil, making it hard to uncover the truth.

Mother Xia said, “In any case, this Mr. Bau is not simple.”

“The medicines from the Qingpu Road pharmacy aren’t the most expensive, but I just looked at the dregs, the medicines used are not of poor quality. The dregs from high-quality medicines are very uniform and not so fragmented, and correspondingly, their effectiveness is better.”

Though Mother Xia wasn’t a doctor and didn’t read medical texts, she had experience.

Cui Yunzhao nodded seriously, pondering slowly, and then said, “For now, let’s not think about whether he has someone at hom, let’s just focus on him.”

“As a soldier, he will certainly get injured, but ordinary injuries should be treated by the military doctors in the barracks. Most of the injuries they sustain are external, and external wounds usually just require healing medicine. Once they heal, it’s fine and doesn’t reach a level of unbearable pain.”

“If the medicine and wine are solely for him, then Bau Xiaochuan’s condition must be serious enough that even the medicine isn’t effective. He has to go to the barracks to perform his duties, train, and patrol, so he can only rely on wine to numb his pain.”

Cui Yunzhao spoke deliberately, feeling this hypothesis was the most sound.

Mother Xia nodded but then shook her head. “But that kind of wine, to be honest, isn’t strong it’s of little use. We’ve all tasted it, and it’s quite similar to sweet water.”

Her thought process hit a dead end.

Cui Yunzhao pondered and said, “At the very least, he is taking the medicine himself, or at 18 Liuzhao Alley, someone is indeed taking this medicine.”

“Let’s start investigating from there.”

Seeing her frown, Mother Xia couldn’t help but smile. She always had a way to comfort people. At that moment, she held Cui Yunzhao’s hand and said, “Miss, don’t worry.”

“There are so many people helping you. Whatever you want to know and whoever you want to understand will gradually become clear.”

“I will accompany you all the way.”