Chapter 16.2

“Who asked you to send this?” Huo Wujiu asked in a low voice.

Sun Yuan stammered, “I didn’t recognize…”

Huo Wujiu interjected, “I mean, whose order was it allowing you to send me letters?”

His Highness wouldn’t let him say!

Sun Yuan’s lips twitched, but he didn’t say a word.

Even if he did not say a word, Huo Wujiu understood from Sun Yuan’s appearance alone.

…Unbelievable.

Huo Wujiu followed his father back to Yecheng once or twice when he was young, but he couldn’t remember ever crossing paths with King Jing even once.

It was beyond outrageous that King Jing fancied him as he had declared. But, thinking about King Jing’s performance in the past few days, it really did seem to be the case…

There seemed to be an explanation to his sheep in wolf’s clothing appearance, his attempts at being fierce and tough, and his inexplicable good treatment of Huo Wujiu.

But…

King Jing just had to insist on stirring some messy thoughts, huh. These past few days, King Jing was akin to a fuel guzzler, prudently paying attention to him and attending to him. Huo Wujiu witnessed all of this. But…

He slowly rubbed his hand on the envelope’s paper cover.

He was a prisoner of war escorted here by an enemy country, yet King Jing dared to send this kind of thing to him. He wondered for a moment whether King Jing was too bold, or whether he was too stupid. Or maybe…

Huo Wujiu frowned in confusion.

Could emotions really deceive people to the point that even their family, country and life could take a back seat?

Huo Wujiu had always been proficient in the art of war and power, but when it came to such things, he was a blank sheet.

His inexperience made him lose his judgment for a while.

His position suddenly became a bit chaotic.

As if whatever plans and calculations he had, it was all like bullying him wantonly on account of his preferences.

——

After Sun Yuan tactfully retreated, Huo Wujiu opened the envelope in his hand.

The letter paper was crumpled and wrinkled, and it was faintly visible how righteously indignant the person was when he wrote the letter.

Huo Wujiu raised his eyes and looked out the window.

Meng Qianshan was talking to the carpenter who brought the wheelchair in the courtyard. The carpenter was hurriedly taking notes with a pen and paper, so Meng Qianshan was probably asking him to modify it. As soon as Meng Qianshan saw Sun Yuan come out, he hastily greeted him and let him sit on the wheelchair, then pushed him around in the courtyard.

He was probably testing to see whether the wheelchair was sturdy.

Huo Wujiu lowered his eyes and unfolded the letter.

[It had been more than ten years since this lowly official parted ways with the former Marquis. Speaking of the Battle of Xunyang, I’m both distraught and angered, but had no way to help. I have no other choice but to feed on His Majesty’s official salary. And now, even though I am in Lin’an, I have no face to see you, General.]

Teardrops in flower forms had blurred the words there.

Huo Wujiu frowned and first turned the letter to the last page where it was addressed.

Ji Hongcheng.

He did have some impression of this person. Southern Jing currently had a few generals, and his father’s old friend, Lou Yue, was one of them. This person, who wrote the letter, was probably Lou Yue’s subordinate in the army at that time, and now held a job in the Ministry of War.

Huo Wujiu turned the letter back over.

This man’s remorse and guilt was hinted at in between the lines, but Huo Wujiu did not take it to heart.

In those years, the previous emperor was afraid of the Huo family. Hence, back when the war was tight, he intended to cut off reinforcements, cut off food and grass, and also made up a crime to exterminate the Huo family after the war. His father raised an army because of his deep hatred for the late emperor. It had nothing to do with his home country, so naturally, he didn’t involve other colleagues, nor did he need them to join in the rebellion.

Subjects were duty bound to the emperor and to the country. Only talents in the Jianghu could do something such as rising together righteously on account of the code of brotherhood.

Huo Wujiu’s gaze faintly swept over the lines of heartfelt words and looked straight back.

Then, his eyebrows slightly rose.

[I know that the General is now in a difficult situation. I hope the General can grin and bear it and maintain your resolve for revenge. King Jing is by no means a good person. Today at the court, he even spoke obscenely with His Majesty and shamelessly shared his joyous intimacy with you in the court. Afterward, His Majesty ordered to have you face him, but his disgust was so overwhelming that he even gave up the right to repair the ancestral hall just to keep you imprisoned in the backyard.

It is obvious that this person is dirty and despicable, so I hope you will take care of yourself. General Lou is currently suppressing bandits in Lingnan, so this lowly official’s thoughts count for little. I’m at my wit’s end, so I can’t repay the old marquis for his kindness. However, the General can rest assured. If there comes a day when I can be of use to you, I’ll do my best.]

That was the end of a short letter.

Huo Wujiu held the letter over the lamp on the table that Sun Yuan had specially lit for him.

The fire licked the letter and immediately burnt one corner to ashes.

Huo Wujiu suddenly jerked the letter back from the fire.

He took the letter, which had been burned and mutilated, and after a pause, his gaze fell on the penultimate paragraph again.

He actually couldn’t help but read that passage several times.

By the time he came back to his senses, he was on the verge of memorizing it. He subtly froze and passed the letter to the fire, burning it cleanly along with the envelope.

The flames danced slightly in his eyes.

Huo Wujiu stared at the fire, his brow furrowed in several gullies.

He really did not expect…

Even his father’s old friends knew what it was to be worldly-wise and play safe. However, such a timid white rabbit, who had nothing to do with him and was fierce in appearance but faint in the heart, could contend in the court on his behalf, even in exchange for the power in his hands.

…Just so that I would suffer less humiliation from the emperor.

He never thought that he would one day be protected by a person with such thin shoulders.

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