Liu Zhenqing woke up in pain. When he opened his eyes, he saw the newly arrived doctor from Liu Manor dressing his wounds.

“The First Young Master is awake!” The doctor was somewhat surprised. How could a normal person wake up so early after suffering such a serious injury? It made the doctor think he was having a brief revival before death.

Jin Li beside him immediately rushed to the bed and looked at Liu Zhenqing anxiously with eyes swollen from crying.

“Wa! Master, you’re okay, this is great! I’ll inform the Old Master right away!” Having said this, he rushed out.

Liu Zhenqing didn’t even have time to voice a question before the doctor who was checking his pulse again said from the side: “Don’t worry, First Young Master. Your injuries aren’t critical.”

Liu Zhenqing was already aware of this point, but the wounds hurt a little.

Then he heard the doctor say: “First Young Master, please be patient and wait for the medicine to take its effect. It was sent by someone from the General’s Manor. Their medicines are even better than those in the palace.”

Liu Zhenqing was taken aback when he heard this. He raised his eyes and looked at the white medicine bottle in the doctor’s hand. It had a star pattern on it. This was indeed the work of his junior sister, Li Xingruo.

Just as he was thinking, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps. Not only the Old Master came, but also the Second Master and Third Master. They stood beside the bed, earnestly showing their concern.

Liu Zhenqing couldn’t be bothered to deal with them. He just pretended that the medicine was taking effect, and that he was tired and wanted to sleep.

The Second and Third Masters wanted to ask for details, as well as inquire about the settling of accounts before, which was what mattered most to them. They were quite shocked at that time, after all. However, now was not a good time to speak of it. Seeing Liu Zhenqing’s sleepy appearance, they couldn’t continue.

The Old Master regarded Liu Zhenqing with a complicated expression: “That’s all right, when you feel better, we can have a good talk.”

After everyone left, Liu Zhenqing had some vague recollections. The two young ones were injured at that time, but not seriously.

Jin Li stood beside the bed, excited yet worried: “Master, you really scared me to death. No matter where you go next time, you must take me with you. Even if I’m useless, I can still block a knife for you.”

Liu Zhenqing had lost too much blood. He had no energy and was extremely listless.

“Master, do you know who it was that saved you?” Jin Li asked, finally unable to hold back his excitement.

Liu Zhenqing raised his eyelids. Huo Fenglie. He had come in handy at the scene, so there was nothing to guess.

“It was General Huo! I saw with my own eyes General Huo fly out of the second floor window with you in his arms and rush to Doctor Li’s house! Many people saw it!”

Huh? Okay, the situation must have been quite serious at that time.

“Then General Huo personally escorted you back with us, and explained to the Old Master what happened. The Old Master and the others were shocked. It was the first time General Huo ever visited the gate of our Liu Manor, ah! He even said thank you!”

The Huo family was upright in behavior and naturally had the necessary education, so this was nothing surprising.

“Then the General’s Manor sent people several times to deliver medicine and supplements. If Madam Huo hadn’t gone out to do a free medical clinic, perhaps she would have treated Master in person! According to the rumors, she has excellent medical skills and is known as the Medical Fairy!”

Liu Zhenqing’s expression was subtle, as this had brought back bad memories. No need. He preferred a doctor with a better temper.

Jin Li talked for a long time and saw that Liu Zhenqing was completely uninterested in General Huo. He lost heart, and couldn’t help but ask, “After this, General Huo will definitely see Master in a new light……if Master hadn’t lost his memory, he would be very happy right now. What a pity! Master, can you still not remember anything about General Huo even now? This is an excellent opportunity!”

The corners of Liu Zhenqing’s lips twitched, and he teased in amusement: “Stop that, even if I saved the heirs to the Huo family, is it possible for General Huo, whom you so admire, to give me his blessing? What are you dreaming about!”

Jin Li pouted in discontent, thinking that Liu Zhenqing had lost his memory, so he didn’t know the significance of this matter. The father of the siblings was the late Marshal Huo, who died for the country, their mother was a Medical Fairy with excellent medical skills, and their Second Uncle was the general who protected the country. The entire Huo family pitied them for being fatherless and regarded them as jewels and treasures. Even the Emperor regarded them as his nephews. It could be said that their status was not lower than any of the children of nobility.

“Ai, if not for your relationship with that treacherous minister, who knows what could happen! It’s also a good story.”

Liu Zhenqing had no words. It had nothing to do with him, the treacherous minister! There was really no chance of this.

Although the Great Zhou Dynasty had become more open in this regard because of the male empress, and marriages between men were recognized, they were still in the minority. What’s more, Huo Fenglie seemed to be quite disgusted by this type of relationship. He recalled that there was once some bastard who tried in vain to ask the Emperor for Liu Zhenqing’s hand in marriage. When he complained about this matter to Huo Feihan and Li Xingruo, the young Huo Fenglie’s expression turned very ugly when he heard it. He was probably terribly disgusted.

It was hard to believe that the current Huo Fenglie had been pursued by Liu Xiaozhu for so long. After he saved the twins this time, it was likely that Huo Fenglie would at most not be nauseated at the sight of him.

“Speaking of which, Master, you’ve somewhat made up for the treacherous minister. I heard that the twins never got to see their father after they were born, as the late marshal died in battle. It was all because of the traitor’s evildoing.” Jin Li couldn’t help but sigh.

Liu Zhenqing’s expression remained unchanged. “Yes, yes, yes, it’s all the traitor’s fault. By the way, are you going to let your master rest?”

Jin Li blinked and said: “I saw that Master wasn’t sleepy, so I talked to you in order to relieve your boredom. Oh, also, I heard that Longxing Gambling House was razed to the ground by General Huo and his men. General Huo is so powerful……”

You had better shut up, ba. Stop trying to brainwash people.

. . . . . . .

In the study, the new emperor Yuan Jue slowly closed the memorial and looked at Huo Fenglie, who was sitting in the first seat. 

As a member of the Yuan family, he was naturally good-looking, a first-class handsome man in both face and figure. At the same age of twenty-six, he was different from Huo Fenglie, in that the other man had a built-in baleful look, while Yuan Jue carried a sacred nobility that could not be looked at directly. Although intimidating, it was not sharp or lofty, giving one the sense of a benevolent monarch.

Especially now, when there were only the two people in the study, Yuan Jue would never refer to himself as “this emperor.” After all, they were brothers who had gone through the trials of life together.

Huo Fenglie’s face was expressionless as he listened to Yuan Jue’s griping.

Yuan Jue also said familiarly: “Just kill the person who hurt them, why wipe out Longxing Gambling House completely, ah? My aunt, the First Princess, has come to me several times to complain that you are lawless.”

“This one did not kill innocent people.”

“Right, you didn’t kill them. You just sent out a hundred people to raze the gambling house to the ground.”

The Huo family protected their own. There was nothing to be done, what if the twins had gotten hurt?

“Fine, just be careful next time. The capital is no better than the frontier. There are many people watching you and tattling to me!”

Huo Fenglie was unconcerned. He flipped through the personnel deployment book meticulously, his eyes without waves.

“I’ll go out of the palace with you today to see the two little ones,” Yuan Jue suggested.

Huo Fenglie said: “Your Majesty, the spring plowing ceremony is coming soon. We should make arrangements first.”

Yuan Jue said with a relaxed expression: “Say no more about what is normally done. With you here this year, I have nothing to worry about. In a few years, when the prince grows up, I won’t need to participate in this ceremony.”

Speaking of this, Yuan Jue teased: “Zhanyuan, my Imperial sister the Eighth Princess has gone to the Empress Dowager and the Empress several times to plead with them, hoping that they will help grant her a marriage. The Eighth Princess is slender and elegant, and likes you wholeheartedly. You…..”

Huo Fenglie stood up and saluted at once. “Your Majesty, I still have something to do, so I’ll leave first.”

Seeing that Huo Fenglie was about to leave, Yuan Jue hurriedly said: “Would I just casually agree to it for you? I’ve also heard that many ministers want to marry their daughters to you. Have you really not thought about it?”

Huo Fenglie said directly: “Your Majesty, this one will retire.”

Yuan Jue said with a smile: “All right. But I heard that the one who saved Yunci and Yunqian this time was the young master of the Liu family who made such a fuss about pursuing you. Before, you even asked me to grant him a reward for helping to catch a spy. But I remember that he seems to be engaged to a member of the Ministry of Rites. You and he…..”

Huo Fenglie thought of Liu Xiaozhu that day and felt something strange in his heart. “I’m not familiar with him. He has nothing to do with me.”

Yuan Jue saw his sullen face and knew that he had clearly lost his patience.

“The Liu family, ah…..” Yuan Jue murmured. As expected, Huo Fenglie froze.

Yuan Jue looked at Huo Fenglie distantly, and his voice suddenly became deeper: “Zhanyuan, do you still hate him?”

Huo Fenglie didn’t answer, but his eyes grew colder.

“Then do you miss him?”

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Chapter Eight << Table of Contents >> Chapter Ten