Marrying a treacherous official

After having a late-night talk with the Emperor in the Hall of Diligent Governance, Cui Zemin entered the palace the next day and spent three consecutive nights at the Privy Council handling military affairs.

Subsequently, Emperor Chenghe issued six imperial edicts, adjusting the positions of several commanders, deputy commanders, and deputy commanders of the Xiang Army, and dispatching officials to the northwest to take over the command of the 80,000 Imperial Guards.

Anyone with discerning eyes could see that the Emperor had just sent his trusted confidants to take over the defense of the Northwest and appointed a commander to lead the Northwest Imperial Guards, clearly taking back half of Pei Gong's military power.

The court officials repeatedly admired Emperor Chenghe's decisiveness and were even more afraid of Cui Zemin's iron-fisted approach to military affairs.

Granny Kong sent her servant to wait anxiously outside the palace gates for three days, but she couldn't get any news about Cui Zeming.

Ever since Yunji was confined to the West Garden by the Lady of the Marquis, she has not had a moment of peace.

Moreover, Yunji's cold has not yet healed, and there is no doctor to treat her every day. If something goes wrong with her health, how will she explain it to the master?

Madam Cui is busy chanting sutras and praying in the Buddhist hall and doesn't concern herself with anything. Unless absolutely necessary, it's not easy to get her involved. The Marquis has been away visiting friends for days and hasn't returned. Right now, the only one who can save the First Madam is the Eldest Master.

After leaving the palace, Cui Zemin did not return to his residence, but went straight to the Tiger Wing Army outside the city.

When Granny Kong learned the news, it was already the afternoon of the next day. She hurriedly took a carriage to the camp.

Huo Xishou overheard the guards' announcement outside the main tent that the First Madam had been confined to her quarters by the Lady of the Marquis. Knowing that the General was in the camp discussing military affairs with his subordinates, he hesitated for a long time before finally daring to lift the curtain and go inside.

"General, I have important matters to report."

"What is it?"

"It's a private matter of the residence."

Huo Xi uttered these words with great difficulty, already prepared to be beaten with forty strokes of the military rod.

Cui Zemin gave him a stern and imposing look, a gaze so chilling it could have torn him to pieces.

All the generals present bowed their heads in self-reflection, fearing that a single disagreement might incur the general's wrath and cause trouble for themselves.

"go out."

After Cui Zemin ruthlessly uttered those words, the guillotine hanging over Huo Xi's head fell down with a "crack," and he knelt down and retreated, only to hear a sinister voice coming from above.

"I'm referring to everyone here."

The generals felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and they all quickly rose, bowed, and withdrew from the tent, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Huo Xi hurriedly knelt down and stepped forward. Although the general always scolded him for being foolish and clumsy, after making countless mistakes, he had finally won this gamble and spoke frankly:

"Granny Kong came to the camp with an urgent report, saying that the First Madam has been confined to the West Garden by the Marquis's wife for five days because of her misconduct in front of the palace."

Cui Zemin looked at him silently, without saying anything.

Huo Xi couldn't fathom his thoughts, but since things had come to this point, he could only stubbornly continue:

"Granny Kong also said that the Marquis's wife does not invite a doctor to see the First Madam, but sends her cold food and soup every day to prolong her life. She doesn't know whether the First Madam is dead or alive now that she is locked in the courtyard."

As he finished speaking, he couldn't help but utter a tearful murmur:

"Granny Kong is an old woman in the mansion. She said that in the past, the women confined to the West Garden were all concubines who had committed serious crimes. They were tortured and mistreated in the courtyard. Some of them hanged themselves, while others were driven insane. None of them had a good end."

Cui Zemin suddenly recalled the pair of tearful eyes he saw through the misty water when he grabbed Yun Ji's chin and forced her to look up. It was as if all the stars in her eyes had been crushed into her watery eyes.

He fiddled with his fingers, as if he could still feel the lingering warmth of the hot tears that had seeped through his fingers.

"Prepare the horses," he commanded in a deep voice, "and take my sword with you."

"Yes, General."

Huo Xi knew that if the general took the sword, bloodshed was imminent.

Chunxuan argued with the gatekeeper for half an hour before finally getting half a basket of pine branch charcoal.

She angrily raised her foot and kicked the wooden door hard to vent her anger.

"You old hag, you've treated the First Madam so harshly! When the Master returns home, I'll definitely complain to him and punish you severely!"

"Everyone in the mansion knows that the master never treats the first wife well."

The gatekeeper spat through the crack in the door and cursed, "Otherwise, why would the master have ignored the First Madam for so long while she's been confined to the West Garden?"

Chunxuan lost her confidence after hearing what she said.

The gatekeeper, relying on the support of the Lady Hou, shouted slanderous words against her mistress:

"I've guarded the West Garden for over thirty years. Let me tell you the truth: once someone enters the West Garden, no one can leave unscathed. And you dare to act like the First Madam in front of me? Bah!"

Chunxuan raised her foot to kick the door again, but heard heavy footsteps coming from the corridor. She hurried to the carved window to look out and saw Huo Xi, led by Granny Kong, heading straight for the West Garden with his guards. She couldn't contain her joy and turned to run to the backyard.

"Madam, Madam—"

Chunxuan pushed open the creaking old lattice door, panting, and said, "The old man came to rescue us!"

Yunji leaned against the bedding, covered her mouth, and coughed lightly. She slammed the spine of the book against the table and stretched her hand outwards.

Hua Chao steadily took her hand and helped her up from the ground.

"Where is Madam going?"

"Small Buddhist shrine".

Yunji remembered that the Lady Hou had confined her here to save her from repentance. "Hua Chao went to the front yard to welcome the young master in, as for Chunxuan—"

She paused, her voice hoarse, and looked at the joyful face before slowly saying, "Just find a quiet place to stand and don't say a word."

Chunxuan certainly understood the principle that too much talk leads to mistakes.

The lady told her to shut up because she was afraid she wouldn't be able to control her mouth and would start crying and complaining in front of the master.

But she had seen her mistress suffer so much injustice over the past few days, and she couldn't pretend nothing had happened. She couldn't swallow her anger and do nothing for her mistress.

So when she knelt behind Hua Chao and saw the black embroidered robe with swirling clouds sweep across the threshold, and looked up to see the old man standing in front of her, she cried so miserably.

Looking at the dilapidated beams and the run-down front yard, Cui Zemin asked directly, "Where is she?"

Chunxuan was silenced by the lady and could only weep and sob on the side.

Hua Chao knelt in the wind and snow, trembling uncontrollably, while Qing Hong's eyes were filled with lingering fear.

When it comes to bluffing, Chunxuan's little tricks are nothing compared to hers, they're like child's play.

She said in a trembling voice, "The lady is in the small Buddhist shrine."

Cui Zemin turned and went to the backyard.

As they reached the dilapidated courtyard, the biting north wind swept the heavy snow into white smoke that drifted in all directions.

He entered the small, icy Buddhist shrine and saw her with her long hair hanging down, wearing only a plain-colored embroidered long-sleeved jacket, kneeling on a prayer mat with her eyes closed, praying to the local earth god on the niche wall.

Cui Zemin took two steps forward and stood still, finally seeing the pale, snow-white profile. In just a few days, she had become thin and frail, looking pitiful.

Yunji sensed someone approaching, abruptly looked up, and upon seeing him, smiled faintly and said:

"My husband, I've embarrassed you again."

Little did he know that the fleeting smile had caught his eye, much like the snow knocking on the gate of a courtyard, its damp cold seeping into the cracks.