Chapter 24: “The Xiang’an Commandery Lady truly deserves the title I bestowed…”

Chapter 24: "Lady Xiang'an, truly worthy of the title I bestowed..."

*Qing Yanxi* not only became a sensation in Changle County but also took Yong'an County by storm.

Since the Huo family's misfortunes, the reckless energy in Huo Ze had faded considerably. Without needing constant reminders from his father or elder sister, he could now independently complete his daily studies.

The required horse stances, archery, and riding practice were all diligently performed without cutting corners.

During the New Year period, there were many family visits and New Year's greetings to make.

Previously, these matters were handled by Huo Shiming. But with him absent this year, Huo Ze had been running around attending to them.

Fang Shi often remarked upon seeing him like this: "He's finally acting his age."

Because of this, Huo Ze hadn’t immediately joined the *Qing Yanxi* craze.

It wasn’t until the morning of the second day of the New Year that Huo Ze’s friend excitedly came to find him: "A Ze, I saw an amazing play—it’s about Uncle Huo and Sister Huo! In the play, Uncle Huo is like a great hero, and Sister Huo is so smart, brave, and beautiful, no wonder she was officially honored as Lady Xiang'an by the court..."

"You know, my sister is about to get married, and my mother hasn’t allowed her to go out lately. But after I told them about the play, my mother even said she’d take my sister to see it today."

"Sister Huo is incredible. She used to play with my sister, and now she’s a court-appointed lady."

Huo Ze was shocked: "What play?"

His friend was equally stunned: "You don’t know?"

The two stared at each other blankly for a while before the friend, under Huo Ze’s relentless questions, summarized the play’s plot again.

Huo Ze suddenly let out a howl of dismay, beating his chest in dismay: "I actually missed it!"

Upon learning that *Qing Yanxi* would run for half a month with a performance that very morning, Huo Ze couldn’t think about anything else. He dragged his friend to the performance tent, elbowing their way through the packed crowd until they managed to push their way to the front.

Before long, the play began.

Though his friend had already seen it once, he was still captivated by the rollercoaster plot.

When the sleazy, corrupt official "He Yao" appeared, an inexplicable rage rose in his heart.

Some really into the show clutched their vegetable baskets tightly, afraid they might lose control and waste the eggs they’d just bought that morning.

At the sight of the fragile-looking but steel-spined "Lady Xiang'an," who remained composed and cleverly countered "He Yao’s" oppression, he cheered along with the crowd.

Finally, when the Military Commissioner swept in to set things right—punishing the corrupt official, rewarding the brave general, and petitioning the court to recognize Lady Xiang'an's contributions—the audience broke into thunderous applause.

Impressed by Lady Xiang'an's cleverness, the court honored her as Lady Xiang'an.

"Hell yeah!"

Virtue had triumphed. When the happy ending unfolded, everyone in the audience clapped and cheered.

Thanks to a day of publicity, everyone now knew that the brave general who had been slandered and persecuted was none other than Yong'an County’s own Commander Huo, and that the enfeoffed Lady Xiang'an, was Commander Huo’s daughter—the local belle.

This was a huge point of pride for Yong'an County.

His friend turned to Huo Ze with delight, only to find him with eyes red with unshed tears: "A Ze, what’s wrong?"

"Nothing... My heart aches for my father and sister. They rarely mentioned any of this in their letters to me."

"There’s a saying—what was it again? 'Every cloud has a silver lining.' Your family’s things are finally looking up," his friend said, leaning closer. "So, is everything in the play true?"

"Yes!" Huo Ze clenched his fists tightly. "It's all true!"

In the letters from his father and elder sister, they hadn’t mentioned the specific details, but the plot of the opera matched exactly what he knew.

Huo Ze gradually composed himself, thanked his classmate, and parted ways, heading home to find Fang Shi.

Fang Shi was busy entertaining guests at home. When she saw Huo Ze return, she shot him a discreet glare.

Huo Ze grinned, pulling Fang Shi aside and talking excitedly with wild gestures. Fang Shi was no longer in the mood to entertain guests.

After seeing the guests off, the mother and son hurried out to catch the afternoon performance.

Fang Shi was even more excited than Huo Ze after watching it, clasping her hands together and repeatedly chanting prayers: "Thank goodness His Royal Highness Prince Duan punished the wicked and upheld justice. Only then could your father and elder sister finally see their suffering turn to joy."

***

Ever since Emperor Jingyuan was still a prince, he had disliked the various banquets in the palace. In the early years of his reign, he had reluctantly let his people run things. Now, after many years on the throne, he no longer bothered to humor such things.

Apart from a few essential grand banquets, there were no other feasts in the palace.

But just because he disliked them didn’t mean he forbade others from enjoying themselves.

If the imperial consorts wanted to gather for a few tables, the two young princesses wished to visit their aunt at the elder princess’s residence, or stop by Prince Duan’s estate to see Ji Yuanwan, Emperor Jingyuan let them do as they pleased.

That morning, a heavy snowstorm started outside.

Emperor Jingyuan stayed in the warm pavilion, flipping idly through a light read to pass the time, looking thoroughly bored.

The Chief Eunuch approached quietly, refilling the emperor’s tea. "Your Majesty, General He Tai has returned to the capital today."

Emperor Jingyuan didn’t lift his gaze from the book, though his tone was odd. "What’s he doing back in the capital now? Did he ride back alone?"

The Chief Eunuch coughed lightly. "He brought his family, rolling into town with a whole entourage."

Emperor Jingyuan finally showed some interest, closing the book in his hand. "So they celebrated New Year’s on the road?"

The Chief Eunuch replied, "According to reports from the relay stations, on New Year’s Eve, General He and his family stayed at a station and chewed out the officials there over some petty thing."

Emperor Jingyuan remarked, "Kicked out of Yanxi before New Year’s was over—it seems he and the thirteenth prince had a nasty fallout."

Lifting his teacup, Emperor Jingyuan said indifferently, "The current commander of Xingtang Pass is Zhou Jiamu, correct?"

The Chief Eunuch answered, "Yes, General Zhou."

Emperor Jingyuan chuckled, his tone unreadable. "No wonder, after the Qiang Rong incident erupted, the thirteenth prince and the Duke of Liu were so eager to secure the position of Military Commissioner for Yanxi. I thought they wanted to raise Yuanyuan’s profile by winning this battle."

It seemed his earlier assumptions had been too shallow.

The Chief Eunuch kept his head lowered, not daring to respond. Fortunately, Emperor Jingyuan didn’t expect a reply. "Anything else?"

"General He submitted a memorial to the palace, requesting an audience tomorrow to pay his respects."

"This ‘respects’ nonsense is just an excuse—he wants to complain. He’s begging me to bail him out."

The Chief Eunuch said, "Your Majesty is wise. This humble servant agrees."

"I have no interest in mediating his dispute with the thirteenth prince. He made mistakes, and the thirteenth prince caught him out, losing him his post. Does he really expect me to pick favorites?"

Emperor Jingyuan wasn’t entirely clear on the specifics of the conflict between Prince Duan and He Tai.

But he’d seen both Prince Duan’s petition to the court for He Tai’s dismissal and He Tai’s own memorial in self-defense.

Approving He Tai's dismissal from his position as the commander of Xingtang Pass garrison was Emperor Jingyuan's decision on the matter.

The faint fragrance of plum blossoms wafted from the table as Emperor Jingyuan leaned back on the couch, opening his book again. His calm voice came from behind the pages.

"He has just returned to the capital—there’s no need to rush over to pay respects. Let him rest in his residence for a few days first. Once he’s cleared his mind, he may come to the palace when he's ready."

The Chief Eunuch acknowledged with a bow and dispatched his adopted son to the Duke of Chengen’s residence to relay the message to He Tai.

Standing at the entrance of the heated chamber with his eyes closed, the Chief Eunuch heard footsteps beside him.

"Godfather, I’ve returned."

Opening his eyes, the Chief Eunuch saw his adopted son, Cui Hongyi, standing beside him, dust-covered—clearly having just arrived back in the capital from Yanxi.

The Chief Eunuch asked, "Did everything go smoothly on this trip?"

Cui Hongyi smiled. "Aside from the hardships of travel, everything went well."

"Why didn’t you change your clothes first?"

Cui Hongyi pulled out a carefully packaged book from his robes and explained in a hushed tone, "This is a storybook I brought back from Yanxi—*Qing Yanxi*."

"During the New Year, this storybook and the operas adapted from it were wildly popular in Yanxi. The main characters are actually Lord He Tai, His Royal Highness Prince Duan, and the Xiang'an Commandery Lady."

"I thought His Majesty might be interested, so I rushed to bring it to you first, Godfather."

The Chief Eunuch nodded approvingly at Cui Hongyi. Among all his adopted sons, Cui Hongyi was undoubtedly the most clever and perceptive.

"Very well. I’ll present it to His Majesty now. You should hurry back and change—in case His Majesty summons you later."

As Cui Hongyi turned and hurried away, the Chief Eunuch took the book back into the inner chamber.

Emperor Jingyuan had already switched to another leisure reading. Noticing the Chief Eunuch’s return, he asked casually, "Who was here just now?"

"It was Cui Hongyi. He rushed back to the palace just to bring a treasure to Your Majesty."

Emperor Jingyuan glanced at the storybook in the Chief Eunuch’s hands. "This is the treasure he brought?"

"It’s said to be the most famous story from Yanxi recently. And the protagonists—Your Majesty knows them all." The Chief Eunuch deliberately piqued the emperor’s interest by withholding the names.

Emperor Jingyuan raised an eyebrow.

He knew them all?

Tossing aside his current book, Emperor Jingyuan declared, "Then I must have a look."

The storybook industry in Great Yan was thriving, and Emperor Jingyuan occasionally indulged in popular folk stories during his leisure.

With his discerning eye and artistic appreciation, he couldn’t suppress a knowing smile after reading the first chapter.

Who would have thought that the recognizable character in the story would be He Tai?

Intrigued, Emperor Jingyuan moved on to the second chapter.

When the character "Huo Xiangan" appeared, he paused briefly, automatically sitting up and slowing his reading pace.

Before he knew it, it was lunchtime.

A palace maid entered to inquire of the Chief Eunuch whether it was time to serve His Majesty’s meal. The Chief Eunuch glanced at Emperor Jingyuan, who was completely engrossed in the book, and was at a loss.

Just as he hesitated, the Chief Eunuch saw Emperor Jingyuan set down the book in his hands.

"Have the meal served immediately," the Chief Eunuch exhaled in relief and stepped forward to attend to the emperor. "Your Majesty has been reading for a while now."

"Has it been that long?" Emperor Jingyuan hadn’t noticed the time. "What time is it?"

"The imperial kitchen has inquired three times whether to serve the meal."

"Then it has indeed been a while," Emperor Jingyuan replied casually, his eyes flicking to the book before shaking his head with a chuckle. "Where is Cui Hongyi? Have him come see me."

After bathing and changing, Cui Hongyi had hurried back to wait outside the hall, so he entered immediately upon being summoned.

After bowing, Emperor Jingyuan asked, "How well-known is this play in Yanxi?"

Cui Hongyi shared all he knew.

Emperor Jingyuan tapped his fingers lightly on the words *Qing Yanxi*. "Have you seen this play yourself?"

Cui Hongyi wore an embarrassed expression. "This servant initially only had someone purchase the book. Fearing Your Majesty might ask about its contents, I glanced through it on the way. But I got so absorbed that I couldn’t resist delaying my return to watch the opera adaptation."

His bold reply showed he knew Emperor Jingyuan wouldn’t mind such trivial matters.

Emperor Jingyuan laughed. "No worries. Even I, once I finished the book, regret not seeing the opera myself."

"After reading and watching, which character left the deepest impression on you?"

Without hesitation, Cui Hongyi answered, "Huo Xiangan in the play."

"Why is that?"

After a moment’s thought, Cui Hongyi replied cautiously, "I’ve seen plenty of operas before. Figures like He Yao, Commander Huo, and the Military Commissioner—I’ve encountered them more than once. But Huo Xiangan stands apart."

"Truthfully, Your Majesty, I loathe He Yao, pity Commander Huo, and rejoice at the Military Commissioner’s impartial justice. But for Huo Xiangan, I both admire her grace and respect her talent."

Emperor Jingyuan raised the book slightly, granting Cui Hongyi a seat and tea, signaling him to elaborate.

Cui Hongyi scratched his head, somewhat sheepish. "If Your Majesty does not take offense, I’ll speak frankly for a moment."

"In the years before I entered the palace, my hometown suffered a disaster. The magistrate conspired with local elites to embezzle the relief grain sent by the court."

"At that time, my parents and the neighbors prayed endlessly for an honest official to arrive, punish the magistrate, and restore justice to our home."

Emperor Jingyuan frowned slightly but did not interrupt.

The Chief Eunuch broke out in a cold sweat, silently signaling the reckless fool with his eyes.

*This fool better not be exploiting His Majesty’s good mood to lodge a complaint.*

Cui Hongyi, however, was not so tactless. He shifted the topic and continued, "Later, an imperial censor arrived. He enforced the law impartially, imprisoning both the magistrate and the gentry, and redistributed the embezzled relief grain."

"This servant is deeply grateful to that censor. Had he not come, I might have starved to death in that disaster."

"But before his arrival, my younger sister and the elderly neighbors had already perished from hunger."

Hearing this, the Chief Eunuch finally relaxed inwardly, understanding what Cui Hongyi was trying to convey.

He was saying that while others waited helplessly for a hero, Huo Xiangan, a seemingly frail woman, chose to fight back.

Her plight, her choices, and her very existence tugged at the heartstrings of ordinary folks.

So when she succeeded, everyone in the audience was genuinely rooting for her.

Cui Hongyi said, "By the time I left Yanxi, the fame of Xiang'an Commandery Lady was on everyone's lips across Yanxi."

Emperor Jingyuan, who had been listening quietly, gave a slight nod.

"Xiang'an Commandery Lady indeed earned the name 'Xiang'an' bestowed by Me."

Here's the kicker—

For this opera to spread so widely and rapidly in Yanxi, the Thirteenth Prince must have pulled some strings behind the scenes.

The Thirteenth Prince helped and gained a reputation as a fair-minded lord.

On the surface, it seemed like no loss, but—

Emperor Jingyuan smiled inwardly.

A prince, not an official—what use does he have for the reputation of being "fair-minded"?

Such a grand effort yielded only a shiny reputation, with little substantive gain.

The one who truly cleaned up from this opera was none other than Xiang'an Commandery Lady.

She knew what the people most wanted to see, what they most admired, and thus came up with this tale.

Even more remarkable was that this was not merely a fictional character but a real-deal person. Thus, all praise for the story's protagonist transformed into admiration for Xiang'an Commandery Lady herself.

"I remember her real name was—"

"Huo... Ling?"

Emperor Jingyuan suddenly turned to the Chief Eunuch.

Your Majesty was quick to agree.

Emperor Jingyuan then asked Cui Hongyi, "The story mentions that Huo Xiangan was renowned in Yanxi for her beauty. Having seen her in person, what impression did she leave on you?"

A flood of compliments flashed through Cui Hongyi's mind.

But in the end, he cautiously offered his assessment.

"Like a goddess walking the earth."

***

Before the Lantern Festival had even passed, and while *Qing Yanxi* was still the talk of the town, Changle County had already entered a state of calm on the surface but ready for war.

Everyone began preparing for the upcoming battle.

Prince Duan was responsible for handling the supply lines, while Huo Shiming, Fang Jianbai, and Sun Yucheng were working round the clock organizing troops and boosting morale.

Only the western courtyard where Huo Ling resided stayed as serene as ever.

Since New Year's Eve, Huo Ling had gotten into chess and had specially sought out a chess playbook to flip through when she had time.

At this moment, she was flipping through the manual again, while Wu Mo sat across from her, stitching black feathers into the ends of a hair ribbon. Offhand, Wu Mo asked, "Miss, do you think we can push through to the Qiang Rong chieftain's tent in this battle?"

Huo Ling picked up a black piece and placed it on the board with a satisfying *clack*, going by the book.

"The real question is how long it will take for Great Yan to reach the Qiang Rong royal tent."

Wu Mo stuck out her tongue, realizing the issue. "You're right, miss."

"The Qiang Rong can’t last much longer, but if this war drags on too much, it’ll only bleed Great Yan dry."

As they chatted casually, the gatekeeper summoned them from outside.

Wu Mo went to check and soon returned with a letter.

"The gatekeeper said this letter was sent by my lord."

"My father?" Huo Ling took it and smiled. "Let’s head out."

"Took you long enough."

The moment Huo Ling stepped into the tavern’s private booth, she heard Li Yichun’s complaint.

Li Yichun sat by the window, no longer in his grimy prison clothes.

As a martial artist, he ran hot. Despite the snow outside being knee-deep, he wore relatively light clothing, the contours of his lean, powerful muscles showing through.

His jade-green eyes fixed on her, barely hiding a pout.

Huo Ling placed her oil-paper umbrella by the door. "Oh? You called, I came."

Li Yichun lit up instantly, beckoning her over and pouring her tea eagerly.

Huo Ling remarked, "You seem cheerful—your mother must have been rescued."

Li Yichun nodded. "She’s on her way to Changle County now."

"But I won’t be able to reunite with her just yet. Zhou Jiamu told me to prepare to ride out with the troops in a few days, heading for the Qiang Rong royal tent."

Huo Ling read between the lines. "It seems you’ve gained Zhou Jiamu’s further trust and support."

Li Yichun slung his arms over the railing lazily. "Indeed. Zhou Jiamu has agreed to back me as the next Qiang Rong leader."

Huo Ling: "That’s good."

Zhou Jiamu’s support, at its core, was Prince Duan’s support.

And Prince Duan represented the will of Great Yan’s court.

Li Yichun couldn’t help but glance at her. "If Zhou Jiamu finds out that after all his efforts, you and your father ended up reaping the rewards, won’t he blow his top?"

Huo Ling drew herself up, disapproving. "How could you think that of General Zhou?"

"I believe a man of his character wouldn’t care about such petty details. After all, no matter who you cooperate with, you’ll ultimately be loyal to Great Yan."

"If he gets angry after learning the truth, remind him to chill out—it’s not like he’s lost anything."

Li Yichun’s mouth twisted, never expecting her to say something so bold-faced.

He deliberately emphasized, "Don’t worry. When he finds out, I’ll be sure to quote you word for word."

Huo Ling smiled. "Whatever floats your boat."

That wolf cub’s only trick is running to tattle.

Li Yichun was completely thrown off by her unyielding attitude and changed the subject to what really bothered him.

"...I heard that after the war, you'll be going to the capital with Prince Duan?"

Seeing Huo Ling nod, Li Yichun asked, "Why him? Just because he pulled that hero-saving-the-damsel act?"

Huo Ling countered, "Have you read *Qing Yanxi*?"

Li Yichun snorted, making up a lame excuse, "Didn't you tell me to try accepting Great Yan? I'm just trying to get into your culture."

Huo Ling walked to the window, leaning against the railing as well, watching the busy street below.

After a long pause, she chuckled softly and turned slightly toward Li Yichun.

The breeze stirred her hair, the soft black strands brushing against her brows.

Li Yichun, like he was under a spell, almost gave in to the urge to raise his hand and sweep those locks aside.

"Not going to the capital with Prince Duan..."

Huo Ling got there first, pulling her hand back after brushing her fingers over his eyelids.

Those emerald eyes, under the bright daylight, were far more captivating than in the dim prison cell.

"...Would you rather stay in Yanxi and become the Qiang Rong chieftain's bride?"

Li Yichun jumped back like he'd been burned.

Huo Ling smiled, her empty hand now catching the falling snowflakes outside the window.

"You!"

Li Yichun was seeing red, practically stomping his feet.

What did she mean by "not going to the capital with Prince Duan, would you rather stay in Yanxi and become the Qiang Rong chieftain's bride"?

Wasn't she implying that following Prince Duan was better than following him?

Hell no!

He nearly fell into that damn woman's word games again.

When had he ever said he wanted to marry her?

Just because she was beautiful and clever, did that mean he'd fall for her?

This smooth-talking fox of a woman!

"What's got you all worked up?" she teased.

Huo Ling pulled her hand back and closed the window, cocking her head as she looked at him: "I'm just not interested in the position of Qiang Rong chieftain's bride. I never said I wasn't interested in you."

Li Yichun froze, going completely blank.

He started stammering, his eyes darting around, though he was putting up a tough front.

"Huo Ling, d-don't think sweet talk will get you out of this."