Xiong Mao retreated from the side room in astonishment, closing the door behind him. But when the sound of the door shutting with a 'bang' echoed, he suddenly gave a violent shudder.
No, that's not right. The mistress had clearly been sent back to the military camp by Chen Yuan. That beautiful woman just now was not the mistress!
Xiong Mao pushed the side room door open again, glaring fiercely at the woman not far away. His tiger-like eyes widened, first quickly scanning the floor. Seeing a faint shadow there, he then shifted his gaze back to her, staring intently as if trying to see through her inside and out.
Too similar.
Here, "too similar" referred to her clothing and hairstyle.
Xiong Mao was on duty at the Governor's mansion and had occasionally seen Pei Ying strolling around the grounds to aid digestion.
When not going out, the mistress's hair ornaments were very casual, usually just two hair ribbons tying her raven-black tresses together loosely, with the rest flowing down her back.
The woman before him had her hair styled in exactly the same way. Furthermore, her clothing—the style of her garments was remarkably similar to the mistress's, and she even wore a yellow jade bracelet on her left wrist.
Hairstyle and attire were almost identical. Finally, there was that face...
Xiong Mao stared unblinkingly at the person a few steps away.
Her hair was jet-black and lustrous, gleaming. Looking at her full face, the part from the middle of the nose down to the jawline bore a considerable resemblance to the mistress. Only the brow bones and eyes were vastly different.
This woman's brow ridge was much flatter than the mistress's, and her eyes were narrower and longer. Her gaze when looking at someone expressionlessly seemed somewhat fierce.
Perhaps she was aware of these differences, for she had applied some powder around her eyelids and the outer corners of her eyes, and when looking at people, she slightly lowered her gaze to soften her expression.
Xiong Mao asked warily, "Who are you?"
"I am a guest of this estate," she replied softly and delicately.
"Stay here and do not move," Xiong Mao ordered, then slammed the door shut with a bang. His heart was pounding wildly.
Something was wrong. Why was there a woman here so similar to the mistress? Her facial features suggested a distant relative, but if she were merely a distant relative, why dress so alike?
It was too strange.
Xiong Mao's mind was in turmoil. He stood rooted to the spot for a long time. After calming down slightly, he hurried off to find Huo Tingshan.
Huo Tingshan and Li Xiaotian were in a large courtyard. Before them knelt a group of soldiers, bound tightly, with some others lying on the ground. Beneath those who had resisted, pools of blood had spread.
Chen Wei tied the last knot. Seeing the man struggle restlessly, he immediately gave him an elbow strike. "Stay still."
"Commissioner Li, you are quite generous, allowing the estate owner to raise so many private troops. And looking at them, they are fully equipped. You really aren't afraid they might act against you behind your back." Huo Tingshan looked at Li Xiaotian, his smile taking on a deeper meaning. "Or perhaps Commissioner Li is on very close terms with this estate owner. Otherwise, how could he permit him to raise private soldiers..."
Glancing at the armor on the soldiers, Huo Tingshan corrected himself, "I should say, elite troops."
These soldiers were all clad in armor, equipped with uniform blades, and many were quite agile. They didn't resemble the motley crews of retainers raised by local magnates.
"Governor Huo, your conjecture is truly absurd. As fellow Governors, I think you should understand how much we despise private troops. This place is already the borderlands, far from my Governor's mansion across mountains and rivers. It's likely that person used my name to tyrannize here and raise private troops. It seems I misjudged him initially," Li Xiaotian immediately stated.
There was also a woman in this estate who hadn't been hidden away in time. He absolutely could not admit to having a close private relationship with the estate owner now, otherwise Huo Tingshan would surely suspect him of trying to sabotage things.
After all, it was his wife, Zhuang Manxiang, who had proposed coming to this estate.
Huo Tingshan twisted the jade ring on his thumb, implying more than he said. "Commissioner Li, since this estate owner could feign compliance while acting contrary, is it possible he received instructions from someone else to kill your legitimate son?"
Li Xiaotian frowned. Prompted by Huo Tingshan's words, he suddenly thought of another possibility.
Ji Xianbai had sent Du Liang to Si Province, intending to bring that Lady Pei back to Chang'an and saddle the Youzhou army with the label of rebel forces. He didn't much care about the former, but for his future plans, he was very willing to kick the Youzhou army out of the "loyal subjects" camp.
He and Du Liang had hit it off immediately.
But now, he had a brand new conjecture: in the scheme Ji Xianbai had set up, was he, Li Xiaotian, also a pawn on the board?
In the end, Huo Tingshan would lose his wife, he would lose his heir, both sides would be seething with resentment, and a single spark could ignite a conflict.
And Yong Province, where Chang'an was located, bordered Si Province. The Bing Province controlled by Huo Tingshan wasn't far from Yong Province either. If he and Huo Tingshan fought, both provinces would inevitably suffer. Wouldn't that solve the problem of two powerful neighbors at once?
The more he thought about it, the more alarmed Li Xiaotian became.
"General, I have urgent matters to report." Xiong Mao's voice arrived before he did. Entering the courtyard, he realized not only Huo Tingshan was present, but also people from the Si Province side. Xiong Mao couldn't help but halt his steps.
Huo Tingshan said, "Speak. What is it?"
Xiong Mao looked conflicted. This matter concerned the mistress. With Commissioner Li, an outsider, present, was it appropriate?
But his usually perceptive superior seemed unaware of his dilemma. Seeing him remain silent, Huo Tingshan even said, "If it's something unusual you discovered in the estate, speak plainly. Commissioner Li is our ally. There's nothing he cannot hear."
Xiong Mao dared not hesitate any longer and hurriedly said, "General, I found a woman in one of the side rooms. This person bears a... striking resemblance to the mistress."
By the end, he had lowered his large head, his voice much quieter.
Huo Tingshan instinctively frowned, finding these words extremely grating. But on the surface, he showed a look of surprise, turning to glance at Li Xiaotian. The latter met his clearly suspicious gaze with a calm expression. "Governor Huo, I have just recently lost my legitimate son."
"My apologies for overthinking," Huo Tingshan first sighed, then smiled. "If this were a scheme by Commissioner Li, you certainly invested heavily, even willing to sacrifice your own son."
A vein throbbed on Li Xiaotian's forehead. He did not respond.
"Let's go. Take me to see," Huo Tingshan said, turning to walk out.
Xiong Mao hurried to lead the way.
Commissioner Li pondered for a moment, then followed.
That "Lady Pei" had seen him. He couldn't let her speak recklessly.
When Xiong Mao left earlier, he had specifically left two guards stationed at the door. Returning now, the guards were still there.
"General."
"General."
The two of them had entered with Xiong Mao earlier and had seen the person inside. Now, seeing Huo Tingshan arrive, they couldn't help but show complex expressions.
Huo Tingshan pushed the door open, his face expressionless.
With a creak, the door opened. But within everyone's line of sight, the room was empty.
This side room had an outer and inner section, connected by a small arched doorway with a bead curtain hanging across it. Huo Tingshan saw the ends of the bead curtain swaying gently. "Will you come out yourself, or shall I have someone bring you out?"
His voice was calm and even, betraying no emotion. After he spoke, silence returned to the room.
Huo Tingshan waited only two breaths. "Xiong Mao."
Xiong Mao acknowledged and was about to step forward when he suddenly heard the soft rustle of beads. Looking up, a graceful figure had appeared in the room.
Xiong Mao's eyes widened in astonishment. "You..."
In just the short time she was gone, this woman looked drastically different from before.
Originally, she had tied her hair with two ribbons. Now, she had removed them and styled her hair into a simple pair of buns. The powder around her eyes was completely wiped off, and she now wore a veil covering the lower half of her face. Additionally, the yellow jade bangle on her wrist was gone.
With these changes, her appearance was now far removed from the initial impression.
At the very least, looking solely at the upper half of her face, she did not bear the "striking resemblance to the mistress" that Xiong Mao had previously mentioned.
"Who are you people?" the beautiful woman exclaimed in shock. "Why are you barging into my chamber?"
Huo Tingshan went straight to the point. "Who sent you to this manor?"
The woman furrowed her delicate brows. "I have been lodging here all along. It is you who are acting strangely, leading people into my chamber uninvited and then acting as if you own the place."
"Xiong Mao, go tear off her veil," Huo Tingshan said, having no patience for further talk.
The woman hadn't expected him to order someone forward after just a couple of sentences.
Xiong Mao, having seen her previous attire and still haunted by her resemblance to the mistress, felt a chill run down his spine, but he stepped forward nonetheless.
Unaware of the trepidation in Xiong Mao's heart, the woman only saw the massive horizontal scar on the burly man's face, which looked utterly terrifying when he wasn't smiling, and she was momentarily frightened into stillness.
Xiong Mao precisely grabbed a corner of the veil and yanked it hard.
The veil flew away, revealing the woman's lower face. Huo Tingshan narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze sharp as an eagle's sweeping over her features, the coldness in his eyes deepening.
Even battle-hardened soldiers could scarcely withstand the pressure Huo Tingshan exuded, let alone her. The color slowly drained from the beautiful woman's face. Instinctively, she turned her head to look at Li Xiaotian for help.
It was a completely reflexive action.
The moment her eyes landed on him, Li Xiaotian knew things had taken a turn for the worse.
Sure enough, the man with the ring-pommeled sword at his waist turned his gaze sideways, a hint of icy laughter in his eyes. "Prefect Li, this woman seems acquainted with you. Is she an old acquaintance of yours?"
"Not at all, I do not know this person. I haven't seen the manor lord for many years, and I have nearly forgotten all the people around him. How could she be an old acquaintance?" Li Xiaotian flatly denied.
Huo Tingshan gave a faint, ambiguous smile. "Prefect Li, no need to be agitated."
Li Xiaotian paused, softening his tone. "I merely do not wish for Governor Huo to misunderstand me."
Huo Tingshan turned his attention back to the beautiful woman, the curve still lingering on his lips. "If you tell the truth, I might consider sparing your life. Who is your master? Why were you waiting here? Have you met Prefect Li before?"
"Governor Huo!" Li Xiaotian protested with displeasure. "What is the meaning of your last question? Do you suspect me?"
Huo Tingshan ignored him, simply waiting for an answer.
The woman clenched her teeth and looked at Li Xiaotian again, only to see him avert his gaze, clearly determined to sever all ties with her. Resentment filled her heart, but she understood this was a matter of life and death; this Governor Huo truly intended to kill her.
She couldn't play dumb, but neither could she reveal everything.
Now, the only option was...
"You must be joking, my lord. I am merely a passing traveler here. I encountered some mishaps while journeying north to seek my relatives and was fortunate to receive aid from the master of this place, Master Du. That is why I am staying here temporarily for a few days to recuperate. Once I am well, I will continue north to find my distant cousin." She paused mid-sentence, letting out a soft exclamation of surprise. "You are... Governor Huo? In that case, would you not be my cousin-in-law?"
Xiong Mao and Chen Wei were stunned.
Cousin-in-law?
Could this woman be the mistress's sister? This...
Huo Tingshan was about to speak when a voice from outside preempted him. "General, we have apprehended a group of suspicious individuals at the side gate."
The speaker was Chen Yang, who had returned leading a group of soldiers.
Everyone's gaze turned almost simultaneously toward the people being escorted back under guard.
Li Xiaotian saw a familiar face.
It was none other than Du Liang.
Seeing the chamber door wide open, Chen Yang simply pushed the captive to the front of the doorway.
Du Liang had taken a slash to the shoulder blade, and blood now soaked half of his chest. Chen Yang forced him to his knees and then reported, "This man was attempting to flee with soldiers, his behavior highly suspicious. I suspect he is the prime culprit behind the murder of the eldest young master Li."
Du Liang was stunned, then said incredulously, "Li Kangshun is dead?"
He whipped his head around to look at Li Xiaotian. Seeing the other's cold, grim expression and the suspicion-filled gaze directed at him, he seemed to suddenly understand something. He then turned to look at Huo Tingshan.
Huo Tingshan wore a slight smirk.
Du Liang's pupils contracted. How could he not understand now? The other side had long seen through their scheme and had turned it against them. A wave of terror washed over him. "Huo Tingshan, it was you who killed Li Kangshun!"
Huo Tingshan did not respond to his accusation, instead asking, "Are you the lord of this manor?"
Du Liang merely kept repeating, "It was you who killed Li Kangshun."
Seeing his eyes wide with fury, bordering on madness, a flicker of doubt passed through Li Xiaotian's eyes.
When Du Liang refused to answer, Huo Tingshan turned to Li Xiaotian. "Prefect Li, is this man the old friend you mentioned?"
Without waiting for a reply, Huo Tingshan nodded to himself. "I believe he must be. Otherwise, why would that woman act as if she knows you, and why would this man do the same? This is rather interesting. Judging by this man's accent, he seems to be from Chang'an. He has a private army, and their equipment is quite sophisticated. Ji Xianbai currently holds power in Chang'an, and it is no secret that Ji Xianbai and I have our disagreements. They harbor intense hostility towards me, and yet your wife coincidentally invited my wife here to admire the flowers. Prefect Li, this makes me..."
Clang. A sword was drawn.
Li Xiaotian stepped forward, sword in hand.
Du Liang understood his intent, his heart pounding wildly. "Prefect Li, don't fall for his trick! Huo Tingshan already knows everything. He seized the opportunity to kill your own son! He is putting on an act now! You must not kill..."
Before he could finish, Li Xiaotian's sword swept down and severed his head.
The head tumbled to the ground with a dull thud, the face frozen in a mask of terror.
Li Xiaotian's expression was impassive.
If this man truly schemed to kill his eldest son, then he deserved death. If not, then at this point, he needed to die quickly anyway, lest he reveal more things that should not be said, moving Huo Tingshan from mere suspicion to certainty.
Li Xiaotian withdrew his sword cleanly. Blood spurted, splattering across the floor.
Huo Tingshan timely took a step to the side, but a single drop of blood still landed on him, right on the edge of the dark green pouch at his waist, staining it slightly.
The man clicked his tongue in annoyance and kicked the head that had rolled near his feet away. "Can't even die without causing trouble."
The headless corpse collapsed straight down.
Not far away, the woman was so frightened by this scene that her face turned as pale as paper. Whether intentionally or genuinely unable to bear it, she finally rolled her eyes back and fainted.
Huo Tingshan turned to Xiong Mao. "Deal with her."
Xiong Mao stood frozen in place, at a loss. "G-General, I..."
She claimed to be the mistress's cousin. There might be falsehood in that, but what if it were true? What if she really was a distant cousin of the mistress? Wouldn't that mean...
"Do I need to repeat myself?" Huo Tingshan's gaze turned cold.
Long before he married her, not only had he thoroughly investigated the Pei family's main branch, but he had even traced back several generations of all the collateral clans. How could he not know she had a distant cousin?
Even if such a person truly existed, so what?
His wife, for one, was not from this place, and for another, had never met this scheming cousin. What kind of bond could there possibly be?
Someone was scheming right under his nose, trying to swap a worthless fish eye for a precious pearl and steal his wife. If he could tolerate that, he might as well forget about contending for power under heaven and go back to farming in Youzhou instead.
Just as Xiong Mao hesitated, his hand on his sword, hurried footsteps sounded from outside.
"Lord Li, I have urgent news to report!" It was the voice of Lieutenant Liu.
