PROOFREAD BY AFREANA

Chapter 97.1

Xue Xuran did not change his expression this time and said sternly, “You do not need to make a pretense, Miss An. What have I exposed? Just tell me directly.”

“If I can know your or your Xue family’s secrets with just a few words, then I would be a bit too powerful. I naturally don’t know right now, but it’s not difficult if I want to know. If it’s something the General has done, I’ll just ask him, and I’ll know.”

Xue Xuran sneered, “This kind of blackmail and intimidation doesn’t amount to much.”

“This is not blackmail, but just telling the truth. In addition, I would like to tell Young Master Xue that since the General discovered your family’s secret but did not act and reprimand your family, instead choosing to facilitate the marriage, that means the General trusts you.”

Xue Xuran sneered again, “Has it changed to enticement now?”

An Ruochen ignored him and continued: “But if you do not know what is good and bad, do not accept the marriage, then so be it. If you spread gossip about the General, make up something like ‘the official deceiving people’ or abducting and deceiving, then your Xue family’s bottom line, the handle on you, I’m afraid the military will properly pursue the matter.”

Xue Xuran choked.

An Ruochen smiled at him, “This is what blackmail and intimidation are.”

Xue Xuran coldly said, “It’s frightening.”

An Ruochen added, “But as I said earlier, there must be some reason for the General to spare your Xue family, and it’s not necessarily the case for others. If someone with a certain heart notices and uses your shortcomings to make a fuss, I’m afraid your family will be in trouble.”

Xue Xuran snapped, “Planting threats like this and still daring to say that you are not bullying the people?!”

“Mr. Xue is wrong again. I haven’t finished yet.” An Ruochen said leisurely, “Your Xue family is an outsider to me. Anything that happens with you has nothing to do with me or the General. But if you become my brother-in-law, the Xue family’s troubles will naturally be ours. We won’t let outsiders bully the Xue family.” An Ruochen smiled again, “Mr. Xue, this is called enticing.”

Xue Xuran glared at her.

An Ruochen stood up, smoothed her clothes, and said, “Alright, I’ve finished what I have to say. Mr. Xue is weak, and the spring cold can be hurtful, so it’s better to go home quickly. Mr. Xue should reconsider this marriage. If you disagree, then it’s fine. Do console your mother, or give Master Jingci another set of eight characters. Let him talk to your mother that someone else is also very suitable.”

Xue Xuran skimmed his eyebrows. Is this being sarcastic?

“My sister is the same as you, has been pampered since childhood, and her temper is quite big ……”

Xue Xuran couldn’t hold back, glaring and reprimanding, “Who are you scolding for being spoiled!”

An Ruochen waved her hand as if nothing had happened, “I’m talking about my sister, don’t interrupt. With respect to my second sister, to be honest, I don’t have any confidence in my heart. She is so similar to you. Will she get into a fight within two days of marrying you? Don’t look at my sister’s soft appearance, her strength is not small. If she hurts you, how can I explain it to Mrs. Xue?”

Xue Xuran almost wanted to slap the table. Who wants to fight with a woman? Furthermore, to be defeated by a woman?!

“Anyway, you can do whatever you want with the marriage. I will ask the General about your family’s affairs. Farewell.” An Ruochen said enough and left. Xue Xuran was so angry that he almost jumped to his feet.

Mrs. Xue waited anxiously in the next room, and when she heard the maid report that An Ruochen had come out, she hurriedly went out to meet her. Seeing An Ruochen’s expression was not unhappy, she slightly rested her heart. Mrs. Xue was busy pulling An Ruochen to ask her questions.

An Ruochen merely said that Mr. Xue had his own ideas, but she still meant that if the Xue family is still sincere about the marriage, she will help find a way to solve the An family’s problems. She advised Mrs. Xue to relax. Since the eight characters are compatible, there must be destiny, but all things follow fate and can’t be forced. Otherwise, it will cause Mr. Xue to be annoyed. For one, it was not conducive to recuperating. Secondly, it would cause disobedience, and in the future, even if the marriage is accomplished, the husband and wife would not be happy and get along with each other.

Mrs. Xue naturally understood this reasoning. When she heard An Ruochen was still willing to help, she put her heart down. Xue Xuran left after exchanging greetings, paying no attention to An Ruochen. Mrs. Xue sighed in her heart, ordered a good tea, and pulled An Ruochen to talk more, intending to get closer. Even if the marriage does not work in the future, there is no need to offend the future General’s wife.

An Ruochen returned to the Purple Cloud House when it was already close to 3 p.m. When she had just entered the front door, she felt the atmosphere was not right. Mr. Zhou was leading a team of soldiers in panic.

“Where is Mr. Zhou heading?”

“Miss An!” Mr. Zhou was excited to see her and shouted, “Something big has happened.” When he was about to speak, he looked around and swallowed back.

An Ruochen frowned and came over.

Mr. Zhou attached himself to her side and said, “Mr. Huo committed suicide inside the governor’s mansion.”

It was like a thunder exploding over An Ruochen’s head, and she was stunned. “How could this be?”

“The Governor ordered someone to report this. I must go quickly to ask what happened. Otherwise, how can I write the report? General Long will be furious!”

This was not a matter of getting angry or not! An Ruochen’s scalp tingled, and her mind was already floating to the scenes of war that Zong Zeqing had spoken to her about. She closed her eyes and kicked the image of the blood-stained Si Xia River out of her mind. At that moment, she did not say much. Quickly, she joined Mr. Zhou in rushing toward the Governor’s mansion.

Once there, Mr. Zhou quickly went to find Chief Jiang Hongqing to inquire about what happened while An Ruochen ran towards Huo Mingshan’s courtyard.

Now, there were no more guards to stop them from going to that courtyard. An Ruochen arrived without incident and heard a young voice hissing with a cry, “It’s all because of you! It’s you who drove Mr. Huo to his death!”

A few people were standing in the courtyard, and An Ruochen passed through the wall of people before finally seeing what was going on in the center. Huo Mingshan’s attendant, Cao Yihan, was kneeling in the courtyard, bawling and holding Huo Mingshan’s ‘Sword of Peace’ while the Governor’s wife, Meng Jiayue, knelt in front of him with tears streaming down her face. Between them was a piece of paper filled with words.

An Ruochen walked over to Jiang Song, who had an iron face, and quietly asked him what had happened.

“When it was almost midnight, Cao Yihan went to the room and found that Mr. Huo had left a suicide note and killed himself in front of the table, using that sword.” Jiang Song pointed his chin in Cao Yihan’s direction.

A suicide note? An Ruochen looked at the piece of paper in front of Madam Governor, which she thought was the suicide note. It was not a good time for her to go up and check it out, so she only asked Jiang Song again, “General Jiang, is the handwriting of the suicide note correct? What does it say?”

Jiang Song’s face looked extremely ugly. An Ruochen understood the pressure he was under. He hardly rested, being responsible for Huo Mingshan’s safety and the journey to the capital. He also needed to lead the guards. Unexpectedly, this kind of thing happened right under his nose. But even if he was in a bad mood, An Ruochen had to ask, suicide? She couldn’t believe it.

Jiang Song held his temper down and said, ”It is indeed his handwriting. His attendant confirmed it. Mr. Huo said that in recent days, he felt deeply responsible for how the matters stand and was not sure he could accomplish his task. He was worried about how to explain his future failure to the South Qin Emperor. Rather than running and struggling and then paying for his sins with his death, it would be better to be relieved of his sins today. He is ashamed before the South Qin Emperor, the two countries, and General Long. Done.”

An Ruochen still couldn’t believe it. Huo Mingshan was still talking and laughing at the night banquet yesterday, and she still remembered the determined look on his face when he took the sword from Meng Jiayue. How was it possible to kill himself to seek relief?

“Was he forced to write this suicide note? Did someone say something to him? Did someone enter his house ……”