After the Disabled God of War Became My Concubine Volume – Chapter 82

Huo Wujiu was well aware that if certain words weren’t spoken now, it would be very hard to say them the next time; if some lies were admitted, it would also be difficult to turn back.

For instance, Li Changning’s case.

In the beginning, Li Changning lied to Jiang Suizhou, saying that his legs couldn’t be cured. Wei Kai also disguised as Li Changning’s disciple instead of his subordinate. He had told those lies at that time, so if he now told Jiang Suizhou he could stand up, it would mean admitting to that lie.

Maybe he had no experience in lying, so he didn’t know how to face it. It could also be because he somehow had an inexplicable guilty conscience, not daring to let Jiang Suizhou know the thoughts behind his deception.

In a nutshell, his strong desire to share his joy with Jiang Suizhou was shoved back in with difficulty, as if a fishbone was swallowed and got stuck in his throat, pricking him painfully.

And this suffering of his naturally wasn’t known to Jiang Suizhou.

He was over at Xu Du’s, sitting together drinking tea.

The other day, he discussed this matter with Huo Wujiu to hear his opinion. Huo Wujiu also agreed with his risky plan, so he settled as such.

He gathered up all the original owner’s connections, found one hiding in the Ministry of Justice, and contacted him in secret. When that person knew Qi Min would be murdered, he was quite willing to help, so that person became the one who saved Qi Min’s life today in the courtroom.

Jiang Suizhou told him to start talking when the Hou Zhu was enraged—to spare Qi Min’s life for the time being, and assuming an indignant look, to cut the weeds and dig up the roots, ferreting out those traitors hiding behind Qi Min.

Pang Shao and Zhao Dunting’s plan was quite secretive. Even if it was their own faction’s people, there wouldn’t be many people who knew. As long as this official raised this idea, it was inevitable for these people to respond. After all, even if caught, it would be the officials that opposed Pang’s faction, and it would only benefit, not harm, them.

As such, Qi Min’s life was retained for the time being.

Afterward, another person went up on stage.

The courtroom was momentarily abuzz with noise.

Many court ministers agreed with the Ministry of Justice official’s idea. For a while, many of the officials knelt. All of them appealed to let Qi Min live for a few more days and dig out more information from him before letting him die.

The situation was very grave. The Hou Zhu was especially indecisive. Seeing the dissatisfied kneeling court ministers, he instantly gave an order: organize a thorough investigation on all officials related to Qi Min.

For a while, the crowd of officials dared not obey.

At this very moment, an official knelt down with a thump.

“Indeed, Your Majesty! Qi Min should be investigated, all others in the court that have had contact with Northern Liang deserve to die!” that official said. “But, this servant is worried. Your Majesty, please let this servant speak!”

All the officials looked over, and saw the one kneeling on the ground was a sixth rank official under Qi Min.

This official just passed the imperial examination a few years ago. Since entering the palace as an official, he had always worked under Qi Min. His relationship with Qi Min wasn’t considered very close, but he still was virtually in the same faction.

For a while, silence reigned in the court. Everyone waited for his next words.

The Hou Zhu said, “By all means.”

The official raised his eyes and looked around the court. He kowtowed, saying, “Letters were found in Qi Min’s residence. Because it was all taken unaware, he was caught red-handed. If Your Majesty goes to arrest him now with much commotion, there will definitely be someone taking some precautions and destroying any incriminating evidence. By then, even if there are spies, it will be hard to look into.”

The Hou Zhu found it reasonable.

He repeatedly nodded. “Then, what does aiqing* think?”

*aiqing – an affectionate term of address of a monarch toward a subject

The official grit his teeth, raised his head and said, “In the palace, Qi Min has several close colleagues and disciples. Even if this official does not mention this, Your Majesty must have been aware of this as well. What about sending imperial guards now to check these people’s houses? All of us officials will remain in the hall and will not leave until the search has concluded.”

For a while, the surrounding officials were greatly surprised.

What kind of approach was this? Treating all the courtiers like prisoners and detaining them in the same place, before dispatching troops to search the houses?

This was simply extremely absurd!

But everyone could tell, this boy was making a dangerous move. Knowing that Qi Min would fall, and he himself couldn’t get away from Qi Min, he sold Qi Min’s party in advance, turning the tables, ingratiating before the Hou Zhu.

The atmosphere turned awkward for a spell. The green-clad Madam Xu nearby paused and came forward, saying, “Chang Yun, let’s go.”

Gu Changyun didn’t appreciate this and smiled slowly, “Xu Du, don’t let him get away with it. He’s newlywed, but he doesn’t even greet his elder brothers. What kind of etiquette is this?”

Xu Du glanced at Gu Changyun and frowned.

He watched as Gu Changyun stretched out his hand, trying to pinch Huo Wujiu’s chin.

“He’s handsome. Raise your head and let Brother have a look…”

His voice came to an abrupt halt.

Huo Wujiu was looking down, but he seemed to have eyes on his forehead. He raised his hand without warning, accurately grasped Gu Changyun’s wrist and stopped his movement.

The next moment, he exerted force and twisted it ruthlessly.

His bones made a fragile cracking sound.

Jiang Suizhou naturally did not want to care.

He dared to vouch with his own head that General Huo wasn’t the one who started the quarrel from jealousy. It must be the other party who provoked him first. If so, why would he want to offend Huo Wujiu because of this person’s foolish provocation?

Fight if you want to fight. What was the use of crying? Even women from other houses’ knew how to pull hair. If they were beaten, they would fight back. If he was so capable, he should fight back.

Jiang Suizhou glanced at the maid indifferently, and said, “I have important business.” After speaking, he tried to bypass the maid and enter the courtyard.

Unexpectedly, the maid actually took two steps forward and stopped him.

“Your Lord, my master is badly hurt! The mansion doctor said that person was a hairbreadth away from breaking my master’s wrist!”

That wasn’t even close to the truth.

Jiang Suizhou raised his eyes impatiently, and was about to speak, but he saw the expression of Meng Qianshan next to him.

This little eunuch was silly and simple. All his emotions were written on his face.

At this moment, Meng Qianshan was staring at him blankly in astonishment, as if he had done something unbelievable.

And in front of him, the tearful maid still stopped him, not the least bit afraid of him flaring up.

Jiang Suizhou remembered that when he transmigrated last night, a maid bumped into a water basin and was so terrified, as if she’d die.

The maid before him dared to behave arrogantly only because of his favor.

He believed that the “Madam Gu” they were referring to was probably the original owner’s favorite concubine.

Jiang Suizhou gritted his teeth. He could hardly contain himself and cursed the original owner secretly.

…It’s fine if you wanted to spoil a man, but you could have spoiled someone who caused no trouble!

He took a deep breath and counseled himself inwardly. He came here all by himself, and if there were no accidents, he would have to stay here for some years. Hence, even if he hid, he would have to meet the people close to the original body sooner or later.

…Including his messy concubines.

While inwardly letting off steam, Jiang Suizhou tilted his head and said lightly to the maid, “I’ll go and see him during dinner.”

The maid immediately stopped her tears and melted into smiles. She saluted and thanked him. Meng Qianshan also breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

Everyone was happy, but Jiang Suizhou’s mouth tasted of bile.

He turned around, quickened his pace, and strode into the original owner’s study.

Once he entered the study, he shut everyone out and forbade anyone from entering.

This afternoon, he brought out his academic skills in checking and analyzing historical materials and browsed through all the folders and letters in the original owner’s study.

As expected, although the original body pretended to be an idle prince, he actually had private dealings with many ministers in the court.

However, because Pang Shao currently had sole authority over the court and had a lot of henchmen, it didn’t matter even if he could see the original owner’s painstaking work in the court. He only roped in a ragtag team, which was simply mediocre against Pang Shao.

It was probably for this reason that Pang Shao had not bothered to scheme against him.

In addition, Jiang Suizhou also dug up the two wives in his own harem from the account book.

One was called Xu Du, an ideal match that Jiang Suizhou met after he went south to Lin’an; the other was named Gu Changyun, a prostitute he bought from a brothel two years ago.

Xu Du was not favored, but had a good relationship with Gu Changyun; on the other hand, the original owner favored Gu Changyun very much. Every few days, he would go to Gu Changyun’s room to rest. Each time he went in, he wouldn’t let others follow.

Furthermore, there were many concubines in his house. He bought some of them himself, and some were sent by his associates.

However, they either died of illness or suffered punishment. In just a few years, only these two were left.

Jiang Suizhou frowned.

He did not expect that the original owner was such a brutal man. He knew there was a reason why the servants in the house were terrified of him.

The sun glided a bit to the middle of the sky and fell inch by inch. The sunset pierced through the window, sprinkling molten gold of warmth in the room.

Meng Qianshan knocked on the door and informed Jiang Suizhou that it was time for dinner.

Jiang Suizhou stored the letters away in his room, then left the study and got on the carriage that Meng Qianshan had prepared a while ago.

On the way to Madam Gu’s courtyard, he had already figured out how to respond.

The original owner was gay, but he wasn’t, and would not do anything to someone else’s concubine —— despite that “someone else” now being himself.

The concubine surnamed Gu was from a brothel, so he must not have much power. Therefore, once Jiang Suizhou got there, he intended to let the other party complain tearfully. However, he would maintain a cold countenance, put on a look of annoyance from the crying, admonish him with a few sentences, and leave. Afterwhich, he would take this as a reason and pretend that he detested fighting in his harem and ignore the other party, then put the matter behind him.

He planned everything and made psychological preparations. He just had to wait for the other party to rush to cry.

He followed the original owner’s example and dismissed his servants, but when he walked into Gu Changyun’s courtyard and pushed the door open to his room, he did not expect to see such a scene.

Gu Changyun was reclining lazily on a couch in the inner room, holding his bandaged wrist in one hand and rubbing it slowly.

Xu Du was also there beside him.

Seeing Jiang Suizhou enter, Xu Du got up, clasped his fists and gave him a salute.

Madam Gu, who was rumored to be a vixen from the brothel, looked familiar but wasn’t the least bit subservient. He got up and smiled. “Today, I suffered a lot to find an excuse to see Your Highness – that General Huo, he’s really ruthless.”