Chapter 006
Chapter 6: Holding Back
Xia Meng Yan let out a short laugh, as if she had heard the funniest joke.
“Lives are at stake, and you can still laugh,” Lin Ye Lan shouted at her. “You may not be in the camp, but you are my madam. You should love the soldiers like your own sons, yet you treat them like weeds. Xia Meng Yan, come with me to kneel and apologize to the soldiers.”
“I should kneel and admit wrong?” Xia Meng Yan spoke slowly, each word light but sharp. “You keep saying I killed them. Do you have any witnesses or proof. If you do, bring it out now. Do not hide it to save me face.”
Meeting Xia Meng Yan’s cold, hungry eyes, Nanny Cheng flinched, remembering last night’s slap. She muttered: “Madam, no matter what you say, this started because of you. If you had not made a fuss about going back to the Capital, the marquis would not have been upset, and he would not have asked people to scare you. Now they are dead. If it was not you, who else could it be.”
Lin Ye Lan’s tangled thoughts suddenly cleared when he heard Nanny Cheng. Yes. If Xia Meng Yan had not insisted on returning to the Capital, none of this would have happened. Everything started with her.
His voice turned hard and sharp: “Nanny Cheng is right. If you had not made a fuss about going back, Qiao Sheng and the others would not have died. This is all your fault.”
At the end, his gaze grew deep, as if he wished to nail her to a pillar of shame. He knew Xia Meng Yan’s mind. She had no witnesses, so she splashed mud on Huo Ying Zi on purpose, only to make him look at her more.
Xia Meng Yan asked in an icy voice: “So in the end, neither of you has any evidence.” Anger rose in her chest, then sank again when she met Lin Ye Lan’s cold eyes. [When someone does not love you, any explanation is useless.]
She lifted her chin and said, each line clear: “Is this the rule of the Huo Family Army. You play a joke on a pregnant woman, then push away the blame, and slap a label on me, all for your empty fame.”
“What nonsense are you talking about,” Lin Ye Lan snapped.
“Whether it is nonsense, you know very well,” Xia Meng Yan said as she swept her eyes over the soldiers nearby, raising her voice. “I returned to the Capital for my own reasons. No one took care of me when I came, so I do not need to report to anyone when I go back. Some people thought they were clever and tried to control me, but their cleverness backfired and caused deaths. Now they refuse to take responsibility and try to dump it on me. I want to ask Nanny Cheng, what kind of person plays a midnight prank on a pregnant woman.”
Her words were reasonable and sharp. The two had nothing to say.
Facing Xia Meng Yan’s cold stare, Nanny Cheng trembled all over: “I, I do not know.”
“You just said the marquis,” Xia Meng Yan pressed on without giving her time. “Was it the marquis who told Qiao Sheng and the others to dress like bandits and scare me. No. The Huo Family Army has strict rules. Qiao Sheng and the others are Huo Ying Zi’s men. They would not take orders from anyone else. That leaves only one person…”
“Xia Meng Yan, stop talking nonsense. Ying Zi is not that kind of person,” Lin Ye Lan cut in, glancing around. Many people were present. When word spread, there would be rumors. Ying Zi was simple and kind. If she heard, she would be hurt.
Hearing him protect Huo Ying Zi, Xia Meng Yan felt a knife push straight into her heart, cold and deep. [So Huo Ying Zi is not that kind of person, but I am.] She had loved this man with all her heart in her past life. [I really was blind.]
“If you do not believe me, then bring out proof,” she said flatly. “Qiao Sheng is under Huo Ying Zi. Without her order, five men could not leave the camp, much less appear on the road I take back to the Capital. Or is it that in the Huo Family Army, anyone can leave camp whenever they want.”
“You…” Faced with her steady pressure, Lin Ye Lan had no answer. He had not expected Nanny Cheng to use Huo Ying Zi’s men, nor that the five would die so miserably. At this point, he had to face reality. He doubted Xia Meng Yan but had no proof. The five deserted their posts and shamed innocent villagers, and there were witnesses and evidence. If this grew bigger, Ying Zi would be dragged in.
He softened his tone a little: “Come back to camp and explain this clearly. In any case, Ying Zi is innocent.”
Seeing his condescending look, Xia Meng Yan felt a wave of scorn. [What am I to him, a pet he can call and dismiss.] She asked coolly: “Explain, or take the blame for someone else. Marquis, say it clearly.”
“You, how did you become like this. Do not drag Ying Zi into what lies between us,” Lin Ye Lan said.
“Ying Zi,” Xia Meng Yan repeated with a thin smile. “Listen to yourself. You sound very close. Marquis, lie to yourself if you want, I will not stop you. But do not drag me in as your shield. You and General Huo have deep feelings. I will give you my blessing. Please write a Separation Letter soon. After that, we go our own ways and never meet again.”
“How long will you keep this up,” Lin Ye Lan said, his face iron-blue. “I already stayed and waited as you wished. What more do you want. You know we cannot separate, yet you keep saying it. Do you think I do not dare.”
“You dare,” Xia Meng Yan answered. “If you have time, write it now. Once the Frontier Garrison earns merit, you can submit it to the emperor together with your report.”
“You…”
“What is it, Marquis, can you not write. I can write it for you,” Xia Meng Yan said lightly.
“Xia Meng Yan.”
“Madam, do not force the marquis,” Nanny Cheng cut in quickly. “It is not easy to earn merit. If you must make a fuss, choose the right time. Right now… ah…”
Xia Meng Yan slapped her. Five red finger marks bloomed on Nanny Cheng’s cheek. Xia Meng Yan shook out her hand and said: “It does feel better to do it myself. A servant who talks back to her master again and again, no wonder Huo Ying Zi’s men dare act so boldly. So the Huo Family’s rules are just for show.”
“You, do not slander my miss,” Nanny Cheng cried, holding her face and glaring. With the marquis present, she did not dare strike back. “Marquis, my miss is truly being wronged.”
“Marquis, bad news,” a soldier ran up before Lin Ye Lan could scold anyone. “Villagers have surrounded the camp and are asking General Huo to give them an answer.”
“What do you mean. What does this have to do with General Huo,” Lin Ye Lan asked, confused that commoners dared to go to the camp.
The man reported: “The villagers somehow learned that Qiao Sheng served under General Huo. They believe everything the five did was by her order. Many victims are sitting outside the camp, asking General Huo for justice.”
“How dare they. Back to camp,” Lin Ye Lan said. Hearing that Huo Ying Zi was in trouble, he jumped onto his horse. Then he remembered Xia Meng Yan and added sharply: “Wait at the inn ahead. Do not go anywhere.”
Without another look, he rode off. Seeing everyone leave, Nanny Cheng also mounted up. She had to hurry back and report to her miss.
Chun Yue stamped her foot as the marquis vanished: “He just leaves like that, not even thinking that you are pregnant.”
Xia Meng Yan’s face stayed calm, her tone edged with mockery: “What is there to be angry about. I was blind before. I could not tell right from wrong.”
Villagers surrounding the camp was a big matter. It could not be settled in a few days. By the time Lin Ye Lan reacted, she would already be near the Capital. As for Huo Ying Zi, this time was only a little interest. Once in the Capital, she would settle the full debt.
Thinking of her father and mother in the Capital, Xia Meng Yan rested her hand on her belly. As she thought of the days ahead, a small smile lifted her lips. [With my baby by my side, I can turn danger into safety.]
The wheels rolled on. Xia Meng Yan slowly closed her eyes. She was truly tired today, and without knowing it, she fell asleep.
“Madam, we have arrived at the inn,” someone called.
Xia Meng Yan was about to step down when the carriage curtain was lifted from the outside.