Chapter 123

Chapter 123: I Wait Only for You to Come

After speaking, Huo Zheng held Chun Zhi’s hand and led her out of Wutong Palace.

The eunuchs and palace attendants did not dare to block them. They could only watch them leave.

“Huo Zheng!” Empress Wang was so angry she could only shout his full name.

In the past, Seventh Son had been respectful and dutiful and never opposed her. Since he met this Chun Zhi, he had changed.

Empress Wang felt more and more that it was all Chun Zhi’s fault. She believed Chun Zhi had influenced Huo Zheng. She had raised a son for more than twenty years who was outstanding in every way, and now it was all being affected by Chun Zhi. Her head ached and she sank into her chair. The female official hurried to check on her and then ordered the palace attendants: “Call the imperial physician.”

Meanwhile, on the road out of the palace, Huo Zheng walked with Chun Zhi along the long palace path and asked in a low voice: “What did Empress Mother say to you?”

Chun Zhi said: “Her Majesty gave me two choices.” She told him the two choices exactly as Empress Wang had put them: either leave Huo Zheng, leave the capital, change her name, and live as a common person, or reclaim the identity of Mu Zhi Lan, the daughter of a disgraced official, which would not only cancel their marriage but also exile her a thousand miles.

Huo Zheng asked softly: “Then how did you choose?”

“I chose neither,” Chun Zhi said. She turned her hand to hold his and looked at him with clear eyes like stars, saying: “I waited only for you to come.”

When Huo Zheng heard this, his chest felt suddenly full and warm. Chun Zhi trusted him more than he had imagined. [She trusts me. I cannot fail her.]

“Chun Zhi,” he said gently, calling her name, “you must always, always trust me like this.”

Chun Zhi nodded and said: “Mm.”

They passed through the many palace halls together. The Prince of Chang’an Manor’s carriage was waiting outside the Palace Gate. Huo Zheng helped Chun Zhi up into the carriage and sat beside her. Then he told the coachman: “Go to Song Manor.”

“Yes,” the coachman answered, lifting his whip and driving toward Song Manor.

Chun Zhi had just learned she might be the daughter of a disgraced official, and Empress Wang had nearly had her tied up, with who knew what planned for her next. It would be a lie to say she was not afraid. As the carriage rolled through the busy streets, the heavy feeling from the deep palace faded a little.

Leaning on Huo Zheng’s shoulder, she said softly: “The man in that portrait really seems like my father. When I saw it, I felt a strong sense of familiarity.”

Huo Zheng listened quietly.

“Empress Wang was not wrong,” Chun Zhi asked in a low voice, “if I truly am a disgraced official’s daughter, is our marriage bound to be canceled?”

Huo Zheng touched her cheek and soothed her: “Do not worry. I will find a way.”

“How will you solve it?” Chun Zhi asked. “By erasing my birthmark and refusing to admit I am Mu Qing Shan’s daughter, or…”

Huo Zheng knew that telling her not to worry would not help. So he shared the plan in his heart with her.

He said: “Mu Qing Shan placed third in the imperial exams in the third year of Cheng’an. He was well known for his talent and served with honesty. He was once the youngest Vice Minister of Revenue in our dynasty. His future should have been bright. But eleven years ago he angered the throne and was exiled after his house was searched.”

Huo Zheng continued: “I was young then, not allowed to join state matters, so I do not know what made him anger the Emperor. Lately, I have been discussing how to fill the State Treasury with several ministers. Someone mentioned Mu Qing Shan and said that if he were still in the Imperial Court, the Treasury would not be this empty. So I want to look through his past proposals and the policies he supported.”

Chun Zhi listened carefully. Huo Zheng said: “I have been busy and have not yet searched the archives. If Mu Qing Shan is truly your father, I will go to the records office today, pull every document about him, read them all, and then think of a way.”

Chun Zhi sat up and said: “I will go with you.”

The archives were piled high with case files, and searching records from eleven years ago would not be easy. Huo Zheng did not want Chun Zhi to tire herself, so he said: “What if Little Xing Hui wakes up and does not see you? What if he cries?”

Chun Zhi said: “The wet nurse is there. She will soothe Little Xing Hui.”

Little Xing Hui was easy to coax. Every day he mostly ate and slept and rarely fussed.

Huo Zheng said: “If you do not return to Song Manor for too long, the Song brother and sister will worry.”

Chun Zhi said: “If I am the daughter of a disgraced official, I am afraid I will implicate Elder Brother and Wan’er.”

The Song siblings truly treated her as one of their own. The imperial betrothal was written as the Miss of the Song Clan, Song Chun Zhi, and the Prince of Chang’an. If she was really Mu Qing Shan’s daughter, the Song Clan might be suspected of deceiving the throne. That would be big trouble.

Huo Zheng thought it over and said: “No matter what, you should go back first and tell them.”

Chun Zhi said: “Then please go with me to Song Manor. We will explain everything to Elder Brother and Wan’er, and then we will go to the archives together.”

Huo Zheng looked at Chun Zhi for a moment, then nodded and said: “All right.”

The carriage passed through one street after another and soon stopped before the gates of Song Manor. Chun Zhi and Huo Zheng got down and walked inside.

Before long, Song An Lan, Song Wan’er, and Qing Ye came out to meet them.

“Sister,” Song Wan’er said with a big sigh of relief, “I am so glad you are back. When the palace suddenly sent people to take you away, it scared me to death.”

Song An Lan said warmly: “It is good that Chun Zhi has come back safe.”

Chun Zhi said: “Elder Brother, Wan’er, I have something to tell you.”

Seeing how serious she looked, Song An Lan said at once: “Then let us speak in the main hall.”

Walking at Chun Zhi’s side, Song Wan’er whispered: “Sister, what did Her Majesty say to you?”

“We will talk in a moment,” Chun Zhi said, and she and Huo Zheng entered the hall.

After bringing Song Wan’er inside, Song An Lan ordered the maids and retainers to wait outside and had the door closed.

When all four of them had taken their seats, Song An Lan asked: “Chun Zhi, what do you want to tell us?”

Chun Zhi’s face was a little tense as she said softly: “Today Her Majesty summoned me to the palace and showed proof that I am the daughter of the disgraced Mu Qing Shan. She said that if someone exposes my identity, I will be exiled a thousand miles and my marriage with Huo Zheng will be canceled.”

“Ah?” Song Wan’er was shocked and said: “How could this be?”

Chun Zhi said: “I entered the capital using the identity of a Miss of the Song Clan. If someone exposes that I am a disgraced official’s daughter, I fear it will implicate Elder Brother and Wan’er.”

Very troubled, Song Wan’er asked: “What should we do, Elder Brother?”

After thinking for a moment, Song An Lan said: “Chun Zhi was lost outside for many years. Who could expose you as a disgraced official’s daughter? Even if someone does, Wan’er and I will insist we knew nothing. People say the ignorant are not guilty. The Emperor has also been promoting people with business talent lately. Chun Zhi, do not worry about us. Right now, you are what matters most.”

Song Wan’er nodded and said: “Yes, Sister is what matters most.”

“You are not afraid. Good,” Huo Zheng said, watching Elder Brother’s reaction closely. Then he said with a steady voice: “Chun Zhi is my wife. I will protect her completely.”