Thinking of his daughter’s attitude at that time, Huo Pengcheng couldn’t understand why she had wanted him to agree.
Under normal circumstances, his daughter wouldn’t have made decisions for him regarding such matters.
Although he hadn’t immediately complied with his daughter’s suggestion, the outcome had ultimately aligned with what she desired.
“Father…” Huo Ningyu called softly, her voice carrying a slight sob.
Soon, tears welled up in her eyes.
She remembered how Prince Chen had used the Xie Family as a pawn to frame her father, increase his own power, and ultimately lead to their entire family being imprisoned and executed.
The moment she saw Prince Chen today, she wished she had a knife in her hand—stabbing him to death would be the only way to vent her hatred.
But she knew that was impossible.
Only through careful planning and using the emperor’s hand could she achieve her wish.
“Sister, what’s wrong?”
Both father and brother noticed Huo Ningyu was acting strangely.
Huo Ningyu took a deep breath.
As a young woman confined to the inner chambers, how could she protect her family?
The only solution she could think of was to give early warnings and avoid falling into the Xie Family’s trap.
But because she hadn’t married Xie Zhengyang as scheduled in this life, fate had already changed.
Today, she had also saved the Third Imperial Grandson. The Crown Prince hadn’t fallen seriously ill as in her previous life, which had worsened his physical weakness.
Thus, the Crown Prince might live longer.
The emperor also wouldn’t fall gravely ill, causing his health to deteriorate significantly.
Then, three years later, the emperor might not pass away either.
She had no certainty about how the future would unfold.
After much contemplation, she realized only through the joint efforts of her entire family could her wish possibly come true.
Having made up her mind, she looked at her father and eldest brother—her dearest relatives.
“Father, brother, in this struggle for the throne, our entire family will be executed.” Huo Ningyu mustered her courage and uttered these earth-shattering words.
“What did you say?” father and son exclaimed in unison.
Their faces displayed a mixture of shock and disbelief.
They couldn’t understand why their daughter (sister) would say something so terrifying.
“Father, the other day you asked me how I knew about Xie Zhengyang and Jiang Ning’s secret rendezvous at the western city courtyard.
It’s because he told me himself.”
Father and brother were even more bewildered.
Why would Xie Zhengyang confess such things to their daughter? He should be trying to hide them.
“Father, brother, on the eighth day of the eighth month, I married into the Xie Family. On the surface, we appeared to be a loving couple.
Xie Zhengyang treated me like an ordinary husband would.
But every day, he poisoned my food, making my body weaker day by day. In just half a year, I died.
Before I died, he finally told me he had poisoned me—only with my death could Jiang Ning marry into the Xie Family as his second wife.
They were the true lovers. I was merely their stepping stone.
I resented, I hated, and became a vengeful spirit unable to enter the underworld, wandering the capital for five full years.
I watched helplessly as Xie Zhengyang married Jiang Ning, used my dowry, joined Prince Chen’s faction, and became Prince Chen’s weapon.
Jiang Ning hated Father for making her lose her own father, so she devised a plan to frame Father for corruption and bribery, ultimately leading to our family’s execution.
Later, when Prince Chen ascended the throne, the Xie Family contributed greatly and was promoted to Loyal Marquis.
For some unknown reason, I was reborn the day before my wedding. With no time to think, I brought Father and Mother to catch them in adultery. I absolutely couldn’t marry into the Xie Family and repeat that tragedy.”
Tears streaming down her face, Huo Ningyu briefly recounted her experiences.
Father and brother could hardly believe their ears.
How could this be possible?
Seeing Huo Ningyu’s grief-stricken appearance, they were half-convinced and half-doubtful.
Huo Pengcheng could feel his daughter’s heart trembling as he stood up and walked over to her.
“Father!” Huo Ningyu threw herself into her father’s embrace and wept bitterly.
Tearing open the wounds in her heart felt like reliving the pain all over again.
She had chosen to tell her father and eldest brother so that the entire family could unite against the powerful forces they currently couldn’t challenge.
Huo Mingxian could no longer hold back his tears, embracing his sister together with their father, offering her the care and affection only family could provide.
He never imagined his sister had endured such suffering.
“Father, I watched helplessly as every torture device in the prison was used on you, tormenting you to the point where you couldn’t live nor die. I saw the barbed whip lash against eldest brother’s body again and again, until he was battered beyond recognition.
I watched second brother’s legs being brutally broken.
I saw mother wailing in unbearable agony.
I witnessed my little nephew falling ill and dying in prison.
I saw Xie Zhengyang and Jiang Ning standing outside the prison cell, laughing arrogantly as they crushed our Huo Family into dust.
Even as a ghost, I would weep tears of blood.
Father, I hate them so much.”
Father and son listened to Huo Ningyu’s tearful account.
The three of them held each other and wept together.
Only when Huo Ningyu had vented enough did she lift her head from their embrace.
“Father, eldest brother, Prince Chen is no good. He stops at nothing to eliminate his opponents.
Today I saved Lingzhe, the Heir, and changed many people’s fates. The Crown Prince will live longer now.
Father, since Lingzhe, the Heir has asked to become your student, please teach him well. Guide him to become a wise ruler capable of bearing great responsibilities.
Let’s fully support the Crown Prince and Lingzhe, the Heir. Let’s send Prince Chen and the Xie Family to hell first, alright?”
Huo Ningyu looked at her father with pleading eyes.
Huo Pengcheng was still processing everything his daughter had said.
“Father, sister is right. I know you’ve always been loyal only to the Emperor and never considered taking sides, but sister’s suffering cannot be in vain.”
Huo Mingxian didn’t need to think twice about supporting his sister’s idea.
“So this is why you wanted me to accept Lingzhe, the Heir’s request today?” Huo Pengcheng asked.
“Yes.”
“Alright.” Huo Pengcheng was a man of spirit too.
He was quite satisfied with the Third Imperial Grandson’s performance today – the boy showed promise.
That night, the three of them talked until very late before parting. Huo Ningyu shared much of what she had witnessed.
“I’ll tell your mother myself. You don’t need to repeat it.” Huo Pengcheng didn’t want his daughter to reopen her wounds.
“I’ll tell second brother.” Huo Mingxian understood his father’s intention.
“Rest well tonight. Try not to dwell too much on the past. I know the bitterness in your heart, and I promise I won’t let you suffer again in this lifetime. Mingxian, if your sister doesn’t want to marry, you’re responsible for supporting her for life.”
Only now did Huo Pengcheng truly understand how serious his daughter had been when she previously said she wouldn’t marry.
After experiencing such a past, the child’s heart had hardened like iron, unlikely to easily develop feelings for any man.
Then let everything follow fate.
“Yes, father, don’t worry. I will always treat sister well.” Huo Mingxian’s eyes were still red.
The next day.
Huo Ningyu slept in and hadn’t yet gotten up when Rong Huazhi rushed in with reddened eyes.
She directly drew back the bed curtains and pulled her daughter from the blankets into her embrace.
“My child, you’ve suffered so much.” Then she burst into tears.
Huo Ningyu knew her father had already told her mother.
By evening, her second brother had also come to hug her and cry with her.
“Elder sister, from today onward, I will study diligently, pass the Jinshi examinations, enter officialdom, rise to the highest ministerial position, and become your strongest protector.”
Originally, with their eldest brother leading the way, he hadn’t felt much pressure.
Only now did he realize that relying solely on their father and eldest brother’s strength was far from enough.
To hunt tigers, brothers must unite; to go into battle, fathers and sons must stand together.
Huo Ningyu had wept bitterly the previous night, but strangely felt much calmer afterward. When her younger brother cried, she simply let him hold her.
Every member of her family loved and cherished her.
At this moment, she felt incomparably happy.
Her heart, lonely for so many years, finally found solace. She was no longer a wandering spirit.
Over the following days, Huo Ningyu went nowhere, spending her time most contentedly reading books.
In her previous life, she had disliked studying, finding it dry and tedious. Only after experiencing so much did she understand that extensive reading brings greater wisdom and sharper intellect.
To her surprise, she discovered her memory seemed significantly better than in her past life—she could retain the book’s contents after just one or two readings.
When encountering difficult passages, she would consult her eldest brother and easily grasp the meaning.
She waited for Zhao Bingyu to come fulfill his promise.
But five days passed without any sign of him. Instead, she received a tearful visit from Xiachan, her friend Wan Qingdai’s maid.
“Miss Huo, please save my young mistress! She’s been sent to Putuo Temple,” Xiachan pleaded, kneeling as soon as she saw Huo Ningyu.