After the Disabled God of War Became My Concubine
chapter-173

“Can’t you even watch over a person properly?” Huo Wujiu snapped furiously. “He’s just a powerless old man. How could he torment you guys into such wimps?”

The person who came to report the incident hastily explained that Qi-daren was emotionally unstable and was unwilling to communicate with anyone from the Northern Liang, so they really was helpless.

“I don’t believe it. You tied his hands and feet, gagged him, and poured three meals into his mouth every day. How could he die?” Huo Wujiu gritted his teeth. His voice was so cold that it was frightening.

The people did not dare to raise their heads. They shivered in response, knelt down and asked General Huo to calm down.

“Then why don’t you get lost?”

Huo Wujiu hurled a memorial to the ground.

If he were to take another look at the informant, he might resort to killing.

The man repeatedly responded and made a move to retreat.

But at that moment, a clear and crisp voice came somewhere, “Wait.”

The people in the imperial study were all startled.

Huo Wujiu raised his eyes and saw that Jiang Suizhou was standing by the screen at the back of the imperial study room at some point. His complexion was still unsightly, and he looked a bit pale. He was wearing a heavy black fur overcoat and was wrapped in a cloak. It was clearly summer, but he was dressed for autumn.

The soldier kneeling on the ground also broke out in a cold sweat.

Who’s courting death? Who dares to interrupt the General when he is seething?

Since the later Marquis’s death, there was no longer another person who had the guts to do so.

The soldier was kneeling in place, unable to advance or retreat, so he had no choice but to keep still.

However, he heard a noise from the imperial desk, meaning the General had stood up.

The General not only did not condemn the culprit in anger, but hurriedly rose to his feet, met the man and supported him.

“What brings you here?” The voice sounded a little flustered. Even his thunderous anger just now immediately dissipated a lot.

The culprit spoke.

“I wouldn’t have heard you lose your temper if I hadn’t come.”

The voice flowed gently. Perhaps it was due to poor health and weak breath, it sounded clear, mild and a little soft.

“It’s nothing. It’s just a small matter.” Their General actually explained somewhat hastily. “The night is so cool, so how could you go out and walk so far? How is Meng Qianshan doing his job?”

The man chuckled softly: “Why? Are you going to punish my people too?”

When General Huo heard these words, he fell silent.

Now, the soldier, kneeling in front of the imperial desk, felt more compelled to have a look at this divine person.

It must be an immortal who descended to the earth who could achieve much with little effort, who could render their livid and uncontrollable General into such good behavior, right?

He did not dare to look up. He only listened as the General helped the man and supported him to take a seat on the imperial throne. Afterward, the General stood beside him.

The man spoke again.

“Get up and talk,” he said.

This was addressed to the soldier kneeling there. The soldier did not dare to move for a while. The moment he looked up cautiously, he heard the General’s voice: “Are you deaf?”

The soldier quickly stood up.

“What just happened?” The man asked again.

This time, the soldier stood straight, and when he looked up, he saw the man’s face.

The man’s face was extremely delicate, to the point of being somewhat bewitching and feminine. He was young, but with the appearance of an unhealed sick body. His dark robe was graceful and intricate, wrapping him in it. He exuded a reserved and arrogant noble attitude, but his expression was calm.

The soldier’s courage grew stronger.

“My Lord, it’s a matter related to the Minister of Ceremonies’ residence,” he answered.

“What’s the matter?” the man asked.

“The Minister … hasn’t been in a good mood these days and is always committing suicide,” the soldier reported.

The gentleman raised his head and looked at General Huo who was standing beside him.

“I remember that Qi-daren isn’t such a person,” he said. “What have you been doing these days?”

General Huo looked down at him.

The general was born tall and upright. Now that he was wearing a military uniform, he should be unrestrained and arrogant, but at this moment, he bowed his head. Although there was no change in his expression, he still looked a bit tame, like a wild wolf that had recognized its master.

“… I haven’t done anything either.” General Huo’s tone reeked of defiance, but a little weak. “I haven’t figured out what to do with them, so I restricted them in their old residences for the time being.”

Then the gentleman chuckled lightly, sounding a bit helpless.

“Do you think they are captives?” He said, “If you really want to kill them, such an excuse is totally understandable. But since you do not have such an intention, you should have at least treated them with courtesy in order to appease their hearts.”

Pacifying people’s hearts was their blind spot of knowledge.

Huo Wujiu, along with his generals and soldiers, had started by defending the gates against enemies. For them, it was always quick to kill local officials after the victory, so leaving them alive was already a special forgiveness.

They had lost, so did they still need appeasing?

The soldier also scratched his head in confusion.

The gentleman pulled over a piece of rice paper and wrote something on it.

After a while, he put down the pen, picked up the piece of paper, read it back and forth, and then slowly let the ink dry.

“But now, I guess no matter what you do, they won’t listen.” The gentleman said, “In that case, I’d like to trouble you to deliver this letter to Qi-daren on my behalf. You don’t have to say anything. The letter has my signature, so you don’t have to worry about what happens next.”

As he spoke, the ink had dried. The gentleman folded the paper and placed it on the desk.

The soldier walked forward to get it, and when he raised his eyes, he saw the gentleman gently smiling at him.

“Go ahead,” he said.

The soldier promptly bowed and retreated.

Before leaving the imperial study, he secretly raised his eyes and saw that the gentleman was whispering something to General Huo. General Huo put one hand on the armrest of the throne and bowed his head obediently. The ferocity he had minutes ago was nowhere to be seen.

The imperial study was brilliantly lit, and for a while, a trace of harmony and peace reigned.

The soldier hadn’t read any books, but the word ‘obedient’ suddenly popped out of his mind.

Every item had a weakness.