After Marrying The Paranoid God of War (Rebirth) - Chapter 22.2
At the Prime Minister’s Residence.
“This is the child the girl gave birth to for me, named Huo Xi.”
Huo Pingxiao said, his well-defined fingers pressing on the back of the boy’s head, pushing little Huo Xi towards Huo Lang’s wheelchair.
Seeing this, Huo Lang’s eyes were calm, without any change.
The servants on the side, upon learning that the young Marquis Huo suddenly had a son, were all wide-eyed in surprise.
Although this child had been abandoned outside for many years, he was small, but he exuded a noble temperament.
After suddenly arriving in the unfamiliar environment of the Prime Minister’s residence, his eyes showed no signs of fear, and he neither cried nor made a fuss.
Huo Xi recognized that Huo Lang was the old man who gave him a gold coin in the Western Market that day.
So, he is his grandfather!
Huo Xi had a better impression of his grandfather than his own father, Huo Pingxiao. As he approached Huo Lang’s side, without Huo Pingxiao mentioning it, Huo Xi naturally used a childish tone and called out loudly, “Grandpa, hello~”
Madam Gao looked at Huo Xi, who bore a striking resemblance to the Huo family, with his innocent and adorable appearance, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
After Huo Pingxiao returned from Qianzhong, he only then told her and Huo Lang that the girl he was going to marry was a distant cousin from the Fang family.
The reason given by Huo Pingxiao was that a few years ago, when he was still serving in Jiannan, Concubine Fang sent him a letter, asking him to visit her distant relatives who had lost their parents when he had time.
Then, the living was attracted to this girl, but she didn’t like him much. In a moment of impulsiveness, he did some improper things to the little cousin.
Later, Huo Pingxiao had to go to the border to fight, and the little cousin showed no interest in him. He didn’t force the girl to be with him anymore until he found out that the little cousin was pregnant with his child. Finally, he decided to take responsibility.
After listening to Huo Pingxiao’s explanation, Madam Gao was greatly shocked. She still remembered that Huo Lang’s expression at that time was somewhat gloomy and unpredictable, but it didn’t seem like he was angry with Huo Pingxiao.
Huo Lang did not criticize Huo Pingxiao but replaced words with silence, agreeing to this marriage.
Madam Gao observed that Huo Lang’s attitude towards the boy was relatively gentle, but the child’s appearance was indeed cute and likable.
She couldn’t help but think, when would she be able to hold her own grandson?
Actually, Madam Gao was not very satisfied with the marriage decision of Huo Changjue at that time. She thought Huo Pingxiao had died in battle, and the power of the Huo family was not as strong as before.
Madam Gao didn’t want her son to be wronged, nor did she want the daughter-in-law who entered the door to be too arrogant due to her background, pressing her, the mother-in-law. So, she chose the eldest daughter of the He family, He Xinruo.
However, He Xinruo’s birth mother is also not simple. Although the He family’s background is not too prominent, He Xinruo can be considered to have a maternal family as support in Chang’an.
But the cousin from the Fang family in Shu is different.
That little cousin, without parents, is also dependent on Duke Pei’s residence. She can endure humiliation and give birth to the child of the person who once forced her. Her temperament is undoubtedly weak and easy to control.
Madam Gao thought that since it was the Fang family cousin who entered the family first, she should take advantage of the time when Huo Pingxiao was not present to properly control this daughter-in-law.
***
Forbidden Court, Liangyi Palace.
The emperor was originally reviewing documents in front of the dragon desk when suddenly the cries of a woman were heard outside the hall.
“Father, father, sob, sob, sob…”
Before seeing the person, the sound was heard first. Xiao Yan, ignoring the chief eunuch’s obstruction, had already lifted her skirt and entered the hall.
The eunuch exclaimed in fear, “Your Majesty, this servant did try to stop the princess… it’s just that she insisted on coming in.”
The emperor did not get angry, only waved his hand, letting all the palace people in the hall retreat to the side.
After a while, there was only Xiao Yan and the emperor left in the hall.
Xiao Yan still did not stop sobbing. Her eyes were swollen and at the thought of Huo Pingxiao getting married and suddenly having a child, her heart and liver felt like they had been cut with a knife.
The emperor loved Xiao Yan the most among his daughters and wished to give her the best things in the world.
But Xiao Yan liked Huo Pingxiao too much.
Later, after careful consideration, he still felt that Princess Xiao Yan should not be given to Huo Pingxiao. Based on this kid’s personality, even if he accepted the decree, he wouldn’t settle down. In the end, Xiao Yan would cause trouble, and the father-daughter relationship between them would suffer, which would be unfavorable.
This morning, Huo Lang entered the palace, asking for permission to marry on behalf of him, which solved the emperor’s urgent need for coal. He also hoped that Xiao Yan could take this opportunity to let go of the idea of marrying Huo Pingxiao. In Chang’an City, there were many good young men, not just him.
“Yan’er, I have already said that once this decree is announced, it cannot be revoked.”
Xiao Yan stomped her foot in anger, her voice choked with tears, “But I like him. Otherwise… Father, if you announce the decree again, let me and that Fang family cousin marry…”
“Nonsense!”
The emperor finally showed a hint of anger. He couldn’t understand why Xiao Yan was so obsessed with Huo Pingxiao. As the legitimate princess, she even dared to utter such nonsense.
The empress had recommended many outstanding young men to Xiao Yan, but she couldn’t forget that uncouth man.
It wasn’t just Xiao Yan; the other girls who did foolish things for Huo Pingxiao were no less crazy than her.
Just based on his appearance? The emperor really couldn’t understand.
***
He Mansion.
He Xinyan’s face had already healed from the acne, and lately, she had been moving around the mansion more frequently in the evenings.
However, whenever He Xinruo saw her increasingly charming face, she couldn’t help but feel annoyed. Fortunately, He Xinyan’s marriage had not been settled yet.
In He Xinruo’s opinion, she was just a concubine-born daughter; her father wouldn’t arrange a good marriage for her. When she married into the Huo family, she would return in glory. She was determined to show this concubine-born daughter and Concubine Fang, what the demeanor of the legitimate daughter was!
Meanwhile, He Xinruo kept comforting herself in her mind, while her maid, Yin Qiao, entered the inner room with a worried expression.
He Xinruo coldly asked, “Less than a month left until my wedding, why are you wearing such a gloomy face? It’s really ominous.”
Yin Qiao was unsure how to broach the subject.
After a disdainful glance from He Xinruo, she replied, “Eldest Miss, your wedding date may have to be postponed.”
“What?”
He Xinruo’s eye twitched a few times. Afraid that Huo Pingxiao might not approve of her background when he returned, and doing this to delay her marriage with Huo Changjue, it would be inauspicious if this marriage fell through.
Yin Qiao replied in a trembling voice, “Because… because Marquis Dingbei is taking a wife, and the wedding is set for next month… so Young Master Huo, as the younger brother, must postpone the wedding…”
Upon hearing this, He Xinruo thought she should first find out about the identity of the future sister-in-law. She asked, “Who is the person Marquis Dingbei is going to marry?”
Yin Qiao then recounted everything she had learned to He Xinruo, saying, “It seems to be Marquis Dingbei’s distant cousin.”
“Distant cousin? How could Marquis Dingbei possibly fancy a distant cousin from a collateral branch?”
Yin Qiao replied, “It seems that… it’s because that cousin of hers had a child.”
He Xinruo suddenly realized.
Well, indeed, this Fang family cousin is not a simple character. Even if she wants to climb the social ladder by having a child, with Huo Pingxiao’s untamed personality, it’s not certain that he would marry her as his legal wife.
This Fang family cousin must be quite clever, knowing how to use her vulnerability to make men feel guilty.
However, recently, He Xinruo has heard a lot about the rumors between Huo Pingxiao and that surnamed Ruan female doctor. The little cousin doesn’t have much to be proud of.
After all, the woman Huo Pingxiao truly loves is not her.