After Marrying The Paranoid God of War (Rebirth) - Chapter 7.1

Chapter 7: Disappearance

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Speaking of Huo Pingxiao’s father, Huo Lang, was frail and sickly since childhood, afflicted with a severe illness in his legs. His temperament was gloomy and irritable, but he possessed extraordinary talents, harboring grand visions and strategic thinking.

He hailed from a noble family, with a dignified and elegant appearance, unparalleled in elegance and charm. Before being appointed as a minister by the emperor, the still-young Huo Lang had already become a renowned figure throughout the realm, with disciples and subordinates scattered across the nation. Young talents aspiring to serve in the monitoring offices willingly became his aides upon entering the government service.

Although officials in the Li Kingdom entered service through imperial examinations, the influence of aristocratic families like the Huo clan could not be underestimated. Since Huo Lang’s generation, the Huo family has been the most powerful and influential aristocratic clan in the Li Kingdom.

Imperial Censor Yang, an official, was once a subordinate under Huo Lang, and it was under Huo Lang’s guidance that he rose to become an official in the imperial censorate.

Upon learning the true identity of Huo Pingxiao, County Magistrate Tang broke into a cold sweat, almost soaking through his official attire. 

He witnessed the young and handsome Marquis of Dingbei already seated in the main hall. The man was not wearing a tall hat or noble attire, just silently playing with a dark, finely textured piece of sandalwood in his hand. Though he remained expressionless, his gaze was indifferent, yet carrying a natural sense of disdain and pressure.

The County magistrate Tang recalled a line from Sima Qian’s¹ Records of the Grand Historian, written during the rebellion of Chen Sheng²: “Kings, dukes, generals, and ministers, who among them do not have his roots in farming?”³

Huo Pingxiao was not only a high-ranking general but also the current Marquis of a county.

The magistrate now truly understood the aura of kings, marquises, and generals.

In just a short moment after entering the hall, Huo Pingxiao effortlessly took control of the situation. Like a domineering wolf king, his demeanor was complex. His deep, aggressive eyes also reflected keen insight into events.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall became frighteningly quiet, almost to the point where one could hear a pin drop.

“Snap!” 

The noise of the sandalwood falling onto the table made the hearts of all officials in the hall tighten. They dared not speak a word.

Huo Pingxiao coldly looked at County Magistrate Tang and questioned in a stern voice, “Do you know about the deeds your son has done?”

County magistrate Tang’s legs went weak. 

Just as he was about to speak, Huo Pingxiao continued in a harsh tone, “I’m truly curious. Tang Yi, the son of a small county magistrate, has over ten concubines in his backyard, frequently spending lavishly in places like the Qin Tower and Kitchen restaurants. Where did he get so much silver?”

The lips of County Magistrate Tang trembled. He indeed doted on his eldest son, Tang Yi, and was aware that the women within his courtyard would inevitably cause trouble. He also knew that a few days ago, Tang Yi almost defiled a village girl in the mountains.

“Kneel down.”

Huo Pingxiao’s low voice had just fallen, and his slender hand smoothly pulled out five crimson command tokens from the tube. The County Magistrate Tang fell to the ground with a thud.

Immediately, Huo Pingxiao turned his hand, his eyes cold and indifferent. When his finger bones exerted force, it was as if he were plucking the strings of a zither. After gathering energy at his fingertips, the command tokens, like soaring eagles, “swooshed” one after another, directly heading towards Steward Liu’s wrinkled forehead—lifting up his head and displaying a pattern.

Steward Liu’s forehead quickly swelled with several green bruises. He had long been startled into breathless silence but dared not utter a word of pain.

After the five command tokens fell to the ground, Huo Pingxiao’s cold words commanded again, “Start by punishing this lifeless fellow, the subordinate officials who feasted on the people’s fish and meat, with fifty big boards.”

“Yes—”

Steward Liu felt a chilling sensation throughout his body. He exerted all his strength and desperately begged Huo Pingxiao for mercy, “Marquis Dingbei, spare my life! I beg Marquis Dingbei to spare my humble life! Ah!”

Soon, the hall echoed with Steward Liu’s repeated cries. Imperial Censor Yang looked at Steward Liu with disdain. He also despised these rat-eyed officials who abused their small authority to oppress the common people while enjoying the court’s salary.

More than ten years ago, when Imperial Censor Yang was in Chang’an, he had seen Huo Pingxiao’s son a few times. The son of Minister Huo had undoubtedly inherited his father’s ruthless methods.

A year or two ago, Huo Pingxiao was still the deputy military governor of Jiannan Road.

As the saying goes, the chief makes decisions, and the deputy takes care of practical matters.

During those years, Huo Pingxiao dealt with many officials and bureaucrats under his command. He understood their thoughts very well and was familiar with the tricks within the civil service system.

On his way to this place, Imperial Censor Yang had already communicated with the skilled agents sent by Huo Pingxiao through letters. The pre-visit to Jiazhou was also arranged by Huo Pingxiao. Every step was carefully planned to catch these people red-handed.

1.Sima Qian: was a Chinese historian, astrologer, and court official who lived during the Han Dynasty of ancient China. He is best known for his monumental work, “Records of the Grand Historian”, which is considered one of the most important historical texts in Chinese literature.

2. Chen Sheng’s story, as recorded by Sima Qian, reflects the struggles of common people against oppressive rule and has been celebrated in Chinese history and literature as an example of resistance against tyranny.

3. “Kings, dukes, generals, and ministers, who among them do not have his roots in farming?”: This statement conveys the idea that even individuals in high positions of power, such as kings, dukes, generals, and ministers, often have humble beginnings rooted in agriculture or common origins.