"Don't be in a hurry, Imperial Concubine. Come with me and His Majesty to the warming pavilion for some tea before you go back."
She had a wound on her chest and Yu Zan wasn't around. It was indeed not suitable for her to be alone with Murong Min.
Of course, there was another reason for keeping Zhao Chuyan in the warming pavilion.
Zhao Chuyan held the rank of Imperial Concubine. Among the concubines in the harem, except for the legitimate empress, she had the most noble status.
There were too many women in Murong Min's harem. It would be tiring to deal with them one by one. To catch the bandits, one must first catch their leader. This Imperial Concubine was the first one to fall into her trap.
When Dugu Luanyue was led by Murong Min into the warming pavilion, Huo Wei's tall and slender figure slowly turned to look at them. In his hand was the ink stick she had just given away.
Huo Wei tightened his grip on the ink stick. His cold and fierce eyes swept over her: "Your Majesty the Empress has really taken great pains."
Dugu Luanyue's face stiffened. She had no idea that Huo Wei was in the Zichen Palace today. If she had known, she definitely wouldn't have come back here.
And the look in Huo Wei's eyes at this moment was like that of a man - eating beast.
Murong Min let go of her hand, walked over, and patted Huo Wei on the shoulder, joking, "Prince Yuzhang, this is the millennium ink. Handle it carefully. It's my beloved item."
Huo Wei put the millennium ink back into the brocade box. His black eyes stared coldly at Dugu Luanyue:
"Yes, a beloved item. Mother really has a heart for Father."
He had seen the emperor and the empress holding hands just now. Moreover, Dugu Luanyue's hairpin had come loose. He really didn't know what kind of absurd things the two of them had done in the side - hall.
She had also said that she wouldn't try to please the emperor. Yesterday, she had overheard what Ying Xi had said to him, and the next day, she had even sent such a thing as the millennium ink.
Just as Dugu Luanyue's blue silk fluttered, Huo Wei saw the red mark on her neck. His fierce black eyes dimmed slightly, and he sneered silently in his heart.
Looking at the emperor's beaming and relaxed appearance, sure enough, this witch - empress from the Southern Chu had many tricks up her sleeve.
Dugu Luanyue didn't look at his deep and menacing eyes. Her face was a bit unnatural. So she said to Zhao Chuyan behind her:
"Just now when I entered the warming pavilion, I saw Imperial Concubine Zhao making tea. I'm sure she has excellent tea - making skills. Would the Imperial Concubine do me a favor?"
Zhao Chuyan snorted coldly: "There are palace maids in the Zichen Palace to serve tea. I'll call one for Your Majesty the Empress."
Dugu Luanyue dragged her palace dress and walked to the other side of Murong Min's seat, which was where Zhao Chuyan had been sitting. She slowly sat down: "If it's not made by Imperial Concubine Zhao, I won't drink it."
Murong Min turned around: "This is the first time the Imperial Concubine and the Empress have met. Since the Empress wants to drink the tea you made, come and make it."
Zhao Chuyan was secretly indignant. It hadn't even been half an hour, and the emperor was already speaking up for the empress. Reluctantly, she walked over:
"Then Your Majesty the Empress, please move aside. I was sitting in this position to make tea just now."
Dugu Luanyue smoothed her long hair on her shoulders and played with the gold hairpin in her hand:
"Someone, carry the tea tray off the warming couch. Don't make it difficult for Imperial Concubine Zhao to show her tea - making skills."
Huo Wei's cold and handsome face stared over, and he sneered: "Father is really blessed. Both ladies care so much about you."
He saw Dugu Luanyue and Zhao Chuyan vying for the position, and he was sure that they both cared about the emperor.
Dugu Luanyue sensed the mockery in Huo Wei's tone and felt that things were going wrong. Thinking of what she had said before, she was afraid that he wouldn't believe a single word of it.
The warming pavilion wasn't very big, but it was warm enough.
The emperor and the empress naturally sat on the main seats of the warming couch, one on the left and the other on the right.
This Zhao Chuyan actually wanted to sit in a position that didn't belong to her and asked Dugu Luanyue, the empress, to give up her seat. She really thought she could be easily fooled.
The palace servants carried in a tea table and moved the tea tray below the emperor and the empress. Huo Wei was sitting on one side, so Zhao Chuyan could only kneel on the cushion and serve tea in a subordinate position.
Murong Min laughed: "Prince Yuzhang will also have the opportunity to marry beautiful wives and concubines in the future."
Zhao Chuyan raised her eyes and looked tenderly at Murong Min: "Your Majesty... my hands are sore."
Dugu Luanyue said with a smile: "Imperial Concubine Zhao has worked hard. Just sit there and rest. The roads are slippery on a snowy day. There's no need to hurry back."
No wide chair equal to Huo Wei's was brought into the warming pavilion, so Zhao Chuyan continued to kneel there.
Murong Min also nodded: "Yes, Imperial Concubine, don't be in a hurry."
Hatred flared in Zhao Chuyan's slender eyes. She raised her eyes and glanced at Dugu Luanyue, who was smiling with her eyes half - closed. She became even angrier in her heart.
After all, she was an Imperial Concubine, but now she was being ordered around by the emperor and the empress like a servant!
However, from the emperor's attitude towards the empress, she already knew that the empress had successfully regained the emperor's favor.
Sure enough, the witch - empress was the witch - empress. With just a little trick, she could succeed.
Zhao Chuyan held the tea tongs in her hand extremely tightly. Her knuckles were white and tense, and even her long, pointed fingernails were bent a bit.
Dugu Luanyue looked down from a high position. Her eyes were imposing even without anger. She saw all of Zhao Chuyan's actions.
But she didn't care. What she was worried about now was Huo Wei. This man would probably hate her again. She couldn't help but feel a bit depressed in her heart.
Huo Wei blew on the tea in his palm. After taking a sip, he said:
"Father, Mother was assassinated outside the palace, and the Second Prince was frightened. I think the Imperial Guards are hard to absolve of their blame."
Murong Hua had secretly approached him and asked him to shift all the blame to the Imperial Guards when he went to see the emperor. Otherwise, he would make things difficult for him in the court in the future.
Huo Wei wasn't angry because he saw another opportunity, so he readily agreed.
Dugu Luanyue had regained the emperor's favor, and Murong Min began to attach importance to this matter again:
"Yes, one is my legitimate wife, and the other is my Second Prince. They both encountered danger outside the palace. The Imperial Guards really need to be rectified properly."
Huo Wei said in a deep voice: "The Imperial Guards are related to the safety of the imperial palace and are responsible for the safety of Father and many female relatives.
There was such a big mistake just in one escort. What if Father or the Empress Dowager goes out of the palace next time? If there is an accident due to poor protection, what should we do?"
When he said this, Murong Min remembered something. His expression became a bit solemn:
"Right, the Crown Prince of Dongning will soon arrive in the Northern Yan. I promised in advance that I would go out of the city to greet him in person. The low combat ability of the Imperial Guards really makes me worried."
Dugu Luanyue listened carefully and silently observed Huo Wei's expression. She always felt that there was something hidden in his black pupils.
Huo Wei put the teacup on the tea table and said seriously:
"Father, a troop with such low combat ability has never appeared in my army. It really needs to be taken seriously."
Dugu Luanyue sipped her tea while narrowing her crimson eyes. She knew the purpose of Huo Wei's visit to the palace today.
She might as well push the boat along with the current and do him a favor.
Huo Wei was not an ordinary person. Using beauty to seduce him wouldn't work if done too many times. She should give him some real benefits so that he would know her kindness to him.
She looked at him with worried eyes and held Murong Min's hand in her palm:
"Your Majesty, when we went out of the palace that day, many of the Imperial Guards were slovenly, lazy, and lackadaisical. They didn't have the solemnity and dignity of the royal army at all.
I rolled down the hillside, and the Imperial Guards came very slowly. Their protection was improper. If it weren't for Prince Yuzhang, I would surely have died."
Murong Min patted the back of her hand: "This time it was the fault of the Imperial Guards."
Dugu Luanyue raised the corners of her eyes slightly and added fuel to the fire:
"Yes, Your Majesty must avenge me!
Your Majesty will also go out of the palace in a few days. The Imperial Guards are not up to the task. Why not let Prince Yuzhang recommend someone he knows with ability in the army?
Last time I was able to return safely, it was all thanks to Prince Yuzhang's strategies and martial prowess."
Zhao Chuyan gritted her teeth in hatred below. This witch - empress was even acting coquettishly. She actually wanted to interfere in the affairs of the Imperial Guards.
The troops of the Imperial Guards responsible for the entire outer - perimeter defense of the imperial palace in the Northern Yan had always been in the hands of her Zhao family.
Huo Wei raised his eyes. His narrow phoenix eyes stared deeply at her.