Murong Jue stroked his chin and said, "Oh, I sat too far away at the last palace banquet and didn't get a good look. Now that I've seen her today, I understand why Father didn't go to court for seven days back then."
Huo Wei shot him a sidelong glance and reached out to turn his head back. "Stay away from such women. They're poisonous."
Murong Jue: "..."
Murong Min stood at the main seat in the main hall, looking at everyone with a solemn expression.
"I've already learned about what happened yesterday.
Noble Consort Zhao privately dispatched the imperial guards, and Commander Zhao privately gave his consent. This is one crime for each of you siblings.
Noble Consort Zhao offended the dignity of the queen and showed no respect for the hierarchy of the legitimate and the concubine. This is the second crime.
Moreover, she incited the opposition between the north and the south and interfered in the affairs of the previous court. This is the third crime. Noble Consort Zhao, do you admit these crimes?"
Zhao Chuyan prostrated herself on the ground and kowtowed vigorously.
"Your Majesty, I didn't mean any of these things. I just sent someone to the Zhaoyang Palace to move some things!"
She had never expected that this matter would develop in such a direction.
She herself didn't know how a small thing had turned into a major incident.
Zhao Chuyan looked at Consort Wei. "Consort Wei, say something. You were with me at the Zhaoyang Palace yesterday!"
Consort Wei was named. She knew that Murong Min was in a fit of anger at the moment. If she said a single wrong word or showed the wrong attitude, she would surely be dragged into this mess by Zhao Chuyan today.
She calmly walked to the middle of the hall.
"Your Majesty, I did go to the Zhaoyang Palace yesterday. I also advised the noble consort to talk nicely to the queen, but she just wouldn't listen. I had no choice."
Zhao Chuyan widened her eyes. "Consort Wei, you're so despicable!"
Dugu Luanyue calmly raised her eyes and glanced at Consort Wei. There was a hint of mockery on her face, but she didn't say much.
The entire hall fell silent for a moment.
If you listened carefully, you could still hear people's low breathing. Everyone was too afraid to take a deep breath.
Huo Wei stepped forward and said, "Father is wise. The emperor's family affairs are state affairs. Only by dealing with them impartially can we calm people's hearts."
Everyone stood in the middle and said in unison, "Your Majesty is wise."
Dugu Luanyue gently placed the teacup on the table at this moment and walked to his side.
"Your Majesty, the punishment of Noble Consort Zhao can be left to me. After all, Noble Consort Zhao is a person in the harem, so there's no need for Your Majesty to worry about it.
However, the commander of the imperial guards, who is clearly Your Majesty's servant, actually arrogantly transferred the army to others. This matter can be either big or small.
If we let this continue, what if Commander Zhao transfers the army to someone else in the future and causes a big mess?"
Murong Min frowned slightly and looked at Zhao Chuhe kneeling on the ground.
"I think you're not fit to lead the troops or be an official. Hand over the military token and go back to your mansion to be confined for three months."
Zhao Chuhe: "Your Majesty, I... please forgive me this time. I'll never dare to do it again. I'll surely lead the troops diligently!"
Eunuch Yingxi stretched out his arm. "Lord Zhao, hand it over."
Huo Wei watched as Zhao Chuhe reluctantly handed over the military token. A cold smile curled up on his lips.
Dugu Luanyue's gaze met his, and there was the same smile in the depths of their eyes. At this moment, the two of them understood each other without words.
Murong Min said to everyone, "I'm busy with the state affairs of the previous court and won't come to handle the affairs of the harem every day.
I've already handed over the management of the harem to the queen. Everything will be decided by the queen. If there's any more turmoil and I find out about it, all of you will be sent to the cold palace so as not to irritate me."
The concubines and the imperial heirs in the three palaces and six courtyards all knelt on the ground and didn't dare to make any more trouble.
Since Dugu Luanyue married into the Northern Yan Dynasty, Murong Min had never openly supported her.
Dugu Luanyue had hinted at the affairs in the harem before, but Murong Min had always taken a compromising attitude.
This time, the matter had spread from the harem to the previous court and damaged Murong Min's own interests. His attitude had suddenly changed.
After Murong Min's imperial carriage left, Dugu Luanyue still had to clean up the mess in the main hall. She shifted her gaze to Zhao Chuyan.
"By my imperial edict, Noble Consort Zhao is demoted to the rank of consort, confined for three months, and fined half a year's salary as a warning to others."
Zhao Chuyan suddenly raised her head at this moment. "Dugu Luanyue, you!"
Aunt Meijiang stepped forward and slapped her in the face in front of all the concubines in the three palaces and six courtyards.
"Presumptuous! Directly mentioning the queen's name is also a crime!"
Zhao Chuyan glared at her with red eyes. She never expected that as a noble consort, she would be slapped by a servant. Just as she was about to fight back, her wrist was grabbed by Meijiang.
"If Your Ladyship still dares to make a move in the Zhaoyang Palace today, you won't even be able to keep your rank as consort tomorrow."
Dugu Luanyue looked at her coldly and proudly. "Consort Zhao, are you dissatisfied?"
A few strands of hair hung down in front of Zhao Chuyan's forehead, giving her a rather disheveled look.
"Queen Dugu, let's wait and see!"
The emperor had just left, and the queen had already revealed her true colors. Wasn't she weak and pitiful just now? Now she was imposing and overbearing!
Dugu Luanyue said calmly, "It seems that you're still dissatisfied. Go and kneel in the Zhaoyang Palace."
Before she could react, the people in the Zhaoyang Palace dragged her out and made her kneel outside the hall.
Dugu Luanyue looked at everyone.
"Sisters in the whole palace, I'm sorry to have scared you today. But it's good for you to see this, so that you won't forget."
Everyone lowered their heads and didn't dare to say a word. The last person who had spoken was now kneeling in the snow.
After this incident, Murong Min had supported this step - queen. These people would be more obedient in the future.
The concubines in the three palaces and six courtyards had witnessed with their own eyes how the new step - queen had punished Zhao Chuyan, who had been the most domineering in the harem before.
Naturally, those who had been bullied by Zhao Chuyan were happy for a while, but high - ranking concubines like Consort Wei couldn't be happy.
Murong Jue supported his mother and walked out of the Zhaoyang Palace. "Mother, why do you look so unhappy?"
Consort Wei's long eyes were a bit cold.
"I'm not unhappy. I just think that we've underestimated this step - queen before.
We used to think that she was just a woman with a beautiful appearance who only knew some seductive tricks.
I didn't expect that after these two big dramas yesterday and today, she's really impressive."
Murong Jue smiled. "Yes, she's really impressive!" Such a beautiful woman. His father was really lucky. He thought so in his heart.
Consort Wei sighed.
"The methods of Queen Dugu are really quite sophisticated.
The first time she made a move, half of the military power of the imperial guards in the hands of the Zhao family was lost.
This is the second time she's made a move, and the last half of the military power of the imperial guards in the hands of the Zhao family is also gone.
The title of noble consort that Zhao Chuyan had worked so hard to obtain has now been demoted by one level.
It seems that the situation in the harem is going to change. I can't underestimate her."
Murong Jue looked at his mother in confusion. "Underestimate who? Mother, why do you want to deal with the queen?"
Consort Wei stopped walking and looked at her son, who had clear eyes and a simple mind.
"A Jue, Mother is worried about you.
Queen Dugu is still young, and now she has the emperor's exclusive favor. If she becomes pregnant in the future,
if the child is a princess, it's okay. But if it's a prince, then he will be the emperor's only legitimate son. Do you know what's scary?"
Murong Jue didn't want to listen to these words about seizing the throne. He wasn't interested at all. He just wanted to follow Huo Wei to conquer cities and had no intention of getting involved in the court. So he found an excuse and left.
Not far behind him was the Zhaoyang Palace. At this moment, there were still quite a few people coming out of the Zhaoyang Palace one after another.
Dugu Luanyue had just sent away the people in the three palaces and six courtyards. Huo Wei also left with them, but on the way, he was called back by Aunt Meijiang.
His long legs were propped up on the table in the queen's palace. He hadn't slept all night and had been using his brain all day, so he was already a bit tired.
However, there was still a lazy and wild air about him, a bit devilish. He didn't seem to restrain himself much in the Zhaoyang Palace.
Huo Wei raised his cold and fierce eyebrows slightly and looked at the bright red figure on the phoenix chair.