Du Gu Luanyue's heart tightened instantly. Why was Huo Wei here again? If he were to discover her this time, there would truly be no turning back.
Xie Xuanjin quickly stepped forward and rebuked the little eunuch. "You scoundrel! I told you to fetch some tea for me, yet here you are, slacking off. You truly deserve punishment."
With just a few words, he led Sheng Yunqi away.
Huo Wei merely glanced back at the little eunuch indifferently and did nothing else. "He truly deserves punishment. His head should be chopped off, shouldn't it, Mother?"
Du Gu Luanyue withdrew her gaze from Sheng Yunqi and shot him a sidelong glance. "Why are you calling me Mother all of a sudden? You hardly ever address me like this in private. It sounds so awkward."
Huo Wei's eyes were cold and still. He said calmly, "One should abide by the rules in everything. It's getting late. I'll take my leave, Mother."
She stood there, stunned, blinking her eyes. What on earth was wrong with Huo Wei? Why was he being so cold to her again?
She quickened her steps and caught up with him. "What's wrong with you? Did the Emperor scheme against you, or did the Second Prince insult you?"
Huo Wei quickened his pace. He was annoyed with himself for showing up at this moment. He shouldn't have said another word to Du Gu Luanyue.
Shen Guilan had made things very clear to him today. He couldn't act foolishly anymore.
That calm and bottomless abyss shouldn't stir up the slightest ripple. There was only one thing he could do in this lifetime, and that was revenge, revenge!
Huo Wei's evasion filled Du Gu Luanyue's heart with a strong sense of danger and unease.
She was unwilling to accept this. Huo Wei had promised her something just two days ago. There was no way he would go back on his word after just two days, right?
"Huo Wei, stop! What do you mean?" She reached out and grabbed his arm, preventing him from leaving.
Huo Wei glanced at his arm and said coldly, "Let go."
Du Gu Luanyue's eyes were determined. She tightened her grip. "No."
Huo Wei forcefully shook off her hand. Perhaps he used too much force. Du Gu Luanyue slipped and fell to the ground.
Aunt Meijiang saw this and quickly rushed over to help her up.
Unable to hold back her emotions, Aunt Meijiang felt sorry for the princess she had watched grow up. She was even more annoyed now. Despite the fact that the person in front of her was a prince, she couldn't help but complain.
"Prince Yuzhang, if you're unhappy about my lady's distance, why did you push her to the ground?"
Huo Wei's black eyes glanced at Du Gu Luanyue. He retracted the arm he had already extended and placed it behind his back.
Du Gu Luanyue stood up from the snow, patted the hem of her dress, and then looked up at him. "Huo Wei, what did I do to make you treat me so coldly?"
Huo Wei turned around and faced away from her. "You have your little eunuch, and I'll continue on my military path. From now on, we'll go our separate ways."
Du Gu Luanyue's heart skipped a beat. Huo Wei had already noticed Sheng Yunqi just now but had kept silent. Could it be that he was jealous of Sheng Yunqi?
She quickly walked over and faced him. "Don't misunderstand. Sheng Yunqi and I are in the past. Besides, now that we're cooperating, you're aiming for power, and I'm aiming for my homeland. Why do you care about this?"
Huo Wei glanced at her indifferently. "Our cooperation is null and void. Don't bother me anymore. Next time we meet, I won't show you any mercy."
Du Gu Luanyue guessed that he was probably angry because of Sheng Yunqi. So she reached out and took Huo Wei's hand, her eyes turning charming.
"Don't be angry, okay? Are you still mad about what was interrupted in the hot spring pool two days ago?"
Huo Wei shook off her hand, ruthless and cold.
"What happened in the hot spring pool two days ago was just a joke. I was just playing around with the Queen.
I'm still a prince of the Northern Yan. How could I get involved with Father Emperor's woman? There are still plenty of women in the imperial city. Mother, please respect yourself. I'm your junior."
Du Gu Luanyue stared at him blankly. "What's wrong with you?" She still couldn't understand why Huo Wei had changed so much.
Huo Wei's deep, black eyes glanced at her and then he left alone, without a trace of reluctance.
Du Gu Luanyue stood there, stunned. After a while, she looked up and asked,
"Aunt, does Huo Wei have someone else by his side, someone more beneficial to him? Is that why he doesn't want to cooperate with me anymore?"
Aunt Meijiang frowned. The cold night wind and snow suddenly picked up. She quickly took the cloak from her arm and put it on Du Gu Luanyue. "My lady, don't worry about it for now. Let's go back first and then make a plan."
Du Gu Luanyue returned to her palace as if all her strength had been drained. The concubines who had been accompanying Murong Min in his amusements were still drinking and having fun with him.
She felt annoyed at the sight and went to another side hall to sleep.
"Aunt, Huo Wei said he's canceling our cooperation and told me to stay away from him. Does that mean his plan to attack the State of Chu in the south has been put on the agenda?"
Even she, who was usually good at scheming, felt flustered because of Huo Wei's sudden change in attitude.
Now, Murong Min had just been indulging in the gentle embrace of women. The Northern Yan was still the most powerful empire in terms of military strength. If they were to attack the State of Chu this autumn, the State of Chu wouldn't be able to withstand it with its current strength.
Aunt Meijiang could see the panic in Du Gu Luanyue's eyes. Having raised Du Gu Luanyue since she was a child, how could she not notice such emotions?
"My lady, don't be in a hurry. If the path of Prince Yuzhang doesn't work, we can take the path of the Emperor."
Du Gu Luanyue suddenly widened her eyes. "An heir?"
Aunt Meijiang nodded. "Yes. Give birth to a legitimate son and try to have him made the crown prince. If the heir of the Northern Yan has the blood of the Southern Chu, and you, my lady, are the former heir of the Southern Chu Empire, won't the two countries become one?"
Yu Zan was serving tea on one side. Hearing this, her hand trembled, and the tea spilled on the ground. She felt restless.
That old woman, Meijiang, was always coming up with bad ideas. If the Queen really went to serve the Emperor, what would happen to her? Where would her value lie?
Now, because of the matter of serving the Emperor, Du Gu Luanyue treated her very well in daily life, while Meijiang only gave her a hard time.
If her value decreased, who knew where Meijiang would assign her.
"Your Majesty, I don't think this plan will work," Yu Zan summoned up the courage to join their conversation.
Du Gu Luanyue asked, "Why not?"
Yu Zan replied, "If the Emperor has long had the intention to attack the State of Chu, he will do everything he can to prevent you from getting pregnant."
In fact, Du Gu Luanyue had already guessed this. There was something added to the incense burned in the Fengluan Palace.
This thing was harmful to a woman's body. Du Gu Luanyue had already ordered Aunt Meijiang to replace it. And after Yu Zan served the Emperor, she drank contraceptive medicine.
Du Gu Luanyue narrowed her fox-like eyes and played with the gold hairpin in her hand. "I'll test the Emperor on this matter. Whether I really serve him or not depends on his attitude."