She blinked her tired jade eyes and quietly sat down on the stone bench under the peach tree.
"I just heard about your proposal in the previous court. I think it's excellent.
The last time I mentioned to you about building houses for newly - appointed officials, it was just a casual remark. I didn't expect you to remember it.
This way of winning people's hearts will make all these fresh blood flowing into the court become yours. You've really done a great job."
Du Gu Luanyue's voice was calm and steady, her face placid with a hint of admiration in her eyes. However, the corners of her eyes were red when she lowered them, for she had stayed awake all night.
Huo Wei loosened his frowning brow slightly, and a trace of doubt flashed across his eyes. "Your Majesty the Queen blocked me here just to say this?"
The phoenix - feather flower hairpin between Du Gu Luanyue's eyebrows sparkled brightly in the sun. She blinked her jade eyes innocently.
"Yes, what else?
Your Highness didn't say our cooperation was cancelled. I'm still fulfilling my promise to you. I've been paying special attention to your movements in the court."
Last night, Maid Mei Jiang had told her about Huo Wei kidnapping Sheng Yunqi.
After hearing the news, her legs went weak and she knelt on the ground. According to Huo Wei's ruthless methods, Sheng Yunqi was probably in great danger.
It would also be very difficult for her to rescue Sheng Yunqi. Up to now, she had no idea.
But she wasn't just Du Gu Luanyue for Sheng Yunqi. She was the future empress of Southern Chu.
At any time, she should prioritize national affairs and her own plans. So it was most important to stabilize Huo Wei at this moment.
Huo Wei replied calmly, "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty."
Du Gu Luanyue asked again,
"Among the twelve people selected for you this time, if only half of them follow our planned path, it will be twice the result with half the effort. How has His Majesty arranged these people?"
Huo Wei answered, "All twelve people have taken their positions as planned. The imperial edict has been issued, and they will take office next month."
The gentle spring breeze blew, and all kinds of flowers were in full bloom.
The golden sun shone on her bright red figure, gilding her with a layer of golden light. Her gorgeous, charming and delicate face was breathtakingly beautiful in the light.
The beauty of spring seemed to pale in comparison with her.
Huo Wei's cold and ruthless black eyes unconsciously fell on her, but then he looked away.
Du Gu Luanyue looked at him, forcing a pale smile.
"Excellent. It seems that your memorial was very much to His Majesty's liking and he adopted it.
Next, you should seize the opportunity well in the matter of building official residences. His Majesty is in the Zichen Hall now. You can go there first."
On the surface, Huo Wei remained calm, but in fact, his heart was in turmoil.
The cannons aimed at her were already loaded with ammunition, but they were blocked by a soft cotton ball, and even his vent was blocked. His chest felt stuffy for a moment.
He had been waiting for Du Gu Luanyue to cry and kneel in front of him, begging him to release Sheng Yunqi, so that he could vent his anger on her. But until now, it hadn't happened.
He had captured her lover, but she wasn't anxious at all. Instead, she was so concerned about his affairs in the court. What on earth was she thinking?
Du Gu Luanyue pursed her lips, propped up her weak body and stood up. She smiled faintly at him.
"Your Highness, I'll return to the palace first. If you have any doubts about government affairs, you can come and ask me at any time."
After saying that, she quietly turned around and left through the lush peach - tree grove without showing any other emotions.
Huo Wei squinted his eyes standing behind her. His mood suddenly became impatient. He strode over and grabbed her arm.
"Aren't you going to ask about your lover?"
Du Gu Luanyue lowered her eyes. The corner of her lips twitched slightly, and then she regained her composure.
"What should I ask? Whether he's dead or alive?
If he's dead, I won't know if I don't ask, so I won't be so sad.
If he's alive, even if I cry and kneel to beg you, you won't release him.
Why should I trouble myself and argue with you?"
Huo Wei felt a little uneasy. Du Gu Luanyue didn't act as he had imagined. When his fingers grabbed her slender arm, he tightened his grip.
"Very good. It saves me the trouble of dealing with you.
I'll send someone to castrate him later and send him to you. How about that?"
Du Gu Luanyue's heart suddenly tightened. Her lowered eyes widened slightly, but she endured it.
"I'm just a weak woman. Naturally, I can't influence Your Highness."
She still didn't plead for Sheng Yunqi. Instead, she showed a cold - hearted appearance, which made Huo Wei unable to figure her out for a moment. He began to ponder over her again.
Huo Wei pinched her jade neck with his other hand. His hard and sharp eyebrows on his cold face were like a shining machete. His thin lips curled up in a dangerous smile.
"You're playing tricks again. Your eyes are red from holding back. You must be eager to kill me now, right?"
Du Gu Luanyue let out a muffled groan and frowned slightly. "I don't have the ability to kill the Prince of Yuzhang who destroyed Western Liao. I naturally dare not."
Huo Wei snorted. "What, are you going to say next that you still like me and submit to me?"
Du Gu Luanyue tried to pull his hand away with her fingers and shook her head with difficulty.
"It's true that Yunqi was my former fiancé, but don't forget my identity. I'm the crown princess of Southern Chu. In the future, when I ascend the throne as the empress, there will be other men in my harem. He's just one of them.
Since childhood, I've never thought that I would give my heart to just one man.
I liked him before, and I liked others later. So what?"
Huo Wei dragged her and pushed her against the peach tree. Her words made him even angrier.
"Du Gu Luanyue, you can say such promiscuous words so casually!"
Just this one sentence made Huo Wei think that Sheng Yunqi wasn't that important in Du Gu Luanyue's heart. It was just that the damned Sheng Yunqi was lovesick.
As a member of the harem, he had even chased her all the way to Northern Yan. Huo Wei felt a bit secretly pleased.
Du Gu Luanyue smiled weakly. "Why is Your Highness angry? That's how an empress is."
But Huo Wei felt irritated and depressed. His black pupils shrank. "You used to regard me as one of the men in your harem, loving one after another and using them whenever you could, right?"
Du Gu Luanyue lowered her charming eyes. Her long and curly phoenix eyelashes cast a shadow. Her voice was frank and sincere.
"Sorry, Your Highness. I've been educated like this since childhood. I'm not a woman confined to the inner courtyard. I've known since childhood that I would have many husbands.
But Your Highness is different from Yunqi in my heart. Your Highness is wild, direct, bold and a natural war god, completely different from Yunqi's gentle and elegant manner.
If you could enter the harem of Southern Chu, I would surely treat you differently. Exclusive favor is not impossible."
The warm spring wind blew through the peach grove, raising pink flower mists. The air seemed to freeze for a moment, and the cold and oppressive killing intent churned in the wind.
Huo Wei's black eyes darkened, burning with nameless anger.
He never expected that the woman in front of him was such a person, a woman who had known since childhood that she would have a harem.
He thought Du Gu Luanyue would cry and shout to save her lover, but he didn't expect that she was like someone who would choose any man she liked.
It was completely different from the drama he had expected in his heart, an unexpected absurdity.
It was as if there were thorns growing on his back. A trace of hostility rose in his deep black eyes.
"Du Gu Luanyue, look at which woman in the world talks like you! Where's your sense of the three obediences and four virtues?"
Du Gu Luanyue's eyes were red. Tears silently fell down her cheeks onto Huo Wei's hand. She slowly raised her jade eyes full of tears and looked at Huo Wei with a wronged and innocent look.
"But I've been like this since childhood. What can I do? I can't change it."