Du Gu Luanyue and Murong Min returned to the palace in the same carriage. The small space of the carriage was filled with the strong smell of alcohol on Murong Min.
She was already feeling weak. The smell made her feel even more uncomfortable.
She gently lifted a corner of the curtain with her jade finger to let in some fresh air. Finally, she felt a bit better.
Unexpectedly, a bright light flashed in from outside. Murong Min slowly opened his eyes. "What's that outside? Why is it so dazzling?"
Du Gu Luanyue peeked out.
"Your Majesty, it's a brothel that only opens at night. It's the liveliest time now. Let's hurry back to the palace. It's not a place to stay for long."
Murong Min lifted the carriage curtain and looked out. The plaque of the brothel read four characters: The Depths of a Hundred Flowers.
This brothel, extremely famous in the capital of the Northern Yan Empire, was a money - squandering den for the nobility and dignitaries. Every night was the most glorious moment for this building.
The golden and yellow lights fell in front of the door. The girls on the steps were as beautiful as flowers, extremely charming, but they didn't solicit customers.
They just showed the world that the girls in The Depths of a Hundred Flowers were all extremely beautiful and only the noble could go there.
Murong Min was attracted by the glorious and noisy lights. He said in a deep voice, "Stop the carriage."
Du Gu Luanyue looked at him in surprise. She leaned towards him. "Your Majesty, this is a brothel. You can't act recklessly."
Murong Min said calmly, "I just want to take a look. The Queen needn't worry."
After saying that, Murong Min got out of the carriage. Eunuch Yingxi supported him all the way and took out the gold from his cuff.
Regardless of her own weakness, Du Gu Luanyue quickly got out of the carriage and blocked in front of Murong Min. She looked at the emperor seriously.
"Your Majesty, you are the Son of Heaven. How can you come to a brothel? You can do whatever you want in the palace, and you can confer as many concubines as you like. But this is a brothel.
If someone with ill - intent knows about it and spreads the news, it will be bad for your imperial reputation!"
She looked at Murong Min nervously. For the royal family, it was strictly forbidden to visit brothels.
Du Gu Luanyue knew that Murong Min was lustful, and she would even search for beautiful women for him. That was okay.
But a brothel was a place of debauchery, a place where venereal diseases were prevalent, a dirty and disgusting place.
If the emperor went there, and if the Censorate knew about it, it would be really reckless.
Moreover, it was she who let the emperor go out of the palace today. If it was discovered, she would surely be in trouble.
Murong Min said coldly, "The Queen may return to the palace first."
Du Gu Luanyue didn't move aside. Instead, she knelt in front of Murong Min. "Your Majesty, you really can't visit a brothel!"
Murong Min flung his sleeve and walked around Du Gu Luanyue towards The Depths of a Hundred Flowers angrily. Du Gu Luanyue took a few steps forward but was stopped by Aunt Meijiang.
"Your Highness, you are a woman. You can't set foot in a brothel.
Your Majesty is really acting recklessly, but after all, he is the emperor. Let's go back to the carriage and wait."
Du Gu Luanyue was extremely angry. She turned around and got back into the carriage. She said angrily,
"Your Majesty is really too absurd. As the Son of Heaven, with me, the queen, by his side, he actually goes to a brothel in front of me!"
Her chest trembled slightly with anger. This Murong Min really opened her eyes.
Aunt Meijiang shook her head and sighed,
"Your Highness, just go along with His Majesty. We can't stop him. Otherwise, we'll make His Majesty dislike us.
Anyway, Your Highness doesn't really care about His Majesty in your heart. Just let him do as he wishes."
Du Gu Luanyue snorted,
"I'm not stopping him out of jealousy or care. I just think it's too much for the Son of Heaven to visit a brothel. And I'm well - known. What if people say it was deliberately arranged by the queen?"
Both the mistress and the maid looked solemn, feeling uneasy.
Murong Min didn't come out of The Depths of a Hundred Flowers until the middle of the night. Du Gu Luanyue was sitting quietly in the carriage waiting. She had no emotions left.
She took a quiet look at Murong Min and then said, "Let's return to the palace."
Seeing the cold look on the queen's face, Murong Min knew she was angry. He smiled and coaxed her a few words.
"Queen, don't take it to heart. I just went in for a few drinks and watched some different dance performances from those in the palace."
Du Gu Luanyue smiled faintly. "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. You don't need to explain your actions to your servant. Your servant is just worried about your health."
The carriage sped towards the palace. Du Gu Luanyue lifted the curtain and smelled the outside air. The smell of perfume on Murong Min was really disgusting.
He watched dance performances and had a few drinks. He really thought she was blind.
Unexpectedly, three days later, Empress Dowager Hua, the biological mother of Emperor Wenhui Murong Min, who had been practicing in a Buddhist temple, suddenly returned to the palace.
The empress dowager hadn't returned to the palace for a long time. The last time she came back was when the previous queen passed away. She didn't even come back when Murong Min married his successor queen.
Empress Dowager Hua was the descendant of a military general. She was decisive and resolute. Murong Min had been afraid of her since he was a child.
When Empress Dowager Hua returned, she released the second prince, Murong Hua, who was still under house arrest. Murong Hua cried and said,
"Grandmother, this is absolutely true. The evil queen has been causing chaos in the court. She took Father to a brothel and used a treacherous scheme to imprison me.
The evil queen may be paving the way for her future child. Grandmother, save me. If you don't care, I'll surely be killed by this step - mother one day!"
Empress Dowager Hua was wearing a deep purple robe with a Buddhist rosary hanging on her chest. Her temples were a bit gray. Her solemn face was full of calmness. She looked at her grandson seriously.
"What are you crying for? A real man shouldn't act like this. You just said that the queen took the emperor to a brothel. Do you have any evidence?"
Murong Hua stood up from the ground, patted the dust off his knees, and said seriously,
"If Grandmother doesn't believe me, you can send someone to bring Eunuch Yingxi, who is by Father's side, for interrogation. The brothel is called The Depths of a Hundred Flowers. You can check if it's right."
The wrinkles at the corners of Empress Dowager Hua's eyes deepened. She pursed her lips tightly, sat on the phoenix throne, and ordered, "Someone, bring Yingxi, who is by the emperor's side, to me!"
Eunuch Yingxi was old. After being questioned for a few times, he nodded.
He personally confirmed that the emperor had indeed been to The Depths of a Hundred Flowers, and the queen had accompanied him that day.
After hearing this, Empress Dowager Hua rushed directly to the Zichen Palace. "Go and tell the queen to come here. I'll interrogate her myself."
Du Gu Luanyue was still recuperating in the Fengluan Palace. She was still a bit weak. She had just taken a short nap when she was called to the Zichen Palace.
As soon as she entered the palace, she saw the legendary biological mother of Murong Min, staring at her seriously. When those sharp eagle - like eyes swept over her body, it was like a blade scraping over her, making her tremble.
She found that Murong Min was already standing silently on one side, while Empress Dowager Hua was sitting on the dragon throne, like an unapproachable Buddha.
Du Gu Luanyue walked over quietly and bowed. "Your servant pays respects to Mother. May Mother live a long life."
Empress Dowager Hua didn't let her get up. She said coldly, "Emperor, I already know about your visit to the brothel.
As your legitimate wife, the queen has the responsibility to remonstrate. She accompanied you that day. Did she remonstrate but you didn't listen, or did she deliberately take you there?"
Murong Min lowered his head and glanced at Du Gu Luanyue.
"This is because the queen is young and inexperienced. I'll surely pay attention to my words and deeds next time. I hope Mother will forgive me."
Du Gu Luanyue slowly raised her eyes and looked at Murong Min in disbelief. After all, they were husband and wife. She didn't expect Murong Min to betray her like this.
But she was alone and weak. She couldn't accuse his own son in front of the empress dowager.
Empress Dowager Hua snorted. "Du Gu, you led the emperor to do something that tarnishes the imperial reputation. According to my imperial edict, send the queen to the Jing'an Palace for reflection!"
The Jing'an Palace was the cold palace in the Northern Yan harem. It was easy to get in, but extremely difficult to get out.
Du Gu Luanyue didn't argue, cry, or hold on to Murong Min. She said calmly, "I obey the order."