Under the corridor not far from the Purple Forbidden Palace, there stood a figure in bright red.
Her pupils constricted. Lifting the hem of her skirt, she walked forward and found Huo Wei lying on the ground, his body ice - cold. She reached out to feel his breath, then frowned and said,
"Aunt Mei Jiang, his breathing is so weak."
Aunt Mei Jiang looked around. After making sure there was no one else, she bent down to examine Huo Wei's body.
"He has external wounds. The cuts are not deep, but the blood at the wound is black and sticky. This is a sign of poisoning."
Du Gu Luanyue raised her eyes and observed the surroundings again. Her expression grew solemn.
"Huo Wei fainted right after coming out of the Purple Forbidden Palace. I don't know what exactly happened, and he's even poisoned.
But in this situation, I dare not carry him to the Phoenix and Luan Palace and call the imperial physicians. How could he get poisoned without even knowing it?"
Aunt Mei Jiang had an idea. "How about this? The Prince of Yuzhang is in charge of the imperial guards. How about this old servant sending someone to take him to the headquarters of the imperial guards and then sending an imperial physician there?"
Du Gu Luanyue looked at Huo Wei's blood - less face and said,
"Send him to the headquarters of the imperial guards. But it's not appropriate for you, an attendant from the Queen's palace, to go and ask the Prince of Yuzhang for an imperial physician.
I'll send someone to deliver a message to his mansion and pass out the jade token for entering the palace. Let Military Advisor Shen, who knows medicine and is by Huo Wei's side, go to the headquarters of the imperial guards to pick him up."
Aunt Mei Jiang immediately got up. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Then, with a brisk movement, she ordered the eunuchs to find a stretcher. They covered Huo Wei's body and face with a cloth and quietly sent him to the headquarters of the imperial guards.
Du Gu Luanyue slowly got up and walked towards the Purple Forbidden Palace.
Since Huo Wei's situation was uncertain, she could only use more drastic measures on Murong Min. Since ancient times, emperors have been most taboo about the matter of establishing a crown prince.
Currently, there is only a deposed crown prince in the Northern Yan. As for the other princes, Murong Min has not shown obvious favoritism towards any of them.
If she could stir up a battle for the throne and plunge the court into chaos,
then Murong Min would surely focus on quelling the internal chaos. By then, it would not be so easy for him to talk about launching a war against other countries.
...
In the Autumn Mist Hall, the air was a bit heavy. Wei Enxian's dark blue long dress dragged on the ground, making her look rather gloomy.
"This palace revealed the news of His Majesty's visit to the Blossom Deep to the Second Prince and specifically told him that as long as he invited back the Empress Dowager, he could successfully take revenge on Queen Du Gu.
But I didn't expect that in less than a month, that queen would return from the Cold Palace, and the Phoenix Seal was also taken away by that Huo Wei. I'm really furious!"
Yunxiu, her trusted maid, frowned tightly.
"Queen Du Gu is a princess sent from the Southern Chu for a peace - making marriage. After she entered the Cold Palace, I don't know why so many court officials stood up against it. Even the Empress Dowager Hua couldn't suppress her.
I don't know who advised His Majesty to sweep the Blossom Deep, which involved the Wei family.
Now His Majesty hates the Wei family, and we don't know how to appease him."
Wei Enxian angrily threw the comb on the dressing table.
"The main thing is that the Wei family has always been very secretive. It's not that easy to find out about the Wei family through a simple search!
Now His Majesty has been very cold towards the Autumn Mist Hall, and that queen has regained her favor. I really don't know who is helping her behind the scenes!"
Some of the officials under Huo Wei's command, after receiving his hint, continuously submitted memorials, saying that since there was no intention of a great war between the north and the south, the peace - making queen should not be easily sent to the Cold Palace, so as to avoid turmoil in the court.
Then He Xun swept the Blossom Deep. After Murong Min learned that the Wei family was behind it, his attention was diverted, so it became easier for the queen to get out of the Cold Palace.
But Huo Wei didn't let Du Gu Luanyue know. Instead, Murong Min showed a loving look and won the queen's favor.
The Autumn Mist Hall and the Wei family have not been favored by Emperor Wenhui recently, and he has intentionally distanced himself from them. The Wei family is extremely anxious.
But Du Gu Luanyue also has her own plan. Before dinner, she entered the Purple Forbidden Palace. In her bright red dress, she accompanied Murong Min to watch the dance choreographed by Su Rou.
She sat next to the emperor and said in a charming voice,
"Your Majesty, Su Rou has served well recently. How about not letting her go back to the Music Bureau and just making her a maid in the Purple Forbidden Palace?"
Murong Min nodded. "Approved."
He dismissed the dancers and began to seriously read the memorials.
Du Gu Luanyue snatched the memorial from his hand and said coquettishly,
"Your Majesty, I just came out of the Cold Palace not long ago. Please accompany me. These memorials are not interesting. It's better for Your Majesty to tell me some jokes about the Prince of Yuzhang. I want to hear them."
She started to find out what exactly happened to Huo Wei.
Murong Min slapped the imperial table with one hand and shouted,
"Good old Huo Wei! He actually has his eyes on my new officials. What does he want to do? Does he want to monopolize power in the future?"
Du Gu Luanyue raised her charming eyebrows and poured a strong - aftertaste wine for the emperor and handed it to him.
"Your Majesty, calm down. The Prince of Yuzhang really deserves it."
Murong Min picked up the wine cup and drank. "It's time to teach this young and arrogant Huo Wei a good lesson!"
Du Gu Luanyue leaned against the dragon throne, her soft body sitting on the armrest of the golden dragon throne.
Half of her red phoenix robe on her shoulder slipped off, revealing her snow - white shoulder. She gave Murong Min a charming look.
"However, Your Majesty, if the Prince of Yuzhang wants to monopolize power, wouldn't it be better for him to curry favor with and befriend the powerful and noble in the Northern Yan? How much influence can these new officials have?
Is there someone deliberately trying to sow discord between the Prince of Yuzhang and Your Majesty?"
Murong Min's face was cold.
"It's not impossible. But Huo Wei must have his own purpose for contacting these people privately."
Du Gu Luanyue let out a sneering laugh.
"Your Majesty, what are you so angry about?
Huo Wei's private contact with these new officials is clearly a sign of his lack of strength.
As a military general, his reputation in the court is not very good. What good can it do for him to contact civil officials?
If I were the Prince of Yuzhang, I would immediately form a marriage alliance with a powerful and noble family that controls the military. Wouldn't that be faster?"
After hearing this, Murong Min fell into deep thought. "Then why do these people impeach Huo Wei?"
Du Gu Luanyue sneered.
"It must be that the Prince of Yuzhang did something for Your Majesty a few days ago, which made someone jealous.
Whoever is behind the Blossom Deep is the one who is jealous of the Prince of Yuzhang.
Your Majesty, I actually think that Huo Wei is like a very pure blade in Your Majesty's hand. He is much more useful than those powerful and noble families.
After all, Huo Wei has no family to rely on. Your Majesty can use him with peace of mind.
Your Majesty knows very well that the powerful and noble families only plan for their own families. How can they always think about Your Majesty? Huo Wei is different. He only has Your Majesty.
Although I'm also annoyed by this person, I'm whole - heartedly for Your Majesty, so I can only tell the truth."
Murong Min wrapped his arms around her waist and placed her on his lap.
Du Gu Luanyue picked a fruit and fed it into his mouth. She smiled like a red fox, charming and dangerous.
"I really can't stand this Huo Wei, but I don't want Your Majesty to be muddle - headed.
Just now, I saw Huo Wei fainting and poisoned under the corridor outside the Purple Forbidden Palace. I'm afraid someone wants to harm Your Majesty's adopted son."
Although she didn't know how Huo Wei got poisoned, by making such a connection, she could make Murong Min believe more that Huo Wei was framed.
Murong Min's long eyes fixed for a moment, then he smiled. "My queen is so quick - witted. I almost got deceived by those people."
Du Gu Luanyue sat on his lap and pushed the memorials aside.
"Alright, Your Majesty. I can only use my brain once a day. I don't like court affairs. Let's have dinner quickly..."
Murong Min's hands started to be unruly on her body. "What shall we do after dinner?"
She shyly buried her face in the emperor's neck. "What are you talking about, Your Majesty? I don't understand."
Yu Zan was already outside the hall. After dinner, it would be Yu Zan's turn.
Murong Min's eyes were full of desire. He bit her snow - white neck, leaving a deep mark.
She frowned slightly and wanted to get away from him. "Your Majesty, be gentle~"