In the middle of the night, intermittent cries and sobs of a woman came from the depths of the Lanling Palace, mixed with the roars of a man.
The palace lanterns in the entire palace were slowly lit by the palace servants, instantly turning the place from pitch - black to brightly lit.
Huo Wei picked up his long robe from the ground and wrapped it around himself. He took a long knife from the weapon rack and pointed it at Wei Zhiruo. "Who let you in? Tell me!"
He casually picked up the clothes on the ground with the long knife and threw them forcefully onto Wei Zhiruo, who was lying on the bed. With a gloomy and cold look in his eyes, he stared at her angrily.
Wei Zhiruo was kneeling on the bed. She reached out and pulled the silk shirt off her head, crying and sobbing, "Didn't you send someone to call me here? Huo Wei, now that things have happened, are you still trying to renege on your responsibility?"
Huo Wei roared, "I've never sent anyone to call you here!"
Shen Guilan was outside the palace door. She knocked on the door and said, "Huo Wei, open the door. Concubine Xian has suddenly come. She said that her niece came to the Lanling Palace and hasn't returned yet. Now Concubine Xian is here in person."
Huo Wei flung the door open. He was wrapped in a black robe on his tall and slender body, with the front of his robe half - open, revealing his cold, pale, and well - defined chest.
"Huo Wei, you must know how she got in, Shen Guilan!"
He remembered that he was taking a hot spring bath. The maidservants brought him some wine and fruits. He ate a little, and then he remembered nothing.
When he woke up, he found a naked woman sleeping beside his bed. Everything happened so suddenly.
He had no connection with Wei Zhiruo at all. Her sudden appearance in his bed was obviously suspicious.
Wei Enxian rushed in. She walked over and gave Wei Zhiruo a not - too - hard slap on the face.
"How could the Wei family give birth to a daughter like you? You climbed into a man's bed before you're even married. You're such a disgrace!"
Wei Zhiruo cried even louder. Choking with sobs, she said, "Aunt, I've liked Brother Huo Wei for a long time. Please don't tell Father. I'll admit my bad luck."
Wei Enxian lifted the bed curtain and saw a bright red mark in the middle of the couch. Her eyes darkened.
She turned around, glaring at Huo Wei with red - rimmed eyes.
"Prince of Yuzhang, Zhiruo is the legitimate daughter of the Wei family. The Wei family has few descendants, and she has been raised like a precious gem. Now that this has happened, you must give us an explanation!"
Wei Zhiruo looked at the red mark, her eyes full of disappointment.
This thing was prepared by Shen Guilan long ago. She had thought that tonight the fake show would turn real,
and from then on, she would be completely tied to Huo Wei. She didn't expect that Military Advisor Shen had overdone it and made Huo Wei fall into a deep sleep. Nothing had actually happened.
Thinking of this, Wei Zhiruo also gave Shen Guilan a cold look.
Huo Wei stared coldly at Wei Zhiruo and Wei Enxian. He had calmed down and said in a deep voice, "Explanation? What kind of explanation do you want?"
Wei Enxian pulled the curtain over to block Wei Zhiruo.
"Prince of Yuzhang, whether you like it or not, now the daughter of the Wei family has lost her innocence to you. You must be responsible and give her a proper title.
It doesn't matter if you don't agree today. I'll report this to the Queen tomorrow. She will decide this matter, and His Majesty will also make a decision."
Du Gu Luanyue had told her that Huo Wei would probably resist such a forced outcome.
But only through a marriage alliance could they completely tie Huo Wei and the Wei family together. In the future, whether it was for Murong Jue's revenge in the court
or for other things, the Wei family and Huo Wei would help each other, and their power in the court would be even more overwhelming.
Huo Wei had the real troops for the attack on the Western Liao, while the rest of the troops were in the hands of Grand Tutor Wei. Murong Min would soon be sidelined.
After Murong Jue's death, Wei Enxian was completely disillusioned with Murong Min and even hated him.
Murong Min had never really mourned for his son who died at the age of eighteen for more than a few days.
She told her elder brother, Grand Tutor Wei, about the marriage alliance with Huo Wei. Grand Tutor Wei looked down on Huo Wei's humble origin, but Wei Zhiruo liked Huo Wei very much. This was the biggest turning point.
Hearing that Du Gu Luanyue would be told, Huo Wei's black eyes trembled. "Don't tell her!"
There was a mist in Wei Enxian's eyes. Her voice trembled as she said, "What kind of retribution has the Wei family committed? Not long after A Jue's death, the daughter of the Wei family has lost her innocence.
Zhiruo is a legitimate daughter with a noble birth. How is she unworthy of you, Prince of Yuzhang?
She is not only the daughter of the Wei family but also A Jue's younger sister. Weren't you as close as brothers to A Jue? Is this how you treat his sister?"
Hearing Wei Enxian mention Murong Jue, Huo Wei tightened his thin lips. He couldn't help but take a step back from his forward - leaning position. "You can do whatever you want to vent your anger, but I won't marry her."
After a moment of stalemate, Wei Zhiruo changed her clothes and walked out.
Wei Enxian had already sent someone to inform Du Gu Luanyue and Murong Min. This matter would only get bigger and couldn't be hushed up.
Du Gu Luanyue followed Murong Min. She lifted the hem of her skirt and walked in. She sat on the main seat and saw Huo Wei's slightly disheveled robe.
At this moment, Huo Wei's black eyes also stared at her, with a chill in them. Then they both shifted their gazes away.
Murong Min cleared his throat and said, "It seems that the golden pills of the Taoist priest Yanxu are really effective. The Prince of Yuzhang's hidden illness has been cured in just a few days.
Men, they don't know how to control themselves at first. But Prince of Yuzhang, what you've done is extremely disgraceful."
Wei Enxian knelt on the ground, crying and pleading.
"Your Majesty, please show mercy and give the daughter of the Wei family some dignity.
Your Majesty the Queen, please say something. Otherwise, I'll have to give Zhiruo a white silk ribbon. The Wei family may have another funeral."
Du Gu Luanyue's eyes were cold. Her voice was neither cold nor warm. "It depends on Your Majesty's decision. This matter still needs to give the Wei family an explanation."
Murong Min was a little afraid of the marriage alliance between Huo Wei and the Wei family. His deep and long eyes looked at the people kneeling below.
"Huo Wei's origin is naturally not as noble as the daughter of the Wei family. How about having the Prince of Yuzhang marry into the Wei family?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Du Gu Luanyue stared at Murong Min in surprise.
"Your Majesty, the Prince of Yuzhang is a prince. Although his origin was not very noble before, his current status is already higher than that of the Wei family. How can a prince marry into another family? This is not in line with the rules."
If Wei Zhiruo married Huo Wei, she would be the Princess of Yuzhang. But if Huo Wei married into the Wei family, with his former commoner origin and living in the Wei family, he would surely be oppressed and looked down upon by the noble family.
As time passed, there would surely be gaps between them. These two families would never get along well, and then Murong Min would take advantage of it.
Huo Wei slowly raised his sharp eyebrows and glanced at Du Gu Luanyue, then lowered them again.
Shen Guilan was anxious at this moment. No one had expected the emperor to come up with such a humiliating idea. The hand in his sleeve tightened instantly.
Murong Min said, "Since the Prince of Yuzhang has done such a disgraceful thing, he must give the Wei family an explanation and show his sincerity in admitting his mistake."
Du Gu Luanyue suddenly stood up from the stool. Her voice was a bit too firm to control.
"Your Majesty, I disagree. The Prince of Yuzhang is the God of War who destroyed the Liao. He has made great military achievements. How can he marry into the Wei family?
Even if the Prince of Yuzhang is wrong in this matter today, the daughter of the Wei family came here on her own initiative. I think both of them are equally wrong.
According to the rules, let the daughter of the Wei family marry into the Prince of Yuzhang's mansion."
Murong Min gave her a sidelong glance. "Why is the Queen so excited?"