The revelation that Huo Wei was an orphan of Jinyang shocked the entire court. In a fit of rage, Murong Min decided to execute Huo Wei in ten days.
Murong Min regarded Huo Wei's marriage alliance with the Wei family as a sign of rebellion. Without hesitation, he took back the military amulet from the hands of Grand Tutor Wei and implicated the entire Wei family, throwing them into prison. Concubine Xian of the Wei family was sent to the Cold Palace.
The Wei faction in the court was quite critical of the emperor.
Du Gu Luanyue was trapped in the harem and couldn't directly question Murong Min.
Everything happened so suddenly that she hadn't come up with a good plan yet. She dispatched all the people at her disposal to gather information everywhere.
Suddenly, she said, "Aunt Mei Jiang, the other day when I said I wanted to see Military Advisor Shen, you said he was missing and Murong Min's men couldn't find him. Has Military Advisor Shen tried to contact our people outside the palace?"
Aunt Mei Jiang shook her head gravely.
"No. Before, the Phoenix Feather Guards, Prince Yuzhang, and Military Advisor Shen had all cooperated. They should know roughly where those who know Your Highness are hiding.
I haven't received any news about Military Advisor Shen these days. Could he have escaped?"
Du Gu Luanyue could hardly contain her inner panic.
"I don't know. I can't wait any longer. Prepare the palanquin. I'm going to the Zichen Palace." Huo Wei was about to be beheaded. She couldn't wait any longer.
At this moment, Sheng Yunqi came to the Fengluan Palace under the pretext of delivering golden pills. Seeing Du Gu Luanyue about to step forward for Huo Wei's sake, he quickly stretched out his arm to stop her.
"Luanyue, you can't go. The emperor is in a fit of anger right now. Whoever goes to persuade him will be suspected."
Du Gu Luanyue waved his arm away. "I'm a native of Southern Chu. What suspicion could I possibly have? Huo Wei is about to be executed. I can't just watch him die."
Sheng Yunqi blocked Du Gu Luanyue with his body.
"Enough! Stop deceiving yourself!
Once Huo Wei is dead, we can go back. You saved him once in Danyang City because of the plague. Do you still want to save him this time?
The crisis in Danyang City has been resolved. Now Huo Wei is of no use to us.
Luanyue, you're going to be the empress in the future. You can't act on impulse.
At this moment, all we have to do is wait for Huo Wei to die. Once Murong Min kills his most capable general with his own hands, the god of war in the Northern Yan army will be gone, and the greatest threat to our Southern Chu will be eliminated."
Du Gu Luanyue pushed Sheng Yunqi away forcefully and said angrily, "Get out of my way. I'm going to save him. At this moment, I'm not that scheming future empress. I just want to save him because he's the one I care about."
Sheng Yunqi was slightly stunned and let out a bitter laugh. "What about me? Where do you put me?
And where do you put your responsibilities and your motherland? Clearly, once Huo Wei is dead, our mission will be over, but you insist on saving him and getting involved in this mess.
Luanyue, I've known you for many years, and you've really changed a lot.
The former Crown Princess of Southern Chu, who was ruthless and decisive in her actions and would stop at nothing, would now yield, change her plan, and act on impulse for the sake of a relationship and a man. Don't make the same mistake again."
At this moment, Du Gu Luanyue was in a complete panic. She wasn't omniscient. She could also be thrown into disarray because of the people and things she cared about.
She didn't dare to think that if Huo Wei died like this, how she could live the rest of her life.
"The matter of the Jinyang orphans has always been a thorn in Murong Min's heart. Initially, it was also us who deliberately stirred it up.
But I really don't know why this matter would implicate Huo Wei. I'm also responsible."
She didn't listen to a single word of Sheng Yunqi's and asked again, "Can the hallucinogenic herbs in the golden pills be strengthened again?"
Sheng Yunqi's eyes were filled with disappointment. "Du Gu Luanyue!"
Her gorgeous eyes were slightly red at the moment. "Yunqi, you've always been in my heart, and I'll never abandon you.
It was only later that I realized that my feelings for you are different. It's the kind of feeling like family, not romantic love.
I know I've deviated from the right path. It's true that I'm the future empress, but I'm also Du Gu Luanyue. I'm myself, and I also have things I must do.
I promise you that after saving Huo Wei, as long as he's safe and the matter is over, I'll return to Southern Chu as soon as possible."
Sheng Yunqi brushed the blue - and - white cloud - crane Taoist robe on his body and said calmly,
"Once we're back, everything will get back on track. I'm willing to wait for you. I'll find a way to make Murong Min swallow the golden pills."
After saying that, Sheng Yunqi disappeared from the Fengluan Palace, and the disappointment in his eyes became even stronger.
But he wasn't very afraid either. The marriage alliance between the Du Gu family and the Sheng family would be fulfilled as soon as she returned. He would always be the legitimate emperor - consort.
Zichen Palace.
Du Gu Luanyue got off the phoenix palanquin, took a deep breath, and pretended to be in a happy mood. "Your Majesty, I haven't seen Your Majesty for several days. I really miss Your Majesty."
Murong Min looked up. The queen was wearing a gorgeous palace dress that day, and the rouge on her eyebrows was extremely charming. He slightly restrained his anger. "I miss the queen too."
Du Gu Luanyue gave him a gentle and charming look with her amorous eyes, like the rippling spring water.
"Your Majesty has been busy dealing with the treacherous officials. Maybe you've forgotten about me. Have you finished dealing with them? Will you accompany me, Your Majesty?"
Murong Min said, "We're still collecting evidence of his crimes. Huo Wei is indeed problematic.
His military advisor, some important confidants in Prince Yuzhang's mansion, and his former vice - generals have all disappeared without a trace, as if they had already left the city."
Du Gu Luanyue's eyes sank. "How could this be? Your Majesty suddenly arrested Prince Yuzhang at the wedding banquet. If Prince Yuzhang had made preparations in advance, these confidants shouldn't have left the city so early, right?"
Why did she feel that Huo Wei had been framed?
Could it be that the people closest to him had betrayed him and framed him?
Murong Min shook his head. "We don't know yet."
While pouring tea for the emperor and serving him fruits, Du Gu Luanyue asked casually in a soft voice,
"Your Majesty, Prince Yuzhang has made great contributions to the country and has been loyal to Your Majesty before. Could there be someone in the middle who is trying to frame his achievements and make Your Majesty lose a good general?"
Murong Min snorted. "I received news that there's an extra corpse in the most remote part of Prince Yuzhang's mansion, with the name Lu Wanyin written on it. How could this be false? Huo Wei is the son of Lu Wanyin and Xie Jinyang."
The teapot in Du Gu Luanyue's hand was always tilted. The tea had already overflowed the teacup and flowed onto the imperial desk.
There was Lu Wanyin's corpse in Huo Wei's mansion. Huo Wei had actually hidden such a big thing from her.
Who on earth was Lu Wanyin? How dare Huo Wei keep the corpse of the emperor's former lover in his backyard.
Murong Min's expression turned cold. Looking at the tea that had flowed all over the table, he looked at her with a scrutinizing look. "Queen, you seem to be extremely interested in Prince Yuzhang?"