“Your Majesty!” Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui was not satisfied, speaking unhappily as she sat next to the Emperor: “Times have changed, so many years have passed since it happened, how can it still count? In addition, you are the Emperor, whether a promise counts or not is dependent on you.”
“Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui!” The Left Prime Minister Lu Song said loudly: “What Your Highness Imperial Concubine Gui means that Da Shun’s court is child’s play? His Majesty’s words are a joke? That they can be changed and modified as desired?”
The Right Prime Minister also said: “Your Highness Imperial Concubine Gui! The harem should not interfere in politics, this was a rule set by the founding Emperor when Da Shun was formed. Could it be that in this era and generation, this rule is going to be ruined in Your Highness Imperial Concubine Gui’s hands?”
“That’s right! Imperial Concubine Gui has sat in the seat meant for the Empress, it is fine if your ambition has expended to the whole imperial harem, but if you intended to spread your influence to the court, then you are an evil concubine who will bring ruin to the country, Imperial Concubine Gui should think twice.” The one who said this was King Wenxuan Xuanmou. This only younger brother of the Emperor usually did not like to speak out, but said these words coldly at this moment, causing Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui to break out into cold sweat on her back.
She hid behind the Emperor on reflex, looking pitiful. Unfortunately, if it was more than 20 years ago, once she acted pitiful, a few people would still sympathise with her, but acting like this at this age would only make the people watching feel irritated. Especially the people on the Ninth Prince’s side, they only felt annoyed seeing her like this.
But the Emperor did not feel irritated, he held her hand and advised her softly: “Beloved concubine, do not be afraid, they are only being intimidating.” Then he looked at King Wenxuan unhappily, saying: “Xuanmo, why are you trying to pick a fight with a woman?”
King Wenxuan shook his head, saying: “Imperial Brother, This Younger Brother is not picking a fight with a woman, but discussing Da Shun’s rules. Da Shun’s ancestors are watching from the skies! I hope that Imperial Brother can have your own opinion and not be influenced by a woman in the harem.”
“What do you mean?” The Emperor flared up, turning against his younger brother for the first time, “You’re saying that We are biased towards women and do not care about the court?”
“Whether that is the case or not will be based on one decision made by Imperial Brother.” Today, King Wenxuan came because he was angered by the matter with his own royal concubine and after entering the palace, he saw this scene and could not tolerate it anymore, choosing to challenge the Emperor. He stared at Imperial Concubine Yuan Shu and said: “His Majesty’s words are valuable, he has said it, yet you wish to take it back in front of everyone. Imperial Concubine Gui, what intentions do you have?”
Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui jolted and wanted to rebuke on reflex, but the Eighth Prince quickly interjected. He brought his hands together in a greeting and bowed: “Imperial Uncle, please do not blame her, my Imperial Concubine Mother just felt that this is during an imperial banquet and it is the New Year Imperial Banquet. The atmosphere is not that serious and the court ministers have also brought their wives and children into the palace. In the end, this is just a family banquet, so she said a few more sentences, I hope that Imperial Uncle can calm your anger. If Imperial Uncle is unhappy, Imperial Concubine Mother will not longer mention it.” After saying this, he turned and told Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui: “Imperial Concubine Mother should take care of your body and do not be too anxious about This Son’s affairs. It is only a secondary wife and is not that important.” After saying this, he gave a look to Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui which only both of them understood.
Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui did not say any more, but the Emperor was very unhappy, looking towards King Wenxuan coldly, anger showing on his face. Being unable to decide for his own son to marry a secondary wife caused him to feel bad for Xuan Tianmo, so he simply said: “How about Mo-er chooses another person, see which family’s daughter is good, We will decide and have you marry one to bring back to your palace.” After saying this, he looked at those people who stood up to remind him about what he promised and asked in a low tone: “The daughters in your family, We did not give them any special privileges? Hm?”
When he said this, the first one to react was Feng Tianyu, who trembled. She had a bad feeling and only prayed that this unlucky situation better not be thrown in her direction.
But she just had to get what she did not want, hearing the Emperor say: “Prime Minister Feng, We remember that your family’s first daughter has not been betrothed to anyone, why not marry into Sheng Palace as a secondary wife, what do you think?”
The Right Prime Minister only felt humiliated, his body trembling in anger. His first daughter from the prestigious Right Prime Minister family, married to a prince as a secondary wife? How was he supposed to face others from now on? Ignoring that the Eighth Prince was not the crown prince now, even if he was a crown prince, there had been no examples of a first rank official’s daughter going to become a secondary wife. But the Emperor was clearly finding a way to step down gracefully from an awkward situation, and wanted to cause them trouble, how was he supposed to reply? Reject? He had no reason to reject the Emperor’s marriage appointment.
For a while, the atmosphere stilled and it was very awkward.
Xuan Tianmo looked towards the Right Prime Minister Feng Qing with interest, then looked at Feng Tianyu who was at the same table as Feng Yuheng, pondering. Having the Right Prime Minister’s daughter as a secondary wife was not bad as well.
As he was thinking this, he planned to speak and taunt the Right Prime Minister, but unexpectedly, at this moment, he suddenly felt that his lower body was extremely itchy. And that itch expanded outwards from within, as if it started itching from his bones. It was also at that awkward area. He was standing in the middle of the main hall, he could not scratch, but he could not leave it alone either. With the strange itch, his legs clamped together and occasionally rubbed them together to try and ease the itch. But after rubbing a few times, he discovered that it had no effect and the itch grew even worse.
Xuan Tianmo felt so uncomfortable that he was sweating. Standing on the spot, he was in a dilemma and also felt very embarrassed. He vaguely felt that this situation was strange. If it was a normal itch, moving a few times will make the itch go away, but this feeling which came from the inside was straight from the heart and he could not get rid of it at all. He suddenly wish for this imperial banquet to end quickly. His instinct told him that something had gone wrong with his body, because he had such situations recently but they were not serious, he just had to scratch a few times at most for it to go away, but he did not think that in this Jade Hall today, this condition actually flared up so seriously, and it took all his control to withstand this strange itch.
But manifesting at that area, what problem would it be?
Perhaps the other people had not noticed the abnormality in the Eighth Prince, everyone’s attention was focused on the Right Prime Minister Feng Qing, wanting to listen to how Feng Qing would respond to the Emperor. Would he reject or agree? Regardless of the choice, it was a good show!
But Feng Yuheng was different, not only did she notice the change in Xuan Tianmo, she could observe the details and guess where his change occurred and even understood more clearly why this situation would occur. Because, she had caused everything, with her injection of this virus, the effects finally showed itself today.
The corner of her mouth was raised slightly, creating a very evil smile, and this smile was seen by Xuan Tianming opposite. Xuan Tianming used his elbow to jab the Seventh Prince sitting at his side, speaking softly: “That girl is thinking of evil ideas again.”
After just saying this, Feng Yuheng suddenly opened her mouth, asking: “Eighth Brother, what is wrong? Do you feel uncomfortable? When Father Emperor mentioned forming a marriage between Eighth Brother and the first daughter of the Right Prime Minister, why did your forehead suddenly break out in cold sweat?” Her tone was filled with curiosity and confusion, and she even guessed: “Could it be that the characters of the first daughter of the Right Prime Minister and Eighth Brother does not match? Father Emperor mentioning it was enough for Eighth Brother to feel unwell? This is a clash between both their fates, this is clear!”
Once she said this, everyone finally noticed that clearly abnormal Eighth Prince. With just one look, it was just like what Feng Yuheng said, his face was covered in sweat and it seemed like his legs were in discomfort. His two legs were practically almost stuck together and he looked especially unwell.
The Right Prime Minister Feng Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked towards Feng Yuheng, using his gaze to express his thanks. Feng Tianyu finally recovered her soul, holding onto Feng Yuheng and thanking her profusely: “Ah-Heng, you’re amazing after all.”
Feng Yuheng smiled coldly within her heart and immediately applied pressure on the Emperor: “Father Emperor, there needs to be special care in deciding a marriage! Eighth Brother’s health cannot be harmed over a secondary wife. Look, Father Emperor, Eighth Brother’s complexion does not look right.”
The Emperor did not believe in a clash of fates or anything like that, but with Feng Yuheng reminding him about the Eighth Prince’s situation, he had no choice but to take it seriously. After all, Xuan Tianmo’s current condition was there for all to see, and he really immediately became unwell after a suggestion from him. Even if it was a coincidence, wasn’t it too much of a coincidence?
“Father Emperor.” Finally, Xuan Tianming also spoke, “Please do not play around with the life of your most favoured eighth son! The clash of fates is a serious issue, forcing a marriage like this, if the match is not good and results in his death, you will lose a son.”
His words were mocking and the Emperor was unhappy hearing this, but when he was faced with Xuan Tianming’s unreadable face and that strange purple lotus on his brow, he was unable to say anything. In his memories, it seemed like this son had always spoken this way and he was very used to it and even enjoyed it. Dimly, there seemed to be another person who would always talk to him like this without any form of respect and would be hanging around him the whole day. He would say that he was irritated but was happy to entertain that person. But who was that? Those days in the past, how did he spend them?
The Emperor was a little dazed, but he still agreed with Xuan Tianming’s words. Regardless, he could not play around with Xuan Tianmo’s life, the Right Prime Minister made him feel bad just now, he could find other matters to deal with this minister, but there was no need to involve his own son. Thus the Emperor nodded, “Ming-er is correct, We definitely cannot harm Mo-er.”
At this moment, Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui became anxious. She originally felt that Xuan Tianmo marrying the first daughter of the Right Prime Minister as a secondary wife was not bad. Firstly, this would dampen the Right Prime Minister’s spirit. Secondly, this was a like a carrot and stick, at least they could instigate the Right Prime Minister into distancing himself from the people in the Ninth Prince’s faction. Either way, it only benefited her side. But without even starting to think about this good dream, Xuan Tianmo’s sudden discomfort caused her to become wary.
“Mo-er, what’s wrong?” Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui hurried left her high seat and ran towards Xuan Tianmo. Reaching out to feel Xuan Tianmo’s head, it was covered in cold sweat. She was shocked and quickly shouted: “Hurry! Summon an imperial physician! Quickly summon an imperial physician!”
“Imperial Concubine Mother!” Xuan Tianmo wanted to stop it, but the strange itch was hard to withstand. He felt that if an imperial physician was summoned, he was itching at that kind of place, and could not afford this embarrassment. But if an imperial physician was not summoned? This itch made him feel that if he delayed treatment any longer, he might not be able to save his ‘son’. Therefore, he did not stop it, and just withstood the strange itch on his lower body, saying to the Emperor: “Father Emperor, This Son does suddenly feel uncomfortable, can This Son be allowed to rest at Imperial Concubine Mother’s palace and wait for the imperial physician’s examination?”
The Emperor nodded quickly: “Yes! Yes! Go over there in Our dragon palanquin, summon the best imperial physician!” After saying this, he gestured to everyone present, “Today’s Imperial Banquet will end now, all of you leave the palace!” After saying this, he no longer looked at everyone and rushed downwards, accompanying Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui, supporting Xuan Tianmo on each side to leave the Jade Hall first.
An Imperial Banquet, without anyone having time to react, was announced to end under this kind of strange atmosphere……