Chapter 715: Trying To Frame Wei Wei But Received A Slap From His Highness Instead
Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
The two ministers echoed and supported each other’s opinions. The hidden meaning behind their words was crystal-clear, hinting at the lack of news of pregnancy from Helian Wei Wei.
The others were stunned when they heard it. After all, many of the ministers had become loyal wors.h.i.+ppers of Helian Wei Wei.
With the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs as the leader, they had specially allowed some people to enter the palace occasionally and listen to Helian Wei Wei’s advice on their cases.
Now that they heard some people hurling disguised mockery at Helian Wei Wei, they too become secretly anxious.
1After all, the matter of having sons and heirs in royal families was a very important issue since ancient times…
Lord Li noticed that the atmosphere had quietened, so he asked Helian Wei Wei smilingly on purpose, “Princess Consort, what do you think?” This suggestion would surely be rejected if they had asked the Third Prince directly. If they asked indirectly like this, she definitely could not refuse them in front of the ministers. Otherwise, she would seem a narrow-minded woman. Thus, it would provide them with even more excuses to request His Highness to marry imperial concubines.
Helian Wei Wei looked at him and was about to talk.
Suddenly, she was stopped by a wooden chopstick flying toward him in the air.
The martial Qi imbued in the chopstick pierced through the Lord Li’s hat on his head. The resulting impact made Lord Li fumble two steps backward at once.
As if Lord Li was stunned by the sudden attack, the smile at the corner of his mouth remained hanging, as his lips instantly turned ashen pale. When he stroked his long, straggled hair, he realized that he was inches away from immediate death.
If it were not for his official hat protecting him, the wooden chopstick would have penetrated his brain.
When Lord Li had recovered, every fiber of muscle in his body trembled violently.
Everyone looked at the attacker, Baili Jia Jue. However, he merely smiled indifferently while playing with another chopstick in his hand, asking, “Lord Li, you know that I’ve sent troops to attack the capital of Xuanyuan Kingdom, right? Then, do you know why am I doing this?”
As he spoke, he set another wooden stick upright elegantly, but his eyes were murderously cold.
Whoos.h.!.+
Another swis.h.i.+ng noise was heard!
Lord Li’s left leg was instantly punctured!
“Ahhh!”
His painful yell reverberated through the entire palace hall.
Lord Li had lost his tongue. He collapsed on the ground of the Great Hall, hugging his left leg that was in intense pain while rolling frantically around.
Bright red blood gushed from Lord Li’s knee, causing the other minister’s face to blanch in terror. He swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue and gulped terrifyingly.
Baili Jia Jue simply took a white handkerchief next to him and wiped his hands, before continuing, “It’s because they kept forcing me to marry concubines.”
“Your, Your Highness! The ministers are merely thinking for the greater good of the War Dragon Dynasty,” the officials explained desperately and glanced at the Retired Emperor. As if he had gained some courage, he added, “Moreover, even if Your Highness doesn’t agree with it, you don’t need to hurt people? After all, we are ministers who had supported the Retired Emperor through thick and thin. Haven’t Your Highness thought how bitterly disappointed the others would be if they see you treating Lao Li and me like this?”
When the Retired Emperor heard the last sentence, he furrowed his eyebrows even more tightly.
The minister seized the opportunity and continued, “If it weren’t the lack of good news from Third Princess Consort, Lao Li and I would not mention the concubine selection. However, this imperial palace is really inhumane. Is it wrong for us to be concerned about Your Highness?”
“Concerned about me?” Baili Jia Jie sneered menacingly, his face was dripping with sarcasm.
Upon hearing that, the official stopped crying out his grievance at Baili Jia and talked to the Retired Emperor instead, saying, “Retired Emperor, please save us. His Highness’ personality is dreadful, killing anyone as his wish. If we’ve known this, we’d rather go back and farm at home!” As he spoke, he let out a sigh of relief, uttering, “Dangerous beauty, she’s really a dangerous beauty!”
He mentioned the words ‘dangerous beauty’ to allude to Helian Wei Wei as he wanted to s.h.i.+ft the blame to Helian Wei Wei.
The minister clearly understood that it would be impossible for the Retired Emperor to punish the Third Prince. However, Helian Wei Wei was different. They had been married for so long but she was still not pregnant. It was considered a sin in ancient times. As Baili Jia Jue did not intend to marry any concubine, her sin was even greater.
If the Third Prince was strongly opposed to this, the ordinary civilians and his peers would claim that His Highness was doing this for Helian Wei Wei.
The minister believed that the Retired Emperor surely understood this. The greatest taboo for a ruler was to show favor on one woman.
1Even if Third Prince did not want to marry a concubine, he could not do anything to them.
As the minister had calculated the outcome perfectly, he naturally felt very confident.
However, something unexpected to him happened just as he finished speaking. His daughter was brought in by the shadow guards of the imperial palace. Her hair was unkempt, her clothes were disheveled, and her entire body was covered in a peculiar odor. She was blindfolded by a black cloth and there was a coa.r.s.e waistband at her waist. A servant from her home was brought in with her.
When the minister saw this scene, he realized that it was the end for him.
His daughter was fine in everything but she was unsettled. She always lost her reservation whenever she saw a handsome man.
Due to her promiscuity, he had dismissed many people, but he did not expect that she had not changed her ugly habit.
She was released and before she could see her surroundings, her eyes met her father’s face. Instantly, she became agitated and pulled the servant beside her over, trying to use him as a s.h.i.+eld to hide. At the same time, she said, “Daddy, I won’t do it anymore. This is my last, this really is my last time. I won’t do this again after I’ve entered the palace!”
If she had remained silent, the situation would still be salvageable. However, her speaking up was tantamount to admitting to everything.
When the minister heard her, his head felt dizzy and his face felt burningly hot, slowly asphyxiating him.
Baili Jia Jue spoke elegantly and casually, “This is one of the concubines that Lord Wu wants me to marry. I know that she’s your only daughter and you always favor her. You also hope that she could lead a happy life in the future. It would be best if she could marry someone high-ranking. However, how dare you choose a woman who made immoral love with her servant to be my concubine? I’ve rejected your suggestion but you tried to rile me up by mentioning ‘dangerous beauty’! Hah, do you think you have the right to do so?”
“I, I…” the minister stammered nervously as his lips quivered in fear. His overconfidence had vanished, while his previously arrogant and relentless att.i.tude changed completely. He kneeled on the ground and endlessly plead for mercy, crying, “Your Highness, I had simply lost my marbles. I beg Your Highness for your mercy, please overlook this since I’ve made great contributions to the country! Please give me mercy!”
The ministers immediately realized what was happening. It was obvious that there was something wrong with Lady Wu’s behavior and Lord Wu had known about this. It was her daughter, after all. It was impossible for him to be in the dark about it.
However, Lord Wu wanted to p.a.w.n his unchaste daughter to the palace for glory, wealth, and status…