Chapter 11631 — The Princely Palace
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
Hou Chuang, however, had caught on, and whispered a reminder: "Yesterday the Queen summoned Cheng Shuang'er to the Phoenix Pavilion."
"Hah?"
The Son of Heaven's expression changed at once. "The Queen is mixed up in this too?"
Wei Zhao spoke bluntly: "There are still many matters in my Nightfall Palace waiting for Miss Cheng to return and oversee. If Your Majesty is willing, kindly bring her out. If Your Majesty is not willing, then I shall have to pay a visit to the Phoenix Pavilion."
"Insolence!"
The Son of Heaven stamped his feet. "The Phoenix Pavilion is the Queen's residence! No outside minister may come near it!"
Wei Zhao could not help but glance at him strangely.
Just moments ago he had been so cowed he nearly wet himself—why the sudden violent reaction now?
Beside him, Hou Chuang wore a peculiar expression. As the Son of Heaven's most trusted minister at present, he understood a thing or two about why the Son of Heaven would react this way.
Only, this was a matter that even he found somewhat awkward to speak of.
Wei Zhao frowned. "So long as Your Majesty brings my people out, I can refrain from going to the Phoenix Pavilion."
In his understanding, the Son of Heaven, though hardly outstanding, could not be called lecherous or lustful either. That Queen who dwelt deep in the Phoenix Pavilion had always had little presence—there was no need to bristle at the mere mention of her, was there?
"This…"
The Son of Heaven was instantly stymied.
He did not know why the Queen had summoned Cheng Shuang'er either, but as for going against the Queen's wishes—that he was absolutely unwilling to do.
Wei Zhao said, puzzled, "Does Your Majesty perhaps not have the final say over the Queen?"
The Son of Heaven's face was a portrait of difficulty.
Wei Zhao nodded. "Since that is so, I shall have to go fetch them myself."
Hearing this, the Son of Heaven stamped his feet again and rebuked him: "Wei Zhao, do not push your luck! Had it been any other matter, I would have swallowed it, but if you dare to defile the Queen, then do not blame me for staking everything—a fight to the death!"
The veins on his forehead bulged, his eyes went wide with fury, and the whites were shot through with bloodshot lines born of sheer agitation.
Wei Zhao was mildly taken aback. Judging by that display, the man was genuinely not bluffing after all?
Now he really was curious.
Just who was this queen, that she could make a coward like the Son of Heaven cast all caution to the wind?
"Men!"
At the Son of Heaven's furious shout, a host of elite imperial guards filed in at once and surrounded Wei Zhao on every side.
The corner of Wei Zhao's mouth curved upward. "Is Your Majesty preparing to take me down?"
Off to the side, Hou Chuang grew frantic at the sight.
These elite guards were among the few tangible trump cards left in the Son of Heaven's hand, and their strength was indeed formidable—but the problem was, it also depended on whom they were facing!
Against the Wei Zhao of a year ago, this band of elite guards might indeed have sufficed to take him down.
But against the Wei Zhao of today, it was no exaggeration to say that these men alone could not even serve as an appetizer.
Hou Chuang hastened to dissuade him. "Your Majesty, think thrice! Your Majesty, think thrice!"
By now the Son of Heaven had just about recovered a measure of composure from his earlier state, and at this sight he found himself caught in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat.
What he feared was not merely that these guards might be destroyed at Wei Zhao's hands; if this truly provoked Wei Zhao into flying into a rage and going all the way with it, then whether he, a puppet Son of Heaven, would even live to see the end of this day was now an open question.
He could not afford to gamble.
Yet where the queen was concerned, he truly did not wish to yield.