Chapter 289 Going to the Huo Mansion
Seeing that Shen Qingci was squinting and silent, only scrutinizing him with a critical gaze, Huo Yunting's heart sank slightly, and he continued, "This humble general thinks that some of what Your Highness said before is quite reasonable."
"Both I and Your Highness are victims, fellow sufferers in this world."
"Back then, I was unwilling to be bribed by Liu Wenyuan and unwilling to go along with his corrupt ways. That's why I was almost killed in the wilderness by my own brother and my wife, who were my closest relatives."
"Before Emperor Yongming's death, my identity could not be exposed, so I had to hide my identity and swallow my anger."
"The first thing I did upon returning after Emperor Yongming's death was to kill that poisonous woman Liu Ruolan and to make my stance clear to my biased mother, thus completely severing ties with her."
Huo Yunting's eyes were icy cold, and his tone was ruthless: "This humble general has no way out and no home to return to. He can only be loyal to His Majesty in order to gain a foothold."
He lowered his head slightly and softened his tone: "I say this only to reassure Your Majesty. Although I am surnamed Huo, I will never have any objection to Your Majesty's remarriage after Huo Yunzhan faked his death, just because Huo Yunzhan is my younger brother."
"A villain like Huo Yunzhan is not worthy of a woman as beautiful and elegant as Your Majesty."
Shen Qingci waited quietly for him to finish speaking, until he had said everything he wanted to say, before finally speaking slowly and deliberately, her voice cold: "General Huo, why do you think that I am targeting you?"
"Is it because General Huo said he could lead troops to search the palace in the Golden Palace, but I refused because I was concerned about the peace and dignity of the other concubines of the late Emperor, and suggested that Your Majesty let General Huo be in charge of drawing up the plans and let the Imperial Guards be in charge of the search?"
Shen Qingci tilted her head slightly, as if recalling the scene at the time, and then chuckled softly: "I don't think I was targeting the general."
"I am simply offering what I consider to be the safest and most reasonable opinion from my current position as the mother of the nation."
"The inner palace is a forbidden area. As a man outside the palace, it is inappropriate for the general to lead troops into the palace to search, and it is easy to cause controversy."
Shen Qingci looked up at Huo Yunting, her clear eyes seemingly able to see through people's hearts: "But what I'm more curious about now is that I think my suggestion is reasonable and also for the sake of the general's reputation."
"No matter which general proposes that idea today, I would agree with the same opinion."
"Why is it that when these words reached General Huo's ears, it inexplicably became that I was targeting General Huo?"
She paused, her eyes sharpening slightly: "I don't think I have any issues with General Huo, but General Huo seems to have quite a few issues with me, even... being overly suspicious."
"When General Huo thinks that I am targeting you because of the Huo family, prejudice has already taken root in your heart."
"General, do you think this makes sense?"
Huo Yunting's hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched silently, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.
He didn't expect Shen Qingci to be so sharp-tongued, throwing the question back at him in just a few words and even labeling him as "biased".
This woman is indeed difficult to deal with.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in his heart, and forced a somewhat stiff smile: "Your Majesty is too kind. How could this humble general dare to have any prejudice against Your Majesty?"
"It's just that I'm new to the court and I'm inevitably a little anxious. I'm afraid that my previous family affairs might have affected my impression of His Majesty and Her Majesty, which is why I've been overthinking things. I hope Her Majesty will forgive me."
"Since Your Majesty says so, then I have been judging you by my own petty standards. I apologize to Your Majesty." Huo Yunting said, and was about to bow in respect.
Shen Qingci did not stop him. After accepting his bow, she said calmly, "There is no need for an apology. I just hope that General Huo will act more openly and less suspiciously in the future."
"Yes, Your Majesty's teachings will be remembered." Huo Yunting replied with his head bowed, but a barely perceptible hint of sinister intent flashed in his eyes.
This feud is now officially established.
Shen Qingci smiled and continued, "General Huo, please go ahead and get busy. Although I can't personally lead the troops to search, I still maintain that General Huo is fully aware of the secret passages and hidden chambers in the palace."
"If General Huo can draw up a detailed map of the secret passages and hidden rooms to assist Commander Ye Lan, and if they manage to find any remnants of the Liu faction or contraband in the search, it would be a great achievement."
"His Majesty is fair in rewarding and punishing, and will surely remember General Huo's great merit."
Huo Yunting lowered his eyes, concealing the emotions within them, nodded, clasped his hands in farewell, and said, "This humble general obeys the order and will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust. This humble general takes his leave."
Watching Huo Yunting mount his horse and leave, Shen Qingci slowly lowered the carriage curtain.
Only now did Wanqing, who was standing to the side, finally breathe a long sigh of relief, patting her chest and saying, "You scared me to death."
"This Huo Yunting looks completely different from when he was at the Huo residence. Although he was cold before, at least he still looked like a human being."
"Now he exudes a sinister aura that sends chills down your spine."
Wanqing said softly, "Miss, shall we go back to the manor now?"
A dark glint flashed in Shen Qingci's eyes, and the corners of her lips curled slightly, but her tone was exceptionally firm: "I will not return to the manor."
Wanqing was taken aback and asked in surprise, "Not going back to the manor? Then where are we going?"
Shen Qingci nodded, her eyes gleaming: "Let's go to the Huo residence first."
Shen Qingci narrowed her eyes and tapped her fingers lightly on the car window frame: "I suspect that Huo Yunting's so-called severing of ties with the Huo family and his mother is just an excuse to cover up his true intentions and gain sympathy."
"I want to go and see if this severing of ties is really true."
“Besides,” Shen Qingci straightened her sleeves, her expression becoming somewhat languid and arrogant, “I finally became Empress, but I haven’t even visited the Huo family in this capacity yet, to let them see me properly. Isn’t that a pity?”
Wanqing's eyes darted around, and she immediately understood what her young mistress meant. She clapped her hands excitedly and said, "We should go back!"
"Those people from the Huo family treated you so badly back then, poisoning you and framing you. They should go back and see how successful you are now, and make them regret it so much they'll turn green with envy!"
Wanqing immediately instructed the carriage driver to turn around and head to the Huo residence.
Because of the various scandals that happened to the Huo family in the past, coupled with Huo Yunzhan's beheading, the Huo family is now infamous, its doors are closed, and it is deserted.
The carriage stopped in front of the Huo residence. Wanqing jumped out of the carriage and knocked heavily on the door.
After a long while, the vermilion gate creaked open a crack, and the gatekeeper cautiously peeked out, his face wary: "Who is it? We don't receive guests at this residence..."
Upon seeing Wanqing's familiar face, the gatekeeper was startled, as if he had seen a ghost. His gaze immediately swept past Wanqing and fell upon the carriage behind her, where he saw Shen Qingci slowly alighting from the carriage with the help of her maid.
Although Shen Qingci is now dressed in luxurious clothes and has an extraordinary demeanor, the doorman is all too familiar with that face.
He blurted out instinctively, "The...General's wife?"
Wanqing's eyebrows furrowed, and she shouted sternly, "Insolence! What General's wife? Open your dog eyes and see clearly, this is the current Empress! Kneel down and greet her at once!"
The gatekeeper's legs went weak at the shout, and he knelt on the ground with a thud, trembling: "Your Majesty...Your Majesty, spare me! I was blind! I will go and inform the old lady right away!"
As he spoke, he scrambled inside, forgetting to close the door properly.
Shen Qingci watched the gatekeeper's disheveled figure, a cold smile curling at the corner of her lips, and stepped across the threshold that had once caused her so much humiliation.
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