Chapter 77 The Substitute: The Queen
In an instant, Xie Changyu felt a darkness before her eyes, and her slender, fair hand suddenly gripped the edge of the table, her fingers involuntarily curling.
It's actually true.
He felt a mix of lingering fear and indescribable emotions, which made him feel very uncomfortable.
He was also secretly relieved that he hadn't said anything wrong in front of the tyrant and had managed to distance himself from Fu Shuqing.
If the tyrant knew that he had been hugged and carried by the future queen, he would be unpredictable in his actions.
Thinking of this, he turned his head to look to the side in a panic. He wanted to know whether the two brothers knew about this matter or not, but what he saw were two identical indifferent faces.
His gaze was too obvious. When he looked over, Fu Jing raised his head and smiled in response, while Fu Shuqing kept his head down and remained silent. From his angle, he couldn't see the emotions in Fu Shuqing's eyes.
Therefore, Xie Changyu was certain that the two men were fully aware of the news.
He only just found out about this. Thinking of this, Xie Changyu grabbed Fu Jing's hand under the table and squeezed it hard a few times to deflate his anger.
The force was immense. Fu Jing's face contorted for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. He knew why the person beside him was angry, so he obediently endured the force.
As for Xie Changyu, after venting his anger, he looked at Fu Shuqing with a complicated expression, and it was hard to tell what emotions he was feeling.
Sometimes I envy them, sometimes I find it strange.
Fu Jing turned his head away, blocking his view. He didn't speak, or rather, no one in the entire hall spoke. Ever since the tyrant on the platform casually uttered those words, the atmosphere in the hall had instantly become tense. Everyone held their breath, afraid that their breathing would be too loud and make the tyrant think they were objecting.
It should be noted that this person's temperament has always been unpredictable and changeable; sometimes he would go on a killing spree for seemingly trivial reasons.
The bloodshed within the palace has never ceased.
Xie Changyu didn't dare to say anything more because of this. He saw that Fu Jing was blocking his view, so he didn't do anything else. He just looked away and stared at the teacup in front of him in a daze.
The emperor, dressed in black robes, seemed oblivious to the impact of his words on the people in the grand hall. He held a cup of wine in front of him, observing it casually, and asked in a nonchalant tone, "I wonder what my beloved ministers think of my empress?"
Such words make it seem as if General Fu Shuqing is being treated as an object for everyone to discuss.
But if the emperor is frivolous, how can the people below follow suit? After all, Fu Shuqing is the guardian deity of their country, and many people admire and respect him.
Therefore, some of the younger generation couldn't help but show anger when they heard such words, but most of them showed fear.
The person mentioned, Fu Shuqing, seemed not to hear his own name being called, and simply took another sip of wine.
"Hehehe..."
Wei Yue chuckled softly, but his expression turned somewhat bored afterward. His smile gradually faded, and his dark pupils swept across the audience before he threw his wine glass away.
"What? Didn't you hear what I said? Are you all mute?"
The emperor was furious, and everyone in the hall trembled with fear, bowing respectfully and repeatedly saying, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger..."
Xie Changyu grew increasingly annoyed. He felt that this tyrant was mentally ill and didn't know what kind of questions he was asking. How could anyone possibly answer such questions?
"You people are really boring."
You're clearly the one who's mentally ill.
"It seems you all like my queen very much."
Who would dare not like it?
Xie Changyu muttered to himself, but appeared very obedient on the surface.
"Where is my queen? Why doesn't she say a few words?"
Wei Yuehua spoke in a calm tone, as if she had just suddenly remembered the person in question.
As for Fu Shuqing, who was mentioned, he remained calm and showed no joy at the prospect of immediately becoming the Empress. After all, the sudden appointment of a powerful general as Empress meant that all his power would be taken back.
Xie Changyu didn't know why Fu Shuqing would agree. Could it be that they were in love? But he couldn't tell at all. However, he remembered the rumors he had heard before, and he was no longer sure.
Thinking of those rumors, like the one about a substitute and a sadomasochistic relationship, Xie Changyu felt a headache coming on.
Forget it, what does this have to do with him? His two brothers did tell him about becoming queen beforehand, so it seems they didn't want him to get involved. He can just treat it as a stranger's business.
While he was brainstorming, by the time he came to his senses, the discussion in the entire hall had grown louder and louder. Xie Changyu looked to the side and saw that Fu Shuqing was no longer in his original seat, and the tyrant on the stage had also disappeared.
The two of them just left the stage at the same time.
Xie Changyu ignored Fu Jing beside him and looked at his parents, only to find that they both seemed lost in thought.
Xie Changyu assumed they were equally shocked by the news. While it was uncommon for emperors to marry men, it wasn't unheard of. What surprised everyone more was that General Fu was willing to give up his military power and become a member of the tyrant's harem.
This broke the hearts of many men and women who admired General Fu.
"mother?"
Xie Changyu gently nudged Madam Xie.
Upon being called that, Madam Xie's dazed expression vanished, and she only came to her senses when her gaze fell on Xie Changyu. "Changyu, what's wrong?"
Xie Changyu felt that his mother was acting a little strange, but he didn't delve into it. He yawned and casually said, "His Majesty has left, so can we go back to the manor now? I'm a little tired."
Madam Xie smiled gently, "Are you tired?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Changyu nodded vigorously. Then he heard his mother ask, "Were you frightened by His Majesty just now?"
Xie Changyu's eyes widened instantly. He quickly grabbed his mother's hand and made a shushing gesture. He whispered, "Mother, don't talk about this in the palace. It wouldn't be good if someone heard us."
Fu Jing had told him before that the tyrant's men were always monitoring them, and that their actions in the mansion could be heard, let alone in the palace. Although he didn't know if it was true or not, Xie Changyu believed it.
Madam Xie stroked his hair and chuckled, "Alright, let's not talk about this."
Although she didn't know why the child did this, she got the answer she had just received, and her eyes darkened for a moment.
"mother?"
Xie Changyu looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"Alright, let's go back to the manor with Father. He just drank several cups of wine; I wonder if he's drunk."
Madam Xie and Xie Changyu stood up, preparing to leave.
Fu Jing felt a little wronged when people ignored him, but he knew the reason and didn't dare to go forward. This time, he and his brother were in the wrong. When he first learned about the Empress's matter, he originally wanted to tell Xie Changyu, but his brother said that he couldn't tell for the time being.
And then it's been dragged on until now.
The boy in red sat quietly watching the Xie family leave. Only after they had completely disappeared did he get up to go find his brother.
His Majesty took everyone with him when he left.
Thinking back to how incredulous and doubtful he was when he first heard the news that his brother was going to be empress, Fu Jing lowered his head, a hint of mockery in his eyes. What plan against the enemy? He had clearly already seized the power of the Fu family. This guy's appetite was far too greedy...
Thinking of his brother's compromise at the time, a dark and secret joy flashed through Fu Jing's heart.
Xie Changyu knew nothing about what was happening in the palace. After returning to his residence by carriage, he was helped by his servants to his room.
They served everything: a heater and hot tea.
Although the New Year has passed, the New Year has not yet arrived. Xie Changyu, dressed in a white undershirt, sat on the bed, counting the days on his fingers.
one two three……
"Yes, only five more days until we can stay up all night to celebrate the New Year!"
The boy, whose face still held a hint of childishness, lay there contentedly, holding a hand warmer in his hand and a hot water bottle on his feet to keep them warm.
Chinese New Year is just around the corner, I wonder how much money I'll receive in red envelopes this year, hehe.
Thinking about the silver that was about to be in his hands, Xie Changyu's mood immediately improved.
As the night grew quiet, the sound of snow falling softly began again. Xie Changyu opened the window and glanced out; the ground outside, trampled by snow, was once again covered with a layer of white.
Seeing this window frame, Xie Changyu thought of Fu Shuqing again.
As he gently rubbed his fingers together, an unbearable emotion welled up inside him. Xie Changyu couldn't quite define the feeling, but for some reason, he felt an urge to curse.
They cursed Fu Shuqing, Fu Jing, Pei Zilie, and that tyrant...
He wants to curse everyone right now. He got irritated by these people today, which has put him in a bad mood.
Empress... This word was too unfamiliar. Xie Changyu leaned back and thought quietly, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, her dark pupils filled with inexplicable emotions.
His parents seemed a bit off today, but he was afraid he might have misjudged them.
Sigh, Xie Changyu rubbed his head in annoyance. He was fed up and decided to go to sleep. He didn't care about these guys anymore; they were none of his business anyway. Let them be empresses or whatever. He would never speak to Fu Shuqing again, lest he be discovered and have his head chopped off. After all, he had previously harbored a secret crush on Fu Shuqing that no one else knew about.
Fortunately, we were able to stop the damage in time. If the tyrant had found out, well, he would have been finished.
Amidst a myriad of thoughts, the person on the bed, as white as jade, fell into a deep sleep.
He naturally missed the guy who came to break into his window again.
Xie Changyu only knew that when he woke up the next day, he saw a golden treasure placed next to his bed.
"This is?"
His eyes lit up as he held the golden treasure in his arms, playing with it with great joy. Once he confirmed it was real, he was even more delighted and forgot all about home.
After playing for most of the day, Xie Changyu vaguely guessed who had delivered it.
Fu Shuqing.
He curled his lips into a smile. He hadn't expected this guy to be so sensible, even knowing to send him something as an apology. So he would reluctantly forgive the other party for deceiving him and the Empress.
However, the thought of being doomed if the tyrant found out that Fu Shuqing had given him something made him realize that he would be finished.
His good mood vanished again. Xie Changyu looked at the golden treasure with a conflicted expression, but finally decided to put it away. After all, it wasn't something he wanted; it was given to him by Fu Shuqing, so it had nothing to do with him.
Yes, that's it.
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Author's note: Just a heads-up, the wedding is definitely not going to happen.
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