Chapter 244

Luo Wei had already gone to bed when he received Emperor Xingwu's imperial edict. He followed Zhao Fu and hurried into the palace, however Emperor Xingwu did not meet with him that night. Someone came to relay the emperor’s words, instructing Luo Wei to rest in his usual room in Changming Palace. Luo Wei had remained at home for several months, and wasn’t aware that there was another rumor about him circulating. "Why did His Majesty summon me to the palace?" Before Luo Wei laid down to rest, he once again asked Zhao Fu, who was waiting by the bed.

"Young master," Zhao Fu said to Luo Wei with an apologetic look, "This slave really doesn't know this time."

"My father is still with His Majesty?" He asked again.

"Yes, His Majesty is talking to the Prime Minister," Zhao Fu said, "but us servants are not allowed in the vicinity." 

Luo Wei said, “What is it that happened in court today?" At home, Luo Wei had heard from Fu Hua that when his father had returned to the mansion today, he had not even stepped off the sedan before he was called away again by the imperial guards.

"It doesn’t seem to be the usual issues, I'm not sure." Zhao Fu said, "In truth, I don't really understand. Just hearing about it leaves me worried." 

Without obtaining any information from Zhao Fu, Luo Wei could only resign and lie down.

Instead of the young eunuchs next to him, Zhao Fu personally let down the bed curtains and put on the lamp shades. He stood in front of Luo Wei's bed and listened for a while. When there was no movement on the bed, he retreated with the eunuchs. After shutting the doors to the room, Zhao Fu ordered, "Serve him well."

The young eunuchs stood by the door. They held their breaths and concentrated, not daring to be careless in the slightest.

Luo Wei was suspicious. Zhao Fu had lit some soothing incense in the room, but he couldn't fall asleep. He went over the recent events in his mind. He couldn't think of any developments in or outside the court that were detrimental to his family. Could it be that his eldest or second brother were in trouble? Luo Wei was confused. He sat up and looked around the big bed. These days, he and Wei Lan slept together every night. Wei Lan was not there, and Luo Wei was not used to it. He didn't know for how long he sat there. It wasn't until the warm quilt grew cold again that he remembered to put on his clothes and get out of bed. He opened the bed curtain and realized that a whole night had passed.

"Marquis," the young eunuchs guarding the room fell to their knees when they saw Luo Wei open the door and step out.

Luo Wei looked at the dozen or so little eunuchs and was stunned. It was normal for someone to be waiting outside the door, but why were there so many people? 

"What are you all doing?" He asked, "Have you been standing here all night?"

“This servant is waiting to serve the Marquis," the eunuchs replied to Luo Wei in unison.

“Young Master, are you up?" Zhao Fu walked over quickly with a smile on his face.

"You got so many people to serve me?" Luo Wei asked Zhao Fu, pointing to the young eunuchs kneeling on the ground.

"It’s getting cold, is it not?" Zhao Fu spoke, stepping in front of Luo Wei. He bowed and continued, "This slave knows that the young master needs to pay more attention to his body’s condition with the arrival of winter, so I’ve ordered more people to wait by your room."

Luo Wei looked at Zhao Fu and said, "I’m alright as long as I don't freeze. What's the use of having more people?"

“Young master is teaching me a lesson," Zhao Fu hurriedly bowed to Luo Wei again, "I will tell them to go."

The young eunuchs bowed their heads and retreated.

Luo Wei felt an increasing sense of foreboding. He looked at Zhao Fu's ingratiating smile and saw the intention of flattery in it. Zhao Fu, the general manager of Changming Palace, didn't seem to need to curry favor with anyone except Emperor Xingwu. "When will His Majesty see me?" Luo Wei asked, uneasy but still maintaining a calm exterior.

"His Majesty is resting," Zhao Fu said, "Young Master, it's better to have breakfast first."

"Does His Majesty not have to go to court today?"

"His Majesty did not sleep last night," Zhao Fu knew that Luo Wei was not easy to deal with, so he responded to Luo Wei's words very carefully, "I must go wait on His Majesty as soon as he gets up." 

"Where is my father?"

“The Prime Minister," Zhao Fu lowered his head, and said while averting his gaze, "The Prime Minister left the palace at dawn."

“Go serve His Majesty," Luo Wei turned around and went back into his room.

"Young master," Zhao Fu wanted to follow Luo Wei in.

"If you don't leave now, His Majesty will miss the morning court." Luo Wei smiled at Zhao Fu and said, "Are you afraid that I will run away? This is the palace." Zhao Fu understood the meaning of Luo Wei's words and did not dare to continue retorting. He stepped back and left the room.

Sitting inside, Luo Wei did not spare a glance at the breakfast brought in by the servants. Emperor Xingwu hadn’t met with him and didn't allow him to leave. Zhao Fu was behaving strangely. It seemed that the reason he had been called in had to do with himself. Had he made any mistakes? Luo Wei was puzzled, and finally thought about the rumors of him and Emperor Xingwu. Did the emperor want to deal with him for the sake of upholding his reputation? All this, just because of a rumor?

"How is Luo Wei?" As he walked up the stairs to the court, Emperor Xingwu paused and asked Zhao Fu, "Did he ask you anything?" 

"The young master didn't ask much," Zhao Fu whispered back to Emperor Xingwu. "He was just anxious to see His Majesty."

"Have Dr. Wei pay him a visit," Emperor Xingwu said, "He can't stand the cold. That room needs to be warmer." 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Xingwu had covered his eyes with a wet towel during the night, but as he entered Jinluan Hall, the officials could clearly see the Emperor’s bloodshot eyes. The ministers exchanged meaningful looks with each other; they all knew the reason for his current appearance.

"Do you have anything to report?" Emperor Xingwu asked after his ministers paid their respects.

"Your Majesty," the first person to step forward was Junior Chancellor Qiu Che.

Luo Zhiqiu, who was standing in the first row of civil servants, gritted his teeth when he saw Qiu Che coming forward. While they stood outside Jinluan Hall, Xie Yu had already informed him of the rumors that had spread throughout Xanadu last night.

Emperor Xingwu looked at the ministers under the Jade Steps. Except for those in Luo’s party, those people were all telling him the same thing, that the country took priority over any individual. All of them obliged him to send Luo Wei away, regardless of whether or not he was the emperor's son. Sending Luo Wei could quell the war – this should be in the emperor’s best interest.

Luo Zhiqiu’s mouth was filled with the taste of blood.

Emperor Xingwu looked at Crown Prince Long Yu, only to find that Long Yu was staring blankly at the ground in front of him. The jade-paved floor was so smooth one could see one’s own reflection. Long Yu seemed to be looking at his reflection in a trance, as if everything around him had nothing to do with him. Emperor Xingwu looked away from Long Yu, and caught sight of Long Xuan standing behind him. What Emperor Xingwu didn't expect was that on Long Xuan's face, he saw a look of unbearable frustration, anxiety, and hesitance.

Xie Yu also stood in the morning court, and he couldn't understand why his mentor had strictly ordered him and the others not to speak up for Luo Wei. Did they really want to see Luo Wei die?

"Luo Wei is my son." The second sentence spoken by Emperor Xingwu that day caused the entire Jinluan Palace to fall silent.

Long Xuan lowered his head. He suddenly couldn't breathe. How could Luo Wei weigh against the entirety of the country? He had long anticipated Emperor Xingwu's decision. Even so, tears slid down Long Xuan's face and fell silently onto the jade floor.

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