After the Disabled God of War Became My Concubine
chapter-195

As the current Chief Minister of Southern Jing, Qi Min went out of the palace to meet Huo Yuyan, which really expressed how much importance Huo Wujiu attached to it.

Everyone knew that Qi-daren was going out of the city to meet Huo Yuyan today. What kind of person was Qi-daren? Counting the years to the present, he was now a veteran minister that has served four dynasties. Even if Pang Shao were alive, he would give him some respect. However, to be able to go out of the palace to meet Huo Yuyan at the age of 70 was evidence that General Hou treasured his brotherhood with His Highness Huo Yuyan.

But in Huo Yuyan’s point of view, this wasn’t the case.

When he heard the news that Qi-daren was waiting outside the city, his face became a bit ugly. He responded drily, lowered the curtain, and then said nothing after that.

Qi Min? No matter how famous he was, he wasn’t a rarity in Huo Wujiu’s eyes.

Huo Wujiu disliked civil servants, especially Qi Min, a bitter scholar full of loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness, who betrayed his former ruler. If Huo Wujiu really valued him and had no enmity with him, why didn’t one of his high-ranking officers come to meet him?

In Huo Wujiu’s eyes, any soldier was more important than Qi Min.

For a time, Huo Yuyan couldn’t even guess what Huo Wujiu was thinking.

Did he let Qi Min out of the city because of Li Sheng, or was he already suspicious, so he used Qi Min to go through the motions? It could also be that Huo Wujiu had no other intention, and it was only because Qi Min’s reputation was out there. Was it to let the world see how much he valued him and to show his loyalty to the Northern Liang court, so as to earn himself a reputation and dignity?

Qi Min was so special that Huo Yuyan was at a loss for a while.

He calmly pondered for a long time. His body was hopeless, and it was even more inadvisable for him to overthink. The carriage rocked all the way, and when they arrived outside the city gate of Lin’an, Huo Yuyan was already exhausted physically and mentally. He felt drained from head to toe.

He coughed a few times at the sight of the looming lofty city gates. He forced himself to endure the discomfort that wracked his body, propped up as usual, and sat straight in the carriage.

The carriage came to a halt and a resounding voice outside.

“This minister has been ordered to welcome Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

Then, a soldier opened the curtain of the carriage for Huo Yuyan.

A eunuch came forward and helped Huo Yuyan out of the carriage. Just as he put his arm on Huo Yuyan’s, he felt his frailty and could not help but look at him worriedly.

However, he appeared normal as ever with even a gentle smile on his face.

The eunuch gingerly withdrew his gaze.

Huo Yuyan stood in front of the carriage, threw away the eunuch’s hand, walked to Qi Min, and helped the trembling old minister up.

“It’s been hard work for Qi-daren to wait here,” Huo Yuyan gently said.

However, Qi Min maintained an indifferent expression. He showed no enthusiasm, and only a businesslike attitude. He took a half step back and bowed: “This minister respectfully welcomes Your Highness. The General has prepared a banquet in the palace, and he’s waiting to treat Your Highness to dinner after your wearing journey.”

Huo Yuyan looked as usual, but his gaze paused on Qi Min’s face.

Looking at his attitude… Was it because he was an old minister of Southern Jing, or because of Huo Wujiu’s instruction?

Huo Yuyan felt even more uncertain about Huo Wujiu’s intentions.

He shook, but the young eunuch dared to step forward and promptly supported him. He smiled faintly. When he looked back, he motioned the captain of the guard behind him with his eyes. Then he turned around and said with a warm smile, “I’m indeed tired. Thank you for your effort then, Qi-daren. Please lead the way.”

Qi Min echoed, and with the same indifferent front, he turned around and walked away.

Next to him, Lou Yue took everything in his eyes.

He knew that Qi Min was definitely Jiang Suizhou’s arrangement. Presently, Huo Yuyan personally rushed to Southern Jing because he couldn’t figure out Huo Wujiu’s stance and wanted to come and see for himself. Jiang Suizhou guessed it, so he asked the people around him to create a deceptive trick to make Huo Yuyan uncertain, and thus increasingly become uneasy.

Only when people were caught in a confusion and uncertainty would they make the most irrational choice.

With this in mind, Lou Yue greeted him and said smilingly, “Your Highness doesn’t need to take it to heart. That old geezer, Qi Min, has a stinky temper that no one likes to deal with. Your Highness must not bother with him.”

Huo Yuyan wanted to guess Huo Wujiu’s thoughts through these people under his command, but he was a meticulous and careful person, a deep and astute man. When people like him speculate about others, some details would likely confuse them.

Then, they’d better go out of their way and mess with Huo Yuyan’s head.

Sure enough, when Huo Yuyan heard this, he smiled and replied warmly, “What’s wrong with that? Qi-daren is highly respected. It is only right for him to have some temper. I appreciate his true temperament.”

Lou Yue laughed loudly at his words: “Since Your Highness is generous, this General is relieved! Your Highness, please get into the carriage.”

Huo Yuyan smiled in response, turned around and boarded the carriage.

The smile on his face today was already forced, but when he arrived at the palace, he could no longer sustain it.

In the resplendent and magnificent banquet hall, the civil and military officials were already seated and waiting for him.

The main seat was empty, so it must have been reserved for him.

However, the person sitting next to him, the second top most seat, was not Huo Wujiu.

Instead, it was a man dressed in the grand crown of the Prince Qin of Southern Jing. He was quite young and born overly beautiful, so delicate to the point of being almost bewitching.

Under the light, he smiled faintly at him. His smile was self-contained and profound, like a victor, flaunting his strength in court against him.