Having gotten the emperor’s permission, Luo Wei smiled and rose to pour a hot cup of tea for him, “I went with the fifth prince to see the second prince today and heard that Consort Liu is very ill.”
Emperor Xing Wu sipped the tea, “You don’t need to bother yourself with them.”
Luo Wei said, “I know that the second prince has always wanted to go into battle in order to help shoulder some of Your Imperial Majesty’s stress, and to protect the nation. Only now that Consort Liu is ill, he won’t be able to leave her by herself with how loyal to the family he is.”
Emperor Xing Wu made a “mm” noise and continued sipping on the tea. After a moment of thought, he looked up at Luo Wei, “Wei Er, be honest with me, are you not too fond of being in the palace?”
Luo Wei smiled with some resignation, “I’d like to stay by Your Imperial Majesty’s side, but there are things in the palace that I don’t understand and can’t wrap my mind around it.”
“Like what?”
“Father has always taught me that in this world, black is black and white is white. But, in the palace, I can’t seem to separate the two.”
Emperor Xing Wu sighed. He was somewhat glad now that Luo Wei didn’t grow up at his side, and wasn’t exposed to things like this until now.
The next day, Long Xuan really did come to the emperor to request permission to ride out with the army.
Emperor Xing Wu’s brows locked, “Your Consort Mother is sick in bed, and you still want to go to Yun Guan?”
Luo Wei knew that Emperor Xing Wu was about to lecture Long Xuan, and quickly annouced, “Your Imperial Majesty, your humble servant shall excuse himself.”
“You can go,” Emperor Xing Wu dismissed Luo Wei with a wave of his hand.
Luo Wei stood in the gallery of the side hall, and Zhao Fu shuffled up to him, whispering, “Young Master, your humble servant has spoken with His Imperial Majesty regarding the points that you brought up while I helped him to bed last night.”
Luo Wei thanked him, “Apologies for burdening with the task, mister. What did His Imperial Majesty say?”
Zhao Fu answered, “He didn’t say much, but he did give me a reward. Your humble servant needs to thank you for that!”
Luo Wei smiled softly, “It’s well deserved, mister, there’s no need to thank me.”
As the two of them were still discussing, the junior chancellor and his son walked by.
Zhao Fu jogged up to greet the two, paying his respects to them as he spoke, “Chancellor, His Imperial Majesty and His Imperial Highness the second prince are speaking at the moment, let me announce you first.”
Luo Wei faced the father and son duo and bowed, smiling harmlessly.
Liu Shuang Shi was all smiles to Luo Wei as well, but Liu Wu Sheng only harrumphed and turned his head, avoiding eye contact with Luo Wei. In the Liu family, Liu Wu Sheng’s was the only one who chose the military in his generation. He was gifted and trained hard at martial arts, and was four years older than Luo Qi. But in terms of experience, Luo Qi far surpassed him.
Not long after, Zhao Fu came out of the main hall and invited the father and son inside.
Luo Wei waited in the gallery. It didn’t take long for Long Xuan to come out of the side hall.
Long Xuan had been lectured harshly by the emperor, and even though he wasn’t resigned to take it lying down, there was no way to argue with his imperial father. Consort Liu was ill, that was true, but if he didn’t go to Yun Guan this time, the deal he had with Si Ma Zhu Xie would be much harder to accomplish, and his goal of achieving some power in this military campaign would be all but lost.
Luo Wei bowed to Long Xuan from a distance, but did not move to get closer. He didn’t say anything either as he stood.
It was Long Xuan who walked up to Luo Wei. He regarded this youth who’d been at his side for so many and played him for a food, and couldn’t believe how much of a stranger he seemed now, how distant, “Luo Wei.”
“Yes, Your Imperial Highness,” Luo Wei looked like he was ready to humbly receive whatever Long Xuan had to say.
“I didn’t expect you to be a world-class actor,” Long Xuan said, coldly.
Luo Wei smiled. A gorgeous smile caught at the corners of his lips, the expression spreading to the rest of that pretty face, like a soft wind on a lake in spring.
If only this person was still by his side! Long Xuan thought to himself, but quickly and harshly cursed himself for thinking it. Did he want to be lied to again?! Long Xuan turned and left. This person’s surname is Luo, and he will only stand by Long Yu’s side. They were destined to be enemies in this life!
Luo Wei watched as Long Xuan left. No matter what kind of situation Long Xuan was in, the second prince would always have his back straight, never letting go of his pride. Long Xuan would be a good emperor, and in reality, he was, but this time around, Luo Wei would never let him sit on the throne. In the past life, Luo Wei was the person that Long Xuan hated the most, but in this life, Luo Wei would be Long Xuan’s greatest enemy.