Chapter 199

Guo Hui’er stormed into the imperial study, followed by several palace maids and eunuchs who also walked in a hurry.

The palace maids and eunuchs outside the imperial study greeted Guo Huo’er with a bow upon meeting her, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Guo Hui’er just ignored the palace maids and eunuchs and wanted to go into the imperial study but she was stopped by the two eunuchs outside.

The chief palace maid behind Guo Hui’er immediately went forward and glared at the two eunuchs, shouting at them, “How dare you get in the way of Her Majesty Empress? Do you want to be killed?”

Her shrill voice was arrogant.

Xuanyuan Lie in the imperial study heard the shrill voice and frowned. He glimpsed Eunuch Hu aside and said with disgruntlement, “What’s wrong? Who’s out there?”

Hearing that, Eunuch Hu immediately said with a bow, “It seems to be Her Majesty Empress.”

He seemed to have heard Her Majesty Empress’s chief maid Wenxin shouting.

Hearing the reply, Xuanyuan Lie frowned even more heavily with a glimmer of dissatisfaction crossing his eyes. He threw the memorial to the desk and walked out of the imperial study.

Eunuch Hu followed him at once.

Outside the imperial study, the two eunuchs heard Wenxin’s reproach but they didn’t look frightened.

One of the eunuchs bowed to Guo Hui’er, “His Majesty said no one was allowed to enter the imperial study without his summoning.”

Guo Hui’er glared at the eunuch gloomily with her triangle eyes and scowled, “Wenxin, slap him.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Wenxin immediately went forward to give the eunuch two slaps.

No sooner had Xuanyuan Lie come out than he saw the scene. His dark eyes seethed with anger. Then, he just gave Wenxin a slap with his mysterious Qi.

Wenxin had been slapped to hit the pillar aside before she knew what had happened.

Wenxin felt pain in her heart and spat a mouthful of blood. Then, she just passed out.

Everyone was freaked out by the scene. When they saw the angry face of Xuanyuan Lie, they all knelt, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Guo Hui’er was also psyched out by Xuanyuan Lie’s action. Regardless of embarrassment, she instantly curtsied to Xuanyuan Lie, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Xuanyuan Lie stared at Guo Hui’er in a fury, making her become very stiff and also break out in a sweat.

“You wanted to disobey my order just now?” His stern voice carried an appalling rage.

Guo Hui’er immediately knelt with fright and said in a trembling voice, “I dare not.”

Xuanyuan Lie looked at Guo Hui’er kneeling on the ground, his dark eyes glistening with fierceness.

“Drag her out and club her to death.” He was glaring at Guo Hui’er but the punishment went to Wenxin.

The guards aside heard that and immediately went forward to drag Wenxin out.

As soon as Xuanyuan Mo and Duanmu Xi arrived outside the imperial study, they saw two guards dragging an unconscious palace maid out. They glimpsed Guo Hui’er who was kneeling on the ground and Xuanyuan Lie who looked furious. Then, they took a tumble.

Upon seeing Xuanyuan Mo and Duanmu Xi, Xuanyuan Lie immediately became a lot softer, “Mo, Xi, there you are.”

Xuanyuan Mo didn’t respond while Duanmu Xi had to. She went forward and slightly curtsied to Xuanyuan Lie, “Greetings, Father.”

Xuanyuan Lie looked at Duanmu Xi and couldn’t help shifting his gaze to her belly. He wanted to help her up but on second thought, he found it inappropriate. Hence, he turned to say to Xuanyuan Mo, “Help your wife up now.”

Xuanyuan Mo cracked a faint smile and directly dragged Duanmu Xi to himself.

Guo Hui’er kneeling on the ground was afraid that Xuanyuan Lie would punish her. When she saw Xuanyuan Mo and Duanmu Xi, her fear was gone right away.

Seeing that Xuanyuan Lie showed partiality toward Duanmu Xi, Guo Hui’er flew into a rage at once. At the thought of what she came here for, she got bolder. Even though Xuanyuan Lie didn’t ask her to rise, she just stood up.

“Your Majesty, I have doubts about one thing.”

Xuanyuan Lie looked at Guo Hui’er only to see that she had risen without permission. His face which had become soft after he saw Xuanyuan Mo and Duanmu Xi immediately became gloomy again.

Guo Hui’er didn’t notice Xuanyuan Lie’s sulky facial expression and just continued talking, “I heard that you had ordered to let the wretch Xuanyuan Mo preside over this year’s sacrificial ceremony…”

Guo Hui’er was slapped hard by Xuanyuan Lie before she finished talking.

The palace maids and eunuchs kneeling on the ground didn’t even dare to gasp. They all drooped their heads. Her Majesty asked for this. She knew that His Majesty loved Prince Zhan most but she still called him a wretch in front of His Majesty. Undoubtedly, she was asking for trouble.

Xuanyuan Lie was burning with rage rather than sulky only. His eyes were scarlet red as if he were about to eat Guo Hui’er alive.

This d*mned woman dared to insult his son. Her words were not only an insult to Mo but also to Yan. Yan was his love in this life as well as the woman he owed most. Having that palace maid killed was a reminder to Guo Hui’er but she just didn’t take the hint.

Duanmu Xi also glared at Guo Hui’er with anger. This woman dared to humiliate Snow. If it were not for Xuanyuan Lie’s sake, Duanmu Xi would kill her for sure.

On the contrary, Xuanyuan Mo remained calm. He wasn’t irritated at all.

He had heard a lot of people call him wretch or half-demon. Never did he care about these unimportant people’s judgments. However, when he saw his father and wife defend him like that, he felt very warm.

Guo Hui’er stroked her face and stared at Xuanyuan Lie in astonishment. He had just slapped her. They had been married since he was a prince. Over so many years, he didn’t actually love her but he also never cursed her or beat her. Nevertheless, he slapped her for Xuanyuan Mo today.

“You… For that wretch…”

She was slapped in the face again. This time, Xuanyuan Lie slapped her with mysterious Qi.

Guo Hui’er’s face instantly became as swollen as a bun. Blood also dripped down the corner of her lips. She slumped to the ground in frustration and hung her head. It was hard to tell what she was thinking.

Even though he had slapped Guo Hui’er on the face twice, he was still not mollified. He glimpsed Guo Hui’er on the ground and snapped, “The empress shall be confined in the Le’an Palace for the rest of her life due to a lack of virtue.”

Guo Hui’er jerked up her head and stared at Xuanyuan Lie in shock.

A rush of killing intent crossed Xuanyuan Lie’s eyes. If it were not for She’s sake, he would directly kill her.

Seeing the killing intent in Xuanyuan Lie’s eyes, Guo Hui’er was in despair. Her lips curved into a sneer. Being confined for the rest of her life was just the same as being detained in the cold palace. Did Xuanyuan Lie care about that woman so much? How long did that woman keep him company? Two years at most. Could it compare with the more than twenty years she had spent with him?

She hadn’t believed he was in deep love with that woman but today, she finally realized that no matter how long she spent with him, it was nothing compared with the two years that woman spent with him.

He could live a sexless life for twenty years for that woman. Actually, he had stopped sleeping with her since she was pregnant with She. Therefore, she was happy that he cold-shouldered other women for so many years. However, what he did was for that woman only rather than her.

The news that Guo Hui’er was confined for the rest of her life was quickly spread to the Yonghe Palace. When Zhou Manyun heard the news, she only narrowed her eyes, lost in thought.

The sacrificial ceremony wasn’t affected by Guo Hui’er’s incident. It was held as scheduled. With the farce the empress put on, no one dared to object to Xuanyuan Mo’s presiding over the ceremony.

Duanmu Xi didn’t go to the Huxiao Hall. Instead, she was playing chess with Xuanyuan Lie in the imperial study.

After the sacrificial ceremony was over, Xuanyuan Mo went to the imperial study and took Duanmu Xi away.

Instead of taking Duanmu Xi back to Prince Zhan’s mansion, Xuanyuan Mo took her to the Huxiao Hall.

Duanmu Xi looked at the majestic palace and frowned, “Snow, why do you take me here?”

If she guessed it right, the Huxiao Hall should be a place of ancestral worshipping of the Xuanyuan Family, just like the Fengming Hall and Longyin Hall. Even though she had been married to Snow, she was still an outsider and shouldn’t go inside.

“Let’s go inside first.” Xuanyuan Mo put his arms around Duanmu Xi’s waist and went into the Huxiao Hall.

Duanmu Xi only hesitated a bit and then followed Xuanyuan Mo into the Huxiao Hall. Since Snow could take her inside, there was nothing to worry about.

The moment Xuanyuan Mo and Duanmu Xi entered the Huxiao Hall, Zhou Manyun had been informed.

Zhou Manyun slightly narrowed her coquettish eyes and sneered. She raised her hand and beckoned to her close palace maid.

Just like the Fengming Hall and Longyin Hall, Huxiao Hall was also magnificent and spacious.

Xuanyuan Mo directly took Duanmu Xi to the tablets of the former emperors of Baihu. Duanmu Xi thought he would prostrate himself. To her surprise, he only stared at them with a frown before flicking his sleeves. Instantly, a white teleporting formation appeared in front of them.

Duanmu Xi blinked her eyes and felt surprised. Before she spoke, Xuanyuan Mo had taken her into the teleporting formation.

Within several breaths, the two of them arrived at another space.

Duanmu Xi looked at the foggy space and subconsciously stroked her arms.

Seeing Duanmu Xi rubbing her arms, Xuanyuan Mo immediately took a black cloak and put it on her.

He clutched Duanmu Xi into his arms gently and transferred his mysterious Qi into her body, “What now? Are you feeling better?”

Duanmu Xi nodded, “Much better.”

This place was a lot colder than outside indeed. Actually, the Baihu Empire was already very cold. Unexpectedly, this place could be colder than the Baihu Empire.

“Is this the residence of the mythical creature White Tiger?” Duanmu Xi had a positive answer despite asking the question. She had come across the same teleporting formations and spaces in the Fengming Hall and Longyin Hall as she met Hongling and Qingfeng. This should be the place where the mythical creature white tiger stayed.

Xuanyuan Mo curled his lips, “You’re very smart.”

Then, he turned around and stared at the white snowfield, “White Tiger, show yourself.”

His voice seemed to carry snow and ice, which sounded very cold on the white snowfield.