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Huo Wujiu looked at Wei Kai. He  massaged his temples, moved his mouth, but still didn’t speak.
Wei Kai felt that the General’s jaw seemed to tighten a little, as if he was clenching his teeth. This appearance was proof that the General was unhappy, but Wei Kai couldn’t figure out why.
The General’s intentions had always been difficult to guess, so Wei Kai felt at a loss.
After hesitating for a moment, he tentatively opened his mouth and asked, “…General?”
Huo Wujiu glanced at him indifferently.
“This subordinate understands!” Wei Kai immediately stood at attention.
Wasn’t the look in the General’s eyes telling him not to speak out of turn? He understood that although the General had such sentiments, it was not glorious and certainly could not be declared openly.
He understood perfectly. He understood perfectly.
With this conclusion, Wei Kai smiled warmly at Huo Wujiu.
Huo Wujiu gave him a fleeting glance and didn’t bother to dig deeper into what messy thoughts Wei Kai “understood”. He raised his eyes and looked out of the window. The night sky had already turned dark, but Jiang Suizhou still hadn’t come back yet.
“Now that you understand, go take a look.” Huo Wujiu instructed, “When Jingwang returns home, I have something to discuss with him.”
Wei Kai nodded repeatedly and retreated.
——
Meanwhile, a crossfire was raging in the palace banquet hall.
Scholars taught by Confucius and Mencius culture knew euphemism more or less. No matter when, they would leave some respect to each other and express their meaning politely. Therefore, the ministers in the court also had their own way of getting along with each other. Even if they gave tit for tat, they would not really trample on each other’s face.
But Lou Yue was different. He was a person who had never read books, and the reasoning of those literate people did not make sense to him.
The moment his tirade fell, the palace hall turned utterly quiet. All the courtiers held their breath and dared not speak any more. He was staring at Pang Shao alone, and Pang Shao sat there with a rare ugly look on his face.
He kept silent for a moment and reluctantly spoke icily, “I’m afraid General Lou has had too much to drink. Someone, help General Lou go back to rest.”
This was his way of saving his own honor and expressing a warning to Lou Yue.
But Lou Yue turned a deaf ear to him.
He laughed coldly and said aloud, “I am not drunk. I am very sober. Wily old thief Pang, if I had drunk too much today, I am afraid your head would have already fallen under the table.”
Pang Shao’s face became even darker.
In the dazzling hall, the courtiers dressed in fancy clothes looked at each other and sneaked glances at him. Pang Shao was accustomed to living like a prince and had long been unable to stand suffering like this. He pressed his hand on the table and resisted the urge to leave the table.
Lou Yue… Lou Yue! He had long made up his mind to deal with this man. After today, he must let the reckless man know that if someone provoked him, he would hack that person to death and make his life worse than death.
He gritted his teeth and didn’t speak for a moment.
Just then, a voice broke through from the side.
“Since today is the day to celebrate the General’s merit, if you have any disagreement, you might as well speak in private. General, please return to your seat for now. Don’t be discourteous in front of His Majesty.”
Lou Yue turned his head and discovered that it was Qi Min.
He remembered this old man. Although he was long-winded and annoying on normal days, he always opposed Pang Shao and minded his own business.
What was wrong with this old man? He had only been gone for a year, and now he was wearing the same pants as Pang Shao?
Once he realized that Qi Min stepped forward to speak for Pang Shao, Lou Yue showed no mercy. He glanced at him and questioned, “Discourteous? Since you are the Minister of Ceremonies, this matter is indeed under your control. Then let me ask you. Is it proper for a royal prince to marry a prisoner of war?”
Qi Min frowned, looked at him, sat back down after a moment, and said nothing more.
Lou Yue glared at Pang Shao, then tossed the cup in his hand. He walked toward the Emperor on the throne, knelt down, and saluted: “This General knows of his presumptuousness today, but please carefully think about it, Your Majesty. If you do something detrimental to the prestige of the heavenly family because you are compelled by treacherous people, it will not damage the face of the duplicitous, but Your Majesty’s supremacy. ”
The Hou Zhu’s face was equally ugly.
Lou Yue was frivolous, but he had this capital to be frivolous.
Even if he was muddleheaded to such an extent, the Hou Zhu also knew that he currently had no other general like him in court. Even if he was dissatisfied with Lou Yue, he did not dare to execute him.
Lou Yue was the only formidable city wall for the Great Jing of today.
He moved his lips and agreed reluctantly, “Got it.”
Lou Yue frankly got up and went back to his seat.
The meal made both the host and the guests unhappy, and when the time came, the banquet was hastily dispersed.
Qi Min got onto the carriage and the carriage was about to leave when his best friend rushed to stop him, squeezing into the carriage.
“What’s the matter?”
Qi Min was old and had drunk some wine. He was feeling tipsy, and was leaning against the carriage to rest.
His good friend sat down in front of him and asked inexplicably, “Why did Minister Qi say that today?”
Qi Min opened his eyes to look at him and said, “Because Lou Yue has really overstepped his bounds today and displeased His Majesty.”
This wasn’t what Qi Min should say. His good friend replied anxiously, “Minister Qi, don’t tease me!”
Qi Min retorted, “I’m not joking.”
He sat up straight and slowly said, “As you’ve seen, General Lou has spoken frankly. Today, he has not only offended Pang Shao, but also displeased His Majesty. Military generals are always more or less frivolous. This is common. But General Lou’s gullibility stemmed not from his meritorious deeds, but from his genuine annoyance toward Pang Shao and concern for Great Jing.”
His good friend seconded, “That’s for sure!”
Qi Min sighed.
“That being the case, Pang Shao will not tolerate him.”
His good friend said, “… Is this your conjecture? But now, if there is no Lou Yue, Great Jing will no longer have a good general.”