Chapter Two Hundred and Thirty-Four
"Miss Li, His Majesty requests your presence at the palace." Eunuch Liu promptly said with a smile.
"His Majesty wishes to see me?" Li Zhiwei was puzzled. At this hour, the morning court session shouldn't have concluded yet. Why would the Emperor summon her now?
However, Eunuch Liu was a close attendant of the Emperor. Since he said the Emperor wished to see her, there was no reason for him to lie.
"Indeed, Miss Li. Please hurry and accompany this servant to the palace." The smile on Eunuch Liu's face remained undiminished.
Lady Yao, standing to the side, felt a flutter of anxiety. She didn't know what her daughter's summons to the palace might signify, yet there was nothing she could do to help.
"Mother, it's alright. Please excuse me, Eunuch, for a moment. I will change my clothes and then accompany you to the palace." After soothing Lady Yao with a few words, Li Zhiwei hurried inside to change.
Once changed, Li Zhiwei followed Eunuch Liu towards the palace.
Lady Yao could only watch the receding figure of her daughter.
On the way, Li Zhiwei wanted to ask Eunuch Liu why the Emperor was seeking her.
"Eunuch Liu, might I inquire... what urgent matter has prompted His Majesty to summon me so hastily?" Li Zhiwei asked cautiously.
"Miss Li, you will know once you arrive." Eunuch Liu was also pondering the words of that Master Huo in the main hall.
He thought to himself, that Master Huo, while not lacking, was ultimately no match for Prince An when compared. Surely Miss Li's judgment couldn't be that poor?
To forsake a fine prospect like Prince An and choose a mere merchant?
Given the Li family's current standing, even if she didn't marry Prince An, there ought to be better choices available.
Thinking this, Eunuch Liu stole another glance at Li Zhiwei.
Li Zhiwei happened to notice it and could only offer an awkward, light smile.
In the Court Hall.
"Minister Li, your family's upbringing is truly remarkable! Since your daughter had already pledged herself to Master Huo, why did you agree to His Majesty's arranged marriage?" Lord Cao, following Huo Yunxuan's lead, directed his accusations at Li Tianyou.
"Lord Cao, is your head filled with water?" Xu Heming felt that Lord Cao's mind was probably not right. After all, Li Zhiwei was originally to marry into the Ru'an Marquis household. It was only because Qing Shi saved her that she donated her dowry to the court.
How, in Lord Cao's words, did Li Zhiwei first have a betrothal with this Huo Yunxuan, and then not refuse the Emperor's marriage decree for herself?
"Your Highness, Prince An, although this official knows you are greatly angered by this matter, it remains an indisputable fact. It is Minister Li who deceived His Majesty and you." Lord Cao felt that Xu Heming was being ungrateful. Wasn't he clearly helping him?
"Lord Cao..." Lord You, who was usually on good terms with Lord Cao, wanted to advise him.
After all, everyone knew about the incident where the Li family's young lady was left waiting outside the Ru'an Marquis estate.
Now, this Master Huo's claim simply didn't hold water.
Clearly, Lord Cao was being used as a pawn.
However, Lord Cao spoke fervently, paying no heed to Lord You's attempted dissuasion.
"Your Majesty, Lord Cao's words are sheer nonsense! This is nothing but fabrication!" Li Tianyou's face darkened with anger.
Their Li family would not shoulder such blame, nor could his daughter bear it.
What did he mean by 'having an affair with Huo Yunxuan'? Who knew what this person was trying to achieve?
"Lord Cao, are you attempting to distort the facts?" Zhu Jingchen felt that Lord Cao's words were becoming more and more outrageous.
This was something everyone in the capital knew. How could he not know?
Otherwise, how could he have the audacity to say such preposterous things?
Or did he think that he, the Emperor, was easily fooled?
"Your Majesty, every word this humble official speaks is true." Censor Cao, however, failed to grasp the meaning in the Emperor's words.
"Your Majesty, Miss Li has arrived." Eunuch Liu hurried into the hall and whispered into Zhu Jingchen's ear.
"Master Huo, you claim that you and Miss Li are mutually devoted, correct?" Zhu Jingchen had originally held Huo Yunxuan in some esteem, but now it seemed his skill for bald-faced lies was not insignificant either.
"Replying to Your Majesty, I adore Miss Li. I believe Miss Li feels the same for me!" Huo Yunxuan stated with certainty.
The corner of Zhu Jingchen's mouth twitched. What kind of answer was that?
He adores Miss Li, so Miss Li must adore him?
Li Tianyou, to the side, turned his head away. He did not acknowledge Huo Yunxuan's words.
Xu Heming's face was so dark it seemed ink could drip from it.
What kind of answer was this?
He adores Li Zhiwei, so Li Zhiwei must adore him?
Then what about him?
Could his own feelings for Li Zhiwei not receive a response?
The thought made Xu Heming extremely displeased.
The cold aura emanating from his entire body caused those around him to take a step back.
Everyone looked somewhat sympathetically at the instigator of this matter, Censor Cao.
If Prince An didn't demand an explanation from Censor Cao for this affair, they would all think Prince An had been replaced by someone else.
"Minister Xu, do you have anything to say?" Zhu Jingchen's gaze towards Xu Heming held a subtle nuance.
After all, it was rare to see Xu Heming display such a rich array of expressions in front of him.
"Your Majesty, what do you think this humble official should say?" Xu Heming replied in a stiff tone.
Anyone with a discerning ear could tell that Xu Heming was in a rather foul mood at the moment.
"Minister Li, what is your opinion?" Zhu Jingchen then turned to Li Tianyou and asked.
"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, Huo Yunxuan is tarnishing my son's reputation!" Li Tianyou stated bluntly.
"Since each of you makes a seemingly fair argument, and Miss Li has arrived, please invite Miss Li in." As Zhu Jingchen's words fell, the expressions on the faces of those present varied.
Huo Yunxuan felt a surge of excitement. As long as Li Zhiwei came, she would surely choose him.
Although Xu Heming was unwilling to believe Huo Yunxuan's nonsense in his heart, what if Li Zhiwei truly minded that he had been married to a princess consort before and that Xu Qingshi existed?
Li Tianyou, indeed, felt heartache at the thought of his daughter having to face this situation.
Thinking of this, Li Tianyou even shot a glare at Huo Yunxuan, as well as at Censor Cao standing beside him, secretly resolving to investigate the Cao family later.
Hmph, he simply didn't believe Censor Cao could withstand his scrutiny.
"Your Majesty, this matter should be considered the Li family's private affair. Bringing it to the court discussion is somewhat improper after all." Grand Tutor Wei stepped forward disapprovingly, intending to stop the move of having Li Zhiwei enter the hall to discuss such trivial matters.
"Your Majesty, I believe this matter concerns my daughter's virtue and reputation. I beg Your Majesty to clear my daughter's name and not allow her to be condemned by the mere words of those with ulterior motives." Li Tianyou, however, performed a deep, formal bow with firm resolve. He cared not for what was proper or improper; his daughter's reputation was more important than anything else.
Xu Heming glanced at Grand Tutor Wei.
This matter demanded a resolution today.
He could not allow just anyone to spread slander about his future princess consort.
Otherwise, how could he maintain the formidable reputation of Prince An?
And that Huo Yunxuan, how did he dare?
How dare he try to steal his woman? What made him think he was worthy of competing for her?
