Chapter 193
Chapter 193
Lou Yue had prepared a banquet for the reception. He was enthusiastic; Huo Yuyan also knew how to be polite; and the civil and military officials were lively. After the meal, it could be said that the host made the guests feel at home.
After the banquet, everyone was five to six percent drunk. Huo Yuyan also drank more and let people help him go down to rest.
Lou Yue also drank too much wine. He was considering Huo Yuyan’s poor constitution, so when he heard that he wanted to rest, he simply asked people to end the banquet.
Huo Yuyan gladly accepted Lou Yue’s kindness.
He smiled and said goodbye to Lou Yue. Afterwhich, he turned around to get on the carriage back to his residence.
Everyone only saw that he was tipsy. Unbeknownst to them, the moment he got into the carriage, he slumped on the seat, and his breathing turned weak and chaotic.
The eunuch accompanying him knew what was happening. When he saw him get into the carriage, he followed him into the carriage.
As soon as he got into the carriage, he swiftly took out the pills from the hidden compartment of the carriage and fed them to Huo Yuyan.
The medicine smelled so bitter that it made people want to vomit, but Huo Yuyan didn’t bat an eyelid. He stuffed the pill into his mouth, slouched in the carriage, and closed his eyes.
The effect of the medicine took effect in a short while. He was back to normal, but his face was still white, and his breathing was also feeble.
The eunuch was extremely worried.
He knew their Crown Prince’s health very well. Since His Highness suffered a core injury at the Xunyang war, he might still look the same as normal people on the surface, but the core of his body was extremely deficient. Hence, many years down the road, he couldn’t go out, and could no longer practice martial arts, riding, and archery. He only spent his days in and out taking medicine. Even when drinking, he also had to drink a special medicinal liquor that an imperial physician concocted with a mixture of ginseng and tiger bones.
This time, His Highness not only traveled far away, but also pretended that he was fine. He drank so much wine outside today, so how could his body stand such a torment?!
The young eunuch thought it wasn’t worth it.
It was just General Huo… Although he was arrogant, they didn’t seem to be rotten to the core. Why was His Highness so afraid of him?
“Your Highness, even if you want to win Lou Yue over, you don’t have to be so desperate ah!” The eunuch could not help but advise him.
Huo Yuyan, however, waved his hand and said in a light voice: “It’s okay. Let’s head back for now.”
The eunuch knew that although His Highness the Crown Prince looked gentle and soft, he was in fact the most stubborn. As long as he decided on something, no matter who persuaded him, it would be useless.
He sighed and stepped out of the carriage.
Huo Yuyan was left alone. He quietly leaned against the carriage’s window, and looked dimly outside, following the brocade curtain that was blown by the wind.
Of course he knew that drinking too much was damaging to his body, but he knew better. 300,000 of the 500,000 soldiers stationed in Southern Jing today were all Lou Yue’s former soldiers.
Although he called Lou Yue, Uncle, on the surface, he knew all too well that he treated Huo Wujiu differently. Lou Yue’s old friend was Huo Wujiu’s father, not his father. Moreover, Lou Yue has favored Huo Wujiu more since they were young.
The elders seemed to be more partial to those children who lacked manners and had no respect for their elders. Huo Yuyan was already used to it.
Therefore, facing Lou Yue, he had to be more attentive and show a little more sincerity.
After all, he currently couldn’t figure out whether Huo Wujiu suspected him because of Li Sheng or not. Despite this, regardless of this, he has to make some foolproof strategy to be prepared in case of unforeseen danger.
On the one hand, he had to think of ways to separate Huo Wujiu and those civil officials who came south, and on the other hand, he must control the strength of Southern Jing, so as to prevent Huo Wujiu from controlling the overall situation.
So, he must make use of Lou Yue.
Of course, he also knew that with a meal of wine and a couple of exchanges, Lou Yue would not be willing to stand in his camp. Lou Yue wasn’t quick to switch sides and of two minds. The reason Huo Wujiu was able to use him this time was all because of his dead uncle.
However, Huo Yuyan was not worried.
He quietly watched the pedestrians walking to and fro outside the window. Under the night, there was prosperity and tranquility.
He knew that everyone has weaknesses.
And Lou Yue’s biggest weakness has been exposed unabashedly.
Lou Wanjun.
As long as Lou Wanjun and him were tied to the same boat, then even if Lou Yue hated him to the bone, he would definitely make use of him, and he would never be disloyal.
And to bind a woman to him and share a common fate, as long as he was willing to put his heart and soul into it, it couldn’t be easier.
Huo Yuyan quietly looked out the window for a while, then lowered his eyes.
This was a foolproof plan for him, but deep inside he hated it.
He hated it terribly.
If his worsening condition hadn’t been draggin him behind, he wouldn’t have to resort to such a desperate measure, deceiving a woman to achieve his goal.
But, he had no other way out.
If it wasn’t for the Battle of Xunyang, if his father hadn’t insisted on leading the troops to save Huo Wujiu and his eldest uncle, he wouldn’t have suffered such injuries.
He couldn’t forget Huo Wu Jiu’s hypocritical appearance when he found him years ago.
He and his father lingered on with their last breath, and their bodies were ruined on the battlefield, but Huo Wujiu remained healthy and full of vim and vigor. Afterward, he became the well-known God of War because of that war. The whole world also knew that Huo Wujiu picked Huo Yuyan up from the battlefield.
Why was that?
Huo Yuyan lowered her eyes and closed her eyes calmly.