Chapter 408: Feeling Guilty

"What has happened here?" He asked, slightly puzzled as he looked at the dead guards on the floor.

"You owe me an explanation," Xue Wei said, his voice ice cold and full of enmity.

The surrounding people were all stunned to see the young man speak like this to the Emperor. He was far too presumptious; it was not a good thing to talk like this.

But contrary to their expectations, the Emperor was not angry. Instead, he just furrowed his brows.

"Explain," he said as he looked at a guard by his side.

The guard finally understood that they had done something wrong, and he was trembling, his teeth clattering as he tried speaking.

"It was the Empress. She bestowed an Empress' Edict on my companion," Xue Wei said, his voice still detached and full of coldness. "She is forcing my companion into marrying the First Prince and locked us all under house arrest.

"Let me ask you, your highness. I went through so much trouble to help you all for days on end, drained my body of all its strength, and used my own blood to help you, but in return, my companion was forced into such a situation? Is this how my gratitude is being repaid?"

The Emperor looked rather sheepish. They already felt guilty towards Xue Wei for having him undergoing such a situation, which caused him to be so frail, but at the same time, his Empress had caused such a huge ruckus.

Now he was not sure how to handle it any longer.

He had lost a lot of royal guards, and if he did not look to hold someone accountable for this loss, they would become displeased alongside the populace.

But he also had to consider Xue Wei and his feelings. He had sacrificed a lot to mutate nine beasts for them, and at the same time, he had also given them amazing rewards. Although it was supposed to be a fair trade, they felt as if they had gained much more than they had given.

Now he was unfairly treated by the Empress, and he was unsure about how to act.

That was until it struck him. Everything was the Empress' fault, so why not use her as a scapegoat to divert the anger of the Royal Guards to her. If not for her suddenly deciding upon making such an edict, this would never have happened in the first place.

The Emperor was unaware of the feelings that the Empress had harbored for years towards the Holy Maiden, and now also towards her son.

He did not know that she hated them both, and was doing what she could to cause them problems.

She, on the other hand, was unaware that Xue Wei had the same ability as the holy maiden, and thus she did not think that Xue Wei would be so valued by the retired Emperor and the grand elder.

The current Emperor was able to make certain decisions on his own, but the moment it was an important decision, he would need permission from the Retired Emperor and the Grand Elder.

But she had forgotten that she was the one who had caused the problem by making an edict. She did not know that what she had done was the same as kicking a hornets' nest.

"Go and invite the Empress here right away!" The Emperor said, his voice was also containing anger and frustrations.

Hearing that he was angry, Xue Wei understood that he was genuinely unaware of the actions of the Empress, but he was not feeling much better. To treat his friends like this, he would never accept it.

Xue Wei crossed his arms over his chest before he glanced at the many scared Royal Guards that were all around him. They were lowering their heads, especially three, who had survived the initial attack.

They had heard the words of the Royal Guard, who had first died and knew now that Xue Wei was not bragging when he said that the Emperor had to come to meet him.

Now when they looked at it, they understood that Xue Wei was not a simple figure.

But Xue Wei said nothing while waiting for the Empress to arrive. The Emperor was not sure about what to say, he was feeling embarrassed, and eventually, he also summoned the Retired Emperor and the Grand Elder.

He had hardened his heart and already decided what to do with the Empress, but he was not allowed to do it himself.

The Empress came from a dominant branch of the Vermilion Bird Clan. If he made a move on her without permission from the Retired Emperor and the Grand Elder, they would cause problems.

However, if the three of them together made a decision on her future, the family backing her could say nothing.

Xue Wei saw that the Retired Emperor and the Grand Elder appeared in a fluster, and not long after, the Empress appeared as well.

Her eyes widened in shock when she saw Xue Wei, who had blood on his body, even bloodstains were on his face, and rivers of blood were flowing on the ground.

"You ungrateful creature!" The Empress said with a frown on her face, ready to rebuke Xue Wei for having murdered numerous Royal Guards.

"Shut up!" The Emperor yelled at her, stunning her slightly. She looked at the many dead Royal Guards, but even so, the Emperor was angry at her, and not Xue Wei. Something was wrong.

"My dearest, don't be blinded just because he is her son. He has murdered numerous Royal Guards; this is not something you can condone."