Inside the throne room, there was another incident that Pei Qingfeng might be interested in.
"Your Majesty, this is an urgent report from the Desolate Region's frontline. His First Highness ordered that this letter be passed to Your Majesty personally. Please..." Eunuch De Quan handed over the urgent report from the Desolate Region. He raised the report high over his head and waited for the old emperor's order.
The old emperor who was dozing off on the throne immediately opened his eyes after hearing the two words, 'Desolate Region'. A brilliant and sinister light flashed through his turbid eyes, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and present the urgent report! If Rumo says that I need to read it, as his Emperor Father, I have to!" The old emperor immediately reached out for the report with his withered hands. A single glance would be enough to know that it was the hand of an old man.
De Quan took a step forward respectfully and handed the urgent report to the old emperor personally. He then stood by the side and waited for the old emperor's next instruction.
The old emperor opened the urgent report and read it. At the start, his expression was sombre and a frown slowly formed on his face. However, when he finished reading the report, his frown turned upside down and he laughed, "I didn't know that Luo Chu had such an ability. She actually mesmerized my cold-blooded and killing-addicted son. Previously, he would kill his way over the moment he received my order. Right now, he is starting to consider the safety of others. From what I see, he is extremely worried for Luo Chu and that can be a good thing. This son of mine has been too involved in killings and wars. If he were to ascend to the throne, he wouldn’t be able to protect the ancestor’s foundations. He might be a war-monger and expand the lands of the Cloud Water Nation, but that will be it. I wonder if Luo Chu can be considered a femme fatale…”
De Quan listened to the old emperor’s thoughts and immediately commented, "Your Majesty, in this old servant's humble opinion, Young Lady Luo Chu cannot be considered a femme fatale."
"Oh? Why do you say so?" The old emperor wanted to listen to De Quan’s view on the matter. After all, De Quan had been serving him for a long time but he never heard De Quan praising a lady before. It seemed like Luo Chu truly had a certain charm.
"Your Majesty might not believe this old servant's insight, but can you ignore His First Highness’ foresight? There are plenty of people in the capital city who are able to use their maternal clan's influence to assist the First Prince, however, has Your Majesty ever seen His First Highness bowing down to them?”
De Quan was praising Bai Luochu because she was indeed an impressive young lady that was worth praising. It was also because he discovered that the old emperor was growing fond of this little lass. The emperor's current attitude was no longer the same as before when he felt that Bai Luochu wasn't worthy of his sons’ attention. He was completely relaxed now and De Quan had a vague impression that it didn’t matter who Bai Luochu married. As long as she married into the imperial clan, the old emperor would be satisfied.
"You are right. Luo Chu is indeed much more firm and persistent than we imagined. But I do have a piece of bad news here. When she was scouting the Desolate Region with Rumo, her eyes became affected by a type of poison mist. Rumo says that she will only recover after seven days and the campaign will have to be delayed. He sent the urgent report merely to ask for my opinion, after all, I am the one who sent him on the campaign. He isn’t able to make the decision to delay the mission… How do you think I should reply?" The old emperor squinted his eyes as he wanted to hear De Quan’s suggestion.
When De Quan heard the question, he knelt down in reverence before the emperor, "Your Majesty, this old servant is terrified. This old servant is merely an inner court eunuch. How am I qualified to discuss the matters of the Desolate Region? This old servant is already quaking in my boots that Your Majesty is willing to discuss matters regarding the imperial clan. If Your Majesty is really asking for my opinion, this old servant will probably collapse."
"Hahahaha, look at you! You have been serving me for a long time, how can you lack courage? You don’t seem like someone who served beside the emperor for a long time. Enough, hurry up and stand, I am just asking for your opinion. You won’t be able to sway my decision. This is the first time my eldest son is showing human-like emotions and I cannot allow him to throw this chance away. De Quan, bring me the brush and ink, I will write a reply right now." The old emperor placed Pei Rumo's urgent report at the side and waited for De Quan to grind the ink for him before writing a reply.
De Quan sneaked a glance and knew that the old emperor obviously didn't wish for Bai Luochu to fall in the Desolate Region. It allowed De Quan to understand the emperor's thoughts even more thoroughly. It seemed like he would need to curry favor with Luo Chu from the general's residence in the future. She was a woman who was given an honorary position in the Imperial Physician Court and was a woman who was allowed to go on a campaign. She was truly not a person he could afford to offend.
After the old emperor finished writing, he placed the letter in a special envelope and asked the messenger to deliver the message.
When the messenger received the letter, he rode back to the relay station quickly to send the letter before heading back to the city. When the messenger headed back to the imperial palace, he passed by the Second Prince’s residence and hesitated for a moment before entering through the back. Currently, Pei Qingfeng was eating lunch with Ling Xian'er. Without a choice, the messenger looked for Pei Qingfeng's personal guard and said he had something urgent to report.