876 A Kiss! 7

Grand Secretary Fang nodded solemnly.

Emperor Wu had been very confident about his decision before, but not anymore. He was agitated.

Crossing his hands behind his back, he walked back and forth in the study.

“Are you sure about the mutation?!” Emperor Wu frowned at Grand Secretary Fang.

Grand Secretary Fang nodded. “I think it’s highly likely.”

“That’s going to be problematic,” said Emperor Wu. “The crown prince specializes in the element of fire, whereas the Frosty Night Beast is a beast of ice. The two elements are in a balanced relations.h.i.+p. Now that the beast has mutated, my son is going to be in trouble…”

“What?! What do you mean he’s in trouble?!”

The empress dowager was taking a walk in the garden and happened to walk past the emperor’s study. She then decided to pop in to see if the father and son had been fighting again.

Thus —

She heard mention of her Baby Jun at the door, and made her way into the study.

Emperor Wu buried his face in his hands.

Had it been anyone else, the person would have been kicked out. However, it was his mother.

“Mother —” Emperor Wu was going to find an excuse, but the empress dowager cut him off.

“No excuses! I want the truth!”

She had obviously overheard the conversation; there was no point trying to hide it from her anymore. Hence, Emperor Wu told her everything.

The empress dowager almost choked on her own breath!

Grabbing Emperor Wu, she ranted, “What’s wrong with you?! Why did you send Baby Jun on such a dangerous mission? Do you hate your son? I knew it! You hate Baby Jun!”

Emperor Wu was aggrieved. “Jun Linyuan wanted to go himself and I couldn’t stop him.”

“Why did he do that?”

“Well…”

Next to the empress dowager was none other than Empress Dugu.

While the old lady was sick, Empress Dugu had made use of the opportunity and kept her company. The two were getting along much better now.

And it would be against Empress Dugu’s nature to let such an opportunity go to waste.

“Mother, do you think… that Miss Feng Wu could be the reason?”

“What?!” The empress dowager stared at her daughter-in-law.

Empress Dugu smiled. “The rumor on the street is that His Royal Highness is in love with Miss Feng Wu. So, is it possible that His Royal Highness entered the region because of that?”

“Where did that rumor come from?!” The empress dowager flared up.

“I… I only heard it in pa.s.sing… I’m sure it’s just speculation!”

“Find the person who started it!” The empress dowager’s face was livid.

Grand Secretary Fang’s heart sank when he heard the anger in the old lady’s voice.

It seemed that the empress dowager still didn’t like Xiao Wu, even after the girl saved her life.

“Why, isn’t it Grand Secretary Fang?” Empress Dugu turned to Grand Secretary Fang. “I was told that you’re Feng Wu’s next door neighbor?”

“That’s right.”

“What do you think of Miss Feng, then?”

Empress Dugu was well-connected. She had learned about the help Grand Secretary Fang gave Feng Wu during the written exam.

Therefore, she had said that to make the empress dowager aware of the relations.h.i.+p between Grand Secretary Fang and Feng Wu, so that the old lady would find Grand Secretary Fang untrustworthy.

That was her plan!

As soon as Empress Dugu said that, the empress dowager stared at Grand Secretary Fang. “Fang, you’ve known Feng Wu for very long, then?”

Grand Secretary Fang sighed inwardly, but only cupped his hands at the empress dowager. “Your Majesty, Xiao Wu is a modest and kind girl. Her cultivation doesn’t stand out, but her formation and medical skills…”