153 Chapter 153

◎Encounter by chance. ◎

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who had been troubled by the pressure of getting married, welcomed the New Year in a day that felt like the middle of a year. Because he had to deal with various matters such as the audience with the princes and the year-end sacrifices, His Majesty the Emperor finally stopped nagging about this matter whenever he had time.

Liu Ju followed his father to receive the princes, and occasionally he would meet the princes' wives who came to pay homage to the queen in the Pepper Room Palace.

In addition to the princes' wives, daughters and grandchildren, they would also bring girls from their own families or relatives.

When Liu Ju arrived at the Pepper Room that day, Wei Zifu smiled and said to him, "It's not just mother here, but also your sister, aunt, and cousin's wife. There are many people who want to use their connections."

"My sister and aunt are fine, but my cousin's wife... Mother, how did they find my cousin's wife?" Liu Ju asked in confusion.

The Marquis of Guanjun's Mansion has always been aloof in its external relations. People with no connections like this cannot even knock on their door.

"Is it possible that your cousin's wife doesn't go out?" Wei Zifu asked. "They can't enter the Marquis Guanjun's mansion, but they can always talk to her."

"You and Qubing have always been good friends, and this is known to everyone. If someone wants to curry favor with you, naturally someone will think of him." Wei Zi did not find it strange.

Liu Ju said, "That's true. What then? Mother, everyone is already here, what are you going to do? If it's hard to refuse, how about I..."

Before he could finish his words, Wei Zifu said, "Why don't you just accept it? It would be a good idea if you could ask His Majesty for help."

There was a hint of anticipation in her words.

Liu Ju: “…”

"Mother, even though it's impossible for the princes to cause any trouble now, they still have evil intentions. They sent these people here for their own purposes. It's okay to keep one or two of them, but it's definitely impossible to keep all of them." Liu Ju said slowly.

Wei Zifu nodded and continued, "Leave one or two behind...Zi'er, from what you said, it seems like you have taken a fancy to someone."

Liu Ju blinked his eyes and said innocently, "I was just saying it casually, mother, why did you take it seriously?"

Wei Zifu shook her head and smiled confidently, "Zi'er, you are my child. I can tell what you mean by just one expression or one word."

But Liu Ju resolutely refused to admit it. He seemed to have suddenly become busy. He drank the water in the cup in one gulp, stopped the palace servant from pouring him more, and then stood up and said, "Mother, I just remembered that I have to go to Xuanshi Hall. I will come to pay my respects to you tomorrow."

After saying this, Liu Ju hurriedly trotted away without giving his mother a chance to speak.

Wei Zifu smiled at the lady-in-waiting beside her and said, "It seems that the day when I will become the eldest mother is just around the corner."

…

Three days ago.

Liu Ju, who took a break from his busy schedule, asked Zhang He to go hunting with him and relax at the same time. September is the season when prey is fat and strong. Before setting off, Liu Ju confidently assured his father that he would return with a full load.

There is no need to elaborate on the hunting process. Liu Ju did return with a full load, but he unexpectedly encountered a small problem on the way back.

The problem was not with Liu Ju and his group, but they met a group of people who were also returning. Their carriage broke down and was waiting on the roadside. The broken carriage was being carried to the roadside by the servants.

There are not many nobles with such a conscience. Liu Ju stopped his horse and was about to see who it was when he suddenly saw a familiar figure.

Liu Ju beckoned someone over and instructed, "Go and ask who they belong to and if they need our help."

After receiving the order, the subordinate did not go over immediately. Instead, he asked, "Sir, did you still say you were the Marquis of Yichun?"

Liu Ju glanced at Zhang He and said with a smile, "Why don't you just say my father is Zhang Tingwei?"

Zhang He's eyes widened immediately: "Your Highness, don't joke with me."

"Don't be afraid." Liu Ju patted his arm soothingly and smiled at his men, "Go."

Zhang He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Your Highness, my father-in-law told me yesterday not to joke with you."

Liu Ju was surprised and asked, "Am I such an unreasonable person in Zhang Tingwei's eyes?"

Zhang He explained earnestly, "Your Highness is the Crown Prince, the sovereign, and I am his subject..."

"Shh." Liu Ju whispered, "Be quiet, don't let the other side hear you."

Zhang He immediately looked across cautiously, and saw their people negotiating with the other side. His attention was temporarily diverted, so he asked, "Your Highness, why are you helping them?"

Liu Ju did not answer but asked, "Think about it, among the nobles and powerful people in Chang'an, if their carriage broke down in the middle of the road, would they bother to move it to the side just to avoid delaying the passing carriages and pedestrians?"

Zhang He thought for a long time, and a few names actually came to his mind. However, he already understood Liu Ju's meaning. After taking a hard look at the people across from him, Zhang He said, "They don't look familiar, and there are many female relatives... Could they be the families of princes?"

Liu Ju smiled but said nothing, waiting to hear the report from his subordinates.

"Your Highness, the person opposite is Princess Lu. She took her family out of town for a trip, and unexpectedly, her carriage broke down here on her way back. She has already sent someone back to the city. Princess Lu said she appreciates your kindness and that you won't have to trouble them to repair the carriage. It's inconvenient today, but I'll thank you in person another day when we meet again."

"Prince Liu Guang of Lu..." Liu Ju said, "He's my cousin after all."

Liu Ju had certainly seen Prince Lu, but he had never met Princess Lu before, so she certainly would not recognize him.

Liu Ju certainly didn't mind being recognized as an imposter of Marquis Yichun. After all, who would dare to expose the prince in person?

Zhang He felt that the prince's words were quite meaningful. Although he didn't understand why, he still asked, "Your Highness, do you want to go over?"

Liu Ju shook his head and said, "No need."

After saying that, he called everyone to set off again.

Well... there's no need to rush right now, Liu Ju thought.

After watching the "Marquis of Yichun" go away, Princess Lu said to the girl beside her, "Qingyue, I'm glad I listened to you. If he really was the Marquis of Yichun, if they saw us leaving our carriage across the road without a care, it would bring disaster to the king."

Marquis Yichun is the eldest son of the general, and the general is the emperor's right-hand man and confidant. Such a thing may not be a big deal, but if it gets to the emperor's ears, he will definitely cause trouble.

——In the minds of the princes and their families, His Majesty the Emperor is an image that always finds fault with everything.

Qing Yue smiled and said, "Chang'an City is under the Emperor's feet. I think it's better to be cautious. I hope my sister doesn't think I'm meddling."

Princess Lu, who had indeed been secretly disliking her meddling, took her hand and said with a smile, "It's better for us not to go see him. You're right. We should not make our purpose too obvious. Qingyue, you are good-looking, have a good personality, and are smart. If the Crown Prince takes a liking to you, he will definitely..." At this point, she couldn't help but chuckle a few times, "Qingyue will have great fortune in the future."

Qing Yue just smiled perfunctorily. Just based on the prince's status and position, there must be many people who want to send women to him. There must be quite a few in Chang'an City. The prince has seen all kinds of women. He is no better than others. Princess Lu's expectations are likely to be dashed.

…

Liu Ju's chance encounter with Princess Lu and her entourage naturally could not be concealed from the Emperor. He did not believe in such a coincidence and immediately summoned people to investigate in detail.

Liu Ju didn't stop his father. While turning over the barbecue on the wire mesh, he said, "Aunt, not many people know that I left the palace today, and they are all trustworthy people. It is more likely that this encounter was just a coincidence."

After Liu Ju slaughtered and marinated the prey he brought back, the Emperor ordered people to prepare tools, and the father and son roasted it themselves.

"Yes." Liu Che nodded, "But, after all, we have to check it before we can rest assured."

The princes will definitely not be able to accomplish anything great, but we are afraid that they may have some devious ideas, so we still have to be on guard.

"But, Zi'er, if you think any of the people they brought with them are good, feel free to keep them if you want." Liu Che added, "They are just women. Can they really find Mei Xi and Bao Si?"

Liu Ju immediately said, "Even if it was Mei Xi or Bao Si, it was the king who was the first to behave improperly."

Liu Che laughed and said, "My son sees things clearly. That's right. Those kings who are easily influenced by others have problems themselves."

"This piece is ready, Grandfather, please try it." Liu Ju first put the meat on the plate in front of his father, and then said, "As the saying goes, 'A red flower blooms when it is near a red flower.' It's all Grandfather's fault."

Liu Che was chewing meat and couldn't speak, so he raised his hand and knocked on the prince's head.

Liu Ju smiled and said, "I'm just telling the truth!"

Liu Che chewed it for a while, but found that the meat was tough and had tendons in it. The servant beside him had already prepared a clean plate for the emperor to spit out.

Without waiting for his father to speak, Liu Ju said, "I made the wrong choice, Aung, you choose which one you want to eat?"

Liu Che rubbed his cheeks and said, "I want a tender piece."

"Do you still want me to choose?" Liu Ju pointed at himself, stared with wide eyes and picked for a while, finally picked up a piece, and took a bite first.

"Very tender!" Liu Ju handed the meat to his father, "Aunt, eat this."

Liu Che: “…”

Liu Che said helplessly: "You have eaten it, and you dare to give it to me?"

Liu Ju said innocently: "Ah Weng, you despise me, then I will eat it myself."

His Majesty the Emperor knocked the prince's hand away and said, "I despise you, but I want to eat this piece."

Liu Ju said with a smile: "If the old man doesn't despise me, then don't be so stubborn."

Liu Che ignored him and just swallowed it before ordering, "Pick another piece."

"Here!" The prince fed the emperor tirelessly.

On the second day after the barbecue buffet, the results of the investigation into Prince Lu and his group came out, and it can be temporarily confirmed that yesterday's encounter was indeed a simple coincidence.

As for whether Prince Lu had other purposes in coming to Chang'an for this pilgrimage, he did have one. He brought the cousin of the Princess of Lu to Chang'an City. The girl was only fourteen years old, the same age as the Crown Prince. His purpose was self-evident.

Liu Che tapped the desk and asked, "Zi'er, do you have any impression of the people around Princess Lu?"