The turmoil in the hunting grounds was like a boulder thrown into a lake, the ripples spreading rapidly.

That evening, the atmosphere in the study of the Marquis of Jing'an's residence was as heavy as the deathly silence before a storm. Marquis Lu Yuan of Jing'an, an old general who exuded authority without anger, sat on the grand chair with a livid face, his knuckles cracking as he gripped a secret report in his hand. Lu Zheng stood below him with his hands at his sides, his face devoid of the arrogance of the day, replaced only by melancholy.

"You wretched child!" Lu Yuan slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups clatter, his voice like a thunderclap. "What do you think the hunting grounds are? A place where you can throw a tantrum and humiliate the Prime Minister's daughter at will?! 'Ear-piercing demonic sound'? 'Wake up the old yellow dog'? Lu Zheng! Where is your manners? Have they all been eaten by dogs?!"

Lu Zheng pursed his lips tightly, his jawline taut, offering no explanation.

"Do you know that when Prime Minister Luo left court today, his face was so dark it could drip water! Although His Majesty didn't say it explicitly, he had obviously heard about it and was quite inclined to appease Miss Luo!" Lu Yuan became more and more angry as he spoke, his chest heaving violently. "Not to mention how those members of the imperial family and nobles will laugh at my Lu family behind my back! They'll laugh at you, Lu Zheng, for being blind, letting a pearl go and choosing to trample on it!"

“Father!” Lu Zheng suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with suppressed frustration and resentment. “She was the one who started this! She was the one who publicly threatened to tear up the marriage certificate! She was the one who…”

"Why did she do this?!" Lu Yuan interrupted sharply. "If you hadn't repeatedly provoked her and spoken so harshly, would a well-educated and reasonable daughter of a prime minister have done something so shameless and self-destructive?! Lu Zheng, ask yourself, what are your true feelings towards Miss Luo? If you truly despise her, why did you... when the Empress intended to match her with His Highness the Crown Prince?"

"Enough!" Lu Zheng, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, suddenly growled, interrupting his father. Mentioning the Empress's past preference for Luo Qingrou as the Crown Princess, and his own intentional or unintentional interference, seemed to uncover a hidden corner of his heart, one he himself didn't want to delve into, causing him a sharp, unpleasant pain. He irritably scratched his hair, his eyes filled with confusion. "Her and I… In short, this marriage was entirely the elders' wishful thinking! A forced marriage is never sweet!"

"A forced marriage?" Lu Yuan sneered, staring intently at his son. "I doubt it! If it were truly forced, why would you stand up like a fighting rooster every time you see her? If you truly despise her, why bother to pay attention to how well she plays the zither? And why deliberately speak ill of her to attract her attention?"

His father's words were like a sharp scalpel, precisely piercing Lu Zheng's chaotic thoughts, which he was trying to conceal. He froze, as if under a spell, opening his mouth but finding himself unable to utter a single word in rebuttal. Yes, why? Why did he find it so irritating every time he saw her sitting gracefully beside the Crown Prince, smiling and chatting, even when she was simply quietly serving tea? Why couldn't he resist provoking her, even knowing it would anger her? Why, when he saw her eyes redden with anger, did he feel a fleeting sense of pleasure mixed with a deep, irritating, throbbing pain deep within his heart?

"I..." Lu Zheng was speechless, feeling utterly confused, overwhelmed by a tremendous sense of bewilderment and unprecedented panic. He loathed this feeling of being out of control.

Seeing the complex emotions surging in his son's eyes and his rare disheveled state, Lu Yuan sighed heavily. His anger subsided slightly, but his tone remained somber: "Zheng'er, whatever you think in your heart, this matter has become a huge scandal, no longer just a private grudge between the two of you. Prime Minister Luo is a veteran of two dynasties, with disciples and friends all over the court and the country. His Majesty also relies on him. Your actions today have put our Jing'an Marquis's mansion in the eye of the storm! Although His Majesty has not pursued the matter, the northern border has been unstable recently. The Qiang people have repeatedly invaded the border, plundering caravans and harassing border residents. The garrison commander, Zhou Tong, is old and frail, and I'm afraid he is no longer up to the task..."

Lu Yuan changed the subject, his gaze becoming deep and sharp: "My plan is to request His Majesty's decree tomorrow that you... will act as the Emperor to patrol the border and guard the northern frontier!"

"Guarding the northern frontier?" Lu Zheng looked up abruptly, his confusion replaced by astonishment.

“That’s right!” Lu Yuan said decisively. “Firstly, it’s to lay low for a while and let these rumors in the capital cool down. Secondly, it’s also to give you a chance to gain experience! My Lu family has been a military family for generations. As the heir, do you really want to be a playboy who spends his life fighting cocks and riding horses? Although the northern frontier is harsh and cold, it is a place to make achievements and prove yourself! I also want you to… think it over carefully!” Lu Yuan looked at Lu Zheng meaningfully at the last sentence.

Lu Zheng fell silent. Guarding the northern frontier… far from the capital, far from this suffocating gossip, far from… her. This thought strangely brought a sense of relief, as if escaping a chaotic vortex. At the same time, a surge of patriotic fervor, typical of a son of a military family, subtly stirred within him. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, the confusion had faded, replaced by a resolute and sharp determination.

"Okay!" he uttered, his voice deep and firm. "I'll go!"