Chapter 30 Hypocrisy

"Brother, is what he said true?" Jiang Ran only knew about the engagement and had no idea about the life-saving grace.

She had thought Lu Yu was just making this up, but he was so sure of himself, so sure of himself, that Jiang Ran suddenly panicked. Her whole family treated her like a child, so it wasn't impossible that they were hiding these things from her.

Seeing that she was sweating coldly, Jiang Huan had no time to catch the bastard. He quickly helped Jiang Ran sit on the stool.

"Aran, don't be impatient, that bastard is talking nonsense!"

"It's true that the Lu family saved my father a few years ago, but the Jiang family's savior was Prime Minister Lu, and he, Lu Yu, has nothing to do with it. Why would he want to take the shop? Don't worry, we won't let this villain succeed."

Jiang Ran felt relieved after hearing this. He must not lose the shop in Chang'an. Revenue was secondary. The most important thing was that it served as a channel for communication between the north and the south.

Every two weeks, more than a dozen cargo ships would bring batches of goods from Jiangnan, and on their return journey, they would bring back the most fashionable gadgets from Chang'an, which would soon be sold out.

But the most valuable items had already been selected and sent to the ladies' homes. If not, the Jiang family would not have been able to maintain close ties with local officials and chambers of commerce all year round.

If it was Lu Weiqing, there should be room for negotiation, right? Jiang Ran didn't know why he felt inexplicably at ease when he heard his name.

"Lu Weiqing? Judging from the time, he had just entered the officialdom not long ago." She asked in confusion.

"Yes. At that time, the Jiang family had nowhere else to turn to for help. If they got involved, they would lose their heads. Who would dare to intervene?"

Jiang Huan couldn't help but frown when he recalled the situation at that time.

At that time, he and his brother knelt before all the officials at all levels who had connections with the Jiang family. Most of them would not even let them in, and the few who asked them to meet secretly elsewhere also said they were unable to help.

"At that time, Mr. Lu had no intention of intervening. It was Lu Weiqing who broke into the imperial study alone, spoke out for the Jiang family, and tied the Lu and Jiang families together, making them grasshoppers in the same boat."

"Master Lu had no choice but to gather a group of civil servants overnight and die at Xuanwu Gate the next morning. It was only then, through Providence's mercy, that a petition signed by tens of thousands of people from the borderlands was delivered to the emperor, that he ordered a thorough investigation and cleared the Jiang family's name."

However, the Jiang family still paid a heavy price.

Jiang Ran and Jiang Chuan could no longer leave Chang'an, becoming tools for the emperor to control their father. He and his brother were forced to accompany their father on garrison duty at the border, and could not return to the capital unless summoned. From then on, the family was separated, with no hope of reunion.

The family tacitly kept these things from Jiang Ran, not wanting her to bear the family's burden too early. Even Jiang Chuan only learned about these things recently.

I didn't expect Lu Yu to expose it. It seems that this matter can no longer be concealed.

He knew that with his sister's intelligence, she would be able to figure it all out immediately.

This time he ventured back to Beijing, not only to arrange his sister's marriage, but also to have another mission.

Now the progress on both sides is not optimistic, and it is unknown whether Jiang Chuan can hold on. If there is really no other way, he can only go back early.

Over there, Lu Yu was running away, but he lost his strength while climbing over the wall and fell heavily, landing on his face.

He was in so much pain that tears came out, and De Ming cried even harder than him.

"Sir, how did you get beaten like this? If Madam investigates, my life will be in danger!"

"Bah, stop talking nonsense. I fell accidentally. Who can beat me?" Lu Yu grimaced in pain, but he still insisted on being stubborn, not wanting to lose face.

De Ming cried and sighed, helped Lu Yu to the clinic, and then rushed back home without stopping.

No matter how hard they hurried, it was too late. Mrs. Lu had already returned and was waiting in the yard to punish them.

Even if he tried to cover it up, Lu Yu's bruises from whipping, bumps and bruises could not be hidden from Mrs. Lu.

Upon learning that he had been beaten so badly at the Jiang family's, Mrs. Lu immediately went to confront him, "The Jiang family is plotting a rebellion! Our Lu family has been loyal to the emperor and the country for generations. Under the emperor's feet, the world is clear and bright. How dare they steal our wealth and kill us?"

"Come on! Follow me now and ask your uncle for justice."

"I told you I fell down by myself. It wasn't a fight between kids, why are you looking for my uncle? Ah, it hurts!" Lu Yu felt embarrassed, and Mrs. Lu caught him in a sore spot, so he cried out in pain.

At this time, the gate of Lu Mansion was banged on.

"Jinwu Guards are investigating the case—"

More than ten Jinwu Guards filed in, immediately subdued Lu Yu and wanted to take him away.

Lu Yu was covered in wounds and howled in pain after being captured like this.

"My son! You've caught the wrong guy! Let him go!"

Mrs. Lu was so distressed that she rushed forward to tear it apart, but was blocked by the Jinwu Guard with his scabbard and fell to the ground.

"How brave of you!"

"The Lu family has been loyal for generations. How can we allow you to be so presumptuous! Do you know who you have arrested? This is the nephew of Prime Minister Lu." Mrs. Lu pulled out Lu Weiqing without hesitation, thinking that no matter how powerful the Jinwu Guards were, they would have to give him some face.

But they didn't buy it at all.

The leading Jinwu Guard sneered, "He's the one we're arresting. Someone reported him for trespassing and attempting to rob. Take him back!"

I don’t know if Mrs. Lu is really stupid or just pretending to be stupid. The one who reported the case was Prime Minister Lu, and she actually dared to try to establish a connection with him.

Jiang Ran was completely unaware of this matter.

She believed in speaking with fists. If he dared to come over again, she would beat him into submission and be done with it. Anyway, her second brother was at home now, so she didn't think he would dare to mess around again.

The next day, she went to the wood carving workshop as usual, and unexpectedly met the prince on the way home.

Seeing him coming out of the pawnshop cursing and holding the jade pendant in his hand, Jiang Ran quickly turned around and avoided him, then pretended to pick something at a small stall.

The prince was so angry that he didn't notice her. He cursed as he walked, "What a worthless fake thing. Lu Weiqing is also a pretender. He has the nerve to show off this rubbish. I have worked so hard for nothing."

When Jiang Ran heard him admit that he had stolen Lu Weiqing's jade pendant, the last bit of hope he had was gone, and he quietly followed him.

The prince first went to a gambling house. Jiang Ran was afraid of being seen by him, so he just looked at the door.

He seemed to have bad luck and kept losing, and finally lost all the jade pendants.

About half an hour later, he walked out of the gambling house with an annoyed look on his face.

Not only did he steal, he was also a gambler.

Jiang Ran was horrified. What kind of marriage partner was this? Even if he was a prince, she wouldn't be able to marry him.

She thought it was time for lunch and there was no need to follow him any further. She was about to go back and discuss it with her second brother when she saw him walk into Tianxiang Pavilion.

Jiang Ran couldn't hold it in any longer and stared at Tianxiang Pavilion for a full half minute.

Stealing, excessive gambling, and even prostitution?! Such an honest man, yet he has all the five vices.

"Curious?" Lu Weiqing appeared beside her at some point and blurted out a question.

Jiang Ran was frightened by him and rubbed his chest, "Isn't it just a brothel? What's so curious about it?"

"Are you so hasty in making a final judgment? What if a good person is wrongly accused?"

"Tsk, what else can you men do in a place like this? What's so unfair?"

"Is that so? It seems that Miss Jiang doesn't dare to go in. Then, I, Lu, will do it for Miss Jiang and take a look?" Lu Weiqing smiled mischievously, and he was sure that Jiang Ran would be easily provoked by this method.

Sure enough, he walked forward and silently counted three, two,...

Before the count was even finished, Jiang Ran rushed over and said, "Who said I don't dare? I want to see with my own eyes what he's up to."

Before he finished speaking, a veil fell down, covering Jiang Ran's face completely.

The next second, she felt her body lighten and was held horizontally in Lu Weiqing's arms.

The arms pressed against her waist and knees were burning hot, and a clear voice rang in her ears: "Keep away from people, Miss Jiang, I'm sorry."

Jiang Ran felt her heart pounding and her face started to burn. She was afraid that he would notice her shyness, so she didn't dare to speak and only hummed softly.