Chapter 8 Entering a Larger Fishpond with Lu

"Song'er, Song'er, how are you?" In the middle of the night, Qin Daoji rushed to the Taoist temple.

Before the person was even seen, a middle-aged voice rang out.

Immediately afterwards, the small door to Qin Song's room was pushed open, bringing with it a gust of night wind, and several footsteps rushed in without stopping, heading straight for Qin Song's small bed.

Qin Daoji stood by the bedside, glanced at the weak Qin Song lying in bed, and looked at him as if he were a sickly person who was nothing but skin and bones. His eyes instantly welled up with tears, and he blinked several times before he managed to hold back his tears.

Qin Song glanced at her "living father," who was so protective of his son but had sent her up the mountain, sighed deeply, and called out "Father" insincerely.

Before Qin Daoji could react, Yun Qian behind him exclaimed excitedly, "That's wonderful! Miss has finally woken up! Has her fever gone down?"

"Yes, Physician Tian, ​​quickly, quickly take a look at my daughter."

Qin Daoji quickly stepped aside. After examining her, Physician Tian looked somewhat puzzled. "Miss Qin does indeed have chills, a weak pulse, and a slightly elevated temperature, but she has improved. It's not nearly as dangerous as this young lady described. She must have already taken her medicine. I'll prescribe some more medicine, and with a few days of rest, she'll be fine. Please don't bother me in the middle of the night anymore; my back is about to fall apart from all the jostling."

After hearing the imperial physician's words, Qin Daoji and Yun Qian both breathed a sigh of relief. However, Yun Qian felt strange. If even the imperial physician was helpless, who else could feed her young lady the medicine?

But she couldn't figure it out for a moment, so she was busy taking the doctor to find a place to rest.

Qin Daoji leaned closer and looked at Qin Song with heartache. "It's all my fault for making you suffer here. Don't worry, in a few days, I will take a break and come to stay on the mountain to protect you personally."

Qin Song was startled. What was her father up to now? Li Yu was already taking enough time. With another father watching over him, how could she possibly win him over quickly?

"Father, why aren't you going to assist the Emperor with state affairs? What are you doing here?"

After listening, Qin Daoji's slightly dry, aged eyes revealed a hint of worry: "Song'er, I know you complain that I've been too busy with government affairs these past few years and haven't paid much attention to you. Now I've caused you so much suffering. It's all my fault. Once I'm done with this in two days, I'll come up the mountain to be with you."

Is this really the comprehension of a regent? She was telling him not to go up the mountain, not that she wanted him to go up the mountain quickly!

Qin Song tried his best to persuade Qin Daoji to give up the idea of ​​going up the mountain to accompany her, but he still had his own ideas: "The war in the north is tense, and the court is not peaceful lately. It is safer to stay in the Taoist temple. Since you don't want your father to accompany you, I will go up the mountain to see you every few days. I will also arrange for guards and doctors to take turns guarding the area. You can stay here for a while in peace. If there are any problems, you must immediately send Yun Qian to inform you."

He spoke very seriously, as if he had something difficult to say. Qin Song was intimidated by his tone and had to put aside his temper, nodding blankly.

Qin Song tried to ask him if something had happened, but he deliberately changed the subject and refused to say anything.

Fine, as long as he doesn't have to be by her side all the time, she doesn't need to worry about any unspeakable secrets.

When the two maids from the Duke's mansion returned side by side, they happened to bump into Qin Daoji, whose brows were deeply furrowed, and were almost scared out of their wits.

Qin Daoji knew they had taken care of Qin Song for most of the night, but he didn't say a word of thanks. He glanced at them and sent them back.

He truly lives up to his reputation as a notorious regent, utterly devoid of gratitude.

Fortunately, he didn't sit for long. As dawn approached, he took the imperial physician back to the yamen to report for duty.

As soon as he left, the two young ladies from the Duke's mansion returned.

The two men each carried a thick stack of scriptures. Jiang Yue said first, "Miss, my young master instructed us to give these books to you before he left."

Shen Xing continued, "Young Master said that if you find Taoist magic boring, you can take a look at these books. He has marked the difficult parts. You can flip through them when you have nothing to do. Next time I go up the mountain, I will bring you other interesting things."

Qin Song took the pile of books and glanced at them; they turned out to be a complete set of the Four Books and Five Classics.

What does this mean? Does it mean she's frivolous, dissolute, and lacks substance?

Qin Song looked up, "Your young master has come down the mountain?"

"Yes, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices urgently summoned him to take up his post ahead of schedule, and he left before dawn."

Oh no, the Taoist temple has withdrawn a handsome man.

After Shen Xing finished speaking, the two of them left.

Qin Song looked at the pile of yellowed books and felt deflated. Li Yu had actually left too. How could books be as interesting as men?

Of course, heaven will not fail every female protagonist in a restricted novel who strives to be the best.

On the day of the banquet at the Governor's Mansion, as dawn was breaking, Lu Youchuan appeared again.

"Change it, just wait a quarter of an hour."

Lu Youchuan looked haggard, his complexion as pale as a demon emerging from hell.

Qin Song looked down at what he had thrown in; it was actually a loose-fitting official's uniform for a minor official in the Censorate. When he looked up again, he had already turned and left.

·

At noon, at the Central Military Commander's Office.

As firecrackers went off, people came and went in front of the Gongfu Mansion, their laughter echoing through the two surrounding streets.

High-ranking officials, noble families, scholars, and literati flocked to the area.

Lu Youchuan and Pan Chengjie, the Vice Censor-in-Chief of the same yamen, each brought a minor official to offer their congratulations.

After passing through the ceremonial gate and exchanging simple greetings, the steward of the manor bowed and led the four of them to the main hall. The once lively courtyard fell silent instantly, and everyone looked at them in unison.

Pan Chengjie raised his hand to congratulate the hostess in the crowd: "Congratulations on Madam Gong's long life."

Pan Chengjie straightened his brightly colored robes, trying to dodge the attention he was getting, but everyone's eyes were only on Lu Youchuan.

Guests nearby whispered among themselves: "Why is he here? Doesn't he never associate with his colleagues? When have we ever seen him attend a private banquet?"

"Could he also be here for the governor's daughter? He's long past the age of marriage, so it's normal for him to be here for marriage."

Everyone else had the same question, and the host, Gong Shiliang, immediately smiled and warmly greeted them with his eldest son, "It's actually two officials from the Censorate! Quickly, come upstairs to the seats of honor."

Lu Youchuan glanced at him, nodded indifferently, and then strode upstairs following his directions. Pan Chengjie followed suit, offering a fake smile as he responded to his host's compliments.

The Gong Mansion was spacious and luxuriously furnished. There were already twenty tables downstairs, and more than ten private rooms of various sizes upstairs. Lu Youchuan and his companion were arranged to sit in a room on the west side near the corridor. The room had a large table, but no one was there, presumably because there were other people sitting there.

The two men were accompanied by their clerks who stood behind them. Unlike the nobles downstairs who were led to the backyard by the steward, it seemed that the guests upstairs were all important to Governor Gong.

The other rooms are presumably occupied by important figures in the imperial court.

After Lu and Pan took their seats, Gong Shiliang and his eldest son accompanied them, exchanging polite greetings.

The atmosphere was extremely awkward. Logically, Gong Shiliang was of a high rank and came from a prominent family, so a few perfunctory greetings would have been enough. However, he flattered Lu Youchuan with every word, while Lu Youchuan remained lukewarm. It was all due to Pan Chengjie's wishful thinking.

After a long silence, Lu Youchuan finally spoke, "Lord Gong is hosting a banquet, there's no need for us to wait around, go and attend to your business."

Gong Shiliang smiled with relief, "My son will stay and keep you company. I'll go down and check on things. Please forgive me if I haven't been a good host."

After saying this, he left with a smile, leaving only the silly young master standing by the table, taking the porcelain pot brought in by the maid and adding tea for the two of them.

Just then, a commotion arose downstairs, as if another important person had arrived. Judging from the tone of their voices, they were women, but the environment was too noisy to hear what they were saying downstairs.

The clerk behind Lu Youchuan stood crookedly, craning his neck to try and see what was happening downstairs through the window.

Before his gaze even crossed the windowsill, Lu Youchuan slammed down his teacup, and a sudden crash echoed through the quiet room.

Lu Youchuan was very dissatisfied and was giving her a warning.

Qin Song, who was disguised as a minor official of the Chengdu Censorate, quickly pulled his neck back, lowered his head, and stood waiting to see what would happen.

A moment later, several footsteps came upstairs.

Gong Shiliang led the way steadily, saying, "Princess, this way please."

Three footsteps approached one after another from behind, and a rich fragrance wafted into the doorway first.

A moment later, Gong Shiliang, who had just come downstairs, came back in and stepped aside to greet him. His son immediately stepped back behind him to welcome the distinguished guest.

A new distinguished guest entered the room. "Oh, it turns out that Lord Lu is here to keep you company."

The young woman had red lips and white teeth, beautiful features, and a dot of cinnabar between her eyebrows. Every smile and frown was charming. As soon as she finished speaking, two handsome men behind her immediately helped her remove the cloak from her shoulders.

The crimson gauze dress was uniquely designed and beautiful, but it wasn't quite suitable for this chilly season. Qin Song couldn't help but shiver when he saw it.

The newcomer, however, seemed quite at ease. She exchanged a loving glance with the male servant, then turned her head to look at Lu Youchuan.

Lu Youchuan calmly picked up the cup on the table, showing no reaction and acting as if no one was there. Seeing this, Pan Chengjie stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your humble servant Pan Chengjie greets the Princess."

Two "minor officials of the Censorate" also bowed and stood silently in attendance.

Gong Shiliang smiled and said, "Princess, please don't be offended. All the other private rooms are already occupied. This table is only occupied by Lord Lu and Lord Pan. Please enjoy yourselves."

The princess straightened her clothes and smiled, "Congratulations on Lord Gong's long life. You may go about your business. I am already very pleased with Lord Lu's appearance and will certainly enjoy myself to the fullest."

Gong Shiliang stroked his beard and smiled, then left with his eldest son.

The princess deliberately sat down next to Lu Youchuan, with two male servants behind her, one massaging his shoulders and the other refilling her tea.

"Lord Lu, why are you here at such an event? Have you really taken a fancy to the Gong family's daughter?" The princess leaned against the table, resting her chin on one hand.

As she spoke, she gracefully placed her other hand on the back of Lu Youchuan's hand, which was holding the cup: "Lord Lu, have you considered what I said? If you are willing to become my consort, I promise you that I will only touch you for a year. Are you satisfied?"

The moment their hands touched, Lu Youchuan seemed to go deaf, and didn't hear what she said at all.

His face was cold, he gripped his cup tightly, and a painful contradiction rose in his chest.

Qin Song also touched this hand.

On the day they were chasing Feng Jin, she only held his hand holding the torch, and he felt numb all over. The electric-like sensation made his blood boil, but he did not resist it. He even deliberately lowered his position so that she could hold on to him more easily.

However, when another person's fair, slender, and even more precious hand touched him, he felt nothing but boundless disgust and aversion.

He must be insane to fall into such a quagmire of a frivolous, unruly, and rude daughter of a treacherous official, and be tormented by this evil thought night after night, almost losing control.

Thinking of this, Lu Youchuan frowned even more, indifferently withdrew his hand, and his cold gaze fell disdainfully on the face of the eldest princess, causing the usually composed eldest princess to change her expression and freeze her smile.

Pan Chengjie, who was adept at reading people's expressions, felt a tightness in his throat. Just as he was about to say something to ease the tension, the male servant behind the princess, who was even more perceptive, bent down and came forward, took the princess's empty hand, and gently licked her fingers, which brought her back to a smile.

Qin Song was dumbfounded; the dog was really well trained.

The princess waved her hand weakly, dismissing the two male favorites behind her who were like dogs. "Lord Lu, among all the officials in the court, the only ones I truly love are you and General Tao. As for General Tao, he is away on campaigns all year round, so I really can't favor him. But you are different. If you are willing, I can dismiss all the male favorites in the mansion at any time and dote on you alone. How about it?"

A well-fed person doesn't know the hunger of a starving person; wouldn't it be better to share the blessings equally?

Qin Song rolled his eyes and scoffed.

Lu Youchuan's eyes grew darker and darker. The hand he placed back on the table slowly clenched, his knuckles gradually turning white, as if a raw, rebellious force was about to burst forth.

Pan Chengjie quickly got up and poured tea for the princess. "Your Highness, our Lord Lu has never been interested in women. He may prefer men."

This angle is indeed very novel.

Qin Song's eyes widened in disbelief.

“Princess, you are exceptionally beautiful. Why not look at others? For example—” Pan Chengjie put down his tea, straightened his conspicuous emerald green outer robe, and smoothed his neatly combed hair. “Your humble servant…”

The princess looked up at Pan Chengjie and said, “Lord Pan is indeed handsome. Unfortunately, there are at least twenty men like you in my harem. Lord Pan should find another suitable partner.”

There are twenty men of one type? What would happen if all the different types were added together?

Her princess-like demeanor is a model for us all.

Qin Song swallowed silently, voluntarily admitting defeat.

Could this princess be the female lead of this world?

Look closely, she is strikingly beautiful and poised, surrounded by many handsome men whose achievements far surpass hers!

If we use this standard, Qin Song is indeed far from qualified.

This task is too arduous! With so many concubines in the harem, even the emperor would have enough favor to enjoy!

No, the problem now is not that we can't have enough people to favor, but how can we develop so many!

Before Qin Song could look away, his gaze suddenly met that of the Princess. "What? You also want to recommend yourself?"

Qin Song: "?!"

The main reason I can't recommend it is...

Qin Song immediately knelt down, head down and silent, and Zhang Hu beside him also knelt down.

Lu Youchuan glanced back and then raised his hand to stop the princess from getting up, saying in a way that left no room for argument, "These two are officials of the Censorate. Your Highness, please have some self-respect."

The eldest princess glanced down at Lu Youchuan, then looked at Qin Song kneeling on the ground, and gave a meaningful smile, without saying anything in a hurry.

Lu Youchuan withdrew his hand and said angrily, "Get out of here now."

Finally, the words he had been waiting for came. Qin Song straightened his oversized hat and quickly followed Zhang Hu out.

Zhang Hu led the way, bringing Qin Song to the backyard where the guests and entourage had been settled. "Let's make do here for a while."

Qin Songcai was unwilling to settle; she was going to fish in the front yard. Her task was becoming increasingly difficult, and she could no longer afford to delay.

Without dwelling on it, she deliberately splashed some water on herself and took the opportunity to leave.

Following the servants of the governor's mansion to the servants' quarters, she closed the door, took off her official robes from the Censorate, revealing her favorite pearl-white brocade robe underneath.

She was slender, and underneath her oversized men's official robes, she wore a complete set of women's clothing, so that no one could tell the difference.

After changing into her dress and styling her hair, the stunningly beautiful young woman in the prime of her life stepped out of the door.

Outside the door, the servant from the governor's mansion who had led her there had already left, leaving her free to come and go as she pleased.

First, she'd disguise herself, then seduce him. She'd hook up with whoever caught her eye, and as long as she avoided Lu Youchuan, she was sure she could seduce a few men today.

However, this governor's mansion is too big. The front yard is so lively, but the back yard is completely silent. I walked around several times before I finally got close to the noisy front yard.

She couldn't wait to plunge into the mortal world, but as soon as she took a step, she was bumped and stumbled.

Her hairpin swayed, and she immediately grabbed a pillar to steady herself. Just then, a male voice rang out, "Excuse me, are you alright, young lady?"

Qin Song turned around, and a young man in brocade robes was looking at her intently. "Miss, you look familiar. Have we met somewhere before?"

Ugh, what a greasy opening line, but... this guy is actually pretty good-looking.

As expected of her, the fish took the bait before she even cast it.

A note from the author:

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The newly introduced character is a minor supporting role, not the third member of the harem (the third member will officially appear in Chapter 14; she's one of the author's favorites [heart eyes]).

From this chapter onwards, chaotic scenes will gradually increase.