Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Coma

There are no stars or moon tonight, and thick clouds are pressing down on the night sky of the capital. Lu Shenru didn't sleep much at night, and he felt a dull pain in his wound.

His wife was sleeping soundly, so he didn't disturb her. He lifted the gauze curtain and got out of bed.

The treetops in the courtyard of Yuanxiu Pavilion were motionless. Summer had just begun, but the heat lingered in the air and did not even dissipate at night.

His arm hurt again. Standing in the stuffy air of the courtyard, Lu Shenru couldn't help but think of that year in Mianlou. The wound was painful and the air was stuffy. The situation was quite similar.

He stopped her at the corner of the Moon Gate a few days ago. He hid in the shadows so as not to be seen, but wanted to say a few more words to her, but she refused to even look at him.

"I don't want to know who the Master is, nor do I want to know what the Master wants to tell me. I only know that you and I should never see each other again."

After saying this, she did not allow him to say any more and left resolutely from the Moon Gate.

After hearing this, the second brother didn't know what to do. Seeing that he had been silent for many days, the second brother, who had always been naughty, also became quiet like him.

His injury had not yet healed, and he would need at least another month to recover, until autumn came and the weather gradually turned cooler in Qingzhou before he could leave. Before that, he would continue to hide in the mezzanine of Mian Tower.

The interlayer was very stuffy, especially after a rain in the evening, the humidity poured in, making it even more unbearable. The second brother couldn't stand the hot flashes, but seeing that he was in a bad mood, he would rather stay with him in the interlayer.

"The compartment is shallow and narrow. It will be even hotter with one more person." He called his second brother, "Go outside and take a look."

But the second brother shook his head and refused to leave, insisting on staying with him.

At this moment, there was suddenly the sound of quick footsteps coming up the stairs in the Mian Building.

He immediately recognized who it was, and his second brother was also extremely perceptive, so he called him in a low voice immediately.

"Brother, she's back in the building again!"

She had said before that she would not come again, had her things taken away, and refused to talk to him or see him.

But today she suddenly came again.

The second brother couldn't help but pull his sleeve. He became happy before she even came upstairs.

"I said that Big Brother's feelings for her were all genuine, without any falsehood. How could God let her not feel it?"

The second brother said excitedly, "Brother, she must be here to have a good talk with you!"

Speak nicely, he hopes so.

And she was indeed coming towards him, but she did not enter the compartment and her footsteps stopped outside the partition.

He glanced over and saw tear marks on her face and tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong..." he couldn't help but ask softly.

Before she could finish her words, she called him.

"Sir, I know you have feelings for me, but I have never seen your true face, nor do I know who you are. To me, you are as far away as a shooting star in the sky. You have feelings for me, but I cannot respond. There is no reason in the world that I must respond, right?"

There is really no such truth in the world, but...

He didn't speak immediately, but saw tears falling from her eyes and her hands were shaking as if she was holding something.

He looked carefully and saw that it was a square handkerchief with bamboo leaves embroidered on the corners.

It belongs to her third brother from the Jiang family.

There were some bloodstains on the white handkerchief.

Her hands holding the handkerchief shook more and more violently, and her tears fell faster and faster.

"... He went to the mountains to recuperate for nearly half a year. He was almost recovered, but today he coughed up blood..."

The implication was that he was the one who caused Jiang Jia Sanlang to cough up blood.

That day, he looked into her eyes through the gap in the partition. He knew that she couldn't see him, but he couldn't see any tenderness towards him in her eyes. He didn't dare to compare himself with Jiang Zhuxiu, but he was not even as good as a stranger.

There was only disgust and hostility in her eyes when she looked at him.

Is it wrong for him to like her?

But in her eyes, he made Jiang Zhuxiu vomit blood, so he was unforgivable...

Those were the last words she spoke to him that day.

"I won't come to Mianlou again until you leave!"

She left after saying that and ran down the Mian Building.

The second brother held him up in shock, "Brother, you look pale, is your injury acting up?!"

He covered his injured chest, but the injury did not worsen. He just felt a little pain in his heart, as if he had been stabbed dozens of times with a blunt knife.

He shook his head to his second brother, saying he was fine, and said in a hoarse voice, "Pack your things."

The second brother gasped, "But brother, your injury is not healed yet."

He curled up the corners of his mouth and smiled.

Isn't the meaning of her last sentence obvious?

She didn't welcome him and didn't want to see him again. For the sake of her third brother Jiang, she drove him away.

How could he stay after she had said so much?

The second brother was so anxious that he wanted to go find Lord Du, but he was stopped by him.

That day, he went to thank Lord Du and said goodbye. Before dawn, he took away everything in the mezzanine of Mian Building and left the Du family.

After leaving Qingzhou, the second brother kept checking his face, countless times a day. He always said he was fine, but the second brother was very sad. Until the second brother suddenly found a trace left by a spy and wanted to investigate.

Just after dawn that morning, his second brother came to see him.

"Brother, I had a dream last night."

"What dream?" he asked casually.

But the second brother said, "I dreamed that you brought her to our house! I dreamed that you got married!"

He was stunned for a moment, but then sneered, not sure whether he was laughing at himself or someone else.

"How could she be willing to marry me if she hates me so much?" He said, "There's no need to mention Qingzhou anymore."

He turned around and prepared to walk away, but his second brother followed him in two steps.

"But brother, I always feel that you two are still destined to be together!"

He muttered again, his voice low and hoarse.

"Brother, have you ever liked someone so much..."

He ignored what his second brother said at that time.

But on that day, his second brother flew in front of him.

The arrow pierced his throat.

He no longer has a brother.

... ...

In the courtyard of Yuanxiu Pavilion, a guard appeared at the door and asked the marquis if he had any instructions.

Lu Shenru shook his head. The clouds in the sky were still low and there was still no wind. He returned to the room.

As soon as she sat down on the bed, she woke up.

The weather was hot and humid. He saw her sitting on the bed in a daze and asked her, "Would you like a cup of tea?"

He asked, but she came to her senses.

She said she could just go and pour it herself, "Don't move the wound on your arm."

But Lu Shenru didn't care about this minor injury at all. He didn't allow her to get out of bed and turned around to pour her tea.

She could only drink.

Du Lingjing didn't know why he was so insistent on such a trivial matter as pouring tea. But she saw that he had already put on his clothes, but it was still dark outside, so could he not have fallen asleep yet?

She looked at him strangely and he asked.

"What are you looking at, ma'am?"

Du Lingjing asked him, "Why don't you sleep?"

"I thought of some old things."

She saw him sitting back down on the bed.

"What old thing?"

She asked again, but he suddenly grabbed her neck and pulled her in front of him, pressing her nose tip against his straight nose bridge.

The breath was suddenly brought closer and then intertwined.

But he didn't kiss her for a moment. He just stayed at a distance that couldn't be closer, with his dark eyes lowered, quietly looking into her eyes.

There was no moonlight coming in through the window; only a small dim lamp outside the tent was flickering with a weak light.

Du Lingjing was confused for a moment.

But Chongping's footsteps suddenly reached the window.

Chongping's tone was fast and tense, which was not his normal way of speaking.

"My Lord, there is news from the palace!"

It's still late at night and before dawn. Is there any news coming out of the palace?

Du Lingjing's heart skipped a beat, and sure enough, the man also paused, then stood up immediately and walked out.

Du Lingjing couldn't help but feel worried, but she couldn't hear the words of the person outside the window. After Chongping reported to him, he turned back to the room, but his steps were heavy.

"What happened?"

She was no longer sleepy, and when she saw him she put on her outer clothes.

She held up the lamp and walked quickly forward, and his face was extremely solemn.

She wondered if something had happened to the Imperial Concubine or Prince Hui. The Imperial Concubine seemed healthy and stable, but the young prince did not look very healthy.

But it was none of them, he lowered his voice.

"The emperor suddenly fell into a coma."

As soon as the words fell, Du Lingjing took a breath.

While he was talking, he had already strode out of the bedroom. Now the palace gates were locked, and he was not allowed to enter the palace without permission. However, he asked Chongping to call a few confidants to Yuanxiu Pavilion.

The weather was so stuffy that it was hard to breathe. Du Lingjing lost all desire to sleep and stood in the corridor with her hands folded and clasped.

She had thought about this question before.

If the emperor died before the empress, the imperial concubine would not be able to become the empress, and Prince Hui would not be the legitimate son. Lu Weishi's faction would be in a very embarrassing and difficult situation.

The emperor has not been in good health since he ascended the throne, and everyone has been used to it, but this time he suddenly fell into a coma.

Lights were lit up one after another in Yuanxiu Pavilion. The shadows of the lights followed the figures of people, moving back and forth hurriedly, shaking people's hearts in panic.

It was not until dawn that the palace sent a message that the morning court was indeed cancelled, but no one was summoned to the palace. However, the Yongding Marquis's Mansion passed a sign in.

About half an hour later, the palace announced that the Marquis had entered the palace.

The heat was blazing at noon, but there was no wind in Beijing, making it hard to breathe. Even though Du Lingjing was usually calm, she couldn't help but ask Qiulin to fan her.

The fan was waving, and when the sun was setting, the Marquis came back.

Seeing his wife waiting in the study of Yuanxiu Pavilion, he said, "The emperor has woken up."

Du Lingjing breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that.

However, his face was sullen, without a trace of relief, as gloomy as the weather today, pressing down on the bluestone slabs.

"I thought before that no matter how bad the emperor's health was, he would need at least three to five years to recover. But today it seems that he may not even need a year... maybe even in the second half of the year."

Second half of the year?

It's May now.

"What did Mr. Yu and the others say?"

Several of his trusted aides were unsure how to deal with this matter.

She saw him pause for a moment and said, "The easiest and fastest way is to get rid of the Empress."

As long as the queen is alive, the imperial concubine cannot succeed her, and Prince Hui cannot be the legitimate son.

Everything will be different if the Queen is removed.

Du Lingjing was silent after hearing this and couldn't help but look at the Marquis beside him.

Is he going to decide to get rid of the queen?

She didn't ask, but he sighed.

"The Emperor values his first wife very much. No one is allowed to approach the Queen's bedroom."

Du Lingjing pursed her lips.

Based on her observations at the palace banquet, the emperor was indeed very concerned about the queen, but the queen was indifferent to everyone, including the emperor.

The two of them were not necessarily very close, but the emperor was extremely concerned about the queen's health.

It is said that he favors Imperial Concubine Lu Huairu, but the Imperial Concubine lacks the position of Queen. If the Emperor really favors her, why would he care so much about the Queen's health and hope that she would stay with him for a long time?

Or is it that what people love is so complex and unpredictable?

Du Lingjing was thinking secretly, but heard someone beside her whisper something.

"I have to go back to the northwest."

He was going back to the Northwest, and Du Lingjing understood instantly.

If things develop in an unfavorable direction and Feng Zhen cannot smoothly enter the Eastern Palace, then he can only send troops to attack the capital.

Du Lingjing's heart started beating fast along with him.

She clenched her hands secretly.

People outside scolded him, saying that his family was full of loyal and brave men, and he was the only traitor left.

Fame and the like, looking back at thousands of years of history, actually don't matter that much, but if he is defeated... ...

Du Lingjing couldn't help but ask.

"Has Weishi made up his mind?"

He did not answer the question directly, but was silent for a few breaths and spoke softly.

"The queen is actually a person with a miserable life." He said about his elder sister Lu Huairu.

"The monks and Taoist priests all predicted her fate, saying that she was different from ordinary people when she was born. She was a one-in-a-million phoenix, destined to be the mother of the country..."

Others may be envious, but the Lu family has an army in the northwest for the country and has reached the highest level of status. However, this phoenix destiny came so strangely that it attracted the previous emperor's princes to ask for marriage.

The situation of the late emperor at that time was quite similar to that of today. The Crown Prince who was designated early on suddenly passed away, and there was no longer a legitimate son among the princes.

The Lu family did not want to get involved in the fight for the throne, so they found a distant relative for Lu Huairu in his uncle's family, who was General Guo.

Lu Shenru was still young at that time, but he said, "Sister really likes him."

I like the young General Guo who is still unknown.

Du Lingjing thought of the rumors that Nian Jia told her.

It turns out that General Guo really existed, and it turns out that the Empress was really engaged.

Lu Huairu, who was born as the eldest daughter of the Lu family, actually liked that unknown young general.

"General Guo later..."

Lu Shenru frowned, "After the queen got married, they never met again. Later, he died on the battlefield."

It was just as the rumors said.

Du Lingjing couldn't tell what she was feeling.

Lu Shenru talked about his sister.

"When she entered the backyard of the palace in a sedan chair as a maid, even my grandfather's eyes turned red. I really can't imagine that if it wasn't the emperor who ascended the throne, would the eldest daughter of the Lu family really be someone's concubine for the rest of her life?"

He said, shaking his head.

"Perhaps the monk and Taoist priest were right in their predictions. She might really be the one in a million who is destined to be a phoenix."

But the emperor was still hesitant to make her the queen.

Du Lingjing looked at the man and saw that his brows became stern and his eyes were looking far out the window.

"Even if the emperor fails to make her the queen, I, her brother, will do my utmost to help her take the highest throne and rule the country as the mother of the country!"

He sank his voice.

"Only in this way can her years of selfless dedication be worthwhile, and the hopes and longings of the entire Northwest Yongding Army be worthwhile!"

His voice was very low and deep, but it echoed in Du Lingjing's ears like the sound of a bell.

He said to himself, "I have to go back to the Northwest."

But Du Lingjing frowned and looked at his injuries.

Lu Shenru knew what she meant, and his tone softened by five points.

"Don't worry, my lady. The emperor has just woken up. I have to wait until his condition stabilizes before I can go back. It will take some time."

*

The Jiang family’s new house.

Jiang Fengchuan sent the visitor away, and Uncle Hui stepped forward to clear the tea bowls, unable to help but look at the visitor's back.

"It seems to me that he is from the palace of His Royal Highness Prince Yong."

It was not the emperor's uncle, Prince Yan, but the prince, Prince Yong, who was supported by the civil officials.

Jiang Fengchuan took the tea from the cup and said with a smile, "Uncle Hui has a good eye. His Royal Highness Prince Yong no longer has Shao Tanhua by his side, so he wants to win over me, Jiang Tanhua."

"Ah?" Uncle Hui was surprised. "Then how did Sixth Master respond?"

The Jiang family is the deceased Prince Yu's maternal family, but they never took sides between the two princes.

But Uncle Hui saw that Sixth Master laughed even more.

He heard him say, "His Royal Highness Prince Yong appreciates me, so how can I not respond?"

He agreed.

This news soon reached Lu Shenru's ears.

There was nothing strange about the man. Jiang Fengchuan was not his brother Jiang Zhuxiu, who acted without rules.

In comparison, Jiang Zhuxiu was quite patient. He did not have the arrogance of a provincial champion, but was extremely calm.

There are some things that he thinks he cannot do, but Jiang Zhuxiu can let go and do them. Perhaps it is because he is extremely intelligent, but because of his illness, Jiang Zhuxiu is indeed different from ordinary people.

That year, Lord Du passed away suddenly and was buried in a mountain torrent. He rushed there for several days and nights, but Quanquan did not recognize him. He threw away the lamp that was extinguished by the mountain rain and threw himself into Jiang Zhuxiu's arms, but Jiang Zhuxiu saw him.

When he was in Mianlou, he unexpectedly met him. That day, he sent Quanquan back to his room and knocked on his door.

He had been riding for several days, and it was too late that night, so he had to rest temporarily in the mountain villa where they were staying.

He concealed his name and just said he was passing by and wanted to stay overnight. The owner of the villa did not show up, so he asked a servant to lead him to his room.

When Jiang Zhuxiu arrived, his clothes were still wet from the night rain, and a strong smell of medicine wafted from his body. He stepped forward to salute him, recognized his identity, and called him "Marquis".

Lu Shenru didn't know what he was here for, but he went straight to the point.

"I won't live long."

This was his first sentence, and then he looked at him with disappointment and a little guilt.

He was thin, and before he could speak he coughed twice, his whole body seemed to be soaked in the coldness of mountain rain, but the words he said were:

"If the Marquis is still interested in Jingniang, can you wait for her?"

Lu Shenru looked over and heard him say seven words in an extremely calm and slow voice.

"I won't marry her."

He has a very soft voice.

"She has lost her father, her uncle is no longer reliable, and in this world... If you are interested, my Lord," he asked calmly, "please give her some time and wait for her."

Lu Shenru did not answer.

It is obvious that he still has intentions and will continue to wait, but it has nothing to do with Jiang Zhuxiu.

But he didn't expect that Jiang Zhuxiu really didn't marry her and died of illness early.

He was surprised and asked Chongping to investigate personally, only to find out that he had secretly bought neem seeds and brought them home.

So, it was suicide?

Lu Shenru had imagined many possibilities of him not getting married, but he had never thought that he would commit suicide, a method that was not accepted by the world.

But no one else knew about this, perhaps only Uncle Hui who was beside him.

But Uncle Hui followed that crazy Jiang Liulang.

Lu Shenru gave orders.

"Keep an eye on Jiang Liu."

When Jiang Fengchuan told his wife about his proposal to the emperor, she was shocked and wanted to leave him.

What if she knew that Jiang San committed suicide, and also knew that Jiang Zhuxiu had "promised" him at the villa that he would not marry her?

Lu Shenru closed her eyes and pinched her brows, thinking about how she had driven Jiang Sanlang away for her.

It was hard to imagine who he was. What would she think when she found out that Jiang Zhuxiu committed suicide...

The man pursed his lips and remained silent, the lights were dim.

After a while, he gave instructions again.

"Keep a close eye on Jiang Liu."

But two days later, Jiang Fengchuan secretly sent someone to leave Beijing and visit the villa in the mountains where Lord Du died.

But some people followed quietly.