Chapter 66
Lu Chengfeng gritted his teeth.
Play a tune? Play a tune in front of her and other men?
What do you take him for? Do you take him for a puppet to be played with?
Jingchun entered the hall and urged again, "The jade flute is ready, so Your Highness doesn't need to bring it. His Majesty and the Imperial Noble Consort are still waiting, so Your Highness should hurry."
Lu Chengfeng clenched his fist and then slowly released it.
Jing Chun turned and left the hall, and Lu Chengfeng got up and slowly followed him into the main hall of Weiyang Palace.
Inside the main hall, the spring letter, which Qianqing loved most, was burning, carrying a light plum blossom fragrance and hinting at the arrival of spring.
On the table to the side sat a lustrous jade flute.
Lu Chengfeng bowed respectfully to the two of them, but as he stood up, he heard Qianqing pleading with Ling Wu for a reward, "Your Majesty, Aqing has been disciplining Lu Shushi very well. Look how well he has learned his manners now. Shouldn't Your Majesty reward Aqing?"
Lu Chengfeng froze, then suddenly looked down, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fist under his sleeve.
He held back, continuing to maintain a submissive demeanor.
The faint fragrance of plum blossoms wafted from Lingwu's nose, quite elegant. "It's excellent. You're almost out of spring letters. I'll have Jingchun personally deliver a few to you tomorrow, and also bestow upon you a bushel of gemstones and jade. How does that sound?"
Ling Wu's voice was affectionate. Qian Qing turned slightly to get closer to Ling Wu and gently kissed her in front of Lu Chengfeng before sitting up straight.
"Ah Qing loves His Majesty the most!"
Ling Wu's gaze met Lu Chengfeng's eyes.
Her tone was calm, revealing no emotion.
"Since the Imperial Noble Consort wishes to hear you play a tune, then please play one."
Qianqing, however, tugged at Lingwu's sleeve. "Your Majesty, you've asked Lu Shushi to play a tune. Aren't you going to reward him? I'll add one first, hmm... then, that jade flute will do." He raised his eyes slightly, pointing at the jade flute, his smile radiant yet disdainful.
Lu Chengfeng gritted his teeth. Did they really think he was an actor?
A reward? Ha.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. Your humble servant is unworthy and dares not ask for Your Majesty's reward." He stood in the main hall in a white robe. Although he was thin, he exuded a clear and bright aura.
“Lu Shushi is being modest.” There was a hint of mockery in Qian Qing’s tone.
Lu Chengfeng stood silently to the side, seemingly not intending to defend himself.
Lingwu patted Qianqing's hand, but Qianqing blushed uncontrollably and said coquettishly in front of Lu Chengfeng, "Your Majesty, Lu Shushi is still here..."
Lu Chengfeng felt a metallic taste in his throat, but since he had finally gotten this opportunity, he had no choice but to swallow it down!
Ling Wu could only resort to helpless indulgence before calmly instructing, "In that case, Lu Shushi, please begin."
Lu Chengfeng lowered his eyes and darkened slightly. After a long while, he lifted his sleeve to reveal his swollen and unsightly hands, and then picked up the jade flute.
The melody was lingering and tender, yet Qianqing's gaze turned cold.
Only when the music ended did Lu Chengfeng grasp the jade flute, bow, and kneel, saying, "Your subject wishes Your Majesty a joyful day."
Happy birthday and a day of harmony.
Lingwu understood his implication, and thus gave him a deep look.
Their eyes met, like two lovers who had finally come together after being separated by the long river of time.
Qianqing's eyes immediately reddened!
Good heavens, this little hussy actually dared to seduce His Majesty right in front of him!
"Your hand?" Ling Wu's voice was calm.
Under the cold gaze of the thousand acres, Lu Chengfeng hid his hands under his sleeves. "It's an old ailment. There used to be a remedy at home that could cure it, but the owner of that remedy... no longer makes it. But it's nothing serious, it will get better after winter."
He spoke with his head down, seemingly forcing a smile.
Because of this, Lu Chengfeng couldn't look up and naturally missed the identical indifference of the two people at the head of the table.
Naturally, he stopped making it, since the person who developed the plaster for him had already gone to the underworld.
At night, Ling Wu chose Lu Chengfeng's name.
After taking a bath, Lu Chengfeng ignored the servant's nervousness about his ugly and terrifying hands. He slowly wiped off all his makeup and then simply tied up his long hair.
Only then did he glance coldly at the location of the main hall. When the emperor arrived, Lu Chengfeng rose and knelt respectfully.
When the woman's delicate hand touched his arm and pulled him up, Lu Chengfeng felt a pang of grievance for some reason.
After dismissing everyone, Lu Chengfeng lowered his eyelashes.
"His Majesty……"
Before he could finish speaking, Ling Wu interrupted him: "I did all that to protect you, you should understand, right?"
But these words shattered all of Lu Chengfeng's grievances, and he asked in a low, hoarse voice:
"Protect me? Protect me and you won't listen to my explanation? Protect me and you'll ruthlessly confine me here, forbidding me from leaving without an imperial edict?"
Ling Wu stood with her hands behind her back. "At the time, the evidence was conclusive. How could I believe you? They were all pitiful people, destined not to see a future of equality for all. From childhood, they were bound by feudal dogma, each a pure and kind young lady from a noble family. You come from the modern era, why can't you tolerate them?"
Ling Wu's eyes were full of disappointment. "Lu Chengfeng, you are too selfish."
Before Lu Chengfeng could rejoice that Lingwu had remembered everything, a metallic taste rose in his throat again. "I'm selfish? We're clearly husband and wife! Now my wife is with someone else every day, how can I be magnanimous? And... Sang Lingwu, I told you I didn't do the Mad Horse thing! Why won't you believe me!?"
Ling Wu looked at a thief unwilling to admit to stealing, "If it wasn't you, then who else could it be?"
Lu Chengfeng seemed to have found an outlet for his anger. He grabbed Ling Wu and tried his best to show his innocence. "Yun Ji, and when we were in Yongxiang, I did all the work that Yun Ji did, such as cleaning the walls in the rain! I was in Yongxiang for three months, and I did all the dirty and hard work by myself. They didn't even give me food!"
Ling Wu pushed away his hand that was holding her, her voice cold: "The people in Yongxiang have already told me everything. I know everything you have done. You don't need to lie to me anymore."
In the palace, people always side with whoever is favored. Besides, if she remembered correctly, Lu Chengfeng had offended quite a few people in Yongxiang. Who would speak up for him?
Ling Wu paused slightly, then said, "Also... Yun Ji is simple and kind-hearted. He would never do such a thing. Lu Chengfeng, if you're going to find a scapegoat, find someone arrogant and domineering. Yun Ji even worries about whether Xiao Yu'er will get wet in the rain. How could he possibly frame someone?"
However, the Crazy Horse incident was indeed not Yun Ji's doing, because Yun Ji would not risk doing anything that involved himself.
"Pfft—" Lu Chengfeng was so angry that he spat out a mouthful of blood!
Worried the fish will get wet in the rain? Why doesn't he worry about the snow falling and killing people?!
Ling Wu subtly avoided it.
Upon seeing Ling Wu's slightly cold expression, Lu Chengfeng smiled bitterly: "Ling Wu, you've changed."
Ling Wu did not answer, but asked instead: "Lu Chengfeng, can you only see yourself, but not my difficulties? The inner palace is closely related to the court. If I want to protect you, I must stabilize the court."
Ling Wu met his eyes: "Here, the only person I trust is you."
"Only...me?" Lu Chengfeng was momentarily bewildered.
But Lingwu's words sounded very familiar to him. Had he said them before?
What about Ling Wu? Having said the same thing, will Ling Wu eventually become like him from his previous life?
Lu Chengfeng coughed up blood again. Ling Wu handed him a handkerchief, but still couldn't resist provoking him.
"Once I have secured my throne and the court and harem are stable, you will no longer have to suffer."
Before Lu Chengfeng could speak, Ling Wu frowned and instructed, "But during this time, you should behave yourself and not be jealous of them, okay?"
Lu Chengfeng's eyes were bloodshot. "You still won't believe me! I told you I didn't do those things!!!"
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