Chapter 234 The fish has taken the bait
The events of the morning court soon reached the Lu family, and the front hall of the Lu family was filled with people from the noble families who came to ask questions.
After Lu Qin finally managed to get rid of the man, he returned to Lu Chongyuan and flew into a rage: "That eunuch Xiao Yan is clearly slandering us. When has our mansion ever had any dealings with Prince Cheng?!"
Lu Chongyuan said calmly, "But Hou Rui is indeed the Lu family's hidden agent."
Lu Qin was even more furious when he heard this: "Father secretly supported Hou Rui because he wanted to have someone in the Six Departments who was not under the public's attention. But I didn't expect him to betray the Lu family."
"If it weren't for my father, he would be nothing more than a small official in the Treasury Department. How dare that ungrateful person use the Lu family's influence to collude with King Cheng, and now he's blaming us!"
Lu Chongyuan was not as furious as Lu Qin. Although he didn't understand why Hou Rui would collude with King Cheng and even take the risk of connecting him with the Armament Department to help him stockpile those weapons, he always felt that something was wrong.
Since he had promoted Hou Rui, he naturally knew all about his background.
Not to mention the support they have given him over the years, Hou Rui had a bright future following the Lu family. He would surely become the Minister of War in three to five years at the latest. Why did he abandon the Lu family and join a half-disabled prince? Was he willing to take such a big risk just for a little bit of profit?
And the person Lu Chongyuan fears the most is Xiao Yan.
Having dealt with Xiao Yan so many times, the eunuch would never do anything without certainty. Since he dared to report this matter to the emperor, he must have obtained solid evidence.
In other words, this matter is probably not just about Prince Cheng and Hou Rui, the Lu family must be involved.
But who is that person?
Someone from outside came to report that someone had come from the palace.
When Lu Chongyuan and the others saw Jinzhi, Lu Qin recalled the last time Empress Lu sent someone to the palace, and couldn't help but sneer: "What? The Empress is well-informed and sent you to add insult to injury?"
Jinzhi quickly said, "Second Master, you've misunderstood. The Empress is indeed aware of what happened at the morning court, but she absolutely does not believe that the Master would secretly associate with Prince Cheng. The Empress said that the Lu family already has a fourth prince, and it's impossible for them to go so far away and cling to a prince with no future. There must be some villain behind this."
She bowed towards Lu Chongyuan and said, "The Queen is worried about the Master's health, so she specially asked this servant to come and visit him."
Lu Qin snorted coldly when he heard this, not believing Jinzhi's words at all.
However, Lu Chongyuan's expression softened.
He knew that the Queen might not have sent someone to visit him, but most likely wanted to ask about the Lu family and Prince Cheng. But at least she was willing to express her trust in the Lu family and did not allow others to alienate and add insult to injury at this time. This was enough for the Lu family.
Lu Chongyuan glanced at Lu Qin, who was about to mock him, and stopped him from saying anything. Then he said to Jinzhi, "The Lu family is indeed unaware of Prince Cheng's affairs, and we don't know why he would bite the Lu family. But please rest assured, Queen, whether it's a villain or someone in the family who dares to collude secretly, I will investigate this matter as soon as possible."
"I heard that the queen was ill a few days ago. I wonder if she is doing well in the palace?"
Jinzhi smiled bitterly: "My dear, you also know what His Majesty is thinking. Ever since the master was imprisoned, His Majesty reprimanded the queen for pleading for him, and His Majesty has been tired of her."
"With so many new people entering the palace, Your Majesty is in an awkward situation. If it weren't truly difficult, Your Majesty wouldn't have feigned illness to stay in the palace and save the Empress's face."
She had never concealed the fact that the Queen was feigning illness: "The Queen also hopes that the family is safe, that the master can be released from prison soon, and that the master can return to the court soon. She and His Highness still have to rely on the family. If anything happens to the family, she, the Queen..."
It seemed that she couldn't continue speaking, and Jinzhi's eyes were full of bitterness when she lowered them.
Seeing this, Lu Chongyuan said, "Don't worry, Madam. The Lu family won't fall so easily."
Jinzhi spoke a few words to Lu Chongyuan and the others, expressing Queen Lu's concern, and then said goodbye and left, saying that she could not leave the palace for too long.
After seeing her leave, Lu Qin couldn't help but taunt her: "She finally remembered us now. Wasn't she happy to see the Lu family in trouble?!"
Lu Chongyuan glanced outside and said, "After all, the Queen is from the Lu family. His Majesty despises aristocratic families and will not treat her well. She will naturally think of the good things in her family when she is in a difficult situation. If she can see her true identity and unite with her family, it would be a good thing."
Things changed so quickly for the Lu family, and there was no news of the pregnancy of the woman previously sent to the Fourth Prince's mansion. If the Queen could really come to her senses and work together with the Lu family, the pressure on the Lu family would be much less, and he would not be willing to abandon the Fourth Prince unless it was absolutely necessary.
Lu Qin snorted coldly.
Lu Chongyuan didn't mention the Queen again. He just said calmly, "Xiao Yan would never do anything without a purpose. I'm afraid something is wrong within the Lu family. Immediately check the people in the family, especially those related to the canal transport. If there are any unclean ones, deal with them as soon as possible."
…
Before Jinzhi left the Lu family, she went to see Mrs. Lu, Guan. Because her son was missing and her husband was imprisoned, Guan became very thin and haggard in a short period of time, and she looked sick.
Seeing Jinzhi coming over, she hurried out to greet him: "Why are you here, Aunt Jinzhi?"
"Madam, how come you are so thin?"
Jinzhi's face was filled with astonishment, and then she became worried: "The Queen was previously reprimanded by His Majesty for pleading for the Master, and it has been difficult for her to invite you into the palace recently. However, she is worried about you, so she specially asked this servant to come and see you today and bring you some things."
"The Queen has always been thinking about you. She's worried that you'll be in trouble with the people in the clan, and she's also worried about your health. If she saw you like this, I don't know how heartbroken she would be."
When Guan heard Jinzhi's words, tears instantly welled up in her eyes.
Ever since the Lu family encountered trouble, the eldest branch of the family has become the target of public criticism. All members of the Lu family feel that the disaster in the family was caused by Lu Zhinian.
If he had not nearly killed Song Tangning, Xiao Yan would not have seized the opportunity to control the Lu family. If he had not made repeated mistakes and fallen into Xiao Yan's hands, so many things would not have been involved.
The Lu family was once a prominent family, but now it has fallen into such a state. Before, when Lu Zhao was still in the mansion, the situation of the eldest wife was relatively good, and those people did not dare to do anything to her face.
However, ever since Lu Zhao was arrested and imprisoned for the grain tax account book, and his father-in-law Lu Chongyuan was also confined to the mansion, the main room has become a place where everyone vents their anger.
Lu Chongyuan was busy with clan affairs and had no time to take care of other things. Guan was not a strong person to begin with. She had experienced the warmth and coldness of human nature while protecting her young son during this period, but she did not expect that the Queen would still remember her.
Guan cried, "Thank you, Madam, for remembering me."
"You and the Empress are very close, so the Empress has naturally been thinking about you." Jinzhi took her hand and comforted her, "The Empress wanted to come and see you a while ago, but she is in the palace and can't leave. The Master and the others blame her for what happened earlier, so she doesn't want to interfere in the affairs of the palace. However, the Empress has specially asked this servant to bring you something."
She pulled out the jade bracelet from her bosom. "This is the bracelet that Your Majesty had blessed when she was still a boudoir master. The master prayed for blessings, saying that wearing it would bring success and protect one's safety. It was because of this bracelet that Your Majesty was able to gain the favor of the late emperor and be betrothed to His Majesty. It has been kept by her all these years."
"Troubles have occurred repeatedly in the mansion. Sanlangjun and the master have both been framed by villains. The queen specially asked this servant to bring this bracelet to you. I hope that after you wear it, it will help the master escape danger and protect you and the young master."
Guan looked at the exquisite jade bracelet and shook her head quickly: "This is something that belongs to your Majesty. I cannot accept it..."
"You can wear it."
Jinzhi took her hand and put the bracelet on her wrist: "This is the Queen's gift, and she hopes for your well-being."
"The Empress said that aristocratic families are indifferent to human relationships and always put profit first. You must have suffered injustice after the Master's accident. Although she can't do anything to the Master and the others, if you have trouble in the future, you can bring the young Master into the palace. Even if it's for the Master's sake, she will protect you."
Guan felt the warmth on her wrist and listened to Jinzhi's promise. Her tears welled up more and more. She felt that the queen was the best person in the Lu family. She held the bracelet on her wrist and sobbed, "Thank you, Queen."
Jinzhi gently warned, "This servant cannot stay for long. I must return to the palace first. Please do not spread the news about the bracelet, Madam. Otherwise, if the Second Madam and the others knew that it was only given to you, they would probably blame you."
Guan quickly said, "I know, I won't cause trouble for your Majesty."
Jinzhi said, "Then I will leave first. Your Majesty will do her best to take care of the master's affairs. Madam, don't worry."
Guan nodded repeatedly.
When Jinzhi left, she couldn't help but look back at Guan, who was holding the bracelet with a grateful look on her face, and a trace of reluctance flashed in her eyes.
The eldest lady was an extremely kind person and had always treated her servants very well. Thinking about her fate later, she felt only guilty, but thinking of the Empress, Jinzhi could only harden her heart and turn away.
After Guan sent Jinzhi away, she wiped her tears and returned to her room with the things sent from the palace. Her youngest son, who was not even eight years old, saw her crying and hurried forward.
"Mother, why are you crying? Who bullied you?"
Guan hugged her youngest son and sobbed, "No one bullied Mother. Mother just felt that there were good people in the Lu family. Xuan'er, you must remember the Queen's kindness and repay her well when you grow up."
The child looked confused: "Empress?"
He knew that his aunt was the queen, and he had followed his brother into the palace before, but after his brother disappeared, the queen had not summoned them for a long time.
In the child's mind, the Queen was already a very powerful person. With childish eyes, he leaned against his mother and asked softly, "Then can the Queen save my father?"
"Yes."
Guan's eyes were red and she hid the bracelet on her wrist in her sleeve.
The Queen Mother is so kind, she will definitely save her husband, even if she really can't... She looked down at the young child in her arms. If something really happened to her husband, the Queen Mother would be able to protect them a little, so that Xuan'er can grow up safely and not be abandoned by the Lu family.
"Xuan'er, you must remember that if there ever comes a day when this palace can no longer accommodate you, go find the Empress."
The little child didn't understand anything. He just remembered his mother's words in his heart and nodded obediently: "Mother, I understand."
Remember that the Queen is a good person.
…
After Jinzhi left the Lu family, she took a carriage back to the palace.
Outside, by the bluestone wall, a vendor wiped the cloth hanging around his waist and said to the person next to him:
"Go and report to the Governor, the fish has taken the bait."
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