Chapter 259: Queen Lu was poisoned
The Fourth Prince suddenly turned around, and the eunuch Feng who was sitting above him also looked surprised. No one had expected that Lu Chongyuan would actually resign.
Emperor An narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "Are you going to resign?"
"Yes, I am ashamed to stay in the capital. I hope Your Majesty will allow me to return home for the sake of our long-standing friendship."
Emperor An looked at him for a long while, as if he wanted to see clearly what he wanted to do, just when Eunuch Feng and the Fourth Prince thought he would agree.
Emperor An said in a deep voice, "The grain tax case has not yet been concluded, and whether it is related to other members of the Lu family is still to be determined. Although the matter of Prince Cheng has been investigated, the Guan family is still not from the same family. If I ask Lu Qing to resign because of this, I am afraid that people outside will talk about me and say that I am harsh and unkind to the old ministers in the court."
Lu Chongyuan looked up and said, "I, the old minister, voluntarily resign. Your Majesty, do not need to worry about rumors."
Emperor An said in a deep voice: "I have said that I will not allow it."
The Fourth Prince couldn't help but look stunned. His father and the aristocratic families had long been at odds with each other. If the aristocratic families hadn't been so powerful that they wouldn't dare to touch them easily, his father would have gotten rid of them long ago.
Lu Chongyuan took the initiative to resign this time. Shouldn't the emperor agree to it immediately? In addition to the Lu family's influence in the court, he can slowly weaken the other families.
But why doesn’t father allow it?
Although Lu Chongyuan was kneeling on the ground, his expression was calm when he looked up. "Then, Your Majesty, how do you intend to deal with this old minister? Will you keep me confined to the palace, or wait for someone to come after the Lu family again and again, or will you let me be ruined along with the Lu family? Only then will Your Majesty be satisfied?"
"Lu Chongyuan, how dare you!" Emperor An suddenly looked stern.
Lu Chongyuan raised his head calmly: "This old minister dare not be presumptuous, but this old minister does not understand why Your Majesty treats the Lu family in this way. This old minister has never owed Your Majesty anything, and the Lu family has never let down the royal family."
"In the case of the grain tax, that rebellious son Lu Zhao has been imprisoned for a long time. With the accounts and witnesses, and the trial under torture, the case should have been concluded long ago. However, Your Majesty has been ordering me to stay under house arrest and have people dig deeper into the matter. Does Your Majesty want to prove that I, an old minister, am involved, or does he believe that everyone in the Lu family is not clean?"
"As for the previous incident with the Song family, others may not know the reason, but does Your Majesty also know it? If it weren't for the Fourth Prince's foolish greed, tricking my wife into taking the things belonging to the Yiyang County Lady, why would the Lu family have to pay half of their collection of books as compensation, endure ridicule and abuse, just to save the Fourth Prince and the royal family's reputation?"
"Grandfather..."
Before Emperor An could speak, the Fourth Prince's expression changed. He said anxiously, "Father, those things were given to me by the old lady. I don't know where they came from..."
"Do you not know, or do you know but pretend not to know?"
Lu Chongyuan's face was filled with sarcasm, and he looked at the Fourth Prince without mercy: "The Lu family has a rich background and is never short of gold and silver, but many of those things are unique, and some even have the Rong family's signature on them."
"Your grandmother frequently gave you gifts, always choosing when no one was around. Yet, you never asked about their origins, and you never let anyone in the Lu family know that you took anything from the mansion. Were you afraid to be discovered out of guilt, or did you already suspect that those things were not legitimate?"
"I……"
The Fourth Prince was speechless when asked and wanted to explain, but Lu Chongyuan had already turned to look at Emperor An.
"Prince Cheng and the Guan family are having an affair, and the Lu family's legitimate son has been replaced. The grandson whom I have carefully taught for many years is not of Lu family blood. Because of him, the Lu family has been ridiculed by everyone. This is one thing, but even the Fourth Prince, the grandson whom I have loved for many years, has been personally ordered by Your Majesty to bring the Lu family down."
"Since Your Majesty cannot tolerate the Lu family, I, an old minister, have taken the initiative to withdraw and take my clan members to a safe corner. What else does Your Majesty want? Do you really want to wipe out the Lu family?"
Lu Chongyuan's voice was not harsh, but the threat in his words made Eunuch Feng and the Fourth Prince break out in cold sweats.
The Fourth Prince wanted to interrupt Lu Chongyuan several times, but the man who used to be so careful and cautious seemed to be provoked by the Guan family's affairs today. He completely ignored Emperor An's already ashen face and spoke more disrespectfully than before.
"This old minister has been in the court since the late emperor was alive. Twenty years ago, there was a flood in the south, sixteen years ago there was a riot in Yingzhou, and thirteen years ago, the Crown Prince Li was plotting a rebellion. Your Majesty faced these dangers, but the Lu family never retreated a single step. Now, all we get is Your Majesty's suspicion. If that's the case, what is the point of this old minister staying in the court?"
"I beg Your Majesty to forgive me, or grant me the grace to resign and give me a happy ending!"
"Bang!!"
"Lu Chongyuan, you are so outrageous!!"
Emperor An was so angry that he suddenly stood up, grabbed the things on the table and threw them at Lu Chongyuan. The messy things scattered all over the floor. The paperweight fell on Lu Chongyuan's face, cutting a gash and rolling on the ground. Emperor An glared at Lu Chongyuan and gasped in his throat.
His face turned pale and blue, as if he was anxious and angry, but if you looked closely at his cloudy eyes, you could see a hint of fear.
Emperor An and the Lu family have been secretly competing for a long time. Not mentioning the past has almost become a tacit understanding between him and the Lu family. He never thought that Lu Chongyuan would be so desperate to break up with him.
Twenty years ago...
Thirteen years ago…
The raging fire appeared in his mind, as if he saw the East Palace with half the sky illuminated in red. Emperor An grabbed the corner of the table tightly, shaking with anger, and suddenly his head began to hurt violently.
As he stumbled backwards, Eunuch Feng was startled: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?!"
"Father!"
The Fourth Prince was also frightened. He hurried forward to support him and shouted outside: "Someone, call the imperial physician! Quickly call the imperial physician!!"
Chaos ensued outside, and Emperor An's sudden onset also caused panic among the crowd. Xiao Yan watched coldly from the sidelines, watching Emperor An gasping for breath before saying in a cold voice, "Lu Chongyuan's outrageous words before the Emperor are truly outrageous. Come, arrest Lu Chongyuan..."
"Don't!"
Emperor An held Eunuch Feng's hand tightly and hissed while enduring the headache.
"Your Majesty?" Xiao Yan frowned.
Emperor An was panting heavily. The severe headache made it unbearable for him, and the emptiness that kept roaring in his body made his hands tremble uncontrollably.
Unable to find the golden elixir, he could only try his best to stay awake. Looking at Lu Chongyuan, who was kneeling there with an indifferent expression, he said to Xiao Yan, "Lu Zhongshu is a key figure in the court. Today's incident was caused by my inconsiderateness. The case of Prince Cheng has been settled, and no one else in the Lu family must be implicated."
"Father?" The Fourth Prince's face was filled with shock. "But Xie Yin's background is still unknown, and Guan's is also..."
"That's enough. I have made up my mind. No need to say more."
Emperor An interrupted the Fourth Prince impatiently without waiting for him to speak.
"Father..."
The Fourth Prince was about to speak when Emperor An irritably shook off the Fourth Prince's supportive hand. Enduring a headache, he looked at Xiao Yan and said, "Send Secretary Lu back to the palace and release him from house arrest. Investigate Lu Zhao's corruption case as soon as possible. There's no need to mention Secretary Lu's resignation."
Xiao Yan glanced at Emperor An, and a hint of sarcasm flashed across his eyes as he lowered his head: "Your humble servant obeys your command."
When the imperial physician hurried over, Emperor An was supported by Eunuch Feng to the inner room at the back. Hearing the footsteps inside, the Fourth Prince stood there with a pale face and at a loss.
He didn't understand why things turned out like this.
It is obvious that my father hates the Lu family, and today's incident can also convict the Lu family. Even if Guan is not a member of the Lu family, she married into the Lu family in her early years, and the Lu family has no way to deny any responsibility for what she did. The worst thing she can't escape is the charge of confusing the royal bloodline.
He broke with the Lu family because he was sure that the Lu family would not be able to escape this day, but his father, his father did not punish them at all, and instead he went to Lu Chongyuan's house arrest...
The Fourth Prince's face turned pale. He watched Lu Chongyuan stand up from the ground and stepped forward: "Grandfather..."
"Your Highness forgot that you are a member of the royal family and have nothing to do with the Lu family."
Lu Chongyuan's words made the Fourth Prince stagger and turn pale.
"Grandfather, I..."
He wanted to say that he didn't mean it and that he was forced to do so by his father's order, but when he met Lu Chongyuan's frosty black eyes, he couldn't utter a word.
Lu Chongyuan reached out and patted the dust off his sleeves, then turned to look at Xiao Yan standing beside him. "Thank you, Governor Xiao, for your generous gift. However, your majesty's affection for the Lu family is something a eunuch like Governor Xiao might not understand. I will remember what happened today and will definitely repay you."
After he finished speaking, he waved his sleeves and walked out. Xiao Yan was not in a hurry and followed him slowly.
When Lu Chongyuan was about to step out of the imperial study, Xiao Yan suddenly chuckled, "The Lu family's friendship with Your Majesty, was it twenty years ago, or thirteen years ago?"
Lu Chongyuan's body stiffened.
Xiao Yan crossed his arms and walked over to Lu Chongyuan. "Speaking of which, Guan's death was truly pitiful. She confused the royal bloodline and deserved death. Secretary Lu could have saved the Lu family with just a few words. If Guan had entered the palace alive, His Majesty might have spared her life out of the Lu family's friendship. Unfortunately... no one wanted her to live."
His voice was not loud, and the Fourth Prince inside could not hear it clearly, but it was like thunder in the ears of Lu Chongyuan who was standing next to him.
"But it's strange that the eldest daughter-in-law of the Lu family, who doesn't care about anything, can actually order the people of the Ministry of War around. I think she might have been wronged..."
Lu Chongyuan turned around suddenly and looked at Xiao Yan intently: "Master Xiao, please leave some room for improvement!"
Xiao Yan looked distracted: "I don't want to stay, what should I do?"
Seeing Lu Chongyuan pursing his lips tightly and looking gloomy, Xiao Yan raised his lips and suddenly looked out into the distance: "Isn't that the Empress? Secretary Lu, quickly go to the Father's Kindness and the Daughter's Filial Piety."
Lu Chongyuan: “…”
This eunuch really knows!
He originally thought that everything was under control today. It was he who took advantage of Emperor An's weakness and pacified Prince Cheng. However, Xiao Yan actually knew about it. He knew that it was the Queen and the Fourth Prince, but he allowed Guan to "take the blame."
What on earth does he want to do?!
For the first time, Lu Chongyuan felt fear towards Xiao Yan.
…
"Father."
Queen Lu originally came to see the Fourth Prince, but she didn't expect to see Lu Chongyuan and Xiao Yan first.
Seeing Lu Chongyuan coming straight towards her, Empress Lu's face flashed with a guilty look, but she quickly calmed down and said, "I heard something happened in the mansion. Is father okay? Is His Majesty in trouble..."
Snap——
Lu Chongyuan slapped Queen Lu hard in the face.
Queen Lu was completely stunned by the beating, and Jinzhi and the others who followed her were also dumbfounded.
This is the palace, outside the imperial study.
Lu Chongyuan actually dared to hit the Queen? !
The Fourth Prince saw something was wrong and ran over in a hurry: "Mother!" Looking at Empress Lu's swollen face, he said anxiously: "Grandfather, what happened today was my fault. It has nothing to do with Mother. She has nothing to do with..."
Bang!!
Lu Chongyuan slapped the Fourth Prince again, interrupting him.
The Fourth Prince covered his face in disbelief: "Grandfather..."
"Don't call me that. My Lu family doesn't have idiots like you who are willing to betray our family."
Lu Chongyuan looked past the Fourth Prince and looked at Queen Lu: "Lu Qingfeng, I thought you were a smart person, but I didn't expect that you would use your intelligence on your own family."
Empress Lu was furious: "Father, this is the palace..."
"So what if it's in the palace? You can just go to His Majesty to make the decision for you and your son!" Lu Chongyuan sneered.
Queen Lu then remembered that Lu Chongyuan had actually come out on his own, and apart from the small wound on his face, there was no sign of guilt on his body.
Her eyes narrowed and her tone softened: "Father, I had no choice..."
"You don't need to tell me. Don't worry, from now on, the affairs between you and your son have nothing to do with the Lu family. I wish the Empress and His Highness a long life!"
After Lu Chongyuan finished speaking, he gave the mother and son a cold look, then turned and walked out of the palace. From beginning to end, he seemed not afraid of being seen attacking the queen and her son.
Empress Lu's heart was beating fast. After Lu Chongyuan walked away, Xiao Yan came over leisurely. She hurriedly asked, "Master Xiao, why did the Lu family..."
Your Majesty should clearly blame the Lu family, so why is Lu Chongyuan okay?
Xiao Yan sighed softly, "Although we have already found out who was involved with Prince Cheng, who would have thought that His Majesty would change his attitude after Secretary Lu mentioned some past events."
He looked at the queen and her son with some pity: "Lu Chongyuan acted cruelly. Guan was forced to death by them. Even if I wanted to track him down, it would be difficult."
"Empress, the Fourth Prince has made the Lu family extremely angry this time. If I had known that His Majesty still had feelings for the Lu family, I would have persuaded the Fourth Prince not to interfere. Even if it meant offending His Majesty, it would be better than offending the Lu family. After all, so many people have died at their hands over the years..."
Xiao Yan shook his head and didn't finish his words, but the Queen and the Fourth Prince both looked pale.
"Her Majesty the Queen and His Highness, please take care."
Xiao Yan followed Lu Chongyuan away. Empress Lu's face was pale and blue. She covered the place where she was hit and turned to look at the Fourth Prince: "What did Lu Chongyuan say to His Majesty, asking His Majesty to spare the Lu family?"
The Fourth Prince was bewildered. "I don't know either. He resigned as soon as he saw Father, and later even contradicted Father..."
The Queen said in a deep voice: "What did you say? Tell me again, don't miss a word!"
The Fourth Prince looked at the Queen in confusion. Seeing that she looked unhappy, he did not dare to hesitate and quickly told her everything that had just happened in the palace.
Empress Lu's expression changed, finally settling on the phrase "thirteen years ago"...
The Fourth Prince then asked, "Mother, why did Father spare the Lu family?"
Empress Lu pinched her palms. She didn't answer the Fourth Prince's words, but her eyes kept changing. Thirteen years ago, the Crown Prince Li was plotting a rebellion, and there was the He family, and the fire in the East Palace...
"Mother?" The Fourth Prince pushed the Queen.
When Empress Lu came back to her senses, she said calmly, "Nothing, your father probably has other considerations."
The Fourth Prince frowned, feeling as if his mother was hiding something from him. However, the Queen had already covered her face and said, "Let's go back to Fengxi Palace first."
…
After coaxing the Fourth Prince away, Queen Lu has been feeling uneasy. She always felt that the look in Lu Chongyuan's eyes when he left the palace made her uneasy.
At nightfall, the eunuch in charge of Fengxi Palace brought over a bowl of chicken soup.
"My lady, you haven't eaten all day. The kitchen has made some chicken soup. Please have a sip."
Jinzhi also advised: "My lady, no matter how many things are going on outside, you must take care of yourself."
Empress Lu put down the kitten in her arms with a look of annoyance, asked the eunuch to bring over some chicken soup, and then said absentmindedly, "How is His Majesty?"
The eunuch in charge put down the chicken soup and said, "Your Majesty woke up a while ago. I heard from Imperial Physician Sun that your Majesty caught a cold and got angry, which triggered your headache. As long as you take good care of yourself, you will be fine..."
He opened the lid of the bowl, put a spoon in it, and was about to hand it to Queen Lu, but he suddenly seemed to step on something, and his hand tilted, and the ginseng soup spilled out.
Jinzhi was startled and quickly put down what she was holding. She took out a handkerchief and wiped Empress Lu's knees. "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, are you okay?"
The eunuch in charge was also panicked and quickly knelt on the ground: "It's my fault, I am guilty."
Empress Lu frowned in displeasure: "You clumsy fellow, go get ten strokes of the cane yourself..."
The eunuch in charge quickly expressed his gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
He quickly got up and left. Queen Lu looked at the remaining half bowl of chicken soup and lost her appetite: "Forget it, I won't eat it anymore. Take it away."
Jinzhi didn't dare to say anything more. She hurriedly took the chicken soup away and put it aside. She helped Queen Lu walk towards the inner room, wanting to help her wash up, but at this moment, she heard a scream.
The master and servant turned around and saw the cat that Queen Lu had been holding lying in the chicken soup on the ground with blood coming out of all its orifices.
Jinzhi screamed in horror: "Ah——"
"Shut up!"
After Queen Lu shouted suddenly, her face turned pale.
Just a little bit and the chicken soup was in her mouth.
Jinzhi was trembling with fear: "My Queen, this soup..."
"Call Deshun in!"
Before the eunuch in charge could go and get his punishment, he was called back by the Queen. When he saw the cat lying on the ground, he was also frightened.
Deshun knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, it is not you, your servant. I would never dare to harm you."
Queen Lu took a deep breath and said, "I know it's not you."
If it was really Deshun, the soup would have already entered her mouth. She said coldly, "Go and arrest everyone in the kitchen. Put everyone in Fengxi Palace under house arrest. Don't let the news get out."
Deshun hurried out and when he came back after a while, his face looked extremely bad.
"My lady, Miss Gui from the small kitchen is missing."
Jinzhi immediately said, "She must have plotted to murder the queen!"
Deshun also spoke up: "Your Majesty, I will report this to His Majesty and have the palace gates locked up and that slave girl Gui Niang captured! She must be brought back!"
Unexpectedly, Queen Lu looked sullen when she heard this and said, "No need."
"Empress?" Deshun and Jinzhi were both confused.
Queen Lu clutched the glass beads in her hand tightly, her face looking extremely ugly. She knew who had done it and who wanted to kill her. It was very likely that Gui Niang had been silenced.
The words Xiao Yan said during the day suddenly appeared in her mind.
"Lu Chongyuan acted ruthlessly, and Guan was forced to death by them... Your Majesty the Queen and Your Highness, please take care of yourselves."
Queen Lu used so much force on her fingers that they turned blue and white, and the glass bead string suddenly broke, and the beads hanging on it rolled to the ground.
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