Chapter 123 I'm Just Okay
"I didn't expect Lord Lu to be so young and handsome." Zhang Qian said.
Lu Chenyang couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth. He said seriously, "I'm just okay looking."
Zhang Qian smiled and said, "If you are okay, then wouldn't most people in the world be hideous?"
Lu Chenyang thought she had really good taste.
Lu Chenyang asked gently, "What do the five county lords want to see me about?"
Zhang Qian said, "I'm here to ask you to give me a chance. I want to stay and work for you."
Lu Chenyang raised his eyebrows. Let the daughter of King Nanyang do things for him? He touched his face. Did he look stupid?
Zhang Qian said hurriedly, "I've heard that Lord Lu employs many women as stewards. I'm educated and literate, so I can do what others can do. The only thing that worries you about me is my identity." As she spoke, she looked at Lu Chenyang with a firm gaze, "I can prove my loyalty to you, Lord."
Lu Chenyang was really curious. "Fifth Commandery Lady, why don't you tell me? Your father and I are sworn enemies. Is there anything you can do to make me feel at ease with you?"
Lu Chenyang couldn't think of a solution, and he wanted to know what solution Zhang Qian had.
Zhang Qian's black eyes were full of determination and confidence, and she told him her own solution.
Half an hour later, Lu Chenyang left the room where Zhang Qian was imprisoned with a smile on his face.
Yan Xing hadn't seen him smile so relaxedly in a long time. "What good thing happened that made our Lord Lu so happy?"
He was still frowning with worry about King Nanyang a few days ago, but he is so happy today?
Lu Chenyang smiled and said, "Well, I met a very interesting person." After a pause, he said something else: "Reply to King Nanyang. I agree to his request."
Yan Xing was quite surprised. Lu Chenyang knew that saving Chen Jiangnian was a way to take away his power, so why did he agree? Did he want to rescue him and then kill him? But if he did, it would surely alarm the emperor, who would no longer trust his loyalty.
But now is clearly not the time to turn against the court.
And there is no way Lu Chenyang would hand over his existing foundation to Chen Jiangnian.
What is Lu Chenyang thinking?
Yan Xing didn't ask, but just did as he was told. He believed that Lu Chenyang must have his own plans.
After receiving the letter, King Nanyang immediately urged Lu Chenyang to exchange hostages.
The two sides traded at Jiuhe, the border between Shu and Quzhou.
As the name suggests, Jiuhe is where nine rivers converge. The transportation is very convenient and developed, so it has also become the gateway to Quzhou.
For this hostage exchange, Yan Xing made a big move and ordered 50,000 troops to escort Lu Chenyang.
Lu Chenyang and Yan Xing were both sitting in the carriage. After more than half a month's journey, they finally arrived at Jiuhe.
Tens of thousands of troops set up camp, making a huge noise. King Nanyang also received the news and knew that Lu Chenyang was trying to intimidate him, so he sneered in his heart.
Who would have thought that this small county magistrate would now become a force that could threaten him.
Yes, who could have imagined that the top scholar who was exiled to Lingnan by Emperor Qianyuan would become a local overlord in less than four years, commanding a large army and enjoying the support of the people?
When King Nanyang received the news that Wang Chaoyang was captured and his troops fled Yucheng in a hurry, he did not react.
Lu Chenyang actually has such great ability.
Lu Chenyang and Yan Xing were in the tent, discussing tomorrow's transaction.
It is not easy for Yan Xing to show up, so Lu Chenyang went there in person this time.
Yan Xing asked, "Why did you bring back all of the Nanyang King's wives and concubines? Aren't you going to release them all?"
Lu Chenyang nodded: "Yes, I am so kind, how can I bear to separate their family? Of course I want to reunite them."
Yan Xing just watched him talk nonsense quietly, "Forget it, just keep it in mind."
Lu Chenyang did not hide it from him and said, "Don't worry, Chen Jiangnian won't be back." A glint flashed in his eyes: "Prince Nanyang has a good daughter."
Yan Xing knew that Lu Chenyang had made a deal with Zhang Qian, and after hearing his words, he couldn't help but start to think deeply.
The deal has been finalized, Chen Jiangnian will definitely be released, so he can't come back... Does that mean he won't come back alive?
This is indeed a solution. If Chen Jiangnian dies, no one can share power with Lu Chenyang. But Chen Jiangnian can't die at the hands of Lu Chenyang. But what if he dies at the hands of the Nanyang King's daughter?!
Yan Xing was shocked and looked at Lu Chenyang with a complicated expression: "It's... well calculated." He sighed sincerely.
Lu Chenyang wasn't surprised that he figured out their plan so quickly. He just said, "It was Zhang Qian's idea. She said she wanted to use this method to gain my trust. She wanted to stay by my side and work for me."
Lu Chenyang's face was filled with admiration when he mentioned Zhang Qian. "You don't know, this princess is not only smart, but also courageous. She was able to think of a way out so quickly. She proposed to kill Chen Jiangnian in public and completely break with the King of Nanyang. She is truly courageous and bold! She is only seventeen years old, she is really extraordinary."
Yan Xingjun's face darkened, and he snorted coldly, "Lord Lu's charm is boundless and truly admirable. But you haven't even met him, and you've already made the princess fall head over heels in love with you."
Lu Chenyang was anxious: "What...what does this have to do with me?" He hurriedly distanced himself from the matter: "She made progress on her own."
Yan Xing glanced at him coldly, "Master Lu, why are you so anxious? If Master Lu is interested, a talented man and a beautiful woman would be a wonderful story."
Lu Chenyang quickly said, "Don't talk nonsense about talented men and beautiful women. I don't have a childhood sweetheart or a token of love. When the prince was convicted and exiled from the capital, the girl eagerly asked her brother to disown you. Seeing that, I was really disheartened."
Who doesn’t bring up old things?
Yan Xing coughed lightly. "We're not childhood sweethearts, nor is it a token of love. We're just good friends. I have absolutely nothing to do with her!"
Lu Chenyang raised his eyebrows: "He even gave me a jade pendant on my birthday, and you still say there is no relationship? We have known each other for so long, and I have never seen the prince give me a jade pendant."
The two have known each other for several years. Lu Chenyang's birthday had already passed in the first year; on Lu Chenyang's birthday in the second year, Yan Xing led his troops out to look for iron ore; in the third year, Lu Chenyang went to inspect Lingnan; this year's birthday happened to be the time for the attack on Yucheng.
He always missed it, and Lu Chenyang didn't care about birthdays, so Yan Xing never gave him a gift.
Yan Xing said, "Do you like jade pendants? I'll carve one for you myself later."
Lu Chenyang said indifferently: "I don't want to repeat what others say."
Yan Xing: “…”
Yan Xing finally realized what it meant to shoot oneself in the foot.
Seeing that Yan Xing finally stopped mentioning Zhang Qian, Lu Chenyang felt relieved.
The next day was the day when Lu Chenyang and King Nanyang would make the deal, and Lu Chenyang went to see Zhang Qian again.
Lu Chenyang asked, "Are you nervous?"
Zhang Qian smiled cheerfully and boldly, "I'm not nervous. I'm really looking forward to it. After tomorrow, it will be my new life."
Seeing her impatient look, Lu Chenyang couldn't help but smile: "I know a friend, also a woman, you will definitely become good friends with her."
Zhang Qian looked at him and asked, "Is she Lord Lu's sweetheart?"
Lu Chenyang was extremely sensitive to the word "sweetheart": "No, I don't have a sweetheart."
Zhang Qian said, half-seriously, "So, I still have a chance."
Lu Chenyang: “???”
He looked conflicted. He felt that he shouldn't let Zhang Qian misunderstand him, but at the critical moment, he was also worried that it would affect Zhang Qian.
Zhang Qian couldn't help but laugh. "Lord Lu, I didn't expect that despite your success in officialdom, your weakness is women!" She tilted her head, looking at him with bright eyes. "I shouldn't be bad, right? I'm not bad looking, and my background... My father isn't very good, but my mother is a very good woman. I think I'm not bad either. Lord Lu, won't you consider me? I really admire you."
Lu Chenyang couldn't help but say, "Princess! You...you are a woman!"
Zhang Qian smiled and said, "Yes, it's because I'm a woman that my life is difficult. If I want my mother and I to live a more comfortable life, I have to betray my father. I admit that I have some plans when I say I admire you. After all, after tomorrow, I will be an unfilial person who betrayed my father. If I want to survive, I must find a backer. However, Lord Lu, you are handsome and have outstanding character. It is normal for me to admire you, right?"
Lu Chenyang smiled faintly. "But the Fifth Commandery Princess, whom I admire and look up to with new eyes, would never rely on a man. You were in danger, but you didn't give up. Instead, you tried your best to win a chance for yourself. You won this opportunity by relying on yourself. You didn't rely on a man, but changed your life for yourself and your mother. How could a woman like this entrust her future and her name to a man?"
Lu Chenyang was very happy. As a woman, Zhang Qian was able to find a way to save herself in such a situation. He really admired her.
Zhang Qian's eyes trembled slightly, but she only saw the gentleness and seriousness in his eyes.
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