Chapter 358 Lu Chenyang
During this period, Lu Xueyin was not idle either. She held meetings with several generals every day to discuss the attack on the Yilin Army.
Wei Guang also arrived in the capital at this time. This time they went back half way by water. Taking advantage of the fact that the weather was still warm and the river was not frozen, they saved a lot of time so that they could return to the capital as soon as possible.
Luo Fei was still on the road because he was injured, so Wei Guang went ahead and didn't even care about his old bones.
When His Royal Highness the Crown Prince saw him, Wei Guang's face was tired, his eyes were dull, and he looked much older.
The Crown Prince was startled and hurriedly helped him down from the carriage. "Teacher, why are you in such a hurry to get on with your journey? You should also take care of your health." He called for someone to come over and said, "Quickly, call the imperial physician."
Wei Guang did not refuse the student's kindness. He grasped the Crown Prince's hand and said, "Your Highness, I have something important to tell you."
Looking at the old tutor's expression, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince knew that he had suffered a heavy blow at Yanhui Pass.
In fact, he had a premonition in his heart when they went to Yanhui Pass.
His Royal Highness, in a rare display of firmness, said, "Let's go see the doctor first. It won't cost a moment."
The prince knew Wei Guang must have much to say to him, but he was currently in a state of calm, feeling resigned to the fact that Wei Guang had already explained the outcome of the peace talks in his letter. Things had already come to this point; how could they possibly get any worse? The teacher's health was more important; there was no way around it.
Wei Guang was truly exhausted, both physically and mentally. He was already old, and the mental and physical strain had drained him to the point of collapse. Seeing him like this, the Crown Prince felt a pang of guilt and bitterness.
After Wei Guang washed up and took the pulse, he did not go to rest, but told the prince about Lu Xueyin's condition.
Of course, Wei Guang also saw the prince's frustration.
"Actually, Your Highness is not without other options now," Wei Guang said. "Lu Xueyin is a woman, and Your Highness has yet to marry. If Your Highness the Crown Prince were to ask to marry Lord Lu, then all the power she holds could be used by Your Highness."
"No!" The prince refused flatly, his tone very firm.
Wei Guang was puzzled: "Your Highness, this is the best solution at the moment. Besides, Lu Xueyin is both beautiful and talented. If she becomes the queen in the future, it will be a good thing for Da Gan."
The more Wei Guang thought about it, the more he felt that this method was a good idea. Lu Xueyin was capable of being an emperor, so why would she worry about not being able to be an empress? Perhaps with Lu Xueyin's assistance, His Royal Highness would be able to rule the country better.
The prince said, "How could Lu Xueyin be so easily controlled? She has great ambitions and would never want to be trapped in the harem."
Wei Guang thought for a moment and said, "That's not difficult. Your Highness can promise to pass the throne to your child in the future. I don't think Lord Lu will object. After all, women only seek offspring and glory."
The Crown Prince said, "Teacher, please don't think of her as an ordinary woman. How could she give up her power for a child who doesn't even exist? Lu Xueyin hasn't taken action against me yet because we still have the Yilin Army. Once she subdues the Yilin Army, she will depose the Crown Prince next."
After Wei Guang thought about it for a moment, he felt that what the prince said made sense.
He became even more depressed: "In that case, Your Highness has no chance?"
"Yes." The prince said in a deep voice, "What if I can take the initiative to subdue the Yilin Army? The Yilin Army is said to have a million men. If I can persuade them to surrender and use them for my own purposes, then I will not have the confidence to compete with Lu Xueyin."
Wei Guang was shocked. That was what he said, but if this happened, Dagan would be plunged into disaster again.
Now that Lu Xueyin was fighting the Yilin Army, it was a legitimate cause and popular support. But if it became a battle between the Crown Prince and Lu Xueyin, it would be a disaster for Da Gan.
"Your Highness, you can't do that!" Wei Guang blurted out. "Let's not even talk about whether the Yilin Army is willing to surrender. Even if they are willing, if Your Highness goes to war with them, it will be the people of the world who will suffer."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince pursed his lips and sighed softly, "If it weren't for the absolute last resort, I wouldn't want to go this far." His eyes were fierce, "But now, Lu Xueyin is pushing me too far! She's already plotting rebellion. Does she want me to surrender?"
If he didn't have a chance, that would be fine, but if he didn't give it a try and fight with all his might, how could he be willing to accept it? That was the throne, the supreme power.
Who can turn a blind eye to this?
Wei Guang wanted to say something, but the prince was no longer listening.
The prince said, "I will personally lead the troops and rush to Ningzhou as soon as possible."
Wei Guang's face was filled with sorrow. Things had already begun to spiral out of control. He didn't know how to continue persuading the prince.
The prince said, "There will always be a battle between Lu Xueyin and me. But if possible, I also hope to resolve it peacefully."
This is why he tried every possible means to obtain military power. If possible, he would not want to go this far.
Wei Guang looked at his determined gaze and knew that no matter what he said, he wouldn't listen. This child had always had his own opinions and never let others influence his decisions.
The prince said in a gentle voice: "Teacher, you can rest in the prince's mansion today and go back tomorrow."
Wei Guang shook his head: "No, I'd better go home. I've been out for so long, your master's wife must be worried about me."
The prince was stunned, but did not force him and personally escorted him out.
The prince watched Wei Guang's carriage leave before turning around and seeing Lu Chenyang standing in the corridor.
The prince walked up to him and said, "Now that Lu Xueyin has revealed her identity, you don't have to hide it anymore."
Lu Chenyang's eyes were as gentle as water: "It's better to keep it a secret. If Xue Yin uses this as an excuse to attack you, you will be in a passive position."
The prince asked, "Will you explain it to me?"
Lu Chenyang pursed his lips and said nothing. The prince sneered, "As expected, in your heart, your family will always be more important than me." He tilted his head and looked at the man's elegant and handsome face. "When you were young, you said that your ambition was to serve in the court, to benefit the people, and to be loyal to the emperor and patriotic. If I were the emperor, would I be the most important person to you, rather than your family?"
Lu Chenyang said helplessly: "You are already the crown prince now, why are you still as childish as when you were little?"
"Why can't the prince be childish?" He said with a stubborn look, "You haven't answered me yet. Who is more important, me or your sister?"
The naive Crown Prince asked him this kind of life-threatening question many times, but even the top scholar who ranked sixth in the imperial examination could not give a satisfactory answer.
His Royal Highness sneered and said, "Sometimes no answer is the answer. As expected, in your heart, I will never be as important as your family. If I hadn't forced you to stay, I'm afraid you would have left without a trace and never wanted to have anything to do with me again, right?"
Lu Chenyang looked around, then held his wrist and turned to walk towards the study.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was extremely obedient and allowed him to pull him.
But the servants of the Prince's Mansion still heard what the two had just said.
Mr. Lu's identity has always been a secret in the Prince's Mansion, but everyone knows that the Prince trusts and values him very much, so in the Prince's Mansion, Mr. Lu's status is very high and transcendent, and no one dares to neglect or offend him.
But as time went on, everyone started to find it strange. Mr. Lu never left his house. Even when he was there, he was a recluse, rarely even leaving his own courtyard. Whenever guests came, he wouldn't even step out of the courtyard, as if he couldn't see anyone.
This doubt was raised when the world-famous Lord Lu came to Beijing.
Lord Lu and Mr. Lu looked remarkably similar, but the difference between them was easily discernible at a second glance. Their temperaments differed: Mr. Lu was more gentle and refined, while Lord Lu exuded a certain edge.
That is the momentum that comes from power.
So no one mentioned Mr. Lu's identity at all.
Lu Chenyang and the prince returned to the study.
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