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Following Yue Jiang's advice, Empress Dowager Zheng had a carriage prepared the next day, using the excuse of going to Qixia Temple outside the city to offer incense and pray for blessings.
Empress Dowager Zheng had a grand procession. She used to bring Jinglu to Qixia Temple to offer incense, and Jinglu wanted to find a place he knew very well.
Following Yue Jiang's estimation of Jing Lu's return date, Empress Dowager Zheng indeed saw Jing Lu secretly sneaking into the meditation room in the afternoon.
Looking at her haggard and thin grandson, Empress Dowager Zheng couldn't help but shed tears. She gently stroked Jinglu's face and said with heartache.
"Lu'er, of course your grandmother wants that position to be yours, but how could you be so foolish? Now everyone is saying that you are going to rebel. What am I supposed to do?"
"Do you know that Jing Shuo has already secretly laid out defenses in the city? He's just waiting for you to walk right into his trap."
Jing Lu choked up and knelt before Empress Dowager Zheng, shifting the blame: "Grandmother, I had no other choice. It was because I had done a favor to An Chenghuan on the battlefield that I saved his life."
"He wanted to thank his grandson. Seeing that Anguo had conquered Chenguo and was now well-off, he remembered that he had wronged Jingguo in the past and said that he was willing to return the city that Jingguo had given to Anguo back then."
"Who knew that when my brother saw that I was in close contact with An Chenghuan, he thought I was a traitor and would not believe me no matter what I said."
“He even threatened to execute me on the spot,” Jing Lu said, taking off his belt to deliberately reveal his mottled scars, tears streaming down his face.
“These wounds were sustained on the battlefield for the Jing Kingdom. My brother, the Emperor, cannot see them, yet he often makes me lead the charge. When he sees me getting close to An Chenghuan, he becomes suspicious of me.”
"Do you think I can stay here any longer?"
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