Chapter 75 To save his son's life, he wanted Lü Lin to come...
In Bai Ruixuan's memory, when he first went out to do business with his father more than ten years ago, the Northwest region was extremely dangerous. Every year during the lean season between winter and spring, small groups of nomadic people would come south to plunder. The border garrison often could not arrive in time to provide assistance, leaving only scorched earth and ruins after burning, killing, and looting.
Often, border guards, in an effort to maintain a facade of peace, would not even report these small-scale attacks. Only the people who had lived in the Northwest for generations knew the true extent of their suffering.
These are the real situations that cannot be seen in the official gazette. Even the seemingly insignificant numbers in the official gazette represent the heavy lives lost.
The turning point seemed to come ten years earlier during the major bandit suppression campaign. At that time, Wang Hong, the governor of the Northwest, had been stationed on the border for many years, wielding immense power and becoming virtually the local emperor of the Northwest. However, less than two years after the bandit suppression, he was transferred back to the capital and assigned to the Rear Army Commandery, a largely idle government office, essentially retiring and fading completely from the circle of powerful nobles.
Bai Ruixuan also said that Lü Lin had a very good reputation in the Northwest. He cooperated well with the border troops and personally went up the city wall several times to boost morale and resist the plundering of the Hu people. He originally had the opportunity to be transferred to a more prosperous prefecture in the south, but he took root in the Northwest and stayed there for ten years.
“This Marquis of Weiyuan is indeed problematic.” Shen Lingyue had spent a lot of time with Yan Yi going through the official gazette these days. “He complains to the court every year about being poor and asking for military funds, but he hasn’t fought many impressive battles. Where has all the money gone?”
She slapped her forehead and thought for a long time, "What's that word again? It means leaving the enemy alive so you can keep earning merit..."
"To nurture an enemy is to enhance one's own importance." Yan Yi immediately guessed her meaning.
"Yes, that's it!" Shen Lingyue said confidently. "It must have been when Lü Lin led his troops to suppress bandits that he discovered that secret passage leading directly to the northern desert, reported it to the court, and then the Earl of Weiyuan was transferred back to retire... Hmph, he really got off easy. What's the difference between him and a traitor?"
This is roughly the information Bai Ruixuan gathered. Most of it came from the perspective of ordinary people he interviewed, and without exception, they all highly praised Lü Lin's achievements in the Northwest.
"As you said, Lu Donglou met with the fake Lü Lin in private and seemed to be protecting him. But why did he come back after jumping out of the window to escape?"
Yan Yi calmly analyzed, "Unless there is a third person present, he is the one that Lu Donglou truly needs to protect."
Shen Lingyue asked uncertainly, "Could it be... Zhen Lülin? Are the three of them in cahoots?"
Yan Yi nodded, "Very likely. Lu Donglou is in charge of gathering intelligence at the border, and the real and fake Lü Lin may both be working for him, which is why they switched identities."
Shen Lingyue hissed, "Looks like we misunderstood that imposter? No wonder he was so confident, not afraid of being exposed at all."
Yan Yi comforted her, "Actually, this is for the best. If the real Lü Lin is still alive, perhaps one day he will be able to come back and reunite with his family."
"Sigh, I wonder when Lu Donglou will be able to leave the capital... It's making me afraid to go out casually."
Shen Lingyue sighed unhappily, but her mind was still racing. "Hey, Yan Yan, do you think the fake Lü Lin is doing so well in the Northwest? Will he stay in the capital this time?"
Yan Yi pursed her lips and said softly, "That depends on His Majesty's decision."
...
Shen Lingyue is someone who can't stay idle. After being cooped up at home for a few days, she reverted to her old ways and went out to a banquet with Meng Wanyin.
She was good at comforting herself: it's just visiting someone, a normal social occasion, Lu Donglou can't possibly control this, can he?
As luck would have it, they ran into Fan Qingxi again at the house where the banquet was being held.
This time she didn't bring Zong Ge'er with her, and when she saw Shen Lingyue, she seemed hesitant to speak. "Madam Shen, the story you told last time about the real and fake county magistrate... was it really just a story?"
Shen Lingyue was a little bored, but she perked up instantly when she heard this.
Could it be that Fan Qingxi has finally discovered that there's something wrong with the person she's sleeping with?
Her eyes darted around quickly as she carefully chose her words: "As the saying goes, a thousand readers will have a thousand different stories. Some people read it for entertainment, while others see it as a reflection of themselves. What do you think, Mrs. Fan?"
Fan Qingxi regretted asking the question as soon as she finished, after all, she wasn't familiar with Shen Lingyue, and they had even had a disagreement over the child. She forced a smile and nodded, "You're right, I was just overthinking things, it's okay."
Shen Lingyue raised an eyebrow as she watched her hurried departure.
Fan Qingxi left the banquet early and was still somewhat uneasy in the carriage on her way home.
She and Lü Lin have been married for ten years, but in reality, they haven't spent much time together, because he was really too busy and devoted almost all his time to official duties.
Later, as Zongge'er grew up, he devoted his limited rest time to his son.
For many years, Fan Qingxi had lived this way. After all, she had been taught since childhood that men should be in charge of external affairs and women should manage the home. It was only natural for men to work hard in their careers while their wives took care of everything at home. What wife would cling to her husband all day long? That was not the behavior of a proper wife.
Since their family returned to the capital from the Northwest and were waiting for the Ministry of Personnel's transfer documents, she thought that Lü Lin would finally have more time to spend with her. However, he seemed to still be the same cold and indifferent person as before, as if they were just partners in the "family" business, rather than a married couple who had bowed to heaven and earth.
Fan Qingxi even suspected that Lü Lin might be seeing someone else, or that he might have someone else in his heart. She even tried to subtly probe him: if he had a woman he liked, why not bring her into the mansion so that he could keep her company?
But Lu Lin just laughed at her for thinking nonsense and said that it was nothing at all.
Fan Qingxi bit her lip in frustration. She also wanted to be like her second brother and sister-in-law, loving each other and living a fulfilling life.
Could it be that her husband was truly indifferent to love by nature? Yet she remembered the sweet moments they shared when they first got married, like betting on books and spilling tea, with her adding fragrance to the air...
The carriage suddenly stopped.
Fan Qingxi asked the driver what had happened.
"Madam, I'm not sure if I'm seeing things," the coachman said hesitantly, "I think I saw Master just enter that alley..."
Fan Qingxi peeked out and glanced ahead, her expression instantly changing.
This is a famous red-light district in the capital, with several brothels operating there, making it one of the most hated places by the ladies of the house.
Fan Qingxi clenched her fist, ignored the driver's advice, lifted the hem of her skirt and hurriedly got off the carriage, walking quickly towards the alley.
It was noon, and the girls in the brothels hadn't gotten up to greet customers yet. The streets were rather deserted, with few pedestrians.
Fan Qingxi quickened her pace and soon spotted a familiar figure not far ahead.
The man was wearing a dark blue robe and was talking to the owner of a shop on the street. The half of his face that was visible was none other than Lü Lin's.
In a moment of desperation, Fan Qingxi blurted out, "Lü Lin!"
The man glanced in their direction, a flicker of panic in his eyes, before immediately turning and running forward.
Fan Qingxi's heart sank to the bottom, but an impulse from who-knows-where made her chase after them.
As she chased after him, she felt a sharp pang of bitterness in her heart: Lü Lin had said this morning that he was going out to visit a friend and inquire about the news of his transfer to the Ministry of Personnel, but could his "friend" be in a brothel?
He even lied to her, saying there was no one outside...
Tears blurred her vision, and just as she tripped over some debris and nearly fell, a pair of large hands pulled her up in time.
"Qingxi? What are you doing here?"
The familiar voice, the familiar warmth—Fan Qingxi looked up in a daze, and through her blurry vision, slowly made out Lü Lin's appearance.
She stared wide-eyed, looking him up and down in disbelief.
Wait a minute, he was just wearing a dark blue robe, how come he changed into the clothes he wore when he left this morning?
Seeing her standing there blankly without speaking, and noticing that she was only wearing a thin undershirt because she had gotten out of the carriage in such a hurry, Lü Lin took off his cloak and tied it around her neck, then began to speak to himself: "I just came from a friend's house, and I saw his family's carriage parked by the roadside. The driver said you got out to look for someone... What kind of person are you looking for in a place like this?"
Lu Lin frowned slightly, seemingly disagreeing, but ultimately refrained from uttering any words of blame.
After all, this is not a place for her.
Fan Qingxi suddenly grabbed his hand as he tied the cloak, and said urgently, "Husband, I just saw someone who looks a lot like you... but he ran away as soon as he saw me."
Lu Lin chuckled and shook his head. "Why would you think I'd come to a place like this?"
He paused and then added, "Perhaps that person also made a mistake, thinking that his own wife had come to catch him in the act of adultery, which is why he fled in such a sorry state."
"Is it really such a coincidence?" Fan Qingxi murmured, repeatedly recalling the fleeting glimpse of his profile in her mind, then looking up at Lü Lin beside her, as if making some kind of comparison.
Lu Lin's eyes flickered slightly, and for the first time ever, he pulled her into his arms, his voice softening.
"Stop overthinking, let's hurry home. Zong-ge'er hasn't seen his parents for half a day, he's probably making a fuss now."
...
The following morning, Shen Lingyue was having a meal and drinks with Yan Yi when the gatekeeper suddenly announced that the eldest daughter-in-law of the Lü family had come to visit.
Yan Yi, bewildered, asked, "Why is Lü Lin's wife at our house?"
Shen Lingyue jumped up with a swift movement, "Quickly, invite them in."
He then whispered to Yan Yi, "We ran into Lord Liu at his house yesterday, and I suspect she's starting to have doubts."
It was convoluted, but Yan Yi understood it.
A short while later, Fan Qingxi was led into the front hall of Jiusi Courtyard and sat down with some trepidation.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi came out to greet her. "Madam Fan, is there anything I can do for you today?"
Fan Qingxi stood up again. She didn't know what was wrong with her. When faced with such a strange situation, the first person she thought of to confide in was Shen Lingyue.
She glanced hesitantly at Yan Yi, and Shen Lingyue, realizing what was going on, immediately said, "Don't worry, my sister-in-law isn't an outsider, she keeps her mouth shut. Why don't you tell us what's on your mind? Maybe we can help."
Fan Qingxi twisted her handkerchief, hesitatingly saying, "Yesterday I think I saw someone who looked exactly like my husband..."
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi exchanged a glance, both feeling somewhat excited.
Could it be that they guessed right? Is it true that Zhen Lü Lin is not dead, and is currently in the capital?
Shen Lingyue composed herself, pulled Fan Qingxi to sit down, and placed a hand warmer in her cold palm. She spoke frankly, "Thanks to Brother Lü, I'll also call you sister-in-law. Sister-in-law Fan, I've always admired you. The Northwest is such a harsh place, and you've stayed with your husband for ten years. You must be an exceptionally good woman... cough cough, of course, it would be even better if you could be a little stricter with the children."
Fan Qingxi was touched by her friendliness and frankness. She felt a little embarrassed, but her guard also lowered somewhat. She subconsciously explained, "I know that Zong-ge'er is a bit spoiled, but my husband and I only have this one child. He was born in the Northwest. Compared to his brothers and sisters who grew up in the capital, he has already suffered a great injustice..."
Shen Lingyue almost facepalmed: With Zong Ge'er's cannonball-like physique and unruly nature, does he look like he's been wronged? It seems love always brings a sense of indebtedness; there's a kind of thinness that only your mother thinks you're thin…
She swallowed her complaints and, together with Yan Yi, became confidantes, finally coaxing Fan Qingxi into opening up.
“I really didn’t mistake him. That’s my husband of ten years. There’s no way I could be wrong.”
Fan Qingxi repeatedly emphasized, "But just when I was halfway there, my husband suddenly appeared again, still wearing the same clothes he wore when he left that morning, and insisted that I was seeing things."
She looked at the two of them for help: "Tell me, am I hallucinating, or is there really someone who looks exactly like my husband?"
Yan Yi said softly, "The question now is, why did the first man in the blue clothes who entered the red-light district run away as soon as he saw you? If he was just a stranger who looked similar to Lord Lü, why was he afraid of being caught by you?"
Fan Qingxi was stumped by the question. "Right, if it was just me mistaking someone for someone else, then it's all a misunderstanding. Why would he run away? Unless..."
Shen Lingyue continued, "Unless he knows you, knows your identity, and absolutely cannot be seen by you, otherwise there will be trouble."
Yan Yi's eyes flickered slightly, and she dropped another bombshell in Fan Qingxi's mind, "Sister-in-law Fan, what if that man wasn't trying to avoid you, but Lord Lü?"
Fan Qingxi immediately recalled the story that Shen Lingyue had told at the Lü family.
The fake magistrate, realizing his parents suspected his identity, decided to kill them to silence them...
Her face turned pale instantly, and she covered her mouth in disbelief.
Could it be that her real husband has been impersonated? When did this happen?
They had only been married for three months when her husband went to take up his post in Xichuan alone. It wasn't until more than half a year later that she set off to find him...
Fan Qingxi could no longer hold back, and tears streamed down her face.
"Have I been deceived for ten years? My husband, who bore my children, is actually an imposter?"
Her eyes were red, terrified by her own imagination. "Where has my real husband been these past ten years? What kind of life has he been living? Has he suffered a lot? Oh, and what about my parents-in-law and my second brother? Do they know that their relative has been impersonated?"
Shen Lingyue grasped her hand, her tone both concerned and guiding: "Sister-in-law Fan, do you want to find out the truth about all of this?"
Fan Qingxi hesitated for only a moment before looking back at her firmly, "I want to know."
She spent ten years with "Lü Lin" in the Northwest, enduring the wind and sand of the border for a decade, and was no longer the gentle and quiet woman she once was in her boudoir.
“I can’t let this mistake continue…” Fan Qingxi’s voice gradually regained its firmness. “Like in that story you told, what if he senses something is wrong and tries to harm me, or my parents-in-law, first?”
She was married into the Lü family through a proper marriage ceremony, and the marriage certificate listed her and Lü Lin's names. She was his wife, and if anything were to happen to him, she would protect their family.
"I have an idea, let's see if you dare to take the gamble."
Shen Lingyue leaned close to Fan Qingxi's ear and whispered a few words.
Fan Qingxi first opened her eyes wide in astonishment, then slowly became thoughtful.
"I... I need to think about it." She frowned slightly, clearly still having some concerns.
"It's alright, but this is a serious matter, and you really need to think it through."
Shen Lingyue gently hugged her, her expression sincere, "By the grace of the Goddess Xuan Nu, we will all help you."
Fan Qingxi looked slightly confused. "Which deity is this?"
Shen Lingyue asked Qingchan to go back to Danyue Pavilion and bring back a wooden statue of a deity wrapped in red cloth.
Hehe, luckily I asked my second brother to make a few extra last time, and now they've come in handy.
"You know the Duchess of Lingguo, right? And the youngest daughter of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, Elder Sang..."
Shen Lingyue rambled on with flowery words, and Fan Qingxi was half-believing and half-doubting, but still solemnly placed the statue in her bosom.
She desperately needs someone to rely on right now.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi personally saw Fan Qingxi off at the door. Before getting into the carriage, she turned back to look at the two of them and said, "Thank you for listening to me... If I make a decision, would you mind sending someone to deliver a message to you in advance?"
"No problem." Shen Lingyue readily agreed, then reminded her to be careful when she got back, and not to let anyone notice anything amiss.
Watching the carriage rumble away into the distance, Shen Lingyue could no longer contain herself and gave Yan Yi a high five.
"Great, it came to me without any effort at all."
No matter how hard these outsiders try, they can't match the suspicion of Fan Qingxi, her husband.
"Is your idea even feasible?" Yan Yi hadn't offered any opinion since earlier. "Are you sure this will lure out the real Lü Lin?"
"It's hard to say," Shen Lingyue shrugged. "How will we know if it will work if we don't try? Anyway, there's no other way."
Yan Yi thought about it and sighed, "It all depends on whether she can bring herself to do it."
...
A few days later, the two received an invitation from Fan Qingxi, inviting them to visit the Lü family the next day.
Shen Lingyue clapped her hands. "It seems she has finally made up her mind."
The next day, they went to the Lü family as agreed.
Since Lü Lin's family did not live in the old house, Fan Qingxi borrowed the house of his younger brother and sister-in-law, Guo Yun, Lü Chong's wife, to entertain them.
Guo Yun greeted the two with a smile, "Sister-in-law, you've been so busy trying to entertain you this morning that you've been distracted. Please forgive any shortcomings in your hospitality."
She had heard about the conflict between Zong Ge'er and Shen Lingyue from Lü Chong before, and thought that today's small banquet was set up by her sister-in-law to apologize, so she took the initiative to accompany her and entertained her very warmly.
Shen Lingyue stepped forward and grasped Fan Qingxi's hand, applying a slight squeeze, and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, you're too kind. How could I hold a grudge against a child? It's all in the past, let's not dwell on it. Today is just for sisters to have some tea and chat. If you stay in the capital in the future, we should visit each other often. Don't you agree?"
Fan Qingxi received her signal, composed herself, tried to make her expression more natural, and nodded with a smile, "Yes, our two families should visit each other more often in the future."
Guo Yun secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this. Fortunately, this was a peaceful resolution. Otherwise, with her elder brother and sister-in-law on one side and her husband's good friend on the other, it would have been very difficult for the couple to be caught in the middle.
The group took their seats one by one, and she asked Fan Qingxi in a low voice, "Sister-in-law, where is Zong-ge playing? You must send someone to keep an eye on him today, and make sure he doesn't cause any more trouble."
Fan Qingxi's brow twitched, and she absentmindedly replied, "Yes, there's a wet nurse and maid with us, so nothing will happen."
The group chatted and laughed, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.
Around noon, the peaceful atmosphere was shattered by a scream.
"Madam, Madam, something terrible has happened!"
A young maid stumbled in, her face streaked with tears. "Young Master was playing football in the garden just now. In the short time we turned around, he was gone!"
"What?! Brother Zong is missing?!"
Fan Qingxi's face turned pale. She hurriedly stood up and walked to the maid, her voice urgent: "Have you searched the garden carefully? Zong-ge'er is playful; could he have deliberately hidden in the rockery to scare you?"
The maid nodded and then shook her head. "We've searched. We've thoroughly searched every corner of the garden, even checked the dog hole under the west wall, but there's no sign of the young master anywhere..."
Fan Qingxi staggered a few steps and almost fainted. Guo Yun quickly supported her, saying, "Sister-in-law, you have to hold on."
He then instructed his maid, "Go to the yamen and call the second master back. Tell him to come back and find someone immediately."
Fan Qingxi was helped to the table, covering her face with her hands and sobbing, "What should we do? Why did Zong-ge'er suddenly disappear? Could he have been kidnapped...?"
"Sister-in-law, don't panic. Who would have the audacity to come to the Minister's residence and kidnap a child?"
Guo Yun kept comforting her, then looked at the two of them apologetically, "Sister-in-law, something terrible has happened at home, please forgive us for not being able to entertain you properly..."
Shen Lingyue hurriedly said, "Anyway, we don't have anything else to do, so we might as well stay and keep our two sisters-in-law company while they wait for news."
Yan Yi then suggested, "Why don't we send more people to thoroughly search the entire Minister's residence? Children are mischievous; they might be hiding somewhere trying to scare the adults."
Guo Yun nodded quickly, "Yes, yes, I'm so scared I'm completely at a loss. You two please take care of my sister-in-law for me. I'll go and tell the housekeeper in the front yard right away."
She hurried out the door, and only after she had disappeared from sight did Fan Qingxi slowly release her grip, tucking the handkerchief soaked in ginger juice into her sleeve. She asked tentatively in a low voice, "Was what I did just now... okay?"
Shen Lingyue nodded affirmatively, "It's incredibly realistic; even my sister-in-law and I almost believed it."
Fan Qingxi gave a bitter smile, "Just thinking about how much suffering my husband has endured while wandering far from home, I can't stop my tears even without a handkerchief..."
Soon, news of Zong Ge'er's disappearance in the garden spread throughout the entire Lü family.
Minister Lü remained relatively calm and instructed his steward to search the alleys outside the mansion, hoping that perhaps Zong-ge'er had run off to play.
Mother Lü clutched her handkerchief, tears streaming down her face, and in her anger, she slapped him several times.
"You old codger, you've got a lot of enemies when you were young. Even Lin'er and Chong'er were kidnapped for revenge, and now it's your grandson's turn... If anything happens to Zong'er, I'll fight you to the death!"
Minister Lü couldn't dodge in time and was hit several times by his wife. He couldn't help but defend himself: "I've retired from office and am just a decrepit old man now. Who would bother me?"
Upon receiving the news, Lü Chong returned from Shuntian Prefecture with a team of constables. They surrounded the Lü family garden and searched every inch of it.
A constable ran out of the artificial cave, holding a letter and a child's clothes in his hand.
"Sir, we've made a discovery!"
Lu Chong tore open the envelope, pulled out the letter, and saw two lines of writing on it in a crooked hand.
—If you want your son to live, have Lü Lin come to the usual place to see me.
—Remember, it can only be Lü Lin, not anyone else.
Lu Chong frowned, somewhat puzzled.
Where is the "old place"? Also, does the second sentence have any other meaning, and why is it emphasized again?
A series of hurried, chaotic footsteps approached. Lü Chong looked up and saw Lü Lin rushing towards him in a manner that was unlike his usual composed self, covered in sweat and with his chest heaving violently.
He snatched the letter, quickly glanced at its contents, and froze on the spot.
"My husband..."
Behind him came Fan Qingxi's mournful cries.
Lu Lin slowly turned around and saw his wife with tears streaming down her face, her voice choked with sobs, "What should we do? Our son is missing..."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Good news: I updated on time today.
Bad news: I still haven't finished writing it [crying emoji]
This story underwent a major overhaul when I was about a third of the way through... so I've been really struggling with this for the past few days QAQ. I realized I'm still not very good at writing about men. Today, when I got to Fan Qingxi, my thoughts flowed much more smoothly. It seems older women are definitely my comfort zone [doge][doge]
//And a huge thank you to everyone in the comments section for your enthusiastic and lively reasoning (and xiabians)! [Let me see] I'm giving out small red envelopes for comments within 24 hours of this chapter! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]
///Finally, a big announcement—who managed to snag a ticket to Yang Li's special performance? Hahahaha, it was me!!!
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