Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Are you so impatient...
Lu Zhiyi gasped and began to tremble uncontrollably.
She closed her eyes and dared not look into the inner bedroom again.
Lu Zhiyi still remembers the first time she saw Lu Changji. At that time, Lu Changji had just come of age, wearing a bright red official uniform, tall and graceful, walking slowly on the snow-covered corridor.
The world was vast, and everyone else was looking around, whispering to each other. Only he was graceful and upright, like a crane.
He has his own pride and will never go along with anyone.
Lu Changji and Yang Zhaoyue were engaged. Yang Zhaoyue repeatedly rejected the late emperor's marriage proposals for him. After the late emperor passed away, people in the court often talked about it privately, saying that Lu Changji and Yang Zhaoyue still had feelings for each other, and that he supported the new emperor just for Yang Zhaoyue.
Having seen Lu Changji walking alone in the snow, Lu Zhiyi always believed that the rumors in the court were groundless.
People in the world are despicable, and what they like most is to drag the gods into the mire.
But thinking about what she had just seen, Lu Zhiyi had to admit that she had misjudged Lu Changji and Yang Zhaoyue were indeed not innocent.
After witnessing the secret of the sky-falling explosion, Lu Zhiyi was terrified. He kept his elbows pressed against his sides, trying to minimize his presence.
She didn't know if she could walk out of Fengzao Palace alive.
Yang Zhaoyue stared at Lu Changji's chest, her nose tingling with sadness. She couldn't help but shed tears. She lowered her voice and said angrily, "You've been injured so badly. Why are you coming to the palace instead of just taking care of yourself?"
"Now it's healed. The wound is bursting open and blood is flowing like a fountain. If you can't make it, I wonder how you can protect the one in the Marquis' Mansion..."
Yang Zhaoyue is the youngest daughter of the Yang family. She is born radiant and has been raised in the palm of her parents' hands since she was a child. She has developed a proud personality and never been given the moon or the stars.
Fortunately, she was proud but not arrogant. She knew what Lu Changji's weak spot was and swallowed back the words that were about to come out of her lips.
He then called out, "Call the imperial physician! Call the imperial physician quickly."
Lu Zhiyi was half lying in the outer room, hesitating whether to get up and call for help, when he suddenly saw a figure flash out from the green gauze cabinet.
The man was extremely agile, obviously skilled in martial arts, and he ran out in the blink of an eye.
Lu Zhiyi suddenly realized that she and Yang Zhaoyue had been fighting for so many years, so how could Yang Zhaoyue really trust her to serve him.
Since Yang Zhaoyue was on guard against her, it made no difference whether she heard something she shouldn't have heard or not.
She simply stood up and stood outside through the gauze curtain, waiting for Yang Zhaoyue's instructions.
Yang Zhaoyue was not polite and said to her, "Bring me a basin of warm water."
When Lu Zhiyi brought hot water into the room, the imperial physician had already arrived. As soon as she entered the room, she smelled a strong smell of blood. Only then did she discover that there was a hideous wound across Lu Changji's chest. The wound was bleeding like a flooded stream.
Lu Zhiyi was startled. It turned out that Lu Changji was not reaching out to take things from Duobao Pavilion just now. He was seriously injured and could not hold on. He wanted to support Duobao Pavilion. Yang Zhaoyue did not want to do anything with Lu Changji, but wanted to check his wound.
No wonder Lu Zhun said that Lu Changji was assassinated. Lu Changji's wound was so serious that even if he didn't die, he would have been seriously injured.
Thinking of this, she became more and more frightened, and with trembling hands she placed the copper basin at the doctor's feet.
The imperial physician was an experienced man, accustomed to many trials and tribulations, and possessed a wealth of experience. The flat-bladed knife skimmed across the blazing flames, slowly approaching Lu Changji's wound. The scorching smell of burning flesh reached his nose, and the mere thought of it was excruciating. Lu Zhiyi couldn't help but cast his gaze towards Lu Changji.
Even though he was enduring pain worse than death, he remained as calm as snow. Except for the blood color fading from his lips, he looked normal.
The imperial physician worked for more than half an hour before he finally treated Lu Changji's wound. By then, Lu Changji was exhausted from the pain and lay on his back on the chaise longue, his face as pale as snow and sweating profusely.
Yang Zhaoyue was heartbroken. She was so anxious that she lost her composure and kept pacing around the room.
Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, Yang Zhaoyue strode over to Lu Zhiyi, slapped her in the face, and said bitterly, "Bitch, if you and your son hadn't given Lu Zhun the hope of usurping the throne, why would he have done such evil and made Xue Ji suffer so much?"
"One day sooner or later, I will kill you all and avenge Xue Ji."
Yang Zhaoyue was soft-hearted and had said such harsh words countless times. But after all, she did not kill Lu Zhiyi. She still had a kind heart as pure as snow.
The year Yang Zhaoyue entered the palace, she was the only favorite in the Pepper Chamber, and the emperor never favored any other concubines. Concubine Zhao became jealous and bribed the imperial chef from the Ministry of Food to put Gelsemium elegans in her food.
She almost swallowed the thick white fish soup, but Lu Zhiyi knocked over the soup bowl and saved her life.
Because of Lu Zhiyi's action, even though the Lu family wanted to seize the throne, Yang Zhaoyue did not kill them all.
Yang Zhaoyue angrily scolded Lu Zhiyi: "You, the Lu family, are a bunch of traitors. You are disloyal, unfilial, unrighteous, and unbrotherly. You all deserve to be tortured to death. Even peeling your skin and removing your bones will not ease the hatred in my heart."
Lu Zhiyi lowered his head and hunched his back, allowing Yang Zhaoyue to scold him without even daring to breathe.
At this moment, Lu Changji, lying on his back on the imperial concubine's couch, spoke in a hoarse voice, "Empress Dowager, Lu Huo has been very active recently. He has sent letters to Huo Zhi, the governor of Shanxi, and Yun Zhizhou, the governor of Qingzhou. He intends to rebel and support Prince Yong's ascension to the throne."
Hearing Lu Changji's words, Lu Zhiyi became even more anxious. She knelt on the ground and tried her best to defend herself: "Empress Dowager, Minister Lu, this matter was secretly planned by Lu Zhun and Lu Huo. I and Prince Yong knew nothing about it.
Prince Yong is loyal to His Majesty and the Queen Mother and will never go along with Lu Zhun."
Rebellion, rebellion, the Lu family really rebelled. Yang Zhaoyue was so angry that he wanted to attack Lu Zhiyi again, but Lu Changji raised his hand to stop him.
Lu Changji looked at Lu Zhiyi and said calmly, "Your Highness Prince Yong's loyalty is evident to all. Lu Zhun has gathered a group of rebels in the palace, plotting to seize power. We are requesting Your Highness Prince Yong to quell the rebellion."
As he spoke, he called over Jiang Zhizheng, the commander of the imperial guards. "His Royal Highness Prince Yong is going to the Lu Mansion to quell the rebellion. Commander Jiang, please go with him and assist."
He was supposedly assisting, but in reality he was supervising Prince Yong's actions to prevent him from colluding with Lu Zhun. A fox with a strong will always has two options for everything he does. Lu Changji was on guard against Prince Yong, but also wanted to personally strangle Lu Zhun and end Lu Huo's hope of rebellion.
Thinking of Prince Yong's injured right palm, Lu Zhiyi felt sad again. Unfortunately, even though she felt sad, she dared not say much and could only shed tears silently.
After everyone left, Yang Zhaoyue looked at Lu Changji and said in a low voice, "Lu Huo is such a cunning fellow. How dare he write to Huo Zhi when Prince Yong is still in Bianjing? Isn't he afraid that we will capture Prince Yong and execute him in advance?
"Once Prince Yong is dead, even if he wants to rebel, he has no legal basis to do so. Will those generals allow someone from the Lu family to rule the country?"
Lu Huo had been guarding the border for many years. He would think three steps ahead before taking every step and never fought an unprepared battle. The reason why he dared to join forces with Huo Zhi and Yun Zhizhou to rebel was because he had joined forces with the eunuchs of Fengzao Palace in three days and secretly taken the "Prince Yong" out of Bianjing.
Yang Zhaoyue's eyes widened as he stared at Lu Changji. "You had Zhang Pei feign surrender and send the disguised 'Prince Yong' out of the palace?"
Lu Changji nodded.
He is able to order Zhang Pei around.
Those in power hate it most when their power is divided, but Yang Zhaoyue had no fear of Lu Changji. She trusted him completely.
Yang Zhaoyue let out a long sigh, leaned lazily on the tea couch, and said softly: "Xueji, I'm lucky to have you, otherwise, Run'er and I would have died countless times over the years."
People are in high spirits when good things happen to them. Lu Zhun not only eliminated his old rival Lu Changji, but also took control of the cabinet. It was a time of great success, and he was no longer as cautious as before.
The Lu family held banquets for three consecutive days and invited close friends to join in the fun.
The Lu family's wine is mellow and Mrs. Lu is hospitable. If the guests drink too much, they don't even need to go home and can just stay in the guest room of the Lu Mansion.
The Lu family's guest room faces the water, and you can enjoy the beauty of the bright moon shining on the lake by opening the window.
Lord Meng was lying on the couch admiring the scenery when he suddenly heard the sound of weapons clashing. He ran to the window and looked out. He saw Prince Yong, wearing armor, holding a spear in his left hand, and killing a guard of the Lu family in just a few strokes.
Lord Meng rubbed his eyes in confusion, thinking that it was just a dark and windy night and he was hallucinating.
The Lu family is the maternal family of His Royal Highness Prince Yong. Even if the sky falls, Prince Yong should not go to his own maternal family and start a massacre.
Facts proved that Lord Meng was not wrong, because Prince Yong killed dozens of guards in succession. Those guards fell into the lake, and the splashing water fell directly on Lord Meng's cheek.
The lake water was so cold and icy that Lord Meng was so frightened that he was nailed to the spot, his legs limp and he couldn't even move.
The deafening noise from the outer courtyard finally caught the attention of the inner courtyard. The Lu family was now at its peak, holding absolute power and enjoying unparalleled glory. Apart from some clueless thieves, no one with any sense would dare to tamper with such a powerful family.
Lu Zhun didn't even put on his coat. He was wearing pajamas and walked to the waterside pavilion with a hundred or so guards. He thought that killing a few thieves would be a piece of cake, but he didn't expect that the main thief was actually his nephew, His Royal Highness Prince Yong.
Lu Zhun was somewhat suspicious and looked up at Prince Yong. "Your Highness, didn't you follow your uncle's followers to the border to avoid disaster? What are you doing in Bianjing in the middle of the night? Aren't you afraid of being...?"
Lu Zhun didn't finish the rest of his words because King Yong's spear was pressed against his neck.
The spear pierced the aorta, and blood spurted out like a fountain, splashing onto King Yong's cheek, burning him all over.
Lu Zhun was his biological uncle. He was not grateful to his uncle for helping him seize the throne, but once upon a time, when he and his mother were bullied, it was his uncle who stood up for them and gave them a place.
Prince Yong simply didn't want to be emperor and didn't want to deal with government affairs. He didn't know how things had developed to the point where he had to kill his own uncle.
There were corpses lying all over the place at his feet, and the air was filled with a strong smell of blood. Prince Yong felt a tightness in his chest and had difficulty breathing.
He wanted to go to his mother and drink a bowl of ginger and jujube tea that she had prepared herself. Unfortunately, he knew that if he didn't kill everyone in the mansion, he would never see his mother again.
With a raised gun, Prince Yong used his left hand to pierce the people in Lu's mansion and his closest relatives one by one.
His heart ached more and more, his breathing became heavier, and his left hand gradually became numb.
The moon was cold and crescent-shaped. Prince Yong returned to Fengzao Palace covered in blood. He stumbled to the side room. The eight-foot-tall man with a strong build and sturdy frame threw himself on Lu Zhiyi's chest like a child, tears streaming down his face.
He was heartbroken, but he didn't dare cry out loud. He just sobbed in a low voice.
Lu Zhiyi was also heartbroken. Her son had killed her brother, and she was the one who suffered the most. Lu Zhiyi wept as she comforted Prince Yong: "Yer, everything is over, it's all over."
"If we were faced with the same situation, your uncle would never show mercy to us mother and son. We had no choice but to do this. Please don't feel too guilty."
Prince Yong was a man of deep loyalty, and even with Lu Zhiyi's words of comfort, he couldn't let go. He sobbed stiflingly, his fingers clasping at the antique display case beside him, creating a fine crack in it.
He whispered, "Mother, I am ultimately the one who has let my uncle down."
Lu Zhiyi's eyes flashed, and he reached out to cover Prince Yong's lips, saying sternly, "You didn't kill your closest relatives, you killed the traitors who were plotting rebellion."
She stood up and took out a set of clean clothes from the wardrobe. She continued, "Yer, these are turbulent times, and the Queen Mother must not have gone to bed yet. Wash the blood off your body, put on this new dress, and explain to her what happened tonight."
"Remember, Lu Zhun is just a traitor!"
There were still tears on Prince Yong's face. He nodded and went into the bathroom as Lu Zhiyi instructed.
After he washed and changed his clothes, his emotions had calmed down. Apart from his slightly red eyes, he looked no different from usual.
When Prince Yong reached the entrance to the flower hall, he found it ablaze with lights, bright as day. He said to Zhang Pei, "Please tell the eunuch that I wish to see the Empress Dowager."
Zhang Peidao did not need to pass on the message: "The Queen Mother has ordered that if Prince Yong wishes to see you, he can go directly into the house."
The carpet was as thick as clouds, and Prince Yong entered the flower hall with one foot deep and one foot shallow.
There was a soft chaise longue in the flower hall, and Yang Zhaoyue was half-leaning on the chaise longue eating lychees. The palace maids were clever and had peeled the flesh out in advance, and a thin bamboo stick was inserted into each lychee.
Yang Zhaoyue raised her little finger, picked up the bamboo stick, and sucked the lychee into her mouth with a light sip. The juice of the lychee touched her lips, and her rose-like lips had an extra layer of charming color.
King Yong's gaze lingered on Yang Zhaoyue's lips for a little while. When he saw Yang Zhaoyue's impatient expression, he realized that he had lost his composure and hurriedly knelt down to pay his respects.
Yang Zhaoyue said lazily and stood up: "Is everything done?"
Prince Yong replied, "I have already killed the entire family of the rebels. Of the 532 members of the Lu family, not one survived."
Yang Zhaoyue frowned and glanced at Prince Yong, not knowing whether to be happy or unhappy: "You are so cruel."
Prince Yong was not good at speaking, and when Yang Zhaoyue said that, he didn't know how to respond. He stood in front of Yang Zhaoyue like a big tree, looking a little dumb.
Yang Zhaoyue knew his temper and was too lazy to talk to him anymore. She whispered, "I'm tired. Go back and tell your mother that she can put her worries to rest."
If Prince Yong were pardoned, his peace of mind would be sacrificed with Lu Zhun's blood, and this peace of mind would be tainted with sharp thorns.
Yang Zhaoyue rubbed his temples, got up and went into the inner room. The room was quiet and Lu Changji had fallen asleep.
He lay on his back on the bed, his face as white as paper. Even with his eyes closed, he was still extremely handsome.
Yang Zhaoyue stood silently beside Lu Changji, stretched out his hand, wanting to touch Lu Changji's face, but ultimately felt it was inappropriate and withdrew his hand.
She opened the cupboard, took out a thin quilt, carefully covered Lu Changji with it, and walked to the outer room.
Zhang Pei brought a cup of mulberry drink to Yang Zhaoyue and whispered, "My Lady, this mulberry drink is freshly brewed. It's dry weather, so you should moisten your throat with it!"
Yang Zhaoyue shook her head and looked at the mulberry drink in silence for a while. Then she turned to Zhang Pei and said, "Go and bring the Second Madam of the Xinyang Marquis's Mansion to Fengzao Palace and have her take care of Xueji."
He would feel more at ease with her by his side.
The night was as dark as ink. Someone knocked on the gate of the Marquis's mansion. The gatekeeper opened the corner door and saw the visitor, dressed in brocade and with a slender figure. Guessing he was of noble status, he slumped over and bowed, asking, "It's late at night and everyone is asleep. Who are you looking for?"
Zhang Pei said nothing more. He took off his badge and held it in front of the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper was shocked and hurriedly opened the middle door. He knelt by the door and welcomed Zhang Pei into the mansion.
Zhang Pei was a quick man. He did not even greet the Marquis of Xinyang and went straight to Xinchun Garden.
He was tall and handsome, and judging by his appearance, no one would associate him with a eunuch. Zhu'er blocked him at the door, folding her arms in a defensive posture: "Second Madam is a new widow, and it is not appropriate for her to receive you at night. I hope you will forgive me."
Zhu'er was not pretty, but her eyes were very big, round and bright. She stared at Zhang Pei warily, revealing a vigilant look.
Zhang Pei wasn't angry either. He spoke to her in a gentle voice, "I'm just a eunuch in Fengzao Palace, not a man. Even if I enter Xinchun Garden at night, it won't damage Second Madam's reputation. I hope you'll do me a favor and let me know when you enter."
Zhu'er's eyes widened even more. It was unbelievable that such a tall and majestic man was actually a eunuch.
She turned sideways to make way for Zhang Pei and led him to the flower hall.
Zhang Pei was the Empress Dowager's attendant, so he didn't need to perform formalities even when meeting the Emperor. However, when he saw Jiang Shu, he bowed to her politely.
Jiang Shu hurriedly said, "Grand Eunuch, you are too polite," and invited Zhang Pei to take a seat.
Zhang Pei cut to the chase, "Minister Lu is not feeling well. The Empress Dowager has sent me to your residence to ask Second Madam to come to Fengzao Palace to look after him."
Jiang Shu was completely confused. Lu Changji was seriously injured. Why did he go to Fengzao Palace instead of recuperating in the Marquis' Mansion?
She was a sensible person, and even if she had questions, she would not say much. She packed a few changes of clothes and followed Zhang Pei out of the Marquis' Mansion.
As long as Lu Lin is determined, he can see everything in the Xinyang Marquisate. Xiao Wei knelt before Lu Lin and whispered, "Eunuch Zhang, the Queen Mother's attendant, came to Xinchun Garden in person. He stayed in the flower hall for a cup of tea and then got into the carriage with the Second Madam."
Lu Lin stood stiffly where he was, poking his cheek lightly with the tip of his tongue, and the corners of his mouth curved downwards in a small arc. He waved at Xiao Wei, who understood and bowed as he walked out of the room.
As soon as the door closed, Lu Lin's expression changed immediately. He cursed in a low voice, "Xue Ji entered the palace right after Zhang Pei brought Jiang to Fengzao Palace. Xue Ji is still injured, and they are so impatient?"
He paced the room restlessly, "Xue Ji is like a banished immortal, now he's acting on his own, completely disregarding ethics and moral principles. If this filthy reputation of his uncle and his sister-in-law's adultery gets out, how can he still maintain his position in the court?"
Hu Lingshuang walked over to Lu Lin, gently tugged at his sleeve, and said softly, "Anger is harmful to your health. My Lord, please don't be angry. You won't let yourself get hurt."
She pulled Lu Lin onto the bed, leaned over Lu Lin's back, and rubbed his shoulders tenderly: "The feelings between men and women are the most irrational. Just like me and the Marquis, when our feelings are strong, we can't control them even if we want to."
"Since you are so fond of Jiang, just let them do what they want. After all, you know your limits and will never let anyone else find out. Your Majesty, please don't worry about it."
"What are you worrying about?" Lu Lin pushed Hu Lingshuang away. "You're just a woman, you only care about love affairs all day long. How could you understand the difficulties and dangers of the court? The Lu faction is watching covetously. If they get hold of Xue Ji's handle, who knows what kind of trouble it will cause."
He stood up suddenly and felt that the snow-white frost had become dirty. He glanced at Hu Lingshuang with disgust and strode out the door.
"My Lord!" Hu Lingshuang didn't expect Lu Lin to react so violently, and she quickly stood up and chased after him. Unfortunately, Lu Lin was tall and had long legs, and when she reached the door of the house, he had already disappeared.
Hu Lingshuang dejectedly returned to the bed, hugged the quilt and slept softly, feeling her body and mind cool.
It's not easy for them to be together, so why would he get angry with her over such a trivial matter?
Fengzao Palace was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, and the only sound was the ticking of the clepsydra. Zhang Pei took Jiang Shu to the inner room. Lu Changji was still sleeping. Jiang Shu was relieved to see that he looked well.
She didn't dare to make a sound, and lay silently on the small couch beside the bed, quietly accompanying Lu Changji.
Lu Changji woke up earlier than Jiang Shu. He was a little thirsty and wanted to call the palace maid to serve tea, but when he turned around, he saw Jiang Shu lying on the small couch.
She was a happy-go-lucky person, and felt very peaceful even when sleeping on the small couch. The morning glow shone through the window lattice onto her cheeks, giving her skin a light red hue, which made her even more charming.
Lu Changji didn't want to disturb Jiang Shu's sleep, so he lay back on the bed and stared at her sideways until she woke up.
Jiang Shu opened her eyes and saw Lu Changji's eyes, which were as dark as a deep pool. His eyes were heavy, yet incredibly gentle, as if they wanted to suck people in.
Jiang Shu felt a little embarrassed, turned her head to the side, and said angrily, "Uncle, why are you staring at me? Is your wound feeling better?"
Lu Changji said, "Thank you for your hard work. You have been staying well in the Marquis' Mansion. Now you have to do the work of taking care of others."
Jiang Shu sat up, supported Lu Changji's back, and lifted him up. She then took a pillow and placed it on the headboard, letting Lu Changji lean on it. "I was worried about not being able to see my uncle at the Marquis' Mansion. Now that I see he's safe, I feel relieved."
"When your mind is at peace, physical fatigue doesn't matter."
Jiang Shu finished her words and was about to fetch water. Lu Changji held her hand and said gently, "Someone else will take care of these rough jobs. You don't need to do it yourself."
The two of them held hands. Jiang Shu could feel the smooth lines on Lu Changji's palm. The calluses on his index finger made her palm itch. She felt a little embarrassed and pulled her hand away from Lu Changji's palm.
Lu Changji didn't force her. His eyes were fixed on the tips of her ears, which were red and hot, with a smile on his lips.
The palace maid heard the voices in the room and knew that Lu Changji had woken up. In a moment, she brought warm water for washing his face into the room.
Jiang Shu threw the towel over, walked to the bedside, and wiped Lu Changji's face.
She was standing beside the bed, he was half lying down, her private parts were right in front of him, swaying back and forth, making his heart flutter and his mouth dry, but she was unaware of it.
After wiping Lu Changji's face, Jiang Shu helped Lu Changji wipe his wound.
He had no resistance to her. Even though there was no physical contact between them, his heart was still pounding. If she put her hand on his chest, he couldn't guarantee that nothing would happen.
Lu Changji shook his head and said to Jiang Shu in a gentle voice, "Go wash up first, and let the imperial physician change the medicine for me."
Jiang Shu didn't think much about it. She got up and went to the compartment to wash and dress. After she was done, the palace servant invited her to the dining room for dinner.
Yang Zhaoyue arrived earlier. When Jiang Shu entered the room, she was sitting at the dining table applying nail polish.
Jiang Shu didn't expect that they were going to have dinner with Yang Zhaoyue. Yang Zhaoyue was of noble status, so she felt a little restrained and stopped at the door for a moment.
Lu Changji quietly held her hand and whispered, "The Queen Mother has a kind nature and is not as spoiled as she appears."
Even so, Jiang Shu still couldn't let go. During meals, she only ate the food in front of her. Lu Changji put her favorite plum cake on the plate in front of her and said to Yang Zhaoyue in a gentle voice, "I'm not feeling well. I won't be eating in the dining room anymore. I'll have the palace servants bring the food to the inner room."
Yang Zhaoyue glanced at Lu Changji. He knew how to be gentle with women. Seeing that his beloved was restrained, he even had to eat separately from her.
Yang Zhaoyue scoffed: "Whatever you want!"
As she finished speaking, Zhang Pei's voice rang out from outside the door: "Your Majesty, the noble concubine and Prince Yong request an audience."
Yang Zhaoyue said: "Let them in."
Lu Zhiyi always has to do something for her to feel at ease.
As expected, as soon as Lu Zhiyi entered the room, she immediately went to Yang Zhaoyue's side and said, "I'll serve the dishes for the Empress. Before I got married, I often served my father meals, and he always praised me for my good serving."
Yang Zhaoyue did not comment and let Lu Zhiyi serve her submissively.
Lu Zhiyi is quick-witted. While taking care of Yang Zhaoyue, she also serves food to Jiang Shu and Lu Changji. Jiang Shu becomes even more restless and just wants to leave and go back to her room. What is her status and how can she be worthy of being served by the concubine?
Jiang Shu looked at Lu Changji, who shook his head and picked up another piece of bamboo shoots with his chopsticks for her.
In Lu Zhiyi's eyes, serving Lu Changji and Jiang Shu is also a way of surrendering to Yang Zhaoyue.
Seeing that the meal was about to end, Lu Zhiyi glanced sideways at Prince Yong.
Prince Yong understood and said to Lu Changji in a gentle voice, "Life in the palace is dull as water. I wonder what Lord Lu would like to do to entertain himself. I am a decent boxer, so why not show you a long spear performance?"
At first, King Yong did not want to humble himself and curry favor with Yang Zhaoyue. He killed his own uncle as a token of his loyalty.
However, Lu Zhiyi insisted that since he had surrendered to Yang Zhaoyue, he should show the proper attitude. Lu Zhun had once stepped on Yang Zhaoyue's face in the court, and Yang Zhaoyue could not help but vent his anger on them. Now that Lu Zhun was dead, they had to step on their own faces to let Yang Zhaoyue vent his anger.
Prince Yong was a warrior and didn't understand all the twists and turns. Since his mother insisted, he agreed.
Lu Changji is Yang Zhaoyue's right-hand man. Making Lu Changji happy means making Yang Zhaoyue happy.
Moreover, he really didn't want to curry favor with Yang Zhaoyue like a dog.
King Yong looked at Lu Changji, not knowing whether Lu Changji would humiliate him.
Lu Changji repeatedly declined, "Your Highness's hand injury has not yet healed. You should take good care of yourself and not work too hard."
Prince Yong felt relieved, but Lu Zhiyi's heart was in her throat. She glanced at Prince Yong and then turned her gaze to Jiang Shu.
Prince Yong knew that his mother wanted him to please Jiang Shu.
He had never dealt with women and had no idea what women liked, but women probably liked lively atmosphere.
Prince Yong smiled shyly and asked Jiang Shu softly, "Madam, do you like acrobatics? I've practiced acrobatics before. Can I perform a stone-breaking chest trick for you?"
A huge stone breaking in the chest?
Jiang Shu widened her eyes, not knowing what to say.
Lu Zhiyi's eyes widened as well. She pulled Prince Yong behind her and said to Jiang Shu with a smile, "Please forgive me, Madam. Prince Yong is a warrior with a simple mind. He never thinks before he speaks. Please don't bother with him."
Jiang Shu hurriedly stood up and said it was okay. She exchanged some pleasantries with Lu Zhiyi before returning to the inner bedroom.
In the next two days, Jiang Shu and Lu Changji did not go to the dining room for meals, and Yang Zhaoyue rarely summoned Lu Changji. Jiang Shu finally relaxed a little.
In the evening, Jiang Shu was making the bed when Yang Zhaoyue rushed into the room.
She didn't shy away from Jiang Shu and directly told Lu Changji, "Xue Ji, Lu Huo has rebelled and is now leading an army of 30,000 southwards."
Even rabbits bite when they're angry, let alone Lu Huo. Lu Huo had been guarding the border for many years, and even if his cause was unfounded, he would still be followed. Everything was as expected, and Lu Changji was completely unfazed.
He took a sip of tea and asked Yang Zhaoyue in a gentle voice, "What are the Queen Mother's plans?"
Yang Zhaoyue said, "I have already taken the tiger talisman from Run'er. I intend to have General Huo Yun of the Cavalry meet the enemy head-on, and Commander-in-Chief Tao Yunshan lead his troops to assist."
Huo Yun and Tao Yunshan were both famous generals with great reputation. The pass they guarded was only 500 miles away from Juyong Pass where Lu Huo rose to power. It was a good strategy to let them strangle the rebels, but Lu Changji had a better way to deal with it.
He said to Yang Zhaoyue, "I also ask the Queen Mother to send Prince Yong as commander-in-chief and Huo Yun as commander-in-chief. Together, they can capture the rebels and support the country."
Yang Zhaoyue was stunned and said in a trembling voice, "Lu Huo commands a large army and is experienced in combat. Prince Yong has never even left Bianjing, so how could he be a match for Lu Huo?"
Lu Changji chuckled: "Prince Yong is Lu Huo's nephew. As long as Prince Yong leads the troops to suppress the rebellion, Lu Huo will have no legitimate reason to fight.
If Lu Huo loses, he will surely die; if he wins, he will surely die too. The entire court, both civil and military, will never allow someone with the surname Lu to sit on the throne."
"What about King Yong? What if he surrenders to Lu Huo?" Yang Zhaoyue asked.
Lu Changji was very confident: "Concubine Lu is still in Fengzao Palace, and with the commander in charge, Prince Yong will not be able to cause any trouble."
Indeed, Prince Yong and Concubine Lu had depended on each other for years. Holding Concubine Lu hostage meant holding Prince Yong's life hostage. Prince Yong had no military experience, and without a military token, how could the soldiers obey his orders? He was nothing more than a pawn.
Yang Zhaoyue was still hesitant. "Lu Huo's methods were ruthless. What if he killed Prince Yong? Prince Yong, Prince Yong is not a wicked person."
Yes, Prince Yong was not a wicked person, he was even a little clumsy in his sincerity.
Jiang Shu knew that once Lu Changji made a decision, he would not change it. And from his point of view, his decision was not wrong.
Jiang Shu sat aside, looking at Lu Changji silently. The light was too dim and she could not see his appearance clearly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
