Chapter 249 Official Business
Su Qingwan opened her heart to Lu Jing without reservation. Every word she said was from the bottom of her heart, sincere and true. Lu Jing couldn't deny it, and even felt a dull pain deep in his heart.
It turned out that she had already made up her mind.
They were young but mature, and they both knew each other's persistence and determination. Lu Jing knew that since Su Qingwan had made her decision, it was hard to take it back. He wanted to keep her, but he couldn't even say a word.
But he was just so unwilling!
Lu Jing spoke with difficulty, his voice trembling slightly: "Xiao Wu, is there really no chance of turning things around?"
Su Qingwan's eyes were firm, without any hesitation: "You come to Huainan!" After a pause, she continued, "Is this possible?"
Lu Jing fell into silence. The night was so dark that it seemed to swallow him up. Su Qingwan smiled as if relieved. The smile looked particularly sad and beautiful under the moonlight: "If you can't do it, why do you ask me to do it? If my parents were still alive and my brothers and sisters were not slaughtered, I would just be a carefree little princess in Huainan. At that time, you and I met at the right time and fell in love with each other. Maybe I would consider marrying far away in the capital. But the reality is that there are only Nianqing and I left in Huainan now. Nianqing has been raised in the princess's mansion since he was a child and doesn't know his own life experience. I don't even know what he thinks of Huainan and whether he is willing to recognize his ancestors. If Nianqing doesn't want to, I won't blame him. I will respect his choice. But if so, I am the only blood of Huainan and I will never leave the fiefdom of Huainan."
Lu Jing looked up at the night sky. The cold moon was hanging high in the sky, as if silently telling of his helplessness and loss. Su Qingwan could clearly feel the disappointment emanating from him, but she couldn't guess what he was thinking at the moment.
In fact, some things could have been discussed openly. She understood that they were all deeply trapped in their own predicaments.
"Xiao Wu, do you like me?" Lu Jing's voice rang out in the silent night. The question seemed casual, as if he didn't care about Su Qingwan's answer.
But in fact, he already had the answer in his heart.
Su Qingwan lowered her head slightly, with a faint smile on her lips: "I won't invite a stranger to Huainan and say I want to marry him." Her tone was very calm, but it revealed an unquestionable determination, "Lu Ziyu, liking someone is not enough to overcome all difficulties. I can't do it."
She couldn't give him the kind of love that was so passionate that it could break through all obstacles!
"I understand!" Lu Jing took a deep breath, as if to swallow all the bitterness in his heart, "It's getting late, let's go back."
The prefectural government was not far from the palace, and the two walked side by side with heavy steps. Li An and Lu Zhu followed behind them, deliberately keeping a distance. They looked from afar and saw that there was dead silence between Su Qingwan and Lu Jing, without any communication.
Li An couldn't help but asked with some concern: "Sister Luzhu, does your princess have a lover?"
Lu Zhu rolled his eyes at him and said unhappily, "What does it have to do with you?"
"My master is really good, loyal and devoted. For so many years, he has only loved you, the princess." Li An hurriedly explained, trying to make Lu Zhu have a good impression of his master.
"Oh, do you like him so much?" Lu Zhu had no expression on her face, but there was a hint of sarcasm in her tone, "Then marry into Huainan's family! I can prepare a dowry and give him a ten-mile red dowry."
Li An was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to respond.
There was no way to continue the conversation. Lu Zhu didn't want to talk to him anymore. Li An secretly complained in his heart. The princess's trusted maid must know the princess's thoughts best. The master came to Huainan this time just to arrange a marriage with the princess. Although it was too early to talk about marriage at the moment of national mourning, it would be better to settle it early to avoid the princess using him as a marriage partner for the sake of Huainan's overall situation.
No matter from which angle you look at it, my master is a perfect match for the princess!
Li An was unwilling to accept the decision, and continued, "The marriage of the Princess of Huainan to the Regent is a match made in heaven. In the future, our master can also intervene in the affairs of the Huainan fiefdom, which is better than the Princess fighting the court alone. The Huainan fiefdom was revoked twelve years ago, and it has become a no-man's land in recent years. The court has also tacitly agreed that there will be no more fiefdoms. The Princess is a girl, and the court may not be willing to return the fiefdom, but our master can help mediate. The Princess will not lose anything by marrying to the capital as a princess. Besides, who else in the world can be worthy of the Princess except my master?"
"If you don't marry him, he won't help the princess, and his love for the princess is not that true. True love actually has conditions, how hypocritical!" Lu Zhu remained unmoved and retorted mercilessly.
Li An was speechless again. After holding it in for a long time, he finally squeezed out a sentence: "My master will never negotiate with her to marry the princess."
Lu Zhu clapped his hands, a slightly mocking smile appeared on his face: "That's great, my girl is for Huainan, and will negotiate terms with your master."
Li An fell completely silent, wondering in his heart why this Sister Luzhu was so sharp-tongued. He wanted to say a good word for his master, but she retorted back.
Su Qingwan and Lu Jing walked back to the palace in silence under the moonlight.
Su Qingwan thought to herself that this might be the last time they were alone together. Lu Jing knew her feelings and determination, and he would definitely leave Huainan. He was a proud man with a strong self-esteem, and he would never cling to her.
"When will you return to Beijing?" Su Qingwan was the first to break the silence, and her voice echoed in the night sky.
"I will return to Beijing after Xilin Yongxuan leaves Huainan. I still have something to talk to you about, this time it's official business!" Lu Jing came to Huainan, firstly for Su Qingwan, and secondly because he really had official business.
"Do you want to talk to me alone, or with General Xiaoning and Yun Zhizhou? Do you need to avoid suspicion?" Su Qingwan asked calmly and almost indifferently. Her relationship with Lu Jing was delicate, and if she wanted to avoid suspicion, there should be someone else present.
Lu Jing smiled gently, with a hint of complexity in his smile: "It is said that Huainan's military and political affairs are all in your hands. I just want to talk to you, no outsiders are needed."
Su Qingwan responded straightforwardly: "Okay!"
Lu Zhu thought to herself, her daughter is so beautiful and cool, she doesn't give the prince face at all, and she doesn't show any emotion when talking about official business, she is really proud! Why should she marry to the capital and endure those rumors? Huainan City is so good, if he really likes the girl, it would be right for him to marry into the family!
"What do you want to talk about?" Su Qingwan couldn't help but ask while the moonlight was just right.
"You are now governing Huainan, but you didn't ask Yun Zhizhou to write a letter to restore the fiefdom. Are you waiting for Lu Nianqing to come back?" Lu Jing got straight to the point and said in a serious tone, "We both know each other's background, so why not talk openly. The court has different attitudes on this matter."
Su Qingwan was silent for a long time, and finally nodded slowly: "Yes! In fact, when I was subduing the bandits, I thought about taking the Huainan Guard to suppress the bandits, deliberately showing weakness, and suffering a few defeats, so that the bandits' arrogance would become more arrogant. Then wait for Nianqing to come back, and lead the guards to suppress the bandits in one fell swoop, killing the bandits without leaving a single piece of armor. This is the fastest way for Nianqing to take power, and it is also the fastest way to get the support of the people in Huainan. But later I thought carefully, there is no need to make a river of blood just to let Nianqing take power. If we want to solve the bandit problem peacefully, we should try to solve it peacefully. They are all the people of Huainan, and I don't need to rush for success. If Nianqing cares about Huainan and is willing to govern Huainan well, he will be supported by the people of Huainan. Now he is still traveling outside, and we have stopped writing letters. I don't know what he thinks, and I can't tell whether he is willing to return to his ancestral home. If he returns to his ancestral home, he will be the new King of Huainan; if he doesn't want to return to Huainan, I can understand, and then I will be the King of Huainan!"
She must take this fiefdom back!
Lu Jing frowned slightly. In fact, he had expected Su Qingwan to have such a plan. Su Qingwan looked at him and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Lu Nianqing is the eldest princess' biological son, and many generals in the court know his identity. If he becomes king in Huainan, there will be great hidden dangers. I am afraid that before the emperor can take power, there will be another palace coup!" Lu Jing's voice was gentle but revealed an unquestionable power. "Xiaowu, Lu Nianqing grew up under the eldest princess's lap. Although he has the blood of Huainan, he has never been raised by the royal family of Huainan. They are mother and son. If Lu Nianqing wants to be crowned king in Huainan, I will strongly oppose it!"
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