Chapter 73: I glanced back at the ending of the previous chapter before 11:30 yesterday...
Xiao Yuan confidently declared: "I know, it means to split your legs."
Lu Wensheng: "..."
Well, what a waste of breath! It's like talking to a brick wall.
The day after tomorrow is the third day of the fifth lunar month, and the fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the Dragon Boat Festival. I'll finish the task on the evening of the fourth day of the fifth lunar month, then just pack up and leave. It's a perfect excuse since it's a holiday for the Dragon Boat Festival.
The most urgent thing now is to find someone to help her send a message to Prince Su.
Shen Hegui is cunning and shrewd. He can't send a message secretly; he has to do it openly. But who should he contact?
No, we shouldn't send it. What if Prince Su stands her up? It's safer to use a sack.
*
Only three days into May, the daytime temperature suddenly soared, and the cicadas began to chirp loudly.
Taking advantage of his lunch break, Lu Wensheng quickly changed into casual clothes and rushed to the city gate to pick up an acquaintance.
In a small-scale farming society, May is a busy time when people are so busy that they wish they could eat, drink, relieve themselves, and sleep in the fields, so there are not many pedestrians on the streets.
The air is filled with the fragrance of mugwort, and the pomegranates are ablaze with color.
When the young guard saw Lu Wensheng arrive, he hurriedly greeted him: "Lord Lu, you've arrived. The person you're looking for is resting in the side room. I'll take you there."
Lu Wensheng tossed out a string of copper coins and raised his hand to stop the young gatekeeper: "I can go by myself. The sun is strong at noon, I'll treat the brothers to some cool tea."
"Thank you for your consideration, sir!" He then stepped aside to make way and pointed to the shadows of the barbican: "The person is on the west side of the arrow tower, in the room with three calamus and mugwort hanging there."
Lu Wensheng nodded and was about to take a step when the young officer couldn't help but add, "Lord Lu, your friend is carrying something on his back that smells like excrement, it's awful! Be careful not to get it on him."
"Thanks for the reminder!" Lu Wensheng replied with a smile, maintaining his composure.
The day before yesterday, Uncle Feng asked someone to tell her that he would be entering Yanjing City today. She had made all the necessary preparations, so how could he smell bad? Even if his habit of picking up trash had resurfaced, it shouldn't smell like excrement!
Filled with doubt, Lu Wensheng stopped beneath the green mugwort and calamus, took a deep breath, and then pushed open the door.
"Second Uncle," Lu Wensheng called softly.
"Oh my!" Uncle Feng, a man as burly as a small mountain, suddenly stood up, a hearty smile spreading across his bronze face, his voice booming: "Lu Bao, come and see what your Uncle brought you! Four years have passed, you've grown a lot taller, and you're even more handsome now!"
A large, fan-like hand rested on her shoulder, leading her to a bamboo basket that was about half her height.
An oval-shaped spiky ball came into view, and a familiar fragrance wafted out as the banana leaves were lifted. Lu Wensheng's eyes lit up: "A big durian! It must have been quite a journey to bring it all this way, right?"
Durian has a strong smell, and people who have never eaten it or are not used to it will find it smelly, so it's no wonder that they misunderstand it.
“That’s right. I sleep with them every day, they’re all pickled.” He lowered his voice and whispered, “Our boat is docked at the ferry a hundred miles away. Eat as much as you want. There’s plenty more on the boat. Your second uncle has also found a lot of beautiful clothes and jewelry for you. Find a chance to go on the boat and try them on yourself.”
"OK!"
Lu Wensheng raised his hand to straighten the banana leaf, then briefly recounted the recent events to Uncle Feng, and explained Lu Yunzhi in detail.
At noon, after having lunch at one of the top restaurants in Yanjing, Lu Wensheng settled Uncle Feng in an inn near the city gate and arranged to bring Lu Yunzhi out and hand him over on May 4th.
As the sun sets, the Qionglin Banquet begins as scheduled.
While ostensibly keeping watch for Shen Hegui, the more important thing was to help Shen Hegui maintain order and, incidentally, say a few polite words.
The lights in Qionglin Garden lit up one by one. Lu Wensheng, dressed in a scarlet robe, stood before the steps and whispered to the person who came to talk to her. After the music subsided, she steadily ascended the high platform.
"Distinguished newly appointed talents," she said in a clear, melodious voice, neither too loud nor too soft, yet perfectly silencing the whispers at the banquet, "Today's banquet at Qionglin Garden should have been presided over by His Highness the Crown Prince himself. However, due to the frequent Japanese invasions and repeated incursions into our territory, and with His Highness's urgent military affairs, he has specially ordered me to perform the duties in his stead, to congratulate you all on your success in the imperial examinations."
Lu Wensheng picked up the jade cup on the table with his side hand: "Years of hard study have finally paid off. This first cup of wine should be a toast to yourselves. Do not forget where you came from, and do not betray your original aspirations!"
Everyone solemnly raised their cups, responded in unison, and drank them down.
After finishing his wine, Lu Wensheng picked up the second cup: "This second cup is to honor the wise and virtuous rulers of past dynasties who were eager to seek out talented people and created a peaceful and prosperous era, so that we could have peaceful days to study and learn to read and write, and stand before the emperor. May you all, whether you live in high positions in the court or in remote places, never forget the emperor's grace today, and serve the country with integrity, prudence and diligence."
"We will remember!" The resounding voice startled the birds that were resting in the trees.
His gaze slowly swept over each face, and Lu Wensheng picked up the third cup of wine: "Please drink this third cup slowly, everyone. After today, you will all be scattered in various places, some entering the Hanlin Academy, some going to prefectures and counties. I hope you will remember: passing the imperial examination is not only a recognition of your talent, but also the beginning of the trust placed in you by the people of the world. The people are the foundation of the country, and when the foundation is firm, the country is at peace!"
...
In the dark high-rise building diagonally opposite Lu Wensheng, a pair of dark phoenix eyes took in Lu Wensheng's every move, their eyes filled with admiration.
I never realized Lu Wensheng was such a good speaker: Never forget the path we came from, never betray our original aspirations; respect the wise and virtuous rulers of past dynasties, not Shen Rui; the people are the foundation of the state, and when the foundation is firm, the state is at peace!
Beautiful, intelligent, and talented!
A deep voice echoed in the darkness: "Shoubai, don't you think Lu Wensheng is glowing all over when he stands on the high platform?"
Lin Shoubai stood behind Shen Hegui, like a silent stone statue.
Lin Shoubai replied without hesitation, "Lu Wensheng is a human, it is His Highness who shines!"
Shen Hegui glanced at him sideways and said lightly, "You're really boring." He then changed the subject, asking in a slower voice, "Has Lu Wensheng been acting strangely these past two days? And who has he been in contact with?"
"Aside from his colleagues on duty at the yamen, a few strong eunuchs, and a relative who came from the river, there was no one else. All his behavior was normal."
Lin Shoubai paused briefly, feeling there was something he had to tell Shen Hegui: "Lord Lu's relatives sent some local specialties, which he has been enjoying in Zhaowu Palace these past few nights. I heard that the specialties smell a bit... a bit like the cat poop in my house, incredibly smelly."
Shen Hegui's thick, dark eyebrows furrowed slightly, then relaxed again: "It's alright."
It's better to eat strange local specialties than to hide them from someone. They may smell bad, but as long as they can be cleaned, it's fine.
Thinking this, Shen Hegui then instructed, "Prepare more scented soap and send it to Zhaowu Hall. Are there any other special places?"
Lin Shoubai nodded: "No, that's all."
Shen Hegui fiddled with the jade ring on his hand, lost in thought.
Did he misunderstand? Or did he alert the enemy somewhere?
He casually gazed into the distance, his eyes suddenly freezing.
Why is that girl Chen Si hiding behind the flower bed so suspiciously? What is she doing at the Qionglin Banquet?
*
After the three cups of wine were finished, there was another round of toasting and drinking. Lu Wensheng pretended to be drunk and wanted to make a strategic retreat, but he was pulled back by the newly appointed top scholar Luo Wenqing.
Luo Wenqing: "Do you still remember that brief encounter on the bridge, sir?"
Lu Wensheng: "Of course I remember." She truly couldn't forget the name Luo Wenqing.
If she hadn't gone to the doctor for a nosebleed that day, Shen Hegui wouldn't have gone to the river to look for her. If he hadn't gone to look for her, the Imperial Guards wouldn't have evacuated the pedestrians, and the top scholar would have died that day. Then, as the story goes, Luo Shi blamed all the stampede injuries and deaths on Shen Hegui.
The imperial examination, in essence, was an examination with predictable patterns. It was not difficult for a prominent family to dedicate the entire clan's resources and time to repeatedly mold their children into a set pattern and produce a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest level of the imperial examination), but producing a Zhuangyuan (the top scholar in the imperial examination) was certainly not easy.
No wonder the Luo family reacted so strongly to Luo Wenqing's death.
Luo Wenqing said gently, "I didn't know that Lord Lu was the chief examiner of the imperial examination that day, and I have offended you. Please forgive me."
"You're too kind, it's nothing," Lu Wensheng said nonchalantly.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Lu Wensheng quietly walked into the shadows.
Untying the knot inside her sleeve, Lu Wensheng braced the hole in her clothes and secretly rejoiced: Luckily, she was smart!
I need to find a cable to fix it tonight, otherwise I'll embarrass myself again at the morning court session tomorrow.
Humming a cheerful tune, she walked outside, already deciding what to order for her late-night snack.
A gentle breeze blows, and the bamboo shadows sway gently.
As soon as Lu Wensheng stepped out of the shadow of the moon gate, a sudden gust of wind swept behind him. Before he could turn around, everything went black!
The stale smell of numbing cream filled her nostrils, and Lu Wensheng immediately realized that she had been stuffed into a burlap sack.
Not only are their movements skillful, but they also know how to seize opportunities.
Unfortunately, she had a mouth and wasn't drunk.
"Help!
Her cry for help had barely escaped her throat when she received a perfectly timed, heavy blow to the side of her neck. It didn't hurt too much, but it was enough to leave her momentarily dazed and powerless.
The sack was quickly tightened, and the ropes cut two deep around the waist.
Immediately afterwards, she felt herself being lifted into the air and thrown onto a solid shoulder like cargo. Her stomach was throbbing painfully, and she began to feel nauseous. Her head was also spinning from the lack of oxygen due to being upside down.
In the darkness, Lu Wensheng's heart was pounding.
She was careless; she should have allowed a member of the Imperial Guard to follow her. Luckily, she brought a lot of sleeping potion. Hopefully, the person who put her in the sack won't be too difficult to deal with.
Before Lu Wensheng could think of a solution, the jolting suddenly stopped, and she was placed on a soft carpet, and the ropes on the bag were untied.
Lu Wensheng's nose twitched, and he wondered: What's that smell? It smells so good! They stopped after walking for a short while, so it seems they're still inside the garden.
As the unfamiliar footsteps approached, Lu Wensheng immediately closed his eyes and pretended to be unconscious.
Don't panic, plan carefully before you act...
After finally calming himself down and waiting in the sack for about fifteen minutes, a rustling sound of clothes being taken off suddenly came from inside. Lu Wensheng's heart sank, and he immediately sensed something was wrong.
Taking off clothes? Could this be a sexual assault?!
Oh no! This scent is wrong, it smells like some cheap, low-class aphrodisiac!
How could she be so unlucky! She burned paper money for the deceased during Qingming Festival! Why is her luck still so bad!
The burlap sack was suddenly torn open, and the aroma instantly became even stronger.
Seizing the opportunity, Lu Wensheng suddenly kicked the figure in front of him.
"Oh my!" A delicate voice reached Lu Wensheng's ears, and he was immediately stunned. How could it be a woman?
She looked up, startled: "Your Highness, it's you?"
Chen Si calmly patted the brownish-yellow footprint on her lapel, a smile playing on her lips, and said, "This princess has pondered for three months and feels that the position of consort belongs to you alone! When looking for a husband, one must find someone young, handsome, and of good character! This princess doesn't consider herself ugly, so tonight you will submit to me, Lu Lang!"
Before she could finish speaking, she had already pounced on him.
Lu Wensheng was terrified and turned to rush towards the door, shouting, "No way! Don't you know your brother and I are a couple?! I like men!" What kind of nonsense is this!
Lu Wensheng pushed the door twice with force, and as expected, she heard the sound of the brass lock hitting the wooden door. She looked around and quickly stared at the window opposite.
Seeing that she moved swiftly and had clear eyes, seemingly unaffected by the aphrodisiac incense, Chen Si quickly lit a few more sticks.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lu Wensheng rushed to the window and shook the window frame violently, the wooden window making a creaking sound under the strain. Just as she was about to turn around and move a stool to smash the window, a surge of heat suddenly rushed through her body, and she instantly lost her strength and collapsed to the ground.
Shen Si slowly removed her inner garment and then her hairpin: "I bet my brother didn't have a relationship with you. Let me tell you a secret: my father was accidentally killed by His Majesty. The Shen family not only owes me a life, but also a home. So, if I just ask, my brother will definitely give you to me!"
As her bright red lips were about to touch mine, Lu Wensheng looked away with some disgust, suppressing her surprise as she said, "I'm a person, not an object, and I can't just give it up like that! Instead of drugging me, why don't you go and get revenge on Shen Rui yourself!"
Oh no, does she have to go find Shen Hegui to detoxify her later? She doesn't have any tools, so even if Shen Si strips her naked, she won't be able to do anything.
But what if Shen Hegui suddenly finds out she's a woman and can't get an erection?
-----------------------
Author's note: I cut myself while making fish fillets [crying emoji], so I'll be back later in the next few days.
I need to think of a way to update my videos during the day when I'm cooking meat, because I'm afraid my account will be locked. [doge emoji]
The Book of Documents, "The Song of the Five Sons": The people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is firm, the state is at peace.
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