Chapter 99 Protecting My Wife: I No Longer Have a Home
"By the way, the situation in the capital is complicated, so don't tell anyone about my awakening today."
Lu Lingyue turned around and was slightly taken aback when he heard these words, but he nodded in agreement almost without hesitation.
"Your Highness, rest assured, I know what I should and shouldn't say. This matter concerns Your Highness, and I will absolutely not leak a single word to anyone," Lu Lingyue assured her.
However, not long after Lu Lingyue returned home, a servant from the Lu family suddenly requested an audience. The servant said that Lu's father was seriously ill, and Lu's mother wanted Lu Lingyue to return home to visit him.
"Father is usually quite healthy, how could he suddenly fall ill? Has a doctor been seen? What illness does he have?" Upon hearing this, Lu Lingyue stood up and asked the servant.
"The master did not say what the illness was. The doctor came and prescribed medicine for the master to take."
"It's just that the master has been missing the young master and calling his name while he's ill. His worries have aggravated his condition, and he just can't get better. Only when the head of the family saw this did he relent and let Lu Cai come to find the young master."
The servant looked anxious and urged Lu Lingyue, "Young Master, please go back and check on your master."
Lu Lingyue opened his mouth, his father was seriously ill, and as a man, he was naturally worried and tormented.
But thinking about the Prince's mansion and her current situation, Lu Lingyue couldn't help but hesitate, her mind torn.
"...I still need to consult with the Chief Minister about this matter. I can only leave the residence after the Chief Minister gives his permission," Lu Lingyue said.
Servant: "Young master, please hurry. The master's condition is not good. He often talks in his sleep, and it makes us servants feel very bad."
Lu Lingyue went to find Yang Lingyi and told her that her father was seriously ill and she wished to return to the mansion to visit him.
“Master Lu, since your mother is seriously ill and wants to see you, then go ahead. I will send someone to take you back to your residence.”
Yang Lingyi did not make things difficult for him in this matter. Upon hearing this, she sent several servants to escort Lu Lingyue back to the mansion.
Just before Lu Lingyue set off, Yang Lingyi went to see Yuan Yan again and told her about it.
“Lu Shifu’s father is seriously ill, so it is only right that he should go back to visit him,” Yang Lingyi said to Yuan Yan.
"But the situation at the Prince's Mansion is not good right now, and the Lu family is such a family. After thinking it over, I still think that my sister should know about this. If it is not appropriate, I will refuse him."
Yuan Yan understood Yang Lingyi's meaning. If Lu Lingyue was simply returning to her parents' home, it wouldn't be a problem. However, Yi'er was afraid that Lu Shi's decision to call Lu Lingyue back at this critical juncture was for ulterior motives.
"Okay, I understand. Yi'er, you can let him go back." Yuan Yan nodded in agreement.
But before Lu Lingyue set off, she raised her voice slightly, "Zhui Lan."
"Your subordinate is here." The secret guard, Zhuilan, quickly appeared.
"Disguise yourself as a servant of the Prince's mansion and go back to the Lu mansion with Lu Shifu. If Lu Lingyue tries to reveal that I have woken up, just kill him... Bring his body back to the mansion and say that he died of illness."
Yuan Yan spoke calmly, but his words startled Zhui Lan. She instinctively wanted to look up at Yuan Yan, but she held back.
"Your subordinate obeys." Zhui Lan replied.
[Host, you really want to kill Lu Lingyue?] The system was shocked and immediately asked Yuan Yan after Zhui Lan left.
"Lu Lingyue promised not to leak any information about the Prince's residence, and that's the last bit of trust I have in him. If he can't keep that promise, there's no need for me to keep him around any longer."
“Those who are not of one mind with the Prince’s Mansion, just kill them,” Yuan Yan said.
[Host...only someone like you is suitable to be emperor.]
The system was at a loss for words. The host, Lu Lingyue, was such a beautiful woman, and he killed her without a second thought, showing no mercy. After a long pause, it finally managed to stammer out a dry sentence.
"Thank you for the compliment." Yuan Yan raised an eyebrow.
...
Lu Lingyue was unaware of everything behind this. He was worried about his father's illness, and after receiving permission, he hurriedly rushed to the Lu residence under the escort of the Prince's guards.
"Yue'er, how have you been doing at the Prince's residence lately?" Lu Yingkan asked Lu Lingyue with great concern and feigned concern.
Lu Lingyue, however, had already seen through her mother's character during this period of neglect, and was not particularly moved by it, only saying softly.
"Others may not know how I'm doing, but doesn't my mother know?"
Listen to these words; it seems they're expressing dissatisfaction with her as a mother.
Lu Yingkan heard Lu Lingyue's tone, but he wasn't angry. After all, she had severed ties with Lu Lingyue for so long, and even prevented Lu's father from visiting him. It was inevitable that Lu Lingyue would feel heartbroken.
Lu Yingkan said earnestly, "Does Yue'er harbor resentment towards her mother?"
“As the head of the Lu clan, Mother has to consider the bigger picture, and this is something she had no choice but to do. You have always been sensible, so you should be able to understand what Mother did.”
"What does Mother mean by 'having no other choice'?" Lu Lingyue retorted.
"Does it mean using my marriage as a bargaining chip? Or that you will ignore me after I become the King of Qin's consort?"
Lu Yingkan, facing his accusations head-on, felt somewhat embarrassed, and his expression darkened.
"Yue'er, how can you speak like that? You've always been respectful and filial, how come you've become so rude since entering the Prince's mansion?"
Her expression shifted, initially wanting to scold him. However, remembering that she could still use Lu Lingyue, she suppressed her displeasure, softened her tone, and continued to coax him.
“A mother has her own difficulties. You are a member of the Lu family, and some sacrifices are inevitable for the sake of the Lu family. Why don’t you understand this?”
"I don't understand, and I don't want to understand anymore."
Lu Lingyue was unwilling to continue speaking, so she lowered her eyes and slowly shook her head.
“Mother, let’s not talk about these old stories anymore. I’ve come back to the manor today to see Father.”
"Where is Father? I'll go find him right now." Lu Lingyue said, getting up to have a servant lead the way.
However, at that moment, a figure emerged from behind the screen.
“Yue’er, you don’t need to go… Father is right here.” Father Lu looked at Lu Lingyue with a guilty expression.
"Father, aren't you seriously ill and bedridden?" Lu Lingyue was speechless for a moment, looking at her father and then slowly turning to her mother, her voice hoarse.
"Yue'er, don't blame your mother. It's just that your father missed you so much that he used illness as an excuse to have your mother call you back."
Father Lu spoke haltingly.
If they really missed him so much, why didn't they come to visit him even once before?
Now that His Highness has just gotten into trouble, his missing father has reappeared.
Upon hearing this, Lu Lingyue understood everything. A wave of genuine disappointment washed over him, making his heart feel slightly cold.
"Father, even you and Mother are conspiring to deceive me."
"Given the current state of the Prince's residence, if Father hadn't lied to me and said I was seriously ill, how could I have left the residence when His Highness was in such a critical condition? What kind of person do you take me for by deceiving and lying like this?"
Lu Lingyue's expression was cold, and her words contained a rare sharpness.
When Lu Lingyue accused Lu Yingkan, her father couldn't help but rebuke her: "Yue'er, how could you say such things about your mother and me... We are your parents, we are doing this for your own good, would we ever harm you?"
Lu Lingyue was perhaps already heartbroken today, and upon hearing these words, she felt only emptiness and was not stirred by them.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yingkan's first reaction was not anger, but a glint of shrewdness in his eyes.
Her attention was completely drawn to the information revealed in Lu Lingyue's words. Ignoring everything else, she waved her hand to signal her father not to say anything more and asked Lu Lingyue herself.
"Yue'er, you just mentioned how badly the King of Qin was injured. Has he woken up yet?"
Lu Lingyue frowned.
"Why is Mother asking this? Haven't you always disliked His Highness? Why are you suddenly concerned about this now?"
Lu Yingkan looked at him with the expression of someone who didn't understand anything.
"Yue'er, don't be temperamental. Those are things from the past. Now you belong to the King of Qin, and your mother naturally hopes for his well-being."
“Now that the King of Qin has been assassinated, Mother is asking about the situation out of concern for her,” Lu Yingkan said hypocritically.
Concern? More likely, they came to inquire about Yuan Yan's injuries so they could discuss countermeasures with Yuan Jing.
Upon hearing this, Lu Lingyue was completely certain that her mother was willing to have her father feign illness in order to force him to return.
Looking at her father standing behind her mother with his eyes darting away, Lu Lingyue suddenly felt a deep sense of disappointment and exhaustion.
Although his father said he loved him, his mother was his favorite. Whenever his mother spoke, his father would stand by her side without hesitation.
After entering the Prince's mansion, Lu Lingyue felt like he was dealing with a stranger to his mother and father. It was as if they had abandoned him overnight; he no longer had a home.
Lu Lingyue didn't want to say anything more. But remembering Yuan Yan's instructions, he spoke up anyway.
"His Highness is indeed seriously injured. I saw it with my own eyes, and His Highness has not yet woken up."
Lu Lingyue said softly, insisting that Yuan Yan had not woken up, and did not budge despite Lu Yingkan's repeated probing.
Yuan Yan has already been in a difficult situation lately, and he is still recovering from the assassination attempt. How could he possibly cause Yuan Yan any more trouble?
He was willing to deceive his mother if saying this would help Yuan Yan.
Lu Yingkan got the answer he wanted, and a feeling of joy stirred within him.
She hadn't considered the possibility that Lu Lingyue was lying, after all, Lu Lingyue was a man who was always obedient.
Moreover, in Lu Yingkan's eyes, how could a man not help his mother's family?
Even if Lu Lingyue harbors resentment towards the Lu family, she will still have to rely on them in the future after Yuan Yan's accident. She can't possibly harm her maternal family for the sake of a wife who treats her badly.
Thinking of this, Lu Yingkan was very satisfied and said as if rewarding Lu Lingyue.
"Yue'er, you and your father haven't seen each other for a long time. Why don't you two talk here some more?"
"No need," Lu Lingyue unexpectedly refused. "I've been out for a while now, and if I go back late, Zhengqing might punish me. I'll head back now."
Lu's father seemed to sense Lu Lingyue's coldness, and before he left, he hesitated and called out a word.
"Yue'er..."
The sound reached Lu Lingyue's ears, but he only paused for a moment without turning around, and eventually left.
Zhui Lan hid on the roof beam and listened to the whole thing.
Seeing that Lu Lingyue did not say anything she shouldn't have, she quietly jumped down and mingled with the servants back to the palace.
"Your Highness, this is what Attendant Lu said..."
Upon returning to the Prince's residence, Zhuilan immediately went to report the situation to Yuan Yan.
She meticulously repeated the entire conversation between Lu Yingkan and Lu Lingyue, mimicking their tone.
The system breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. [Thank goodness, Lu Lingyue didn't betray you. Host, you don't need to kill him.]
"Lu Lingyue has improved somewhat compared to before; she knows how to resist now."
After hearing these words, Yuan Yan's opinion of Lu Lingyue changed slightly, and he did not mention the matter of Lu Lingyue "dying of illness" again.
Author's Note: "令堂" refers to the other party's mother. The matriarch usually resides in the north wing, hence the use of "堂". Therefore, in a matriarchal worldview, the mother is referred to as "令尊" and the father as "令堂".
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