Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Denial
“Quick, quick!”
Du Lingjing was sweating all over.
The gentleman was forced to leave reluctantly. Suddenly, someone chased him out of the capital, in a hurry and with people. Who else could it be?
That Miss Yang has already resorted to all means possible.
In the mountains and forests.
"Who are you?"
Liao Xu was hit by an arrow in his left calf. He could no longer move forward normally with his injured leg, and even had difficulty walking in the mountains and forests. He could only hide behind a tree and struggle to shout.
"I do have some money on me. If you want it, just take it! But please spare my life. My mother has been waiting for me for many years. I am leaving Beijing this time just to return home and serve her..."
However, before he could finish his words, another arrow suddenly shot out. He dodged hastily, and the arrow brushed his hair and fell to the ground.
He had already said that he would leave all the money he had on him, but the other party still wanted to shoot arrows, which showed that it was not for the money.
He snorted and laughed, "It seems that I, Liao Xu, have failed in officialdom and am not good at teaching, but this worthless life of mine is still of some use."
Another arrow was shot from the forest, but this arrow missed and hit the tree behind him with a clanging sound.
Mr. Liao felt hopeless. There was nowhere to escape from the arrows in the middle of his legs. Sooner or later, he would die from these inexplicable arrows.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, footsteps were suddenly heard in the forest.
"Sir? Sir! Where are you?!"
"Jingniang?!" Liao Xu was shocked.
The sound of footsteps in the forest immediately approached.
Du Lingjing was searching nearby with her men. Upon hearing the response, she hurried forward following the sound and immediately saw Mr. Liao Xu, who was injured and hiding behind a tree.
Mr. Liao no longer had the plump figure he once had. All he had left was a skinny body, and he looked even more exhausted due to years of frustration. At this moment, blood was oozing from his trouser legs and falling on the dead leaves. His face was pale.
Du Lingjing was the first to notice him, and she gasped when she saw him.
She ran away immediately.
When Mr. Liao saw her coming, he was overjoyed at first, but then he realized something and called out to her hurriedly.
"Don't come over here, Jingniang!"
But it's too late.
At this moment, another cold arrow broke through the air from the forest and headed straight for Liao Xu's neck from another angle.
The fatal arrow, without any hesitation, would take his life in an instant.
Some people shouted "Jingniang", some people exclaimed "Madam", but Du Lingjing saw the arrow flashing with a cold light and rushing towards Mr. Liao who was unable to dodge under the tree.
"gentlemen... ..."
Her mind was blank for a moment, but she suddenly pounced forward.
In a flash, she felt a sudden pain in her shoulder, and the arrow grazed her shoulder and fell to the ground.
The guards of the Marquis' Mansion came over with swords in hand, and the tree was immediately surrounded by the guards.
Liao Xu was fine, but the man who threw him to the ground and saved his life had his clothes torn on the shoulder by a sharp arrow and was bleeding.
"Jingniang! Child... ...how are you?!"
Du Lingjing gritted her teeth, endured the pain and shook her head. Although the arrow pierced her shoulder, it missed her and her husband and hit the ground.
She said it was okay, but saw three more arrows shot out from the forest. Although they were all blocked by the guards with swords, she also spoke.
"Madam, at this point, it is impossible for you to still want to harm others! Why don't you withdraw your forces and we can reconsider this matter."
The sun was setting in the west, and the forest was cast in the shadows of the clouds, becoming a little darker.
She couldn't see where Yang Jinyu's men were ambushing, but she slowly scanned the surroundings and saw that no more arrows were shot for a while, so she spoke again.
"The Crown Prince's wife first wanted to alienate me from the Marquis, but unfortunately I am dull and indifferent, so I failed to satisfy your wishes. Now she wants to take advantage of Mr. Liao's departure from Beijing to return home to create an accident, so that the Fu party members will alienate the Marquis directly."
She asked, "But has the wife of the prince ever thought that the Marquis has gone to great lengths to win over the Fu party, and you have harmed the master and made the Fu party members at odds with him. He may not necessarily abandon the Fu party, but instead directly vent his anger on you and the Yang family?"
The voice echoed in the mountains and forests.
Yang Jinyu, who was hiding in the dark, had a gloomy expression on her face. She snorted coldly, "I only had someone kill him, and then pretended to be a bandit robbing him. How could the Marquis know?"
As soon as she said this, Du Lingjing laughed without caring about the pain in her shoulder.
"Madam, you think too simply of the Marquis. Couldn't the Marquis guess that it was you who was waiting for him?"
But she said that it was useless to say these things now. "The guards of the Marquis' Mansion are here. Madam Crown Prince should stop as soon as possible, or she might not completely anger them. If she continues to act recklessly, your two brothers will have no chance of survival."
"you... ..."
Yang Jinyu first saw that I told her that the Marquis was asking for an imperial decree to grant marriage for Fu Chen. She remained silent on such a big matter, thinking that she was a weak person who could not accomplish anything. She didn't expect that today, when an arrow shot through the wind, she actually dared to save people under the arrow, and now that she was injured, she could still hold on and explain the pros and cons to her.
Water is silent, but if it becomes loud, it can also be noisy.
But Yang Jinyu suddenly said, "Then Madam Hou has never thought about what if I insist on doing it? I dare to just shoot you and that gentleman to death in this forest. There will be no evidence, what will you do?"
The words were like a piercing cold arrow, and Du Lingjing's heart sank.
The two young masters of the Yang family are capable of killing people to silence them, and the eldest sister Yang Jinyu is no less capable.
At this time, the guards of the Marquis' Mansion all clenched their swords tightly and protected the two men even more.
Yang Jinyu sneered, "With the people I brought today, what are your chances of winning as long as I give the order?"
The sounds of birds and beasts faded away in the mountains and forests. The sun was blocked by the clouds, and the forest became darker and darker.
But before Yang Jinyu could finish her words, someone's cold and stern voice suddenly sounded from behind her, enunciating each word.
"You dare?"
Yang Jinyu's heart trembled, she turned around and looked back, only to see a man standing in the mountains with his back to the light, his eyes looking down at her with disdain.
Du Lingjing also looked up and saw the person above. The dead branches overlapped behind him, blocking out the sun. He stood with his back to the light. But the moment he saw her, especially when his eyes fell on the wound on her shoulder, his eyes seemed to sink to the bottom of the valley.
At this moment, Yang Jinyu actually smiled.
"Lord Lu, why did I do this? It was just to save my two brothers. But you refused to see me and let my Yang family fall into pain. Lord, do you know that my mother's eyes are almost blinded by crying? She listened to you and took the initiative to send those two people to the government office. Then what happened? Why didn't you wait for Lord to rescue them, but instead just let them go?"
She questioned Lu Shenru, "If the Second Branch of the Lu Clan was still alive, would you treat our Yang Clan like this?"
she asked him sharply.
"My second cousin died for you. Now that he's dead, you can push his maternal family, the Rongchang Earl's Mansion, into the fire pit for these outsiders, right?"
There was an inexplicable silence in the mountains, and Du Lingjing was stunned.
She had never heard him mention that the second master of the second branch of the Lu family, his second brother, actually died for him.
A large bird screamed in the distance, sounding a little harsh in the silence.
Lu Shenru was silent for a moment.
Du Lingjing saw the pain in his eyes behind his half-closed eyelids.
She heard his voice getting deeper and deeper.
"Yes, my second brother stood in front of me and was shot through the throat by an arrow... He was shot and died for me..."
The voice kept echoing in the mountains and forests, but the next moment he suddenly looked at Yang Jinyu.
"But what does this have to do with the evil deeds of your Yang brothers and sisters?!"
He only asked Yang Jinyu, "If it was me who died that year, and it was my second brother who survived and inherited the position of Marquis of Yongding, do you think he would protect you and continue to commit crimes?"
As he spoke, his eyes glanced at the man who was injured by an arrow in the shoulder.
He slowly closed his eyes, "If it weren't for my second brother, you would have died here today."
The moment the words came out, the murderous intent shot through Yang Jinyu's heart and trembled.
But Lu Shenru really didn't want to kill her.
"Miss Yang, listen carefully. Even if the emperor sentences your two beastly brothers to death, I will never say a word of mercy in front of the emperor. This matter has nothing to do with me anymore, so you should take care of yourself."
He made this clear in front of Yang Jinyu.
Yang Jinyu's feet staggered and she almost fell down.
How would she survive in the Duke of Weiguo's mansion without her brothers?
"Lu Shenru, are you going to sever all ties with the Yang family?!"
But the man laughed, “You three siblings are not the entire Yang family.”
He will strongly support the illegitimate son to inherit the title, but things will be different for the Yang family bloodline.
Yang Jinyu was trembling all over, but the guards of the Yang family came forward in a hurry, signaling her not to confront the Marquis anymore and to leave quickly. If she continued, the Marquis would really turn against her and no one would be able to save her.
The guards advised her to leave quickly, but just as she was about to leave, the man spoke again.
"Whoever shot the arrow just now, stay!"
Yang Jinyu took a breath and could only throw out the few people who had shot him in the back. Chongping immediately sent people to take all of them away.
There were a few more piercing bird calls in the mountains. After the Yang family guards persuaded Miss Yang to leave quickly, there was no one else in the forest.
Mr. Liao was shot in the leg and couldn't stand up, and Du Lingjing's shoulder was bleeding.
The man almost flew in front of her with big strides.
"Quanquan... I'm late!"
But Du Lingjing shook her head at him. He was not late at all. If he had not come, they might not be able to escape unscathed today. Miss Yang did have a lot of people.
And he is so busy, how can he find time to come? Is it for Mr. Liao?
Mr. Liao is indeed important. He is one of the most respected gentlemen by the party officials after my father's death.
Fortunately, the gentleman was only shot in the leg and was not killed.
But the knot between Mr. Ke and this marquis must be untied so that other members of the Fu party can be more useful to him.
She saw him immediately call Chongping to bandage her wound, and she said there was no rush, "I'm just a flesh wound, why don't you let Guard Ping take a look at the master first... ...I have something to say to the Marquis."
She said, motioning him to go the other way.
Seeing that she was not in a hurry to treat her injuries, but wanted to talk to him first, Lu Shenru wondered what could be so important.
But then she thought about how she had waited for her for three hours...
"you say!"
His tone was a bit harsh, and Du Lingjing didn't know who had offended him again, but taking advantage of this opportunity, as her teacher happened to be there, it would be better to make everything clear.
She said softly, "The Marquis values the Fu Party so much, it is really a blessing for all the Fu Party members. It's just that they gathered together in the past and followed their father because they shared the same aspirations. Now many years have passed, their father has passed away, and the new policy has changed their minds. They would rather be excluded by the court and scattered everywhere than change their aspirations at will."
She couldn't help but glance at him. "I already know that the Marquis married me to win over Fu Chen. But they each have their own ambitions. If I force them, it might backfire."
She thought of how patient he had been with her after they got married, and said, "Your Majesty, why don't you be more patient with them? Those who can be used will stay by your side. If they are really useless, you can just let them go."
She finally told him everything clearly. These were her own thoughts, and she hoped he could listen to them a little.
But after she finished speaking, the man lowered his eyebrows and looked at her.
Lu Shenru looked at his wife.
Just for these few words, she waited for him in the outer hall for three hours?
She really thought that he married her as a bridge in order to offend the party.
He was almost laughing out of anger and stared at her fiercely.
"Who told you that?"
She didn't reply for a moment, so he asked and answered his own questions.
"Oh, Yang Jinyu."
He immediately asked, "What else did she say?"
The wind in the forest blew the dead leaves on the ground into a whirl.
Du Lingjing didn't understand why he didn't listen to her advice just now, but instead just kept dwelling on it.
Then she might as well explain it to him clearly.
She looked up at him and asked.
"The imperial decree granting marriage on Mid-Autumn Festival was not actually the emperor's idea, but something the Marquis requested, right?"
She met his eyes.
Her eyes were calm, like the setting sun in the mountains, just looking at him quietly.
Lu Shenru was silent for a moment.
She just thought that he married her to offend his party and was courting the emperor step by step. So she put herself in the position of an outsider, in the outer hall with those real outsiders. She waited for him for three hours for a few words and did not allow the steward to inform him in advance.
She really can't tolerate any sand in her eyes.
What would she do if she knew that he had made a plan to marry her long before the Mid-Autumn Festival?
The man just stared at her without moving an inch, his voice getting deeper and deeper.
"You believe Yang Jinyu's nonsense? I said that it was only because of the will of God that you and I became husband and wife. Why don't you believe it?"
He asked back.
Du Lingjing was stunned.
He said it wasn't him who asked for permission?
But the man became increasingly angry.
"And there are people like the Fu Party. Yes, I want to use them. But I, Lu Shenru, am not so useless that I would force others to use me!"
The mountain breeze blew across her shoulders, causing Du Lingjing to feel a slight pain in the wound.
He said that he did not ask for permission, and he did not marry her to offend the party. As for offending the party members, he did not have to use them...
The wind blew the dead leaves under her feet into a mess, and Du Lingjing's thoughts were also in a mess.
She looked up at him, and he lowered his head and looked at her closely.
The two men pursed their lips for a moment and said nothing. Chongping stepped forward and said, "I will treat Madam's injuries first."
Du Lingjing was not pierced by the arrow, but the arrow was extremely fast and left a severe cut on her shoulder.
Chongping couldn't treat her carefully, so he could only temporarily give her bleeding-stopping medicine outside.
The powder caused her body to tremble slightly. The man stopped getting angry with her and held her in his arms, "Chongping, hurry up!"
Chongping's men sped up and bandaged her in a short time.
The sun was setting and the mountain was filled with cold air, but his arms were as warm as usual, even a little hot.
Everything Du Lingjing said to him was denied by him. She didn't know what else she could say to him now.
She quietly raised her head to look at him. The man's eyes were gloomy, and his heroic and cold face was full of displeasure.
Unexpectedly, at this time, someone else came looking for him from the nearby mountain road.
It turned out to be Hu Tinglan and other members of the Anti-Party in Beijing.
When Mr. Liao left Beijing for his hometown, he only told a few close friends he was going to, but when everyone heard that he was leaving, they all rushed out of the city to see him off.
But when they got nearby, they realized something was wrong. They were shocked to see that both Mr. Liao and Du Lingjing were injured.
"What happened?" everyone asked hurriedly.
Mr. Liao spoke briefly.
But Du Lingjing looked at the man next to her.
Although Mr. Liao did not encounter any serious trouble, encountering such a situation was ultimately not conducive to his further communication with the members of the Fu Party.
After all, he still hoped that the members of the Fu Party could be used by him.
She couldn't help but say, "I'll go tell them that this matter has nothing to do with you. It's just that Miss Yang has lost her mind."
After she finished speaking, she raised her foot and was about to step forward, but he stopped her.
He was not angry with her, but took two steps to the front of the crowd.
"Everyone, today's incident is all because Lu and you have never been honest with each other."
He said that he really hoped that everyone would be able to work for him and return to the court to help King Hui enter the East Palace and ascend to the throne in the future.
"But if any of you are devoted to Prince Yong, I will not force you to change your mind."
He said that he certainly couldn't support his opponent, "But if you just want to be an official in the court and serve the country and the people, even if it's not for His Royal Highness Prince Hui, Lu will do his best to recommend you."
He said, "Just consider it as my apology to you all for my previous misconduct."
As Lu Shenru spoke, he looked towards Mr. Liao.
Mr. Liao was so discouraged that he resigned from his position to teach because of the criticism he received for excluding dissidents.
At this moment, he said, "I have spoken my word and I will never break it. If you want to stay in the court as an official, you only need to submit a letter to the Marquis' Mansion, and you can take your posts and leave. You don't have to have any more contact with my Yongding Marquis' Mansion!"
He spoke clearly and concisely in one breath, making it clear to all those who opposed the party.
Everyone knew that he needed someone, but no one expected him to say such words.
Du Lingjing was also stunned and shocked.
Is he really going to let the Fu party members go or stay as they please?
He didn't look at her, but said to Mr. Liao, "I really didn't expect that I would make you so embarrassed that you have to leave Beijing and return home. But I actually found a job for you."
He said he was the Jiangxi Provincial Judicial Supervisor, and that the vacancy would be vacant in a few months.
Jiangxi is far away from the capital, and the Chief Criminal Inspector is responsible for the criminal affairs of that province.
"I think with your ability, this position is no problem for you."
After Mr. Liao has been in office in Jiangxi for six years, perhaps the outcome of the battle between Prince Yong and Prince Hui in the capital has been decided. It will not be too late for him to return to the capital and do his best for the new emperor.
Liao Xu no longer thought that he had already secured a position for himself, nor did he have any intention of forcing him to change his mind.
"My Lord, your mind is far greater than ours."
Everyone couldn't help but nod in agreement.
"I didn't expect that the Marquis would really worry about us."
He said yes and no, "Of course, if you are willing to lend a hand to His Royal Highness Prince Hui and Lu, the gates of Yongding Marquis' Mansion are open!"
As he spoke, he turned to look at the injured person beside him.
"But I didn't marry her just to use you guys. I can't think of such a reversal of cause and effect."
The latter part of the sentence was said to her thoroughly.
Du Lingjing pursed her lips.
His eyes became more severe, but he said that the injured could not wait, "It is better to return to Beijing as soon as possible to treat the injuries!"
Mr. Liao's injuries are more serious than Du Lingjing's, so he cannot wait.
Everyone said yes.
Du Lingjing looked up at him, wanting to say something to him, but he walked straight up to her, hugged her, and asked Chongping to drive straight to the capital.
He was not in a good mood at all and did not speak to her the whole way.
However, when they returned to the Marquis' Mansion, he did not send her back to the main courtyard. Instead, he carried her straight into his study.
Du Lingjing had never been to his study room. After all, the room was strictly guarded and no outsiders were allowed to enter.
He took her directly into the study.
Chongping was not used this time. She asked Qiulin to come, but he would not allow it. He skinned her himself and treated her injuries again.
He seemed to be very good at treating wounds. Du Lingjing thought of the deep and shallow old wounds on his body.
But he stopped talking again, his face was cold and his lips were tightly pressed into a line.
"My Lord... is you angry?" She had to speak first.
He snorted and glanced at him, "What do you think, ma'am?"
Du Lingjing didn't shy away from asking, "My Lord, do you dislike me? You didn't believe me, and you are suspicious of me?"
She really never figured out why she suddenly came to Beijing and got married.
It would have been fine if she had married a bad man, but he treated her extremely well, so well that she always felt that his so-called love at first sight was hard to explain.
She said softly, "It was an imperial decree to grant the marriage during the Mid-Autumn Festival. It was a bit of a surprise to me."
She was frank.
The candlelight flickered.
The man looked into her eyes, and the firelight flickered gently in her watery eyes.
He suddenly asked, "What if the imperial edict was really obtained by me?"
His voice was not loud, and it floated slowly in the air.
But Lu Shenru saw that as soon as he said this hypothetical word, his wife's eyes widened, the firelight in her eyes swayed and shook, and there seemed to be a bit of fear in her eyes.
Fear...
The man lowered his eyes and smiled.
She really couldn't stand him telling the truth.
However, those old things buried in Mianlou were over, and he didn't want to think about them at all, let alone mention them again.
Just pretend that all those things in the past never happened, and that their marriage was truly a marriage granted by imperial decree, and they could start over from here, couldn't they?
He hummed softly and told her again.
"Our marriage is indeed the will of the Emperor. I have never asked for it. Madam, if you still have doubts and don't want to believe me, you can ask the Emperor and Prince Yan some other day."
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