Chapter 700 Collaboration - Testing the Waters
The Empress and the Empress Dowager could not see his memorial. As long as he went back and issued the imperial edict of bestowal, the matter would be settled.
Marquis Yi'an originally favored his second son, so naturally he couldn't expose the fact that the emperor hadn't agreed. Therefore, the emperor told this lie without batting an eye.
Even so, the Empress did not believe the Emperor's words.
If this had happened before, the Empress might have believed his words, but now…
"In that case, I'll handle it myself?"
"Well, you handle this matter."
The emperor had no objections. After having lunch with the empress, he returned to his bedchamber to rest.
Meanwhile, a good show was unfolding outside the palace.
As always, a vegetable vendor came to deliver vegetables to the small courtyard where Sun Ruojun lived.
But while she was buying groceries, a group of bandits suddenly broke in and dragged Sun Ruoyun onto a carriage.
Startled by this, Xiao Fan hurriedly ran back, forgetting about the vegetables scattered all over the ground.
Seeing this, a shopkeeper nearby hurriedly came out to check the situation. Then, the shopkeeper had someone close the shop door and quietly slipped out through the back door.
The Fourth Prince was having a headache.
Consort Liu had mentioned it to him several times before, suggesting that he marry Princess Ruyue.
Now another year has passed, and Princess Ruyue is about to turn fourteen. Even Minister Liu has mentioned this matter to her several times.
"Since Your Highness does not wish to, you might as well cancel the matter."
The guards who had served Lu Changqing for many years knew his personality best.
Moreover, His Highness and Miss Sun are deeply in love; how could His Highness possibly marry someone else?
“We still need the support of the Liu family. If we openly refuse, Minister Liu and Consort Liu may not be able to support me anymore.”
Lu Yuanbin had the support of the Sun and Luo families, and Gu Renjie had the powerful Marquis's Mansion and General's Mansion, but he himself had no support except for the meager strength of the Liu family.
If the Liu family is lost because of Princess Ruyue, then he will have no chance to fight back.
"But the Liu family seems to be really impatient."
The guard's concerns were exactly what was troubling Lu Changqing. He could previously argue that Princess Ruyue was too young to be in a hurry, but now that Princess Ruyue had reached marriageable age, he could no longer use that excuse to avoid it.
"If all else fails, I'm afraid we'll have no choice but to agree to their engagement."
Lu Changqing rubbed his head, which was considered a compromise on the matter.
Just then, the butler hurriedly walked in from outside.
"What's wrong?" Lu Changqing asked.
The steward was originally an old servant of Lu Yuanbin when he was in the palace. Because of his mother, he had been taking care of Lu Yuanbin's daily life for many years.
Later, the emperor allowed him to establish his own residence, and the old eunuch naturally became the steward of his new residence.
"Something's happened!"
The butler spoke to Lu Yuanbin, then beckoned the two servants inside to leave before telling Lu Changqing and the guards about Sun Ruoyun's kidnapping.
"What? Ruoyun has been kidnapped!"
Lu Changqing thought he must have misheard; how could Sun Ruoyun possibly have been kidnapped?
"Do you know who did this? And where was the kidnapping taken?"
Although Lu Changqing was anxious, he needed to find out the situation before going to look for them.
The steward recounted the whole incident, learning that Sun Ruoyun was buying groceries at her doorstep when a group of people appeared out of nowhere and dragged her onto a dilapidated carriage.
Lu Changqing's heart was in his throat. "Let's go, take our men and go find them."
Lu Changqing strode out, and the guards and the old steward exchanged a glance and waved helplessly.
They knew they couldn't persuade Lu Changqing, so instead of wasting time arguing, they decided to go with him and find him as soon as possible.
Most of the people from the Fourth Prince's residence were mobilized. As the group dispersed, a servant slowly retreated.
At the Yun residence, Yun Yichen received the news, nodded, and dismissed the others.
"Master, aren't you going to see the Fourth Prince yet?"
Zhong Lin was somewhat confused about his master's meaning. It was clearly his master who had plotted to take Sun Ruoyun away in order to see the Fourth Prince.
But now that he could go see the Fourth Prince, he instead squatted in his room and started writing.
"not see!"
Yun Yichen answered this, and with a flourish of his wolf-hair brush, a painting was completed.
This painting was done by Yun Yichen for Gu Shuyan, depicting her when she was seven months pregnant. He plans to show it to his child when he grows up, so he can see how much his mother sacrificed for him.
Zhong Lin was getting increasingly anxious as he watched his master appear completely unconcerned.
"Master! The Fourth Prince has already left the residence. If we stay any longer, he might go back."
Zhong Lin felt increasingly unable to understand his master's actions, and in order not to miss the opportunity, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and offer his advice.
Upon hearing this, Yun Yichen glanced at Zhong Lin and asked, "When did you become so impatient?"
Yun Yichen also felt that Zhong Lin had changed a lot. He used to be such a calm and collected person, but now he gets so impatient over the smallest things.
Am I in a hurry?
Zhong Lin pointed to himself, realizing that it was his master who wasn't worried at all, which was why he was anxious.
What are you worried about?
Yun Yichen looked up at Zhong Lin, and those eyes made Zhong Lin have no choice but to speak his mind.
"The Fourth Prince has kept himself hidden for so many years. My concern for Miss Sun won't stir any waves in his heart."
"That's why we need to wait patiently."
Zhong Lin was puzzled. If the purpose was to see Lu Changqing, why wait?
Seeing this, Yun Yichen said, "What we need to talk to him about is of great importance. If Sun Ruoyun can't stir any waves in his heart, then we'd rather not talk about it than risk it ourselves."
Although Yun Yichen had made the arrangements, in reality, no one except himself knew what he wanted to talk to the Fourth Prince about.
Zhong Lin seemed to understand, but after hearing these words, his anxious feeling disappeared by most.
When Lu Changqing arrived at the courtyard and saw the vegetables scattered all over the ground, his feelings became even more complicated.
They set up this courtyard very discreetly, and the vendor was a well-known honest man who would never reveal any information to others.
Since the people are reliable and the place is safe, then who exactly are those who kidnapped Sun Ruoyun, and what is their purpose?
"Your Highness, we have already asked Lu Shuo, who witnessed the incident. According to him, the robbers were all burly, rough men, and they were carrying long knives."
At the foot of the capital, someone wielding a long knife and robbing people in the city—this whole affair is incredibly suspicious.
"Your Highness, those people are probably not real robbers."
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