Chapter 708 Cooperation - Struggle
Luo Yuying couldn't even remember how long it had been since Lu Yuanbin had last visited her. Now that Lu Yuanbin had countless beauties in his harem, how could he possibly remember her?
"Have someone fetch water so we can wash up!" Luo Yuying instructed.
Seeing her mistress's calm and composed demeanor, the maidservant sighed and withdrew.
After washing up, Luo Yuying was about to lie down when Lu Yuanbin unexpectedly came to her courtyard.
Luo Yuying felt no joy at Lu Yuanbin's arrival. "This humble servant greets Your Highness."
Luo Yuying spoke in a flat tone, revealing no emotion.
Upon seeing this, Lu Yuanbin surprisingly stepped forward and personally helped her up.
"Things have been quite busy these days, and I've neglected my wife!"
Lu Yuanbin looked somewhat apologetic, but Luo Yuying found it all laughable.
He even said he was too busy with other things and neglected himself. But why didn't he neglect those little vixens in the backyard?
However, Luo Yuying still had some doubts about Lu Yuanbin's arrival.
"Has something happened to Your Highness today?"
Although Luo Yuying was neglected by Lu Yuanbin, it didn't mean she was unaware of what had happened. Having been raised by the Luo family for so many years, a small prince's residence was still easy to control.
Having learned that Lu Yuanbin had been summoned by the emperor that morning, Luo Yuying had been keeping a close eye on things, so she naturally already knew about the person the emperor had assigned.
"As expected, nothing can be hidden from the Princess Consort. We did encounter some minor troubles today, but they are all over now."
His advisors helped him resolve his troubles, but they suggested that he needed to improve his relationship with the Fifth Prince's wife, at least to prevent the emperor from thinking that he was a man who favored his concubine over his wife.
Therefore, Lu Yuanbin's uninvited arrival today, and his unusually good attitude towards Luo Yuying, are quite remarkable.
Lu Yuanbin's good temper surprised Luo Yuying, but after thinking about it for a moment, she seemed to understand immediately.
Affection is something to show to others, to make people think that the couple has a good relationship. Lu Yuanbin, as expected, you still don't care about others.
But since you insist on acting with me, I'll play along to the very end.
"It's all over now. Although I am but a humble woman, I am still Your Highness's lawfully wedded wife. If Your Highness is in trouble, I will go through fire and water to help you."
As expected, as soon as Luo Yuying finished speaking, Lu Yuanbin's eyes softened even more.
Although this wife was not his favorite, since she married into the family, she not only took good care of his household affairs, but also contributed a lot to his political affairs.
As memories of the past flashed through his mind, Lu Yuanbin suddenly felt that he had let Luo Yuying down.
"Thanks a lot!"
As Lu Yuanbin spoke, he pulled Luo Yuying into his arms. Luo Yuying instinctively wanted to push him away, but in the end, she held back.
Driven by his own will, Lu Yuanbin realized how long it had been since he had touched Luo Yuying. The feeling of holding her today stirred his emotions, and he immediately leaned down towards her.
Luo Yuying felt utterly disgusted by Lu Yuanbin's behavior. If it weren't for the fact that it wasn't the right time, she would have kicked him off the stage long ago.
It is said that someone who doesn't love you will feel disgusted by your touch.
Luo Yuying suppressed her disgust and endured Lu Yuanbin's one-sided demands. Only after Lu Yuanbin calmed down did Luo Yuying move a little further away from him.
"I heard that His Majesty has assigned tasks to the two princes and several officials. I wonder how things are going on the princes' side?"
Luo Yuying had wanted to ask about this for a long time, and now that she finally had the chance, she couldn't help but take the opportunity to act coquettishly towards Lu Yuanbin.
Lu Yuanbin is very susceptible to women's charms at times like this, and he unabashedly voiced his advisors' speculations.
"Then I wish Your Highness all your wishes come true!"
Luo Yuying softened her stance, which satisfied the man's pride. Lu Yuanbin even found Luo Yuying more agreeable than before.
Little did he know that his behavior would only make Luo Yuying look down on him even more.
That same evening, Yun Yichen and Lu Changqing were still in the same courtyard. Yun Yichen immediately told Lu Changqing about his plans and asked him to create a false impression for Lu Yuanbin.
Since Lu Changqing had already made an agreement with Yun Yichen, his words naturally had no meaning. However, Lu Changqing needed to find a way to appease Ji Wenjin.
The next day, Lu Yuanbin began his investigation as instructed by his staff. Little did he know that just when he thought he was making good progress, Lu Changqing sent him even faster news.
Lu Yuanbin immediately became anxious. This guy was just a lowly scoundrel who had been ignored in the palace for so many years, but now that he had gained power, he was being trampled on.
Lu Yuanbin immediately sped up his own process, wanting to discuss the situation with Lu Hexuan, but Lu Hexuan knew absolutely nothing about it except sleeping.
In the end, Lu Yuanbin had no choice but to consult with his staff once again.
Unlike the infighting on the other side, Yun Yichen and Gu Renjie remained unhurried, and neither of them began investigating the matter until the end of the second day.
When the emperor heard the report from the commander of the Imperial Guards in his bedchamber, he could only nod slowly.
The Imperial Guard Commander was somewhat puzzled and couldn't help but remind him, "Your Majesty, if the Second Prince doesn't make a move soon, the other two princes will surely surpass him by a wide margin."
While everyone else had started investigating, Gu Renjie remained completely silent. Even the commander of the Imperial Guard, a royalist, couldn't help but feel worried for him.
Upon hearing this, the emperor not only showed no concern for Gu Renjie, but also nodded and smiled with a hint of appreciation, leaving the commander of the Imperial Guard completely bewildered.
Even though the person who was supposed to report to the emperor daily was the one who learned about the situation of the son she favored, why did the emperor not react at all?
Could it be that I misunderstood, and the emperor had no intention of passing the throne to the second prince, but only wanted to groom him to be a regent?
"Alright, you can continue keeping an eye on things. Report back if there's any movement."
One cannot arbitrarily guess the emperor's thoughts; this is a grave taboo in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Yet, these eloquent and respected senior officials still couldn't help but try to speculate.
With a heavy heart, the commander of the Imperial Guards became even more attentive to Gu Renjie's observations. But the more he observed, the more he found himself unusually interested in this second prince.
On the third day, the struggle between Lu Yuanbin and Lu Changqing intensified, and even Lu Hexuan, who had slept for two days, started to get to work.
However, Gu Renjie and Yun Yichen remained completely still, as if the whole matter had nothing to do with them, and quietly waited for the outcome.
When the news reached the emperor's ears, his satisfaction with Gu Renjie increased even further.
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