Chapter 427 Rebellion in Support of the Empress
The pro-war faction in the Great Zhou Dynasty was suppressed by Prime Minister Qin. Those who disagreed with him, regardless of whether they advocated war or formed alliances, were also suppressed, imprisoned, or demoted. This was the least of their worries; there were even more severe punishments, such as execution and exile.
Imperial Censor He was imprisoned by Qin's faction for impeaching Prime Minister Qin for monopolizing power and acting arbitrarily.
Lu Tingzhi's father, Lu Wenyuan, the Vice Minister of Rites, was also ostracized by the Qin Party because of Lu Tingzhi's marriage agreement with the Xiao family. He was framed for embezzlement, dismissed from his post, and imprisoned to await his fate.
Lu Tingzhi knelt outside the palace, hoping to see the emperor.
The emperor refused to see him, so he could only run around trying to find his father or officials who were on good terms with him, hoping they could intercede on his behalf.
Those officials dared not offend Prime Minister Qin and refused to see him.
Only Lord He, who was formerly an imperial censor and traveled to various places, was willing to stand up for Lu Wenyuan. Lord He went to welcome him into the mansion, and the two talked in detail in the study for an hour.
The next day at court, before Lord He could even plead for Lu Wenyuan, he was impeached by Qin Tong's cronies and exiled to Lingnan.
Lu Tingzhi went to several officials to plead with them, but they all refused to see him. They had all seen what happened to Lord He. At this critical juncture, angering the Emperor and Prime Minister Qin was tantamount to courting death.
Having no other choice, he had to ask Prime Minister Qin for help.
Prime Minister Qin did not make things difficult for him. As soon as he arrived, he was invited to the study and offered him an olive branch, asking him to break off his engagement with the Xiao family and marry Qin Yuru, who had been released by Da Jing.
Becoming his son-in-law means becoming his accomplice and colluding with him.
Lu Tingzhi sternly refused, stating that he had a marriage agreement with the Xiao family and could not break his promise.
Prime Minister Qin granted him permission to visit Lu Wenyuan in prison, giving him a chance to change his mind and come back to the Qin family after thinking it over.
When Lu Tingzhi saw that his father was covered in wounds, with not a single part of his body unharmed, he felt sorry for his father and wished he could take the pain in his place.
But he couldn't. The emperor wouldn't see him, and the prime minister in the court had the final say. A deep sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review hinted to him that there was only one way to save his father: to surrender to the Prime Minister of Qin and become his accomplice. He would not only be released from prison but also reinstated to his original position, and even be promoted and ennobled, enjoying endless wealth and honor.
He was unwilling, and he believed his father was unwilling too, but as a son, he couldn't bear to watch his father die tragically in prison.
He walked down the street. The sky was overcast and a light drizzle began to fall. Pedestrians opened their umbrellas, while those without umbrellas hurried home or took shelter under the eaves.
He stood tall, without an umbrella, and walked alone into the drizzle.
The rain fell silently on his hair and cheeks, gathering into watermarks that slowly slid down, spreading dark patches on his clothes.
A carriage stopped beside him, and Xiao Mingshu lifted the curtain, poked her head out, and waved to him, "You bookworm, you don't even know to take shelter from the rain, come on up."
Lu Tingzhi stared at her blankly, "Shu'er, what brings you here?"
The Xiao family was also in a bad situation; they lost their military power and were impeached.
Qin Dang told him privately that Prime Minister Qin was targeting the Lu family because of the Xiao family.
He knew that the man wanted to sow discord between the Lu and Xiao families. He didn't blame the Xiao family; he blamed the treacherous officials who distorted the facts and harmed loyal and virtuous people.
Seeing that he still hadn't moved, Xiao Mingshu urged him again, "Hurry up and get in the carriage."
The rain is getting heavier; if we don't come up soon, we'll be soaked to the bone.
Lu Tingzhi nodded slightly. "Okay."
He got into the carriage, and Xiao Mingshu used a cloth to wipe the rain off his face. Seeing that his outer robe was wet from the rain, she handed him the cloth and reached out to help him take off his coat. "Take it off quickly."
"Shu'er, there are still people outside."
Xiao Mingshu made no attempt to hide from the guards driving the carriage outside. The man was a trusted guard of the Xiao family, so what if he heard? He wouldn't tell anyone.
"It's just taking off an outer robe, not making you take off your whole body... Take off your upper body quickly, it's getting cold, many people have caught colds recently, Uncle Lu had an accident, the whole Lu family is counting on you."
When the carriage arrived at the Xiao family's residence, Xiao Mingshu led the people to the backyard, dismissed the servants, and ordered them not to approach.
"Shu'er, is there something you want to tell me?"
Xiao Mingshu looked into his eyes and said, "Tingzhi, I heard that Prime Minister Qin wants you to marry his daughter as a pledge of loyalty and become his ally. If you want to marry her, I can break off the engagement and let you two be together..." I don't blame you.
Before she could finish speaking, Lu Tingzhi interrupted her hastily, "No! I don't want to marry her. My heart belongs only to you. I only want to marry you. I don't want anyone else but you."
He waited for her for three years. Even if Qin Yuru was a former crown princess who had been kidnapped by enemy troops and whose fate was unknown, he would not have married her even if she were a girl from an innocent family.
He had already decided in his heart that Xiao Mingshu was the one he would marry, and he would not marry anyone else but her.
Seeing the seriousness in his eyes, Xiao Mingshu stopped beating around the bush and went straight to the point: "Uncle Lu is imprisoned. Now that you are the head of the Lu family, do you want to fight your way out for the Lu family?"
"I wonder, Shu'er, do you have any ideas?"
Has the Xiao family already found a solution?
He's willing to give it a try.
"The monarch who favors treacherous officials and allows them to harm loyal ministers is a misfortune for the subjects and people of the Great Zhou. The only way to survive is to rise up in rebellion. You should lead the Lu family to support my third sister-in-law and clear the name of Princess Zhaoxue. We will surely be able to fight our way out."
She wasn't referring to the Xiao family, but to Yun Zhaoxue.
Lu Tingzhi was stunned for a long time. The Confucian thought he had been taught since childhood was that if the ruler wanted his subject to die, the subject had no choice but to die.
He was even prepared to die.
I never considered the path of rebellion.
Yes, the only way for those two families to survive is to rebel.
Suddenly I felt something was wrong.
Lu Tingzhi asked uncertainly, "Support Princess Zhaoxue?"
For thousands of years, there has only been one female emperor in China. Is another female emperor about to emerge?
Xiao Mingshu nodded affirmatively, "That's right, it's Princess Zhaoxue. Her mother is a princess, a direct descendant of the royal family, and the princess herself is a legitimate heir, possessing both virtue and talent, excelling in both literary and military arts. The current emperor is incompetent and corrupt, favoring treacherous officials, which has led to the decline of the court. Only by following such a wise ruler can the people of Great Zhou reach a wider world and witness a bright future together."
Lu Tingzhi sat in the chair, looking at his beloved in front of him, his eyes sparkling with energy, as if a burning flame was burning in them.
The deathly stillness in his eyes seemed to be ignited by her fire, rekindling hope.
He nodded as if possessed, "Tingzhi is willing to lead the Lu family in the pursuit of a wise ruler."
In his shocked and confused state, he made the choice that was most beneficial to the Lu family. If he were still lucid, he might have hesitated, considered it, discussed it with his father, and dared not make a decision on his own.
After making the decision, he felt a great sense of relief.
Even if the plan fails, death is the only outcome.
Death itself is not frightening; what is frightening is being separated from your loved one by death.
"Once you agree, you can't go back on your word."
"I will never go back on my word."
"Don't worry, we won't let you lose, we will definitely win." Xiao Mingshu smiled, sat down in the chair next to him, looked at the man's handsome profile, her heart stirred, and she mustered up her courage to lean over and kiss his cheek.
Lu Tingzhi just turned his head.
Her kiss landed on his lips.
The moment their lips touched, their eyes met.
Neither of them backed away, and Xiao Mingshu lowered her eyes shyly.
Following his instincts, Lu Tingzhi reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening the kiss.
Xiao Mingshu only had a superficial understanding of this matter, having only read storybooks and tried to grasp the feeling with her eyes closed.
The man's warm lips explored her inexperiencedly, his warm breath brushing against her cheek, sending shivers down her spine.
The "whispering in each other's ears" described in the book actually made one feel weak all over, even causing a slight itch on the fingertips.
They kissed for a while before separating.
Holding the limp, soft body in his arms, Lu Tingzhi realized that he had been too rough and unrestrained, and wondered if he had frightened her.
"Shu'er, I'm sorry, I..."
Xiao Mingshu looked up and met his gaze, her cheeks flushed, then buried her face in his chest and rubbed against him a couple of times, her hands tightly wrapped around the man's lean waist.
"We're engaged, and we'll get married sooner or later. What's wrong with a kiss?"
"You belong to me, and no one is allowed to take you away."
The person she's set her sights on has to be hers; no one is allowed to take him away.
Lu Tingzhi tightened his arms, pulling the person in his arms even deeper into his embrace. His chin rested lightly on the top of her head, and he closed his eyes, his voice deep and hoarse: "Yes, I am yours, body and soul... I am yours."
Xiao Mingshu felt a heat at the tips of her ears, and the tingling sensation went straight to her heart. She hummed with satisfaction, "Hmph, that's more like it."
She's nineteen years old this year. Most women her age would have already gotten married by now, and she's only just started kissing. How slow!
She hoped that peace would return to the world soon so she could marry him.
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