Chapter 28
Lu Hanzhi’s eyes snapped open, instantly alert.
After three consecutive system alerts, silence returned.
He looked at Ah Chan, still sleeping soundly on the small bed. Without hesitation, he got up, picked Ah Chan up, and headed toward his second brother’s courtyard.
The first person he thought of was his second brother, for two reasons:
First, his second brother was skilled in martial arts and could protect him in any situation.
Second, his sister-in-law was there. As the eldest prince, a legitimate royal, very few people besides the emperor would dare to harm him.
Third, his second brother’s courtyard was the closest—he only had to pass through a small bamboo grove to get there.
There was no time to think further; he needed to leave his courtyard immediately with Ah Chan.
As he hurried through the bamboo grove, he spotted a figure—it was none other than Aunt Du, who was supposed to be confined in reflection.
Aunt Du loved wearing red, and tonight was no exception.
It was said that her family ran an opera troupe, and she had even performed on stage twice.
However, after marrying into the Lu family, she had given up performing and started a business instead.
Otherwise, given her background, she would never have been allowed to enter an official’s household as a concubine.
But the fascinating thing was—Aunt Du was beautiful.
With a graceful flick of her water sleeves, a slender waist, and delicate shoulders, even in her late thirties, she still had a unique charm.
Lu Hanzhi wondered—wasn’t she supposed to be confined? Why was she in the bamboo grove?
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that. He focused on carrying Ah Chan to his second brother’s courtyard.
He expected to see a gatekeeper or some servants at the entrance, but when he stepped inside, it was completely silent—there wasn’t a single servant in sight.
It made sense, though. His second brother and the eldest prince were probably having deep discussions about poetry and martial arts. How could they allow servants to disturb them?
But was it appropriate for him to interrupt his second brother and sister-in-law at this moment?
He thought about it for three seconds—then, without hesitation, carried Ah Chan inside.
The front courtyard was completely dark, with no lamps lit. Only the inner rooms had a dim light shining through the tightly shut windows and doors, as if warning off intruders.
Lu Hanzhi cleared his throat and softly called, “Second Brother, Your Highness Prince Chu… are you two asleep?”
No response.
He raised his voice slightly, “Second Brother, I’m coming in, okay?”
Still no answer.
Having no other choice, he knocked on the door—but there was still no response.
Seriously? Were they *that* absorbed?
A little separation makes the heart grow fonder, but this was too much… Second Brother, at this rate, you’re going to ruin your health!
With no alternative, he gently pushed the door open and stepped inside, hearing voices.
Thick curtains covered the entrance, explaining why they hadn’t heard him earlier.
His second brother murmured, “Ah Jue, you smell so nice. What did you put on?”
Prince Chu replied, “Nothing, I think it’s just… hmm…”
Lu Hanzhi: Hmm? What do you mean, hmm?
His second brother continued, “Take care of yourself. If anything happens… just ask Hanzhi.”
Prince Chu responded, “With Physician Lin here, don’t worry, Xulang.”
Lu Hanzhi: …I can’t take this anymore. This display of affection is too much.
He had finally reached his limit. Clearing his throat, he called out, “Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, I’m coming in!”
A flurry of hurried movements erupted from inside the room. Soon, Lu Xuzhi emerged, dressed only in his inner garments.
Honestly, with those broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs, his proportions were nothing short of perfection—no wonder Prince Chu was so fond of him.
And when paired with that strikingly handsome face, even Lu Hanzhi himself felt like he was becoming a bit of a brother-con.
If nothing else, he had to admit that both of his brothers truly lived up to his expectations.
Madam Lu really had done an amazing job—giving birth to three incredibly good-looking sons.
Fortunately, his second brother wasn’t angry. He merely glanced at his somewhat disheveled younger brother and sighed helplessly. “Come inside first.”
Upon entering the room, Lu Hanzhi was greeted by a familiar fragrance. It was a scent he had noticed on himself before—though unlike Prince Chu’s sandalwood aroma, his own carried a subtle, sweet milky undertone.
He found it fascinating. After taking the sacred medicine, Xiao Langjun would emit a scent unique to their constitution, infused with an element that could drive men to madness.
To Lu Hanzhi, it was basically no different from an aphrodisiac.
But Prince Chu was just an ordinary man, so why did he also carry a fragrance?
A moment of thought was all it took for Lu Hanzhi to figure it out—he had willingly taken the sacred medicine as an adult for the sake of his second brother. That was true dedication.
It also proved just how deep their feelings for each other ran.
No wonder, in the original story, his second brother had lived out his days in sorrow. Under these circumstances, how could he not be depressed?
Luckily, in this lifetime, the two of them could be together, happy and in love. That was a fortunate turn of events.
When Lu Hanzhi entered, Prince Chu was in the middle of getting dressed, partially hidden behind the bed’s canopy. When he emerged, a faint pink flush colored his cheeks.
Feeling a little guilty, Lu Hanzhi offered him an apologetic smile and said, “Sorry, Second Sister-in-law, I interrupted you two.”
Prince Chu was like a completely different person in front of him compared to how he was with his second brother. In front of Lu Hanzhi, he was the epitome of a refined gentleman—elegant, composed, and impeccably courteous.
He quickly composed himself, gave a slight shake of his head, and offered Lu Hanzhi a reassuring smile. “It’s nothing. There’s no need for formalities—we’re all family.”
Lu Hanzhi genuinely liked Prince Chu. He had a natural warmth about him that made people feel at ease, with none of the aloofness one might expect from a prince.
And to him, he was even warmer—like a gentle spring breeze. Lu Hanzhi had always liked big brothers like this the most.
After putting on an outer robe, Prince Chu gestured for him to come closer. “Hanzi, come sit down. Did you need something from your second brother?”
Lu Hanzhi sat down, still holding Ah Chan. Prince Chu took Ah Chan from him and placed the little one on the bed before sitting down beside them.
His second brother poured them each a cup of tea, gesturing for them to sit and talk.
Lu Hanzhi had already prepared his excuse on the way over. Sniffling, he pursed his lips and said, “Second Sister-in-law, I… I had a nightmare. I dreamt that Ah Chan… Ah Chan… Ah Chan fell into the water…” With that, he collapsed onto the table, sobbing.
Inside his mental space, the system: …
When it came to acting, Lu Hanzhi was a professional.
Lu Xuzhi couldn’t bear to see his younger brother cry. He was five years older than Lu Hanzhi and had always doted on him deeply.
Now fully dressed, he frowned and asked, “Did something scare you today? Don’t listen to Lu Haozhi’s nonsense! What happened to him falling into the water had nothing to do with you. It was his own fault for not taking better care of himself.”
Of course, both Lu Xuzhi and Prince Chu knew about what had happened earlier that day.
They weren’t foolish enough to truly believe that the child Lu Hanzhi carried was Prince An’s. If Prince An had saved him, it was likely out of genuine concern.
If the child had truly been born out of mutual affection, as Prince An claimed, then knowing his younger brother, he wouldn’t have denied it.
Besides, Prince An had always shown no interest in either men or women, as if the outside world meant nothing to him.
Lu Hanzhi lifted his reddened eyes and shook his head. “I don’t know… I was terrified and woke up in a panic. When I went outside to call for the servants, I realized there was no one in my courtyard. I was scared and didn’t dare stay alone, so I grabbed Ah Chan and came to find you two.”
That part, at least, wasn’t a lie. When he had stepped out, there really hadn’t been a single person in his courtyard.
Normally, the servants in the courtyard were required to stay there at all times.
Unless someone like his second brother personally dismissed them, they wouldn’t have left.
Lu Hanzhi didn’t believe that his courtyard’s servants would leave for no reason—someone must have sent them away.
Lu Xuzhi frowned, stood up, and said, “I’ll go take a look.”
But Lu Hanzhi grabbed his arm and pleaded, “No… Second Brother, I’m scared. Can you not go? Stay here with me and Sister-in-law.”
He still didn’t know what was going on over there. If something really happened, wouldn’t his second brother’s sudden appearance alert the culprits?
Whatever they wanted to do, let them do it—better to let them complete it fully.
Lu Xuzhi had no choice. At this moment, his own courtyard had no servants either, so he could only focus on calming his younger brother.
Prince Chu also comforted him patiently, saying, “Dreams are always the opposite of reality. Isn’t our Ah Chan perfectly fine? If you ask me, Ah Chan was born with the look of nobility. Just look at that chubby little face—doesn’t he resemble you when you were young? I’d say this is fate. You two were meant to be together.”
Lu Hanzhi’s face darkened. Of course they looked alike—they were blood-related!
This matter couldn’t be explained easily, so he had no choice but to play dumb and keep Ah Chan’s true identity tightly hidden.
If Yuwen Min ever discovered the truth about Ah Chan’s origins, things between them would become even more complicated.
Lu Xuzhi personally laid out bedding in the outer room, telling Lu Hanzhi to rest there for a while, with Prince Chu keeping him company.
Once Lu Hanzhi fell asleep, Lu Xuzhi stepped outside, planning to check on his courtyard.
But as soon as he left the room, he saw someone rushing over in a panic, coughing as they gasped, “Second Young Master! Bad news! The Third Young Master’s courtyard is on fire! The fire started from the inside, and it’s so intense that no one can get in! I fear the Third Young Master is in grave danger!”
Lu Xuzhi’s expression changed. He immediately looked toward Lu Hanzhi’s courtyard, where he saw thick black smoke rising, flames already consuming the house.
He turned to the servant and commanded, “Stand guard at my door. No one is allowed inside. If anything happens, I’ll hold you responsible!”
The servant immediately obeyed, and Lu Xuzhi rushed toward Lu Hanzhi’s courtyard.
When he arrived, he saw a few servants trying to put out the fire, but their efforts were useless—there were too few of them, and the fire was too fierce. Judging by their attire, they were night watchmen who must have discovered the fire while making their rounds.
Strangely, despite such a massive fire, his father and mother hadn’t come over, nor had they even sent anyone.
Something was definitely wrong. Lu Xuzhi immediately grabbed one of the servants and asked, “Where are the Master and Madam?”
The servant replied, “Second Young Master, we sent Da Gui to inform them, but they haven’t come yet.”
A fire this big, and they needed someone to wake them? How deeply were they sleeping?
Lu Xuzhi ordered, “Go call more people now! We can’t put out the fire like this!”
Just then, Lu Chenzhi arrived. His face was slightly flushed—both from anger and urgency. As he rushed toward the fire, he shouted, “Second Brother, why are you standing there? Hurry and go inside to save them! Hanzhi is still in there, and our little nephew is inside too!”
His words frightened the surrounding servants into silence, but with the fire raging so fiercely, no one dared to charge in.
Lu Chenzhi cursed, “You idiots!” He tore off his outer robe, preparing to rush inside.
But Lu Xuzhi grabbed him and said, “Big Brother, don’t panic. Hanzhi is safe—he’s in my room, and our little nephew is there too. What we need to do now is catch the arsonist! The fire hasn’t been burning for long; the culprit must still be nearby!”
Lu Chenzhi let out a sigh of relief, then immediately pulled Lu Xuzhi toward the backyard, saying, “I know who set the fire!”
Your favorite BL chaos wouldn’t be possible without coffee… lots of coffee….
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