Chapter 97
For a moment, Yuwen Jue felt dazed. His husband hadn’t been like this before!
Fortunately, he was the second son. If he had been the eldest, their family’s reputation might not have survived.
Tsk, he could only blame himself for being so stubborn, insisting on staying by his side.
Clearing his throat, he said, “…We’ll talk about this when we get back!”
Lu Xuzhi chuckled softly and murmured, “They suspect that Fourth Brother colluded with Director Cheng to set you up, ensuring that you would completely lose your right to compete for the throne.”
Yuwen Jue: …
He had to admit, Yuwen Mingji was frighteningly shrewd.
But for all his meticulous planning, he had probably never expected that someone in this world would willingly transform from a man into a Xiao Langjun.
They had kept it so well hidden that even the old Lu couple, right under their noses, hadn’t noticed a thing.
He could only blame himself for always appearing as a refined and gentle gentleman. Among the royal sons, his character was practically flawless.
People simply didn’t understand the twisted nature of the Yuwen family’s little band of lunatics. If someone wasn’t mentally unhinged or didn’t have some eccentric trait, they weren’t even worthy of the Yuwen name.
The emperor had not made a public appearance for a long time, but today, he personally presided over the Martial Feast.
Lately, he had been claiming to be unwell, but his spirits seemed fine.
The martial champions and scholars at today’s feast would undoubtedly be the future pillars of the Great Zhao.
The emperor had always valued talent. Though he had been feigning illness for days, he still made an effort to show up.
Of course, he only made a brief appearance.
Nominally, he was hosting the event, but in practice, it was the crown prince who managed everything.
Lately, the crown prince had become increasingly diligent—and surprisingly quiet.
He had not retaliated against Yuwen Jing’s constant provocations, nor had he formed any new alliances with officials. He hadn’t even visited the empress.
Lu Hanzhi knew that the crown prince was always capable of enduring.
And whenever he endured for long periods, it was always in preparation for a major move.
The crown prince was by no means incompetent. He had been biding his time, sharpening his blade for ten years—when he finally struck, it would be devastating.
Among the court’s influential families, more than half had already aligned themselves with him.
Of course, this was also due to the overwhelming power of the Yin family. Compared to the restless Yuwen Jing and the foundationless Yuwen Min, the crown prince was the true favored son of heaven.
Lu Hanzhi and Yuwen Min had also attended the Martial Feast. The high-ranking ministers and royal sons had all come to congratulate the new martial scholars.
The crown prince, Yuwen Jun, looked radiant. Raising his cup, he approached Lu Xuzhi and personally offered him a toast.
Yuwen Jun smiled and said, “Lord Lu, you are truly both a literary and martial genius of the Great Zhao! Father has expressed his desire to support your entrance into the Great Zhao Bureau. You know, the bureau has always been under the direct control of the imperial lineage. Since you are my elder brother’s husband, it would be most fitting for you to join.”
Though his words appeared to merely relay the emperor’s intentions, upon closer listening, there was a deeper implication.
What did he mean by ‘imperial lineage’?
In this world, aside from the emperor, the only direct heir of the imperial family was the crown prince.
The crown prince’s subtle attempts at forming alliances stood in stark contrast to Yuwen Min’s straightforward approach.
Lu Xuzhi pretended not to understand and simply raised his wine cup, saying, “ I will follow His Majesty arrangements in all matters.”
Behind him, Lu Hanzhi lowered his voice and asked Yuwen Min beside him, “Will our eldest brother really be assigned to Great Zhao Bureau?”
Once someone entered the Great Zhao Bureau, it was difficult to be transferred elsewhere.
The bureau was closely tied to many royal secrets, and the emperor would not easily allow someone privy to such knowledge to take on another position.
Yet, Yuwen Min answered with absolute certainty, “No.”
Lu Hanzhi asked, “Why not? Two people have already said the same thing, and the court is abuzz with this news. Everyone is already coming to congratulate our second brother.”
If Lu Xuzhi had no other ambitions, Great Zhao Bureau would indeed be a lucrative appointment.
But Lu Xuzhi wanted to join the military or enter the Ministry of War. Both were excellent choices, far better than remaining at Great Zhao Bureau as a loyal servant of the imperial family.
Yuwen Min’s voice was low but unwavering as he answered Lu Hanzhi’s question, “Because I will not allow it.”
The words carried an unmistakable authority, and Lu Hanzhi had no intention of arguing.
After all, if anyone else had said this, it would have sounded pretentious. But when Yuwen Min said it, it was simply the truth.
Lu Hanzhi merely lowered his head slightly and said, “Your Highness is formidable.”
Yuwen Min frowned. He disliked seeing Lu Hanzhi act so respectful and distant toward him.
Since their in-depth conversation that day, Yuwen Min had come to understand Lu Hanzhi’s true feelings toward him, and the resentment in his heart had only grown stronger.
That day, he had lied about not bringing medicine—driven by that very resentment.
Up ahead, Yuwen Jue was speaking with the crown prince, putting on a show of brotherly harmony.
Today, Yuwen Mingji was absent, but Yuwen Jing was present instead.
Yuwen Jing held a curved sword in his arms, his expression indifferent as he observed everything before him.
Lu Hanzhi whispered to Yuwen Min again, “The third prince seems to have changed a lot.”
Yuwen Min’s expression remained unchanged as he replied, “His uncle is dead. There is no longer anyone to support his bid for the throne. From now on, he must rely on himself.”
Lu Hanzhi immediately understood. “So that’s why he’s cooperating with Yuwen Mingji?”
Yuwen Min let out a low hum of agreement and said no more.
Soon, the banquet hall fell silent, and the voice of an elderly eunuch echoed from afar, “His Majesty has arrived!”
It had been a long time since Lu Hanzhi had seen the emperor. Upon hearing this, he immediately followed the others in greeting him.
The hall resounded with the unified voices of those present: “Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty for ten thousand years!”
The emperor appeared to be in good spirits. He spoke, “Rise, my loyal ministers. Be seated.”
The officials and military scholars stood up and returned to their seats.
Lu Hanzhi quietly observed the emperor and noticed that he had grown alarmingly thin.
Logically, he had only suffered one psychic attack from Su Wan’ning—it should not have affected him this much.
Compared to the first time Lu Hanzhi had seen him, the emperor seemed like an entirely different person.
There was an old saying: when one’s destiny is nearing its end. It seemed to perfectly describe the emperor’s current state.
In the original novel The Struggle for the Throne, the emperor had returned from suppressing a rebellion in the south around this time. Though victorious, he had been left with a chronic ailment, and his health declined significantly after his return.
This time, he had not gone south to quell a rebellion, but he had suffered Su Wan’ning’s attack.
It seemed that fate would not change, no matter how much the plot was altered.
The emperor, pleased, raised his wine cup and drank with Lu Xuzhi, praising him multiple times as a talented young man skilled in both literature and martial arts.
It was a great blessing for the Great Zhao Dynasty to have such a talent.
Lu Xuzhi drank a great deal that night, especially after the emperor left.
Unlike the scholarly officials, military scholars drank aggressively, and as the top-ranked military graduate, Lu Xuzhi was the prime target.
Unsurprisingly, he ended up thoroughly drunk.
Fortunately, he had a decent tolerance, as did the other Lu brothers.
Especially the eldest brother, Lu Chenzhi—handling business required drinking, and alcohol often helped seal deals.
Lu Xuzhi could hold his liquor fairly well too. Even after drinking this much, he threw up twice, got some fresh air, and sobered up a little.
Lu Hanzhi and Yuwen Min followed behind their second brother and sister-in-law since Lu Xuzhi was drunk, and his wife was pregnant.
They helped Lu Xuzhi onto the carriage, but he refused to sit properly, insisting that Prince Chu sit beside him.
Left with no choice, Prince Chu ended up sharing the carriage with all four of them.
Lu Xuzhi clung to Prince Chu the entire way, making him quite uncomfortable.
However, in front of his own brothers, there was no need for excessive restraint.
Perhaps because he was drunk, Lu Xuzhi became unusually talkative. Clinging to Prince Chu, he rambled on, “Ah Jue, now… can I finally be worthy of you? Do you… know? That year, when you locked me in that room, my heart… nearly leaped out of my chest. Do you know? I… have long harbored feelings for you! If you had never made a move, I would have buried these feelings deep inside me. But once you did… there was no turning back.”
“Prince Chu… such a noble gentleman, unmatched in this world. Do you know? Today… Yuwen Mingji told me that our fourth brother… schemed to make sure you lost your right to compete for the throne. But… they don’t know—it wasn’t our fourth brother. It was me… I made sure… you could no longer achieve military merit.”
At this point, Lu Xuzhi shook his head and chuckled foolishly. “I know you don’t feel the same, yet my heart still wavers. But if I had another chance, I… I would still choose you. Ah Jue, in this life… I live for you, and I would die for you. In every lifetime… I only wish to stay by your side, never parting.”
Beside them, Lu Hanzhi’s face was filled with exasperation. He muttered, “Where did second brother learn such ridiculously corny love confessions?”
Prince Chu was equally helpless and sighed, “He’s never been this drunk before. He must have really overdone it tonight.”
Lu Hanzhi asked, “Second brother just said that Yuwen Mingji claimed our fourth brother was the one who schemed to strip second sister-in-law of her right to compete for the throne? And that’s how he tried to win over second brother and second sister-in-law?”
Prince Chu nodded. “Yes, your second brother told me just now.”
Lu Hanzhi couldn’t help but laugh. “That little imperial uncle sure has an overactive imagination.”
Prince Chu let out a helpless chuckle. “I suppose no one would have expected that I would take the sacred medicine myself, would they?”
Lu Hanzhi sighed. “Ah, love! Truly remarkable.”
Meanwhile, Lu Xuzhi, who was sprawled across Prince Chu’s lap, began misbehaving again. He wrapped his arms around Prince Chu’s waist, looked up into his eyes, and said, “Ah Jue, I… I’m starting to crave your body again…”
Lu Hanzhi: …
Yuwen Min: …
Yuwen Jue: …
Prince Chu’s handsome, jade-like face instantly flushed a deep red from embarrassment.
The two unwilling third wheels endured the awkwardness, but fortunately, they had arrived at the prince’s residence. They quickly helped Lu Xuzhi inside and handed him over to the steward and guards.
Lu Hanzhi let out a sigh of relief and commented, “Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law really have a great relationship. I never expected my brother to be so talkative when he’s drunk. He must have kept all these things bottled up inside, only daring to say them now that he’s had some wine.”
Yuwen Min said nothing, simply turning around and heading back to Prince An’s residence.
Lu Hanzhi followed after him and asked, “Hey, why do you look so unhappy?”
Yuwen Min replied, “I’m not. This is just how I always am.”
Lu Hanzhi quickened his pace to catch up and tugged at his sleeve. “Your Highness, do you have a plan? You were so certain that my second brother wouldn’t enter the Great Zhao Bureau—there must be a scheme behind it, right?”
Yuwen Min’s expression darkened further. “I don’t want to talk about politics tonight.”
Lu Hanzhi looked at him in confusion. “Then what do you want to talk about? Should we discuss poetry, literature, and the meaning of life? Should we admire the snow, the moon, and the beauty of the world?”
Yuwen Min lowered his gaze, meeting Lu Hanzhi’s eyes. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked, “Do you really want to know my next move?”
Lu Hanzhi nodded. “Hmm… I wouldn’t say I desperately want to know. I was just asking out of curiosity. But now that you’ve brought it up, I am quite intrigued. Why don’t you tell me?”
Yuwen Min let out a soft hum. “I suppose I could tell you, but you have to do something for me first.”
Lu Hanzhi, clueless as ever, leaned in. “In the middle of the night? What do you want me to do?”
Yuwen Min took the opportunity to pull him into his embrace, looking down at him from above. “I also crave your body. Your contraceptive pill is effective for three days—don’t waste it.”
Your favorite BL chaos wouldn’t be possible without coffee… lots of coffee….
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