Chapter 98
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The truth Yue Chen speculated was that everything today was arranged by Prime Minister Li’s party, and Duke Wei Guo’s residence was kept in the dark. Therefore, Duke Wei Guo’s residence would now likely show deep remorse, full of apologies, while Prime Minister Li, although pretending to be angry, would also have to show trust in Duke Wei Guo and display a magnanimous attitude. The final scene would be one of harmony and mutual progress.
However, the current situation was quite different. Prime Minister Li’s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, and Duke Wei Guo’s expression was extremely unpleasant.
Had Prime Minister Li played out this scene before?
Yu Chen and Huo Luo stood on the side, waiting for them to pass. Soon, Xu Wenzhe hurried over alone to see them off.
“Actually, there’s no need to see us off. Look at your arm; you should go back and rest.” Yu Chen spoke.
“Yeah, we’re not lost. We know the way,” Huo Luo added, frowning.
Xu Wenzhe shook his head. “I feel a bit stifled mentally and want to go out for a walk.”
Seeing Xu Wenzhe’s bitter expression, Yue Chen couldn’t help but ask.
Xu Wenzhe sighed. “I think there’s a rift between Prime Minister Li and us.”
Yue Chen and Huo Luo were stunned, exchanging glances with each other.
Yue Chen immediately said, “Why would he think that way? You’re also victims in this incident.”
“Prime Minister Li probably suspects that our Duke Wei Guo’s residence has ulterior motives. He finds it suspicious that the Fourth Prince nearly got injured in our residence. The attackers not only successfully infiltrated for an assassination but also managed to escape unharmed. It seems they are quite familiar with Duke Wei Guo’s residence, leading Prime Minister Li to harbor suspicions,” Xu Wenzhe explained, taking a deep breath.
The situation was truly unfair. The Fourth Prince had intended to visit Duke Wei Guo’s residence, and the unexpected assassination attempt cast suspicion on the residence.
After Xu Wenzhe finished speaking, Huo Luo looked at Yue Chen. Yue Chen, in turn, furrowed his brows, clearly puzzled by this unexpected turn of events.
Until Xu Wenzhe escorted them to the entrance gate and the two walked towards their own residence, Huo Luo finally spoke up, “What’s going on?”
“I always felt that the truth I analyzed was only part of the whole picture. There might be something else in between, and it’s because of this ‘something else’ that Prime Minister Li’s reaction deviated,” Yue Chen said, looking somewhat bewildered. “But I can’t figure out what’s wrong.”
Seeing Yue Chen in this state, as if he couldn’t make sense of it even if he tried hard, Huo Luo said, “State the things you are absolutely certain about. Don’t mention the uncertainties for now. Then, try to connect the dots with certain things, and you’ll definitely find the truth.”
Yue Chen looked at Huo Luo in surprise.
Huo Luo immediately added, “I’m not dumb either; I’m just not good at your kind of convoluted thinking.”
Yue Chen chuckled, “Right, you are the Grand General. How could you be adept at those underhanded methods? Okay, let me try… What can be confirmed is that Prime Minister Li definitely arranged the assassination. However, now Prime Minister Li’s reaction is undoubtedly certain that someone attempted to assassinate the Fourth Prince. He questions Duke Wei Guo’s residence.”
Originally, Huo Luo thought his method was not bad, but with Yue Chen’s explanation, he suddenly felt more confused. “Hey, do you understand what you’re saying?”
Suddenly, Yue Chen halted, looking astonished. “If both of these things could stand, there’s only one possibility.”
“What is it?”
“There were originally two groups of people. Prime Minister Li deliberately emphasized those who escaped, meaning that the ones he arranged were essentially expendable and destined to die here to complete the mission. Those who escaped weren’t arranged by him, which means two additional people… The purpose is…”
At the same time, Xu Wenzhe had already arrived at Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang’s side. Chu Lishu was already asleep, and Lin Qingyang chatted briefly with Xu Wenzhe outside.
Seeing that Xu Wenzhe didn’t look well, Lin Qingyang asked a few more questions. Xu Wenzhe didn’t hide anything; he wanted Lin Qingyang to be clear about the situation. After all, they were also going to serve as study companions to the Fourth Prince. It was apparent that Duke Wei Guo’s residence might not gain Prime Minister Li’s trust as before. Originally, Xu Wenzhe had hoped to assist them when they were in the palace, but now, his position was uncertain.
At this point, Lin Qingyang’s mind had frozen. When Xu Wenzhe left, Lin Qingyang returned to the room and looked at the sleeping face. It was defenseless, pure, and beautiful, like an immortal fallen into the mortal world, making it all feel somewhat unreal.
Is everything guided by a person lying in bed, with a pale complexion and a weak body?
Lin Qingyang thought he was close to uncovering all the truths, but now he realized that he had overlooked some things.
Chu Lishu’s act of standing up to protect the Fourth Prince wasn’t merely about becoming the primary study companion of the Fourth Prince and trusted attendant of Concubine Mei after entering the palace, surpassing Xu Wenzhe’s position in their hearts.
He… wanted to completely sever the alliance between the Prime Minister’s residence and Duke Wei Guo’s residence.
The two families originally had a good alliance, but Chu Lishu discovered Prime Minister Li’s unscrupulous plan to use Duke Wei Guo’s residence for his own purposes and decided to take advantage of it.
Prime Minister Li originally intended to deepen cooperation between the two families through this deception, winning the trust of Duke Wei Guo’s residence However, the interference from Lu Yi and Lu Shi, who were planted by Chu Lishu, disrupted his plans.
What was supposed to be a fake assassination attempt almost turned into a real one, leaving behind traces pointing to the Blood Abyss Pavilion. These events led Prime Minister Li to be the first to suspect that Duke Wei Guo’s residence had aligned with someone else, turning against the Fourth Prince. After all, arranging such a scheme would be most convenient for Duke Wei Guo’s residence.
So, Prime Minister Li’s suspicion deepened, and instead of strengthening cooperation, it led to discord and mistrust.
Chu Lishu played a strategic move, sowing discord between Prime Minister Li and Duke Wei Guo’s residence, causing cracks in their collaboration. Once the seeds of suspicion began to sprout, trust became irreparable.
Chu Lishu would systematically weaken them, not aiming for an immediate victory. So, he merely planted the seeds of potential trouble.
From this moment on, Prime Minister Li and Concubine Mei would never fully trust Xu Wenze. They would also approach Duke Wei Guo’s residence with more caution. Conversely, the nameless individuals who sacrificed themselves for the Fourth Prince became the most valuable candidates for cultivation. They would now receive more attention from Chu Lishu.
Gaining trust, entering as a study companion, investigating the Blood Abyss Pavilion, sowing discord among the alliance of the fourth princes, and dragging the other three factions into the water – on this day, it seemed like he did nothing, but in reality, Chu Lishu accomplished everything. The most influential powers in the capital were once again manipulated by him.
A person of such prowess, harboring deep hatred and a twisted mindset, made Lin Qingyang suddenly feel fortunate that his several misunderstandings didn’t cost him his life under Chu Lishu’s hands.
In the face of such a male lead, Lin Qingyang genuinely hoped to maintain the current good relationship until the grand finale, to always be treated as one of his own.
Lin Qingyang also silently reminded himself not to break character. Whether it was the secret admirer character for Chu Lishu or the loyal character for Yuan Ran, both had to be preserved. Otherwise, with the entire deception from start to finish, the male lead would surely torment him to no end.
On the other hand, Yue Chen had already found a large rock to sit on. He didn’t want to move, as his headache was quite severe. After contemplating for a while, relying on intuition and speculation, he trusted his instincts, just like when he first met Chu Lishu and sensed something amiss.
Seeing him still not getting up, Holo squatted in front of him, furrowing his brow. “If you really can’t figure it out, just forget it. It’s none of our business anyway.”
“It’s not entirely unrelated,” Yue Chen suddenly said in a subdued tone.
“Is it related to Chu Lishu again?” Every time Yue Chen had this expression, it seemed related to Chu Lishu. Holo couldn’t help but speak up, “Yue Chen, I’ve been wanting to remind you before, but seeing how excited you are analyzing things, I didn’t say anything. Although I also like the two of them, they’re about to become the study companions to the Fourth Prince. Is it appropriate for you to say so much in front of them today? You shouldn’t have spoken about Wenze, so why are you so unrestrained with them?”
Huo Luo was just puzzled. It didn’t seem like something Yue Chen, as cunning as a fox, would do.
Yue Chen lifted his head, looking at Huo Luo squatting in front of him. He reached out and placed his hand on Huo Luo’s shoulder, earnestly asking, “Huo Luo, do you trust me? Are you willing to follow me?”
Huo Luo was taken aback, and for a moment, the expression in his pupils seemed to be in disarray, and his heartbeat suddenly accelerated. “You… you say it…”
However, Yue Chen’s expression remained serious. “Do you still remember why we chose not to enter officialdom, not to enter the palace?”
Huo Luo’s face turned cold in an instant. “Because there is no one there worth following.”
At that time, everyone in the capital, older and more famous than them, followed that person. They envied them, thinking that in terms of both literary and martial abilities, they were no worse than anyone around that person. They aspired to become the right-hand men of that person and had been striving for it.
That person was their idol, their belief. They believed that only under the leadership of that person could their abilities be fully utilized, and with their efforts, they could create the greatest prosperity in the history of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The achievements they could accomplish in the future would be immortalized for thousands of years.
This was the future that Yue Chen envisioned while studying, and Huo Luo saw it while honing his martial skills.
Following a wise and virtuous monarch, they would also become distinguished ministers of their generation.
They wanted to achieve success and recognition, realizing their own value.
However, the blood-soaked battlefield took away the benevolent monarch in their hearts and extinguished their hopes for the future.
Huo Luo couldn’t see through the intricate political maneuvering, power games, and unpredictable twists in the court, but Yue Chen understood. He saw many truths in it. When the world condemned that person, Yue Chen told Huo Luo that their benevolent monarch was not wrong; he was wronged and unjustly killed.
And now, those in the court were not the kind of people they admired. They looked down on them, feeling that these individuals were not worthy of being their masters.
Having once admired the beasts of the Forest King, how could they lower themselves to associate with a pack of jackals?
They were proud and arrogant, preferring seclusion. They were willing to accompany their families and engage in activities they enjoyed. They believed that their lives could only be spent in this way.
But now, Yue Chen suddenly patted Huo Luo’s shoulder and said slowly, “Huo Luo, if you trust me, don’t worry about the reasons for now. Let’s… become instructors in the palace.”
Huo Luo chuckled, “Is it your intuition again?”
Yue Chen’s expression stiffened. He couldn’t reveal what he had discovered, as Huo Luo might not handle it calmly given his personality. However, the path Yue Chen wanted to take was one he wished to share with Huo Luo, as they had made a pact to assist that person together.
But now, his words seemed somewhat feeble.
Yue Chen originally intended to find some reasons to persuade Huo Luo. Suddenly, he felt a pain in the wrist that rested on Huo Luo’s shoulder. Looking up, he saw that Huo Luo had firmly grasped his wrist.
“Alright, let’s go!”
Yue Chen looked at Huo Luo in astonishment. “Aren’t you afraid I might deceive you?”
“You’ve deceived me plenty, haven’t you? But the path you’re taking, if I don’t accompany you, I’m afraid you’ll die halfway. After all, you’re so good at offending people! The palace is dangerous, and I have to protect you!” Huo Luo said matter-of-factly.
Yue Chen’s gaze flickered for a moment. Suddenly, he lowered his head and laughed, though the laughter sounded somewhat like crying.
“Hey!” Huo Luo didn’t know if he was being ridiculed and felt a bit angry.
Suddenly, his wrist was grabbed by the other party, and before Huo Luo could react, it was forcefully pulled.
Originally, he was crouching in front of Yue Chen like a big wolf, with his feet tiptoed and center of gravity lowered. So when Yue Chen suddenly pulled, he lost his balance and crashed into an embrace filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.
The scent of sandalwood made Huo Luo ‘s head spin, and he recalled everything that happened in that airtight room. Soon, a hint of awkward blush appeared on his tanned skin.
“What are you doing?” Huo Luo ‘s voice even sounded a bit high-pitched.
Suddenly, a chuckle sounded in his ear, and it seemed to return to the tone of owing someone a beating.
Yue Chen pushed Huo Luo away, laughing mischievously. “Oh, feeling shy? Come on, good buddies finally decide their future, a little celebration hug, what’s there to panic about? Oh! Could it be…”
Yue Chen squinted and looked over, startling Huo Luo, who immediately stood up.
Yue Chen tilted his head, raising an eyebrow teasingly. “Why are you suddenly so sensitive? It’s not like you’re a young lady. Is it because of what happened during the day? Oh my, you should have said so earlier. What? Do you want me to take responsibility? I’ll go propose to your family tomorrow.”
Huo Luo was instantly infuriated, “You’re asking for a beating!”
Seeing Huo Luo raise his fist, Yue Chen quickly dodged and stood up. “A gentleman settles disputes with words, not fists! Today, I’ve helped you a lot; you can’t repay kindness with enmity!”
“I’m going to rip your mouth apart! Stop talking!” Huo Luo knew that Yue Chen, with his thick skin, was a rogue who enjoyed teasing others. There was no need to be polite with him; it was a waste of energy.
Late at night on the quiet streets, two men ran playfully like children, drawing a group of stray cats and dogs in pursuit.
Gradually, the street fell silent again, but in the latter half of the night, it suddenly became noisy once more.
Someone rushed to the gates of Duke Wei Guo’s residence and knocked. The gatekeeper opened the door to find an elderly woman who had accompanied Xu Rui’er to her new home.
“Bad news! Quickly inform the Duke. Third Young Lady… she… she got into a fight with the new sister-in-law, got a fright, and suffered a miscarriage!”
In the early morning, Lu Yi entered through the window, awakening Chu Lishu, who instinctively became alert.
“Master…” Lu Yi spoke, and only then did Chu Lishu relax. He looked up to see Lin Qingyang sleeping at the foot of the bed.
Chu Lishu remembered that he had a fever last night. In his semi-conscious state, he had requested Lin Qingyang not to summon a physician. While a physician could treat his external injuries, they couldn’t check his pulse. So, even with a fever, he didn’t want a physician to examine him. Lin Qingyang had honored his request and stayed by his side all night, constantly using cold compresses to bring down his temperature. By now, Chu Lishu’s fever had subsided.
Supporting his abdomen, he got up, and the handkerchief dried on his forehead fell. Lu Yi and Lu Shi hurried forward, wanting to assist Chu Lishu, but he waved them away and approached Lin Qingyang, reaching out to pinch the back of his neck. Lin Qingyang allowed himself to faint on the bed, and Chu Lishu covered him with a blanket.
“Master, your wound… I should die!” Lu Yi’s face didn’t look good. After all, ordering him, one of the Shadow Wolves, to stab his own master was more painful than being stabbed ten times himself. Although it was an order, it was truly torment for Lu Yi.
Chu Lishu turned to look at them. “You’ve done well this time. Everything has progressed smoothly. How’s the situation on Prime Minister Li’s side?”
Lu Shi hurriedly replied, “I’ve been undercover in the Prime Minister’s residence. I can confirm that they’ve arranged manpower to investigate the Blood Abyss Pavilion.”
Chu Lishu squinted slightly. “It’s not him… and it probably isn’t the other three factions either. That leaves only…”
Two possibilities: one involving forces unrelated to political factions, and the other… the influence of Emperor Zhou Qing.
Lu Yi and Lu Shi looked at Chu Lishu curiously but didn’t dare to ask further.
“I will stay here temporarily to recover. Lu Shi, continue to keep an eye on the Prime Minister’s residence. See if they can uncover anything. Lu Yi, go now and wrap up the matters involving the pawnshop, the trade caravan, and the Imperial City Guards. Wang Rong must disappear before I enter the palace.”
Lu Yi and Lu Shi immediately followed orders. Although deeply concerned about their master’s health and wanting to stay by his side, they had to obey his commands.
However, before leaving, Lu Shi remembered another matter to report.
“Master, the matter concerning Ying Xiaodie has been taken care of as per your instructions. Now the Ying family is in chaos. Ying Xiaodie went mad and clashed with Xu Rui’er, resulting in the loss of Xu Rui’er’s child.”
Chu Lishu nodded, acknowledging the information.
When Lu Yi and Lu Shi left, Chu Lishu arranged the follow-up matters and began to feel a bit drowsy. After all, his body had just recovered from a fever, and he was still weak.
He lay down on his side, facing the same direction as Lin Qingyang, sharing the same bed and blanket.
Watching Lin Qingyang sleep peacefully, Chu Lishu suddenly felt a sense of relaxation, an intoxicating comfort. Before long, he drifted back to sleep. Whenever Lin Qingyang’s breath was beside him, he always slept soundly.
When Lin Qingyang woke up, he saw the two of them sleeping together, with Chu Lishu’s body turned sideways.
Lin Qingyang couldn’t figure it out. Was Chu Lishu’s sleeping posture really that bad? Did he need to rotate ninety degrees?
Lin Qingyang cautiously checked Chu Lishu’s wound, and it seemed to be healing well. He sighed in relief, carefully got out of bed, and went to freshen up.
Only then did he realize that the servants in the house were discussing something enthusiastically. Curious, Lin Qingyang approached them and inquired about what had happened.
However, no one dared to speak.
It wasn’t until breakfast was served, and Xu Wenzhe came over looking exhausted, that Lin Qingyang learned about the commotion at the Ying residence last night.
It was truly astonishing and left people speechless.
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Thank you for the double update~ ????