Chapter 160: Qianqian Sympathizes with the Grand Commandant
Chapter 160: Qianqian Sympathizes with the Grand Commandant
"What?"
Chen Long had become the Duke's adopted son?
What was going on? Meng Qianqian was truly baffled.
Lu Yuan glanced at her and said, "It's just a guess, after all, I haven't met Chen Long."
The feeling that man gave him was somewhat similar to the one he got from Yin Hu at the time, but it wasn't exactly the same. There was...a heavy killing intent on him.
Meng Qianqian felt that with Lu Yuan's judgment, the possibility of him being wrong was slim.
She had always thought that Chen Long went to the Western City to investigate the Chu family's case. Could there be something else going on?
"Tsk—"
Meng Qianqian covered her head.
Lu Yuan straightened up. "What's wrong?"
Meng Qianqian lowered her hand. "It's nothing. I just have a slight headache, an old problem."
Her memories were resurfacing, especially after meeting Yin Hu, as if they were recovering even faster. However, her headaches had also become more intense.
Lu Yuan, who had heard about it from Li Mammy, knew that ever since she fell into the water half a year ago, she had been plagued by chills and nightmares. Every time a nightmare ended, she would suffer from a headache for a while.
Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze. "Now that he's the Duke's adopted son, whether or not he's Chen Long will be clear at first sight. There's no need to think too much about it."
"Mhm." Meng Qianqian readily agreed.
Lu Yuan paused before asking, "Are the Twelve Guards arranged according to the zodiac signs?"
Meng Qianqian shook her head. "Yin Hu isn't a tiger, and Chen Long isn't a dragon either. I'm not quite sure what they're arranged by."
Although Lu Yuan hadn't seen his face, he had heard his voice along the way. "Chen Long seems younger than Shen Hou and your master."
His master referred to Yin Hu, Li Haiyan.
Meng Qianqian nodded. "Mhm, Chen Long was the last to join the Twelve Guards."
Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "You Twelve Guards are truly interesting."
Meng Qianqian smiled but didn't respond.
They couldn't continue talking about the Twelve Guards, or she would be exposed. She and Yin Hu had only spent half an hour in the cave together, so it was impossible for him to have told her so many secrets about the Twelve Guards in such a short time.
She shifted the topic and asked, "Grand Commandant, what kind of person is the Duke?"
She had expected Lu Yuan to say something along the lines of 'he's not someone you can afford to offend', but to her surprise, he only remained silent for a moment before replying softly, "A man without weaknesses."
Meng Qianqian was astonished.
Having known Lu Yuan for so long, she was well aware of his arrogance. For him to say 'a man without weaknesses', it was clear how formidable the Duke was.
For these past few years, Lu Yuan had been the one handling the court affairs. With the Duke's return, the current situation would definitely change.
Duke Simon, despite his exhaustion from the journey, did not rest. Instead, he bathed, changed into clean clothes, and immediately entered the palace to pay his respects to the Emperor.
In the study, the Duke, dressed in an official robe, performed the grand ritual of three kneelings and nine kowtows to the young Emperor.
"After seven years in the western campaign, your subject has not disgraced his mission. The Western Continent has been pacified, and the thirteen cities of the western frontier have been recaptured! Long live the Emperor, long live, long live, long live forever!"
Zongzheng Xi quickly walked around the desk and helped the Duke up. "Duke Simon, you are the pillar of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the nation's backbone. There's no need to perform such a grand ritual for me."
The Duke knelt again and said, "Your subject is terrified!"
Seeing that he didn't get up, Zongzheng Xi knelt in front of him and looked him in the eye. "Duke Simon."
"Your Majesty, please don't!"
The Duke's expression changed drastically, and he quickly helped the Emperor up. He stood up as well and said, "Your Majesty, I won't kneel anymore. You are the Emperor, and I am but your old subject. Please, don't exhaust me so."
Zongzheng Xi's eyes turned red.
"Your Majesty..." The Duke was flustered.
Zongzheng Xi choked up. "I... I thought... I would never see Duke Simon again..."
The Duke spoke with a heavy tone. "Your Majesty is no longer an eight-year-old child. I heard that you're about to get married. How would it look if your bride saw you like this?"
Zongzheng Xi wiped his tears and said with red, swollen eyes, "Duke Simon, ever since you left for the western campaign, the capital has changed. First, Crown Prince Gege died, then Father Emperor fell ill... Even Chu Dayuan Shuai... and the Twelve Guards... are gone..."
He cried as if he were a child who had finally gotten the support of a parent, unable to catch his breath.
In chronological order, it was the Chu family that encountered trouble first, followed by the Crown Prince and the Grand Emperor. However, when one is agitated, it's easy to get muddled in their speech.
Prime Minister Xun sighed, "Your Majesty, I am already aware of these matters, and I will handle them. Your Majesty, please rest assured and leave everything to this old subject."
In the evening, Meng Qianqian and Lu Yuan went to Tinglan Court to have dinner with the Grand Dowager and Baoshi.
Baoshi, who usually caused a ruckus at the dinner table, was unusually well-behaved today, quietly eating from her own small bowl.
Lu Yuan ate his meal at a leisurely pace, no different from any other day.
However, the Grand Dowager stared at him intently, "Great-grandson-in-law, has someone been bullying you? You don't look very happy. Tell your great-grandmother, who's been bullying you? I'll teach them a lesson!"
The people in the room were bewildered. Was the son-in-law unhappy? They hadn't noticed.
Lu Yuan, long accustomed to hiding his emotions, didn't expect the Grand Dowager to say such a thing.
He maintained his composure and replied, "Great-grandmother, no one is bullying me."
The Grand Dowager pouted, offering him the last two pieces of osmanthus cake from her plate, "Eat more, you'll feel better after eating."
Meng Qianqian curved her lips and added her own piece of cake to Lu Yuan's plate, "Husband, have mine as well."
Lu Yuan was slightly taken aback.
Baoshi, oblivious to what was happening, wondered why everyone was suddenly giving her father their food.
Having finished the food in her own small bowl, she reluctantly took out a half-eaten meatball from her mouth and placed it in her father's bowl, "Here."
Lu Yuan: "......"
That night, it rained.
Meng Qianqian was in the study, reading through the notes left by Yinhu, when Banxia reported, "Miss, Young Master Yu has returned!"
Today was the 20th, and although it was a monthly break from the Imperial College, he had taken leave on the day of her wedding, so they had agreed that he would return during the next monthly break at the end of the month.
"Young Master Yu! In such heavy rain, why didn't you come back earlier?"
"I just finished my homework!"
"Here's an umbrella for you!"
"Thank you, Sister Dan! Where's my sister-in-law?"
"In the study!" Dan raised her hand and pointed.
Meng Qianqian opened the door and bumped into the damp Yuli.
Yuli smiled shyly, "Sister-in-law."
"Come in quickly." Meng Qianqian led Yuli into the study and offered him a dry towel.
"I didn't get soaked." Yuli took the towel and wiped his head, "Where's Brother-in-law?"
"He just went out." Meng Qianqian replied.
With the Prime Minister's return, he had become even busier.
"Didn't you have dinner yet, Young Master Yu?"
"I already ate. I didn't plan to come back today, but since the Imperial College is closed for two days, I thought I'd come back and see you."
"Why the sudden two-day break?"
Yuli explained, "It seems that Prime Minister Xun has returned victorious, so the entire nation is celebrating. The Imperial College also got an extra day off."
Meng Qianqian understood, "I see."
The wind blew strongly, opening the window and scattering the papers that had been weighed down by a book.
Meng Qianqian quickly got up to close the window.
Yuli bent down and picked up the scattered papers, glancing at them unintentionally. He was surprised, "Sister-in-law, you're reading Champion Xun's essays too?"
"Champion Xun?"
These were the essays Lu Yuan had written while drunk.
Yuli's eyes shone with admiration, "Xun Yu, the son of Prime Minister Xun. He's a once-in-a-century genius at the Imperial College. These essays were his exam papers, and he achieved full marks from all nine examiners! His scores remain unmatched! My senior brothers and I are all studying them!"
Ahhh, I'm going to be late!
(End of Chapter)
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