https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-417-The-Immature-Military-Governor-and-the-Unbreakable-Father/13004475/
Chapter 418: Father and Son's Mountain Journey
Chapter 418: Father and Son's Mountain Journey
Lu Qi was perplexed.
Who is this person?
Why is he acting so strangely in front of his father and the King?
All the strategists in the mansion were known to him, at least by name, and none dared to be so disrespectful to the King.
Could it be... that he is not an ordinary strategist, but one presented to the King by the Duke Ming, the Prince Uncle?
When Lu Zhaoyan was in Qinwangfu, he was just an unfavored second son, born to a lowly mother, and he didn't even have the right to be raised by her.
He grew up by the side of the Princess of Qin.
All the brothers in the mansion looked down on him and often bullied him, except for the youngest, Duke Ming, who always followed him around, calling him 'Second Brother'.
Therefore, if one were to say which sibling had an unusual relationship with Lu Zhaoyan, it would be none other than Duke Ming.
This was why Duke Ming, upon entering the Imperial City, directly moved into the Crown Prince's Mansion.
Because Lu Zhaoyan cherished Duke Ming as a brother, the strategists recommended by Duke Ming were given significant respect in the mansion.
Lu Qi's thoughts turned, and he glanced at his father again. Seeing that the King did not get angry at the strategist's rudeness, he became even more certain of his own guess.
The King had always taught him to respect and treat scholars with courtesy, so naturally, he would not just agree verbally but also show it in his actions.
He offered Lu Yuan a seat.
Lu Yuan unceremoniously sat between him and Lu Zhaoyan.
Lu Qi frowned.
Where did the Prince Uncle find this strategist? He didn't know his abilities beforehand, but his temper was indeed not small.
"May I dare ask for your esteemed surname, sir?" Lu Qi asked politely.
Suppressing his displeasure, Lu Qi inquired with patience.
Lu Yuan clasped his hands and replied indifferently, "My surname is Lu."
Lu Zhaoyan glanced at Lu Yuan.
Lu Qi, with a gentle and refined demeanor, asked, "Sir, your surname is also Lu, what a coincidence."
There were many people with the surname Lu in the world, not just the Liangguo Imperial Family.
But to be related to the Lu surname was indeed a matter of luck.
One could only say that this strategist was too fortunate.
Perhaps it was his surname that had caught the attention of Duke Ming, the Prince Uncle.
Lu Qi silently assessed Lu Yuan's worth in his mind.
After hearing Lu Yuan's surname, Lu Zhaoyan also assumed that Lu Yuan was intentionally revealing his surname to him and had not given up on the idea of becoming his son.
Lu Qi politely asked, "May I ask when you became acquainted with the Prince Uncle?"
Lu Yuan replied indifferently, "Yesterday."
Lu Qi was incredulous.
After just one encounter, he had caught the eye of the Prince Uncle and was recommended to the King? What extraordinary qualities did this man possess?
Lu Qi never guessed that this person, whose identity was not to be mentioned, had the audacity to be so disrespectful in front of the King, especially when he, as the proper and legitimate Qilin Imperial Grandson, would never dare to be so bold.
On the other hand, Lu Qi had indeed seen many strategists who were arrogant because of their talents.
The reclusive master he visited earlier was one of them.
Lu Yuan never gave Lu Qi a pleasant look, and after a few words, Lu Qi stopped trying to please him.
An hour later, the imperial coach arrived at the foot of a mountain outside the West City Gate.
At the top of the mountain was the site of the old National Protection Temple, which had been relocated ten years ago due to a flood, and now only ruins remained.
The master had been living in seclusion in the temple for many years. Emperor Liang had heard of him by chance and invited him to serve the court, but he refused to come out of seclusion no matter how the Emperor persuaded him.
Emperor Liang entrusted this matter to Lu Zhaoyan, both as a sign of his trust in Lu Zhaoyan and in the hope that Lu Zhaoyan could personally recruit a capable general for himself.
Today's coachman was Jiefeng.
Jiefeng jumped off the coach and said to Lu Zhaoyan, "Your Highness, the coach can't go any further. We'll have to hike up the mountain. I'll carry you."
After saying this, he signaled to the shadows, and two hidden imperial bodyguards appeared.
They were there to secretly protect Lu Qi and Lu Yuan.
Crown Prince Lu Zhaoyan lifted the curtain and gazed at the towering mountain ranges. "No need, we'll climb the mountain ourselves," he said.
If one doesn't even show this much sincerity, how can they ask someone to come out of seclusion?
Lu Qi dismounted from the imperial coach and extended his hand towards Lu Zhaoyan, "Father."
Lu Zhaoyan supported Lu Qi's arm as he alighted from the coach.
Then, he turned back to look at Lu Yuan.
This time, Lu Yuan didn't make a fuss and gracefully descended from the coach.
Lu Yuan gazed at the endless steps ahead and sighed, "With so many steps, it'll probably take us until the afternoon to reach the top."
Considering Lu Yuan's condition, Lu Zhaoyan said, "You can rest in the coach."
"That won't do. I said I'd follow you," Lu Yuan insisted.
A hint of surprise flashed through Lu Qi's eyes once more.
Was this just an illusion?
Why did the relationship between the father and son sound somewhat intimate?
"Let's climb," Lu Zhaoyan said, not saying more.
Emperor Liang had given instructions, and the esteemed master disliked being disturbed. Lu Zhaoyan only brought Jiefeng, a skilled imperial bodyguard, while the other seven waited at the mountain's foot.
They began their ascent.
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After walking for a while, Lu Qi lifted his gaze and spotted the mountain peak. Smiling, he said to Lu Zhaoyan, "Father, the temple isn't far. We should reach it in half an hour."
Lu Yuan scoffed.
"Didn't you hear what the Marquis said? 'Looking at the mountain can exhaust a horse'?" Lu Qi asked.
"We're already on this mountain," Lu Qi replied.
With a smile that wasn't quite a smile, Lu Yuan said, "It seems the Marquis doesn't climb mountains often. Where did you wander during your years living among the commoners?"
Lu Qi calmly responded, "From your tone, it seems you're quite displeased with me. May I ask how I've offended you?"
Lu Qi turned the tables, expecting the other party to say, "Where did you see my displeasure? Marquis, please don't falsely accuse me. I can't bear such a crime."
"The Marquis hasn't offended me," Lu Yuan said.
Lu Qi's thoughts confirmed his suspicions.
"I merely look down on all ignorant people equally," Lu Yuan added.
Lu Qi, pierced by a thousand arrows, remained silent.
The group had set off early in the morning, and it was already noon when they reached the mountain's halfway point.
Jiefeng, the skilled imperial bodyguard, still had steady breathing.
However, Lu Zhaoyan and Lu Qi were exhausted, panting heavily with pale faces.
"Father... I'll support you..." Lu Zhaoyan started to say to Lu Qi, but Lu Qi waved him off, indicating he was fine and needed to catch his breath.
Lu Zhaoyan was so tired he couldn't even speak, and he unconsciously looked at Lu Yuan beside him.
Considering Lu Yuan's injuries and cold illness, he must be enduring more hardship than Lu Zhaoyan and Lu Qi.
Unexpectedly, Lu Yuan didn't even breathe heavily, remaining as composed as the skilled imperial bodyguard Jiefeng.
Lu Yuan noticed Lu Zhaoyan's gaze and walked over calmly. Without a word, he hoisted Lu Zhaoyan onto his back.
Lu Zhaoyan was startled.
Lu Qi was also surprised.
"You..."
Lu Zhaoyan, perched on Lu Yuan's back, opened his mouth but held back his fatigue and weakness, saying, "Put me down."
Lu Yuan, carrying him, climbed the steps, "Didn't you ask me to carry you?"
Lu Zhaoyan furrowed his brows, "When did I say that?"
Lu Yuan, unaffected, replied, "You were looking at me, which meant you wanted me to carry you, right?"
Despite carrying someone, he moved on the mountain path as if it were flat ground, quickly leaving Lu Qi behind.
Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow, "Let's get this straight. If I carry you, I'm your father."
"I didn't mean—"
Lu Yuan displayed his lightfoot skills, leaping up. Lu Zhaoyan's refusal was drowned out by the howling wind.
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(End of Chapter)
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