https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-439-The-Liang-Emperor-s-Heart-Melts/13080803/
Chapter 440: The Real Reunion
Chapter 440: The Real Reunion
This left Liu Qingyun in a difficult situation.
Visiting the Crown Prince's Mansion was one thing, but the imperial palace was a heavily guarded place. Setting aside whether she could enter, even if she did, it would be challenging to rescue Bao Zhu Zhu.
Unless she revealed her identity as the Miaojiang Princess.
But if she did that, her son and daughter-in-law would also be exposed.
Although she didn't know how her son had managed to infiltrate the Crown Prince's Mansion, he must have put in considerable effort.
Unless it was absolutely necessary, Liu Qingyun couldn't let her son's efforts go to waste.
After informing her about the Crown Prince's whereabouts, Cui Hu expected the woman to make a scene and demand to enter the palace to find her child. However, to his surprise, she remained silent.
She seemed unpredictable, but at the critical moment, she was remarkably composed.
Cui Hu couldn't help but look at her with a mix of surprise and respect.
Liu Qingyun calmed herself and asked Cui Hu, "What did your Crown Prince instruct you to do?"
Cui Hu replied honestly, "He only asked me to eat candied hawthorn."
Liu Qingyun continued, "Did he ask you to capture me?"
"I couldn't capture you even if I wanted to."
Cui Hu hadn't forgotten the powerful gu she had used; he was afraid that before he could make a move, her gu worms would have already taken him down.
Liu Qingyun thought for a moment and then asked, "Did he ask you to deliver any message to me? For example, if I want to see my child, where should I wait for him, and so on?"
Cui Hu shook his head. "No."
Liu Qingyun was puzzled.
It wasn't surprising that Cui Hu didn't try to capture her, as he had a hostage, and she would eventually fall into their trap.
But without a single word from the Crown Prince, how was she supposed to know where to go?
The Crown Prince's Mansion?
"He wouldn't really want me to go to the Crown Prince's Mansion, would he...?"
Liu Qingyun muttered to herself, deep in thought.
"Let me ask you, what kind of person is your Crown Prince? If you dare to lie to me, I'll use my gu poison to kill you!"
Cui Hu quickly replied with a serious expression, "The Crown Prince is a good person."
Liu Qingyun raised an eyebrow. "What kind of good person abducts someone else's child?"
Cui Hu was at a loss for words.
His Crown Prince was indeed a noble and virtuous man, but he couldn't understand why the Crown Prince had suddenly decided to do this.
Liu Qingyun didn't want to take out her frustration on a mere guard, so she asked, "Let me ask you again, how many sons does the Crown Prince have?"
Cui Hu answered, "Two."
Liu Qingyun inquired, "What are their names?"
"Jian Junwang Lu Qi and the new young master, Lu Lin Yuan."
These were facts that anyone could find out, so Cui Hu didn't hide them.
Lin Yuan, Lin Yuan... wasn't that Yuan?
It had to be her son.
Liu Qingyun asked further, "Are they at the Crown Prince's Mansion?"
Cui Hu wasn't sure if he should answer.
Liu Qingyun threatened without hesitation, "If you don't speak, I'll use my gu on you. I have a gu that can make people speak the truth. You'll have to speak either way, but you'll suffer a little, like a thousand ants devouring your heart..."
Cui Hu chose self-preservation over loyalty and said, "The Marquis and Young Master Lin Yuan are in the palace."
Upon hearing this, Liu Qingyun felt relieved.
If her son was also in the palace, he should be able to rescue Bao Zhu. Whether they would be exposed or not was something she couldn't worry about right now.
Saving their lives was the priority.
The decision she faced now was where to find the two children.
Should she go to the imperial palace or the Crown Prince's Mansion?
She couldn't just leave them to their fate.
Her son didn't have any proof of his identity on him, and if he was exposed, he would face the crime of deceiving the Emperor.
The Southwest Liang Emperor was far more ruthless than the Retired Emperor.
After much deliberation, Liu Qingyun decided to go to the imperial palace and wait outside. At the first sign of trouble, she would seek an audience with the Liang Emperor as the Miaojiang Princess.
"Take me to the imperial palace."
Liu Qingyun instructed Cui Hu.
Cui Hu didn't refuse. He went to hire a carriage nearby.
Half an hour later, the two of them arrived at the Great Liang Imperial Palace.
Cui Hu said to Liu Qingyun, "If you wish to see the Crown Prince, I'll have to inform him first."
Liu Qingyun replied calmly, "No need. Where is your Crown Prince's carriage?"
Cui Hu pointed, "That one over there."
Liu Qingyun walked over with a light and carefree demeanor, got into the Crown Prince's carriage without a word, and hugged herself, saying, "I'll wait for him here.
Cui Hu: ...Are you giving up and throwing caution to the wind?
What else could Cui Hu say? The Crown Prince didn't forbid her from getting on the carriage.
Liu Qingyun's eyes turned cold as she waited for Lu Zhaoyan, her mind racing with a hundred ways to make him suffer.
She wished to feed him a chicken gu, causing him to lose face in front of the officials! Liu Qingyun had already taken the chicken gu in her hand, but she had woken up too early that morning and, while waiting, had fallen asleep again.
When Lu Zhaoyan left the palace, he saw Cui Hu.
His eyes flickered slightly, and he strode towards the carriage.
Cui Hu cupped his hands in greeting, "Your Highness."
Lu Zhaoyan glanced at the carriage.
Cui Hu whispered, "She wants to poison Your Highness with a gu. Should I—"
"No need."
Lu Zhaoyan lifted the curtain and climbed into the carriage without any hesitation.
Cui Hu didn't even have a chance to stop him.
This woman was a gu master, and she had taken down two skilled guards with a single move. The Crown Prince didn't know martial arts, so it was dangerous for him to get on the carriage like this.
"Your Highness?"
"We're returning to the mansion."
"Hmm?"
Cui Hu was taken aback. What was this all about? If you're being threatened, just say something!
Lu Zhaoyan said, "Are you not going?"
"Yes, sir!"
Cui Hu jumped into the carriage and threw the whip to the skilled guard who had come out with Lu Zhaoyan, instructing him to return the hired carriage.
The carriage slowly started moving.
The spring breeze was gentle, the sun shone brightly, and mottled tree shadows danced on the carriage roof.
Liu Qingyun wasn't completely without vigilance, but she hadn't expected to fall asleep so soundly in a strange man's carriage.
In a daze, she had a dream.
In her dream, she recalled a night from many years ago, a night of torrential rain.
...
Liu Qingyun was awakened by the sound of hawkers selling tanghulu. When she opened her eyes, she found herself lying in a strange carriage with a man sitting beside her.
She immediately sat up, looking at him with utmost vigilance.
Lu Zhaoyan closed his eyes to rest, speaking calmly, "You got on the carriage yourself, and you've already forgotten?"
"Who are you...?"
Liu Qingyun recognized his voice as Lu Zhaoyan, the same man she had encountered in the alley and the restaurant earlier that day.
However, she hadn't seen his face before.
The carriage's interior was dimly lit, but even in the shadows, his silhouette exuded exceptional handsomeness.
That wasn't the main point.
The crucial part was... When did this man get on the carriage? And how long had the carriage been traveling?
She had slept so deeply next to a stranger—
Her veil was still on her face.
She looked around and, seeing no one else, asked, "Where's the child?"
Lu Zhaoyan replied, "He's in the Imperial Palace, with your son."
Her son... What did this guy know? Liu Qingyun drew her dagger and held it to his neck, "What are you up to?"
Lu Zhaoyan opened his eyes, and there was not a trace of fear in them, "It's your son who went to the Crown Prince's Mansion, insisting that he's my flesh and blood. I didn't acknowledge him, so he stayed at the Crown Prince's Mansion and even used the Tortured Flesh Strategy, forcing my father to recognize him as his grandson. It's me who should be asking what you're up to."
Liu Qingyun clenched her fist, impressed by his methods—no wonder he was her son! Lu Zhaoyan stared at her unblinkingly, his grip tightening on the chicken gu bottle.
"You're so foolish. When they bully you, can't you talk back? Can't you fight back?"
"Yes, sir! Chicken gu. If they bully you again, give them the gu!"
"He's under my protection! I'll see who dares to touch him!"
"You're so heavy... You look so skinny... How are you heavier than my father... That's not right... I've never carried my father before..."
"Don't fall asleep... I'll stop the bleeding soon..."
"Water! Water!"
"I'm hungry, but I only have one bun left. You eat it. After all, you're my person. I said I'd protect you!"
Chicken gu, chicken gu, is there a gu gu ticket~?
(End of Chapter)
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