Chapter 482: Nian Tzu Temple
Although Mo Rongzhan had said that he would let Lu Yaoyao untie the knot in her heart, he still couldn't completely relax. He still asked the hidden guards to protect her. Two days later, he received news from them that they had not found the princess.
“…Your Majesty, we caught up with Imperial Physician Qi Yizheng who said that Mister Huangfu had parted ways with them in Sanpo Town, and never met them on the official road to Huaijiang. We chased them to the Gujia Village from where they disappeared without a trace…"
Mo Rongzhan listened to the secret guard's report and his dark eyes were filled with rage. “You mean Huangfu Chen and Lu Yaoyao are gone?"
The hidden guard kneeling in front of Mo Rongzhan lowered his head. “Your Majesty, this subordinate… It is true that they couldn't be found. However, seeing the suspicious appearance of the inn, they arrested and interrogated them only to find out… only to find out that they captured a few people not long ago. According to what they said, it should be the princess and the others."
"Got caught?" Mo Rongzhan asked softly, but he heard Eunuch Fu trembling.
This was because the emperor was really angry. Which bastard didn't have eyes? Even dared to capture Huangfu Chen and the princess!
"The innkeeper said… Someone kidnapped them." The voice of the hidden guard trembled.
Mo Rongzhan curled his lips into a smile. “My Jin country still has such an arrogant kidnapper, even dares to capture my princess."
"Your Majesty, this subordinate will definitely find the princess," the hidden guard hurriedly said.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Eunuch Fu quickly agreed.
"Fude, call Marquis Jingning over," Mo Rongzhan ordered in a low voice.
Mo Rongzhan also dismissed the guards who had been kneeling, not daring to get up. When he heard that Yaoyao had disappeared, he felt a sense of panic in his heart. He was well-aware of Huangfu Chen's ability. It was impossible for ordinary people to capture him. This proved that those who could capture them were more powerful than him.
If something happened to Yaoyao…
Mo Rongzhan suddenly stood up. He must not let anything happen to Yaoyao.
♚
Lu Lingzhi scouted around Nian Tzu Temple for three days before finally finding a chance to meet Lu Wushuang.
Since the poisoning, although Imperial Physician Qi and her nephew Huangfu Chen had treated him, Lu Lingzhi still felt that his health was getting worse and worse. He knew very well that even if Huangfu Chen found a way to detoxify him in the future, he was afraid he would not be able to lead troops in battle anymore. The Lu family wanted to completely get rid of the identity of the merchant (Shangjia) and become a member of the nobility in the capital. They could no longer rely on him to make military merits in exchange.
If Lu Wushuang hadn't been deposed, perhaps her position as an imperial concubine would have paved the way for the Lu family. But now, she could no longer be counted on.
What was beyond Lu Lingzhi’s expectation was that the emperor wanted to make Lu Yaoyao his empress. This was great news for the Lu family. However, it was quite the contrary for Lu Wushuang.
Lu Lingzhi had deliberated for a long time before he finally came to see his sister. He had watched Shuang'er grow, and now he had to choose between the future of the Lu family and her. Indeed, it was still a little difficult.
"Eldest Brother." Lu Wushuang had already received the news that Lu Lingzhi was coming to see her today. She had already prepared for it. Seeing her brother walk in, her tears began to flow. It seemed that she had finally found an outlet for her grievances these days.
He looked at his sister with a gentle and magnanimous gaze. He walked in and closed the door behind him. “Shuang'er, Eldest Brother is late."
"Eldest Brother, why did you come only now? Take me away. I don't want to stay here. Go plead with the emperor and let him… Beg him to let me return to the palace. I won't be capricious anymore, okay?" She held brother's hand and cried. She was about to go crazy in Nian Tzu Temple. The days here were too bitter for her.
He wiped away her tears and made her sit down. “Shuang'er, Eldest Brother will definitely get you out of this place. Don't worry."
"Eldest Brother, those nuns aren't good people. How dare they make me work? They even dare to make me sweep the floor and wash clothes." She grumbled angrily, “Even if I were in the Lu family, I wouldn't have such a hard life. How could they dare to make me work?"
Lu Lingzhi sighed in his heart. Even though she was deposed, her personality had not changed. “Shuang'er, the emperor sent you here to change your personality. If you can’t even endure this little pain, how can you make the emperor believe that you have changed?"
"Eldest Brother, Emperor…The emperor will not let me go back." She thought back to her last conversation with Mo Rongzhan and could no longer complain. Instead, she cried even louder.
He smiled warmly. “Don't think too much. Shuang'er, have you forgotten? You are the emperor's savior. Even if you did something wrong and infuriated him, when his anger subsides, he will let you go back to the palace."
"Won't! No way!" She started crying yet again. “Eldest Brother, His Majesty knows… The emperor knows it wasn't me, so he won't forgive me. He won't let me go back to the palace."
His expression changed. “How did His Majesty know? You told him?"
"Why would I? I… … I don't know how he knew, he was the one who asked me that day, he thought…thought I was hiding Ye Zhen. Eldest Brother, if the emperor knew that the person who saved him was Ye Zhen, he would certainly not let go of the Lu family." She grabbed his hand and cried even harder.
"Shuang'er, tell Eldest Brother clearly… What exactly did the emperor say that day?" Lu Lingzhi's was shocked, did the emperor suspect even him?
Lu Wushuang sobbed. “He said… there’s a little name. Eldest Brother, what was Ye Zhen's little name* actually? There was also a secret she told him, I didn't even know about it…However, he must have already suspected me when he asked me about the secret code."
[*little name = nickname]
Little name? Lu Lingzhi took a deep breath. The Ye family was already dead. He wouldn't be able to find out what kind of little name Ye Zhen had.
"What did you tell the emperor?" He rubbed his eyebrows. He didn't expect the emperor to know that Shuang'er wasn't the one who saved his life.
It seemed that the emperor had long wanted to banish Shuang'er, not only because she framed Yaoyao.
Lu Wushuang wiped away the tears on her face. "It is only natural that I can't let the emperor suspect you. If you had an accident, then who will be able to save me in the future? That's why I told the emperor that it's… that it's my father who ordered me to assume that girl's identity. I myself do not know where the young lady who saved the emperor back then was…"
Lu Lingzhi asked in a low voice, “Does the emperor believe it?"
"If he didn't, why didn’t he summon you into the palace to ask about it until now?" Lu Wushuang asked. "Eldest Brother, the emperor still trusts you."
“No, the emperor has begun to distrust me." Lu Lingzhi shook his head and sighed. Never had he thought that after all his efforts, in the end, he would still get nothing and make Mo Rongzhan’s suspicion instead.