"Am I envious of the virtuous and capable?" Lu Qing was clearly taken aback and asked in so confusion, "I have never t General Situ, nor have any connections with him. Why did he say such a thing?"
"You naturally have no connections with General Situ; it is his son that has connections," Lu Ze noticed his bewildered expression and reminded him.
"Little General Situ? Is he not guarding the borders with his father, never easily setting foot in the Capital? I have never even been to the Jin and Jie frontier, so how could I be envious and suppress him without reason?" Lu Qing remained perplexed.
"It is naturally not the eldest son of his family," Lu Ze waved his hand, "It is the younger son of his family, the one who was previously leading troops at the Li State Camp.
It was not so long ago that his brother sent a morandum to the Emperor, which resulted in the Emperor demoting and transferring him to an even more remote place.
I guess that General Situ has harbored resentnt over this matter for a long ti, just waiting for the chance to co to the Capital to vent on behalf of his son.
And just at such an unfortunate ti, your brother now encounters false accusations by those scoundrels from the Fan Country!
For General Situ to submit a petition against you at such a ti, it seems like kicking a man when he’s down.
Fortunately, the Emperor, hearing his request, neither agreed nor disagreed, saying only that he had a headache before returning from court to rest.
I reckon the Emperor still holds you in his thoughts, so you need not worry, Brother! With so many people speaking for you, you will certainly not suffer injustice. You only need to endure for a few days here, and there will surely be a turn for the better!
I will also find another opportunity to et the Emperor, to plead and negotiate, to stall him so that he will not be in a hurry to interrogate Brother, just wait a little bit longer, and Eldest Brother should soon return!"
"Oh?" Lu Qing raised an eyebrow and asked, "Where is he now? When will he arrive?"
Lu Ze was about to respond when the older attendant waiting nearby suddenly reminded him, "Prince, you promised to accompany Princess Consort Duan for a al, and she is probably already waiting for you. Don’t keep the princess waiting."
Lu Ze was startled and quickly regained his composure, patting his forehead: "I got so caught up talking with Brother that I forgot Mother Consort is still waiting for !
I even thought of using the opportunity of dining with Mother Consort to talk to her about this and see if she could help as well!
In that case, I will co back to visit Brother later, but for now, I’ll go and eat with my Mother Consort!"
"You just accompany Princess Consort Duan well; there’s no need to worry about my affairs." Lu Qing smiled at him and nodded, indicating for him to hurry and not to delay.
Lu Ze chuckled awkwardly in response, hastily leaving Shackles Prison with two attendants in tow.
After he left, Lu Qing’s gaze followed the backs of Lu Ze and his party until they walked far enough to be out of sight, then he slowly withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhu Yu nearby.
Zhu Yu was also looking at him, and the two t each other’s eyes without speaking, maintaining a profound and tacit understanding.
That day, Lu Qing spoke little, sitting silently to the side, lost in thought, even when the constable brought food, he barely ate.
Fu Lu was sowhat worried and several tis wanted to speak up but was stopped by Rune.
"Don’t disturb him," he said, taking a biscuit wrapped in paper from his pocket, "I saved sothing for the Lord to eat later when he’s hungry."
Zhu Yu also did not disturb Lu Qing, spending most of her ti propping her chin and staring off into space.
Their reactions made Fu Lu sowhat anxious; his elder brother did not let him speak, leaving him stifled and without recourse, instinctively wanting to consult Yan Daoxin, only to find Yan Daoxin facing the wall and soundly asleep on thick straw.
When evening ca and the constable again brought food, Lu Qing finally sat up and called Zhu Yu over to eat.
Fu Lu breathed a sigh of relief, quickly helping both of them and the newly awakened Yan Daoxin to bring food to their hands.
After eating a few bites, Lu Qing suddenly asked Yan Daoxin, "Did you see clearly that day?"
Yan Daoxin, chewing a mouthful of biscuit that puffed out his cheeks, spoke sowhat muffled, but his tone was confident: "Of course, I saw it distinctly, no mistake about it.
His breathing was insufficient; his pupils cloudy as if shrouded in mist, the whites of his eyes laced with pale blue web-like patterns, and there were deep shadows beneath his eyes.
Additionally, the blood vessels on his forehead bulged, and his cheekbones were flushed, which you should also have noticed and rembered where you saw it before."
Upon hearing his description, Zhu Yu felt her heart sink, turning to look at Lu Qing.
Yan Daoxin did not expect anyone to respond and continued, "Without taking a pulse, I can’t guarantee anything, but at least from the exterior, he should hold on for the ti being, not yet reaching the point of critical illness.
Nevertheless, he has likely sustained fundantal damage; even if I exert all my efforts, I could at best extend his days but probably cannot reverse it completely."
Lu Qing nodded silently, saying no more.
It wasn’t until after finishing the al, the constable ca to collect the dishes, and silence returned, that Lu Qing spoke again.
"I apologize; you were right before; it was I who brought you onto this ship," he sighed heavily, addressing Yan Daoxin, "Knowing well that your nature dislikes court struggles and intrigue, preferring to imrse yourself in nature, healing others, and researching dicine, yet I still dragged you into this.
I originally hoped to rely on your skills to resolve the current predicant without involving you too deeply.
But now, it seems many things are beyond control, and achieving the initial goal is impossible."
"It’s not your fault," Yan Daoxin chuckled lazily, waving a hand dismissively, "As they say, it’s fate; there are few things in this world that unfold as one wishes.
And besides, although my master and I dislike worldly affairs, especially those sches and deceptions, we still grasp the basic truth.
Under a fallen nest, how can there be unbroken eggs?
If you lose and the villain gains power, how many, whether it’s or anyone else in this world, could remain unscathed?
At that point, with a bowstring drawn, there’s no turning back; whether it’s fortune or misfortune, proceeding is all that matters, what’s the point of overthinking!
I’ve also co to terms; those who seek enlightennt must endure trials!
I can’t escape this ordeal; I’ll treat it as my challenge.
If I pass, my rit will be fulfilled; if not, I’ll start over."
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