novelraw Chapter 682 Liao Chengju [Bonus Chapter]
Chapter 682 Liao Chengju [Bonus Chapter]
Chapter 682 Liao Chengju [Bonus Chapter]
After speaking, Zhu Yu suddenly paused and frowned: "Tell me, was Consort Duan one of their people from the very beginning?"
Could Zhao Bi have been handing someone a knife from the very beginning?
"As far as I know, Consort Duan's background back then was probably not enough for her to be used as a tool by others." Lu Qing shook his head. "There are countless beauties in the world. The reason why Zhao Bi chose Consort Duan and confidently presented her to the Emperor was simply because he valued her helplessness and lack of background. Because she had foreign blood, she should have been nothing more than a plaything when she was presented to the palace, and naturally she would have been easy to manipulate."
Given Zhao Bi's personality, he must have thoroughly understood all these matters before he felt comfortable making this move.
As for what happened afterward, it was probably beyond Zhao Bi's plans, since the development of many things in this world is also subject to fate.
Just like how the Emperor intended for me to marry the daughter of a prince who was least valued, so that I wouldn't have any ulterior motives relying on my wife's family's power in the future, but by a twist of fate, I ended up meeting a woman who was unique in the world.
Therefore, while planning is up to us, success or failure ultimately depends on fate.
Zhu Yu hadn't expected that while the two were talking about Consort Duan, she would actually hear someone praising her with a hint of ulterior motives. Surprised, she also felt very pleased. No one dislikes hearing praise, so she smiled and accepted the compliment.
"So, according to you, Consort Duan was originally just a pawn placed in the harem by Zhao Bi, and everything that happened later was due to unforeseen circumstances?"
Lu Qing's words made her understand, "In other words, Consort Duan did not expect that she would be able to gain the Emperor's favor and give birth to a prince with her bloodline."
Once a person has children, their mindset will likely change.
If she were just an ordinary concubine, it might be alright. She could rise in status because of her son. Even if her son only grew up to be a prince and established his own household, at least she would have someone to rely on and wouldn't have to worry about being lonely in the cold palace in her old age.
But she knew from the very beginning that she was nothing more than a puppet, a tool to be manipulated by others.
Once she has a child, Consort Duan will likely be unwilling to accept her fate. She doesn't want to be a pawn, only to have her child grow up to be controlled and manipulated like her, a puppet even lower than the other princes.
“Perhaps.” Lu Qing recalled the past and sneered, “What Consort Duan thinks is perhaps just as you guessed. At least Lu Ze was never a docile, obedient lamb to be slaughtered from the very beginning.”
All his naivety and innocence, all his enthusiasm and purity, were merely illusions used to conceal his ambition.
It's important to know that even Lu Yan, who has a fiery temper, was just an innocent child when he lived in the palace as a child.
Of all the emperor's children, whether princes or princesses, none of them possessed Lu Ze's ability to win the emperor's favor.
This alone shows that it's not just ordinary scheming and tactics.
Therefore, it's likely that neither mother nor son wanted to be controlled by others. After developing other ambitions, they secretly colluded with hidden forces through some unseen means. Zhao Bi, this powerful figure, conveniently became their cover, allowing them to feign one move while secretly making another.
Zhu Yu couldn't help but snort when she thought of Zhao Bi's various actions, but when she thought about everything that happened afterward and what was going to happen next, she couldn't help but sigh: "In fact, Zhao Bi, Consort Duan, Lu Ze and the others are all birds of a feather. They all think they are the players, but in reality they are all pawns without realizing it."
Lu Qing nodded, lit the few sheets of paper in his hand on the flame of the oil lamp, burning them into clumps of black ash, and then rubbed them clean on the ground with his shoe: "At least, Lu Zhang and his maternal grandfather are not the same kind of people at heart. It's a good thing that he can come to his senses."
Three or five more days passed. While waiting for news from Situ Jing and Shuo Di, Chang Yu would chat with Lu Qing and Zhu Yu every day. Although this young man was well-read, he was full of curiosity about the outside world.
As they talked, they became more and more familiar with each other. Lu Qing and Zhu Yu both found that Chang Yu had been raised very well by Lin Kun and the others. Under limited conditions, he had a good mind and a good understanding of things.
Chang Yu had always lived with the guards who treated him with utmost respect. Although these uncles and elders cared for him and tried their best to teach him, their abilities were limited, and what they could teach him was also limited.
Since meeting Lu Qing and Zhu Yu, Chang Yu felt as if a door had been opened, allowing him to glimpse many things he had never heard of or experienced before.
Lu Qing's openness and composure inspired Chang Yu to feel a sense of admiration and trust, much like that of an older brother. Every time Chang Yu watched Lu Qing's words and actions, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly, hoping that one day he could become like Lu Qing.
The first to arrive were Situ Jing's men.
As instructed in Lu Qing's letter, those people arrived in batches to avoid attracting outside attention and causing trouble for the mountain stronghold.
Situ Jing's soldiers were easy to identify; they all had very strict military discipline. Even when disguised and sneaking around, their words and actions were meticulous, without the slightest sign of laxity or negligence.
The guards of the Prince of Lan's mansion held this renowned army in high esteem, and even though there were only about a hundred of them this time, they treated them with exceptional respect and courtesy.
These soldiers were clearly acting on Situ Jing's orders; once they arrived at the stronghold, they obeyed only Lu Qing's commands.
Zhu Yu had assumed that the person who came might be Bian Yong, the one who had given half of the waist token to Lu Qing before. However, he realized that he was wrong when the person who came was a familiar face. The person leading the team was none other than Liao Yu, the bold, meticulous, and upright official from the Lizhou camp.
"Director Liao!" Seeing a familiar face at this moment, coupled with the excellent character he had previously displayed, made Zhu Yu feel more at ease, and she quickly greeted him.
Liao Yu also recognized Zhu Yu and quickly stepped forward to greet Lu Qing and Zhu Yu.
Lu Qing also had a deep impression of Liao Yu. He raised his hand to indicate that there was no need for formalities, and said, "Chief Secretary Yu is mistaken. Liao Yu was serving as the Chengju in the Lizhou camp. Now that he has led his brothers to come and support us, he must have moved to another place with Situ Jing when he was transferred."
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