novelraw Chapter 695 Skull
Chapter 695 Skull
Chapter 695 Skull
As soon as she said that, not only the others, but even Hong Liu'er, who had just become excited, seemed to calm down instantly.
That's absolutely true.
Given Chang Yu's appearance and the fact that Lin Kun and others have been protecting him for so many years, Hong Liu'er naturally knew that he couldn't be a fake. However, just as Zhu Yu had reminded her, simply knowing that Chang Yu was real was not enough.
If the Prince of Lan, whom they all suspect is an imposter but have no way to prove, continues to claim to be the real Prince of Lan, then whether Chang Yu, the legitimate grandson, is genuine or not depends entirely on whether he is willing to admit it.
Even if he outwardly acknowledges his long-lost grandson with tears streaming down his face, as long as the title of Prince Lan remains in his head, the fate of Chang Yu, Lin Kun, and the others will remain a mystery. They might be dealt with under some pretext one day, or they might just stage another so-called accident, just like they did back then.
"Then... what should we do?!" Lin Kun was a little worried. They had been lying low for more than ten years, and this time they finally encountered the help of Lu Qing and his "heavenly soldiers and generals". They had already returned to the Lanwang Mansion and were only one step away from the final hurdle. If they were to become lambs to the slaughter at this time, it would be too unfair.
Zhu Yu thought for a moment and asked Hong Liu'er, "Are you always being watched when you come and go in and do things in this Prince's mansion?"
“No, not at all.” Hong Liu’er shook her head. “If we’re talking about a few years ago, it’s hard to say, but now that more than ten years have passed, no one is specifically keeping an eye on us old folks anymore.”
"In that case, I'd like you to help me find something. It might not be easy, but it's crucial for what's to come," Zhu Yu said immediately upon hearing this.
Hong Liu'er quickly nodded seriously: "Okay, just tell me what you need, and I'll think of a way to see if I can get it for you."
“I want you to get me a human skull,” Zhu Yu whispered to him.
"Wh-what?! A human...skull?!" Hong Liu'er initially thought that Zhu Yu might want some rare medicinal herb that she couldn't let Lan Wang know about, but she didn't expect that what she asked for would startle her.
"Yes, human skulls, not children's, just adults' skulls, young or old, men or women, it doesn't matter."
"Can you get it for me?" Zhu Yu's tone was very firm, and her expression was very serious, as if she wanted Hong Liu'er not to misunderstand that she was joking.
Hong Liu'er frowned and thought for a moment. He had never done anything like this before, so he didn't dare to speak too confidently.
Chang Yu, standing to the side, was equally bewildered. In front of outsiders, he dared not call Zhu Yu "sister-in-law," and could only address her softly, as was the proper way to address her in public: "Chief Secretary Yu... this..."
Zhu Yu tilted her head slightly, and Chang Yu quickly leaned closer to hear her whisper a few words in his ear. The expression on his face gradually changed from confusion and surprise to understanding.
"That's definitely a good idea!" After Zhu Yu finished speaking, Chang Yu seemed quite excited and nodded repeatedly.
"Whether this matter can be accomplished or not, I need you and Guard Lin to help me recall it carefully. The more specific the details, the better." Zhu Yu gestured for him not to be too happy yet. "Furthermore, the prerequisite for this plan to work is that Guard Hong can help find a suitable skull."
Chang Yu looked at Hong Liu'er expectantly. Hong Liu'er, gazing at the face that was almost identical to that of the deceased prince, felt a complex mix of emotions. Looking at Lin Kun beside her, he didn't seem to find Yu Changshi's request too outrageous; in fact, after hearing his later words, he nodded in agreement. Finally, Hong Liu'er steeled her resolve, gritted her teeth, and said, "Fine! I'll find a way to get what you want, no matter what!"
"When will we expect the next letter?" Lu Qing asked Hong Liu'er after they finished talking about the skull.
This question is much more normal than Zhu Yu's request just now. Hong Liu'er hurriedly said, "The letter should arrive in about five or six days. Recently, the Prince and the Jin Kingdom have been exchanging letters much more frequently than before, for some reason."
"Will the messenger sent by the other side cross the Jinlan border?"
"Well... it's hard to say. Sometimes it will, sometimes it won't." When asked about this, Hong Liu'er thought about it carefully and suddenly realized something. "The messengers who come to deliver the message either deliver it directly to the outskirts of the capital or they deliver it to a fixed pass."
If I didn't think about it, it wouldn't have seemed like a big deal, but now that I think about it... it seems that even though that person is clearly a messenger from the Jin Kingdom, he seems to move more freely and without any scruples within our Lan territory!
"When you go to meet that messenger this time, whether he is at the border pass of Jinlan or outside the capital, take him down without alerting anyone and secretly imprison him." Lu Qing didn't react much to these instructions, but simply gave them to Hong Liu'er.
"This...I..." Hong Liu'er hesitated, "I'm sorry to have troubled you, sir. The reason I was sent out to run errands and deliver and receive letters is mainly because my martial arts skills are mediocre, but I am fast and have good stamina..."
"I'm perfectly capable of running errands for you, but taking down the enemy's messenger, and doing it discreetly... well... I'm worried I might fail you. I'm simply not up to the task..."
"It's alright, I have people inside and outside the capital who can help you set up an ambush in advance." Lu Qing waved his hand dismissively. "When you go to meet the messenger, I will arrange for people to assist you."
Upon hearing this, Hong Liu'er breathed a sigh of relief and quickly nodded in agreement.
Three days later, all the medicinal herbs that Zhu Yu had ordered were gathered by the imposter Lan Wang. So Zhu Yu adopted a "closed-door" attitude, staying indoors every day, and even having his meals brought to his room, acting all mysterious.
About five days after Zhu Yu went into seclusion, Hong Liu'er sneaked in around dawn and brought Zhu Yu a white human skull.
"I dug this out of a messy graveyard outside the city on my own. I don't know if it's suitable for use?" Hong Liu'er asked cautiously.
Zhu Yu examined the skull carefully, turning it over and over, and finally nodded: "Okay, it's suitable, this one will do!"
Hong Liu'er breathed a sigh of relief and then said to Lu Qing beside her, "My lord, I am to set off tomorrow to meet the messenger who brought the letter outside the capital. How can I find someone to meet me?"
Lu Qing gestured for Hong Liu'er to come closer, and Hong Liu'er nodded repeatedly, bowed solemnly to them, and turned to leave.
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