lcionline Chapter 523 Bringing Brother Lu here was definitely the right decision
Chapter 523 Bringing Brother Lu here was definitely the right decision
Gu Junze's figure disappeared behind the heavy curtains of the imperial tent. Chu Ruohan withdrew her gaze and turned her attention back to the children.
Mrs. Ying had already exchanged a few polite words before taking her leave.
Chu Ruohan took Xuan Ge'er's hand and led him to sit down on a soft cushion. She then took Xiao Qingchen from her and wiped her little hands, which were quite dirty...
Meanwhile, Lu Ge'er stood not far away, gazing calmly at the bright yellow imperial tent that represented the supreme ruler of the world, lost in thought.
Inside the imperial tent, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.
Zhao Yunci was dressed in a bright yellow casual outfit, without a dragon crown, which made her appear much more approachable.
He was sitting in the main seat, listening to reports from several trusted ministers.
When Gu Junze came in, he raised his eyes and pointed to the empty seat below him.
"Junze is here, please have a seat."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Gu Junze bowed and took his seat.
The meeting did not last long, and consisted mostly of routine troop movements for border defense.
After the matter was finished, the emperor waved for the other ministers to leave, leaving only the emperor and his minister in the tent.
The atmosphere instantly relaxed.
"I've heard that your nephew, that boy named Gu Lü, is the youngest scholar in this dynasty?" Zhao Yunci suddenly spoke, his tone carrying a hint of casual conversation.
Gu Junze's heart stirred slightly, but his face remained calm: "Your Majesty, this is indeed the case. Lu Ge'er is intelligent and willing to work hard."
"More than just intelligent," Zhao Yunci chuckled, his eyes revealing a discerning eye. "I've also heard that he's your protégé?"
"I only offered him some guidance in his studies," Gu Junze replied humbly.
Zhao Yunci put down her teacup, leaned forward slightly, and looked even more interested.
"I am quite interested in a young man who is both literate and skilled in martial arts. Bring him over tomorrow when the autumn hunt begins, so I can have a good look at him."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Gu Junze replied respectfully.
The following day, the sound of bugles broke the morning tranquility of the hunting grounds.
The autumn hunt has officially begun.
The emperor, dressed in smart riding and archery attire, drew his precious bow and fired the first arrow at a pre-released sika deer in the distance.
The arrow pierced the air and struck the deer's neck, drawing a thunderous roar of cheers.
"My beloved ministers, today the emperor and his subjects are enjoying themselves together, so there is no need to be reserved!"
Zhao Yunci laughed loudly, spurred his horse forward, and was followed by a group of princes and nobles.
In an instant, the sounds of horses' hooves, dogs' barking, and shouts echoed through the mountains and forests.
Gu Junze did not rush to chase the prey. He rode on his horse, his eyes searching through the crowd, and soon spotted Lu Ge'er following beside Master Gu.
Lu Ge'er also changed into a blue riding and archery uniform. He was tall and straight. Although he was not as strong as those military sons who practiced martial arts all year round, he had his own calm and steady demeanor.
"Minister Gu!" Zhao Yunci reined in his horse, turned around, and his gaze fell precisely on Lu Ge'er. "Is that your disciple, Lu Ge'er of the Gu family?"
Master Gu's heart tightened, and his palms began to sweat with excitement.
"Come forward and let me see you."
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Lu Ge'er spurred his horse forward with neither arrogance nor servility, dismounted, and knelt on one knee: "This humble subject, Gu Lu, pays his respects to Your Majesty."
"Be flat."
Zhao Yunci looked him over and saw that he had a handsome face and a calm gaze, without the slightest trace of youthful timidity, so she couldn't help but nod in approval.
He casually pointed to a poplar tree not far away, with a red ball used as a target hanging from its top.
"Boy, let me see what you're capable of."
Immediately, a palace attendant brought over a fine horse and presented a bow and arrows.
Lu Ge'er took the bow and skillfully mounted the horse.
He didn't draw his bow immediately, but instead trotted his horse for a while to get a feel for the horse's habits and the wind direction.
Immediately, he reined in his horse, turned around, drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed from his horse. The whole action was done in one smooth motion, without the slightest hesitation.
"Whoosh!"
The arrow left the bowstring with a whooshing sound, striking the colorful ball swaying in the wind with perfect accuracy.
With a soft "snap," the colorful ball burst open, and the red ribbons scattered down.
A moment of silence fell, followed by a burst of enthusiastic cheers.
This arrow was not only accurate, but also steady.
"Excellent!" Zhao Yunci clapped his hands and laughed, his eyes full of admiration. "He can wield a pen and draw a bow! What a talented young man, skilled in both literature and martial arts!"
He turned to look at Master Gu, his approval evident in his words: "Minister Gu, your grandson is quite good."
"Your Majesty flatters me." Master Gu suppressed his elation, bowed and replied with a humble smile on his face, "It is all thanks to the Duke's excellent guidance."
His words were both polite and an attempt to firmly link Lu Ge'er's glory with the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and his third branch of the family.
Gu Junze spoke calmly: "Your Majesty, Lu Ge'er's kung fu was not taught by me, but by Ying Qing."
Yingqing?
The emperor paused slightly, then seemed to remember something, a knowing smile appearing in his eyes.
"Yingqing," he sighed, "I remember that his martial arts were personally taught by my imperial aunt. A great teacher produces a great student; how could his disciple be anything less?"
As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.
The way everyone looked at Brother Lu changed instantly.
This young man was not only a disciple of the Duke of Zhenguo, but his martial arts lineage could also be traced back to Princess Anyang!
Although Master Gu maintained a polite smile on his face, he was secretly overjoyed.
He gripped the reins tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.
Bringing Brother Lu here was definitely the right decision!
Having left such a deep impression on the Emperor, wouldn't the child's future—no, the future of their third branch of the family—be bright?
He could almost see the road to success unfolding beneath his feet, and the glory and power of his family just around the corner.
On the other side of the hunting grounds, the women's camp appeared much quieter.
The ladies chatted and laughed in small groups, their eyes occasionally drifting to the dusty mountains in the distance, their words filled with anticipation for their husbands or children.
Empress Su Wan's tent was undoubtedly the most luxurious and elegant among them.
She did not sit with the other women, but alone on a soft couch covered with thick white fox fur, gazing into the distance through the lifted curtain.
The clamor of horns and horses' hooves, when it reached her ears, turned into only a soft sigh.
"Go and invite the Duchess of Zhenguo to come and sit down," Su Wan instructed the lady-in-waiting beside her.
"Yes, ma'am."
Before long, Chu Ruohan was led in.
"This humble woman greets Your Majesty the Empress." Chu Ruohan curtsied.
"Sister Ruohan is here, please have a seat."
Su Wan smiled sincerely, stood up herself, took Chu Ruohan's hand, and made her sit next to her.
"I've already said that in private, we call each other sisters, so there's no need for such formalities."
Chu Ruohan sat down and smiled, "Etiquette should not be disregarded."
Su Wan didn't insist anymore, but turned her gaze back to the outside of the tent, her beautiful eyes filled with a hint of envy.