lcionline Chapter 54 I was wrong, but I'll do it again next time!
Chapter 54 I was wrong, but I'll do it again next time!
When Shen Che returned from the palace, he didn't see Shen Qing. His heart skipped a beat, and a bad premonition immediately arose. He asked people to search for them, but Du Zhong and Shen Yun were not there either. The post station clerk said that they had gone boating on the lake.
Shen Che didn't believe it. He had been traveling almost entirely by water since arriving in Yu Kingdom, and he was already sick of swimming these past few days. The clerk winked and said, "The Duke of Yuanzhen is hosting a poetry gathering, and all the high-born ladies of Yu Kingdom will be there. It's definitely worth a visit."
"..."
Shen Che naturally didn't believe it. His sister wasn't a real man, so how could she be interested in beautiful women? It must be a cover-up, and she was up to some kind of trick again.
As the sun began to set, Shen Che couldn't help but worry. Qingxi was a young woman, unfamiliar with the place and the people of Yudu. What if something happened to her?
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became, imagining a thousand different scenarios. Unable to sit still any longer, he paced back and forth at the entrance of the inn.
Just as Shen Che was considering whether to report it to the authorities, Du Zhong drove up to him with tears in his eyes, his gaze filled with grievance.
Shen Che's heart tightened. Qingxi was really in trouble!
As the carriage came to a stop, Shen Qing nimbly jumped down, lifting the curtain, and cheerfully asked, "Brother is back! Have you had dinner yet?"
Shen Che looked Shen Qing up and down and saw that Shen Qing was completely unharmed. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but when he thought of Du Zhong's expression just now, his face darkened and he said in a sinister tone, "What 'good deeds' did Sanlang do today?"
Shen Yun leaned out of the carriage and said, "Lord Shaoqing, Sanlang has done a really good deed today!"
"..." Shen Che felt that things were getting increasingly bad.
Back in the inn's private room, Shen Yun, with exaggerated gestures, recounted in a farcical manner how Shen Qing had heroically rescued a damsel in distress that day, doing a good deed anonymously, leaving without seeking recognition, and praising Shen Qing for not only being highly skilled and daring but also being thoughtful and considerate in his dealings with others.
Seeing that Shen Che's expression was not good, Shen Qing chuckled awkwardly and said, "Jun Yue is too kind to me. It's not that exaggerated."
"Sanlang, there's no need to be modest. Everything I said is true."
Seeing the two still arguing and boasting to each other, Shen Che pressed his temples with a headache, unable to understand why Qingxi, a young woman, was so tender and chivalrous towards women, both towards Lu Huanong and Lu Yuanzhi whom he had never met. Could it be that Qingxi was originally a man who was accidentally reborn as a woman?
Well, it was indeed a good deed, and it didn't cause any bad consequences, so let's just let it go.
Shen Che consoled himself, picked up his teacup, and casually asked, "Why are you back so late?"
"Oh~ I ran into Marquis Wei Yun while boating on the lake. I went to his pleasure boat for drinks, and because he had a courtesan from the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) to keep me company, I stayed a little longer."
"Pfft!" Shen Che spat out a mouthful of tea. "You even hired a courtesan!?"
Shen Qing quickly explained, "It wasn't me! It was already on Marquis Wei Yun's pleasure boat!"
Seeing this, Shen Yun felt that Shen Che's discipline was too strict, so he comforted him, "Sanlang was just drinking and chatting with two courtesans, Uncle Che doesn't need to get so worked up."
Shen Che gave a forced smile and said, enunciating each word clearly, "Drinking and chatting?"
"What's wrong with that?" Shen Yun hadn't realized the seriousness of the situation. "A man who isn't romantic in his youth is wasting his life. Even if he becomes the patron of a courtesan, it's still a beautiful story."
Bro! Please shut up! Don't you ever read the room when you speak?
Seeing Shen Che's dark face, which was almost dripping with water, Shen Qing thought, "Better to sacrifice a friend than myself," and pointed at Shen Yun, saying, "He insisted on keeping us here. After all, our boat is damaged and we can't go ashore. I had no choice but to do so!"
Shen Yun: ? ? ?
"boom--"
Shen Yun was locked out of the room. He touched his nose, which had almost been hit by a falling object. What happened?
In the room, Shen Qing humbled himself, and like all scumbags, he apologized and swore he would never do it again, but in reality, he would do it again next time!
Meanwhile, at the Lu residence—
Lu Yuanzhi changed her clothes and knelt on Old Madam Lu's lap, sobbing pitifully.
"How dare you, you illegitimate son!" Old Madam Lu was furious after hearing what had happened. She thought that if Liang Shou's evil scheme succeeded, the consequences would be unimaginable. Bah! He's just a toad trying to eat swan meat!
She glared angrily at Lu Qin, the Grand Master of Ceremonies, who was frowning and silent, and said, "My lord, you heard it too. The Liang family is going too far. You must stand up for Yuanzhi and avenge her!"
Lu Qin pondered for a long time before saying, "This matter needs to be considered carefully."
"What's there to discuss?" Old Madam Lu said dismissively, "Just a mere Earl of Weiyuan."
“For a mere Earl of Weiyuan to act in this way, he must have something to rely on.” Lu Qin’s eyes were like deep pools, making it impossible to see through his calculations.
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Lu pondered carefully but couldn't figure out what powerful connection they, as newly risen nobles, could possibly have.
Lu Qin said meaningfully, "The Earl of Weiyuan seems to be getting quite close to the Second Prince lately."
"So what if he's the Second Prince? The Crown Prince Jian is on the Emperor's side. He'll just be a prince in the future. What can he possibly do?"
"But the Crown Prince is currently in the southern border region."
"The Crown Prince is only overseeing supplies from the rear; he won't be on the battlefield himself... Could it be..."
"It's hard to say. The situation in the southern border is unclear, and there are undercurrents in the court. Any unusual activity could be a trap. We should not act rashly for the time being, but remain calm and wait for all changes."
Having navigated the ups and downs of officialdom for many years, Old Madam Lu still trusted his judgment. However, seeing her granddaughter's aggrieved expression, she said unwillingly, "Should we just let Liang Shou go like this? That would be too lenient on him!"
"Make a note of it for now. Once the situation becomes clear after the Crown Prince returns to court, there will be a time for reckoning."
Although Lu Yuanzhi was disappointed, she understood the bigger picture and comforted the old lady, saying, "Grandmother, the overall situation is more important. I can endure and wait!"
Looking at her sensible granddaughter, Grandma Lu felt both gratified and heartbroken. She hugged her and said, "My dear granddaughter, you've suffered so much."
"Grandmother, I would like to visit that young hero to express my gratitude. Is that alright?"
We really should thank him. I heard that Shen Qing rescued the person without any physical contact whatsoever. He's a true gentleman. If it weren't for him, her pure and innocent granddaughter would have been ruined by that beast.
But remembering what Lu Qin had just said, Old Madam Lu turned her gaze to Lu Qin for his opinion.
"This kid's appearance is too suspicious. It might be another setup. Let's send someone to investigate his background before making any decisions."
Lu Yuanzhi remained silent, but thought to herself that such a considerate person should not be a bad person, but he also followed his grandfather's arrangements and would not act rashly on his own.
Tonight is destined to be a sleepless night. Liang Shou also lost his temper at home and smashed a house full of antiques and artifacts.
Lady Weiyuan pulled him aside and comforted him, "She's just the granddaughter of a Grand Master of Ceremonies. Once the Second Prince's matter is settled..."
"Shut up!" Marquis Weiyuan's expression changed.
Lady Weiyuan immediately fell silent and whispered, "Please be patient a little longer."