CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 61: MOUNTING STOOL

Zhu Yu was eager to ask Lu Qing about the scars on his back, but she quickly remembered her initial purpose, and had to set aside this inevitably "long story" for the moment.

Apart from those three horrifying scars, there were the new injuries that Zhu Yu had been looking for tonight.

Lu Qing’s back still had swollen red marks, clearly from being beaten with sticks.

Zhu Yu frowned, puzzled, without caring about other matters, and pulled down the inner garment further.

Lu Qing did not stop her. Following her pull, he simply took off the inner garment, revealing his entire upper body.

From the shoulder blades down to the lower back, those swollen stick marks were everywhere. Zhu Yu roughly counted, more than ten, not even counting the time wasted since returning from the palace, during which some lighter bruises had faded.

Originally, she thought those guards only wielded sticks to drive them away on the road to the palace gate, still speaking respectfully to Lu Qing. She reckoned they’d have held back their strength, focusing on posturing and not striking hard.

Now it seemed that those people just had good manners, but weren’t lenient at all.

"How could they hit you so hard..." she remarked as she sat beside him, her brows knit, looking at Lu Qing, who acted as if nothing had happened, as if the injuries on his back were on someone else, unaware, "Did you anticipate facing such a situation when entering the palace?"

Lu Qing casually smiled without speaking, which was also an answer.

From their previous interactions, Zhu Yu had figured out a bit of Lu Qing’s temperament.

He usually spoke and acted in a way that made it hard to see through, but whenever it involved significant matters, he would frankly be open with her, never being cryptic.

Thus, he also preferred her to speak directly without beating around the bush.

So Zhu Yu straightforwardly voiced her doubts in her heart, as she couldn’t sleep soundly without understanding, "I don’t understand. You yourself said before, Li Wencai’s claim of being a protégé of Prince Yi was just for fame, with his abilities, he couldn’t infiltrate Prince Yi’s or Duke Yan’s faction.

Even so, if you intended to expose this matter, you wouldn’t act impulsively after catching only a small fry, this blow would surely hit empty."

"Today in the South Study Room, you saw the current Holy Emperor with your own eyes," Lu Qing turned around, putting his inner garment back on, "Does he strike you as a blind man, Madam?"

Zhu Yu quickly waved her hand, he dared to say it, but she wouldn’t dare to respond!

"Since so, do you think the influence of Duke Yan in court is significant, can he really not see it?" Lu Qing asked with a smile.

Zhu Yu was taken aback, vaguely understanding what he meant: "So, he wants to use someone else’s mouth to reveal this matter.

Others in court either rely on Duke Yan’s support and can’t curry favor with him enough, or they dread the influence of Duke Yan’s faction, they want to speak but dare not.

Only the Golden-faced Imperial Censor, personally appointed by the Holy Emperor, saying it would seem most reasonable."

"Madam truly is wise." Lu Qing nodded.

"If that’s the case, after you spoke his mind, why did he still order people to beat us with sticks all the way out to the palace gate from the South Study Room?" Zhu Yu just asked out when an idea abruptly cleared the half-blocked doubts in her heart, "Oh... he is doing it deliberately for those in the palace, to let people spread how the Holy Emperor favors and protects Duke Yan or Prince Yi, to reach the ears of those attentive outside the palace."

"Back when the Holy Emperor’s reign was unsteady, he encountered several deadly situations, two of which he barely survived, if not for Duke Yan and another clan member’s full assistance at a great cost, the current Da Jin’s prosperity might not exist.

Such immense merit wouldn’t be easily shaken by minor issues, otherwise the Holy Emperor would become an ungrateful person who disregards past loyalties, wouldn’t he?"

Lu Qing wore a faint smile at the corner of his mouth but there was no warmth in his eyes, he added: "You are Zhu Cheng’s daughter, whether legitimate or not, you have a decent background, and you naturally know that nobles always need a footstool to mount a horse.

You needn’t hold grudges against those guards, receiving a lord’s pay, they owe loyalty to the lord’s affairs, even if it’s a performance, doing it thoroughly is not wrong."

Zhu Yu found sense in his words.

Indeed, Duke Yan had supported the Holy Emperor onto the throne back then, this enormous merit was heard even if not all details were known.

When the imperial edict first arrived at Shuo Country, even Princess Shuo secretly complained to Zhu Cheng, saying if this marriage was bestowed to Duke Yan’s grandson, Prince Yi’s Lu Zhang, she’d be willing to marry her only daughter off.

At that time Zhu Cheng laughed at Princess Shuo for daydreaming, everyone knew among the marriageable princes, the most sought after was the Second Prince Lu Zhang, how could he possibly be given to their Shuo Country.

But from what Lu Qing just indicated, the pivotal force supporting the Holy Emperor’s governance back then came from two factions, yet now the world only knows of Duke Yan’s glorious military achievements and utmost nobility, but hasn’t heard of another clan with the same honor.

So that other clan of merit...

Zhu Yu suddenly recalled the numerous memorial tablets Lu Qing had brought her to pay respects.

"So, those other meritorious clansmen... are they your family?" She looked at Lu Qing, surprised.

"Madam is surprisingly chatty today, making me feel a bit flattered as your husband." Lu Qing suddenly shifted towards Zhu Yu, "Earlier, Madam stripped off my inner clothing without a word, carefully inspecting front and back, now discussing some other things..."

He leaned towards her: "Could it be... Madam has some thoughts about your husband?"

Zhu Yu just then noticed this man had put his inner clothing back on but hadn’t tied the sash, with his front slightly open, leaning towards her, revealing a glimpse of his chest and firm waist.

Raising her eyes, she saw Lu Qing’s face so near, even with his mischievous smile, his eyes were still like deep pools, dizzying.

Even Zhu Yu, unmoved by seeing bare corpses or facing perilous waves, still felt a flush of heat uncontrollably rushing to her forehead at this moment.

She quickly stood up, briskly walking back to her bedside, forcing calmness, "Prince, you jest, I also inspected Lu Family’s housekeeper just as thoroughly, does that mean I have thoughts about him too?"

Lu Qing detected the slight fluster in her voice, laughed over the screen, while fastening the sash of his inner clothing, he said: "Madam always had a bold spirit, but no need to be that bold.

You’ve had a hard day today, rest early. Tomorrow, feel free to relax at home, whatever you wish, I have matters after the morning court and will return late."

"Didn’t the Holy Emperor say earlier that you’re not allowed to enter the palace without summons?" Zhu Yu eased her breath, curiously asked.

On the other side of the screen, Lu Qing had already extinguished the lamp, plunging the room into darkness.

"It is the Golden-faced Imperial Censor who cannot enter the palace without permission. Prince Xiaoyao’s attendance at morning court is not exempt."