Chapter 306: Kidnapping Lu Minghui

Chapter 306: Kidnapping Lu Minghui

He was sworn brothers with the Xie scions.

Yet, the Xies would never pledge loyalty to him.

He had no way out.

*No way out!*

The Xies must perish!

The Emperor’s eyes were rimmed red, his gaze a near-maddened stare.

He had no Xies, but he had the Qins.

The Qins swore fealty to him, willing to be the blade in his hand.

Thus, he was willing to bestow upon them supreme favor.

Had the Xies only been willing to serve him, all this should have been theirs.

"Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Qin requests an audience."

A gentle, reedy voice interrupted the Emperor’s storm of thoughts.

Reason gradually returned, and his gaze cleared.

He lightly brushed the wrinkles from his robes and took a sip of cold tea—everything settled back into calm.

He was once again the iron-fisted sovereign who held absolute power.

"Summon him," the Emperor said coolly.

The next moment, a metallic tang of blood lingered in the air.

The Emperor looked at Qin Erlang, prostrated and bloodied on the ground, and frowned almost imperceptibly.

This was ostensibly an act of self-abasement, but in truth, it was angling for favor.

"After all, this is a family affair. There was no need to come to the palace to plead for pardon."

Grand Tutor Qin spoke with deference: "Your aged servant failed in disciplining his son, leading to improper words and deeds that besmirched Her Majesty the Empress Dowager’s peace and disrupted her enjoyment of the banquet. This is my grave fault."

"Yuan Yu is hot-headed youth—it is understandable." The Emperor’s voice betrayed neither joy nor anger, remaining flat.

"Since the Empress Dowager has explicitly stated her wish to arrange a marriage between Yuan Yu and the Xiang eldest daughter, We cannot openly defy her."

"Within the first week of mourning, you must welcome the Xiang eldest daughter into your household, and she shall be laid in the Qin crypt."

Kneeling on the ground, Qin Erlang felt as if he were plunged into despair—tongue-tied.

Xiang Rongyue was already dead!

He had to bring her spirit tablet into his home.

It was a cruel farce.

Qin Erlang lacked the courage to voice his objections. He could only bite his lip raw and kowtow in gratitude.

Seeing the cooperation of the Qin father and son, the Emperor's voice softened slightly.

"Since Yuanqing entered officialdom, he has been diligent and responsible, never slacking even slightly. I am deeply pleased. I hereby bestow upon him the title of Grand Master of Splendid Happiness to honor his achievements and demonstrate My boundless grace."

"This old servant thanks Your Majesty for this great favor on behalf of my undeserving son." Grand Tutor Qin was overjoyed.

Yuanqing was a third-rank official, yet he bypassed the Silver Seal and Blue Ribbon Grand Master and the Gold Seal and Purple Ribbon Grand Master, directly ascending to the second-rank civil honorary title of Grand Master of Splendid Happiness—a first in Daqian’s history.

With such an honor bestowed upon him, Yuanqing would have no worries.

"Yuan Yu, I sentence you to three months of house arrest for reflection. Do you have any objections?"

"I obey Your Majesty’s command." Qin Erlang replied without hesitation.

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction. "You are still young, with plenty of chances to prove yourself. Do not let this setback crush you."

"I thank Your Majesty for your kindness."

The Emperor was learning from Emperor Wencheng's approach to the Xie family in how he treated the Qin family.

A moment later, the Emperor added, "Grand Tutor, drop your schemes against the Yongning Marquis's adopted daughter and the Treasure Pavilion."

"The Grand Tutor’s estate is wealthy enough—it doesn’t need the extra income."

Grand Tutor Qin felt a chill and hastily begged for forgiveness.

The Emperor waved his hand, unwilling to elaborate. "Leave the palace now."

Yongming Grand Princess had personally intervened for Lu Mingchao, so he had to grant her this courtesy.

As soon as Grand Tutor Qin and Qin Erlang departed, palace attendants immediately stepped forward to wipe away the bloodstains on the floor until it shone clean.

Yet the Emperor still felt a lingering stench of blood in the air.

He rose and walked outside the hall, standing atop the high stone steps—only to happen to see Empress Dowager Xie striking Grand Tutor Qin across the face.

Suddenly, the blood didn’t smell so bad.

The Emperor turned and reentered the hall.

The Qins had just been rewarded—it was only fair they got scolded too.

The next to face reprimand would be him.

Clearly, Empress Dowager Xie had come for him.

Grand Tutor Qin just had rotten luck.

…

Yongning Marquis’s estate.

Lu Mingchao was dead tired.

After removing her outer robe and resting for an hour, she felt a bit better.

Sipping the tonic soup Qing Tang had personally prepared, she murmured, "Any news from Wanxing and Beiba?"

While rubbing her calves, Qing Tang replied, "I was just going to tell you. Wanxing and Beiba have suffered a long heatwave, not a drop of rain. The ground is bone-dry, and most spring crops haven’t even sprouted."

Lu Mingchao frowned, deep in thought.

Could it be a drought?

After spring planting, the rains never came, and the heat was relentless.

The people of Wanxing and Beiba would likely have nothing to harvest come autumn.

Was this really a drought?

Lu Mingchao's brows furrowed tighter.

No matter—whether it was drought or flood, food, water, and medicine were the essentials. With enough food, water, and medicine, they could weather any disaster.

“Liu Yue.”

Lu Mingchao called out sharply.

Before the words had even faded, Liu Yue stood before her.

Lu Mingchao whispered, “Tell Xu Xun to secretly rent warehouses and stockpile medicines for epidemic prevention.”

“Seize Lu Minghui—by any means necessary, make her talk.”

Rather than fixating on Beiba and Wanxing, it was better to directly abduct Lu Minghui.

Lu Minghui valued her life.

People who cling to life tend to spill secrets easily.

Liu Yue replied, “Understood.”

“Hupo, send my calling card to Prince Duan.”

It was time for Lu Chunhe, whom Prince Duan controlled, to prove useful.

Hupo responded, “Understood.”

“Qing Tang…”

Just as Lu Mingchao was about to go on, Dan Zhu hurried in. “My lady, the Yongning Marquis waits outside.”

Lu Mingchao threw on her outer robe and put on her shoes and socks.

“Invite him in.”

Lu Mingchao noticed that, in just a few days, the Yongning Marquis’s temples had gone streaked with white. His eyes were bloodshot, shadowed by dark circles, and his shoulders were slightly hunched. He looked broken and lost.

“Chaochao,” the Yongning Marquis sighed, his voice heavy, as he sat in the armchair.

“My men have located Nanny Wang.”

Lu Mingchao quickly asked, “How is Nanny Wang?”

The Yongning Marquis hesitated, as if the words pained him. “Nanny Wang’s eyes had been gouged out, her tongue cut off, and her tendons severed. She’d been kept in a farmstead thirty li outside the capital.”

“By the time my men found her, her wounds were festering, crawling with maggots. After surrendering the hidden letter, she hurled herself at the wall.”

“She meant to die—the blow was vicious. She couldn’t be saved.”

The teacup in Lu Mingchao's hand crashed to the ground.

Tears instantly filled her eyes, and her body shook violently.

At this moment, she couldn't distinguish whether it was her own emotions or the previous soul's feelings.

She remembered clearly how Nanny Wang had said she was willing to raise her.

If she had overcome her distrust earlier and sought Yongning Marquis's help, perhaps Nanny Wang wouldn't have died.

No.

When her eyes were gouged out, her tongue cut off, and her tendons severed, Nanny Wang had already chosen death over survival.

Nanny Wang was such a refined and honorable person.

Nanny Wang remained unmarried her whole life in service to Yongning Marquis Madam, serving as her most respected lady-in-waiting.

Yet Nanny Wang never threw her weight around or punished servant boys and maidservants at will.

Whether in her own perception or the previous soul's memories, Nanny Wang was a truly wonderful person.

"Lord Lu," Lu Mingchao managed through tears, "could you allow me to see the letter Nanny Wang left behind?"

"I was raised by Nanny Wang."

"Whenever I fell ill, she would keep vigil night after night by my side."

Yongning Marquis remained silent.

The contents of the letter were enough to destroy Yongning Marquis's household.

"Let me guess what else it says..."