The room was filled with the fragrance of ambergris. The spring sunlight filtered through the paper windows, casting a glow on the floor. Through the gaps in the windows, one could see the falling peach blossoms.
Outside was a warm and delightful spring scene, but the people in the room broke out in a cold sweat for no reason.
The long silence weighed heavily on people's hearts. Finally, someone couldn't bear it anymore and bravely took the lead to speak, "Your Highness, although we've lost Zhu Chengjie, we've also learned the purpose of His Highness the King of Jing staying in the capital all these years. It's not a loss..."
At the end of the sentence, the tail - note was forced to be taken back under Shang Mozheng's sinister gaze. The man subconsciously swallowed his saliva and didn't dare to make a sound anymore.
"Not a loss? So this is what all of you think?"
Everyone knelt on the ground with their heads lowered. No one dared to answer.
"What about you? Do you think so too?"
He casually pointed at one person. That person's body visibly trembled. He could only brace himself and say, "My reply to Your Highness is that in the matter of Fang Qinhu this time, it mainly involves Lin Shaoqing. He is a student of Prime Minister Zhang. Could it be that..."
Sensing the sharp gaze from above, the staff's voice gradually faded away, and he didn't dare to say anything more.
"I've my own considerations regarding Prime Minister Zhang. It's this Shang Luoshu. I underestimated him."
Looking at the whole thing, it seemed that his shadow was everywhere. This failure was mostly related to him, but that was all.
After his mood had calmed down a bit, the anger in Shang Mozheng's voice finally weakened a bit. "I heard that this matter is also related to a woman. What's going on?"
"My reply to Your Highness. The woman's name is Lu Yinxi. She is the fourth daughter of Prime Minister Lu's mansion. It is said that she was raised in a manor since childhood and has only returned to the capital for a short time."
"Lu Wenhan's daughter?"
A look of confusion flashed across his brows. After a moment, a look of understanding appeared on Shang Mozheng's face, and even a faint smile emerged. "Time flies so fast. More than a decade has passed in a blink of an eye."
There was another pink note. Knowing that he had already discovered it, Shang Luoshu still didn't care at all and still let Hongmei deliver the news, mostly about the disposal of Fang Qinhu and his group.
Although he was framed, it was a fact that he had become a bandit. So the court didn't know how to deal with him for a while.
However, Zhou Kou's arrangement had already come down. He was taken under Shang Luoshu's command.
"What's the matter this time?"
Lu Yinxi was annoyed at the sight of that person's handwriting. She simply threw the pink note aside and directly asked Hongmei. If it weren't so difficult for those in the inner courtyard to get news from the outside, she really wanted to pack Hongmei up and send her back.
"Master wants to see you. The time is set for the Chen hour three days later at the Yinjiang Teahouse."
"Humph, just because he wants to see me, I have to go?"
Hongmei knew that the fourth young lady was not willing, so she became even more respectful. "Master said that he knows something about the Regent King and can tell you."
It was a precise strike!
The prepared refusal had no chance to be uttered at all. But Lu Yinxi still wanted to struggle a bit. "Didn't you tell him that Mother won't let me go out?"
After that day, although Mrs. Lu didn't watch the young lady all the time, she still wouldn't let her go out. So these days, she had been staying at home.
Hearing the hint that the young lady was softening, Hongmei immediately took advantage of the situation.
"Master said that three days later is the first session of the Spring Imperial Examination. Fourth Young Lady can use the excuse of seeing off the eldest young master for the exam to leave the prime minister's mansion."
"The Spring Imperial Examination?"
The young lady suddenly sat up straight. She suddenly realized. How could she have forgotten about this? In a few days, it would be the once - every - three - year Spring Imperial Examination. Her elder brother, Lu Yinjian, was going to take part in it. No wonder she had rarely seen him these days.
Come to think of it, this seemed to be his second time taking the exam.
Three days later
Just as Shang Luoshu had expected, after Lu Yinxi expressed her willingness to see off her elder brother for the exam, Mrs. Lu only hesitated for a moment before agreeing.
The Spring Imperial Examination consisted of three sessions, each lasting three days. During the exam, the candidates had to eat, drink, and sleep inside.
Although it was early spring, the cold still lingered. To prevent cheating, the candidates were not allowed to wear clothes with interlayers, which made it very difficult. So every time, there were candidates carried out from inside.
Even as the son of Prime Minister Lu, Lu Yinjian couldn't avoid such hardships.
"Brother, I'm rooting for you!"
"Okay."
He stroked his sister's hair, picked up his things, and walked into the queue. To prevent cheating, all the scholars had to undergo a full - body search before entering the examination hall.
It was not until they saw their son enter the hall that Mrs. Lu and Lu Yinxi got back into the carriage and prepared to return home.
"Mother, are we going back so early?"
Sensing the meaning behind her words, Mrs. Lu immediately became vigilant. "What do you want to do?"
"Mother, I've been staying in the mansion for a long time. I'm so bored. It's such a nice day today. I want to go to the teahouse to listen to storytelling."
Her wild phoenix - like eyes drooped, and her long eyelashes like crow feathers also wilted. A trace of guilt flashed through Su's heart. These days, she had indeed restricted Xi'er too much.
Seeing that her mother's expression softened, the young lady took the opportunity to press on.
"Mother, if you're worried about me, you can let me take Lu Hu with me, or you can go to the teahouse with me?"
After staying in the Buddhist hall for so many years, Mrs. Lu no longer liked the bustling environment of the teahouse. Knowing this, the young lady said so.
After thinking for a long time, Mrs. Lu finally gave in.
"I'll let Lu Hu follow you."
"Thank you, Mother."
After sending her daughter to the door of the Yinjiang Teahouse and giving a few more instructions, Mrs. Lu then led the people back to the mansion.
After the carriage and horses had gone far away, the coquettishness on Lu Yinxi's face faded away.
"Hongmei, lead the way."
"Yes."
In just a few breaths, the three of them stopped in the private room at the innermost part of the second floor.
"Lu Hu, I want to sit alone for a while. You and Hongmei guard outside."
Lu Hu didn't dare to disobey the order and replied, "Yes."
Pushing open the door and entering, she saw that the flower window was wide open. The sunlight with the breath of the peach - blossom season shone into the room. Shang Luoshu was sitting by the window, bathing in it. His eyes had been on the street outside. Only when he heard the sound of the door opening did he turn his head.
"Fourth Young Lady, you're here."
Ignoring the smile on his face, Lu Yinxi took out a small booklet from her sleeve and directly threw it in front of him. "The ledger. Here you are!"
She was still angry.
To be honest, in all his years, Shang Luoshu had no experience in coaxing girls. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had to ask Chen Guang for advice.
"Fourth Young Lady is still so fiery - tempered."
"If you were almost drowned by someone's scheme, wouldn't you be angry?"
Regarding the matter of saving Zhou Kou that day, Lu Yinxi originally planned to let it go. But when she saw Shang Luoshu today, she couldn't help but think of the matter of being schemed against by him.
Although she was the one who made the final choice in the end, if this person hadn't lured her into such a situation, would she have made the choice to save someone?
As a result, she was overwhelmed by the pain, and finally lost her footing and fell into the water!
Too lazy to argue with him about these things anymore, Lu Yinxi continued to keep a straight face.
"I'm here, and I've returned the ledger to you. What about the matter of the Regent King? Are you going to tell me or not?"
Since he was adopted as an adopted son by the late emperor, few people had treated Shang Luoshu in this way. The man felt a bit embarrassed, but more of it was helplessness.
"I'll tell you, but are you sure you want to stand and listen to me?"
After thinking for a while, figuring that he wouldn't dare to do anything, Lu Yinxi finally compromised and sat opposite Shang Luoshu.
"Speak."
Seeing the expression on the young lady's face, the man's plan to apologize in person was forced back into his heart. In her current state, even if he apologized in person, she probably wouldn't forgive him, right?
It was really ridiculous. He, the King of Jing of the Great Qi, was hesitating here because of a woman.
While thinking, Shang Luoshu decided to postpone the apology and tell her about Shang Mozheng first.
"Regarding the Regent King, I think you should know that he is the brother of the late emperor."
Lu Yinxi nodded as a response.
Just as the man was about to continue, there was an untimely knock on the door outside. Then Hongmei's voice came in.
"Master, the Regent King has led people into the teahouse."