"Father's back?!!!"
If one were to ask what it felt like to go from extreme sorrow to great joy, Lu Yinxi at this moment would be the most qualified to answer.
She never expected that just moments ago she was worried sick about her father's safety, and now he was safe and sound.
What's more, she never thought that Shang Luoshu had an informant in the Regent's Mansion. It was this informant who sent the news that Prime Minister Lu had returned.
"You're not just kidding me, are you?"
Her father had just impeached the Regent at the morning court. Would Shang Mozheng really let him go so easily?
"If Miss Lu doesn't believe me, you can go back and check. If you don't see Prime Minister Lu, I'll gladly let you come back and take it out on me."
Shaking the secret letter in his hand, the man smiled confidently.
Since he decided to stay in the capital, he had people keeping an eye on the Regent's Mansion. As soon as there was any movement, a message would be sent back.
For example, the news that Prime Minister Lu had been taken into the mansion was lying on his desk. But he had left the city early and hadn't had a chance to read it.
It was only when the man there sent another message just now that he found out.
So, her father had really gone back!
Lu Yinxi immediately relaxed. Words of gratitude were about to pour out of her mouth, but when she caught sight of Shang Luoshu, she swallowed them back.
She still owed him a wish, even though Prime Minister Lu had returned on his own.
Lu Yinxi: "My words still stand. If you have any wishes, you can come to me at any time. I can use my word spirit to fulfill them for you."
Before the man could react, she immediately added, "Thank you, Your Highness, for today. This commoner girl will take her leave."
Perhaps knowing the young lady's eagerness, the coachman drove the carriage back at breakneck speed. The young girl didn't dare to waste a single moment. As soon as the carriage stopped, she jumped off the shaft and ran into the mansion.
"Father, how are you? Are you hurt? Did the Regent do anything to you?"
As soon as she saw Prime Minister Lu, Lu Yinxi jumped straight to his side and carefully examined him from head to toe. Only when she found that he didn't seem to be injured did she feel relieved and squat down at his feet.
Seeing his daughter so concerned about him, Prime Minister Lu, just like any ordinary father, felt warm and happy in his heart. However, this emotion was quickly replaced by a continuous stream of worry.
He placed his big hand on his daughter's head. As if making some kind of determination, he let out a deep breath and slowly said, "Xier, how about I send you to your uncle's place?"
Uncle? Longxi?!!!
Madam Lu was from the Su family in Longxi. Before she got married, she was also a well - known young lady in the capital. Back then, Prime Minister Lu considered himself lucky to marry her.
However, a conspiracy more than a decade ago almost wiped out the entire Su family. In the end, it was Lu Wenhan who saved the only male heir of the Su Mansion, Lu Yinxi's uncle, and sent him back to his hometown in Longxi.
She had heard all this from Hongmei not long ago, and unexpectedly, it came in handy today.
Now, he wanted to send his youngest daughter there. The implication was almost obvious for all to see.
Firmly grasping Prime Minister Lu's big hand with both hands, Lu Yinxi tentatively asked, "Father, did the Regent threaten you?"
Lu Wenhan didn't say a word. He just closed his eyes, obviously not willing to talk about it.
Seeing this, the young girl wasn't in a hurry. She tightened her grip on his hand and said, "Father, you said yesterday that you would tell your daughter everything today. Can you tell me now?"
Lu Wenhan didn't expect his daughter to still remember this at this time. His heart sank slightly. Under Lu Yinxi's faintly expectant gaze, he slowly nodded.
"It all started when the previous emperor was still alive."
Sixteen years ago, Prime Minister Lu wasn't Prime Minister Lu yet. At that time, he was just a new official in the court who was deeply favored by the previous emperor. Along with him, who was also in the emperor's good graces, was the current Prime Minister Zhang.
The two were fellow Jinshi of the same year. Both of them were ambitious and wanted to achieve great things. So they regarded each other as confidants and promised not to let down the emperor's trust. They were determined to work together to create a prosperous era.
However, reality was harsh.
Before the two young men could even start to make their moves, the emperor suddenly fell seriously ill and was in a coma all day long.
At the last moment before his death, the previous emperor, in a moment of lucidity, named his six - year - old legitimate son as the crown prince. Then he arranged a group of regents for the crown prince before finally passing away.
It was at this time that Lu Wenhan became Prime Minister Lu, but it was only in name. Because all the ministers had already followed the Regent's lead.
The most desperate thing was not this.
After the previous emperor's death and the funeral was completed, according to the etiquette, the young emperor should have ascended the throne. But the Regent didn't do anything. Instead, he secretly mobilized troops to surround the capital.
"His ambition is as obvious as that of Sima Zhao!"
When she said this, Lu Yinxi noticed that Prime Minister Lu's expression gradually became ferocious, and his teeth were grinding "咯咯" loudly.
"And then what happened?"
She brought a cup of cold tea to her father's hand and asked gently.
"And then?"
"Then, thanks to Master Kongshi and Lord Qian."
There was no one else in the study. Only Shang Luoshu was sitting on the grand master's chair, his ears filled with what Grand Tutor Xu had said this morning.
Grand Tutor Xu Zhengdao was the former tutor of the crown prince. Now he was just a title without real power. But he was a witness to the crisis in the capital sixteen years ago.
"After realizing Shang Mozheng's evil intentions, Master Kongshi used a fortune - telling to delay the traitor's actions."
"Lord Qian, the commander of the capital guards, took this opportunity to lead people to take the imperial jade seal first and defend the Eastern Palace."
"Fortune - telling?" Shang Luoshu was puzzled.
Although he was recognized as an adopted son, he had always been raised in Liyang, a jurisdiction under the capital. He was only brought back to the capital after the previous emperor's death.
"Yes, fortune - telling!" As if remembering something interesting, Grand Tutor Xu suddenly laughed. Even his wrinkles seemed to be smiling.
"At that time, Prime Minister Lu's wife was already seven months pregnant. Master Kongshi used this unborn child to scare the traitor."
"May I ask, how did the master scare him?"
Shang Luoshu asked very carefully. He had a premonition that something was emerging from the fog and slowly approaching him.
"The master said a sentence."
"He said to the traitor, 'If Your Highness insists on doing this, you may die at the hands of Miss Lu, the fourth daughter of the Lu family in the future.'"
After saying this, Xu Zhengdao suddenly burst into "haha" laughter. His powerful laughter seemed to lift the roof and spread to the capital.
However, Shang Luoshu beside him only heard the desolation in his laughter.
Xu Zhengdao wasn't much older than Prime Minister Lu, but his official career had come to a permanent halt.
The old man's voice continued.
"Back then, Master Kongshi rarely told people's fortunes, but they were all extremely accurate and would surely come true in the future. So..."
"So, the regent was scared, right?"
The man subconsciously took over the conversation. This way, he wouldn't let his mind wander to what terrible things Shang Mozheng might have done to the unborn Lu Yinxi because of this fortune - telling.
However, Grand Tutor Xu gave him an unexpected answer.
"No, he wasn't scared. Your so - called uncle didn't believe in such things at all. It was his subordinates who were scared, so they bought us some time."
"But it was only a little time, but it was enough."
After that, Shang Mozheng rallied his morale and intended to strike again, but it was too late. The imperial jade seal was no longer in his control.
To become the emperor of a country, the imperial jade seal was an extremely important symbol. Without it, even if Shang Mozheng ascended the throne, it would be unjust.
In the history books of the future, he would surely be condemned for all eternity, which was not what he wanted.
"Father, does the Regent really not believe Master Kongshi's fortune - telling?"
Halfway through hearing the past, the young girl couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Although she didn't believe what that so - called master said either, she was from modern times. Would Shang Mozheng, who was born and raised here, be the same as her?