Lu Wanning looked at him with her pair of eyes. She bit her lips and hesitated for a while, wondering if she should summon up the courage to say that she had come to find him.
"Come here."
Sheng Jinyu's tone left no room for doubt. He led Lu Wanning around to the middle of the open training ground on the other side of the martial - arts field.
Lu Hongxi scratched his head again, gave an embarrassed smile, and waved to them. "So you weren't looking for me..."
The young generals knew that General Lu wasn't as serious as he seemed and would occasionally crack jokes. So they started chatting away. "The general was undoubtedly extremely handsome in his youth. It's a pity that he's not young anymore and can't compare to His Highness, the Prince of Yu."
Lu Hongxi ignored their jokes. He just followed Sheng Jinyu and watched the two people in the middle from a distance on the side of the training ground. Last night, he had a heart - to - heart talk with the Prince of Yu and deeply felt that this highness had the bearing of a great general. His strategies and plans far surpassed those of the Crown Prince... the eldest imperial son. No wonder the emperor favored him more.
Moreover, his wife was right. Although Sheng Jinyu was a bit cold, he was straightforward and not a womanizer. Men who were lustful usually lacked self - restraint. Sheng Jinyu was excellent in this regard. In the future, there wouldn't be a large number of women in his inner courtyard to make Ning'er sad.
Today, seeing his open and above - board manner of bringing Ning'er to the middle of the training ground, it was even more evident that he was a gentleman. This act was clearly to avoid suspicion. Even if Ning'er had come to find him on her own initiative, others wouldn't say that the two of them were overly intimate.
Moreover, Sheng Jinyu showed not the slightest bit of impatience. He was so much better than that scoundrel, Fu Rongxuan.
Although Lu Hongxi still had some misgivings in his heart, overall, he was quite satisfied.
The sunlight shone on Lu Wanning's cheeks, making her look as if there was a layer of white light around her. Her skin was fair and flawless, extremely beautiful. Since she was wearing plain clothes and wasn't made up today, looking like a natural beauty, she was even more endearing.
Sheng Jinyu frowned slightly, turned around, walked around Lu Wanning to her back, and then the two of them changed positions before he asked, "Why did Princess Zhaoyang come to find me?"
Lu Wanning looked up. She realized that it wasn't so glaring anymore. Only then did she react that just now Sheng Jinyu was afraid that she would be uncomfortable in the sunlight. A hint of joy welled up in her heart, but what came out of her mouth was, "Who said I came to find you? I... I came to find my father."
As soon as the words were out, she regretted it. If Sheng Jinyu left right now, how could she then turn around and say that she had actually come to find him? Her mouth, which always loved to be sarcastic, was too quick.
Sheng Jinyu showed not the slightest bit of displeasure. He just took a step closer and asked, "How did I die?"
Lu Wanning didn't understand. "What?"
Sheng Jinyu smiled. "In your dream, I will die two years later. I'd like to ask how I died."
Lu Wanning stared at him with wide eyes. "You... you... how do you know?"
Sheng Jinyu gave a teasing smile. "Because you dreamed about me."
"You... No, what do you mean... I... that was just a dream!"
Lu Wanning calmed down a bit. She knew that Sheng Jinyu would die in two years, but others didn't. More importantly, others didn't know that she knew. Could it be that he heard her talking in her sleep that day? No, she hadn't slept in front of him. When she was drunk? That wasn't it either. So how did he know?
Sheng Jinyu looked at her calmly. "First, tell me how I will die in two years."
Lu Wanning thought for a while. Anyway, she had investigated for so long without any results. Maybe asking him directly would provide some clues. As long as he didn't die, the possibility of the Crown Prince ascending the throne would be lower.
"You died of an illness. I... I dreamed that two years later, you were so grief - stricken that you vomited blood and died. It was an old illness."
Sheng Jinyu frowned. "An old illness? I don't have any old illnesses."
Lu Wanning immediately said, "You do. Don't you remember? When you were born, someone predicted that you wouldn't live past..."
After all, it was a curse. Lu Wanning didn't dare to say it clearly. She looked up at Sheng Jinyu nervously.
Sheng Jinyu looked at her half - smiling. "You care about me?"
Lu Wanning was irritated by his teasing look. She turned around and was about to leave.
Sheng Jinyu reached out and gently pulled her, not letting her go. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Don't worry. I'm fine and will be fine."
Lu Wanning thought for a while and still said, "Although it was just a dream, you... still should be more careful. If there really is a problem, it's better to get treated early."
Sheng Jinyu nodded. "Is that why you came to find me?"
Lu Wanning put her hands in her sleeves. She really wanted to take out the amulet, but when she looked up and saw that besides Lu Hongxi, there were also many soldiers looking over from not far away, she just didn't have the courage.
She pouted and simply asked, "I came to ask you if you already knew that Shi Aohan was the emperor's daughter?"
Sheng Jinyu said slowly, "Father has said that he only has one daughter, Qin'er, and you, Princess Zhaoyang. He has no other daughters."
Lu Wanning stared at him discontentedly. "You know exactly what I'm asking. Whether the emperor acknowledges her or not, her bloodline is real."
Only then did Sheng Jinyu nod with a faint smile. "That's right. In terms of bloodline, Shi Aohan has royal blood."
Lu Wanning lowered her head and pondered for a long time. Then she looked up and asked again, "So, last time when I deliberately spread rumors, it wasn't that the Crown Prince discovered them too early. It was you who deliberately controlled the situation and prevented the rumors from spreading?"
Sheng Jinyu shook his head. "No. I just sent someone to pass a message to the Crown Prince and disguised the matter so that the Crown Prince thought it was the doing of the Fourth Prince."
"So, the emperor's decision to take Shi Aohan as a concubine was also your idea?"
Sheng Jinyu didn't give a definite answer. It was a long time before he said, "I have my own plans for what the Crown Prince wants to do. Since I've made a decision, I must make sure everything is foolproof. At least, before I leave, all the uncontrollable factors must be eliminated."
Lu Wanning looked at Sheng Jinyu in surprise. So, not only was he behind the matter of Shi Aohan, but even the mobilization of troops for the expedition was part of his early plan?
"Shi Aohan... Heh. They thought that just Shi Aohan could gain the emperor's attention. They were stupid. Besides, there's no need to add another princess to the royal family."
Lu Wanning didn't have time to think carefully. She immediately asked again, "Then... what about Shi Aohan's mother and the emperor..."
There was a teasing look in Sheng Jinyu's eyes. "You really like to pry into these things?"
Lu Wanning immediately frowned. "Anyway, time has passed. I don't want to spread it around. It's just... uh, I'm afraid that Shi Aohan will come back again."
"It's impossible. If the world is at peace and everything is worry - free, if Sheng Chenyi presented Shi Aohan, a woman who was like the icing on the cake, to the emperor, the emperor might be happy to recognize her. But since Shi Aohan was presented as a stain, the emperor will only feel disgusted and won't have the slightest bit of pity for her. Moreover, just her mother alone was enough to disgust the emperor back then."
Unable to suppress her curiosity, Lu Wanning quickly asked again, "How did she disgust him? I heard that the emperor took a woman from the Shi family into his mansion back then, but she died before the emperor ascended the throne. From beginning to end, there was no sign of Shi Aohan's mother."