The news of the morning court soon reached the Lu family, and the people from the noble families who came to ask questions filled the front hall of the Lu family.
After Lu Qin finally got rid of the people, he went back to Lu Chongyuan and flew into a rage: "Xiao Yan, that eunuch, is clearly slandering us. When has our mansion ever had any dealings with Prince Cheng?!"
Lu Chongyuan looked calm and said, "But Hou Rui is indeed the Lu family's secret agent."
Lu Qin became even more angry when he heard this: "Father secretly supported Hou Rui because he wanted to have someone in the Six Departments who was not under the sight of outsiders, but I didn't expect him to betray the Lu family."
"If it weren't for my father, he would be nothing more than a small official in the Treasury Department. How dare that ungrateful bastard use the power of the Lu family to collude with King Cheng, and now he's blaming us!"
Lu Chongyuan was not as furious as Lu Qin. Although he didn't understand why Hou Rui would collude with King Cheng and even take the risk to connect him with the Ordnance Department and help him stockpile those weapons, he always felt that something was wrong.
Since he had promoted Hou Rui in the first place, he naturally knew all his details.
Not to mention the support over the years, Hou Rui had a bright future following the Lu family. He would be able to become the Minister of War in three to five years at the latest. Why did he abandon the Lu family and join a half-disabled prince? Did he dare to take such a big risk just for a little bit of profit?
And the person Lu Chongyuan fears the most is Xiao Yan.
After dealing with Xiao Yan so many times, the eunuch would never do anything without certainty. Since he dared to report the matter to the emperor, he must have obtained solid evidence.
In other words, this matter is probably not just about Prince Cheng and Hou Rui, the Lu family must be involved.
But who is that person?
Someone from outside came to report that someone had come from the palace.
When Lu Chongyuan and the others saw Jinzhi, Lu Qin remembered the last time Empress Lu sent someone to the palace, and couldn't help but show a mocking expression: "Why, the Empress is well-informed, and sent you to add insult to injury?"
Jinzhi said quickly, "Second Master, you misunderstood. The Queen did know what happened in the morning court, but she absolutely did not believe that the Master would have a secret relationship with Prince Cheng. The Queen said that the Lu family already has four princes, and it is impossible for them to go far away and cling to a prince with no future. There must be a villain behind this."
She bowed towards Lu Chongyuan and said, "The queen is worried about the master's health, so she specially asked me to come and visit him."
Lu Qin snorted coldly when he heard this, not believing Jinzhi's words at all.
However, Lu Chongyuan's expression softened.
He knew that the Queen might not have sent someone to visit him, but most likely wanted to ask about the Lu family and Prince Chen. But at least she was willing to express her trust in the Lu family and did not allow others to alienate and add insult to injury at this time. This was enough for the Lu family.
Lu Chongyuan glanced at Lu Qin who was about to mock him, and stopped him from saying anything. Then he said to Jin Zhi, "The Lu family is indeed unaware of Prince Cheng's affairs, and we don't know why he would bite the Lu family. But please rest assured, Queen, whether it is a villain or someone in the family who dares to collude with others in secret, I will investigate the matter as soon as possible."
"I heard that the queen was ill a few days ago. I wonder if she is doing well in the palace?"
Jinzhi smiled bitterly: "My Lord also knows what His Majesty is thinking. Ever since the master was imprisoned, His Majesty reprimanded the queen for pleading for him, and His Majesty has been tired of her."
"There are many new people entering the palace, and Your Majesty is in an awkward situation. If it weren't really difficult, Your Majesty wouldn't claim to be sick and stay in the palace to save the Empress's face."
She did not hide the fact that the queen was pretending to be sick: "The queen also hopes that the family is well, that the master can be released from prison as soon as possible, and that the master can return to the court as soon as possible. She and His Highness still have to rely on the family. If anything happens to the family, she, the queen..."
It seemed that she couldn't continue speaking, and Jinzhi's eyes were full of bitterness when she lowered them.
Seeing this, Lu Chongyuan said, "Don't worry, Madam. The Lu family won't fall so easily."
Jinzhi spoke a few words to Lu Chongyuan and the others, expressing Queen Lu's concern, and then said goodbye and left, saying that she could not leave the palace for too long.
After seeing her leave, Lu Qin couldn't help but taunt her: "She finally remembered us now. Wasn't she happy to see the Lu family in trouble?!"
Lu Chongyuan glanced outside and said, "After all, the queen is from the Lu family. His Majesty hates aristocratic families and will not treat her well. She will naturally think of the good things in her family when she is in a difficult situation. If she can see her identity clearly and be of one mind with her family, it will be a good thing."
Things changed too quickly for the Lu family, and there has been no news of the pregnancy of the woman previously sent to the Fourth Prince's mansion. If the Queen can really come to her senses and work together with the Lu family, the pressure on the Lu family will be much less. Besides, he is not willing to abandon the Fourth Prince unless it is absolutely necessary.
Lu Qin snorted coldly.
Lu Chongyuan did not mention the matter of the queen again. He just said calmly, "Xiao Yan would never do something without a purpose. I'm afraid there is something wrong in the Lu family. Go check the people in the family immediately, especially those related to the canal transportation. If there are really unclean ones, deal with them as soon as possible."
…
Before Jinzhi left the Lu family, she went to see Mrs. Lu, Guan. Because her son was missing and her husband was imprisoned, Guan became extremely thin and haggard in a short period of time, and she looked sickly.
Seeing Jinzhi coming over, she hurriedly came out to greet her: "Why is Aunt Jinzhi here?"
"Madam, how come you are so thin?"
Jinzhi was shocked, and then worried: "The queen was scolded by His Majesty for pleading for the master, and it has been difficult to invite you to the palace during this period, but she is worried about you, so she specially asked me to come to see you today and bring you some things."
"The queen has always been thinking about you. She is afraid that you will be embarrassed by the people in the clan, and she is also worried about your health. If she saw you like this, I don't know how sad she would be."
When Guan heard Jinzhi's words, tears instantly filled her eyes.
Ever since the Lu family encountered trouble, the eldest branch of the family has become the target of public criticism, and all members of the Lu family feel that all the disasters in the family were caused by Lu Zhinian.
If he had not nearly killed Song Tangning, Xiao Yan would not have seized the opportunity to control the Lu family. If he had not made repeated mistakes and fallen into Xiao Yan's hands, so many things would not have been implicated later.
The Lu family was once a prominent family, but now it has fallen into such a state. Before, when Lu Zhao was still in the mansion, the situation of the eldest wife was relatively good, and those people did not dare to do anything to their faces.
However, ever since Lu Zhao was arrested and imprisoned because of the grain tax account book, his father-in-law Lu Chongyuan was also confined to the mansion, and the first room became the place where everyone vented their anger.
Lu Chongyuan was busy with clan affairs and had no time to take care of other things. Guan was not a strong person to begin with. She had experienced the fickleness of human nature while protecting her young son during this period, but she did not expect that the Queen would still remember her.
Guan cried, "Thank you, Madam, for still remembering me."
"You and the queen are close relatives, so the queen has always been thinking about you." Jinzhi held her hand and comforted her, "The queen wanted to come and see you earlier, but she is in the palace and it is inconvenient for her to go out. The master and others blamed her for the previous incident, and she couldn't intervene in the affairs of the palace. But the queen specially asked this servant to bring you something."
She took out the jade bracelet from her bosom and said, "This is the bracelet that the Empress had blessed when she was still in the boudoir. The master prayed that everything would go well after wearing it, and it would protect people from harm. It was because of this bracelet that the Empress won the favor of the late emperor and was arranged to marry His Majesty. I have kept it with me all these years."
"There have been a series of incidents in the mansion, and both Sanlangjun and Da Ye have been framed by villains. The Queen specially asked me to bring this bracelet to you. I hope that after you wear it, you can save Da Ye from danger and protect you and Xiaolang."
Guan looked at the extremely delicate jade bracelet and shook her head quickly: "This is something that your Majesty has kept close to her body. I cannot accept it..."
"You can wear it."
Jinzhi took her hand and put the bracelet on her wrist: "This is the Queen's intention, and she hopes for your well-being."
"The queen said that the families of the nobility are indifferent to human feelings and have always put their own interests first. You must have been wronged after the master got into trouble. Although she can't do anything to the master and the others, if you have trouble in the future, you can bring the young master to the palace. Even if it's for the sake of the master, she will protect you."
Guan felt the warmth on her wrist and listened to Jinzhi's promise. Her tears welled up. She felt that the queen was the best person in the Lu family. She held the bracelet on her wrist and sobbed, "Thank you, Queen."
Jinzhi gently reminded: "I can't stay for long, I have to go back to the palace first. Please don't spread the matter of the bracelet, Madam. Otherwise, if the Second Madam and the others knew that this thing was only given to you, I'm afraid they would blame you."
Guan said quickly: "I know, I will not cause trouble for you."
Jinzhi said, "Then I will leave first. Your Majesty will do her best to take care of the master's affairs. Madam, don't worry."
Guan nodded repeatedly.
When Jinzhi left, she couldn't help but look back at Guan, who was holding the bracelet with a grateful look on her face, and a trace of reluctance flashed across her eyes.
The eldest lady was an extremely kind person and had always treated her servants very well. Thinking about her future fate, she only felt guilty, but thinking of the Empress, Jinzhi could only harden her heart and turn away.
After Guan sent Jinzhi away, she wiped her tears and returned to her room with the things sent from the palace. Her youngest son, who was less than eight years old, saw her crying and hurried forward.
"Mother, why are you crying? Who bullied you?"
Guan hugged her little son and choked up, "No one bullied me. I just felt that there were good people in the Lu family. Xuan'er, you must remember the Queen's kindness and repay her when you grow up."
The child looked confused: "Empress?"
He knew that his aunt was the queen, and he had followed his brother into the palace before. However, after his brother disappeared, the queen had not summoned them for a long, long time.
In the child's mind, the queen was already a very powerful person. With childish eyes, he leaned against his mother and asked softly, "Can the queen save my father?"
"Yes."
Guan's eyes were red and she hid the bracelet on her wrist in her sleeve.
The Queen Mother is so kind, she will definitely save her husband, even if she really can't... She looked down at the young child in her arms. If something really happened to her husband, the Queen Mother would be able to protect them a little and let Xuan'er grow up safely and not be abandoned by the Lu family.
"Xuan'er, you must remember that if there comes a day when the palace can no longer accommodate you, go find the Queen."
The little child didn't understand anything. He just kept his mother's words in mind and nodded obediently: "Mother, I understand."
Remember that the Queen is a good person.
…
After Jinzhi left the Lu family, she got on a carriage and returned to the palace.
Outside the bluestone wall, a vendor wiped the cloth hanging around his waist and said to the person next to him:
"Go and report to the governor, the fish has taken the bait."