Chapter 199: Hello Chang’an
Chapter 199: This is Not a Transaction
The head of the palace officials, after performing a bow, said with concern: "The holy Emperor has just heard that the Young Master has awoken and sent me to check on you. How do you feel now? Is there any discomfort?"
"Thank you for the holy Emperor’s concern, I truly feel overwhelmed," Li Lu replied in a weak voice, trying his best to sit up straighter to show respect. "I am fine now, please rest assured, sir."
The official sighed upon hearing this: "Young Master, you are always unwilling to report your troubles, always saying you’re fine... The more you say this, the more the holy Emperor worries about you."
With that, the official sent someone to call for a physician from the Prince Rong’s residence.
This physician had been residing in the Prince’s household for many years under the holy Emperor’s orders, specifically tasked with caring for the frail and sickly Young Master.
"...The Young Master’s old illness has flared up, with a high fever that led to fainting. Due to prolonged weakness, it made it harder for him to wake up," the physician explained in detail. "Although he is out of danger now, he must still rest properly. In addition to taking medicine on time and being cautious with diet and daily habits, he must avoid extreme emotions, such as great joy, sorrow, or shock."
The palace official nodded. "Thank you, Physician Gao."
The physician raised his hand in salute. "It is my duty."
"Since the Young Master needs to rest, we shall not disturb him further. However, the holy Emperor still has some instructions for you..." The official said, glancing around. "You may step outside for now."
The attending servants and physician then left.
Once the door was closed, it seemed that only the head official and the Young Master were left in the room.
"Is there something the holy Emperor wishes to tell me?" Li Lu asked.
The official smiled and reassured him: "No need to be anxious, Young Master. The holy Emperor is only thinking of you and just wants to remind you of a few things."
He quickly got to the point: "You must have heard by now that the Ministry of Justice is investigating the situation with Young Master Chang. It’s known that you can testify for him—"
"Yes," Li Lu quickly responded. "I did speak with Master Chang that day... I will go to the Ministry of Justice tomorrow to clarify this matter!"
Seeing the weak appearance of the young man, who still hurried to clear someone else’s name, Chang Suining, standing behind the bed curtain, felt that he was quite good at putting on an act. Surely, he could find his place among the capital's best actors.
"Yes, you should go, but there is no need to rush tomorrow," the official said with concern. "You are still so weak, how can you act so recklessly?"
"The matter of the testimony can wait. The Young Master should rest for a few more days."
"But Young Master Chang is already imprisoned..." Li Lu said.
"However, the physical evidence is already there..." The official sighed lightly. "The Young Master’s heart is pure and direct, but one must be aware that the human heart is hard to predict."
Li Lu was taken aback, and asked cautiously, "Do you mean...?"
"It’s not about what I mean," the official said, with a gentle reminder in his eyes. "What matters is that the truth is clear."
The official continued: "Although the Young Master did meet Master Chang that day, you did not go together or leave together. How would you know where Master Chang went afterward or what he did?"
Li Lu’s expression changed slightly. He opened his mouth to speak but paused cautiously.
The official added, "I am here to remind the Young Master that one cannot trust everything or speak too confidently."
"Your affection for Master Chang’s daughter is well known, but one should not act impulsively. If you are being used, and you act out of a desire to protect someone, rashly vouching for them could lead to false testimony... and that would bring trouble upon yourself."
Li Lu remained silent for a moment before finally saying, "Yes, I have always been slow to understand, thank you for the reminder. The holy Emperor’s intentions are kind, and I will remember them."
The official then showed a satisfied expression, bowed, and left.
The purpose of this visit was to remind Li Lu not to speak too definitively, and the official had left his words deliberately vague. After all, the holy Emperor didn’t need to explain everything in detail to people, he only needed to provide the "correct course of action."
"It seems... the holy Emperor has already made her choice," Li Lu sighed.
Chang Suining, who had put away her dagger, spoke in a calm tone: "It’s not really something to sigh over."
The decision to protect Ming Jin was expected.
What the other party wanted to protect was not the person Ming Jin, but the truth of the matter.
The family ties and emotions between Ming Jin and the Ming family were secondary. The real bond between them was the natural, binding force of power, interests, and reputation.
The Ming family’s actions were closely tied to the holy Emperor’s reputation. Moreover, the death of the eldest granddaughter of the Changsun family meant that if the Ming family were "branded" with this crime, the blame would inevitably fall on the holy Emperor.
In theory, sacrificing one’s family for the greater good could be acceptable, but with this matter dragging on, Ming Jin had already missed the best opportunity to do so.
Furthermore, compared to the sacrifice of a family member, abandoning the son of a military officer would come at a much lower cost.
"Since ancient times, it is tragic when a ruler does not know the loyalty of his subjects," Li Lu still sighed. "But even more tragic is when a ruler knows his subject’s loyalty, but, after weighing the benefits, is forced to abandon his loyal subject... How can one not feel sorrow?"
“General Chang has fought for half of his life, and now, despite his injuries, he has volunteered to lead the charge against the rebel forces, protecting the kingdom and the people...” Li Lu said, “He can protect the kingdom and the people, but he cannot protect his only blood relative…”
“If word of Young Master Chang being punished reaches General Chang’s ears, what will he do? Will he fight? If he fights, he must suppress the sorrow of losing his son, and he will inevitably come under suspicion from the emperor. If he does not fight, he may immediately be charged with delaying military affairs…”
As Li Lu spoke, he turned his gaze to the young woman who had stepped out from behind the screen. “The ways of the emperor are not about right or wrong, but I do feel it is unjust for General Chang.”
“Young Master is sowing discord with every word.” Chang Suining didn’t sit down this time. Instead, she turned her back to Li Lu and faced the closed window. After a moment, she spoke again: “But every word is the truth.”
In comparison to the emperor’s reputation amidst turmoil, a powerless general meant little, and his son was even less significant.
For someone like this, when they can be discarded, they should be discarded without hesitation... right?
Old Chang had done countless deeds for the empire, with countless battle scars. In the end, he was expected to sacrifice all his honor to protect a useless young scion, to have his only son take the blame and even give his life for the reckless son...
Why should that be? Just because that reckless son’s surname is Ming?
Chang Suining’s fingers tightened around the hilt of her dagger, the knuckles whitening slightly. She spoke with cold determination: “Let’s talk about the transaction between me and the Young Master. What will it take for you to speak the truth?”
“I am sorry,” Li Lu shook his head regretfully. “I’m sure you heard what the palace official said earlier, Miss Chang. The emperor has spoken clearly. I truly cannot and do not dare to defy him. If I do, I will have no place to stand in the capital.”
Chang Suining didn’t seem angry. She turned around to face him and asked, “The Young Master knows how the emperor will decide, so why speak of being unable to defy him now? Then, I ask, where is your sincerity in the transaction with my family?”
Li Lu answered honestly, “I must confess, the transaction I wish to make with Miss Chang is of a different nature.”
Chang Suining looked at him, silently urging him to continue.
“Please excuse me, but when the ruler demands the death of his subject, the subject must die. The emperor’s decision is already made, and your brother has no chance of escaping punishment.”
Li Lu continued, “Whether it is you, Miss Chang, or myself, if we try to oppose the emperor’s will, it is like trying to stop a cart with a mantis’s arm, or trying to break a stone with an egg. There is no chance of success.”
Chang Suining asked coldly, “So the Young Master intends to let this crime fall upon my brother?”
“This situation is settled,” Li Lu looked at her, his expression serious. “Miss Chang, although you are intelligent and courageous, you desire justice too much. You don’t understand that some matters have a scale of importance. Sometimes, in the face of larger issues, it is more important to survive than to insist on debating the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ openly.”
This girl had too strong a desire for justice; he had seen that on the playing field at the Imperial Academy. But this time, she wasn’t standing in a game of jiju; she was on the opposing side of the emperor.
At this moment, he was trying to make her understand that if she insisted on demanding justice at the wrong time, she would end up broken, destroyed.
Whether she listened or not, she asked, “Then, what does the Young Master consider to be the best course of action?”
“I have some people in the capital who could help your brother secretly escape.”
Chang Suining asked, “Is this a matter of switching identities, or evading capture through trickery?”
“Exactly.” Li Lu answered. “This is the only way to survive.”
“And after that?” Chang Suining pressed. “Ignoring whether anyone might find out, what will my brother do with the murder charge hanging over him? Will he have to live in hiding, forever concealing his identity?”
Li Lu answered, “I can help your brother go to Yizhou.”
Yizhou?
That was under the jurisdiction of the Prince Rong.
Li Lu reassured her, “I promise that once he reaches Yizhou, no one will be able to touch him. I will prepare a new identity for him, so that he can join the military there and fulfill his ambitions.”
Chang Suining seemed to understand.
“So, the Young Master wants to keep my brother in Yizhou as a hostage to pressure my father, correct?” she asked bluntly.
So that was his plan all along.
Li Lu, unfazed, explained, “It’s not about using him as leverage. I’ve often heard my father talk about General Chang’s great deeds since I was young. General Chang is unmatched in bravery, and he has followed the late Crown Prince through countless battles, loyal and righteous. Such a general is rare.”
“My father and I both have a great admiration for talented people. General Chang has not been used to his full potential these years, which is a waste. Now that your brother is in trouble, I simply want to help find a place where he and the future young General Chang can find refuge.”
"Ah, so the Young Master is interested in the military talents of my father and brother," Chang Suining finally understood. "So this was the real reason why the Young Master sought to marry me."
He intended to use her to win over Old Chang.
So, the Prince Rong of Yizhou had secretly been trying to win over military officers.
"Yes, though it's not entirely that." The young man spoke seriously, "I truly admire Miss Chang. You surpass others in many ways, and you have a heart unwilling to be confined to the role of a woman, just as I am unwilling to be confined to this sickly body—"
Perhaps it was because they shared this common trait that he had been drawn to the girl.
He continued, "If Miss Chang doubts my sincerity in saving your brother, I still stand by my initial offer of marriage. I am willing to make you my wife, and once we are family, I will wholeheartedly trust you, and we will face the challenges together, with no distinction between us."
To Chang Suining, these words seemed absurd: "The Young Master has great vision and is skilled in calculating."
"But—" she couldn't help but ask, "If you want to secretly save my brother, I might be able to do that. Why must we cooperate? Why make it so that while my brother escapes from prison, he ends up as a hostage in Yizhou?"
"Naturally because..." Li Lu sighed helplessly. "The best way to keep a secret is through mutual cooperation."
Chang Suining chuckled coldly: "In other words, if I don't cooperate with you, the Young Master will expose the secret and secretly prevent me from saving my brother?"
If cooperation fails, does it mean that he will destroy her brother's only hope of escape?
The Prince Rong's son sighed: "This is clearly a deal beneficial to both sides. Why does Miss Chang insist on rejecting my offer?"
"Because this is not a deal," Chang Suining looked at him. "It is coercion."
From the very beginning, he had intended to use this matter to set a trap, to draw her and her family into his chessboard, making them his pawns.
Li Lu’s gaze remained gentle: "Miss Chang should not think this way."
Chang Suining met his gaze. "The Young Master seeks talent so desperately, to the point of using any means necessary. May I take this to mean that you and the Prince Rong have rebellious intentions?"
Li Lu shook his head.
"My father and I both share the surname Li. My father is the younger brother of the late emperor, and this empire belongs to the Li family. What talk is there of rebellion?" he said. "Supporting military officers is merely to ensure the stability of the Li family and the empire."
Li Lu coughed twice to steady his breath and then continued in a calmer tone: "The situation is about to become chaotic. The emperor is elderly and no longer able to maintain control... My goals align with those of General Chang, we are like-minded. Why not work together to secure the future of this empire?"
He looked at the girl before him, who stood at the brink of destruction yet remained unyielding. Finally, he added, "Moreover, your family has no other options now."
Chang Suining stared at the young man, whose every word spoke of cooperation, but in reality, it was all coercion and condescension.
He spoke the most polite and humble words while carrying out the harshest acts of coercion.
After a moment, Chang Suining spoke: "The Young Master’s proposal was not something I expected. I will need two days to consider."
"Of course," Li Lu nodded. "We will wait for Miss Chang to think it over, and then we can discuss how to rescue your brother."
He thought to himself that it wouldn’t take more than two days—since the emperor’s will had already been decided, the next steps would no longer be as gentle as before.
She was intelligent but lacked experience. Once she faced the true storm, her hopes of finding a shortcut would fade, and she would understand that some costs were unavoidable.
He would wait for her to come back.
Li Lu watched the figure disappear behind the pearl curtain, his lips curling slightly in a smile, his eyes filled with expectation.
...
As evening fell, the lights were lit in the various palaces.
In Ganlu Hall, after the officials left following their discussions, Ming Luo returned to the inner hall and knelt before the Holy Emperor, lowering her head in a gesture of apology.
Good night~
(End of chapter)
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