Lord Lu had been stationed as an official outside the capital for many years, serving diligently in Yuxi County with outstanding achievements. Upon his return to the capital, he had expected to be reassigned to govern another region as a prefect. To his surprise, however, he was transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Lu Chao thought the position of Agricultural Supervisor wasn’t bad at all, but seeing Lord Lu’s gloomy expression in the carriage and mindful of prying ears outside, he held back his questions. Only when they returned home, with no one around, did he quickly try to console his father.
"Father, His Majesty’s arrangement must be due to your outstanding contributions to agriculture and sericulture. That’s why he specifically assigned you to the Ministry of Agriculture. Are you still hoping to be stationed outside the capital?"
Lord Lu sighed, his gaze carrying a hint of guilt as he looked at Lu Chao.
"It’s not that. In truth, I understand well that the people of Yuxi County owe their current livelihood to you. Without you, perhaps..."
Lu Chao poured Lord Lu a cup of tea, interrupting him.
"Why say such things, Father? Though I proposed the idea, it would have come to nothing if you hadn’t adopted it and persisted."
Mentioning this, Lu Yuanyi couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotions. In his childhood memories, his father had always been a strict figure, pushing him daily to study. The slightest slack would invite punishment, and he was often compared to his elder brother. As a result, he had grown up both revering and fearing Lord Lu.
But during their years in Yuxi, Lu Yuanyi witnessed Lord Lu leaving early and returning late each day, dedicating himself entirely to the people. He watched as his father humbled himself to drink and socialize with the county’s clan elders to secure road repairs. When Yuxi County suffered a devastating fire during Prince Kang’s tribute ceremony, making astragalus root worth its weight in gold, Lu Yuanyi was handling the procurement. Lord Lu pleaded with him daily, asking if the villagers could profit first, promising to replenish the stock later.
From then on, Lu Yuanyi’s perception of Lord Lu changed. The old distance and fear gradually faded, and their father-son relationship grew closer.
"Father, don’t undervalue yourself. Your actions have earned you the Ten Thousand People’s Umbrella from the grateful citizens."
Lord Lu smiled faintly, suppressing the bitterness in his heart.
"My sigh isn’t about the position. There are merits to serving outside the capital, just as there are advantages to staying in the capital. Enough—I’m fine. I’m just worried about any missteps when meeting His Majesty. A promotion is a good thing. Go light some firecrackers outside and tell your mother we’ll honor our ancestors tonight to give thanks for the Emperor’s grace."
After his sons left, Lord Lu’s shoulders slumped. For years, he had toiled day and night to repay the Emperor’s favor, alleviating the people’s hardships. Yet his promotion came not from his own efforts, but because of his son’s marriage prospects. It was laughable and pitiable.
That night, Lord Lu drank until his face flushed red. Lu Chao and Lu Yuanyi helped him back to his room, noticing the tear stains at the corners of his eyes. Lu Chao could guess the reason but could only sigh.
Late at night, Lu Chao was still busily drafting plans for a coming-of-age ceremony when a shadow fell across his desk. He looked up—it was none other than Xiao Youcheng.
"You, a prince, really must stop appearing in the dead of night! It’s downright eerie!"
"No choice. Too many eyes on me during the day."
Xiao Youcheng was exhausted lately—juggling tasks for his father while ensuring he didn’t appear too ambitious. Every word had to be weighed three times before speaking. It was mentally draining.
"The old man wants me overseeing this year’s imperial exams. Tch. I don’t want this responsibility."
Slouching in the chair, Xiao Youcheng spoke in a low, hoarse voice.
Advisors and ministers assumed the Emperor was paving his way to the throne by entrusting him with the exams. But his instincts told him it was a trap. If he dared use this to build connections for his future reign, his father wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate him. The Crown Prince’s concubine was five months pregnant, reportedly with a son, and the Emperor was overjoyed.
"Traditionally, the exams were the Chancellor’s duty. Now that the Murong Family’s influence has waned, the noble families are scrambling to fill the gap. The waters run too deep here."
A tree with deep roots wasn’t easily toppled.
"Then find an excuse to refuse. Besides, you’ve only been in the Imperial Academy a few years—you’re no expert on the exams. The more people fawn over you now, the more your father will fear you. No need to strain your relationship."
The situation was tricky. If Prince Kang followed convention, he’d be accused of currying favor with the nobility. If he broke from the Murong Family’s legacy, he’d be seen as building his own faction—losing either way. For now, he just needed to hold steady. After all, the imperial lineage only had two young princes and an unborn grandson.
"We really are of one mind! If you think so too, I’m relieved." Xiao Youcheng exhaled in relief. His advisors had all urged him with blunt counsel, making him doubt if he was being too cautious.
"By the way, should I put in a word for your brother? What are you writing?"
Peeking over, Xiao Youcheng felt a pang of envy. While he was swamped, Lu Chao had the leisure to plan Xiao Zheng’s coming-of-age ceremony.
"Just don’t seat him near the latrine. With his skills, passing the exams won’t be a problem."
Lu Chao had full confidence in Lu Yuanzhao—the family’s top scholar!
Xiao Youcheng nodded, then grumbled, "You’ve got it easy, huh?"
Lu Chao covered the list and grinned.
"Easy? I’ve only just recovered from illness."
Xiao Youcheng rubbed his chin. At Lu Chao’s age, most men aspired to make their mark. Yet here he was, orbiting his fiancée. Xiao Zheng seemed so aloof—what did Lu Chao even see in her? He’d originally planned to appoint Lu Chao to office after ascending the throne, but now he reconsidered.
A few days later, news spread that Prince Kang had fallen ill.
The Emperor summoned his spies and learned that Prince Kang had been burning the midnight oil, overworking himself until he caught a chill.
"Why the sudden diligence?"
The spy answered promptly, "Your Majesty, ever since you hinted at entrusting the imperial exams to Prince Kang, His Highness has been studying late into the night. His advisors say his education was interrupted during his youth in Yingchuan. Fearing he might mishandle Your Majesty’s task, he dared not slacken."
The Emperor shook his head slightly, a faint, rueful smile appearing.
"The boy is too earnest. The exams are for selecting talent for the nation, not for him to take personally. He need only recruit those with decent scholarship. Why drive himself to such a state?"
Then he recalled Prince Kang’s hesitant expression when the matter was first raised and suddenly understood.
"Send our decree: summon Imperial Physician Wang from the Imperial Hospital to Prince Kang’s residence at once. Select some cordyceps from our treasury to send as well. Tell Prince Kang to rest and recover. He may join us in selecting the top candidate during the palace exams."
Prince Kang had successfully dodged the assignment, unaware that someone was secretly gnashing their teeth in frustration.
"My lord, with Prince Kang withdrawing, what of our plans?"
"Scrap them. The boy got lucky."
"And Lu Yuanzhao?"
"Let’s hold off for now. Prince Kang is no fool."
"Yes!"
Lu Chao had no idea that his words would alter Lu Yuanzhao’s fate. At the moment, he was still delighting in pretending to "accidentally" run into the Grand Princess and Xiao Zheng at the Shengtong Temple.
The Grand Princess beamed at the sight of the radiant pair before her.
"At present, it’s inconvenient to directly invite you to Taoyuan Mountain, so I’ve had to trouble you to meet at this temple instead."
Lu Chao and the others dared not put on airs, quickly assuring her they were honored.
As a man, Lu Chao couldn’t linger for long. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he tactfully withdrew, leaving the space to the Grand Princess and Xiao Zheng. The Grand Princess inquired about the war in Shuo Zhou before tenderly taking Xiao Zheng’s hand, her expression filled with emotion.
"Seeing you reminds me of my childhood. When I was young, I often quarreled with His Majesty, relying on our father’s favor. Once, while flying a kite in the palace, it got stuck in a tree. The Emperor, being petty, forbade the guards from retrieving it for me. In the end, it was the Northwest Marquis, who happened to pass by, who helped me get it down. Who would have thought that decades later, he would depart before me?"
"You’re a good child, and Lu Chao is too. It’s rare for him to disregard public opinion and care for you so selflessly. Don’t let his sincerity go to waste."
Xiao Zheng pressed his lips together, his face flickering with conflict, but in the end, he remained silent.
On the way back to the estate, the Grand Princess was unusually lost in thought.
"Your Highness, is something troubling you?" Nanny Qingyu asked with concern.
"Ah, I was just thinking of my late Imperial Son-in-Law," the Grand Princess sighed.
Back then, her Imperial Son-in-Law had been a man of extraordinary talent and striking beauty, someone she had taken a liking to at first sight. She had begged her father for his hand, and in the early days of their marriage, they lived joyfully and carefree. But after just three years, his heart changed. Watching his former classmates rise swiftly in their careers, he grew resentful. The once bright and spirited young man drowned his sorrows in drink, and the distance between them widened. Not long after, he passed away.
Seeing Lu Chao now reminded her of her Imperial Son-in-Law in his youth, and she couldn’t bear the thought of them following the same tragic path.
