NCCnovel Chapter 155 The Goddess Has Heart, but the King Has No Interest
Chapter 155 The Goddess Has Heart, but the King Has No Interest
Although Lu Zhiheng knew that Chu Qingyin's words were merely an attempt to clarify her position and dispel the emperor's suspicions, he still felt a tightness in his chest when he heard that she wanted to act as a matchmaker for him.
He took a deep breath and repeated his previous words, "Your Majesty and Consort Gui thank you for your kindness, but I have no one in my heart. I am only devoted to assisting Your Majesty and to serving the Great Qing Dynasty until my dying breath."
"Never mind."
Seeing that he couldn't get any information out of the two of them, Pei Yuanling realized that continuing the game was pointless. "Since the goddess is willing but the king is not, I will not mention this matter again."
With that, he put down the chess piece. "I'm a little tired. Let's stop here for today."
He casually got up and simply took Chu Qingyin with him and left.
Lu Zhiheng watched the two figures leave, his brows furrowed, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists inside his sleeves.
How could he not know that Pei Yuanling's words and actions today were all a test?
Suspecting that he had an affair with Consort Qiao, yet also mindful of her feelings, he turned around and attacked her.
For an emperor to go to such lengths, it seems he truly cares about Qiao Qingyin.
Once Pei Yuanling and Chu Qingyin had completely disappeared from sight, Lu Zhiheng stood up, his gaze still fixed on the chessboard. The chaotic chess game mirrored his turbulent emotions at that moment.
In the past few days, Chu Qingyin's smiling face has frequently appeared in his mind.
The time the two spent together in the small courtyard in the woods was the most harmonious period of their relationship. Although he had often felt the murderous intent emanating from Chu Qingyin before, it seemed that he no longer felt that way after that.
Does she no longer hate him?
That... is indeed a good thing.
He stood alone in the waterside pavilion for an unknown period of time. When he saw that the sky was darkening, he left the palace and returned to the Pine and Crane Pavilion.
Inside the Pine and Crane Pavilion.
Shen Ran had been waiting there for a long time. Upon seeing him return, he immediately closed the doors and windows, knelt down, and bowed, saying, "This subordinate greets Master."
"Get up." Lu Zhiheng rubbed his aching temples, looking slightly tired.
"How's the matter I asked you to handle going?" Lu Zhiheng asked.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, it has been taken care of. The couple has moved out of the mountains. I ordered people to send them away from their original location and arranged a private school for their son. No one will be able to find their whereabouts again."
Although he didn't know why his master cared so much about that family, Shen Ran still went there personally and handled the matter flawlessly.
Lu Zhiheng nodded, "I understand."
The family they had previously lived with mistakenly believed that he and Qiao Qingyin were a couple, and only he and Qiao Qingyin knew this.
To prevent anyone from inquiring about their whereabouts and endangering their lives, he specifically ordered Shen Ran to escort them away.
"Your Majesty, I have heard that His Majesty intends to bestow a marriage upon you and the fourth daughter of the Wang family?" Shen Ran suddenly asked.
Lu Zhiheng's expression hardened, and he said coldly, "Your Majesty does indeed have this intention, but I have already expressed my feelings to Your Majesty and rejected this marriage."
Having said that, he sat down at his desk, showing extreme impatience with the matter.
Seeing this, Shen Ran hesitated for a moment before carefully speaking, "Master, the fourth daughter of the Wang family is the youngest daughter of the Wang family. Currently, the Empress Dowager and the Empress are both daughters of the Wang family. If you are willing to marry the fourth daughter, it will be a great help to your future plans."
As Lu Zhiheng's capable assistant, he naturally knew that his master not only did not like the fourth daughter of the Wang family, but even disliked her.
The fourth daughter of the Wang family was simple-minded and her thoughts were all out in the open. If she were just mediocre, that would be fine, but she was spoiled by her elders and was arrogant and domineering. She also knew how to use her power to oppress others.
However, if he could get the Wang family's help, what would it matter if he married a woman who was illiterate and even a bit arrogant?
Before the throne, love is the most useless thing.
Even the current emperor, despite marrying the woman he loves and doting on her, cannot protect her. In fact, out of fear of the power of the Duke of Chu's mansion, he directly confiscated her maternal family's property and imprisoned Consort Chu's only relative.
Lu Zhiheng suddenly put down his pen and ink, his expression turning cold and stern. He said in a cold voice, "Am I the kind of person who would marry a wife at will for the sake of power? Since I am determined to rule the country, I will never allow the interference of the empress's relatives in politics."
As for the Wang family, their daughter has been empress for long enough, and for that reason alone, he would never marry a daughter from the Wang family, allowing their power to grow increasingly arrogant.
Seeing his anger, Shen Ran's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly knelt down to beg for forgiveness: "Your subordinate knows his mistake. Your subordinate was only thinking of his master and misspoke. I hope that his master will forgive him."
Lu Zhiheng took a deep breath and calmed himself down before saying, "That Wang Jingyi is spoiled and willful, and I have no affinity with her. Besides, His Majesty's move is just a test. If I agree, I will only sink deeper into the quagmire."
Shen Ran said awkwardly, "Yes, Master is wise. It was my oversight."
After a slight pause, he added, "However, now that His Majesty has become suspicious, he may make things difficult for you in the future. We should make plans as soon as possible."
Lu Zhiheng was silent for a moment, then a resolute glint flashed in his eyes: "It's alright, I will handle it carefully."
"In the coming days, just keep a close eye on the Wang family's movements. The matter of the assassins at the Xishan Hunting Ground is still unclear. Those assassins are still in prison. I believe they will make a move soon."
The assassins captured alive are still in Pei Yuanling's hands. The imperial prison has eighty-one kinds of tortures, so there must be a way to get them to talk.
Of all things in this world, at all times, only the dead bring the most peace of mind.
"Yes, sir!"
Shen Ran agreed. The Qinlou spies under his command have now spread throughout Daqing, becoming the most secretive intelligence network in Daqing, and even showing a trend of extending to neighboring countries.
He stared at his master's perpetually furrowed brow, and then recalled the time in the woods when Lu Zhiheng had deliberately misled the palace guards about the search progress. A suspicion began to form in his mind.
The person who was about to leave suddenly turned back, cupped his hands towards Lu Zhiheng and said, "Master, I dare to offer a word of advice: now is a critical moment. You must not indulge in personal feelings and thus disrupt the grand plan!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhiheng gave him an extremely cold look.
Shen Ran received that glare, smiled sullenly, and quickly retreated, carefully closing the door behind him.
For a moment, only Lu Zhiheng remained in the room.
The night was gloomy and the candlelight flickered. Lu Zhiheng leaned back in his chair, rubbed his brow bone, and the image of that charming and beautiful face involuntarily surfaced in his mind again.
That sly smile, those lively eyes, and that red dot between her brows seemed to possess an invisible force, tugging at his heartstrings.
But he also understood that Shen Ran was right.
Now that the important matter has not yet been accomplished, how can we indulge in romantic love?
After silently reciting the Mind-Clearing Mantra several times, Lu Zhiheng picked up a book from the table, trying to clear his mind of distractions.
However, after reading a few pages, I found that I couldn't concentrate at all. My thoughts became increasingly chaotic, which was very frustrating.
The next morning, before Lu Zhiheng had even gotten up, a commotion arose outside his residence.
"Miss Wang, you can't go in."
"Get out of my way! I need to go in and see Lu Zhiheng! I want him to give me an explanation!"
Wang Jingyi glared hatefully at the servant at the door and coldly rebuked him, "Who do you think you are! How dare you stop me!"
When the servant's attempt to stop her failed, she barged right in the next second.
"Oh dear, Miss Wang, my master hasn't gotten up yet!"
Seeing his master standing in the hall, disheveled and with a stern expression and a sharp gaze, the servant slapped his forehead in frustration.
This is bad!