The mansion was on the verge of collapse—how could Lu Ying have any appetite? She said, "Yiren, let the two younger sisters-in-law and Second Sister continue eating with the children. The rest of you, come with me to the ancestral hall to talk."
The Lu family had over a dozen children. Besides the Lu nieces and nephews, there were also the Yan children brought by Second Sister and her husband, as well as two nephews who had been disowned by their biological father—the Duke Yansheng of the Kong family—and had since taken their mother's surname, Yan. For the past decade, all of them had lived peaceful lives under the protection of the Lu residence.
Upon hearing this, Li Yiren, Lu Yi, Lu Cai (the two younger brothers), and Second Sister's husband Yan Shaoting all set down their chopsticks and followed her to the ancestral hall, uneasy and apprehensive.
Lu Ying first lit a stick of incense for her father to calm her nerves, then said, "Grand Secretariat Chief Grand Secretary Gao Gong is about to move against our Lu family."
Everyone was shocked.
The third younger brother, Lu Yi, was the first to stand up and say, "Fourth Sister, where did this news come from? I haven't heard anything in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and even Commander Zhu has never given me any warning."
The fourth younger brother, Lu Cai, couldn't believe it. "Fourth Sister, are you mistaken? Who could be more well-informed than the Embroidered Uniform Guard? Commander Zhu wouldn't abandon us."
After Lu Bing's death, Lu Yi had been appointed by the Jiajing Emperor as an Embroidered Uniform Guard Vice Commander, serving under Commander Zhu Xixiao. Lu Yi was of mediocre talent, and Zhu Xixiao dared not assign him important tasks for fear of mishaps. In recent years, he had only been given clerical work. Though nominally the pillar of the Lu family, he remained a noble young master unaware of hardship at heart.
The youngest brother, Lu Cai, was also a young master raised in luxury. However, for a prominent family like the Lu's, having two sons who, though not particularly accomplished, were upright, never caused trouble, and were well-educated, could already be considered a blessing.
The two naive younger brothers questioned the source of Lu Ying's information, but Yan Shaoting, who had experienced his own family's rise and fall, believed her words were not without foundation.
Yan Shaoting said, "Back when our Yan family was at the peak of prosperity, we were impeached. At that time, I never imagined the Yan family would fall. Impeachments happened frequently, and my father had grown accustomed to them. Moreover, my granduncle Ouyang Bijin had just been appointed Minister of Personnel upon my grandfather's recommendation—everything seemed to be getting better. But later..."
His father and grandfather were stripped of their official positions and exiled to their ancestral home in Jiangxi. The Yan family was confiscated, and the inventory of seized assets was even titled The Record of Tianshui and the Iceberg, meaning "the sun rises and the iceberg melts," comparing Xu Jie, who brought down the Yan family, to the sun and the Yan family to an iceberg. This record was compiled and printed, with the confiscation list alone spanning over 60,000 characters. It instantly became a bestseller in the major bookstores of the Ming dynasty, astonishing the world with the Yan family's immense wealth.
The power of words is boundless. With The Record of Tianshui and the Iceberg circulating in the world, the Yan family was likely to be condemned for eternity.
Life was not easy. Yan Shaoting sighed and said, "What happened afterward, you all know. The Yan family collapsed completely, with no chance of recovery. A great family may seem impregnable, adorned with flowers and brocade, blazing with prosperity, but change often comes silently. Fourth Sister is right—we must prepare early."
Though Yan Shifan was heinous, his son Yan Shaoting was raised well—neither corrupted by wealth nor broken by adversity. The Lu family treated this son-in-law as one of their own, unlike the Duke Yansheng, who had kicked his in-laws when they were down.Li Yiren, who only managed household affairs within the inner quarters, was completely unaware of the political shifts and momentarily panicked. She grasped Lu Ying's hand, "Ying'er, what should we do now? Gao Gong is the emperor's tutor and Chief Grand Secretary. If he intends to move against our Lu family, won't we be like fish on the chopping block?"
Though three men—Lu Yi, Lu Cai, and Yan Shaoting—were present, Li Yiren instinctively trusted her daughter most and turned to her first for help.
Over the past decade, she had witnessed her daughter's gradual achievements, hardships, and the scars on her face. At twenty-eight, Lu Ying was an age when many women in the capital were already grandmothers. Li Yiren no longer pressured her to marry as she once had, because despite Lu Ying's rebellious nature, she had forged a path no other woman had walked.
Li Yiren had converted the dowry prepared for Lu Ying into rentable farmlands and properties, ensuring her daughter could support herself in old age. She believed that even with gray hair, Lu Ying could protect herself without relying on a man.
Women in the inner quarters were like dodder flowers, dependent on men and family for survival, but Lu Ying was different.
Lu Ying clasped her mother's hand in return, "Don't panic, Yiren. Our Lu family is not helpless. Third Brother, quickly write a letter and have a servant deliver it posthaste to the Xu family in Jiangning, Songjiang Prefecture. Although Grand Secretary Xu has retired to his hometown, his disciples and old associates remain in court. He can assist us."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yi immediately spread out paper to write the letter. Grand Secretary Xu represented the influence of civil officials.
Lu Ying continued, "Fourth Brother, go at once to the Duke of Chengguo's residence. Say that Li Yiren is unwell and invite Eldest Sister and her husband home. Remember, do not leak word that Gao Gong plans to act against the Lu family—only those of us here should know."
The Lu family's eldest daughter was the wife of the heir to the Duke of Chengguo. The Duke, Zhu Xizhong, served as Grand Marshal of the Five Armies Commandery and a Regent Minister, while his brother held the position of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The Zhu family represented military officials and established noble clans.
Lu Cai departed immediately to fetch his eldest sister and her husband.
Only Yan Shaoting remained in the ancestral hall with the men.
Yan Shaoting said, "Li Yiren, Fourth Sister, I am the descendant of a disgraced official. The Yan family is notorious in both official circles and among the common people, with many vulnerabilities. If I stay here, Gao Gong will surely seize the opportunity to attack the Lu family using me as a pretext. Misfortune should not extend to wives and children—let Third Sister and the children remain in the Lu residence. I will return to my hometown in Jiangxi. The sins of the Yan family, I alone will bear."
"Absolutely not," Li Yiren and Lu Ying said in unison.
Li Yiren urgently replied, "Child, how can you say such things? I have no sons of my own and have always regarded you as my own. Our Lu family is not like the timid Duke Yansheng's Kong family. We face difficulties together—there is no hurdle we cannot overcome. Aren't we resolving this now? Do not rush."
Lu Ying, who had collaborated with Wei Caiwei and Wang Daxia to kill Yan Shifan at Wudang Mountain, held no ill will toward Yan Shaoting. She was a person who clearly distinguished gratitude from grievance, stating, "Second Brother-in-law, justice has long arms. Even if you return alone to Jiangxi and sever ties with our Lu family to draw a clear line, do you think someone as shrewd as Gao Gong would be unable to find another pretext?""Not only that, if you rashly return to Jiangxi and fall into Gao Gong's hands, subjected to torture for confession, even if you endure the punishment, you might faint and have your fingerprint pressed on a confession without knowing it."
No one understood such methods better than Lu Ying, who served in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Lu Ying said, "So what Second Brother-in-Law needs to do is protect himself, stay indoors with the children, and focus on studying together."
With Lu Ying making careful arrangements and taking proactive measures, Li Yiren felt as if she had found her anchor. Her panicked heart gradually calmed down. "Ying'er is right. We mustn't panic. Life should go on as usual. Our family must unite and stand firm."
Lu Ying comforted her mother and brother-in-law, "Although Gao Gong holds a high position and great power, we also have influential supporters above. I cannot reveal the source of this top-secret information now, but you will understand in the future."
The messenger was Eunuch Chen from Consort Li's side, and Eunuch Chen's information came from Feng Bao, Chief of the Eastern Depot.
Feng Bao had twice failed to secure the position of Supervising Eunuch in the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, both times due to Gao Gong. Feng Bao leaked this information because the enemy of one's enemy is an ally. Since they were all opposed to Gao Gong, they could collaborate.
Meanwhile, Wei Caiwei picked up Wang Daxia from his government office, and the couple headed home together. They dined at a lakeside restaurant by the Pool of Accumulated Water, enjoying seasonal river delicacies. In the sweltering heat of midsummer, they rented a decorated pleasure boat to drift on the lake, where cool breezes blew and light mist swirled.
Wang Daxia lifted the wine pot to pour himself a drink, but Wei Caiwei stopped him. "No more drinking. You have to report for duty tomorrow."
Wang Daxia, unsatisfied, grumbled, "I've long wanted to quit. I'm just going through the motions every day. Commander Zhu refuses to let me go, so I’ll act lazy—arrive late today, leave early tomorrow. I want everyone to see I’ve lost interest and am slacking off. Only then will Commander Zhu believe I’m serious—just let me have one more pot."
Wei Caiwei still wouldn’t relent. "After Lu Ying and Ding Wu marry, I’ll prepare a medicine for you. We’ll claim you’re ill, and I’ll take you out of the capital under the pretext of seeking medical treatment. Once we’re far from the capital, how could Commander Zhu still hold onto an invalid?"
"My wife is brilliantly cunning, rescuing her husband from this misery!" Wang Daxia seized the chance to pour two cups of wine. "Come, let me toast you."
This cup, she couldn’t refuse. Wei Caiwei said, "Just this one. No more after."
Both slightly intoxicated, they returned to their home in Shichahai. Chen the Agent, needing to return to the palace before the gates closed, couldn’t wait indefinitely. He left a secret letter with the steward to pass to the couple.
Wei Caiwei unfolded the letter, and her drowsy mind instantly sharpened!
In this life, Gao Gong was still targeting the Lu family!
Wang Daxia also read the letter and declared, "Asking me to cut ties with Lu Ying to save myself? Impossible. The Earl of Chengyi recognized my talent, and Lu Ying has been beyond reproach—she’s saved me multiple times and helped me avenge my father’s murder. Now that her family is in trouble, how could I stand by and do nothing?"
"Besides, no matter how formidable Gao Gong is, can he be more terrifying than Yan Shifan? We’ve overcome so many obstacles before; we can get through this one too."Wei Caiwei placed the secret letter over the candle flame to burn it, saying, "Don't underestimate the enemy. Gao Gong is even more difficult to deal with than Yan Shifan. When we brought down Yan Shifan before, at least the Jiajing Emperor remained neutral and wouldn't take sides. Moreover, because of the Marquis of Chengxin, the Jiajing Emperor has always shown great favor to the Lu family. When the Yan family fell, the Jiajing Emperor also tacitly allowed Yan Shaoting and his family to seek refuge with the Lu family."
"But now the emperor on the throne favors his teacher Gao Gong. Furthermore, the Longqing Emperor was suppressed by the Jiajing Emperor for too long and has developed a rebellious mindset—whatever the Jiajing Emperor liked, he dislikes. Since the Jiajing Emperor treated the Lu family so well, the Longqing Emperor deliberately listens to his teacher to overthrow them."
Wang Daxia stomped his feet in anxiety, "How can that be? When the Dark Spectre haunted Prince Yu's residence, it was Lu Ying who saved his life together with us! When the crown prince was poisoned with smallpox by the Jade Guanyin in his childhood, it was also Lu Ying who uncovered the truth. And this time, with the major defeat of the White Lotus Sect, the Longqing Peace Agreement, and the restoration of peace at the border, Lu Ying has made great contributions. How could the Longqing Emperor turn his back and suppress a meritorious official?"
Wei Caiwei sighed, "The imperial family is heartless. Would they reason with you?"
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