In the main hall of Wutong Courtyard, Lu Youxin stared at Lu Jingxiu and Lu Jingyun with a face dark with anger. Huang Momo and others stood guard at the door, their gazes toward Jingxiu and Jingyun tinged with helplessness.
Lu Jingxiu held a sword in his hand, his neck stiff and his expression full of defiance. Seeing that Lu Youxin remained silent, he lifted his chin and declared, "It's not that I'm deliberately picking a fight, but Aunt's actions have been truly suspicious lately. That woman might even be connected to Fourth Brother's death. Instead of investigating her, Aunt allows her to roam freely in the garden. If I didn't know about it, that would be one thing, but since I do, I cannot let it slide."
Lu Youxin looked at Jingxiu's bruised and swollen face, her fingertips trembling with rage. Yet, seeing his unyielding demeanor, she almost felt like laughing. Collecting herself, she asked, "Are you doubting me, your aunt?"
Jingxiu's expression shifted slightly. "Of course not... I just don't understand."
Lu Youxin let out a cold laugh. "How many matters in this clan have you ever fully understood? For everything you don't understand, must you go and stir up trouble?"
Jingxiu knew he was in the wrong and paused before saying, "But this is a murder case!"
Lu Youxin raised an eyebrow. "You and your fourth brother never got along. Why are you so concerned now?"
"Even if we had our disagreements behind closed doors, it was always family matters. I disliked him, but never to the point of wanting him dead. Now that he's been murdered, it's no longer just a family affair. And with that strangely behaving woman staying in the garden, it's only natural I suspect her."
Lu Youxin smiled faintly. "You've seen her now. Do you think she looks like a murderer?"
Jingxiu stiffened his neck. "How can you judge by appearances?! If someone is truly scheming and hiding it, how could we tell just from the surface?"
By saying this, he implicitly admitted that, based on appearances alone, Qin Guan did not seem like someone who would harm others.
Lu Youxin turned her gaze to Jingyun. "Jingyun, what do you think?"
Jingyun, standing further back, trembled at the question. "Aunt, Fifth Brother and I just want to find out how Fourth Brother died. We mean no harm. That young lady has an imposing presence and didn't seem frightened by us. Please, Aunt, forgive us."
Hearing Jingyun plead for mercy, Jingxiu frowned immediately. "Shut up!"
Jingyun shrank back, not daring to say another word. Lu Youxin then looked back at Jingxiu. "Not frightened? You two ambushed a guest in the garden and even got into a fight. Isn't that disgraceful enough?"
Jingxiu's face remained stubborn, while Jingyun wanted to speak but didn't dare.
Lu Youxin let out another cold laugh. "Look at you, a grown man, beaten to a pulp by a young girl. Even I feel ashamed for you!"
These words struck a nerve. Instantly, Jingxiu's face flushed crimson.
His fists clenched tightly at his sides, his lips pressed into a sharp, straight line. Proud of his martial prowess and heroic spirit, he could argue about anything else—but the fact that he had been defeated by Baiying was undeniable. What made it even more unbearable was that Baiying was merely a young girl. He had lost to a woman!Seeing Lu Jingxiu standing rigidly, Lu Youxin felt a slight relief from the pent-up frustration in her heart. As she grew older, the younger generation beneath her became increasingly unrestrained and presumptuous. Yet she knew exactly where the heart of their Lu family's Fifth Young Master lay. Watching Lu Jingxiu's humiliated expression, she snorted inwardly.
After a moment, Lu Youxin softened her tone and said, "I know you have doubts in your hearts. Since you’ve stumbled upon this, I won’t hide it from you any longer. The person you saw is no ordinary guest. This time, she is helping me investigate your fourth brother’s case. Thanks to her, Jingcheng’s death has begun to show some leads."
Lu Jingxiu and the other widened their eyes, their expressions filled with astonishment.
Lu Jingxiu stepped forward, "What? Let her help investigate Fourth Brother’s case? Aunt, who is she?!"
Lu Youxin frowned slightly but did not lose her temper at Lu Jingxiu’s questioning. After all, even she had initially distrusted Qin Guan. After a moment’s thought, she said, "Her identity is a secret, but the two of you are no longer children. Your father may be blind to the affairs of the Lu clan, but the younger generation cannot afford to remain ignorant. She... is Yongci County Princess, who was enfeoffed earlier this year, and now she is Prince Rui’s princess consort."
At these words, Lu Jingxiu froze for a moment, unable to process the information. "Yongci County Princess, Prince Rui’s princess consort..."
The capital was too far from Lan Province, and Lu Jingxiu found the name vaguely familiar. After thinking for a long while, he heard Lu Jingyun whisper timidly, "Is... is she the Yongci County Princess renowned for her exceptional medical skills?"
At this reminder, a flash of insight suddenly dawned on Lu Jingxiu. He remembered!
Because in a century of the Great Zhou Dynasty, no commoner woman had ever been enfeoffed as a county princess, news of this Yongci County Princess had even reached the south.
During the peak of the discussions, he had heard of her!
With this realization, Lu Jingxiu’s eyes widened in shock!
Just two days ago, when he went to Jianzhou City, he had heard another piece of news!
The current Empress and Crown Prince had conspired to rebel, and Prince Rui, Yan Chi, was also involved in the rebellion...
If that was the case, did that mean his aunt was harboring a rebel in their home?!
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