Chapter 33

On March 13th, it truly was a clear and bright day.

About a dozen carriages were parked near the screen wall, along with two teams of attendants, all of whom were the guards employed by the Duke of Rong’s household. Today was the day the entire Lu family was heading out together, making for a grand spectacle. The first few carriages were for the main members of the Lu family, while the later ones were for the maids and servants, as well as carrying various essential items.

At this moment, the elderly Madam Xie was being helped onto a carriage by Yi Nan and Madam Xie.

Shen Wei stood nearby, listening to the steward’s instructions, which were mostly about confirming that everyone had arrived and all necessary items were prepared. Shen Wei, hearing this, didn’t say much. She simply looked ahead, searching for any sign of Lu Qihuai, but he was nowhere to be seen. She then asked, “Where is the eldest young master?”

Just as she finished speaking—

Before the steward could reply, a voice with a smile answered from behind, “Mother, are you looking for me?”

Shen Wei turned to see Lu Qihuai, dressed in a light riding outfit. His long black hair was tied up with a headband, making him look less composed than usual and more like a carefree young man.

Shen Wei looked at Lu Qihuai and, for some reason, a word popped into her mind: “gallant horseman in splendid attire.”

This young man was going to shine brightly today.

After this, no one would be able to hide his brilliance.

For some unknown reason, the thought of the young man before her shining soon filled Shen Wei with an unusual excitement.

Not hearing Shen Wei’s voice, Lu Qihuai glanced at her. Her watery almond eyes shimmered in a way they hadn’t before. But before he could look closely, the expression on the young woman’s face had already settled back into its usual calm.

When he looked again, she was back to her normal, serene self.

The steward beside her gently reminded, “Madam, it’s about time. If we delay any longer, the road might get crowded.”

Hearing this, Shen Wei nodded. After sending the steward away, she lifted her eyes to look at Lu Qihuai again. She didn’t say much, just a simple phrase as she was about to board the carriage: “Be careful.”

In this chapter of the story—

Lu Qihuai would get severely injured while saving Zhao Zhun.

Shen Wei knew all this, but she didn’t stop him. Without this act of rescue, Zhao Zhun, the Emperor of Qingyun Kingdom, would not entrust him with heavy responsibilities so quickly. Besides, based on her understanding of Lu Qihuai, even if he knew something would go wrong, he would still proceed without hesitation.

Because this would be his most advantageous step into the center of Bianjing.

So, how could he give up?

However…

She still sincerely hoped he would be careful.

Lu Qihuai watched Shen Wei’s departing figure, his eyebrows furrowing unconsciously. For some reason, he felt like this woman knew something… But how could that be possible? Other than the Old Lady, no one in the Lu family knew, and certainly, no one would have told her anything.

Was he just being paranoid, or did she really know something?

Shen Wei was helped onto the carriage, and the brocade curtain fell, blocking Lu Qihuai’s view. He lightly rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, his gaze lingering on the curtain for a long moment before finally looking away. By the time he turned to leave, the depth in his expression and the turbulence in his eyes had completely disappeared.

Lu Qixuan and Lu Qiyan were already on their horses…

From a distance, seeing Lu Qihuai approach, neither of their expressions was pleasant. Especially Lu Qiyan—thinking of his past humiliation at the Huo family and the disgrace of being sent to the manor, he couldn’t calm his anger. Now that he could no longer attend the Yang family school, he had no way to get close to Yang Shuangyan. Even his old social circle was out of reach.

And all of this was thanks to Lu Qihuai.

He gripped the reins tightly, causing his horse to rear in pain and neigh loudly.

Lu Qixuan turned at the sound and, seeing Lu Qiyan’s fury, quietly scolded, “Brother Yan, we’re still outside. Restrain yourself…” Seeing no change in Lu Qiyan’s expression, he frowned and added, “Or do you want to be sent back to the manor?”

Only then did Lu Qiyan come to his senses.

Though still indignant, he managed to control his expression. However, his lips remained tightly pressed together, and his gaze towards Lu Qihuai still held a mix of anger.

Approaching, Lu Qihuai noticed his two brothers’ reactions but ignored them, instead mounting his horse. The leader of the servants, seeing him mounted, approached and saluted him respectfully, saying, “Young Master, shall we set off?”

As the eldest son and the sole heir of the main branch, he was naturally the one everyone in the household would follow.

However—

Lu Qixuan gripped his reins tightly, his previously gentle face showing signs of strain. All the honor and glory that should have been his had been intercepted by this illegitimate son who had returned halfway through.

He closed his eyes, calming the turmoil within, and then opened them again.

Lu Qihuai, unaware of Lu Qixuan’s thoughts, sat upright, holding the reins and looking straight ahead. The wind brushed his robe, and his voice was calm and detached: “Let’s go.”

At his command, everyone responded and, in no time, the group set off slowly.

—-

The convoy was to gather at the east gate before heading together to Donghua Mountain.

Though the journey wasn’t far, for the safety of these nobles, they took the smoothest roads, which took a considerable amount of time. By the time they reached Donghua Mountain, it was already night.

Because of the late hour and the presence of many elderly like the Old Lady, the hosts had prepared tents for them to rest without needing further orders.

The next morning—

Just as the sky began to lighten, trumpets and drums started to sound outside, signaling the official start of the annual spring hunt.

No one dared delay, quickly freshening up and taking their assigned seats based on their rank. The Lu family sat just below the seat of Princess Qinghe, a clear sign of the Emperor’s favor.

The highest-ranking person had not yet arrived, so while the crowd was silent, private discussions were plentiful.

Among these discussions, the most frequent topic was the Lu family.

Originally, people thought that after Lu Bu Wei’s death, the Lu family would fall from favor. But now, with the Emperor personally inviting the entire Lu family and giving them such a prominent seat, their favor seemed even greater than before.

In a short time, those who had been cautious in their interactions with the Lu family decided that maintaining good relations with them was still necessary after the spring hunt.

Naturally, there were people among the Lu family looking for Lu Qihuai. Although some had seen him at the Huo family, most of those were from the younger generation… The court officials had not yet met him.

However, with many people at the spring hunt and the large venue, they could only glimpse his figure from afar.

Next to Shen Wei was Princess Qinghe. The two had exchanged a few words in the past, so they weren’t strangers. Just as they began to converse, a eunuch in purple clothes holding a horsetail whisk stepped forward and announced in a high-pitched voice, “His Majesty is arriving.”

With this announcement—

The previously quiet place became solemnly silent, with no one speaking or even daring to lift their heads. Shen Wei, like the others, lowered her face slightly, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw a figure in bright yellow sit on the high chair, and then she retracted her gaze.

Once the person was seated, the eunuch lightly waved his whisk and said, “Kneel.”

As his words fell, everyone present knelt down and respectfully shouted, “Long live the Emperor”… Once the eunuch said “Rise,” the crowd stood up and returned to their original positions, allowing Shen Wei to finally see the face of the man sitting in the high seat.

The man seated above was not yet forty. He wasn’t wearing his court attire today, but even in his riding clothes, he commanded full attention.

This is a powerful man, Shen Wei thought.

Not only powerful but also suspicious…

The book often mentioned Zhao Zhun’s suspicious nature, rarely trusting anyone in the court… Shen Wei thought about this while observing him with her peripheral vision. She noticed Zhao Zhun’s tightly pressed lips; even while smiling, his eyes revealed a sharpness, and his posture was upright, as if always on guard.

Zhao Zhun, seated above, lowered his eyes as he surveyed the people below before speaking loudly, “Since I ascended the throne eleven years ago, Qingyun Country has enjoyed favorable weather and peace. There have been no disasters, thanks not only to heavenly protection but also to your efforts.”

“You are the pillars of Qingyun Country. With you, I can stabilize the nation, and Qingyun can stand tall and unyielding.”

“Today, I want you to enjoy the spring hunt with me…”

After he finished speaking, the crowd once again shouted, “Long live the Emperor.”

Hearing this, Zhao Zhun didn’t speak immediately but raised his hand. When the voices quieted, he continued, “Our ancestors conquered this land on horseback. Over the years, I have adhered to their wishes and never missed the annual spring hunt. Our military strength has grown immensely.”

“Years ago, foreign invaders trampled our land with their iron hooves.”

“Today, I want them to know that the men of Qingyun are both scholarly and martial, not to be trifled with!”

Zhao Zhun’s impassioned speech stirred not only the younger generation but also the old officials and some women and children, who couldn’t help but show their excitement… Shen Wei sat in her chair, her face expressionless, but she couldn’t help but praise Zhao Zhun in her heart.

Say what you will, this Emperor of Qingyun was indeed adept at inspiring people. And as he mentioned, since his ascension, Qingyun Country had indeed enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity.

However…

Shen Wei recalled that the book didn’t rate this Emperor highly. When Zhao Zhun ascended to the throne, there were mixed opinions among the ministers—some said it was destiny, while others believed he used underhanded means. But after many years, the court had changed, and those who knew the past either submitted early and retired in peace or were dismissed for various reasons.

Some unfortunate ones probably faced worse than just dismissal.

Before she could think further, she heard Zhao Zhun say, “Is the eldest son of Duke Rong present?”

The eldest son of Duke Rong referred to Lu Qihuai. All eyes turned to the Lu family… Under their gaze, Lu Qihuai stood up from his chair, his expression unchanged, his back straight.

With his eyes slightly lowered, he walked forward steadily.

Everyone watched as he approached Zhao Zhun. When he was a few steps away, Lu Qihuai stopped, still with lowered eyes, and performed a grand salute, respectfully saying, “This commoner wishes Your Majesty peace.”

Zhao Zhun looked down at the young man.

For some reason, even without seeing Lu Qihuai’s face, he felt an inexplicable familiarity… This sense of familiarity was baseless but made him uneasy. But quickly, he smiled and said, “Today is a grand occasion, there is no distinction between ruler and subject, rise.”

After he spoke—

Lu Qihuai thanked him respectfully before standing up.

When he stood up, Zhao Zhun finally saw his face. The hand supporting Zhao Zhun on the armrest paused, and his eyes showed rare shock… Those seated in front noticed Zhao Zhun’s expression and found it strange. In all these years, they had never seen such an expression on the Emperor’s face.

Shen Wei, sitting near the front, also saw Zhao Zhun’s expression.

She felt puzzled and confused. Turning to look at Princess Qinghe beside her, she saw that she too had stiffened her posture, her previously smiling face now showing some concern… Seeing this, Shen Wei’s fingers under her sleeves curled slightly, and her gaze involuntarily shifted to Lu Qihuai.

If she wasn’t mistaken, the emperor’s reaction likely had something to do with Lu Qihuai’s face. Who exactly did Lu Qihuai resemble to evoke such expressions from both the emperor and others?

While they were still puzzling over this, Zhao Zhun spoke again, “You, come forward.”

At his words, even the crown prince and Prince Jin, seated on either side, couldn’t help but look over, their faces also showing some confusion.

Lu Qihuai showed no sign of surprise. He respectfully responded and walked forward, stopping three steps away from Zhao Zhun.

Zhao Zhun, watching the young man halt, scrutinized his face closely before looking behind his ears. Those present, not understanding, remained silent. Finally, the crown prince softly asked, “Father, is something wrong?”

Hearing his son’s voice, Zhao Zhun seemed to snap back to reality. His previously tense demeanor relaxed, and a smile appeared on his face. “Good, good. Although you are young, you bear some resemblance to Bu Wei in your features. Very good indeed.” He continued, “From now on, you will stay by my side for the hunt. When your father was alive, he accompanied me on every spring hunt.”

As he spoke, a nostalgic expression crossed his face.

His words prompted everyone to glance at the young man in dark clothes. Being allowed to stay by the emperor’s side was an honor few could ever dream of. Though the eldest son of the Duke of Rong had returned to the Lu family, his awkward status had not been accepted by the noble families of Bianliang. Now, with the emperor’s approval, was the emperor suggesting this young man could be the next Duke?

If that were the case, their attitudes would indeed need to change.

Regardless of the emperor’s true intentions, among the Lu family members, Wang Shi and her two sons looked particularly displeased. Even Lu Qixuan, usually calm and composed, could barely contain his anger. He sat in the middle, his gaze fixed on Lu Qihuai with a venomous intensity.

Though he had anticipated this, seeing Lu Qihuai earn the emperor’s favor firsthand was still hard to accept.

—-

After Zhao Zhun completed the sacrificial rites, the group prepared to set off for the hunt.

Before leaving, Lu Qihuai came to bid farewell to Shen Wei. He smiled warmly and spoke gently, “I hear there are many white foxes around here. If I catch one, I’ll have someone make a coat for you.”

With that, he turned and walked away with the main group.

As Lu Qihuai left, Zhao Wan chuckled and said to Shen Wei, “Your eldest son seems to care for you.”

Though she spoke casually, her eyes followed Lu Qihuai as he departed.

Shen Wei noticed her interest but maintained her gentle smile, “He is indeed a good son…” She then bowed slightly to Zhao Wan and said, “Since Mother is resting in the tent and everything is in order here, I will take my leave.”

Madam Xie, being older, had felt unwell after the travel yesterday and was resting in the tent today.

Zhao Wan nodded and said nothing more.

Shen Wei, supported by Mo Qi, rose and walked towards the tent. As she stepped outside, she couldn’t help but glance back at the hunting party. Lu Qihuai, dressed in dark clothing, sat astride his horse, conspicuously close to Zhao Zhun. Sensing her gaze, he turned and smiled at her.

The sight of the young man, elegant and poised on horseback, was a picture of youthful vigor and charm.

Several noblewomen, noticing him, blushed and began whispering about Lu Qihuai, commenting on his unexpected handsome appearance.

Shen Wei, hearing the murmurs, redirected her gaze.

With her hand resting on Mo Qi’s arm, she walked towards the tent.

As they moved, Mo Qi softly remarked, “After today, the eldest young master’s reputation will surely spread far and wide…”

Shen Wei said nothing, merely tilting her head to look at the bright sun in the sky. After today, his fame would indeed not just spread far and wide.