Chapter 218 3/3

Li Qingzhi was in the midst of mentally adjusting his facial features when Li Zhu arrived.

It had been several days since Li Qingzhi had last seen Li Zhu. Upon meeting, Li Zhu informed him about Lu Qingxi instructing her to find Lu Mingshan, as well as seeking fortune-telling monks and Taoist priests.

“Ah Zhi, what do you think Eunuch Lu intends to do?” Li Zhu asked Li Qingzhi.

Lu Mingshan was under her control, but she had not handed him over yet, fearing he might reveal too much.

Li Qingzhi asked, “Has Eunuch Lu ever sought divine intervention before?”

Li Zhu replied, “No, Eunuch Lu doesn’t believe in such things. He once mentioned that when he was living in hardship, he prayed daily but no deity came to his aid. It was only when he stopped praying that his life improved, so he doesn’t believe in it.”

“If he doesn’t believe in it, but still seeks out Lu Mingshan and other fortune-tellers, then he must have another motive,” Li Qingzhi said. “Perhaps he’s looking for a fake monk.” Li Zhu immediately understood what Li Qingzhi meant.

Eunuch Lu might have the same idea she had previously considered.

In that case, she could make a deal with Lu Mingshan.

“Jie, don’t hand Lu Mingshan over to Eunuch Lu. This is a serious matter, and if Lu Mingshan goes, he could be in danger,” Li Qingzhi said.

“Ah Zhi, even if we don’t hand him over, Eunuch Lu will find someone else. At least with Lu Mingshan, we have a chance to save him. Eunuch Lu usually doesn’t kill personally; he has others do it. Once Lu Mingshan completes the task, you could change his appearance, and we could send him away,” Li Zhu suggested.

Li Qingzhi didn’t want to implicate Lu Mingshan, but as Li Zhu pointed out, if Eunuch Lu found someone else, they wouldn’t trust them and might not be able to save that person. However, with Lu Mingshan…

Li Qingzhi knew Li Zhu would likely hand over Lu Mingshan, so he said, “Jie, let me see him.”

Lu Mingshan didn’t have to die if he had some “real abilities.”

Li Qingzhi could coach Lu Mingshan to put on a convincing act, making his eyebrows and hair turn completely white, portraying him as a fraud who occasionally had genuine mystical episodes.

This way, Eunuch Lu might hesitate to harm Lu Mingshan.

People of this time, even if they claimed not to believe in gods and spirits, were not entirely skeptical.

Jin Xiaoye, for example, always invited her ancestors to feast during rituals. Many people were selectively devout.

Li Qingzhi had a busy day. After seeing the emperor, he went to meet Lu Mingshan.

He carefully instructed Lu Mingshan on what to do when meeting Eunuch Lu.

Lu Mingshan, with a woeful expression, asked, “Can I not see Eunuch Lu?”

Although Li Qingzhi’s plan was sound, there was still some risk involved. Lu Mingshan feared being beaten.

No, getting beaten was a minor concern; the real danger was involving Eunuch Lu. One misstep could cost him his life!

“He’s been looking for you,” Li Qingzhi replied.

“Alright…” Lu Mingshan sighed.

What choice did he have? He had to follow Li Qingzhi’s advice.

The emperor had a satisfying meal at Qingyun Tower that day.

He even bought some dishes to bring back for Concubine Liu.

On the way back to the palace from Qingyun Tower, the emperor suddenly caught a whiff of a tantalizing aroma, distinct from Qingyun Tower’s usual delicacies.

“What are they selling over there?” the emperor asked curiously.

Lu Qingxi saw the sign “Juewei Zhai” and, recognizing the aroma, said, “Your Majesty, that’s likely a braised meat shop.”

“This smells delightful. Shall we buy some?” the emperor suggested.

Lu Qingxi always strived to fulfill the emperor’s requests. Now that the emperor wanted braised meat, he immediately sent someone to buy some.

After purchasing, they continued their journey to the palace.

Early that morning, Concubine Liu had returned to the palace with Qi An. Once settled, she called for the imperial doctor to examine Qi An.

The doctor were bewildered by the news.

They thought Qi An had perished days ago… Could he still be alive?

They feared Concubine Liu might be delusional, believing Qi An was still alive, much like an incident during the late emperor’s reign. A concubine had lost her son due to the imperial Concubine’s jealousy, and she carried the child’s corpse around the palace for days, convinced he was still alive. She fought fiercely when officials tried to take the body, eventually dying in the struggle.

The doctor hoped Concubine Liu wouldn’t suffer a similar fate. Anxiously, they entered her quarters and were astonished to find Qi An alive, though disfigured like a monster.

“I’ve prayed to Buddha daily, and it must be his mercy that saved An’an!” Concubine Liu smiled, asking the doctor to treat Qi An.

Qi An was out of immediate danger, but his face was beyond their help.

The doctor concluded their examination, then shrank back like quails, fearing Concubine Liu’s wrath.

Coincidentally, the emperor returned to the palace at this moment.