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Based on this reasoning, Lu Songli decided to have a conversation with Qin Heng. It’s not that she didn’t want to warn the Qin family earlier, but some matters can’t be inferred without sufficient information.
As trouble loomed on the horizon, Lu Desheng took a deep breath and said, “This news gives your previous speculations more credibility. Your warning this time might actually be an opportunity for the Qin family.”
Lu Songli inwardly shook her head. The Qin family had endured too much—too many hardships, too many insults. The Song imperial family no longer saw the Qin family’s efforts; whatever the Qin family did for them was taken for granted. She could only hope that her warning would help the Qin family protect the Crown Prince, who had become a dangerous burden.
Seeing his daughter’s expression, Lu Desheng couldn’t quite understand why she seemed so pessimistic about the Crown Prince’s safe return.
“If we can ensure the Crown Prince’s safe return, wouldn’t that solve most of the crisis?” Even if Emperor Kang Cheng passed away and the Crown Prince ascended the throne, there would be a change in power. Although he might no longer be favored, wouldn’t the Qin family’s crisis be resolved?
Lu Songli nodded. Indeed, if the Qin family could ensure the Crown Prince’s safe return, that would resolve half of the crisis. However, she didn’t think it would be that easy.
“You’ve already warned the Qin family, so why do you think they wouldn’t be able to handle this?” Lu Desheng’s voice carried a hint of displeasure.
Her pessimism didn’t stem from doubt about the Qin family but rather about the Crown Prince himself.
Their Crown Prince, influenced by Confucian thought, was gentle and kind, but also a bit too rigid.
In Lu Songli’s view, the Crown Prince was mediocre and politically insensitive—not a qualified successor.
Take his recent trip north to visit the troops as an example. With Emperor Kang Cheng’s health already in decline and at a time when power was transitioning, the Crown Prince should not have left Chang’an. A successor should be focused on ensuring a smooth transition of power for the sake of the dynasty and the people. After all, power transitions often lead to instability, and instability drains national strength, which includes both resources and talent.
If, as the Crown Prince, he didn’t even know the true state of his father’s health, it showed just how poorly he managed the palace staff he was about to inherit. This was especially glaring when his brothers had already sensed that something was wrong with the Emperor.
Moreover, according to inside information, the idea for the Crown Prince to visit the troops was proposed by ministers, and Emperor Kang Cheng was still hesitant about sending the Crown Prince. Yet, the Crown Prince insisted on going north!
Lu Songli couldn’t understand the Crown Prince’s reasoning behind this decision. Was it just for a bit of empty fame?
Fine, since he decided to go north to boost the morale of the troops, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. But even Qin Silang knew to take a shortcut back to Chang’an, while the Crown Prince leisurely took the official road to the northern border. Shouldn’t this matter have been dealt with swiftly? The Crown Prince’s visit was supposed to encourage the soldiers, serving as a symbol of goodwill. Wouldn’t it have been better to reach the northern border quickly, finish the task, and return promptly?
A responsible heir to the throne should prioritize his safety and ensure his smooth succession.
If you can control the situation, then by all means.
But Lu Songli believed the outcome would not be favorable because the powers behind the scenes would not allow it.
After Lu Songli explained her concerns, Lu Desheng also began to worry about the Crown Prince’s competence. The problem was that his poor judgment could drag them down as well.
Lu Songli’s gaze fell on a piece of paper beside her, which listed information about Emperor Kang Cheng’s sons.
After glancing at it, she put it down and couldn’t help but rub her temples, sighing deeply. While Emperor Kang Cheng’s health deteriorated due to his reliance on alchemical drugs, plots and schemes were already brewing below the surface, with countless conspirators and ambitious individuals waiting for their chance. This web had been woven for who knows how long, and the Crown Prince was just one piece of it.
Unfortunately, their Lu family had been too focused on their struggle with the Zhao and Xie families, and because the opposing plan had been stagnant, she hadn’t noticed it.
“Daughter, if things get too dangerous, should we consider breaking off the engagement?” Lu Desheng suggested.
Having been in the court for many years, even though he was a neutral loyalist and hadn’t had much contact with the Crown Prince, he knew a bit about the Crown Prince’s character. The Crown Prince’s mildness could be seen as kindness, but it could also be seen as weakness.
The Crown Prince had the virtue of being willing to listen to others’ opinions or suggestions, but he lacked decisiveness, which made him appear indecisive in handling affairs.
The Crown Prince’s problem is either that he’s cut off from reliable information or that his advisory team is failing him.
If it’s the latter, the Crown Prince is in serious trouble.
Lu Desheng felt that the situation was too tricky, and he didn’t want their Lu family to get caught in this mess. His solution? Call off the engagement! Cut off their ties with the Qin family at the root.
Lu Songli shook her head, not convinced by his suggestion. “I’m afraid that won’t work.”
Her engagement to Qin Sheng was a marriage decree issued by the Empress Dowager. If her father went to the Emperor to request breaking off the engagement, and if Emperor Kang Cheng agreed, it would be a slap in the face to the Empress Dowager—something the Emperor would never allow. The only way it might work is if her father risked using his imperial immunity token and invoked the bond of loyalty between him and the Emperor.
But the immunity token couldn’t be used lightly. Otherwise, once Emperor Kang Cheng passed away, given the Empress Dowager’s dislike for her and her father, without that token for protection, their entire family would be in grave danger.
“Father, don’t be so quick to distance yourself from the Qin family.” Lu Songli couldn’t help but laugh at her father’s eagerness to treat the Qin family like a hot potato.
If the new emperor isn’t the Crown Prince, their Lu family would fare no better than the Qin family. Her father was once very close to Emperor Kang Cheng. If the new emperor’s rise to power is illegitimate, he will undoubtedly be suspicious of those close to the former emperor. The saying “A new ruler brings in new ministers” is not just an empty phrase.
So, there’s no need to despise the Qin family just yet. To others, they too might be seen as liabilities.
Lu Desheng understood and felt discouraged. In other words, knowing that someone is plotting something underhanded, their Lu family couldn’t avoid getting caught in this conspiracy either.
If they remain united, they can at least support each other and stand a better chance: if they separate, they could be picked off one by one.
“Father, the situation isn’t too bad. We’ll find a way through this.”
Lu Songli was calm and composed. When problems arise, you solve them. Sometimes, avoiding them isn’t an option. When the storm comes, you respond proactively.
Lu Songli’s calmness helped Lu Desheng regain his composure as well.
“What should we do next?” Lu Desheng asked.
Lu Songli was pondering this too.
There wasn’t much more they could do for the Qin family. She had already warned them, and since they were taking action, that could be set aside for now. As for the Crown Prince, it was up to the Qin family. They should try to protect him as best as they can.
Next, they needed to figure out how their Lu family would handle the political turmoil that was about to unfold.
Since they had already detected signs of trouble, they couldn’t afford to sit back and let the other side carry out their schemes unchallenged.
“Father, who do you think is behind all this? Which prince?” Lu Songli decided that they needed to identify the person behind the plot. As the old saying goes, know your enemy and know yourself, and you will always win.
Lu Desheng’s interest was piqued. Yes, first, they needed to identify the prince with such ambition—to overthrow his own brother and father and take the throne for himself.
Lu Songli said, “It’s a pity that the young eunuch who overheard Wei Zili asking about the Emperor’s condition was unfamiliar, and later he died in a suspicious drowning. Otherwise, we could have traced the information back to the person behind it all.”
“Wei Zili should have some idea of who was buying information from him,” Lu Desheng remarked.
Lu Songli agreed.
“Leave this to me. I’ll go and have a little talk with him.”
Once Emperor Kang Cheng dies, Wei Zili will definitely have a bad end.
Lu Desheng feels that they are all grasshoppers on the same line, and in autumn at that, which should make it clear. They are all struggling to save themselves by kicking their legs and flapping their wings. If Wei Zili is smart, he should cooperate with them; if not, he should just die.
“Alright, then I’ll leave this matter to you, Father.”