Chapter 29: Introducing the Judge

“Is there any movement in the Zhao Mansion?” Lu Songli casually asked.

“Madam Zhao went to the Chang’an Yamen in a fit of anger, and the Chang’an magistrate sent people to arrest many gossipers,” replied the other person.

Lu Songli was surprised to hear this. Why did the Zhao family take such a step? Did Zhao Yutan not inform Zhao Wenkuan about their planned actions following yesterday’s events?

Lu Songli looked at her father, and they exchanged a glance. Lu Desheng understood her surprise. At this point, even he was a bit puzzled by the Zhao family’s actions. There must have been something they didn’t know about happening.

However, last night, he followed his daughter’s advice and withdrew their people. With the Zhao family’s actions, it was clear what kind of people they had caught. This was going to be interesting to watch, haha.

Lu Songli was unaware that after seeing her return, Zhao Yutan was in turmoil and did not tell her father the details of her conversation with her. As for Guo Yan, she did not enter the Zhao Mansion but went straight home without seeing Zhao Wenkuan, her uncle, so she had no way of informing him.

Therefore, Zhao Wenkuan only thought that his daughter went to see Lu Songli as a formality, not knowing that Lu Songli had made a prediction and already anticipated their subsequent plans.

At this moment, as Lu Desheng and Lu Songli had predicted, Zhao Wenkuan was indeed confused.

Everything was going according to plan. Today, he had his wife go to the Chang’an Yamen, which was also part of the plan, intending to take the opportunity to deal with the people kept by Lu Desheng. Those people in his hands, while guiding public opinion for the Zhao family, had also caused trouble, which disgusted the Zhao family.

He thought he could catch a few of the most talkative troublemakers under Lu Desheng’s command and give them a little lesson.

But as soon as the Chang’an Yamen sent the captured people to prison, word got back to the Zhao Mansion that the people they had caught were all mouths fed by the Zhao Mansion! When the news came back, he was furious. Each one of them was more trouble than they were worth. Didn’t he tell them to keep a low profile recently and not attract attention? Couldn’t they let Lu Desheng’s people handle the troublemakers who were sticking their heads out?

The people below were also frustrated. They had indeed tried to keep a low profile, but the people from the Lu Family had simply disappeared, which only made them stand out.

On the Lu Family’s side, discussions about Zhao Yutan’s suicide were still ongoing, speculating about the next development.

“If Zhao Yutan forces us with her death, will the Zhao family or the Xie family come directly to us to discuss calling off the marriage?” Madam Jiang felt annoyed at the thought.

Lu Desheng snorted, “Will the Zhao family dare to come to our door? Does he have the face for it? The Xie family also doesn’t have the face to bring it up directly. They only dared to mention it indirectly before, and neither family has the face for it now.

It’s not their Lu Family who is in a hurry now. They are sitting pretty and won’t actively push this matter forward. Doesn’t that mean the matter is at a standstill here?

Lu Songli remained silent. The situation was already clear, just as her parents had discussed. After the Zhao family used Zhao Yutan’s reputation and her suicide to position themselves as innocent and pure, the entire situation became deadlocked.  The Zhao family would never be able to take the initiative openly. The Xie family couldn’t move either. In this matter, the Xie family could only passively accept. They could act behind the scenes, but they couldn’t do anything openly. The Lu Family didn’t want to move. The Qin family, already divorced from the Zhao family, had been marginalized in this matter, and their actions wouldn’t have much impact.

In this stalemate, if the Zhao family wanted to achieve their goal, they would have to bring in a third party, a judge. This judge would have to be biased towards the Zhao family and someone who could make decisions for the Zhao, Xie, Lu, and even the Qin families.

There were only a few people who could make decisions for these four families.  Lu Songli counted them on her fingers, and there were only three: the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress. The Emperor was unlikely, as he favored her father, and Zhao Wenkuan was not well-regarded by the Emperor. Therefore, the judge could only be chosen between the Empress Dowager and the Empress.

Lu Songli personally believed that the Zhao family would choose the Empress Dowager. Firstly, the Empress Dowager disliked her father. Secondly, compared to the Empress, the Empress Dowager was the Emperor’s mother, holding a position of filial piety and authority, making her more capable of challenging the Emperor. The Emperor would be more likely to compromise with the Empress Dowager on minor matters.

Furthermore, the Empress would probably not want to get involved in this mess. After all, she had a son. If she had any ambitions for the throne, then her father, who was neutral and only loyal to the Emperor, would be someone she wouldn’t want to offend to death, even if she couldn’t win him over.

Understanding all this, Lu Songli had a plan in mind.

Zhao Yutan was still unconscious. Once she woke up, there should be a breakthrough in this matter. Moreover, she had a feeling that a definitive conclusion would be reached soon.

Then, Lu Songli continued eating and drinking. As for her deductions, she wouldn’t say anything to worry her parents. Her father should be able to guess a little, and they both tacitly avoided mentioning it.

“Father, Mother, let’s not talk about these worrisome things. No matter what, our Lu Family is in the right, and we won’t suffer any losses.” Following that, Lu Songli brought up the amusing incident that happened at the Xu family yesterday. Her elder sister had complained to her that she had given birth to three boys in a row, and Lu Songli had casually comforted her, saying that sons were good too.  Her little nephew had overheard this and thought she liked sons, so the adorable little guy wanted to secretly give his brother to her.

Madam Jiang laughed until her stomach hurt, and Lu Desheng couldn’t help but chuckle.

Speaking of her elder sister, Lu Songli asked about her elder brother, Lu Zhiyuan. “Mother, it’s been a while since my elder brother accompanied my sister-in-law back to her family’s home, hasn’t it?”

Madam Jiang calculated the days. “Yes, it’s been almost a week. Your sister-in-law’s mother fell, and her father took your brother with him to look for medicinal herbs in another place. Her younger siblings are still young and don’t know how to handle things, so your sister-in-law brought your brother along, and he’s just the right person to help.”

“He only heard about your situation the day before yesterday. Then, he sent Tian An back to you. My father and I thought it would be best for Tian An to return and tell him to stay and take care of his mother-in-law’s family before coming back. We’ll handle your affairs, so you don’t need him.”

Lu Songli nodded. Tian An was her elder brother’s trusted aide, like his right-hand man.

“Is his mother-in-law’s fall serious?”

“Tian An said it was quite serious.”

“Mother, why don’t I go to Ping’an Town and see my brother and sister-in-law?” Lu Songli thought to herself. Her sister-in-law’s family was a medicinal herb dealer, and she wanted to go and see if there were any business opportunities.  Firstly, she wanted to earn some money for the family, and secondly, she wanted to replenish her own little treasury. The Lu Family’s financial situation was not good. Although her father often received imperial gifts, their expenses were high. They were not like other wealthy families, receiving support from their extended family. She wasn’t sure how to do it yet, so she would go and see the scale of the Shen family’s medicinal herb shop first.

Madam Jiang thought for a moment and said, “That’s fine, you can go out and relax. But wait for a good weather day before you leave.”

“Okay, I’ll listen to you, Mother.”