Chapter 223 1/3

After the Emperor and Concubine Liu decided to dine at Qingyun Restaurant the next day, they informed Lu Qingxi.

Lu Qingxi immediately made arrangements. He finalized the list of people to bring and ensured the necessary items were prepared. He also sent a letter to Qingyun Restaurant, asking Duan Jin to be ready.

After completing these tasks, Lu Qingxi pondered briefly before leaving the palace to find Lu Mingshan.

These days, Lu Mingshan’s reputation had soared in the capital. The powerful and influential all wanted to have a chat with him, hoping he could read their fortunes.

But Lu Mingshan was elusive, which only heightened the belief that he was a master.

In reality… Lu Mingshan’s elusiveness was because every fortune-telling session was meticulously planned and staged, with someone always there to help him leave unnoticed.

When not “performing,” Lu Mingshan stayed in a residence arranged by Lu Qingxi, reading books.

During this time, he had deceived many people. High-ranking officials, who once seemed untouchable to him, now treated him with respect, truly believing him to be a master.

Lu Mingshan felt inflated with pride.

Having lived at the bottom rung of society, the high-ranking officials were once beyond his reach. But now, they respected and admired him!

This feeling was exhilarating. Although he lacked freedom, he didn’t mind.

Every day, he either read or studied the bronze mirror, rehearsing for the next performance, keeping himself very busy.

He felt as if he had reached the pinnacle of his life.

The only regret was the absence of his apprentice.

If his apprentice were here, he could boast about his deeds, and his apprentice would surely be in awe of him.

Initially, when brought before Lu Qingxi, Lu Mingshan was fearful, but now…

He had always lived for the moment, and now he was only thinking about how to deceive even more powerful people!

“Greedy people will inevitably be poor…” At noon, as usual, Lu Mingshan read a book Lu Qingxi had found for him.

It was a rare book on how to deceive people, stating that excessive greed leads to poverty and teaching how to exploit others’ greed to swindle money.

What a great book! Lu Mingshan believed that once he finished it, his conning skills would improve.

Thinking this, he popped a candied fruit into his mouth.

The honey and sugar-preserved fruit was delicious and uplifting. Just then, someone entered.

“A new job?” Lu Mingshan stood up gracefully, only to see Lu Qingxi, alone.

Lu Mingshan immediately put on a flattering smile: “Greetings, Eunuch Lu. You look even better than before…”

He flattered Lu Qingxi.

Lu Qingxi enjoyed the compliments and, after listening, motioned for Lu Mingshan to sit: “Taoist Lu, tomorrow, you are to read the Emperor’s fortune.”

Lu Mingshan knew that Lu Qingxi was building his reputation and had a scheme.

Who was Lu Qingxi? He was the Emperor’s favorite, capable of assisting with state affairs!

He wouldn’t cultivate a “master” just to have him reveal officials’ secrets.

Being smart, Lu Mingshan realized he might have to read the Emperor’s fortune.

And now, his task had arrived.

Lu Mingshan said, “Eunuch, what do you need me to say? Rest assured, I’ll handle everything perfectly as per your instructions!”

Lu Qingxi looked at Lu Mingshan with increasing satisfaction.

He initially planned to kill him after the job was done, but now… things were going too smoothly. Sparing him might be an option.

Li Qingzhi and the Emperor shared many similarities!

Seeing that mole made Lu Qingxi wonder if Li Qingzhi could really be the Emperor’s lost child.

Of course, that was impossible.

The Emperor was not a womanizer. Besides the late Empress chosen by the previous Emperor and Concubine Liu, there were only two other women the late Emperor forced him to take.

After ascending the throne, he tried to have children and took two more Concubines, making a total of five women in his harem.

These women collectively had only three children.

The eldest and second princesses survived, but Concubine Liu’s daughter did not.

The Emperor could not have had other children.

Lu Qingxi told Lu Mingshan: “When you meet the Emperor tomorrow, say this…”

He instructed Lu Mingshan on what to say and told him about Qi Jun.

Lu Mingshan needed to know about Qi Jun to say convincing things!

Lu Mingshan was surprised that Lu Qingxi wanted him to tell the Emperor he had a son out there.

What was Lu Qingxi planning? Was he trying to find someone to impersonate a prince?

Lu Mingshan knew this could be dangerous, but he was already on this path and couldn’t turn back.

Lu Mingshan said, “Rest assured, Your Grace, I will handle this beautifully!”

“Prepare well today, and remember, do not tell anyone about this. Otherwise… dying peacefully would be your good fortune,” Lu Qingxi said with a sinister smile, using his eunuch voice. “Do you know what being drawn and quartered is? Or being flayed alive?”

After this, Lu Qingxi patted Lu Mingshan’s shoulder and left.

After Lu Qingxi left, Li Zhu came in: “What did Eunuch Lu say to you?”

Lu Mingshan was currently staying in her territory, and she knew everything Lu Qingxi had asked him to do.

His apprentice was with Li Zhu, and compared to Lu Qingxi, Lu Mingshan trusted Li Qingzhi more.

He didn’t trust Lu Qingxi or Li Zhu, but he felt Li Qingzhi had no ill intentions toward him.

Since Li Qingzhi was with Li Zhu… Lu Mingshan told her what Lu Qingxi wanted him to do.

“As expected.” Li Zhu breathed a sigh of relief, her face showing a peculiar, almost strange, smile, and soon tears filled her eyes.

She had always wanted revenge against Prince Jin, and later, Prince Yan too.

But it was too difficult.

Their statuses were worlds apart!

Moreover, the Emperor intended to pass the throne to one of them.

If either became Emperor, how could she avenge herself?

But now, her brother had a chance to become a prince!

Prince Jin and Prince Yan both wanted to be Emperor, but the throne would go to her brother!

They had killed her family, and now her brother would take the throne from them!

Just thinking about it was exhilarating!

Lu Qingxi had gone to the hot spring village to see her brother yesterday, and unless something unexpected happened, he had chosen her brother.

Li Zhu laughed and cried, then told Lu Mingshan, “Taoist Lu, say what Eunuch Lu instructed you to say to the Emperor tomorrow, and then pretend to be possessed by a spirit and say something else…”

Li Zhu and Li Qingzhi had discussed the entire plan.