Chapter 17: We cant afford to have any more spies around us. (1/2)

Lu Yingjie pinched the top of his nose gently ”She has to be careful, the Emperor is watching us closely”.

”I guess he has gotten tired of keeping a low profile in our lives. What provoked him this time” Lu Yong said.

”My last battle, the Emperor was hoping I would be killed when the camp was attacked,” Lu Yaozhu replied.

Lu Yong sighed ”How long are we going to take this Jingjie? The Emperor is exhausting all means just to subdue us”.

Lu Yaozhu replied ”Don't worry about me, I know when to let go”

Lu Yong was satisfied with his elder brother's answer, he nodded then replied ”don't worry about mother she will come around”.

”mm”

Lu Yaozhu discussed other things with his brothers before leaving to meet his mother.

******

His mother laid on her side on the recliner when he walked into her room. Li Yaozhu rode hard from the training camp back to the capital for three hours. It was nearing 7 pm when he got home.

The weather got hotter earlier in the day, his mother had changed into a simpler set of clothes. She leaned to her right on the chair, resting her head on her upraised arm, her elbow placed on the wooden armrest. Her eyes were shut, her face relaxed.

The young maid standing next to her made a move to wake her but he stopped her. His mother was always on her feet, doing one thing or another. It was rare to see her like this, she looked exhausted. She must have been thinking too much

Madam Lu looked up when she noticed the movement of a shadow past the light. ”Yaozhu!” She cried out and got up from her chair. She walked to him and grabbed both of his hands, she raised. She looked at her maid and asked ”why didn't you alert me of his presence”.

The maid gulped, she was a relatively new maid in the Duke's manor. She wasn't used to everything yet and didn't know how to respond. She stuttered ”I_I” when Lu Yaozhu replied, ”don't be too hard on her mother, I stopped her from alerting you. I wanted to give you more time to rest”.

Madam touched his cheeks gently ”How sweet of you”. She frowned when her hands moved up ”You lost weight Yaozhu” she stepped back and gave him a thorough look down ”Look at you now you are all fresh and bones now.”

Lu Yaozhu smiled and replied, ”I was only gone a few days mum, it is nothing”.

”Nothing?!” She stepped back and looked at him eyes narrowed ”Let me be the judge of that”.