Chapter 173: Sneak attack (1/2)
Military camp Ningzhuo, Northern Wei.
Su Liya leaned back a little and mumbled, ” The Crown Prince?” When the response she received was a raised brow from Lu Yaozhu, she continued. ”Why are you spying on the Crown Prince, I thought you were friends?”
”So what if we are friends, don't friend also betray each other. My father and the Emperor were friends, yet that didn't stop him from abandoning my father. You can never trust anyone most of all a monarch. People change and not always for the best. I will never repeat my father's mistake”
Su Liya glanced at him, she saw the uncertainty in his eyes. It was obvious that while Lu Yaozhu tried to protect his family and the citizens. He held on to a little bit of hope that things won't sour between the Crown Prince and himself. Which was normal, it was proof that he was humane and not greedy for power. It would have been weird if he wasn't a little bit hurt by the idea, she placed her hands on his and rubbed her thumb gently on his knuckles.
”There is nothing wrong with planning, after all, people buy umbrellas in summer ahead of spring. Hopefully, we won't have to use this. I think the Crown Prince won't follow in his father's footsteps.”
Lu Yaozhu smiled, he looked down at her hands, ”your hand is a bit cold”. He pulled his hands out from under his, grabbed her hand and brought it close to his lips. He blew warm air down on her hands in an attempt to warm her hands up.
”Yaozhu, do you have any idea who is behind the anonymous letter? Whoever it seems to hold a grudge against the Lu family. He or she claimed to have proof that would destroy us in the letter sent to Zhu Fenfang.”
”How odd, Xie Feng reported that the crown prince has been looking into the events of the months leading to his mother's death. Xie Feng was killed during that assassination attempt on the Crown Prince so I will not be able to get an answer. Looks like I need to get a new spy but since his highness is still recovering and. I am stuck here. I need ti to wait to see the replacement for his old staff”
Su Liya nodded, ”in the meantime, I will send word to Fengyin to have somewhat keep watch of the Zhu Fenfang. We can use her to discover the identity of the sender of that letter”
”Why not pray on the tension between the Crown Princess consort and Madam Zhu. It is still hidden but bringing it to light might help us. I have been seating on good gunpowder to ignite their fight”.
”Now I am curious, what could make the two ladies openly attack each other.”
Lu Yaozhu laughed softly, ”before I tell you anything, you have to promise not to get angry”
”Get angry? Why would do that? It is not like I am in love with the Crown Prince! I am not that delusional, who doesn't know that marriage into the royal family is all roses and sunshine. The Imperial haram is a gilded cage that turns women into nothing short of Peacocks to be admired like animals on display at a Carnival”.
Lu Yaozhu tilted his head to the side, ” you seem to have really thought of that a lot?”
”Well can you blame me! Try listening to noblewomen talk about the Imperial haram like it was heaven on earth. I was forced to endure that crap during all the banquets I attended. Instead of marrying into the imperial Haram, I prefer to marry a normal man like you. Who doesn't have an ever-growing Haram, no woman liked to share her man”
”Few young ladies are as insightful as you are, most people just see the glamour and not the pain the women in the Imperial haram experience. I grew up in the haram so I saw it first hand, I would never put the woman I love through that torture”.
”Since we are both clear on that, why don't you tell me your plan. Oh, wise one” Su Liya said.