Suddenly, it started to rain heavily under the bright starry sky at night. It poured down all night long, and the next morning, puddles of water formed on the stone platform in front of the palace gate.
Emperor An suddenly had a headache and took a day off from court, but both in the palace and in the capital, the affairs of the Lu family were still extremely lively.
The Lu family's events of yesterday could not be concealed. The Fourth Prince led people to break into the Lu family, and Guan's body was carried through the streets again. The whole capital knew that she was "having an affair" with Prince Cheng, and that the Lu family "exchanged children" with Prince Cheng's mansion. It was thought that the Lu family would be blamed this time, but no one expected that Lu Chongyuan, who had entered the palace to apologize, not only came out safely, but was also suddenly released from house arrest.
Qian Qiyue was leaning over the table talking about gossip, while Xue Ru was cracking walnuts with a small hammer.
When the plate was almost full of peeled walnut kernels, she divided it into two, giving the larger portion to Tang Ning and the smaller portion to Qian Qiyue.
"Xiao A'ru, you are biased." Qian Qiyue pointed at Tang Ning and pretended to be dissatisfied: "Why does she have more than me?"
Xue Ru said, "Sister likes it."
"But I like it too." Qian Qiyue teased her deliberately.
Xue Ru was not annoyed, she smiled and said, "Then I'll peel it for Sister Yue."
That being said, after peeling all the walnuts in her hand, she still put the extra ones in front of Tang Ning and gave the fewer ones to Qian Qiyue.
Seeing this, Qian Qiyue pouted at Tang Ning and said, "Look, look, your little A'ru really only loves her sister. She is really biased..."
"Eating won't stop you from talking." Tang Ning threw walnut kernels at her. When she pretended to fall down with an "ouch", he turned to Xue Ru and said, "Ignore her. She just loves to make trouble."
Xue Ru pursed her lips to reveal two dimples. She liked Sister A Yue, even though she always liked to tease her, but she could tell that Sister A Yue treated her kindly. She was not like those people in the past who told so-called jokes but were actually sarcastic. Qian Qiyue just loved to laugh and had a boisterous personality.
Qian Qiyue giggled, grabbed the walnut kernel in her hand and threw it into her mouth, then continued talking about the previous topic.
"You don't know, there are all kinds of things being said outside today, some are talking about the Lu family, some are talking about the Guan family, and some are talking about the Fourth Prince. How did Madam Lu get involved with Prince Chen? I've seen her before, and she doesn't seem like that kind of person."
"And Lu Zhinian, he is actually the son of Prince Cheng. The Lu family used to train him as the legitimate son. Everyone said that he would be the head of the Lu family in the future. If those previous incidents had not happened and Prince Cheng had not been involved, wouldn't he have really inherited the Lu family..."
Qian Qiyue was shocked when she heard these things for the first time. The story could not be written so vividly in a notebook. Just thinking about the Lu family's century-old family business being handed over to the son of Prince Cheng, not to mention that Lu Chongyuan and the others would be pissed to death, I'm afraid that the ancestors of the Lu family for eighteen generations would be dead.
"Fortunately, you and Lu Zhinian broke off the engagement, otherwise you would have been dragged down to death by him this time. And there's Xie Yin, who said that he was a child adopted from the Lu family by Guan, but the women of the Lu family have a fixed number of children to give birth to, and it's not certain whether this is the bloodline of the Lu family."
Xie Yin, a descendant of the royal family and the prince of the royal palace, became a bastard of unknown origin overnight. He was really pitiful.
Tang Ning listened quietly, not commenting on the discussions and rumors outside. She poured some fruit drinks and handed them to Qian Qiyue before asking, "What are those people who are discussing the Fourth Prince saying?"
"What else can they say? They say he is cruel and heartless, and ungrateful for the position of crown prince. Some people also call him brainless. Anyway, there is nothing good to say."
Qian Qiyue held the fruit and drank: "By the way, I heard that His Majesty is ill. He didn't attend the morning court today. It was said that he had a cold, but I don't think so."
"My father found out last night that Lu Chongyuan was released from house arrest. He scolded him all night in the mansion, and his face was black when he left in the morning."
"I don't know what His Majesty is thinking. The Lu family has made mistakes one after another, and the matter of Madam Lu has also caused a lot of uproar. Instead of reprimanding the Lu family, he allowed Lu Chongyuan to return to the court. I think he didn't hold court today because he was afraid that those old-fashioned people in the Censorate would make him mad."
This is totally the behavior of a tyrant!
Tang Ning raised the corner of her mouth when she saw her angry look. Emperor An was indeed sick. Her brother told her that Emperor An had been taking the golden elixir for a long time and was addicted to alcohol. He regarded the golden elixir as an elixir of immortality and used it in increasing dosages. The severe headache was caused by the poison in the elixir entering his body and being stimulated, but outsiders did not know about it.
The people from the Imperial Medical Bureau said that Emperor An had caught a cold, but people in the court did not believe a word of it. They thought it was too coincidental. Many people thought the same as Qian Qiyue. It was said that the people from the Censorate had knocked on the door of Emperor An's bedroom early in the morning, and they must still be making a fuss now.
Emperor An could not have peace even when he was on leave.
Qian Qiyue was mumbling to Tang Ning about things outside, and Tang Ning and Xue Ru were listening quietly.
It was still raining outside, dripping on the tiles, flowing down to the eaves, gathering into rain lines and dripping down, splashing water all over the ground.
In the afternoon, people from the palace came to deliver the imperial edict. Tang Ning led Xue Ru and Princess Cheng to receive the imperial edict together. After the palace servant who delivered the edict was given a red envelope and sent away, Gu Helian appeared from nowhere.
"Xiao Yan said that Emperor An has convicted Prince Cheng. Prince Cheng's family business must be sorted out as soon as possible, and there is also the matter of setting up a mansion. Do you plan to stay in Jiyun Lane or find another mansion?"
Although Gu Helian looked down on Xie Tianyu's things, they were all owed to Rong Yue by him and the Royal Family, and he had to get every penny back to Rong Yue.
Rong Yue casually threw the imperial edict aside and said, "Find another mansion."
Since the Rong family has established a mansion, the Rong family ancestral hall will be moved there in the future. If possible, she will find a suitable heir for the Rong family in the future. Besides, this Tang Mansion belongs to Tang Ning and was given to her by Xiao Yan. Rong Yue has never planned to ask Tang Ning to change the plaque and make this place the Rong family.
Gu Helian was about to say that he had a house, but remembering the temperament of the man in front of him, he swallowed his words and just said, "Then I'll ask someone to help you find it."
Rong Yue did not refuse, just looked at him: "I have to trouble you to lend me a few accountants. The properties of Prince Cheng's Mansion are too complicated, and it is a bit troublesome to sort them out. I have no one, and it will take some time to find someone new. The Gu family has many capable people, so lend them to me first. I will take care of the family and give them double the monthly salary. After the affairs of Prince Cheng's Mansion are sorted out, I will let them go back..."
Gu Helian frowned and said, "It's just a few account rooms. I'll give it to you."
Rong Yue shook her head gently, "No, just borrowing it for now is enough. It's not reasonable to borrow it and not pay it back. I don't have much money on hand right now, so I'll have to trouble you to help advance the money for the house. I will pay it back to you immediately after the assets of Prince Cheng's Mansion are settled."