The group had already disembarked from the carriage, and the voices of the onlookers in the distance grew clearer.
Cui Lin showed no fear in the face of Lu Chongyuan's gloomy expression. The Lu family had suffered repeated setbacks and was severely weakened. Cui Lin had originally intended to seize the opportunity to completely crush the Lu family and replace them with the Cui family. However, to his surprise, despite Lu Chongyuan's dire situation, he had somehow managed to stage a comeback.
Cui Lin had no idea what method Lu Chongyuan had used to force Emperor An to concede. He recalled the day when he thought the death of Lady Guan would spell the end of the Lu family, leaving them with no place to bury their dead. Yet, to his astonishment, after Lu Chongyuan entered the palace to plead guilty, he was allowed to return to court. The news infuriated Cui Lin, making his chest ache with frustration.
Having schemed for so long in vain, Cui Lin now found Lu Chongyuan utterly detestable. "If it weren't for the contributions of the Lu family, the Rongsheng Academy would never have reached its current state."
Lu Chongyuan took a deep breath. "The Lu family has been framed. My presence here today is out of necessity. Elder Cui, the aristocratic families are interconnected..."
"Enough!" Cui Lin coldly interrupted before Lu Chongyuan could finish his lofty speech. "The scandal your Lu family has caused is something our Cui family wants no part of. The reputation of the many women in the Cui family is at stake."
"You kept the matter of the grain transport a secret, and now we find out you were colluding with Prince Cheng. Even the matter with Hou Rui in the Ministry of War was hidden so deeply by your family. If it hadn't been uncovered by chance, who knows what else your family might have done in the future."
"The Cui family has survived to this day through great effort. I dare not entrust our ancestral legacy to you, Minister Lu. Otherwise, we might be sold out one day without even knowing it..."
"Cui Lin!" Lu Qin, unable to contain his anger, hissed in a low voice, "You know full well that the Lu family was framed. My father has done everything he can to salvage the situation. If it weren't for your secret alliance with the Second Prince, none of this would have happened..."
"You dare blame me?" Cui Lin's face turned icy as he addressed Lu Qin. "Was it I who encouraged the misconduct of your family's descendants? Or was it I who forced you to collude with Prince Cheng? Your family poured all its resources into supporting the Fourth Prince, and what was the result? You raised an ungrateful and utterly foolish traitor. If I hadn't chosen to retreat early, the Cui family would now be as disgraced as your Lu family!"
"You—"
"What about you? Lu Qin, the Cui family is not a vassal of the Lu family. I am your elder, and when I am speaking with your father, it is not your place to interrupt."
Cui Lin glared at Lu Qin, who was seething with anger, then turned to Lu Chongyuan. "Is this the upbringing of the Lu family?"
Lu Chongyuan had no desire to openly clash with Cui Lin. The Lu family had suffered continuous setbacks, with significant losses within the clan. Although he had forced Emperor An to temporarily back down, the eldest son's line was ruined, and the second son was incapable of taking on the responsibility. To protect the family in the grain transport case, the Lu family had already paid a heavy price and was still recovering. An open conflict with the Cui family would not be beneficial.
However, Cui Lin's aggressive and cutting remarks left Lu Chongyuan with no choice. If he backed down now, he would lose the support of the other aristocratic families.
Lu Chongyuan raised his hand to stop Lu Qin and turned a cold face to Cui Lin. "The upbringing of the Lu family is none of the Cui family's concern. As for the Fourth Prince, he may be foolish, but he relies on the aristocratic families to survive. If it weren't for someone secretly inciting him, he would never have turned against us."
"Elder Cui, you have lofty ambitions, and I have never stood in your way as you lead the Cui family toward the future you desire. But the aristocratic families have long been bound together by shared interests. A single move affects the whole. The Lu family has never sought to implicate the other families and has always strived to protect the interests of the aristocratic families. Yet, you remain dissatisfied. Do you want me to call the other families together and explain how the grain transport case came to this?"
Cui Lin's heart skipped a beat as he met Lu Chongyuan's icy gaze.
Did Lu Chongyuan know?
About the ledger...
Feng Qiuli, who had been silent until now, suddenly stepped forward. "Elder Cui, Minister Lu makes a valid point. The aristocratic families are interconnected, and any setback for one of us is detrimental to all. Today, the Rongsheng Academy has drawn a large crowd. If we quarrel here, we will only become a laughingstock."
He then turned to Lu Chongyuan. "Minister Lu, Elder Cui's words were spoken in anger. The Fourth Prince has turned his back on the aristocratic families, and the Empress is no longer the same as before. The aristocratic families can no longer rely on them. Elder Cui merely seeks to find a new path for our families, not to abandon the others and pursue his own ambitions."
"Knowing that the Rongsheng Academy was opening today and that the Lady of Yiyang County intended to make things difficult for you, Elder Cui and I came to offer our support. We hope you do not misunderstand."
Feng Qiuli's words were impeccably diplomatic. Lu Chongyuan gave him a deep look and, noticing another carriage approaching in the distance, suppressed the darkness in his eyes. "I naturally will not misunderstand. I only hope that the aristocratic families do not engage in internal strife, giving outsiders an advantage."
Feng Qiuli breathed a sigh of relief. "Minister Lu's advice is well taken."
A servant approached the group at the academy gate and bowed. "Minister Lu, Minister Cui, and esteemed officials, the Lady of Yiyang County invites you to enter."
Cui Lin frowned, finding Song Tangning's lack of courtesy unacceptable. They had come in person, yet she did not greet them with the proper respect, instead sending a mere servant. He snorted coldly, gestured to Feng Qiuli, and strode into the academy, followed by the other two officials from the aristocratic families.
Lu Chongyuan and Lu Qin waited until they had left before following.
Lu Qin glared at their retreating backs, gritting his teeth. "Father, that Cui Lin is truly despicable..."
Lu Chongyuan waved his hand, noticing the guide walking ahead, and lowered his voice. "Cui Lin is ambitious but ultimately arrogant. He has long coveted the position of leading the aristocratic families, but dealing with him is not difficult. The real threat is Feng Qiuli—the dog that doesn't bark."
As the saying goes, the dog that bites doesn't bark. Cui Lin barks loudly but is ultimately not a threat. He dreams of supporting the Second Prince to the throne, just as the Lu family supported Emperor An, and of swallowing the Lu family, but he lacks the capability. The real danger is Feng Qiuli.
He has always remained in the shadows, appearing to follow the Cui family like a vassal. Yet, upon closer inspection, the growing rift between the Cui and Lu families bears the fingerprints of the Feng family everywhere.
Lu Chongyuan had underestimated that young man from the Feng family.
The academy was already filled with many people, and at a glance, most of the faces were familiar. When the Lu father and son arrived at the academy hall, they saw the usually stern Cao Dejiang chatting amiably with Song Tangning, a warm smile on his face. Around them stood other court officials, and the atmosphere was lively.
As Lu Chongyuan and his party entered, the room suddenly fell silent.
Tangning excused herself from the group and walked over to greet them.
"Greetings to Minister Lu and Minister Cui."
Cui Lin disliked the Lu family, but he had no fondness for Song Tangning either. A woman should not be out in public, building academies and trying to compete with the aristocratic families. His tone was cold and mocking.
"The Lady of Yiyang County hastily built this academy and opened it so soon. I had expected it to be more well-prepared, but it seems rather shabby."
==============
You can read ahead to chapterr 400 (100+ extra chapters) here
Comments
Post a Comment