Chapter 1570: 1567: The Matters of That Year

Chapter 1570: Chapter 1567: The Matters of That Year

Waving his hand, he said, “It’s nothing serious, just some lingering wounds and excessive blood loss. Fortunately, it’s the New Year break, so he can recuperate well. I’ll come over every three days to change his dressing. I’m leaving now; the clinic has many patients and it’s quite busy.”

Lu Chuan moved his lips, but the words of gratitude were swallowed back. He obediently followed him and said, “I’ll see you to the door.”

“As you please,” Lu Sangqi replied casually.

Inside the room.

Ye Muyu saw the blood-soaked gauze on Chu Heng’s abdomen and felt a tightness in her chest, “How did he get so gravely injured?”

“It’s nothing, just an accident. I didn’t expect that while apprehending the criminal, the opponent—though a civil official—had practiced inner strength. Perhaps knowing I’d come, he had assassins set in advance.” Chu Heng knew that without explaining clearly, Ye Muyu would be more worried, so he spoke lightly with a faint smile, recounting the incident casually.

“Who did you capture?” Ye Muyu furrowed her brows, thinking there were indeed hidden dragons and crouching tigers among the capital’s officials; those who seemed docile on the surface might harbor unknown mysteries behind the scenes.

Chu Heng leaned half-against the cushion, his voice clear: “The Vice Minister of Works, who had passed through the military before and assisted in some repairs, seized the opportunity to learn martial arts.”

“Is the Vice Minister of Works aligned with the Second Prince?” Ye Muyu knit her brows, aware that another prince was implicated.

“Yes, this person is openly affiliated with the Second Prince, but over a decade ago, he rose to power by stepping over General Lu. Back then, he was also involved in framing General Lu.” Chu Heng mused.

Hearing this, Ye Muyu was at a loss for words and muttered softly, “Back then, General Lu held high power. Did the Second Prince frame him because he failed to win him over?”

“It wasn’t just the Second Prince. At that time, Duke Zheng and the Qi family also took action, not to mention the Lin family.”

“The Lin family?” Ye Muyu was genuinely surprised this time, “Are you talking about Zhongjin’s maternal family?”

“Yes, I previously mentioned the Lin family because the Late Empress offended the Emperor in the palace. Later on, for an unknown reason, even the Fourth Prince, now Prince Rong, was sent to the Jiangnan Buddhist Temple to practice Zen at the age of eight.”

“In truth, the main cause wasn’t the Late Empress but her father, the previous Prime Minister Lin Feng.”

“Lin Feng, as an imperial consort’s relative, wielded immense power after the Emperor ascended the throne. At that time, the Emperor and the Late Empress had a good relationship in the harem, leading Prime Minister Lin to overstep bounds. Back then, Prime Minister Lin and General Lu stood in opposition at court—one civil, one military.”

“Prime Minister Lin used the occasion of the new Emperor’s first hunting trip to entrap General Lu, nearly costing the Emperor his life. After the investigation concluded, Emperor Xuanming was furious. He first dealt with General Lu, then because of the Northern Region’s turmoil, Prime Minister Lin attempted to intervene in Northern Region affairs to install his own people.”

“At that time, Prime Minister Lin almost succeeded. If not for the sudden appearance of the King of Huainan, the Northern Region would have been divided among five generals, four of whom were Prime Minister Lin’s people.”

Ye Muyu sighed softly, “No wonder it was like this; even if the Emperor favored the former Empress, he wouldn’t allow an imperial consort’s family to monopolize power. Besides, Prime Minister Lin was too greedy, trying to coerce the Son of Heaven to control the feudal lords. No wonder the Lin family is now weakened, with the highest official merely a fourth-rank idler.”

“Indeed, after Prime Minister Lin was toppled, many intervened—the Qi family, Duke Zheng, and even the Elder Princess. Today’s high-ranking officials in court have all dealt with Prime Minister Lin.”

“Later, Prince Rong was sent out of the capital, and the Late Empress used her life to preserve the younger generation of the Lin family.”