Chapter 366: Chapter 363: Life_1 Chapter 366: Chapter 363: Life_1 Princess of Zhen, Bai Qingyan, ordered the guards to drag the youngest son of Left Prime Minister, Li Mao, out of the brothel and beat him half to death. This news spread throughout Dadu City in less than half an hour.
Lu Yuanpeng, who had been lounging in bed unwilling to get up, sat up in shock upon hearing the news.
He widened his eyes and looked at Sima Ping. âWhat did you say? Is it true? Did Bai Qingyan really deal with that shameless Li Mingtang?â
âWould I lie to you? I saw it with my own eyes! Itâs just that I was too far away⊠I didnât hear what Bai Qingyan said to the Left Prime Minister!â Sima Ping spoke rapidly. âThe last time the Crown Prince married his side consort, Bai Qingyanâs sword was so fast that I couldnât even see it clearly! She was so heroic! Today she didnât even get off her carriage in front of the Left Prime Minister. The aura she had is truly impressive, different from those so-called noble ladies in Dadu City!â
Lu Yuanpeng chuckled, straightened his back, and his expression inevitably became smug. âBai Qingyan must know that Li Mingtang bullied me!â
Sima Ping didnât hear the latter part of Lu Yuanpengâs words. His mind was full of Bai Qingyan standing on her carriage, clearly a delicate woman yet exuding overwhelming strength, proud and solemn, making people dare not look directly at her.
Sima Ping couldnât help but think of the late King of Zhen and Duke of Zhen, whose sharp and reserved aura could only come from those who had fought countless battles and feared nothing.
âYuanpeng⊠Iâve decided that on the 25th of this month, I will go with you to the southern border and join the Bai familyâs army incognito!â That one sentence suddenly came out of Sima Pingâs mouth.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yuanpeng was so scared that he jumped out of his carved wooden bed, slipped on his shoes, and rushed to the window to look outside. He then hurriedly shut the window and lowered his voice to Sima Ping. âLower your voice! Lower your voice! If my parents or my grandfather find out, we wonât be able to leave!â
âYou canât leave, but I can!â Sima Ping snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the visibly nervous Lu Yuanpeng with a semi-amused expression. He sat on the soft couch by the window, propped up his legs, took a sip of tea, and then spoke slowly. âMy father originally wanted my elder brother to join the officialdom and my second brother to join the military. So, Iâve always played the part of the dandy! Now if I can do something right, my father would be too happy!â
âThen you canât drag me down!â Lu Yuanpeng also sat on the soft couch, rolling his eyes at Sima Ping. âGiven my parentsâ temperament, if they find out, they would lock me up at home! And my grandfather⊠If he learns that I want to join the Bai familyâs army, he would skin me alive!â
As soon as Lu Yuanpeng finished speaking, the door suddenly burst open. Lu Yuanqing, dressed in a moon-white robe with cloud patterns on the trims, stepped into the room with a stern face and asked, âYou want to join the Bai familyâs army?â
Lu Yuanpeng shuddered in fright. Seeing his always stern brother, his throat felt tight, and his mind was filled with the thought that he was doomed.
Sima Ping was also intimidated by Lu Yuanqing, who was always known as the cold-faced young master. He stood up in a hurry, lowered his head respectfully, and said awkwardly, âWell, Brother Yuanqing⊠Iâll leave first!â
Sima Ping hurriedly bypassed Lu Yuanqing and ran out of the Lu Mansion.
Lu Yuanpeng forced an awkward smile at his brother. As Lu Yuanqing approached, he slid off the soft couch and knelt on the ground. âBrother! Dear brother⊠Please donât tell grandfather. I was just talking nonsense!â
Seeing Lu Yuanqingâs steady steps, Lu Yuanpeng quickly covered his ears with his hands, shrank his neck, afraid that Lu Yuanqing would pull his ears again.
Unexpectedly, Lu Yuanqing didnât plan to pull his ears. He walked quickly past him and opened the wardrobe.
Inside the red lacquered wooden wardrobe lay a bundle that Lu Yuanpeng had already packed.
Lu Yuanqing turned around and gave Lu Yuanpeng a deep look, then reached out to take the bundle.
Lu Yuanpeng immediately pounced and pressed down on his bundle. âBrother! This isnât fair! I promise not to go. Isnât that enough?!â
Lu Yuanqing shook off Lu Yuanpeng. When Lu Yuanpeng tried to grab the bundle again, Lu Yuanqing pointed his finger, and Lu Yuanpeng stood there limply, not daring to advance, only able to watch his brother unroll his bundle.
Inside the bundle were a few of Lu Yuanpengâs clothes and a large number of silver notes and pieces of silver.
Lu Yuanqing picked up the wrinkled clothes that Lu Yuanpeng had folded. âYou plan to go incognito with these clothes?â
Lu Yuanpeng had packed his favorite clothes, exquisite in embroidery and luxurious in material, something not used by ordinary wealthy families.
âEven the clothes our familyâs servants wear are rarely seen among commoners! If you want to go incognitoâŠâ Lu Yuanqing put away Lu Yuanpengâs silver notes. âYou canât take these! Change the clothes to commonersâ clothes!â
Surprised, Lu Yuanpeng looked at his brother. âBrother, does that meanâŠyou wonât tell grandfather?â
âRepack your travel gear and show it to me. Also, donât rush the departure. Leave after grandmotherâs birthday in June. Otherwise⊠If you dare to leave secretly, Iâll have you captured and break your legs! Understand?â Lu Yuanqing asked with a stern face.
âI understand! I understand! Donât worry, brother!â Lu Yuanpeng quickly pulled his bundle into his arms and laughed cheekily at Lu Yuanqing.
Lu Yuanqing looked at his foolish brother as if he were an idiot, sighed, and left.
Only after Lu Yuanqing left did Lu Yuanpeng realize that his brother⊠had taken all the silver he had saved over the years.
·
Li Mansion.
In Li Mingtangâs courtyard, maids brought in basins of hot water and took out basins of water stained with blood.
The Left Prime Ministerâs wife hysterically cried out in grief for her son, mingled with Li Mingtangâs screams.
The entire staff of Li Mansion was terrified, not daring to make a sound, tiptoeing, and bowing their heads to work, afraid of being implicated if they made a mistake.
Li Mingtangâs leg was ruined.
But Li Mao now worried not only about his sonâs leg but also about the lives of their entire family and even their Nine Clans!
Remembering the cold-eyed look Bai Qingyan gave before she leftâŠ
Remembering her words that he had until sunset to find a way to explain it, without harming the Bai family, or else their entire family should clean their necks and be prepared to explain everything to His Majesty and Lord Yan, the Left Prime Minister felt chills down his spine.
What kind of reasoning was this? Not only were his sonâs legs broken, but he also had to find a way to explain it!
The Left Prime Minister closed his eyes and shook his head slightly, trying not to lose his composure.
He clenched his fists and suppressed his anger and fear.