APSIL -Chapter 174 Seeking Help from Their Elders

It was really that quick?

Lu Sanlang was first stunned speechless, then his face lit up with joy. But just as quickly, he saw Zhang Shou shake his head.

“Yingying, you’re being too impatient.”

Zhu Ying raised her delicate brows, clearly dissatisfied. But Zhang Shou blinked at her and said: “We have to make the whole act convincing. If we just send him back like this, then the performance between Lu Sanlang and Miss Liu will be ruined. So we need Lu Sanlang to hurry back to the Imperial Academy and report to me. Then you and I can ‘coincidentally’ appear and help plead with the Lu family. That will be much more appropriate.”

Exactly!

That would make the whole thing flawless.

Lu Sanlang immediately became excited and nodded repeatedly.

“Yes, yes, yes! That’s the best way! I’ll leave right now, right now!”

After saying that, he shoved the table aside, hurriedly stood up, and rushed straight out of the small teahouse without another word.

Seeing this, Zhu Hong immediately assigned two people to follow him without hesitation.

As for Zhang Shou, he was both amused and annoyed.

This normally clever little fatty had clearly become foolish the moment romance came knocking.

Of course, the bigger reason was probably his overbearing father forcing him into marriage.

A fox being chased by a tiger might be clever, but no matter how smart it was, it still couldn’t escape the tiger’s claws. So the moment it found a savior, it would naturally cling to that lifeline without thinking.

Thus, Zhang Shou called Zhu Ying over, and the group quietly left through the back entrance. They entered a carriage through a different alleyway.

Inside the carriage, Zhang Shou lowered his voice.

“Yingying, tomorrow you should go to the palace and explain what happened tonight.”

“Are you asking me to report the Second Prince to His Majesty?”

Zhu Ying instantly became interested.

But Zhang Shou’s next words immediately deflated her enthusiasm.

“Of course not! The First Prince already has that covered, so there’s no need for you to add fuel to the fire.”

“On the contrary, you need to tell His Majesty that tonight was originally just an opportunity arranged for Lu Sanlang and Miss Liu to meet and see whether they liked each other.”

“We never expected the Second Prince to suddenly appear, followed by the First Prince. Because of that, everything completely changed.”

Seeing Zhu Ying looking somewhat dispirited, Zhang Shou patiently explained: “Lu Sanlang was about to be forced into marriage by his father, and you also said Miss Liu’s mother was planning behind the scenes. That was why we suddenly came up with this meeting.”

“But we never carefully planned everything. There are actually many flaws.”

“So rather than letting others discover afterward that we were stirring things up in front of His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, it’s better for you to explain first.”

“As for me sending Lu Sanlang back—it may look like we are trying to fix things after the fact, but that is only something ordinary people would believe. It’s not something truly intelligent people would believe.”

“I understand.”

Zhu Ying replied gloomily.

But then she became angry again.

“It’s all because of those two troublemakers who suddenly showed up!”

“Although without those two princes, tonight would have simply been a normal meeting and nothing serious would have happened…”

“But look what it turned into!”

“Forget tomorrow. The palace should still have a small entrance open at this hour. I’ll go explain everything right now.”

As she spoke, she looked at Zhang Shou.

“You’re Lu Sanlang’s teacher, so you go to the Lu family. That way I won’t accidentally say something unpleasant when I see Lu Wan’s face.”

“A-Shou, I’m leaving first.”

“Besides, even if the Second Prince complains to His Majesty, His Majesty will probably still favor me!”

“Hmph! His Majesty is also my elder!”

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhu Ying ordered the carriage to stop.

After getting off, she immediately mounted her own horse.

Zhang Shou had long grown accustomed to her decisive and forceful personality, so he could only lift the carriage curtain and remind her: “When you reach the palace, make sure you choose your words carefully.”

“I’m not entering the palace for the first time. Of course I know what should and shouldn’t be said!”

Zhu Ying leaned close to the carriage window and lowered her voice.

“Rather, you should be careful when you go to the Lu family.”

“Lu Wan has too many tricks up his sleeve. His words are always full of nonsense.”

“A-Shou, be careful.”

Zhang Shou nodded.

Seeing Zhu Hong assign four guards to him while personally escorting Zhu Ying into the palace, he didn’t think further about it.

Sitting alone in the carriage, he considered how he should deal with the Lu family.

Should he perhaps visit the Ge residence afterward and invite Ge Yong, that great authority, to help?

After thinking it over carefully, however, he abandoned the idea.

Although he had made Ge Yong take the blame several times, those incidents had essentially all been good things.

But this time, offending the Second Prince was another matter.

He was enough on his own.

At the entrance of the Imperial Academy, Zhang Shou met up with Lu Sanlang, who had already returned by taking shortcuts on horseback.

Together, they performed a very natural-looking rescue scene.

Coincidentally, the Imperial Academy’s Director of Sacrificial Services, Zhou Xun, and Vice Director Luo Siye, who had recently been busy correcting the academy’s atmosphere and had not yet returned home even late at night, happened to witness the whole thing.

Only after that did Zhang Shou pull the dizzy little fatty, who had been shaken around by the fast horse, into the carriage.

Then they headed toward the Lu residence.

As the carriage began moving again, Zhang Shou heard Zhou Xun’s furious voice carried by the wind: “This Lu Zhu is simply a disaster-maker!”

“Such a huge matter! Even if Doctor Zhang accompanies him home, won’t he still be beaten to death by Minister Lu’s family discipline?”

Zhang Shou glanced sideways at Lu Sanlang.

The little fatty had definitely heard those words too.

He was pretending to remain calm, but from the sweat pouring down his forehead, Zhang Shou could tell his mind was currently in complete chaos.

Suddenly, Zhang Shou reached out and grabbed Lu Sanlang’s chubby cheek, twisting it half a circle.

“Ah—pain! Pain! Pain! Pain!”

Only after Zhang Shou released him did Lu Sanlang finally cry out.

Holding his face, he sucked in cold air.

“Little Teacher, when hitting someone, you shouldn’t hit their face…”

“Who hit you?”

“I was just preventing you from thinking this was all a dream. I had to wake you up.”

“Now wipe the sweat off your forehead. It’s so oily that it could be used as a mirror.”

Seeing Lu Sanlang hurriedly wipe his forehead with his sleeve, Zhang Shou casually asked: “When you were pretending to be a hero earlier, why weren’t you afraid?”

“How could I not be afraid?”

Lu Sanlang sighed.

“In the past, whenever someone unreasonable like the Second Prince appeared, I would definitely avoid him.”

“But in front of a girl, how could I look so useless?”

“Miss Liu already saw me!”

“If we hadn’t seen each other, maybe I really would have escaped…”

That was true.

Most men would force themselves to act brave in front of women.

Though Lu Sanlang didn’t need to pretend to be fat.

He already was one.

While Zhang Shou was thinking this, Lu Sanlang coughed lightly.

“Besides, wasn’t there you and Miss Zhu behind me supporting me?”

“I had to show some courage as a man.”

“When the sky falls, tall people like you can hold it up!”

“Heh, you really have it all figured out.”

Zhang Shou couldn’t help laughing.

“What if I tell Miss Liu your honest words?”

“Sometimes honesty is better.”

Lu Sanlang smiled with extreme sincerity.

“Otherwise, if she later thinks I’m the kind of fearless person who always charges into danger, that would be bad.”

“I’m actually someone who never causes trouble. I’m quite cowardly.”

“But even a rabbit bites when cornered.”

“Not to mention me.”

This kid…

Faced with that comparison, Zhang Shou was completely amused.

A person like Lu Sanlang would shine wherever he went.

As long as he had an opportunity, he would definitely thrive.

Therefore, Zhang Shou felt there was no need to tell Lu Sanlang what he should say after meeting Lu Wan.

This little fatty would naturally choose the words most beneficial to himself.

When the carriage finally stopped before the Lu residence, Zhang Shou noticed something.

Compared to the bustling scene when he had visited previously, the Lu family mansion now seemed much quieter and more deserted.

Of course, Zhang Shou did not think this was because people avoided the family after Lu Wan’s punishment for the military department spy case and the Linhai Camp incident.

He already understood the customs of officialdom in this era.

Officials often received punishments that appeared severe but were actually temporary.

A governor might lose all positions and be forced to serve as a commoner because of defeat in battle or other crimes.

Yet once the matter passed, those positions would usually return.

For capital officials, punishments like salary cuts, demotions, or warnings often carried more symbolic meaning than actual consequences.

Sure enough, just as Zhang Shou was about to step down, he saw Lu Sanlang, who had arrived earlier, speaking with a servant who came forward.

“Third Young Master, Master returned some time ago.”

“But Madam sent word earlier that Master would not receive guests tonight, so all visitors were already turned away.”

“Third Young Master, hurry and go to the main residence.”

“I heard that Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master were both scolded away by Madam.”

“Madam and Master seem to have even argued.”

When the servant saw Zhang Shou step down from the carriage, he suddenly realized he had revealed family matters in front of an outsider.

He immediately regretted it.

However, Lu Sanlang calmly patted his arm.

Something suddenly dropped into the servant’s hand.

The servant’s eyes immediately brightened.

Then Lu Sanlang said: “I brought my teacher Zhang Shou here. I have an urgent matter to report to my parents.”

The servant hesitated only briefly.

“Please go ahead and announce it.”

“You can say you couldn’t stop me. Don’t worry about anything else.”

The servant immediately understood.

Lu Sanlang was rewarding him for explaining the situation while also giving him permission to push the blame onto other gatekeepers.

The servant turned and ran.

Meanwhile, Lu Sanlang directly dragged Zhang Shou inside.

Although some servants reacted and tried to stop them, every single one was overwhelmed by Lu Sanlang’s shouting.

“I have an urgent matter and must bring my teacher to see my parents!”

“If this delay causes trouble, even dying ten times wouldn’t be enough compensation!”

When facing his father’s and brothers’ trusted servants, Lu Sanlang threatened them.

When facing people he had previously bribed or won over, he used money to clear the path.

Using both force and favors, Lu Sanlang marched through the Lu residence smoothly.

He reached Madam Zhen’s courtyard even before the messenger could arrive.

The gatekeeper who received money from Lu Sanlang deliberately delayed informing the steward.

At Madam Zhen’s courtyard, Lu Sanlang naturally encountered no obstacles.

Although Nanny Jin, who personally guarded the entrance, was surprised, after hearing Lu Sanlang say: “It’s a matter of life and death!”

She immediately let them pass.

Almost at the same moment, Lu Wan’s furious voice came from inside.

“Lu Zhu is also my son! Do you really think I would harm him?”

“I didn’t tell you because a loving mother often spoils her child…”

“A loving mother spoils her child?”

“I call that a mother becoming stronger for her son!”

“If I hadn’t protected him all these years, were you planning to crush this useless son yourself?”

“But now everyone knows that my Sanlang is a talented young man praised by both His Majesty and Grand Tutor Ge!”

“Lu Wan, you have read countless books of sages.”

“Don’t you know the saying: judging a person by appearance means losing talents like Zi Yu?”

Hearing his mother, who normally acted as though being uneducated was a virtue, suddenly quote the Analects, Lu Sanlang was both shocked and moved.

Even Zhang Shou couldn’t help marveling at Madam Zhen’s sharp words when she became fierce.

However, at this moment, Zhang Shou understood that if he and Lu Sanlang continued listening, Lu Wan would definitely lose face and become furious afterward.

So he immediately signaled Lu Sanlang.

Although Lu Sanlang really wanted to hear how his mother would continue arguing with his father, he understood Zhang Shou’s reasoning.

Reluctantly, he stepped forward and called out loudly: “Father, Mother, I have something urgent to discuss with you!”

And almost at the same time—

The First Prince and Second Prince arrived at the entrance of Kunning Palace one after another.

The two looked at each other.

Both snorted coldly.

Then they turned their heads away.