APSIL -Chapter 98 Rescuing Fatty Lu

“This is the residence of Lu Wan, Minister of War… Lu Sanlang’s father.”

Sitting inside the carriage, Zhang Shou listened to Zhu Ying while peering through a gap in the curtain.

The broad avenue outside was every bit as wide as the street before the Duke of Zhao’s mansion. Like their own carriage parked along the roadside, countless other carriages and horses lined both sides of the street. The bustle here surpassed that of the Zhu residence several times over.

Yet despite all the activity, everything remained remarkably orderly.

At the very least, there was nothing like the noisy crowds that used to gather outside Ge Yong’s residence, surrounding the gatekeepers and clamoring endlessly.

And these weren’t scholars seeking patronage.

Most of them were military officers hoping for promotions or transfers—people who should have been even more overbearing than civil officials when pushing their luck.

Seeing such order amid such chaos, Zhang Shou silently raised his estimation of the man inside.

A household that receives visitors in endless streams yet still maintains perfect discipline…

Lu Wan truly knows how to manage both his household and his people.

Zhu Ying, however, wasn’t interested in any of that.

Scooting closer, she peered out through the same window.

“Look! Second Brother has already gone to the gate with Zhu Gongquan!”

Besides Zhu Ying, today’s carriage also carried Zhanjin—one of her two trusted maids—and Nanny Jiang, who served the Dowager Madam.

Originally, Zhu Ying had no intention of bringing Nanny Jiang.

Unfortunately, the old nanny had simply blocked the carriage stable and waited beside the coach outside the inner gate.

There was no shaking her off.

Now, seeing Zhu Ying leaning so close to Zhang Shou, poor Zhang could only inch backward as far as possible while resolutely keeping his eyes straight ahead.

The two women exchanged knowing glances.

Only after Zhu Ying suddenly realized how close she was, hurriedly sat back down, and blushed an unmistakably unnatural shade of red did they quietly smile to themselves.

Zhang Shou had absolutely no desire to comment on behavior that others could easily misunderstand as “flirting.”

Clearing his throat, he forcibly changed the subject.

“Zhu Ying, we left in such a hurry earlier that I forgot to ask.”

“How did you persuade Zhu Gongquan?”

Zhu Ying was equally eager to pretend the embarrassing moment had never happened.

“Oh, that was easy.”

“I told him, ‘Don’t think Heaven isn’t watching just because no one seems to be looking. My family has plenty of sharp eyes!'”

“‘Just because Father and Elder Brother aren’t here, you think you can manipulate my Second Brother however you like?'”

“‘Hmph! Grandmother was deliberately letting you have your way just to see what you were really after!'”

“‘Over the years you’ve left behind more than enough evidence against yourself. If all of it came to light, it’d ruin your reputation forever!'”

Zhang Shou nodded approvingly.

“What evidence does he actually have against him?”

“I have no idea.”

Zhu Ying answered without hesitation.

Seeing Zhang Shou stare at her with widened eyes, she explained matter-of-factly, “I was bluffing, of course.”

“A schemer like him hears one sentence and imagines ten.”

“I refuse to believe someone like that has lived an entirely spotless life.”

“The moment I said those words…”

“…his face turned as white as paper.”

A simple, direct, yet surprisingly effective strategy…

Definitely the Young Lady’s style.

That was what Zhang Shou thought.

Out loud, however, he praised Zhu Ying a few times.

Thinking back to how he’d once again played the role of sympathetic counselor before Zhu Er…

Coaxing, intimidating, encouraging, restraining…

Like training both a cat and a dog at once…

It had taken far more effort.

His thoughts ended the moment he saw Zhu Er and Zhu Gongquan arrive before the Lu residence’s main gate.

His attention sharpened immediately.

Facing the gatekeeper, Zhu Er did his utmost to look fierce.

“It’s true I didn’t make an appointment with your master.”

“But I’m not here to see him.”

“I’m here to see Fatty Lu!”

“That dead fatso—what did he promise me?”

“I believed him!”

“And what happened?”

“He ran all the way to Rongshui Village to become some country bumpkin’s student!”

“Doesn’t he feel ashamed?”

At first he was merely acting.

But the more he cursed…the more genuine his anger became.

He and Fatty Lu had once been inseparable drinking companions.

Otherwise he never would’ve thought of entrusting his family’s precious little sister to him.

We were supposed to be brothers forever.

And now you’ve suddenly become a mathematical genius?

What kind of nonsense is that?

Seeing the gatekeeper desperately trying to brush him off, Zhu Er raised his voice another octave.

“Fatty Lu!”

“Don’t hide!”

“Get out here!”

“I couldn’t do anything to you back in Rongshui Village!”

“I couldn’t do anything at the Imperial Academy either!”

“But now you’ve gone home and think you can hide from me?”

“No way!”

“You…”

“You still owe me one thousand taels of silver!”

Zhu Er’s acting was so exaggerated that Zhang Shou couldn’t help laughing.

Meanwhile, Zhu Ying had collapsed against Nanny Jiang, laughing so hard she could barely breathe.

“One thousand taels?”

“Why doesn’t he just rob someone?”

“That pauper still owes me plenty of money!”

“How could he possibly have lent any to Lu Sanlang?”

“Anyone who believes that story is the real pig!”

Standing behind Zhu Er, Zhu Gongquan wasn’t pretending at all.

His face alternated between green and white.

Half from being terrified earlier by Zhu Ying.

The other half from sheer embarrassment over Zhu Er himself.

Even though he’d long known Zhu Er lacked the qualities of a future family head…a noble young master shouting such ridiculous things in public…

It was simply humiliating.

Stepping forward, he tried to smooth things over.

“Second Young Master…”

“Perhaps we should wait until we meet Minister Lu and discuss matters calmly…”

“I’ve got nothing to say to Fatty Lu’s father!”

“I want Fatty Lu!”

“If I don’t beat him to death today, he’ll think I’m easy to bully!”

Inside the Lu residence, one gatekeeper had already rushed off to report the disturbance.

The others hurried over, offering every polite excuse imaginable.

Unfortunately…

Zhu Er had always been famous throughout the capital for being a reckless troublemaker.

After today’s “education” at the Imperial Academy…

After Zhang Shou’s counseling at the Duke of Zhao’s residence…

And after drinking half a gourd of wine in the carriage…

He simply let himself become half-drunk and half-acting.

“Nobody stop me!”

“If I don’t see Fatty Lu today…”

“I’ll just move into your Lu residence and never leave!”

Inside the Lu family’s outer study…

Upon hearing the report, Minister of War Lu Wan rubbed his temples irritably.

He had thought his youngest son had truly matured.

That was why he’d ordered Lu Sanlang brought home and shown that secret letter.

Instead…

The boy had immediately lost his temper, argued loudly with him, and learned absolutely nothing from it.

So much for his final hopes.

Mathematical genius?

Nothing but propaganda spread by the Zhu family.

“Take Zhu Er to Lu Zhu.”

“If he smashes up the place, so be it.”

“Just don’t bother me with it again.”

Standing nearby, Lu Wan’s eldest and second sons exchanged satisfied smiles.

That useless fat pig being some mathematical prodigy?

Ridiculous.

But Zhu Er suddenly becoming a sensible gentleman who understood propriety?

Even more ridiculous.

Once those two infamous wastrels met…

A fight was practically guaranteed.

And afterward…

No matter what happened…

It could all be used as evidence to impeach Duke Zhao, Zhu Jing, for failing to discipline his children.

“Oh.”

“And since Zhu Gongquan came with Zhu family’s Second Young Master…”

“…find an opportunity to bring him to me afterward.”

While Zhu Gongquan continued pretending to restrain Zhu Er, he watched nervously as the drunken youth shouted loud enough to make the gatekeepers retreat.

Yet no response came from inside.

His anxiety grew.

His eyes repeatedly drifted toward the long wall outside the estate, trying unsuccessfully to spot the carriage carrying Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying.

Finally…

Someone called out beside him.

“Second Young Master!”

“Weren’t you looking for our Third Young Master?”

“Let’s talk things over.”

“I’ll take you to him right away.”

The speaker was one of the Lu residence’s senior stewards.

Smiling warmly, he bowed repeatedly before personally leading the way inside.

Only then did Zhu Er let out a thunderous belch.

Still wearing a gloomy expression, he followed.

Zhu Gongquan had just opened his mouth to speak when a familiar chill crawled down his spine.

Remembering Zhu Ying’s description of that terrifying young man…

He resigned himself to fate and followed quietly.

Behind him walked an utterly ordinary-looking young servant in plain blue clothing and a simple cap.

The steward glanced at the boy once before immediately losing interest.

Surely…

Even if the Zhu family’s prospective son-in-law had some clever trick planned…

He wouldn’t disguise himself as a servant to sneak inside.

Thus…

The ominous A-Liu entered the Lu residence openly and without obstruction.