The two of them walked a long distance until it finally quieted down a bit. Lu Qing pulled Zhu Yu over to find their carriage waiting in a small alley. The rune was sitting in the carriage waiting for them.

After the two got on the carriage, the modest carriage began circling back to Yunyin Pavilion in the night.

"That maid who splashed water on Duchess Yan today is probably like those siblings who framed General Cao’s nephew before. All of them are death soldiers raised by others, right?" Zhu Yu raised a question.

Lu Qing nodded: "Once something like this happens, there will be a second and countless times more. After all, everyone has their own tactics. Some people have only a few tricks up their sleeves, making it easy for others to figure them out. Others have more tricks, requiring more effort to understand." 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"I suddenly remembered, the day we went to get the clothes at the Headdress and Shoes Workshop, it was raining. Not to mention outside, even inside we didn’t see that rare Flowing Clouds fabric.

I thought then that such expensive fabric wouldn’t be left out in the rain, so it was normal for it to be put away. But seeing the effect on Duchess Yan today made me change my perspective.

They knew what that fabric would become once wet, so they only brought it out on sunny days for everyone to see. They even set up a platform to drape the fabric over, allowing people to only view it from a distance, thereby avoiding any chance of it accidentally getting wet.

They were also certain that such precious fabric, once made into the garments for the birthday banquet, would not be taken for a wash beforehand. This way, it would be hard to notice any flaws before the banquet.

But..."

Zhu Yu’s expression became puzzled: "But that doesn’t make sense! Whether the fabric was woven by the Headdress and Shoes Workshop or obtained by Duke Yan from somewhere else, there’s no way for the workshop to completely distance itself from this matter.

Zhao Bi is not a mute, nor is he a fool. With such an incident happening today, as a seasoned statesman who has weathered political storms, he should be able to quickly react and figure out how to clear his name, right?

So, wouldn’t this mean the Headdress and Shoes Workshop is damaging itself by ten thousand without knowing how many enemies it kills? It doesn’t seem particularly worthwhile!"

"Have you forgotten what Zhao Bocai did outside? And the people who were appointed under Zhao Bi’s influence recently." Lu Qing chuckled, "This matter will certainly push the Headdress and Shoes Workshop into the spotlight, so I don’t think they lack a strategy.

We can easily guess Duke Yan’s moves, but as for how the Headdress and Shoes Workshop will act, we don’t know much.

So this matter needs to be watched.

After all, even if this incident is presented to that person, he would not dispose of Duke Yan just to show trust and leniency toward an old minister as a benevolent ruler."

"Because the matter is not big enough yet, it still needs something more advantageous to trigger?" Zhu Yu understood as they continued.

"It must be. Now all the factors are nearly in place; it’s just a matter of finding the most suitable moment." Lu Qing slightly lifted the curtain and looked outside the carriage, "It seems someone believes the time is almost ripe and can no longer tolerate Zhao Bi standing in the way.

That person... has probably been waiting for this for a long time."

Zhu Yu looked at Lu Qing without speaking, staying pensive throughout the journey until they returned to the back courtyard of the Yunyin Pavilion. Then she pulled Lu Qing inside, closing the door behind them.

"It’s Duke Yan and Zhao Bi, isn’t it?" She had thought about this question before but always avoided bringing it up because she didn’t want to touch on Lu Qing’s painful past. This time, however, she couldn’t resist confirming all her doubts, "You’ve always known that those who colluded with Fan Country people to ruthlessly attack your family were Duke Yan.

That’s why he has been bothered by the fact that he left a single survivor, holding a grudge, making Consort Zhao repeatedly target you when you were young.

When you were with the Empress, you were well cared for, making it inconvenient for them to make a move, so you were safe. But as the Empress’s health deteriorated and you were transferred to another palace, that’s when the father and daughter’s opportunity arrived.

I had previously been unable to understand. You weren’t that person’s biological son, so logically, in eliminating rivals, they should focus more on Lu Chao, yet you were the one seen as a thorn in their side.

That’s because they felt guilty!"

"Exactly." Lu Qing nodded, "I had a feeling you would understand the reason, so I didn’t go into detail with you."

"But I don’t understand." Zhu Yu frowned tightly, "Honestly, I can comprehend all of Zhao Bi’s actions, his intentions and stance.

But that person... I can’t understand.

I often try to fathom his intentions.

Why, back then when he had guessed that Duke Yan was the mastermind behind it all, did he do nothing over all these years?

That part I can comprehend; after all, his position wasn’t stable yet, and Duke Yan had quite a few supporters in court. After losing your grandfather and father’s faction, he was already crippled, so naturally, he couldn’t afford to cripple another limb at such a critical moment.

But aside from that, I just can’t understand it."

Even though Lu Qing had anticipated Zhu Yu wanting to discuss these issues, her confused, frowning face still amused him: "Tell me your thoughts?"

Zhu Yu looked puzzled: "Every time I thought he was treating you poorly, the facts would show me that if he hadn’t gone to great lengths back then, seeking out your master from the Qi Yun Mountain People when he realized someone intended to kill you, there might not be a Lu Qing in the world today.

Furthermore, when he left you at Shanqing Temple to copy scriptures and pray, outsiders saw it as him disregarding you and exiling you to a desolate place, denying you the chance to cultivate power in the Capital until you were sixteen.

The fact is if not for those years at Shanqing Temple, you wouldn’t have been able to master the skills you have now.

If he knew the Qi Yun Mountain People had extraordinary skills in detoxifying and healing, he couldn’t have been unaware of their other abilities. The best explanation is that he deliberately used this method to keep you away from the lurking dangers in the Capital, while also providing you an opportunity to learn real skills.

Even later, when Lu Chao was also sent to Shanqing Temple to recuperate, it was probably for the same reason."