Did Miss become a nun today?

Evening, inside the East Palace's sleeping quarters.

Zhao Yu and Xue Xiurong sat on the edge of the bed for a long time without speaking. They looked at each other and sighed.

They had anticipated everything, except that Xie Yun Chu was devoted to Buddhism.

How could Shen Heng's daughter possibly become a nun?

"I've investigated everything. It's all because of that second son of the Pei family. He's a scoundrel who broke the child's heart."

"So what do we do now? We can't just watch him become a monk, can we?"

That's impossible, but this is something that can't be rushed.

The Crown Prince recently heard about something else.

Pei Changyu has his eye on the Lu family.

These two families didn't have much contact before. Pei Changyu had always respected Grand Tutor Lu, but lately, that kid had been picking on Grand Tutor Lu.

These past few days I've been trying to sow discord between my father and the emperor, and he's almost swayed by my words.

Pei Changyu never does anything useless. Since he is investigating Grand Tutor Lu, it means that there is indeed a problem with the Lu family.

So he went to investigate privately and actually found some things.

The fact that Madam Lu and Miss Lu paid special attention to Xie Yun Chu further confirmed his suspicions.

Could Xie Yun Chu really be Lu Heng's child? Otherwise, why would Madam Lu target her?

Thinking of this possibility, his face darkened. This woman from a secluded household had quite a long reach.

"In that case, we should at least let people see it."

If she really is Lu Heng's daughter, then Madam Lu cannot be allowed to live.

Xie Yun Chu told the Crown Prince and Crown Princess the truth, and couldn't sleep well all night. As a result, the next day, it was as if nothing had happened, and the Crown Princess invited her to dinner as usual.

After the meal, he led her to the garden, where she could see the Crown Prince drinking tea with someone in the pavilion from afar.

"Does Yun Chu recognize that person?" Xue Xiurong asked.

She recognized him from afar; it was Grand Tutor Lu.

Although we only met once, and it wasn't too long ago, I naturally remember it.

My older cousin said that the Shen family was living in the house where Grand Tutor Lu lived in Changning, but I don't know if my mother knew that.

She didn't have a good impression of the Lu family, and naturally had no interest in this Grand Tutor Lu.

Before she could ask, the people in the pavilion walked towards them. Only then did they realize that this Grand Tutor Lu was still so handsome at his age. No wonder her mother had taken a liking to him back then.

However, Lu Zhaoran didn't resemble his father at all; instead, he looked just like Madam Lu.

Lu Heng was summoned to the East Palace immediately after court today. The Crown Prince did not explain why. When he saw Xie Yun Chu, he stood there for a long time without moving, staring at her face with tears in his eyes.

"Ah Heng?"

Zhao Yu grabbed him, "Grand Tutor Lu, look carefully, this is not Miss Shen."

Lu Heng then came to his senses. The girl looked to be only a teenager. He had been out of his mind.

Thinking of something, he stepped forward and asked, "Is your mother's name Shen Heng?"

Now that things have come to this, there's nothing left to hide.

Xie Yun Chu nodded, "Yes."

Lu Heng, a high-ranking official who had been teaching the prince, suddenly seemed like an old man whose long-cherished wish had been fulfilled in front of her.

"well."

"So many years have passed, and Ah Heng's children are all grown up now." As she spoke, she raised her sleeve to wipe away her tears.

"You look a lot like your mother."

Yes, quite a few people have said that.

"How is your mother? She must have suffered all these years."

"It's alright." Her attitude was not enthusiastic, and her tone was indifferent.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess left quietly so as not to disturb their reminiscing, leaving Xie Yun Chu and Lu Heng chatting idly, mostly about her mother.

Just as Granny Li said, the two were engaged back then, but when the Shen family had their troubles, Lu Heng happened to be out of the capital. When he returned, he had already married someone else and was unable to help.

Tears streamed down his face. "I'm the one who wronged your mother. I'm the one who wronged her. I wasn't there when she needed me the most, and I couldn't find her all these years. I guess she hates me."

Xie Yunchu thought about her mother in her memory, but it seemed she didn't care.

She had initially suspected that the person who had visited them when she was a child was this Grand Tutor Lu, but she could no longer remember the man's face, and judging from the conversation just now, it didn't seem to be him.

But she still voiced her question: "After the Grand Tutor broke off his engagement with my mother, did he willingly marry his own sister-in-law?"

The Lu family was right to avoid risks, but she still felt wronged for her mother. No matter how carefree she was, if the Shen family fell and her fiancé broke off the engagement and immediately married someone else, no one could remain calm.

Lu Heng froze for a moment, then cried even harder, completely bewildered by Xie Yun Chu.

No, what is he crying about?

Her mother was the victim; by crying, he seemed like the one who had been abandoned.

"Grand Tutor Lu, it's fine if you don't want to answer. You don't have to act like I'm bullying you."

They really are a family; they're always putting on airs.

"No...no..." Lu Heng, a grown man, was crying with snot and tears streaming down his face, making for a rather bizarre scene.

Forget it, what's the point of asking a question about an ungrateful person?

But this person is over forty years old, and she's crying and sobbing like this. How did her mother even come to like her back then?

As she got up to leave, Lu Heng spoke up, "I'm sorry for what I did to her."

Although it wasn't his intention, that's the truth, undeniable. However, the matter of marriage...

He shook his head, unwilling to say more.

Xie Yun Chu frowned, not wanting to say anything more to him.

For a moment, Lu Heng was dazed as he looked at her face. This was Aheng's daughter, that was his daughter, his own daughter.

"Child, from now on you are my own daughter, a young lady of the Lu family."

Xie Yun Chu laughed. Forget it, would he really punish his own wife for her sake?

"Thank you, but I don't intend to acknowledge you as my father."

Lu Heng had stopped crying, but when she heard what she said, she was about to cry again, which scared her so much that she ran away quickly.

She wasn't in a good mood, and Zhao Yu noticed it. As he approached, he saw that the usually stern and serious Grand Tutor still had tears in his eyes.

"Grand Tutor, tell me the truth, is Yun Chu your child?"

"Yes," Lu Heng replied immediately, "She is my daughter."

"But this daughter doesn't seem to want to acknowledge you."

Lu Heng felt a mix of joy and sadness, and for a moment he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Zhao Yu kindly reminded him, "Grand Tutor, have you recently offended the Pei family?"

Lu Heng pondered for a moment, "No, last time I met him on the road, that Pei family boy even greeted me."

"Then why has he been so hostile towards your family lately?"

Lu Heng was also completely baffled. Pei Changyu had indeed been keeping a close eye on the Lu family these past few days, even investigating the accounts of the dead.

Zhao Yu glanced at him. "Xie Yun Chu is Pei's cousin. Your wife met her before you did. Why do you think that is?"

Lu Heng suddenly realized, and his face instantly turned ugly. "Thank you, Your Highness, I understand."

*

A few days later, during the morning court session, Pei Changyu unusually did not submit any memorials impeaching members of the Lu family. He remained silent until the end of the session.

Prince Su sensed something was wrong and, upon leaving the main hall, asked, "What's wrong? Does your cousin not want to marry you?"

Pei Changyu didn't speak, but bowed and prepared to leave the palace. When he reached the palace gate, he looked in the direction of the East Palace.

"I have good news for you." Prince Su walked beside him with his hands behind his back.

"I heard that Grand Tutor Lu and his wife had a fight last night. Madam Lu has been confined to her quarters, and Miss Lu is also locked up in the mansion and cannot leave."

"You've at least stood up for your cousin."

Pei Changyu remained silent. Prince Su asked again, "Still not happy? Did your cousin run away?"

Prince Su, with an air of watching a good show, asked the question knowing the answer already.

"Young man, you're still too young. I've told you to fight and snatch, and only what you get is truly yours."

"Once the deed is done, you'll be rightfully in the relationship, and those outside will be just newcomers, at most mistresses."

"It would be best to have another child, then you'll be the child's father, and you'll be entangled for life, she'll never be able to get rid of you."

Prince Su was unusually talkative today, as if he had experienced it all, and kept passing on his experience to the younger generation.

Pei Changyu couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "How did Your Highness know? Could it be that you've done it yourself?"

Zhao Zhang's eyes flickered slightly, but his face remained calm. "I'm older than you, so I've naturally seen this kind of thing many times."

"I'm doing this for your own good. If we don't hurry, the person will be snatched away."

"However..." He glanced at Pei Changyu, quite satisfied with his face, "You can rest assured, with a face like yours, you'd be more than qualified to be a mistress for your cousin in the future."

Even Pei Changyu was shocked by these words.

What is Prince Su, His Majesty's younger brother and the Crown Prince's uncle, saying?

He even doubted whether the prince had actually done those outrageous things.