Gu Xingzhao stretched her wrists, thinking back to the time she had zapped the fruit shop owner with lightning. She decided it was probably best to avoid using her abilities in modern times, in case someone noticed.
The money from the sale of those ancient relics to Xu Shisan finally arrived—12 million yuan in total.
With her newfound wealth, Gu Xingzhao decided it was time to look for a good storefront to kickstart her business plan. A large supermarket would be the perfect front, allowing her to bring in as much stock as needed without drawing suspicion. This would also help her prepare for the matters involving Lu Qing.
That afternoon, she visited several locations before settling on a space. The original owner, an out-of-towner, had opened a large hotel, but most tourists preferred staying in local guesthouses. With no demand for hotels from locals, the business had been losing money.
Gu Xingzhao signed the contract on the spot, taking over the struggling property. After handling the paperwork, she found a suitable construction crew and finalized the renovation plans.
The preparation work took several days, but the construction soon began smoothly.
During this time, she remembered that Lu Suo’s physical results should be ready. She immediately called Aunt Li to inquire.
“Aunt Li, has Uncle Lu’s health report come out yet?”
Aunt Li chuckled on the other end of the line, “It’s out. Nothing serious, just his back and arm acting up again.”
Gu Xingzhao sighed in relief. “Those are old issues. I’ll bring over a bottle of medicinal wine for Uncle Lu later.”
“Thanks, Xiao Gu, that’d be great.”
After hanging up, Aunt Li turned to Lu Suo, who was lying in a hospital bed. “It was Xiao Gu. She was asking about your health report. I told her it’s nothing serious.”
Lu Suo nodded. “That girl… she didn’t have parents to dote on her growing up, and the old man passed away early. Let’s keep this between us. No need to tell her.”
“I’ll be discharged tomorrow. I can’t stand lying around in here any longer.”
Aunt Li frowned. “You really should stay for treatment. This isn’t a small matter.”
Lu Suo shot her a glance. “There’s nothing here worth treating. I’ll probably live longer out in the world than stuck in this hospital.”
His wife had taken their child and remarried abroad. They hadn’t been in contact for years, but her life seemed fine from her social media. He had no intention of intruding.
He figured his life had been satisfactory enough. He had done everything he wanted, and he accepted the inevitability of death. However, he didn’t want to spend his final days in a hospital, enduring painful treatments. He much preferred spending his time cooking meals for the young girl who relied on him.
Seeing how stubborn he was, Aunt Li regretted helping him hide things from Gu Xingzhao. If only they had asked the girl to talk some sense into him—she would’ve been far more persuasive.
“You get some rest. I’ll go have a chat with the doctor,” Aunt Li said, shaking her head.
Meanwhile, the exiled convoy made an unscheduled stop in Liao County due to an injury. The county was wealthy, home to several retired high-ranking officials, one of whom was You Xian, a former cabinet member who had fallen out of favor with the emperor. He had known Lu Qing from their time in the cabinet.
News of Lu Qing’s exile had already spread far and wide, and Liao County was a necessary stop along their route. Hearing that the convoy had stopped in the county, You Xian sent some trusted men to offer silver to the guards in hopes of arranging a meeting with Lu Qing.
Du Hangwu refused the money but agreed to pass along the message, leaving the decision up to Lu Qing.
When Lu Qing heard that You Xian wanted to see him, he almost spilled his self-heating hotpot.
“What? He wants to see me?”
His expression was strange. What could that old man possibly want? Was he here to kick Lu while he was down? After all, Lu Qing had once said some rather unpleasant things to him when he fell from grace.
Du Hangwu noticed Lu Qing’s reaction. “Sir, should I arrange the meeting?”
Everyone, including Lu Zhou, looked at Lu Qing.
Curious, Lu Xingyao asked, “Who is You Xian? Was he one of Grandfather’s friends?”
Lu Qing cleared his throat, pondering the request. He couldn’t shake the feeling that You Xian’s intentions weren’t good. “Tell Du to inform him that we’re in a hurry and can’t meet.”
Just as Lu Qing sent word to decline, Gu Xingzhao, who had come to deliver supplies, grew curious. The name You Xian sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. Could he have been one of the old man’s rivals? Judging by Lu Qing’s reaction, it seemed like he owed the man something.
She asked bluntly, “Did you owe him money?”
Lu Qing’s reaction was immediate and defensive. “How could I?!”
Gu Xingzhao chuckled. His reaction was suspicious. He was definitely avoiding something.
No sooner had Lu Qing declined the meeting than a white-haired but spirited old man arrived, flanked by two attendants. He was dressed richly and carried himself with confidence.
“Lu! It must be nice to be a former cabinet minister, huh? Even getting a meeting with you is difficult,” the old man said.
Gu Xingzhao studied him. This must be You Xian, and judging by his tone, there was definitely some past conflict between them.
Lu Qing hadn’t expected You Xian to show up in person after he had declined the meeting. Hearing his tone, it seemed like You Xian was here to rub salt in the wound.
“Old man You, did you really come all this way just to mock me? Just because I said a few harsh words to you back then? You’re still holding a grudge after all these years?”
Maintaining his dignified image as the head of the family, Lu Qing couldn’t afford to lose face in front of his children.
Meanwhile, Gu Xingzhao perked up her ears. There was definitely some drama here.
You Xian snorted. “Do you think I’m as petty as you? I came here for important matters.”
Lu Qing eyed him suspiciously. Could there really be something urgent?
After a brief pause, he followed You Xian to a more secluded area.
Without mincing words, You Xian spoke directly. “Prince Su is about to rebel.”
Lu Qing’s eyes widened. So soon?
He had suspected Prince Su would eventually rise against the emperor, especially after encountering Yu Heng, but he hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. But how did You Xian, who had long since retired from the court, know such sensitive information?
Lu Qing’s expression darkened. “How do you know this?”
You Xian, recognizing the familiar look in Lu Qing’s eyes, sighed. This old fox was overthinking things again. If he were younger, he would’ve kicked Lu Qing right there.
“My nephew works under Prince Su. He noticed something unusual and came to warn me.”
Lu Qing was puzzled. “But why tell me? I’m a disgraced old man, a criminal in exile. If Su is planning to rebel, shouldn’t you report this to the emperor? What good will it do to tell me?”
You Xian sighed deeply. “The emperor has been waiting for Prince Su to rebel so that he has a reason to march against him. Liao County is prosperous and holds an important military grain storage. If Prince Su rises, he’ll head this way. Liao County won’t escape the chaos.”
Lu Qing furrowed his brow. “And what do you expect me to do? I’m nearly seventy, an old man with one foot in the grave. How am I supposed to stop Prince Su from rebelling?”
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