No one knew what Cao Dejiang had done. They only knew that only half a day after the morning court meeting, everyone in the capital knew about the entanglement between the Lu family and the new Yiyang County Lord of Jiuyun Lane.
The news of the Lu family's "book donation" to pay off debts spread throughout the streets, and Song Tangning was planning to build a college, and was willing to place the Lu family's collection of books and the only copies left by Grand Tutor Rong in the college for students all over the world to borrow.
Song Tangning's reputation improved instantly. When the students in the teahouse and tavern discussed it, they all expressed gratitude and praised his righteousness.
The Lu family, on the other hand, gave half of their collection of books as a gift, not only did they not get any benefit, but it became a stepping stone to elevate Song Tangning.
Everyone sneered at the mention of the Lu family, saying that the Lu family was sanctimonious and that they defrauded unmarried young girls of their dowries. There were also rumors that although the Lu family appeased Song Tangning with their promises, they wanted to quibble and did not want to actually give him a collection of books, saying that they were just Want to gain good reputation and want to go back on your word.
The Lu family was pushed to the forefront of the storm in just a short period of time. Lu Chongyuan finally woke up. Hearing the rumors outside, he spurted out another mouthful of blood.
He was so angry that he was shaking all over, clutching the edge of the bed and hissing: "Let Song Tangning come, let her come tomorrow."
The Lu family is willing to give up those books, and they will never let anyone blame them! !
Lu Chongyuan hissed: "Ask her and Xiao Yan to come tomorrow... cough cough cough..."
"Father, father, please don't be angry..."
Lu Zhao quickly helped him, turned around and glared at the talkative steward, and sent someone to Jiuyun Lane to send a message to Song Tangning to come tomorrow.
Lu Chongyuan coughed a few times and felt as if his heart, liver, spleen and lungs were fighting. His face was pale with pain, and he finally suppressed the sweet taste in his throat before he said with a pale face: "How many people are here from the Aristocratic Family?"
Lu Zhao hesitated for a moment: "They're all here."
Seeing that he hesitated to speak, Lu Chongyuan took a deep breath and asked, "Are they making trouble?"
Lu Zhao pursed his lips and did not dare to speak.
Lu Chongyuan said coldly: "Tell me, what's going on outside?"
Seeing that he was angry, Lu Zhao didn't dare to hesitate any longer. He just said thoughtfully: "Everyone in the city knows about the academy, and we don't know who caused the trouble. It gave the Lu family a bad reputation outside, and the other families suffered more or less." In addition to the Lu family's gift of books, they all want to ask why father agreed to Song Tangning and gave up his profits to support those poor students."
"It's fine with everyone else. Although the second brother suppressed the commotion and didn't dare to go too far, the Cui family directly asked if the matter had anything to do with the queen. Cui Lin seemed to know what the fourth prince had done, and said that our Lu family He is using the interests of all the aristocratic families to fill the fourth prince's mess, paving the way for those poor students, and saying..."
"What else can you say?"
Lu Zhao lowered his voice: "I also said that you are too selfish and are not worthy of commanding a family."
Lu Chongyuan's chest rose and fell, and his eyesight turned black.
Lu Zhao had been paying attention to his condition, and when he saw this, he was so frightened that he quickly helped him. Finally, when he saw that the stiffness on his face had faded a little, he said urgently:
"Father, please don't be angry. Cui Lin has long been ambitious and dissatisfied with you. He even had private dealings with the second prince before. Father, you care about the unity of the family and have never argued with them. Don't worry, I won't let Cui Lin continue to make trouble... "
"No, let him make trouble."
"Father?"
Lu Zhao was shocked.
Lu Chongyuan gasped, grabbed Lu Zhao's wrist and hissed: "The Lu family has made people angry this time. If you insist on suppressing them, it will only make them resentful. Moreover, what the Queen did this time is too chilling. The Fourth Prince's smooth sailing in recent years has made the mother and son forget who they rely on."
He thought of the nine-tailed phoenix hairpin given by the queen, and the humiliation he suffered last night. His breathing became a little faster, and a sharp look appeared on his face when his chest throbbed.
"Since Cui Lin wants to assist the second prince, let him go. If they want to choose another master, that's up to them."
Lu Chongyuan breathed slightly: "You just need to explain it clearly to the other few. Under the imperial power, it is most taboo to swing around and serve the second master. Some of them have been tied to the fourth prince for a long time. Even if they switch to the second prince, it will be difficult to gain his trust. For a short time, Lending him power may make him rely on you, but if the second prince gains power in the future, he will definitely be worried about what happened today."
"If they are not afraid of turning against each other in the future, they can follow Cui Lin."
The people from that family have always ignored the rabbits and the hawks. They couldn't afford to take risks. Even if they were really interested, they wouldn't dare to follow Cui Lin blatantly.
Now that the Lu family can't suppress them, it's better to let them go. They can use them to shock the Queen and her son, let Queen Lu understand that the Lu family doesn't have to do with them, and also allow them to vent their dissatisfaction.
As for the rest, after this incident, he will naturally be able to find a way to appease those people. As long as there are enough benefits, they will be reluctant to abandon the Lu family and switch to the Cao family.
Lu Zhao whispered: "Father, how should we deal with the Queen?"
Lu Chongyuan said: "The queen is of the Lu family's blood."
"But she doesn't think of herself as a member of the Lu family at all."
Lu Zhao couldn't help but be dissatisfied, "This matter has become so big. Everyone knows that you are sick, and even people from the aristocratic family have come to visit you. However, the fourth prince has never come to visit you from beginning to end, and the queen has even ignored you. Not even the slightest concern.”
It is true that they are not blood relatives of Queen Lu, but at least they are of the same clan. In the eyes of outsiders, she is also her father's daughter.
But the empress and the fourth prince are not even willing to do superficial things. How can people not be disgusted by such coldness?
Lu Chongyuan's breathing was up and down, and he was also disappointed with Queen Lu: "The Queen is of the Lu family's blood, but the future emperor may not necessarily be the fourth prince."
Lu Zhao suddenly raised his eyes: "Father is saying..."
"Taking hold of the emperor to command the princes has been around since ancient times."
Lu Chongyuan's face was pale, and his words were particularly cold: "The people who were sent to the fourth prince's house before were not pregnant for a long time. I just thought it was fate that had not come yet. But now it seems that their mother and son have probably been on guard against the Lu family for a long time. You When we select two more people to send them in, we don’t need to let the Fourth Prince know about their relationship with the Lu family, we just need to let them retain the blood of the Lu family as soon as possible.”
He paused,
"Go and ask the pharmacist in the palace to prepare something to induce pregnancy for them. Don't worry about the fourth prince's health."
Since the Queen does not care about the Lu family, the Lu family does not need to be too kind. They will still assist the fourth prince, but the Lu family has the final say who the future emperor will be.
Lu Chongyuan looked at the eldest son: "No one must know about this matter. Apart from you and me, not even your mother and second brother can tell it. You must personally select the people who are sent to the Fourth Prince's Mansion. They must be easy to handle and control." They live there, and as for the pharmacist who prepared the medicine for them, he should silence them directly after finishing the work, so as not to leave any further trouble."
Lu Zhao's expression tightened: "Father, don't worry, I understand."
Lu Chongyuan took a deep breath and looked out the window. The night was sinking like water outside, and the full moon hung high in the sky: "When Song Tangning comes over tomorrow, you can go to the imperial prison."
Lu Zhao was surprised: "But Xiao Yan stopped me, so I couldn't see Sanlang..."
"He'll let you see him."
Lu Zhao opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but when he saw that Lu Chongyuan had lowered his eyes and stopped speaking, he could only suppress the doubts on his lips and responded in a low voice: "Yes, I will go tomorrow."
