Chapter 183: Chapter 183: A Stealthy Substitution

Gu Yu burst in, but immediately fell silent at the sight before her.

The Grandmaster had just taken his medicine and fallen asleep.

Liang Wan frowned and glanced over. Gu Yu was never this rash. ’Something serious must have happened.’

The Imperial Physician turned his head. "My Lady, you should go handle it."

Liang Wan nodded. Seeing that the Grandmaster was still asleep, she went to the outer room.

Gu Yu’s brows were knotted with anxiety, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Liang Wan looked at her. "What is it?"

Gu Yu tried her best to lower her voice. "Today in the imperial court, someone accused the Grand Commandant of committing treason by colluding with the enemy."

Liang Wan’s mind went blank.

’Take the battle of Huixiang, for example. At first, when I received Lu Xiu’s letter, the few words inside did suggest he would favor Daqi. But upon reflection, the contents of the letter clearly didn’t match the reality of the battle.’

’Lu Xiu’s position is unique. Even if he truly intended to win, he would have had to consider Beizhou’s perspective and would never make it so obvious. He would have to proceed step by step. But the battle of Huixiang was clearly abnormal. The victory was too easy, the momentum too fierce.’

’Then, every subsequent battle was an easy defeat, just like a spy who had lost his inside source and been abandoned...’

’Lu Xiu once said that besides him, there must be someone else.’

’Could it be that person?’

Liang Wan’s heart was in her throat. "Who made the accusation?"

"Zhang Yao."

Liang Wan’s brow furrowed slightly. She ran the name through her mind three times, but it remained unfamiliar.

Gu Yu explained, "He’s an Assistant to the General of Cavalry. His younger sister is His Majesty’s consort, Jing Wan, of the Zhang family."

Liang Wan had no time to ponder the details. She asked hurriedly, "Did His Majesty believe it? Did he say how it would be handled?"

Gu Yu said, "His Majesty’s attitude... was one of skepticism, I’d say. Many in the court believed it, but Chancellor Cao argued vehemently, stating that accusing the Great General leading the army at a time like this must be the work of someone with ulterior motives, and they must be on guard."

Liang Wan nodded silently. ’This is definitely a deliberate attempt to make Gao Qian suspicious of Lu Xiu.’

’After a string of defeats, Gao Qian has no choice but to be suspicious. But considering Lu Xiu’s status as the Grandmaster’s youngest son and the current imperial brother-in-law, he also feels it’s impossible. Naturally, he’s skeptical.’

’If his true identity were to be exposed at this moment—’

"Is there any trouble in the East Pavilion?"

Gu Yu shook her head. "Shuangjiang sends someone to report daily. Everything is normal."

Liang Wan gave a slight nod.

"COUGH, COUGH—"

A sudden fit of coughing erupted behind her.

Gu Yu’s face went pale. Liang Wan turned around.

The Grandmaster, supported by the Imperial Physician, came walking out unsteadily.

His body was stooped, devoid of his usual dignified authority, his face haggard. "What’s happened?"

Gu Yu bit her lip, not daring to speak.

Liang Wan hesitated for a moment, but still answered, "The Grand Commandant has been framed for treason."

’This matter can’t be hidden, and I don’t want to hide it. At a time like this, whether for the Lu Family’s interests or for the bonds of kinship, the Grandmaster won’t just stand by and do nothing.’

The Grandmaster’s eyes darkened. He was silent for a long time.

Liang Wan guessed he was contemplating how to resolve this predicament.

Sure enough, after a short while, the Grandmaster spoke.

"Prepare a brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone. I need to write a letter to the Empress Dowager."

Before Liang Wan could answer, Gu Yu had already agreed and turned to prepare the items.

Liang Wan and the Imperial Physician helped the Grandmaster to the table and sat him down.

He was sick and his body felt heavy. He couldn’t exert much strength on his own. After just a few steps, he was already panting and coughing nonstop by the time he sat down.

The Imperial Physician tactfully withdrew from the room.

Gu Yu laid out the paper, bowed, and also retreated, leaving only Liang Wan to grind the ink and hand him the brush.

The Grandmaster leaned back weakly. His haggard face was flushed from coughing. He caught his breath slightly, then raised his eyes to Liang Wan. "What are your thoughts?"

Liang Wan’s tone was even. "It wasn’t him."

The Grandmaster was slightly taken aback, then started coughing again.

Liang Wan gently patted his back. After a moment’s thought, she said, "You raised him yourself. You should know best what kind of person he is. If he truly wanted to see Daqi destroyed, why would he wait until he was on the battlefield? And even if he did, why would he struggle to hold out for half a year?"

The Grandmaster’s eyes immediately locked onto her.

’That gaze held surprise, shock, and even a hint of killing intent...’

’In just an instant, it was a mix of so many emotions.’

Liang Wan understood. ’It wasn’t that the Grandmaster didn’t know what Lu Xiu was doing. He just never expected Lu Xiu would have told me.’

’For my own safety, I really should have feigned ignorance.’

But she didn’t want to pretend. She solemnly met that scrutinizing and dangerous gaze.

"I once thought he was a cold-blooded and heartless person. In fact, he is still indifferent to those who have nothing to do with him," Liang Wan paused, then continued, "I don’t know the full story of the grudges involved, nor do I care. But I remember very clearly, before the Summer Solstice that year, I happened to run into you on the street. What surprised me was that he carried the medicinal pills you often take with him."

’For some reason, I always remembered that moment. I had only asked out of habit, yet he handed the bottle over.’

’Perhaps it was from that moment on that I began to truly see him.’

’Before, I could have simply believed he was naturally cold and unfeeling. But now, if he can understand me, how could I not understand him?’

Liang Wan sighed, her eyelids drooping slightly. "If I were in his shoes, I couldn’t have done what he did."

’Sometimes, indifference isn’t a sign of being naturally uncaring.’

The Grandmaster frowned, studying her for a long moment. "I thought you felt—"

Liang Wan just smiled and didn’t respond. "Please, write your letter."

She offered him the brush, then turned and went outside to wait.

’If the Empress Dowager could find out about my actions, how could the Grandmaster not?’

’But the Grandmaster hadn’t intervened.’

Liang Wan knew in her heart that neither of them, deep down, wanted her and Lu Xiu to be together.

’How could it end well? How could it last?’

’It wasn’t just empty words.’

「In the East Pavilion of the Grandmaster’s Mansion.」

"My Lady, My Lady, wake up—"

The voice in her ear was low and urgent, and her body was being shaken continuously.

Cao Luyun’s consciousness was scattered. She awoke in a daze, her eyes painfully unaccustomed to the sudden lamplight.

She tried to raise a hand to shield her eyes, but found her arm was terribly heavy.

"My Lady, please wake up!"

The shouting in her ear was incessant, tinged with the faint sound of sobbing.

Cao Luyun rubbed her eyes, trying hard to see who was calling her. An oval face, slanted phoenix eyes, high cheekbones...

She scrutinized the face, a little uncertain. "Pei... Pei Niang?"

Pei Niang’s eyes reddened as she nodded vigorously. "It’s me! Thank goodness, My Lady, you’re finally awake!"

As she spoke, she helped the dizzy woman sit up. While putting on her shoes, she said, "My Lady, you have to run! You can’t stay in this Grandmaster’s Mansion any longer. That black-hearted Liang Ji has people putting drugs in your tea every day. Who knows what she’s planning!"

"Drugs?" Cao Luyun shook her head hard, feeling dizzy and unsteady.

These past few days, she had felt constantly drowsy, unable to ever feel fully awake no matter how much she slept.

Pei Niang nodded emphatically. "Yes! Have you forgotten? Liang Ji ordered you to be locked up and forbade you from seeing anyone!"

She glanced hurriedly toward the door and said urgently, "In a moment, put on my clothes and go to the osmanthus tree behind the building. Someone will be there to meet you!"

Cao Luyun glanced at Shuangjiang and several other maids lying on the floor not far away. She smacked her head forcefully and vaguely remembered: the day Liang Wan returned from the palace, she had learned the Grandmaster was ill, and then she had placed her under house arrest in the East Pavilion.

Supporting the swaying woman, Pei Niang urged worriedly, "I don’t know how long this sedative will last. My Lady, you must escape quickly!"

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