Doctor Lu Always Wants To Steal My Baby! Chapter 59
byChapter 59: A Day of Being Teased by Senior Brother
Whether it was a viper’s heart or a scorpion’s heart, the thought of He Hongsheng made He Chen grit his teeth in hatred.
He had to eliminate this threat.
“Is He Hongsheng required to attend the handover ceremony for the Upper Cloud and Lower Cloud Stars?” He Chen suddenly asked Lu Changqing.
“Yes, both of you need to sign the documents.”
“Mm.” He Chen calculated, pacing the room.
“What are you thinking about?” Lu Changqing asked.
“Nothing,” He Chen answered instinctively.
Lu Changqing, however, seemed to know exactly what he was thinking: “The base is heavily guarded internally. To succeed, you definitely need to seize an opportunity when He Hongsheng is outside.”
He Chen stopped and looked at him.
Lu Changqing continued, “Since it’s the handover between Upper Cloud Star and Lower Cloud Star, the ceremony should naturally be held on one of the two stars. You have already taken over Upper Cloud Star, so you can make arrangements early.”
Hearing this, He Chen was now certain that Lu Changqing knew what he was planning. Moreover, their thoughts aligned perfectly, as if Lu Changqing had pulled the idea straight from his mind.
Though they were mindful of Leyan’s presence, neither of them spoke too explicitly.
Breakfast arrived, and the two sat down to eat. He Chen kept glancing at Lu Changqing.
“What? Do I have flowers on my face?”
“Cough, no.” He Chen avoided his gaze and asked, “Didn’t you say… we should prioritize the bigger picture?”
“That was before. Now, this is the bigger picture,” Lu Changqing said calmly and naturally.
He Chen paused involuntarily.
Dropping his guard slightly, he opened his terminal and pulled up the email he had originally intended to process alone, showing it to Lu Changqing.
The image was bloody. He only flashed it in front of Lu Changqing before quickly pulling it back. “He Hongsheng sent it to me.”
Lu Changqing didn’t say much. He handed a cup of hot milk to He Chen and looked at him with deep eyes. “Eat first. After you eat, sleep for a while. We can discuss it after you wake up.”
“Mm.” He Chen held the milk cup, about to drink, but then felt something was off and looked at He Leyan.
Leyan was sitting with them, eating, but he was unusually quiet. He held a small biscuit in both hands, and after a long time, he only took two bites, leaving two small rings of teeth marks on the biscuit.
Lu Changqing followed his gaze and looked at Leyan.
He rubbed Leyan’s head. “Leyan, be a good boy. If you don’t eat enough, how will you take care of Gege?”
“Take care of Gege?” Leyan’s dull, large eyes moved.
“Exactly,” He Chen chimed in cooperatively. “Your brother relies entirely on you to coax him to sleep. See how soundly he sleeps when you’re here!”
Leyan tilted his head and glanced at Moyan on the sickbed.
Papa is lying again. Gege is clearly sleeping because of the medicine. Leyan bit his small lip. “When will those great doctors arrive?”
“They will be here soon. Gege will be fine,” Lu Changqing said.
He Leyan nodded and took another bite of the biscuit. He needed to eat enough so he would have the strength to wait for the doctors.
This state… Lu Changqing and He Chen exchanged a look.
“Leyan, Gege getting hurt is not your fault.” He Chen put down his milk cup and said to He Leyan very seriously.
He Leyan gripped his biscuit tightly and remained silent.
“Bad things sometimes just happen, like bad weather,” Lu Changqing said. “Does Leyan think rain is Leyan’s fault?”
He Leyan shook his head, looking thoughtful.
“If a bad person breaks into the house and bullies a child when the parents are away, is that Leyan’s fault?”
“No!” He Leyan said firmly this time. “It’s the bad person’s fault!”
“That’s right.” Lu Changqing affirmed, rubbing He Leyan’s head. “Leave the bad people to Papa and Babbi to deal with. Leyan’s job is just to stay with Gege. Can you do that?”
“Yes!” Leyan answered loudly, then took a big “Awoo” bite of his biscuit.
He Chen silently gave Lu Changqing a thumbs-up.
The highest form of warfare is strategy, and Lu Changqing was a master strategist, specializing in conquering the heart.
He was too clever; he always had a way to smooth out the wrinkles in people’s hearts.
But because he was so clever, sometimes, it made He Chen feel “dangerous.”
The He family was “clever,” so they were full of schemes, manipulating his friends and colluding with Star Pirates for profit. He Yarun was “clever,” so she had wild ideas that rewrote his life.
Having suffered too much at the hands of “clever people,” He Chen’s instinct for self-preservation made him want to interact with simple people in his life. His wish to live a simple life with Moyan and Leyan was genuine.
Yet, this “clever” Lu Changqing also made “unwise” decisions.
“I haven’t properly thanked Senior Brother yet.” He Chen looked at Lu Changqing, finally speaking the words he had held inside.
“No need to thank me. You have Snow Wolf; you could have avoided it. It was my oversight,” Lu Changqing said.
“Avoid what?” He Leyan asked.
He had been immersed in his own world just now and hadn’t paid attention to what Papa and Babbi were saying, but now he was listening intently.
“Nothing, curious little one.” He Chen said, handing Leyan a second biscuit, while Lu Changqing handed Leyan milk.
Their movements were surprisingly synchronized. They couldn’t help but look from each other’s hands to each other’s eyes.
The air suddenly went quiet until He Leyan spoke up: “Thank you, Papa. Thank you, Babbi. Why aren’t you eating?”
“Ah, eating!” He Chen snapped out of it, his face flushed, and he lowered his head to eat.
Lu Changqing looked at him, curved his lips slightly, and picked up his chopsticks, ready to pick up some food. Only after lifting them did he realize he was holding a spoon, not chopsticks. Fortunately, no one noticed. The “clever person” Lu Changqing silently swapped it for chopsticks…
After eating, the two discussed their plans. Lu Changqing took He Leyan back to their quarters to sleep, while He Chen would sleep on the accompanying bed in the sickroom for a while.
Having gone without sleep for a long time, He Chen closed his eyes and quickly drifted off.
Lu Changqing took He Leyan back to their residence, and after coaxing Leyan to sleep, he opened the door and went to look at the room across the hall where the incident had occurred.
Scanning the bloodstains on the floor and thinking of the threat He Chen had received, he calmly opened his terminal:
“Consort He must be very angry. Remind her that the generous gifts for her maternal family should start being delivered slowly.”
“Your Majesty, this is too much!”
“I don’t care what they are doing, but how can they use Yunqi’s residence as a decoy and set it on fire? Yunqi is your son, Your Majesty, and one of the only two Imperial Princes of the Empire!”
Early in the morning, Consort He rushed to Emperor Chu Jianheng’s sleeping quarters, weeping and complaining. She wore a plain dress with no adornments in her hair, and her face was plainer than usual. Her tear-reddened eyes unexpectedly stirred a flicker of inappropriate interest in Chu Jianheng, who had grown indifferent to certain things.
“Enough, stop the crying. People will laugh at us. Isn’t Yunqi perfectly fine?” Chu Jianheng told her to sit on his couch.
“Yes, Yunqi is fine now, but what if the guards had been even a moment slower?”
Consort He first clutched her chest, then covered her moist eyes.
Hidden by her palms, her eyes held cold disappointment.
She knew he was cold-hearted, but she didn’t know he was this cold-hearted. Yunqi was almost burned to death, yet there wasn’t a hint of fear in his eyes, only a dismissive “he’s perfectly fine”…
Despite her inner fury, Consort He acted like two separate people. Covering her eyes, she sobbed, “Your Majesty, I, I am truly terrified.”
She wore no makeup, but her fingernails, meticulously cared for, shone with a soft luster. Her two plain hands were fair and slender, making her look pitiable.
“Alright.” Chu Jianheng pulled down her hands and held them in his palm. “Who is so brazen? I will severely punish him and avenge Yunqi.”
As he spoke, his eyes were dark and unclear: They certainly deserved to die. If it was his son today, wouldn’t they be riding over his head tomorrow?
He thought this, then looked at Consort He, raising an eyebrow. Hearing his words, the woman seemed even more heartbroken, a stream of clear tears tracing down her cheeks.
She was like a pear blossom drenched in rain, delicate and pitiful.
“What, you’re still not satisfied that I intend to punish him?” Chu Jianheng’s patience was unusually high today.
“How dare I be dissatisfied with Your Majesty,” Consort He quickly replied. “I am, I am—”
“What is it? Just say it. Is there something you’re hiding from me?”
“I wouldn’t dare!”
Consort He rose, making a move to kneel, but the Emperor pulled her back—directly onto his lap. Stroking her shoulder, he said, “Tell me, what’s wrong.”
“Yes.” Consort He’s figure was soft. Although she was in Chu Jianheng’s arms, she maintained a certain distance, further fueling Chu Jianheng’s desire.
She herself seemed very nervous and worried. “Your Majesty, I heard Yunqi say that the people sent were from my, my—”
“Is it your second brother, He Hongsheng?” Chu Jianheng’s stroking hand paused.
“How did Your Majesty guess?” Consort He “whooshed” to her feet, looking back at Chu Jianheng, her face pale.
“That can’t be right! I don’t believe it. How could my second brother put Yunqi in danger?”
“Hmph,” Chu Jianheng sneered. “You still think your maternal family are good people.”
“Your Majesty…” Consort He bit her lip. “I am completely distraught. Please don’t needle me further, Your Majesty.”
She spoke distractedly, her pale lips bitten until they showed a hint of blood, making her plain face look even more beautiful. “Was it really him? But he is Yunqi’s biological uncle. How could he be so cruel?”
“Who else could it be?” If someone else had suggested the answer, Chu Jianheng might have thought more deeply, but since he had guessed it himself, he was absolutely certain and would not tolerate doubt.
“He might not have genuinely intended to harm Yunqi. I doubt he has the guts for that. Most likely, he hates He Chen so much that he’s acting recklessly.”
“Guts?” Consort He gave a bitter smile. “Does he need more guts than this?”
“He set the fire. Does it matter now whether he truly wanted Yunqi dead?”
“Even if he didn’t want Yunqi dead, he at least didn’t care about Yunqi’s life to do something like this, right?”
Consort He spoke, looking utterly disheartened. “I never imagined it. I gave them my whole heart, and Your Majesty has always treated them well, yet they, they so brazenly trampled on Your Majesty’s and my sincerity, acting so recklessly…”
The word “trampled” caused Chu Jianheng’s expression to darken. He suddenly lost interest and summoned someone to help him change clothes.
“Your Majesty, I, I have failed Your Majesty.” Consort He, frail and weak, knelt down resolutely. “Your Majesty, I used to protect my family at every turn, but now I know I was wrong. Your Majesty and Yunqi are the most important people to me.”
Dressed in plain clothes, she knelt on the ground like a delicate pear blossom. “Please punish He Hongsheng severely, Your Majesty. From now on, I will pretend I don’t have this brother!”
“Alright, get up.” Chu Jianheng was extending his arms to change clothes and specifically ordered his personal attendant to help her up.
“Even if there is punishment, we must investigate thoroughly and have a proper reason. I will handle it,” Chu Jianheng said ambiguously.
The He family had grown powerful in recent years, their influence nearly rivaling the Chu family. He had promoted He Chen with the intention of suppressing the He family, but suppression had to be measured. Recently, the He family seemed to be having bad luck with blood crystal allocations, being constantly targeted. Chu Jianheng didn’t want to suppress them past the breaking point.
“Yes, thank you, Your Majesty.” Consort He bowed and used a handkerchief to wipe her face dry. “It was my fault for disturbing Your Majesty so early.”
“You know that, do you?” Chu Jianheng chuckled.
“Of course I know. I heard Your Majesty’s headache has returned. I planned to come and massage Your Majesty when you were free.”
“Mm.” Chu Jianheng thought of her massaging technique and felt a stir. He sat down in a chair. “Come here.”
“Yes, I will wash my hands.” Consort He washed her hands and walked behind Chu Jianheng’s chair. Her slender fingers pressed against Chu Jianheng’s temples, kneading with appropriate pressure.
While massaging, she asked, “Your Majesty, does that feel a little better?”
“Mm.” Better than nothing. Chu Jianheng was merely using her to relax a little. The treatment that truly helped was Lu Changqing’s… Thinking of this, his mind moved. “I should summon Changqing back. I can also ask him about Yunqi’s situation there.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Your Majesty truly cares for Yunqi,” Consort He said. “But Your Majesty’s headache is so stubborn. Doctors and healers can only offer relief. I heard that the Bodhi Fruit has miraculous effects, and just smelling it nearby can treat headaches. I have always wanted to find a good one for Your Majesty.”
Chu Jianheng closed his eyes, somewhat mesmerized by the exotic scent emanating from her wrist. He said casually, “You are thoughtful. How miraculous can a fruit be? I’ve tried them all.”
“Not all fruits are the same. I heard that the older the Bodhi Fruit, the rarer and better the medicinal effect. I’ve been keeping an eye out. A while ago, I heard that—”
Consort He suddenly fell silent here.
“Heard what?” Chu Jianheng asked, still with his eyes closed.
“I heard the He family obtained one. It was an old fruit, purple-black all over, and was said to be shaped like a baby—a supreme fruit king.”
Chu Jianheng scoffed. “A fruit king? And shaped like a baby?”
“Why doesn’t Your Majesty believe me?” Consort He was displeased, slightly increasing the pressure of her hands. “I sent someone to the He family to deliver something to my elder brother, and my person saw it with their own eyes! The fruit even had two natural round scars on top, like a baby’s eyes.”
“Fine, I believe you,” Chu Jianheng said with a laugh. “Where is the fruit? Bring it for me to see.”
“The fruit is gone. Your Majesty never speaks of your headaches publicly, so I claimed I had a headache and asked the He family for it. But my elder brother said there was no such thing,” Consort He said glumly.
“I understand now. Only I am sincere toward them; they are all perfunctory toward me. My elder brother has also been suffering from headaches recently, so he probably kept the fruit for himself.”
“Alright, it’s just a fruit. Am I going to fight him for it?” Chu Jianheng said, still with his eyes closed, but his finger tapped the armrest of his chair.
Consort He glanced at his hand, lowered her eyes, and said no more, concentrating on massaging him. The exotic scent from her wrist continuously permeated every opening pore of his skin.
Meanwhile, outside the magnificent palace, the Second Imperial Prince, Chu Yunlan, holding a palm-sized wooden box, had just stepped through the palace gates.
“Imperial Father.” Upon seeing Chu Jianheng in the study, Chu Yunlan bowed respectfully.
“Which family has given you trouble again? You rush over so early,” Chu Jianheng asked with displeasure. “I told you to be bold in handling the allocations. Don’t be afraid of offending people. You have me backing you.”
“Yes, Imperial Father. Your son has indeed been distracted by their noise recently and hasn’t been able to properly share your burden,” Chu Yunlan said. “However, your son is not here to ask for guidance today. I heard yesterday that your headache returned, and coincidentally, I acquired a treasure, so I rushed to bring it to you.”
“Oh, what treasure?” Chu Jianheng glanced at the box, finding the timing a bit coincidental.
“Imperial Father, it’s a Bodhi Fruit.” Chu Yunlan said, opening the box.
Inside was indeed a fruit. It was purple-black, round at the bottom and pointed at the top, somewhat resembling a baby. The upper part of the fruit had two natural scars, like a baby’s eyes.
Chu Jianheng slowly raised his eyes and looked at Chu Yunlan’s face, his gaze dark.
“Where did you acquire this?”
“Ah?” Chu Yunlan blinked rapidly. “Your son actually asked his maternal grandfather to keep an eye out for it. He sent it over yesterday. Your son was so happy that I didn’t ask for such specific details.”
“So, you dare present something of unknown origin to me?”
“This—” Chu Yunlan was stunned, unsure what had displeased the Emperor.
However, Chu Jianheng was always moody, and Chu Yunlan was used to dealing with it. “Forgive me, Imperial Father! Your son had the imperial physician verify the fruit was safe, so I didn’t inquire further about its origin!”
“Is that so?” Chu Jianheng’s expression was grim. He looked at Chu Yunlan and spoke slowly. “You are so careless. How can I trust you with important matters?”
“Imperial Father—” These words made Chu Yunlan feel an immediate sense of dread.
Even when the Emperor knew he had accepted the person sent by the Xia family and scolded him severely, it hadn’t given him this chilling feeling.
Just as Chu Yunlan was thinking this, a booted foot stretched out and kicked the box he had brought, sending it tumbling to the floor. “Get lost. I am not like you, accepting gifts from just anyone.”
“What is going on?” Confused, Chu Yunlan left the palace and immediately summoned his maternal grandfather, Qian Hongtao.
Qian Hongtao asked him to repeat the Emperor’s words verbatim, and a bad feeling arose in his heart. “Did he suspect something?”
“Suspect what?” Chu Yunlan asked.
“The origin of the Bodhi Fruit.”
This… “How would he know?” Chu Yunlan’s face changed.
“Don’t panic. What can one fruit prove?” Qian Hongtao was a thin old man, but his demeanor was very steady.
“But with the Xia family incident before, and the Xia family and He family being essentially one, Imperial Father must suspect us and the He family…”
Chu Yunlan trailed off, his heart churning with unease.
Imperial Father intended to use his faction’s power to suppress the aristocracy. How could he tolerate him secretly colluding with the nobles?
But Imperial Father held the Chu family’s military power tightly. He didn’t consider how precarious his position as a prince was without subordinates!
Chu Yunlan alternated between anxiety and indignation, his expression constantly shifting.
Qian Hongtao glanced at him. “Calm down. You have no other leverage against you. The immediate priority is to figure out where the slip-up occurred that allowed him to see the flaw.”
“It’s Consort He! It must be her!” Chu Yunlan thought for a moment, gritting his teeth.
“I inquired. She visited Imperial Father’s palace this morning.”
“Damn it, the matter with Ziping last time was also her!” Ziping was the person the Xia family had given Chu Yunlan. After being reprimanded by Chu Jianheng, Chu Yunlan had been forced to send him away. Chu Yunlan hated thinking about that incident.
“Is Your Highness still dwelling on your Ziping?” Qian Hongtao was displeased. “Precisely because you couldn’t hold back then and sought revenge on Chu Yunqi, now that Chu Yunqi was nearly burned to death on Hanxiao Star, she naturally holds a grudge against you.”
“Nearly burned to death?” Chu Yunlan raised an eyebrow.
“Yes.” Qian Hongtao sighed and recounted the details to Chu Yunlan.
Chu Yunlan muttered, “Why didn’t he just burn to death completely?”
He spoke unintentionally.
But as the words fell, the grandfather and grandson exchanged a look, both falling into a strange silence.
Yes, if Chu Yunqi were gone, and the Star River Empire only had one Imperial Prince left, would they still need to be so anxious and worried…
“Gege is awake!”
Hanxiao Star, night.
After treatment, He Moyan woke up again.
This time he was noticeably more energetic, and his bad habits returned. Seeing the bothersome tubes inserted into his shoulder, he reached out to pull them out.
“You can’t move. The poison hasn’t been fully neutralized yet.” Lu Changqing held down his hand.
The grip was strong, and He Moyan couldn’t break free. He glanced at Lu Changqing, then swept his gaze toward He Leyan beside him, and finally looked around the room.
“Papa had something to deal with and went out. He’ll come back to stay with you tonight.”
Although He Moyan didn’t say a word, Lu Changqing knew who he was looking for.
Even though He Moyan never showed attachment to He Chen, the person he cared about most was always He Chen, and in vulnerable moments, he instinctively sought him out.
Sure enough, upon hearing Lu Changqing’s explanation, He Moyan’s body relaxed.
“Gege, the doctor said you can drink water now that you’re awake, but you still can’t eat!” He Leyan leaned his small head closer and asked with concern, “Do you want water?”
He Moyan shook his head.
“Do you need to pee?”
He Moyan paused, then shook his head.
“Gege has a catheter,” Lu Changqing said with a smile.
“Oh, then do you need treatment? I slept well, so I can link with you again!” He Leyan offered enthusiastically.
He Moyan thought about the fuzzy ball wriggling around in his mental domain, constantly chattering despite having no mouth, and shook his head again.
“Then, then do you want to watch a cartoon?” After several rejections, He Leyan remained undeterred and continued to ask.
He Moyan was silent for a moment, then nodded. “One with lots of action and little talking.”
“Okay!”
He Leyan agreed and happily lowered his head to look for a cartoon.
Lu Changqing looked at the two of them with a smile, then heard the door open and instinctively looked over.
It was He Chen walking in from outside.
“Are you done with your business?” Lu Changqing asked.
He Chen nodded. He glanced at He Moyan, saw that he was genuinely watching a cartoon with He Leyan and wasn’t paying attention to him, nor did he seem to be in any discomfort. Relieved, he looked at Lu Changqing. “Senior Brother, can we talk outside?”
Lu Changqing followed him out the door and into the empty sickroom next door.
“Senior Brother is returning to Star Capital?”
“Yes, the Emperor’s order. I’ll go back once and return as quickly as possible.”
“No need to rush. Everything is fine here.”
“I need to rush. I don’t feel comfortable leaving the patient,” Lu Changqing said, looking at him.
Oh, so it was for the patient… He Chen inexplicably blushed. “Cough, how is your injury?”
“It’s fine. How about yours?”
“Me? I wasn’t injured.”
“You weren’t injured? Then what is this?” Lu Changqing pointed to his collar.
He Chen had bandages wrapped from his chest to his shoulder. He had buttoned his shirt tightly, but he hadn’t expected Lu Changqing’s eyesight to be so sharp.
“It’s nothing. I heal quickly. It will be fine soon.”
He Chen mumbled evasively, but Lu Changqing had already reached out to unbutton his collar. “Let me see the injury.”
“No need. It’s just a dislocated rib.” He Chen’s heart inexplicably sped up. He wanted to raise his hand to stop Lu Changqing, but his reaction was a little slow. Lu Changqing had already undone the buttons before He Chen turned away to avoid him. “Cough, did you, did you use that ability of yours on me?”
He muttered, raising his hand to re-button his shirt.
Having confirmed that the bandage was indeed only covering his ribs, Lu Changqing looked up. “Which ability?”
“The one, the one that controls others so they can’t move.”
Lu Changqing narrowed his eyes, leaned back against the table, and looked at him composedly. “That’s a big move. I don’t use it lightly.”
Hmm, that sounded reasonable, yet there was a faint sense of something being wrong.
He Chen looked at the handsome and steady Lu Changqing, decided he must be overthinking it, and quickly changed the subject, his face slightly red. “I want to discuss He Hongsheng’s matter with Senior Brother.”
Lu Changqing nodded and deployed his mental power to isolate external detection.
“What do you plan to do?”
“Still ‘Rampage,’” He Chen replied.
Lu Changqing nodded—he didn’t need He Chen to elaborate. He knew what He Chen meant. “You are the expert in this kind of thing, so I’ll leave it to you. I’ll handle the aftermath. We’ll cooperate as needed.”
“Senior Brother isn’t afraid of getting burned? If things escalate, it could affect Hanxiao Star and your mining operations,” He Chen asked.
Lu Changqing looked at him seriously. “First, we will work together to prevent things from escalating. Second, even if they do escalate, it’s not a bad opportunity to test the waters for Zero.”
Test the waters? He Chen frowned for a moment, then concealed it, focusing on the first part of Lu Changqing’s sentence. “How does Senior Brother plan to handle the aftermath?”
“If something happens to He Hongsheng, four factions will care: the He family, the military, the Emperor, and He Hongsheng’s subordinates.”
“The subordinates are easy to deal with. He Hongsheng ruled the Pingshan Base autocratically. Regardless of who is loyal to him, his subordinates will be scattered once he’s gone.”
“As for the Emperor, I have a way to ensure he doesn’t hold this against you.”
“If the Emperor doesn’t hold it against you, the military is mostly handled. All that remains is the He family.”
Lu Changqing paused here, seemingly deep in thought.
“I have a way to deal with the He family,” He Chen offered.
“What is it?” Lu Changqing suppressed what he was about to say and waited quietly for him to speak.
He Chen slightly clenched his fingers. “It’s evidence that can silence the He family.”
Lu Changqing thought for a moment and understood. “Is it the evidence you mentioned before?”
“Mm,” He Chen replied.
The first time He Chen met Lu Changqing after returning to Star Capital from Hanhe, he mentioned having other evidence, but he hadn’t told Lu Changqing what it was then.
Now he finally revealed it. “The He family once colluded with the Misterians. They had secret contact during the Fire Lizard invasion years ago.”
After He Chen finished speaking, he observed Lu Changqing, who seemed to be lost in thought. “Senior Brother doesn’t seem very surprised?”
Lu Changqing looked at him. “I wouldn’t be surprised by anything they do. Conspiring with minor tribes to ‘invade’ in order to secure military funding has happened before.
“However, hearing your words makes me think of something.”
“What is it?”
Lu Changqing didn’t rush to answer. Instead, he asked He Chen, “When you were unwilling to present this evidence, what were your concerns?”
“I was worried that it wouldn’t bring down the He family but would instead trap me.” He Chen coughed. “I was also worried that you were the Second Imperial Prince’s man.”
Lu Changqing smiled, then composed himself and fell into contemplation.
It wasn’t strange that He Chen had mistakenly thought he was backed by the Second Imperial Prince, but what was the connection between the Second Imperial Prince and this matter?
Lu Changqing quickly reviewed the Second Imperial Prince Chu Yunlan’s influence and background in his mind. In a blink, he realized something: Chu Yunlan’s maternal grandfather’s family, the Qian family, had risen to prominence among the new noble powers precisely by supplying equipment and materials to the military during the Fire Lizard War.
“Because the Qian family profited, you suspected this matter was also related to the Second Imperial Prince—that they wanted to profit from the war?” Lu Changqing asked.
“I didn’t suspect it at first,” He Chen said. “I don’t have Senior Brother’s intuition. I only realized something was wrong after learning about the research cycle for customized weapons.”
“The Fire Lizards fear low temperatures. The Qian family wasn’t known for weapons, yet they just happened to develop the ‘Cold Mist One’ condensing gun, which countered the Fire Lizards. This allowed them to bundle other supplies and sell them to the participating bases, instantly becoming the military’s most sought-after supplier.”
“Does Senior Brother know how long after the Fire Lizard invasion the Qian family introduced this weapon?”
Lu Changqing didn’t speak. Even without He Chen saying it, he could guess the answer: it was definitely not a normal research period.
“One week,” He Chen sneered. “In just one week, the Qian family solved the urgent need on the front lines.”
“Fearing I might be wronging them, I went back to Star Capital to investigate. The Qian family had not received any customized orders prior to that.”
If they hadn’t received an order, how could they coincidentally develop such a specialized weapon, unless they had prior knowledge?
“I understand,” Lu Changqing said. “You were right not to bring out the evidence.”
“However, were you wary of the Second Imperial Prince, or someone higher up?” Lu Changqing asked again.
He Chen frowned. “Is Senior Brother suggesting—”
“The Qian family, a new noble power, and the He family, an established noble family, are the maternal families of the two Imperial Princes. They should be natural enemies. Who could have brought them together to do this?”
It was the Emperor. He Chen was silent for a moment. He had considered it, but he didn’t want to accept it.
“Why would he do that?”
“Because of Shen Xingzhou,” Lu Changqing replied.
“That’s what I just thought of.”
“The Fire Lizard invasion occurred shortly after Shen Xingzhou’s incident. Because Marshal Shen’s Rampage was suspicious, his subordinates kept demanding an investigation from the military and the Emperor, and they subtly intended to rally and resist the newly appointed Marshal. Some noble families close to the Shen family and Shen Xingzhou were also watching from the sidelines.”
“Just then, the Fire Lizards invaded. With the war starting, the conflict shifted. If Shen Xingzhou’s former subordinates caused trouble at that time, they would be universally condemned. After the war, the new Marshal—the Emperor’s cousin—had already secured his position.”
Heh. He Chen laughed. “They really killed multiple birds with one stone, a triple-win scenario.”
After laughing, he fell silent. His back remained straight, but his eyes looked desolate.
“What’s wrong?” Lu Changqing asked.
“Nothing.” He Chen stared at his reflection in the window glass, then suddenly reached up, took off the general’s star on his shoulder, and held it, disrespectfully fiddling with its edges.
How much of what he once considered glory was actually a product of darkness? How many things he thought were righteous were not truly righteous?
“Do you feel the world is too dark, so dark you have nowhere to step?” Lu Changqing asked.
He Chen, his back to Lu Changqing, curved his lips. That was a truly vivid description. “I also feel like a manipulated fool, like a joke.”
“The hundreds and thousands of people you saved on Hanxiao Star wouldn’t think that,” Lu Changqing said.
He Chen’s fiddling motion paused for a moment.
“I’ve had the same feeling as you,” Lu Changqing added.
“When, and why?” He Chen turned back around.
Lu Changqing was quiet for a moment. Something flashed in his eyes, then was suppressed. “Because I’m a healer, I’ve seen a lot of darkness. Healers easily feel this way.”
“Especially powerful healers like you?”
“Especially experienced healers like me,” Lu Changqing said.
“My supplementary lessons didn’t teach you this before, so let me teach you a secret weapon of healers like me now.”
“What secret weapon?” He Chen was curious, his dim eyes brightening slightly.
“Always look toward the light.”
“Always look toward the light?”
“Yes.” Lu Changqing’s eyes were deep and he looked at him gently. “Just as I look at you.”
…Wha, what the heck.
He Chen’s face instantly flushed. “I thought you were talking about serious business!”