Chapter 216 - Bad Blood Kills 1

Duke Wu's study

An hour after the official curfew ended, the busy capital was now asleep with no one roaming around the streets apart from the patrol guards on duty and officials on special duty like Lu Yaozhu. For the past two days, Lu Yaozhu worked around the clock to investigate Ning Boran's murder. During his investigation, he met a lot of dead ends with each being more dangerous than the other and even when there were leads it rose more questions than answers.

At the end of the day, all evidence and logical thinking point to the Crown Prince. Lu Yaozhu was left with no other choice but to bring his concerns up to his elder brother. Lu Yaozhu stood by the open window at one side of the room, looking up at the bright full moon in the sky. He stood by the window with his back facing Lu Yingjie who was seated behind the table opposite him.

Lu Yingjie read through the bulk of reports handed to him by his brother for the fourth time. Every single time it was still the initial result, no matter how he read it the Crown Prince come out guilty. Gritting his teeth, he placed the report on the table and leaned backwards sighing. He glanced at his younger brother, "this is no good, is there no other solution. Must we do this".

"It either we do this or someone else does. We are stuck between a small setback and a disaster, we can not afford to let him go on like this", he said without looking away from the view in front of him.

Lu Yingjie stood and walked to the window, "this isn't just anyone we are talking about but Brother Ling. This may cause bad blood between us, is there no other way?"

Lu Yaozhu turned to his side and looking straight at his brother replied, "Bad blood? There is already bad blood between us*. He placed his hands on his brother's right shoulder, "He already has his men spying on us and searching for a weakness. We should at least try to be proactive in protecting ourselves, brother Ling is a lot like his father". He looked away as he said the last sentence.

Lu Yingjie glanced at Lu Yaozhu with one eyebrow raised, "you talk like his Majesty is not your father too? How long are you going to pretend not to know that her highness is your mother?"

"As long as I can keep her from getting hurt, his Majesty is paranoid about 95% of the time. Did you forget that he believed the rumours that her high_ mother and I had a dirty relationship? With everything he has done to me, I no longer see him as a father. To me his nothing but a mad dog that would bite even his owner, I don't want a father like him. The Zhongshan genes are polluted, maybe Northern Wei needs better rulers than them" he said looking up ahead but his eyes not focused on anything up ahead. Instead, the conversation he had overheard between the Emperor and his father at the Emperor's study replayed in his mind.

Lu Yingjie watched his younger brother quietly, no matter what he says his brother refused to cut the Emperor any slack. No child deserved to find out negative things about their parents, the way his brother did. Lu Yingjie always wished that he had been able to shield Lu Yaozhu from finding out the Emperor's true identity. Although they never talked about how these things made Lu Yaozhu feel, he always felt like Lu Yaozhu got the short end of the stick because his vie of his biological father was ruined at childhood.

Lu Yingjie looked away from his brother and glanced at the abandoned report on his table. Patting Lu Yaozhu on the back gently, he said, "let us hold off this case for a day and just rethink our actions before making any moves. Maybe you missed something during the investigati_"

Lu Yaozhu didn't wait for him to complete his statement, he felt too fired up for that. "I didn't make any mistake! There were no mistakes, didn't you read through the six reports two are from our experts while the other four are from my allies and yours. Did six different parties make the same mistake? I didn't even add my report in there but I can assure you that it was not different from these. Brother Ling has changed, if we do not curtail his actions, things might get worse. If we don't let his Majesty know before another faction submits it to court. He will lose not just his position but also his life. Part of caring about someone is saving them even from themselves".

Lu Yingjie sighed and looked into the night "I keep forgetting that you have a much closer relationship than I. Forget about saving him from himself, have you thought about how this would affect her highness. She raised him, she just cut her recuperation short to come back and save him. She won't like it, they have a bond Yaozhu"

Lu Yaozhu glared at him, "and I don't? Once she sees it from my angle, she will understand. We can not let any of the other princes capitalize on this case. If he didn't want to lose his position, he should have thought of that before killing such a notable official. He has been taking stupid risks since he received that Anonymous letter". 

Lu Yingjie frowned and asked, "I hope you are not letting your personal feelings affect your judgement?"

Lu Yaozhu rolled his eyes, "no I am not, Brother Ling is not his mother. I don't blame children for their parent's crimes. That is not how I was raised, if it was mother wouldn't let me live all these years in comfort in the Lu family. I cannot believe that you dared to ask me that."

"Sorry, I was worried about everything going on. If there is no other choice then let us do it your way" 

"Okay", Lu Yaozhu glanced at his brother and squeezed his shoulder gently, " I don't like this plan too but it is the only way.

***************

Minutes later at the main courtyard of Prince Wu's mansion.

Moongazing was the mood of the night as Su Liya leaned by the balcony outside looking up at the star-filled sky. She pulled the thick shaw wrapped around her shoulders closer as a cool night breeze swept through quickly. Baozhai who stood beside her narrowed her eyes sharply as she noticed that stealthy mood. She wasn't pleased with her Mistress's current position for obvious reasons but after nagging for some time decided to give in and look away.

They were gradually entering into winter and although the first snow was yet to fall. The weather was getting colder by the day, she didn't like that her mistress stood outside in the cold at night instead of the warm room inside. Her eyebrows furrowed as she noticed her mistress's reddening nose. She glanced at the courtyard gates and back at her mistress who leaned forward bundled up in a thick shaw, eye locked on the open gates.

"Your highness, it is getting colder, please go inside at wait for his highness. Staying here this long will make you sick. I can keep watch of the gates and inform you when his highness gets back."

"No", she replied with a slight frown and continued stubbornly, " I am not going back inside, I don't want to miss him again. If I go inside, I will only get sleepy and fall asleep. Then I won't get to talk to him because he is always gone when I wake up. If the other side of the bed next to me isn't still warm and scattered. I won't know if he came back home the night before. These past few days Yaozhu is like a ghost coming back at night and leaving before sunrise. I am worried about his health, I hope he is eating and taking care of himself. Do you know how this makes me feel right now? I must see him for myself, I cannot keep relying on other people's reports or hearsay. This case has me worried, I will not leave until I see him".

"Okay, but if you are staying out here in the cold. You must cover up" Baozhai replied.

Su Liya smiled and nodded, she was okay with that as far as Baozhai stops nagging her. She faced the gate while Baozhai rushed into the room and picked up a thick blanket. She rushed back out seconds later holding the blanket to her chest rubbing her lips together as she unfolded the blanket and placed it on Su Liya's shoulder before stepping back.

Su Liya glanced at the blanket and smiled. She looked over her shoulder at Baozhai and whispered, "thank you".

Baozhai nodded and returned to her previous sport beside her mistress.