Golden Branch

Duke Qi’s Mansion, outer study.

"My dear, An Qi is back!"

The servant, dressed in an indigo robe, reported to Lou Yu respectfully.

Lou Yu raised his head, placed his pen on the inkstone, and said in a deep voice, "Let him in!"

Not long after, a man in dark Hu clothing strode in.

He walked to the desk, knelt on one knee, clasped his fists and saluted: "An Qi greets my lord."

Lou Yu waved his hand, "Get up! How's the matter?"

Among the secret guards, the man Lou Yu named An Qi stood up and bowed, saying, "My lord, there are indeed traces of 'thieves' in Jizhou."

"However, two months ago, Madam Lu secretly sent him to the northwest."

"According to the time, that person might have already arrived at the border town. Mr. Xiao has found some clues and has already followed the trail to track him down."

After listening to the report, Lou Yu's face was calm and there was no sign of any emotional fluctuation.

His voice, like the sound of jade, was cold and clear. "So, the person hasn't been caught yet?"

An Qi lowered his head and dared not say a word.

Although his master's order to him was to investigate the affairs of Jizhou and determine the "crime" of Mrs. Lu.

However, as a qualified secret guard, you must know how to "draw inferences from one example".

You cannot rely on your master to give you detailed instructions for every task, but instead learn to take the initiative to help your master solve his problems.

Find out the truth, lock on the target, and capture the other party... this is the successful completion of the mission.

He and his brothers were only halfway done.

"I am useless and failed to complete my lord's order."

An Qi knelt down again.

Lou Yu did not pursue the incompetence of An Qi and others. He returned to the actual matter: "Are you saying that Xiao Wuji has found the whereabouts of that person?"

"Reporting to my lord, there are indeed some traces!"

Speaking of this, An Qi was also speechless.

Mrs. Lu was probably used to being spoiled, so when she did something that brought disaster to the family, she didn't even try to cover it up.

Or perhaps, Mrs. Lu believed that Jizhou was the Dugu family's hometown and the Dugu family's territory.

When you are in your own territory, you don't need to be too cautious when doing things.

"Apart from Madam Lu's careless behavior, that 'thief' is probably a pampered nobleman—"

Mrs. Lu is speechless, and the other one is not a smart or cautious person either.

Even though he has been wandering around for several years, his temper has not been smoothed over yet.

Perhaps, the loyal servants around him are reliable, which is why they continue to pamper that person without any progress.

There was war before and no one cared.

Afterwards, the Xin Dynasty was established, and major events such as the unification of the north and the south, the relocation of the capital, and the resistance against foreign enemies occurred one after another, but no one paid attention.

Only then could that man and his followers successfully hide in the city.

Afterwards, he arrived in Jizhou alive and sent a letter to Lady Lu.

At that time, Mrs. Lu was in the capital. After receiving the letter and the token of identity, she was extremely concerned.

He immediately left everything in the capital and returned to Jizhou on the pretext of "returning home to visit relatives."

When two careless people get together, they leave even more traces!

After An Qi, Xiao Wuzhi and others arrived in Jizhou, they found clues without much effort.

The other party's identity was locked down: the former crown prince Yuwen Cheng.

He is the grandson of Empress Dowager Li and a direct descendant of the Yuwen royal family.

The previous dynasty perished due to the rebellion of the Grand Chancellor, so the Yuwen family was not destroyed because of the Yang family.

However, the identity of the former prince is still sensitive after all.

When the imperial city was breached by rebel soldiers, Yuwen Cheng, who was only ten years old, was rescued from the capital by loyal eunuchs and guards.

For several years, Yuwen Cheng was escorted by loyal servants all the way, traveling around and experiencing wars and the establishment of a new dynasty.

Yuwen Cheng did not dare to show up, for fear that he would be killed as a remnant of the previous dynasty.

It was not until the north and the south were unified that the emperor of Dayu pardoned even the emperor of the enemy country in the south and restored the title of Marquis Anle. Only then did Yuwen Cheng and his group seem to see hope.

However, Yuwen Cheng was not a child after all. He was a young man in his twenties. After years of exile, no matter how rich and innocent he was, he became cautious and suspicious.

He did not reveal his identity voluntarily, but first wrote a letter to his great-aunt, Mrs. Lu Guo.

Yuwen Cheng's meaning was very clear, he wanted to test the waters.

If the emperor of the new dynasty was truly broad-minded, benevolent and generous, he would have surrendered voluntarily.

If... it didn't work out, my great aunt wouldn't have betrayed him.

Before the Empress Dowager passed away, she once said that among her brothers and sisters, she loved her youngest sister, Lady Lu, the most.

And this Lady Lu is also the most "sincere" person.

Others may make choices for the sake of wealth and glory, or the success or failure of their family, but Mrs. Lu will not!

If he had to find someone who could protect and take him in during the Great Yu Dynasty, it would have to be Lady Lu.

Subsequent facts proved that the Empress Dowager was indeed wise.

When Mrs. Lu received his letter, she rushed over day and night to reunite with him.

When she saw Yuwen Cheng's face which was somewhat similar to that of her elder sister, Lady Lu couldn't help crying with joy.

She is survived by her sister and grandchildren.

My sister's bloodline has not been cut off.

While Mrs. Lu was happy, she also did not forget to ask about Yuwen Cheng's experiences over the years.

I know that he has been wandering around. Although he has loyal servants to protect him and has no worries about food and clothing, it is still nothing compared to the past.

Alas, this is the prince, the heir to the dynasty.

Once the country was destroyed, it fell to this point.

Mrs. Lu was very distressed, and then she actively planned for Yuwen Cheng.

Yuwen Cheng wanted to surrender to the Xin Dynasty. After all, he and the Yang family had no mortal hatred for destroying their country and killing their father. Instead, they were relatives.

Moreover, in a sense, eliminating the rebels and killing the father and son Yang Ji and Yang Chong, the Grand Chancellor, was considered revenge for the Yuwen family.

Yuwen Cheng did not have the great dream of restoring his country. He had been wandering around and had no fixed place to live in these years. He was really tired and exhausted.

He just wanted to return to the capital, have a title, and live the rest of his life in peace.

Mrs. Lu was a little disappointed after hearing Yuwen Cheng's idea.

My sister is such an ambitious and decisive heroine, and her beloved eldest grandson is actually a mediocre person who only cares about comfort.

However, Lady Lu respected her elder sister and was willing to help Yuwen Cheng out of love for her whole family.

Without grand plans and great undertakings, there will be no such thing.

After all, the emperor of the Xin Dynasty was her respected brother-in-law.

Mrs. Lu was not so absurd as to support her cousin's grandson in rebelling against her own brother-in-law.

Yuwen Cheng's lack of ambition actually prevented Lady Lu from being put in a dilemma.

Thinking of this, the disappointment in Mrs. Lu's heart completely disappeared.

She began to plan carefully for Yuwen Cheng.

It is neither difficult nor easy for the crown prince of the previous dynasty to submit to the new dynasty.

Mrs. Lu was used to being noble, so she naturally didn't want her eldest sister's grandson to beg for mercy like a prisoner.

There is definitely a difference between surrendering voluntarily and being recruited.

"...Fortunately, your aunt is in Turkic."

Yuwen Cheng's aunt, Princess Cheng'an, the adopted daughter of Empress Dowager Li, married into the Turks more than ten years ago and became the Khan of the Turks.

Princess Cheng'an was also a character. Although she was a poor woman who was forced to marry a foreign prince, she did not complain about herself. Instead, she used her status, appearance and other advantages to win the favor of the Khan.

Instead of becoming cannon fodder for the two countries, she became a distinguished Kahotun.

When the previous dynasty collapsed, Princess Cheng'an instigated the Khan to send troops to try to help the Yuwen family restore the country.

Unfortunately, nomadic people are good at attacking cities but not good at management.

The Yang family and other princes are not vegetarians either.

After a great battle that lasted for one or two years, the Turks were driven out and the Yang family unified the northern border.

When the Xin Dynasty was established, although there was no hatred for the previous dynasty to destroy the country, Princess Cheng'an always remembered that this was the kingdom of the Yuwen family.

Last year, the Turks suddenly advanced rapidly, and Princess Cheng'an was behind it.

In the Turkic empire, Princess Cheng'an was not a weak and vulnerable princess who was married to a foreign country, but a Khaghadun who could influence the Khan.

This is a very favorable condition for Yuwen Cheng.

Lady Lu wanted to send Yuwen Cheng to the Turks, using the title of the former prince to summon the "heroes" of the world and revive the old country.

If it can be accomplished, it would be a great success.

If they were defeated, they could still "defeat with honor" and be recruited by the new dynasty.

The former prince who reluctantly surrendered after a war is definitely more valuable than the poor man who voluntarily came to the door!

After listening to Lady Lu's analysis, Yuwen Cheng agreed with it deeply.

In fact, when they just escaped from the capital, they wanted to go to the Turks to seek refuge with Princess Cheng'an.

But the border town is too chaotic.

In the subconscious of the noble prince Yuwen Cheng, the Turks were a crude and barbaric place.

He did not dare to take risks, nor was he willing to associate with savages.

Now, he is not going to surrender to the Turks, but to borrow the Turks' territory. In the words of Mrs. Lu, he can accomplish great things in a few months at the fastest and one or two years at the slowest!

After all these years of wandering, Yuwen Cheng's edges have been worn down.

At least, for him, it is worth trying to endure the hardship for a year or two.

it is good!

Just go to Turkestan!

The two were very smart. After they had reached an agreement, Mrs. Lu began to take active action.

She mobilized a hundred soldiers from the Dugu family, gave them a lot of money and food, and wrote a letter to Princess Cheng'an personally.

Everything was prepared for Yuwen Cheng, and Lady Lu personally sent him away from Jizhou.

"..."

This time, Lou Yu was not pretending to be profound, but was truly speechless.

To put it nicely, Mrs. Lu's behavior can be described as "innocent and naive", but to put it bluntly, it can be described as "extremely stupid".

Lou Yu dared to bet that Mrs. Lu did not discuss this with her son.

She is stupid, or rather, she is fearless, but Dugu Xiong is a clear-headed person.

He messed around with the crown prince of the previous dynasty and even connected with the Turks... He thinks his family is too rich and that there are too many nine clans!

Even if the emperor was her brother-in-law, once the matter was exposed, Lady Lu would cause the entire Dugu family to fall.

Not to mention, now even the emperor has changed, and the person sitting on the dragon throne is her adopted nephew who has an old grudge against her.

After listening to An Qi's report, Lou Yu roughly guessed the plan of Lady Lu and Yuwen Cheng, and silently lit a row of candles for the noble lady!

……

The next morning was Wang Heng's birthday, and also her coming-of-age party.

Lou Yu got up early and went to the training ground to practice martial arts as usual. Before he finished practicing, he received a pigeon message from Xiao Wuji:

"The person has been captured and will return to Beijing today!"