Rebirth: Find a General as Your Backer

Chapter 288 This banquet brought joy to most people.

As the banquet drew to a close, Chu Mohan addressed the students who had come to the banquet and said in a gentle voice, "If any of you encounter any difficulties in the capital in the future, you may seek help from Prince Rui's residence. I will do my utmost to help you in any way I can."

The banquet brought joy to most people.

However, the Third Prince and his entourage were an exception. Among them was the son of the Minister of War, who was also brought along today because of his close personal relationship with the First Prince.

These people still looked down on the students from humble backgrounds, secretly thinking that they couldn't understand why His Highness Prince Rui treated these students of low birth with such courtesy. Could it be that living on the border for so long had changed his behavior and made him forget his status?

Upon returning to his residence, Shangguan Yu went straight to confront A Dong and demand an explanation.

After all, he had been punished by His Majesty to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors, which had dealt him a heavy blow and left him feeling extremely depressed. Then, at the banquet, he discovered that the person he favored was secretly doing something he didn't know about. How could this not exacerbate his depression?

So at this moment, he looked at Ah Dong kneeling on the cold ground, showing no pity, only a series of questions, his words devoid of any warmth.

Ah Dong knelt down and kowtowed, his face showing a look of unease. He immediately explained, "Master, you are always busy. I felt so stifled at home that I couldn't resist going to the gambling den to play a few rounds."

After saying that, he lowered his head even further. "Once, I was accidentally seen by the eldest prince, and he wanted me to help him at the gambling den."

Upon hearing the reason, Shangguan Yu didn't criticize him further. He had initially thought it was something serious, but it turned out he had simply gone gambling out of boredom.

His expression softened, and he said, "Get up, the ground is cold."

Ah Dong feigned deep emotion, but inwardly he was full of disdain. He said, "This servant only went because I was bored, and I will certainly not go again."

"It's alright, you can go if you're bored, but you should always be moderate when it comes to gambling." Shangguan Yu's expression changed to one of concern as she showed concern for A Dong.

"Will refusing the Crown Prince this time cause trouble for you, Master?" A Dong feigned a fearful and uneasy appearance, as if he was afraid that his actions would implicate Shangguan Yu.

"Don't worry," Shangguan Yu said reassuringly, but in reality, he wasn't sure himself.

For some reason, things have been going increasingly badly lately. Upon reflection, I realize that ever since Prince Rui and his entourage returned to the capital, everything has been going wrong.

Therefore, he believed that he and Prince Rui were incompatible according to their birth charts, and that he had to follow the Third Prince closely no matter what.

He wanted to get involved in anything that would upset Prince Rui.

However, the people he sent to cause trouble at the clinic last time are still being held in custody, which is giving him a real headache. He is quite certain that the clinic is owned by Su Lianxue.

So he had to think of a way to get the person out first, since this was something that was being used against him by others.

But there's no rush, after all, we don't know who asked him to do this.

Therefore, he devised another plan, which he discussed with the Third Prince at the time.

After all, he also knew that some of Su Lianxue's original businesses were in the hands of the Third Prince.

Sometimes, Shangguan Yu felt genuinely afraid. When he secretly glanced at Su Lianxue, he always had a strange feeling that she seemed to remember everything, a feeling that sent chills down his spine.

Otherwise, how could he explain the fact that Su Lianyi's personal handkerchief was found on him? And why was he punished by His Majesty for this? He felt as if he were trapped in an invisible net, unable to break free.

It seems that we need to use that plan quickly, so as not to let Prince Rui get too complacent.

......

Xue Heng savored the pastries that Li Siqian had brought him, and when they were alone, he said softly, "These pastries are delicious. I really hope I can eat them often in the future."

Upon hearing this, Li Siqian's cheeks flushed instantly, and she scolded, "You wish! This was made by my mother herself. She doesn't have the time to make it especially for you."

Xue Heng thought to himself that after they got married, he would definitely go to ask for it in person. With that thought, he handed a hairpin to Li Siqian and explained, "Last time I went out, I took a liking to this hairpin at first sight. I thought it would suit you very well, so I bought it."

Li Siqian blushed and shyly accepted the hairpin. She knew in her heart that the two families had begun to interact frequently.

Both parties' birth dates and times have been compared, and the next step is to choose an auspicious day to propose marriage.

The person who proposed marriage specifically chose Prince Rui.

After all, Princess Rui was their benefactor.

......

Upon returning home, the eldest son of the Duke's mansion went straight to his father and recounted the events of the banquet in detail: "Father, His Highness Prince Rui is truly a person worthy of deep friendship." He then described in detail the Emperor's bestowal of food and Prince Rui's amiable attitude towards the students.

The Duke listened quietly, only responding with a soft "Hmm," before falling into deep thought. It seemed the matter he had been planning could now be put into action. This matter would be greatly beneficial to both the Murong family and the Empress in the palace.

Currently, the Third Prince is maintaining extremely close ties with the Ministry of War, and it's rumored that the Imperial Concubine intends to marry the Second Princess into the Ministry of War's household, clearly indicating her ambition for military power. If this continues, and the Third Prince were to ascend the throne in the future, it would be extremely detrimental to the Murong family.

However, in the capital, His Majesty is in his prime, and he cannot act as hastily as the Third Prince. The slightest misstep could easily arouse His Majesty's suspicion. The Duke has also had many other ideas, but his daughter, the Empress, is still childless—a significant regret that makes it difficult for him to put his plans into practice.

However, the most urgent task right now is to deal with that old codger, the Imperial Physician. Over the years, they've given him plenty of benefits, hoping he would become a valuable asset to the Empress. Unexpectedly, this greedy man is the culprit behind the Empress's infertility. If this person isn't eliminated, how can the Murong family maintain its dignity?

"How is the investigation progressing?" The Duke looked at his eldest son, who was now gradually taking charge of the Duke's mansion.

“Father, we are gradually gathering and gathering a lot of evidence, but we are still waiting for the right opportunity.”

"Yes, no need to rush, the time will come." The Duke waved his hand, signaling his eldest son to leave. He sighed inwardly, realizing that if he was truly getting old, his energy was indeed not what it used to be.

Just thinking of the Empress in the palace made him sad. After all, it was because he, as her father, hadn't planned things properly for her that things had turned out this way. So he had to make a good plan for the future so that his daughter wouldn't suffer in her old age.