Chapter 244

Chapter 244: Giving Up Cui Zeyu arrived at the Rong Prince Mansion, but he did not interrogate the mansion's staff. Instead, he went to see Du Cheng. Du Cheng had grown much thinner. When he saw Cui Zeyu, he was quite surprised. "Du Shinan said that having you follow County Princess Rongjia was meant to let you rely on her and the Rong Prince Mansion to secure a good future. But from what I can see, you're not doing particularly well now." Cui Zeyu looked around the crude room—it was a world apart from the grandeur of the prince's mansion. "What does Lord Lu wish to ask?" Du Cheng looked at Cui Zeyu with perfect composure. "I simply want to know—what was the Du family's purpose in having you follow County Princess Rongjia?" Cui Zeyu paced around the room, finally stopping behind Du Cheng. "Perhaps you don't actually want to help your second uncle, do you?" "How could that be? The Du family has shown me great kindness. My second uncle's injury weighs heavily on my heart as well," Du Cheng said. "Then why haven't you gone to visit him?" Cui Zeyu seized on the key point. "From what I know, from the moment Du Shinan's troubles began until now, you haven't once gone to see him. Du Cheng, perhaps you have other motives, but isn't what you're trying to do too difficult? Can you really manage it alone?" Du Cheng didn't turn to look at Cui Zeyu, but he quickly denied the accusation. "Lord Lu handles too many cases and has overthought my situation. I'm nothing more than a powerless scholar without even an official rank. What could I possibly do?" "Fine then, see you around." Cui Zeyu didn't press further and turned to leave without hesitation. Just as he was about to depart, Prince Rong called out to stop him. In truth, Prince Rong had been hoping to win over rising figures like Cui Zeyu and Zhuang Huaiming. The Emperor's stance was clear—he wanted to achieve accomplishments worthy of being recorded in history, which was why he favored those who did not fear the powerful, like Cui Zeyu and Xie Yunting. Lately, Prince Rong had sensed that the Emperor was not as close to him as before, and he felt a vague unease. "Is Lord Lu here about Du Shinan's matter?" Prince Rong walked over. "Yes. Since the case has fallen into my hands, I had to come and ask some questions." Cui Zeyu bowed in greeting, then added, "The Du family insists on pursuing this investigation. I truly don't understand what there is to investigate." He said this deliberately, and seeing Prince Rong's brow relax slightly, he continued, "I wonder if Your Highness has heard that King Wu has presented two beauties to the Emperor as tribute." "Hmph, he has no sense of propriety." Prince Rong was greatly displeased. "The Emperor is advanced in years and has long since stopped indulging in sensual pleasures. Sending beauties into the palace now—is he not worried about affecting the Emperor's health!" "Indeed. If Your Highness gets the opportunity, you should offer some counsel on this matter." Cui Zeyu knew exactly what Prince Rong feared. The Emperor had no sons. If this continued, Prince Rong's youngest son might have the chance to be adopted as Crown Prince, thereby extending the Rong Prince Mansion's wealth and glory for another generation. But what if the Emperor were to have a son of his own? Though the possibility was extremely slim, it was not impossible. In previous years, a child had been born in the palace, but unfortunately, due to bad luck and an already frail constitution, the child had choked to death on a pastry. "Naturally, I will offer my counsel. But Lord Lu enjoys great favor with the Emperor these days—you should also advise him." Prince Rong said. Cui Zeyu hummed in acknowledgment, saying he still had official duties to attend to and prepared to take his leave. "Lord Lu, there is one more thing I'd like to say." Prince Rong clasped his hands behind his back and looked over. "Some matters are better left uninvestigated. Though you have the Duke of Dingguo's mansion as your backing, you ultimately have no deep roots. Would the Lu family truly help you in your time of crisis?" "Which matters does Your Highness refer to? Perhaps you could be more specific, lest I, being too dull, fail to understand." Cui Zeyu wore a faint smile. Prince Rong couldn't quite articulate it, and so Cui Zeyu returned home. Back at the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, he kicked open the duke's door. The Duke of Dingguo lifted his eyelids, and upon seeing Cui Zeyu, showed no surprise. "What's the matter? Did your dear elder sister give you a talking-to?" "Lu Zhong, didn't I tell you to stay out of my affairs?" Cui Zeyu charged up to the duke and knocked the book from his hands. The Duke of Dingguo remained perfectly calm. "Other matters, I can leave alone. How you conduct yourself as an official, how many enemies you make—I couldn't care less. But this matter alone, I cannot let go. The Lu family's bloodline cannot be cut off." "Is your bloodline such a precious thing?" Cui Zeyu gritted his teeth, wishing he could tear the Duke of Dingguo apart limb from limb. Seeing his son so furious, the duke suddenly laughed. "Lu Zeyu, without me, who do you think would ever take a second look at you?" After those words, the air grew tense and scorching. The Duke of Dingguo continued, "Are you really so fond of Lady Cui?" Cui Zeyu had never spoken of these feelings to anyone, yet he never expected the Duke of Dingguo to have detected them. He had never once uttered aloud that he loved his elder sister. Now, faced with the duke's question, he... found it hard to speak. "What's the matter? Can't bring yourself to say it?" The duke laughed again. "You know your feelings can't bear the light of day, don't you?" "And what about you? When you deceived my mother back then, could your deeds bear the light of day?" Cui Zeyu erupted in fury. "Yes, we are all selfish and dark at heart. You are my retribution." The Duke of Dingguo took a deep breath. "Zeyu, I don't mind what goes on between you and Lady Cui in private, but publicly, you must have a respectable Duchess of Dingguo. That is my only request of you." Cui Zeyu said he could not do it. "I never intended to follow your wishes!" "I've told you, if you're not afraid of Lady Cui discovering your sordid thoughts, then I don't care either. But you do care. You value Lady Cui more than yourself—you cannot possibly not care." The Duke of Dingguo had come to know his son well enough during this time. "In fact, from the moment you chose to reclaim your family name, weren't you already giving up on Lady Cui?" The future Duke of Dingguo could never marry a woman who had undergone Mutual Divorce, and certainly not a woman who had once been Cui Zeyu's adopted elder sister. If that were to happen, the people of Bianjing would laugh their heads off, and the ancestors of the Duke of Dingguo's household would crawl out of their graves to settle the score with Lu Zhong. Cui Zeyu was struck where it hurt. But in truth, from the very beginning, he had never dared to hope for anything with his sister. A person as pure and holy as she was—he would never drag her down into hell with him. "Lu Zhong, are you really going to force me?" Cui Zeyu's eyes turned fierce. "It's not me forcing you—you must do this, or your official career ends here. Do you think your little schemes are only seen through by me alone?" The Duke of Dingguo sighed. "You are indeed my son—hopelessly devoted. If you give up your career, then who will stand behind Lady Cui and her children?" The Duke of Dingguo shook his head as he spoke. "Zeyu, I know you are in a difficult position, but in this life, one must sometimes do things against one's will. Think it over carefully—I'll give you some time. But if you delay too long, even if I say nothing, someone as perceptive as Lady Cui will eventually figure it out." The Duke of Dingguo said nothing else—he only brought up Cui Lingrong. Because he knew his son cared only about what Cui Lingrong thought. The father and son parted on bad terms. After returning to his room, Cui Zeyu sat in a daze for a long while. It was not until evening, when Song Mingjin returned from his studies and ran into the room full of cheer, "Uncle, I'm hungry! What are we eating today?" "What?" "I asked what we're eating!" Song Mingjin tugged at his uncle's arm. "Uncle, are you unhappy? You don't look like you have much energy." "No, I'm fine." Cui Zeyu looked at the lively, cheerful Jin-ge and pinched the boy's chubby cheek. "Come on, I'll take you out to eat!" It was alright. No matter what happened to him, as long as his sister and Xuan-ge were well, he would do anything.