"I'd like to see Zixiao."
Jiang Pengji didn't find Lu Zheng's request excessive, so she agreed.
"Anything else?"
"My adopted daughter likes you very much, but she had a rough childhood and has a strange temperament. If she offends you in any way, please forgive her and ask the soldiers under your command to treat her better." Lu Zheng pondered for three seconds and said hesitantly, "She's a child with a hard life."
Jiang Pengji's gaze revealed some surprise.
She thought Lu Zheng would say something else, such as rebuking her or asking about her attitude toward An Cui. She never expected him to plead for his adopted daughter. Jiang Pengji didn't pay attention to Kang Xintong at first, but since Lu Zheng said so, she naturally had to take care of her. She paid more attention to her.
"I'll send someone to send her to you. You can supervise her together and save some manpower."
Jiang Pengji's words sounded impolite, but Lv Zheng knew what she was really trying to express. Kang Xintong was Lu Zheng's adopted daughter, so she took care of him more meticulously than others. She placed Kang Xintong under his watch so that Lu Zheng wouldn't worry about his adopted daughter's situation when he was sick.
Jiang Pengji arranged for Lu Zheng to recuperate in a secluded place. She also reminded the doctor not to be stingy with medicine and to use whatever was useful.
When Wei Ci heard the news and rushed over, Lu Zheng was wearing a greenish-gray cloak and kneeling in front of the chessboard, playing chess. Sometimes he furrowed his brows in deep thought, sometimes he was suddenly enlightened, and sometimes he pointed at the chessboard to calculate something … He didn't look like a prisoner at all.
Wei Ci saw that Lu Zheng looked sick and said disapprovingly, "I heard that you're very sick. Why don't you wait on the bed?"
Instead of resting, he was playing chess. Any doctor who encountered such an uncooperative patient would be angry.
Lu Zheng had long heard Wei Ci's movements. When he heard Wei Ci scolding him, he looked up at him.
"You haven't changed much over the years."
Lu Zheng placed the chess record by his side and gestured for Wei Ci to sit on the mat opposite him.
Wei Ci almost didn't recognize him. Lu Zheng looked much more haggard than he imagined. He was in low spirits and his hair was visibly gray. There was not much of a difference in their ages, but when Wei Ci and Lu Zheng were compared, the latter seemed to be almost ten years older than the former.
Wei Ci said frankly, "You look much older."
Lv Zheng had the urge to treat the chess piece as Wei Ci and crush it.
"One is marked by the company one keeps, one is blackened by the company one keeps.
Lu Zheng was implying something. Wei Ci had been with Jiang Pengji for a long time. How did his glib tongue change toward the latter's?
Wei Ci did not know about the bet between Jiang Pengji and Lv Zheng, but he was good at reading people's minds. Lv Zheng's words carried a subtle meaning.
After hesitating for three breaths, Wei Ci asked cautiously, "Does Shaoyin know?"
"It's hard not to know …" Lu Zheng's fingernails were well-manicured. At this moment, he was playing with a black chess piece, which made his fingernails look even paler. He placed the chess piece in the designated position and said, "How could Liu Xi be worthy of your attention? Back then, you were quite distant from her. "
After all, they were from the same sect and were taught by the same teacher. Lu Zheng's understanding of Wei Ci was incomparable to that of an outsider.
In the eyes of an outsider, they might think that Jiang Pengji was forcing Wei Ci and that Wei Ci had no choice but to succumb to her tyrannical power. However, Lu Zheng understood that if Wei Ci had no intentions towards others, he would not easily succumb even if a knife was placed on his neck, let alone using force.
The two of them had an affair. It could only be said that both of them were interested in each other.
Not to mention Jiang Pengji, Lu Zheng had heard Jiang Pengji say that she would drag Wei Ci down with her 800 years ago. But what about Wei Ci?
When did he develop feelings for Jiang Pengji that were beyond that of a ruler and an official?
Wei Ci said, "Maybe it was in my previous life."
He told the truth, but Lu Zheng thought that he was being glib.
"Instead of learning from the good, you learn from the bad. Are you learning from Liu Xi in your eloquence?"
Lu Zheng gestured for Wei Ci to choose a chess piece to play with him.
Among his fellow apprentices, Wei Ci's chess skills were the best among them. Lu Zheng was ranked last and was often beaten by Wei Ci, Cheng Jing, and Han Yu. The shadows of his school days were Jiang Pengji and Wei Ci's "playing a game of chess with their hands." He was always beaten badly.
In order to avenge his previous humiliation, he put in a lot of effort in this aspect. He did not know if he could gain an advantage today.
Wei Ci was speechless. No one believed him when he told the truth. It was not easy to be an honest person.
The two of them did not talk much. They just played two games in silence. Lu Zheng still lost miserably.
After cleaning up the mess, Lu Zheng looked up at Wei Ci, whose temperament was becoming more and more stable. He was like a pearl that had been polished until it became rounder. Although it was not dazzling, it could not be ignored. This person looked like a decent person. Who could guess that he had tons of evil ideas in his mind?
"… I will be careful about the matter with the lord. I will try not to affect her as much as possible … I will also try to protect myself …"
He wanted to accompany her until her hair turned white and she died of old age. Both of them would be fine.
Lu Zheng nodded. "My teacher often says that you have your own views. Since you have said so, you must have made up your mind. It is not good for outsiders to persuade you."
He was Wei Ci's fellow apprentice, so his standpoint was naturally more biased towards Wei Ci.
As long as it was Wei Ci's own choice, Lu Zheng would respect it.
But …
He could have chosen anyone to have a relationship with, but he chose Jiang Pengji, who was the most difficult to conquer.
She was a vassal now, but she would become an emperor in the future.
Her identity meant that if Wei Ci wanted to walk to her side, there would be thorns under his feet. Maybe he would kneel halfway.
"Thank you."
Wei Ci's words came from the bottom of his heart.
Whether it was Lu Zheng, Cheng Jing, or Han Yu, their respect and understanding warmed Wei Ci's heart.
Lu Zheng stroked the cold chess piece and let out a sigh. He said to Wei Ci, "I know that you have a soft temperament and some things can't be said openly. Since we are from the same school, I will say one more thing. Liu Xi's temperament is different from ordinary people. If you really want to be in harmony with her, remember this: Don't get involved in anything! In the future, whether it is the civil and military infighting or the struggle between the gentry and the common people, you'd better not intervene and don't express your opinion. If you really can't help it, it is best to ask for Liu Xi's opinion. Don't do anything that goes against her will. Ordinary couples have some difficulties and quarrels at most. But if you have a conflict with Liu Xi, it will affect more than just a small family. "
Lu Zheng's words were not only the way of a ruler and a minister, but also the way of a husband and wife.
As long as Wei Ci always stood by her side and supported her, their interests would be firmly bound. Harming Wei would be harming Jiang Pengji's interests.
In this way, she would become Wei Ci's most powerful shield.
Wei Ci was stunned after hearing that.
If he had understood this in his previous life, he would not have thought himself clever and got involved in the affairs of the Wei family. Would the meteorite have fallen from the sky?
Most likely not.
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