Ye Zhen secretly looked at Lu Zan. When she first met him in Chengde Villa, he was still a little depressed. Today, although he was thinner and darker than before, he looked much more spirited. His eyes looked bright and full of vigor.
"Third brother, you are much thinner than before." Ye Zhen smiled and said. She was grateful for Old Madam Lu's love and care for her. If it were not for Lu Lingzhi, she would be willing to promote the Lu family. However, after so many years, the lesson to the second branch has been enough. She was not willing to promote Lu Shixun, but she felt that Lu Zan could be put in an important position.
Lu Zan was very handsome. Although he was tanned, he lost a bit of his gentle temperament. "It's normal to be tanned after living in Nanyue for two years."
"You have been in Nanyue for the past few years?" Ye Zhen raised her eyebrows. She left the Thousand Gold Workshop in Jinkou City to him. Why did he go to Nanyue?
"This is what this commoner wanted to tell you." Lu Zan said warmly, "This commoner has found some clues about what Your Highness wanted this commoner to investigate."
Ye Zhen narrowed her eyes slightly and her expression became serious. "What did you find out?"
Lu Zan looked up at Ye Zhen. This time, he went to investigate the past of the Lu family. As a descendant of the Lu family, he always thought that the Lu family relied on business to make a living. What his grandfather did when he was young and what the Lu family did before, he had never heard his elders mention it. This time, he deliberately inquired about it and found that even his parents did not know the past of the Lu family. He went to his hometown and lived there for a year before he finally found out something.
He knew that the Empress investigated the past of the Lu family for Lu Lingzhi. Doing this was tantamount to betraying his cousin. But wasn't it all because of Lu Lingzhi that the Lu family became what it is today? Even his grandmother died of anger because of Lu Lingzhi.
"Replying to Your Highness, it turns out that our great-grandfather was a servant of the Pan family in Nanyue when he was young." Lu Zan said in a low voice.
Ye Zhen interrupted in surprise, "Which Pan family?"
"The Pan Family, once the richest family in Nanyue." Two years ago, the Pan Family's case was overturned.
"Go on." Ye Zhen said coldly.
Lu Zanzhi continued, "Great grandfather was a servant of the Pan family. In the past, he was a servant of the Pan family, but because he saved his master, the Pan family's patriarch gave him his freedom and gave him a sum of money to go out to sea to do business. Great grandfather was still young at that time, so he brought his family back to their hometown and went out to sea to do business. A few years later, great grandfather earned a lot of money, so he came back to marry a wife and had children. He opened a trading company in Nanyue, and with the birth of my grandfather, great grandfather's business became better and better under the guidance of the Pan family. He brought my grandfather to Jinkou city, wanting to get rid of his past as a servant of the Pan family. After coming to Jinkou city, great grandfather's business became better and better. No one knew of his past, and by the time he was able to take charge, the Lu family had already taken root in Jinkou city. Then, something happened to the Pan family …"
"Everyone in the world thinks that the Pan Family died thirty years ago. I found out that great-grandfather was seriously ill at that time, but he still went to Nanyue with grandfather. Later, he went back to his hometown. When great-grandfather passed away in his hometown, grandfather asked everyone to go back. At that time, Eldest Uncle arrived a few days late, and when he returned, he had an extra maid with him. He said that he met the maid when he went out to sea to do business. Because she was pregnant, he brought her back with him. Eldest Aunt was pregnant at that time, and when she found out about this, she made a fuss. After great-grandfather's funeral was over, grandfather stayed in his hometown to keep vigil. Eldest Aunt was pregnant with a baby and was also left behind. She said that she would return to Jinkou City after giving birth. Eldest Uncle also left the pregnant maid behind. A few months later, Eldest Aunt gave birth to Eldest Brother.
Ye Zhen looked at Lu Zanzhi with a heavy gaze. "The identity of that servant girl?"
Lu Zanzhi had said so much and mentioned the Pan family. The abrupt appearance of this servant girl was obviously related to the Pan family.
"The wife of the Pan family's third young master." Lu Zanzhi whispered, "When the Pan family was in trouble, she was not in the Pan family's mansion, so she escaped and was saved by great grandfather. In order to save the child in her belly, she had to become uncle's concubine."
"She is the only survivor of the Pan family?" Ye Zhen did not expect that the Lu family would have a relationship with the Pan family. This news was too unexpected.
"More than that …" Lu Zanzhi took a deep breath. "The Pan family can become the richest family in Nanyue not only because of their business, but also because of many salt pans. Although most of the salt pans are now under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, there are still some omissions. At that time, there was a housekeeper of the Pan family who went out to inspect the salt pans. He also survived because the salt pans were hidden and the imperial court did not find out at that time …" If he had not investigated the past relationship between the Lu family and the Pan family, he would not have been able to uncover so many things.
Ye Zhen roughly understood the past of the Pan family and the Lu family. If the housekeeper of the Pan family survived, he would certainly find ways to avenge the Pan family. However, there had been no movement for so many years. There must be someone controlling it. She thought of a possibility. "Third brother, is Lu Lingzhi the biological son of the Liu Shi?"
Lu Zanzhi was silent. He did not know and did not dare to check.
"That servant girl and the Liu Shi gave birth at the same time?" Ye Zhen continued to ask when he did not answer.
"Yes …" Lu Zanzhi whispered, "But she had a difficult birth, and both mother and child died."
Ye Zhen sneered, "Is she really dead, or did she have to die to keep her child alive? She was pregnant at that time, and she was born prematurely. How could there be such a coincidence?
Lu Zanzhi smiled bitterly. "Niang niang, that's all I can find. Lu Lingzhi is missing, and I can't find anything."
If Lu Lingzhi was not the son of the Liu Shi, but the posthumous son of the Pan family, then it would make sense that he could find a group of subordinates to follow him so quickly after leaving the Jin Kingdom.
The Pan family survived, and it was impossible for them to do nothing for so many years. There must be some secret movement that has not been found out. It was probably covered up by Lu Lingzhi.
"Third brother, you've found a lot." Ye Zhen glanced at him. To be able to find these things, he should have spent a few years moving his business to Nanyue, most likely for this matter.
"This commoner is also very shocked to find this." When he knew that the Lu family and the Pan family had that kind of relationship, he hesitated and did not want to investigate further. Later, he could not help but be curious. The more he investigated, the more afraid he became.
Ye Zhen nodded gently. Not to mention Lu Zanzhi, she was also shocked. "You've worked hard all these years."
"Not at all." Lu Zanzhi lowered his eyes. To be able to get this sentence from the Empress, his hard work over the years has been rewarded.
...
(Nine-Headed Bird Academy)
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