"Someone, prepare a seat for Minister Lu," Li Qitian ordered in a deep voice.
Li Guanwen immediately nodded and ordered the servants to bring a chair with an official's hat and place it on the seat of honor.
Minister Lu was wearing a red official's robe. He lifted the hem of his robe and knelt down shakily. "Thank you for Your Majesty's kindness."
Li Qitian was furious when he saw the old man's humble and respectful attitude. He was obviously not loyal to the emperor, but he still acted like this. Wasn't he deceiving the emperor?
"You're an old official and my right-hand man. Back then, in order to end the war as soon as possible, for the sake of the world, the Lu family lent a helping hand. I've always been grateful. How can there not be a seat for Minister Lu in front of me?"
Li Qitian smiled wholeheartedly and was very amiable.
Minister Lu, who had been in office for many years, was so touched that his thin body and beard trembled together. He bowed emotionally and said, "I'm willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty to repay Your Majesty's kindness!"
He was about to kneel down again.
Li Qitian gave him a look and Li Guanwen immediately went forward to help Minister Lu up.
Li Qitian said, "Why aren't you helping Minister Lu to his seat?"
Li Guanwen smiled and said, "Please take a seat, Senior. Your Majesty cares about me the most. "
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty." Minister Lu was so grateful that he almost cried and sat down on the chair.
Li Qitian rubbed his temples tiredly when Minister Lu lowered his head.
When Minister Lu looked up, Li Qitian was still the same as usual.
"Minister Lu, do you know why I summoned you today?"
Minister Lu nodded and said sincerely, "Your Majesty must have summoned you because of the drought in the south. Your Majesty doesn't have to worry. Your Majesty is the true Son of Heaven and is protected by the heavens. Ever since Dayan surrendered and the country returned to Da Zhou, the drought there has been alleviated. Your Majesty is so blessed that he can bring benefits to the people! "
Grand Secretary Lu was really old, but when he spoke, he tried his best to speak loudly. His body was trembling, which made Li Guanwen tremble with fear. He was afraid that the old man would speak too loudly and not be able to catch his breath. If something happened to him in the imperial study, how could he explain it to the Lu family?
However, Cabinet Secretary Lu's words were like a bucket of oil to Li Qitian who was filled with anger.
Li Qitian clenched his teeth to prevent his anger from spitting out.
What a loyal and patriotic official!
If he was so loyal, why did he allow his grandson to do such a thing?
If it was someone else, he would have reprimanded him.
However, facing the sincere and touched Grand Secretary Lu, thinking of his identity as the head of the Lu Clan and the schemes hidden in his every wrinkle, Li Qitian forced himself to hold back and sighed without batting an eyelid.
"Although I was protected by the heavens and was able to conquer this country with the help of my officials, Minister Lu, you should know that Beiji, which I took over, is already in ruins."
"Sigh, that's right. Your Majesty has worked hard all these years. "Minister Lu sighed as well.
Li Qitian said, "It doesn't matter if it's hard for me. What matters is the people. The national treasury is empty now. When the Tiger Army attacked Dayan, the provisions and rewards promised have yet to be fulfilled. The people in the south have lost their homes because of the drought, and the Tatan in the north are eyeing us covetously. The country is in ruins and we need to calculate and spend money everywhere. But Minister Lu, you should know the situation of my national treasury. "
Minister Lu cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, this old official is willing to share Your Majesty's burden. This old official will go back and think of a way to raise money. "
Li Qitian was speechless by his answer.
It sounded as if he was crying poor and asking for money from this old official!
Would he be able to raise as much money as that treasure?!
This old thing was clearly pretending to be a fool in front of him, refusing to admit Lu Heng's mistake no matter what!
Li Qitian's patience was running out. If it wasn't for the fact that he was an emperor and wasn't a peasant farmer, he would've already pounced on this sly old fox and beat him up to vent his anger!
Li Qitian's suppressed anger made Li Guanwen take a few steps back.
Minister Lu didn't notice it at all. His eyes were filled with tears as he promised, "Your Majesty, this old official will definitely think of a way to raise money!"
This sentence was like the last straw that broke the camel's back!
Li Qitian suddenly stood up and said in a low voice, "Minister Lu, I respect you, but don't push your luck!"
Minister Lu was stunned by the question. He hurriedly knelt down and put his forehead on the ground and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, please don't be angry. This old official, this old official doesn't understand …"
"You don't understand! I can see that you know very well! Let me ask you, do you know that I'm looking for the Dayan treasure?! "
"This old official knows."
"Then why did you let your grandson escape with my treasure map?!"
"Ah?"
Minister Lu raised his head in shock and realized that it was inappropriate for him to look directly at Li Qitian. He hurriedly lowered his head and shook his head. "That's impossible. How could such a thing happen? If this old official's grandson really got the treasure, he would have presented it to Your Majesty first. How could he … "
"You mean that I'm framing your grandson, Lu Heng?"
"This old official wouldn't dare!" Minister Lu hurriedly kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, is there any misunderstanding?"
"Misunderstanding? I just found out the whereabouts of the treasure map and ordered people to look for it. Then I saw your precious grandson leaving the capital with the treasure map under the escort of people! "
"This, this … this old official doesn't know. Brother Heng didn't report this at all. That little bastard! How dare he do this! If this old official finds out where he went, I won't let him go! "
"My dear official, do you mean that you don't know what he did?"
"I really don't know!" Minister Lu was so anxious that tears ran down his face. "That bastard, how dare he do this! This is so infuriating, so infuriating! "
As Minister Lu cried, he began to have difficulty breathing. His hands trembled as he fell to the ground.
Li Guanwen hurriedly went up to support him. "Minister Lu, are you alright?" He looked at Li Qitian inquiringly. If he didn't want to cause a disaster, he should have called for the imperial physician.
Li Qitian gritted his teeth and glared at this old man. He really wanted him to just die here.
However, if something happened to the head of the Lu family in the imperial study, it wouldn't look good and the consequences would be severe.
Thinking of this, Li Qitian could only ask with concern, "Minister Lu, are you alright? Quickly call for the imperial physician! "
"This old official, this old official, I'm, I'm fine. This old official really, really, really, really infuriates this old official!"
Li Qitian almost spat out a mouthful of blood when he saw the loyal official's face cursing his unfilial grandson despite his pain. He simply turned around and didn't want to see it.
Soon, the imperial physician arrived at the imperial study and treated Minister Lu.
"Your Majesty, Minister Lu is in the middle of spring and autumn. He was shocked and agitated, so he fainted for a while. I'll give him a prescription and he'll be fine after taking it. Minister Lu, please control your emotions and don't get too agitated."
The imperial physician was an honest man and he didn't dare to look at Your Majesty's face. Therefore, he didn't notice that Li Qitian's face got darker with every sentence he said.
Li Guanwen had already shrunk his shoulders and tried his best to reduce his presence. He was afraid that Your Majesty's anger would affect him.
Li Qitian pursed his lips and looked at Minister Lu in silence.
Minister Lu felt a chill down his spine. He hurriedly knelt down and bowed. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. This old official will order someone to bring that unfilial son back and let Your Majesty punish him!"
How could he bear to hand over his favorite grandson?
This was clearly a show of force to put him in a checkmate!
If Li Qitian behaved too harshly, the aristocratic families would be on guard against him.
However, being on guard was secondary.
If the Lumen family was afraid and rebelled with the other aristocratic families, Li Qitian didn't think he had the ability to put out the fire.
Therefore, even if he had a stomach full of anger, he could only swallow it in a cowardly manner.
"Forget it. It's not Minister Lu's fault. I didn't control my emotions well just now."
"Your Majesty, this old official is so ashamed." Minister Lu lay on the ground and burst into tears again.
Li Qitian was annoyed to see him like this. However, there was nothing he could do, so he could only comfort him.
In the end, not only did Li Qitian fail to denounce the old official, but he also had to appease the old official's emotions. He even ordered his chief eunuch to personally send the old official back to his residence and rewarded him with a pile of medicinal herbs and tonics.
Li Qitian sat in the imperial study sulking and refused to see anyone.
When Minister Lu returned home, he thanked Li Guanwen politely and even gave him a first-class red envelope.
After Li Guanwen left, Minister Lu returned to the inner courtyard.
As soon as he entered, he saw Lu Heng, who Li Qitian said should have left the capital, sitting on the kang bed by the window, reading a book and eating snacks.
"Grandfather, you're back." Lu Heng was about to kneel and bow.
Minister Lu waved his hand and sat down opposite Lu Heng. He also grabbed some snacks and ate them.
"Grandfather, did Your Majesty make things difficult for you?"
Minister Lu smiled. "He wants to, but does he have the guts?"
Lu Heng smiled. "If Grandfather's words were heard by that person, his lungs would explode."
"You didn't see how he was just now. He was worried that it would be hard to explain if I died in his imperial study. I'm also worried that something bad might happen to him." Minister Lu smiled brightly. After a while, he said, "You can go out tomorrow when you're ready. Safety is the most important thing when you're outside. We don't lack money. It doesn't matter if we can find the treasure or not. All that matters is that you come back safely. "
"Even if we can't find it, we can't let him find it. But don't worry, Grandfather. I'll just treat it as a trip. I'll take care of my own safety. "Lu Heng smiled.
Looking at his noble and handsome grandson, Minister Lu said seriously, "Heng 'er, you're not young anymore. About your second wife …"
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