Volume 2: Residence in the Capital Chapter 169: A virtuous mother and a filial son hate the minister?
His mother suddenly became seriously ill, and Lu Sanlang was naturally very anxious. He never liked riding fast horses, but he galloped on the street for the first time, not caring that his fat body was pressing on the horse and making it gasp for air. However, in order to prevent himself from getting into trouble by galloping, he shouted loudly all the way.
"Make way, everyone, make way, my mother is seriously ill and I'm in a hurry to go home!"
Although there was a ban in the capital, it was common for the sons of noble families to break the rules occasionally. However, the current Shuntian prefect was very serious and would even use the legitimate royal family as a target, so Lu Sanlang naturally prepared for the rainy day. Fortunately, his shouting worked after all, and the pedestrians along the way retreated, allowing him to return home smoothly.
Since he had his own room in the Imperial College, he seldom came back. After he rushed through the gate, he naturally felt regretful. Compared with his father who always looked down on him, his mother, Madam Lu Zhen, always favored him, the fat youngest son. Therefore, the more he thought about it, the more he regretted it. He only hated himself for not going home more often.
When he rushed to Madam Lu's main courtyard, he saw Mother Jin, who was beside his mother, escorting an old man with white hair and beard out. It was Doctor Lin whom he had seen before. He rushed forward in two steps, but before he could ask, Mother Jin winked at him: "Third Master, Madam is looking forward to your return. Please go in quickly. I will see Doctor Lin off!"
Lu Sanlang was slightly stunned, but thinking that these imperial doctors just liked to show off their medical skills and medical theories, it was really boring to listen to a bunch of confusing words, so he nodded and ran into the main room. When he came to the bedside, he saw his mother leaning on the bed with a high pillow and a sallow face. His legs suddenly became weak and he called out "Mom" with difficulty.
Mrs. Lu Zhen, who had half-closed her eyes, immediately opened them wide. When she saw that it was Lu Sanlang who came back, she was immediately surprised and happy. She waved hurriedly, "Sanlang is back? Come here quickly!"
Seeing Lu Sanlang staggering over, kneeling on the ground in front of the bed with a plop, his head lowered, tears falling, Zhen felt distressed and happy, and quickly reached out to drag Lu Sanlang over. As a result, her hand was very strong, and the sad little fat boy was stunned.
What happened to the sudden illness? How come my mother is still so strong?
Lu Sanlang looked up in confusion, only to receive an angry slap from his mother on the forehead: "You kid, you refused to come back after being released. Are you trying to drive me crazy? What were you doing during the two days of rest?"
Although he didn't understand what was wrong with Zhen's illness, Lu Sanlang had always been the one who was best at pleasing his mother since he was a child - because he knew from a young age that only his mother cared about him, the unlovable youngest son. So he immediately knelt straight and said honestly: "I was reading those books of Master Ge in the dormitory."
Zhen immediately put her hand on her forehead. She used to think that her youngest son was not ambitious, and she was worried that when she was gone, her husband and the eldest and second sons would not protect him, and Lu Sanlang would suffer. But now she felt that if Lu Sanlang became ambitious, he would be a bit stupid! Qin Guogong's eldest son Zhang Chen was able to "accidentally" meet Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying in Qin Garden, Haidian, and took advantage of it, but her son didn't catch up!
It was obvious that Zhang Shou valued Lu Sanlang more than Zhang Chen... otherwise, why would he make such a scene in the Shangshu Mansion just for the fat boy?
She knocked on the little fat boy's head again, feeling a bit disappointed, and then said listlessly: "I don't know what happened before, I suddenly felt dizzy and passed out, so they rushed to find you. But they sent news to all three places. Of course, your father couldn't get away easily in the government office, but your two brothers also sent news saying that they couldn't come back. Only you came back."
Zhen reached out her hand and held Lu Sanlang's hand, then said in a low voice: "I knew that you have always been the most filial. Now that you are back, there is something I need to tell you. Your father has prepared the betrothal gifts and plans to propose to you tomorrow. I can't even ask him who it is."
"He was probably afraid that I would tip you off, so he only said that we were a good match and would never humiliate you, a talent that the emperor himself praised."
Seeing the shock on Lu Sanlang's face, she sighed and said, "I tried my best to fight for you, but he was determined, so I really couldn't do anything. And..."
I'm going to fight you, you old man!
At that moment, Lu Sanlang had only this thought in his mind. But the next moment, he heard Jin's mother's voice coming from outside: "Madam, the master is back!"
Lu Sanlang felt that all the new and old hatreds were in his heart, but at this moment, he saw Zhen holding his hand tightly and shaking her head at him. At this time, Lu Sanlang also thought that his father, the Minister of War, had practiced riding and shooting in the past, and if they fought, he would definitely be beaten to the ground, so he could only suppress his anger.
But he didn't want to talk to his father, so he suddenly had an idea and just lay down on the bed, looking like he was crying. But the next moment, he heard Zhen's voice.
"Yes, just pretend to cry and faint! I heard that your Jiuzhangtang has been solving a difficult problem in the Arms Bureau these past two days? Your father mentioned it before. I'll tell you that you just stayed up all night last night and you must be too tired, so that you and your father won't get tired of each other and start arguing again!"
This is my real mother who always cares about me. She is so thoughtful!
Lu Sanlang nodded quickly, feeling very satisfied. Sure enough, a moment later, he heard hurried footsteps outside, followed by his father's loud voice: "Why did he suddenly faint? If Doctor Lin can't cure him, change him!"
Following the sound, Lu Sanlang sensed the footsteps approaching, and quickly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. Sure enough, the footsteps stopped abruptly behind him, and then his father asked angrily, "This kid is back too?"
"Shh!" Zhen immediately put her finger to her mouth and made a gesture to keep quiet, then she scolded, "Sanlang studies every day in the Imperial College, and even on holidays he studies the arithmetic classics. Dr. Zhang just praised him for his diligence! Last night, he was trying to crack the Military Equipment Bureau's... He didn't sleep the whole night, and just came back and cried for a while, and then he fell asleep!"
Lu Wan's expression eased a little, but he still said sternly, "If he had this energy before, he would have passed the imperial examination and become a Jinshi long ago. Why would he have to start studying arithmetic at the age of 16 or 17? Don't believe his nonsense. The 14-ring text-locked secret box in the Military Equipment Bureau has been there for who knows how many decades. Even Grand Master Ge couldn't decipher it. How can these rookies decipher it?"
Zhen suddenly felt unhappy: "Didn't Dr. Zhang decipher those secret letters before?"
Lu Wan was immediately irritated by his wife's words. After all, the mistake was made by the Ministry of War, and his efforts to remedy the situation were behind those of Wang Datou, so he was only fined half a year's salary! Money is a small matter, the most important thing is the humiliation!
He also forgot that he rushed back because his wife suddenly fell ill, and said angrily: "Zhang Shou was lucky! And this time he didn't do it himself, but Lu Zhu and the guys from Jiuzhang Hall. How capable can they be?"
Call me Lu Zhu again! Lu Sanlang was so angry that he wanted to jump up and refute his father's dog eyes and look down on others. However, what he didn't expect was that Lu Wan sneered again and dropped another big news.
"The Emperor, despite all objections, gave Zhang Shou the title of Imperial Lecturer and Minister of the Imperial Household. No one said anything, but if Zhang Shou can't solve the problem this time, there will be many censors ready to criticize him..."
"Dr. Zhang's previous contributions were all real. Those imperial censors are just doing nothing!" Ever since Zhen saw Zhang Shou defending Lu Sanlang last time, she has found that handsome, elegant, and immortal young man more pleasing to the eye. Now she speaks up for Zhang Shou without thinking, "He was just promoted to the sixth rank. Why are you holding him back?"
"What do you mean he was only promoted to the sixth rank... Such a noble position is the only way to become a minister and enter the cabinet in the future. Others have to work hard for at least three to five years, but he got there in one step. How can others not be jealous? The emperor can stop people temporarily with the ancestral precepts of his ancestors, but he can't stop them forever. People's grievances will always be vented!"
Lu Wan's face darkened as she spoke: "It's time to let this brat see that his little master is not omnipotent. Once his marriage is settled tomorrow, I think he will be more content!"
At this moment, Lu Sanlang finally couldn't help it and wanted to raise his head. However, a hand suddenly pressed on his head, and then he felt someone pressing on him. It turned out that Zhen was afraid that he would be exposed, so she used this as an excuse to press him down.
"My poor Sanlang finally met a good teacher, but you, as a father, don't know how to show sympathy and actually treat them like those outsiders..."
Lu Wan didn't expect his wife to suddenly start wiping tears. Thinking about how she had just fallen ill, and when Doctor Lin was stopped by him at the gate before, he did say that Zhen's health should be taken extra care of. He could only quickly change the subject and comfort her again and again. After a while, he told Mother Jin who followed in to take good care of her, and then he slipped away.
Otherwise, would he stay and listen to his wife's nagging, asking him to help Zhang Shou out of trouble? What a joke, he was gloating over the misfortune, he wished that the boy would be unlucky! Zhao Guogong was lucky to have won a series of victories, he didn't want to bring up this news!
But just as he reached the door, he heard Zhen's faint voice behind him: "Even if Dr. Zhang has a thousand faults, as long as he sincerely teaches Sanlang, he is the best teacher in my mind. Just like Sanlang, he is a thousand faults in your mind, but in my eyes he is a filial son! Dalang and Erlang are promising now, but you are back and there is no trace of them!"
Lu Wan's face suddenly darkened, but he said nothing and walked out the door.
As soon as he stepped out, Lu Sanlang immediately raised his head: "Mom, thank you for speaking for me and the young master! This fourteen-ring text lock Jiuzhangtang can definitely be unlocked, and we will not embarrass the young master!"
"That's right." Zhen caressed her son's face with heartache, and then said stiffly, "Don't worry, even if I want to die tonight, I will find out the family your father wants to send the betrothal gift to! If it's not good, I will never let him go!"
"Mother, you are the best. You should help me delay for a few days!" Lu Sanlang was overjoyed and hugged Zhen's arm and thanked her again and again. When the mother and son were having a good time, the voice of Jin's mother came from outside again.
"Madam, Dr. Zhang from the Imperial College sent a student here to visit you, and he also brought a message to the Third Young Master!"
Lu Sanlang's eyes suddenly lit up: "It must be Senior Brother Qi, come in quickly!"
