Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!-Chapter 103 - 102: Schemes

Returning to the Prince Xiao Yao Mansion, Zhu Yu heaved a great sigh of relief after resolving a matter that had been weighing on her mind.

Aside from sighing, she immediately rushed back to her room and loosened the cloth bindings around her chest, changing back into women’s attire.

Though the dresses fashionable among the noble women of Jin Country were somewhat cumbersome and inconvenient, they were preferable to the discomfort of being bound so tightly she could hardly breathe.

It was still early for lunch, but having risen so early and been busy in the palace, Zhu Yu, who hadn’t had much appetite before, found her stomach growling once she returned home. Just as she was thinking of finding something to snack on, she saw Lu Qing bringing in a plate of pastries.

"Here, yesterday I noticed you didn’t eat enough at the Yunyin Pavilion, so I asked Liu Yueyao to send some over today." He placed the pastries on the table and sat down first, "These were brought in just two moments before us, so they aren’t any fresher.

The chefs in the mansion are probably just preparing the dishes now, so you might as well eat a bit first."

Zhu Yu didn’t stand on ceremony with him and sat down to eat a piece.

In the past, when work got busy, she wouldn’t have time to eat and had ruined her stomach early on. When it started to hurt, cold sweat would break out, and it was truly unbearable.

Even now, even though it’s a different era, whenever she feels an intense hunger, Zhu Yu always feels a faint pain returning to her stomach.

She guessed that she already had a mental knot that had turned into a psychological illness.

So she no longer dared let herself go hungry for fear that the nagging pain would come back.

After swallowing a piece of pastry, she licked the remaining crumbs from her lips contentedly before asking Lu Qing, "Today you did it on purpose, didn’t you?" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Previously, Lu Qing had told her that when speaking to him privately, she didn’t need to use honorifics, so Zhu Yu adapted to it naturally.

"Which matter are you referring to?" Lu Qing, who normally had no interest in sweet pastries, found himself intrigued yesterday and today by how much Zhu Yu seemed to enjoy them. So he picked one up to try himself and found it indeed tastier than usual.

"Requesting the letter of recommendation." Zhu Yu looked at Lu Qing, and although they only really got to know each other after their wedding day, she initially couldn’t figure out Prince Xiaoyao’s intentions. But after several interactions, she seemed to understand him a bit, "From the beginning, you wanted the emperor to grant me a waist card under the authority of the Golden-faced Imperial Censor, didn’t you?"

"Oh? You figured it out?" Lu Qing’s tone sounded somewhat surprised, but his demeanor remained calm.

"Even if the emperor decrees it, to appoint me to an official position, it would need to go through the Ministry of Personnel, which would require verifying my household registration.

Outside, you can introduce me as Mr. Zhu or Chief Historian Yu, but when it comes to checking my household registration, it would all be exposed." Zhu Yu thought of this during the audience in the palace when Lu Qing first spoke, "But you dared to request a recommendation from the emperor in his presence, giving the impression that you weren’t afraid of others verifying my registration.

Your openness, along with having me spontaneously admit to being a disciple under the Qi Yun Mountain People, is equivalent to giving the Holy Emperor a settling pill, showing that my skills are more needed by the Golden-faced Imperial Censor than a laid-back prince such as yourself.

Hence, the Holy Emperor naturally made a decision that seems entirely unrelated to you.

Am I correct?"

Lu Qing’s expression suddenly turned serious as he narrowed his eyes slightly at Zhu Yu, "I don’t like being seen through. If you know too much, I’m afraid I can’t let you stay."

He spoke through gritted teeth, deliberately lowering his voice as if he were truly threatening.

Zhu Yu looked at him with an impassive expression and reached out for another piece of pastry, taking small bites.

Lu Qing couldn’t help but laugh, the icy look vanishing instantly, "Aren’t you afraid that I mean it?"

Zhu Yu shrugged, "Unless you teach me the runes and talismans skills for postmortem examination, I am your rare ally, and silencing me would be like severing your own arm."

She spoke with great certainty and then smiled at Lu Qing, "My life is very important to you; you’re reluctant to let me die."

Lu Qing was so amused by her response that he laughed heartily, his eyes even glistening with tears. Finally, he nodded, his tone both serious and teasing, "The lady speaks truly; to have such a wife, what more could a husband ask for? I only wish the lady a long life, to achieve great deeds with me."

"Well said, well said." Zhu Yu cupped her hands to Lu Qing in jest.

Although the two had made an agreement in Qingshui County before, during that time Zhu Yu realized that what she truly enjoyed was "stolen moments of leisure in busyness," rather than "idleness."

Moreover, after inadvertently getting involved in the case concerning Cao Tianbao’s nephew, Zhu Yu realized more deeply the undercurrents beneath the surface.

As she always half-jokingly told Lu Qing, they are now in a boat together, and if they want to continue enjoying a long-lasting peace, they must first find a way to navigate the surging undercurrents and preserve themselves.

Just like Lu Chao said, to enter the game and turn from guest to host.

If Zhu Yu wants to live a life of ease and enjoyment, she first has to work hard.

"Your Highness, My Lady," Mrs. Zhao’s voice came from outside. Knowing that the prince and his wife were in the room, she wisely didn’t approach the door, "The tailor that the prince arranged has arrived, bringing some fine fabrics to take measurements for the lady and prepare winter clothes."

"You go ahead," Lu Qing nodded to Zhu Yu, "Even though it’s getting warmer every day, as soon as autumn arrives, it can become cold quickly; preparing winter clothes early is the wise choice."

Zhu Yu stood up, brushed off the pastry crumbs on her hands, walked a few steps, then turned back: "What’s the background of the old General Situ who led the bridal escort?"

"His accomplishments are no less than that of Great General Cao," Lu Qing succinctly replied, "During the pacification of the rebellious factions, if it weren’t for General Situ leading a hundred thousand elite soldiers against the Jie cavalry, ultimately defeating the Jie forces and leaving them severely weakened, it would’ve been difficult for the Holy Emperor to achieve the current unification of the realm.

I heard that even now, many Jie commanders and soldiers still tremble at the mention of General Situ’s name, though whether it’s true or not is another matter."

Zhu Yu nodded in understanding.

It became clear to her that the so-called bridal escort was more like a raid. If the Jie King dared to renege on his promise to marry off his most beloved eldest daughter, he would be shown what for.

As she walked out, she thought back on the peaceful journey she had when she married... It seems that their Shuo Country was indeed taken quite lightly by Emperor Jin.