At that time, Lu Yunqi fell from self-inflicted injuries. Being an important criminal, he was desperately saved, but still was seriously injured.
No, it's not about the serious injury that shouldn't have appeared. The most critical point is, he should still be locked in the capital's Ministry of Justice prison.
The eunuchs from the Imperial Mausoleum and the eunuchs from the palace, the Jinyiwei and the Imperial Guards in the palace including the Qingshan Army were all captured, interrogated day and night without stop in the Ministry of Justice.
The eunuchs from the Imperial Mausoleum confessed that it was indeed Yuan Bao who instructed them to conceal the emperor's departure from the mausoleum from the Jinyiwei. The Jinyiwei also confessed that they knew about the emperor's departure, but the emperor did not allow them to follow, so only Lu Yunqi, out of concern, followed.
Basically, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed that this was a power struggle between Yuan Bao and Lu Yunqi, along with various everyday conflicts and other shady incidents, all of which were extracted through interrogation. With Yuan Bao's death his crimes were confirmed, and Lu Yunqi is also hard-pressed to escape, just awaiting execution.
How could Lu Yunqi appear in the imperial palace at such a time?
And wearing official robes…
Miss Jun instinctively looked around.
"The first time I entered the imperial palace was when I was on duty here." Lu Yunqi said.
He walked step by step towards her.
He walked very slowly, and his body was somewhat stiff, which showed that he was indeed heavily injured.
Miss Jun did not speak, her expression guarded.
Even though she believed that with Prince Huai residing in the imperial palace, Duke of Chengguo and the others must have already cleared everything out, Lu Yunqi was truly too terrifying.
"For someone like me to enter the palace for duty, it is simply incredible." Lu Yunqi continued, glancing around. His usually expressionless face faintly showed a trace of joy.
As if returning to that young man walking in here for the first time.
"I feel like it's a dream." He said.
Indeed it felt like a dream. The Jinyiwei who entered the imperial palace for duty were strictly scrutinized, needing to have both family and influence. Someone like Lu Yunqi should be a minor banner officer on the street for life, summoned and called, unless assisted by a great benefactor.
This benefactor must have been Prince Qi.
Miss Jun thought of what Prince Qi said about starting operations in the capital long ago, using wealth to buy people's hearts.
It seems Lu Yunqi was also used by him, at that time Lu Yunqi was just a lowly Jinyiwei, yet Prince Qi could also support him, indeed considering even the humblest among thieves and villains.
"For people like us who rarely have opportunities, if we get an opportunity, we will definitely seize it well." Lu Yunqi continued, "I worked earnestly and was soon recognized."
He looked back at Miss Jun.
"So I not only worked in the palace but also ended up beside the prince."
Miss Jun found it somewhat amusing.
Recognition?
Whose recognition? Prince Qi's no doubt.
So at that time, was he already beside her father?
Miss Jun was somewhat resentful again, resenting herself for not being home and failing to notice.
"So many people, how could you remember them all?" Lu Yunqi seemed to see through her thoughts, "It's not your fault."
Indeed, for a princess like her, how could she notice every servant and subordinate?
"Do I need to thank you for comforting me?" Miss Jun looked at him and said lightly.
"Of course not." Lu Yunqi replied.
He spoke as slowly as he walked, but still walked up to her.
As he got closer, Miss Jun then noticed that his crimson robes had bloodstains seeping through, either from the reopening of his wounds or freshly stained from breaking in here.
His body carried no weapon, but it was not necessary to assess Lu Yunqi by whether he had weapons.
Miss Jun did not retreat.
"The prince loved to read." Lu Yunqi stood in front of her, continuing slowly, "When he read, he didn't like too many people serving him, often it was only me on duty."
Miss Jun's hand involuntarily clenched.
She seemed to have guessed what he was going to say.
Lu Yunqi looked at her.
"That day, Prince Qi came." He said, "Quietly, alone."
Miss Jun's blue veins stood out on her hand, staring at him unwaveringly.
Lu Yunqi also looked at her, without a hint of avoidance.
"I let him in." He slowly said.
There were few trees in the palace, intended to prevent assassins from hiding. Sunlight directly shone onto people.
He stood at the door, gripping the knife in his hand, inexplicably feeling cold.
His senses were sharp, and the tightly closed windows did not block the sounds inside the room.
First came low voices, followed by what seemed laughter, but the next moment the sounds became strange.
It seemed like a table was knocked over.
It seemed someone fell to the ground.
It seemed someone groaned in pain.
He was Jinyiwei, tasked with overseeing the area. Even without being summoned, he had to be cautious with any anomaly.
He tightened his grip on the knife, turned, and pushed the door open.
The prince was not sitting at the desk intensely reading with a shifting expression as usual.
The prince's eyebrows were indeed raised high, but not from excitement from reading, instead, because a belt was wrapped around his neck, immobilizing him in front of Prince Qi.
The prince, tall and slender, looked even frailer with the robust Prince Qi strangling him with a belt around his neck.
Seeing him enter, the prince's eyes lit up with strength as he struggled harder.
Waiting for him to draw his sword and rush to his aid, or to turn and shout for help outside.
"What are you still standing there for?" Prince Qi impatiently snapped, "Close the door!"
He still stood there, his mind blank, then he heard the door closing sound, and saw the light in the prince's eyes extinguish instantaneously.
Suddenly he panicked, instinctively looking towards the door, then at his hands.
Was it him who closed the door?
He… he closed the door...
There was a thud.
Startled, he looked over, seeing the prince fall to the ground, Prince Qi pulled the belt off, tied it around himself again, while probing the prince's breath with a somewhat satisfied expression.
"I'm leaving." Prince Qi said, walking briskly towards and past him, "Wait a while before calling for people."
The door opened and closed again.
He stood there in a daze, as if Prince Qi had never been there.
He looked at the man motionless on the ground.
Step by step he walked over.
The prince still had his eyes open, watching him walk closer and closer, watching him without joy, anger, sorrow, or plea, just looking at him.
Even now, those eyes still watch him.
Lu Yunqi looked at Miss Jun.
Miss Jun also looked at him, without joy, anger, sorrow, or plea, only indifference, as if looking at a stranger.
She walked past him and moved forward.
Lu Yunqi stood motionless, not stopping her.
A long time ago, she also looked at him like that.
Back then, he lay on the ground embarrassed like a stray dog waiting to die. She had sharply reprimanded to halt, then rode away, looking back at him.
Only a glance, without joy, anger, sorrow, or pity, because to her, he was just a stranger.
Initially a stranger, ultimately still a stranger.
Lu Yunqi, motionless, watched the figure of the young woman fade away. The sunlight elongating his shadow, the sunlight consumed by his shadow.
...….
...…
"Miss Jun."
On the path ahead, Mr. Gu stood with hands in his sleeves, withdrawing his gaze from the palace where the ceremony was held and smiled at Miss Jun.
Miss Jun looked at him without the slightest smile.
"Why let him out?" She asked directly.
She referred to Lu Yunqi.
But it didn't seem quite appropriate to ask Mr. Gu about this.
Mr. Gu's current status was not even comparable to hers, at least she still had the title of County Magistrate, whereas Mr. Gu wasn't even considered a Prince Mansion Official.
Could such a person really release Lu Yunqi from prison?
Mr. Gu smiled slightly without surprise or contradiction to her words.
"Because the Ministry of Justice has thoroughly investigated, the eunuchs have also confessed: this matter was entirely orchestrated by Yuan Bao, and Lu Yunqi acted in self-defense only." He said, "Thus, Lord Lu frightened His Majesty and was demoted three ranks as punishment, but he did not deserve death."
Miss Jun looked at him.
"Why make such a decision?" She asked coldly.
Mr. Gu dropped his smile, a solemn expression taking over.
"Because it's needed." He said.
Miss Jun's expression grew even colder with a hint of anger.
"Whose need?" She said.