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Chapter 467 Stroking the Tiger's Whiskers

The dilemma for Emperor Jin was that he could neither forgive and ignore Cao Tianbao's plight, nor could he show him no mercy.

If we are tolerant and don't hold grudges, more people will secretly engage in underhanded tactics, using the pretense of being "wronged" to cover up their genuine scheming.

If he shows no mercy, he will alienate the old ministers and generals who have followed him for many years and risked their lives to fight for him.

At this point, regardless of his thoughts—whether he was willing to believe Cao Tianbao or had already concluded that Cao Tianbao's intention to manufacture weapons illegally—he still could not act rashly.

Without Lu Qing, the "Golden-Faced Censor," submitting a timely secret memorial, Emperor Jin would have been caught in a dilemma, forced to choose the option with the least loss, and would have had to suffer some losses no matter what.

Just as Lu Qing himself said before, this time he once again handed Emperor Jin a "stool" at the right time when Emperor Jin needed to find a way out, so that Emperor Jin would not have to hurt his relationship with the old minister and break off relations, and at the same time, he would not give an opening to people with ulterior motives.

If it were anyone else, given the crucial role Lu Qing played this time, a hefty reward would have been inevitable.

However, the subtle relationship between Emperor Jin and Lu Qing made Zhu Yu never even think about the possibility of a reward.

However, she did have a question.

"Previously... this matter of clarifying things for Shuo Kingdom... shouldn't it have been Lu Zhang who did it?" Zhu Yu still remembered Lu Qing's plan to kill two birds with one stone. It was very meticulous and progressed smoothly, but in the end, he was the one who took the lead first.

"It doesn't matter." Lu Qing smiled. "None of us expected that after Cao Tianbao's nephew was ambushed and almost ruined the reputation of the entire Cao family, the other party would still target Cao Tianbao."

And it just so happened that at this critical juncture, Lu Zhang returned to the capital almost at the same time, and before he could report the truth to His Majesty, Cao Tianbao's private manufacture of military equipment was exposed.

Not to mention the entire court, even in the entire capital, who doesn't know the relationship between Cao Tianbao and the Duke of Yan?

In this situation, how could Lu Zhang step forward and report to the Emperor the things he originally wanted to say?

They claimed that the Shuo Kingdom was innocent, that the black iron weapons in his wife's family's possession and those received by Cao Tianbao's men were all forgeries, and that the Jie Kingdom's bandits were arson, murder, and looting everywhere. In short, they claimed that his wife's family, his maternal family, and the military generals who were on good terms with his maternal family were all innocent, yet they were all being framed.

How effective do you think this clarification is?

Zhu Yu didn't need to think about this question at all, and shook his head: "Very bad, this is a typical case of saying one thing but meaning another."

Even if every word is the truth and there is no lying, it may not sound the same to others. Moreover... that person is not the type to trust people without reservation.

There were already people plotting to trap the Duke of Yan's faction, and at this time, even though Lu Zhang was full of grievances, he dared not and could not step forward to clarify.

Although I think he's not very bright, if he really jumps out like this, I bet the Duke of Yan will be so angry he'll want to kick him in the butt.

“Yes,” Zhu Yu’s description made Lu Qing’s smile deepen, “So at this time, the most convincing one is actually the ‘Golden-Faced Censor’.” “But Censor, isn’t your in-laws the Shuo Kingdom that lost Wutie?” Zhu Yu raised an eyebrow at him.

Lu Qing laughed heartily: "It's alright. Heaven knows, Earth knows, you know, I know, His Majesty knows, but the ministers don't. That's perfect."

Regardless, the secret report from the Golden-Faced Censor was the most impartial and incorruptible evidence. The Emperor adopted the report's arguments and determined that Cao Tianbao was innocent. This was tantamount to him also acknowledging that the previous rumors of a rebellion in Shuo Kingdom were also untrue. The truth was that Shuo Kingdom was also a victim in a scheme to frame General Cao, and not only did they lose Wutie, but they also suffered injustice.

It is said that a ruler's word is law. In front of all the ministers, the emperor used that secret memorial to prove Cao Tianbao's innocence. At that time, it was no longer appropriate to bring up the matter of Shuo Kingdom's intention to rebel.

This might not be what he wanted to accept, but choosing between these two things was much easier than the previous dilemma he faced.

Zhu Yu, who had initially felt a little uneasy and worried, couldn't help but laugh. She reached out and tapped Lu Qing's forehead: "You really are a fox! You're capable of doing something like this, trying to provoke a tiger!"

“Whether you touch the tiger’s whiskers or not, it has nothing to do with whether the tiger wants to eat you or not. Not touching them doesn’t mean you won’t be eaten, so why not do something that benefits yourself?” Lu Qing replied with a smile, “After Cao Tianbao’s crimes are cleared, Lu Zhang can now confidently submit the memorials that he was originally hesitant to do.”

At that time, not only can he conveniently clear his wife's family of suspicion, but we can also profit from it—after all, who in the world doesn't know that the Duke of Yan wishes he could tear me to pieces? Even Lu Zhang, who stands with him, is testifying to the innocence of Shuo State, so there's no possibility of him intentionally protecting someone, making our testimony even more convincing.”

Looking at Lu Qingyun's calm and composed face, Zhu Yu felt an indescribable melancholy in his heart.

Whenever he made meticulous plans, others could only marvel at his thoughtfulness and shrewdness, but Zhu Yu felt nothing but heartache.

The resilience of a blade of grass comes from the stubborn rock pressing down on its head. If it weren't for the large rock blocking its growth space, a small blade of grass wouldn't need to unleash such amazing strength to push the rock aside.

The same applies to people; no one who is pampered from childhood is born with the ability to plan and strategize.

Lu Zhang, who is easily swayed, is a typical example.

If Lu Qing's family were still alive, he might be a man of exceptional talent and eloquence, or a man of great charm with friends all over the world. He would never have grown into such a cunning fox.

Behind those admirable plans lie layers upon layers of scars and repeated brushes with death.

“However, I have another question.” Zhu Yu was still feeling a little sad, but suddenly something occurred to her, so she had to put her feelings aside for the time being. “The Golden-Faced Censor’s secret report mentioned the Shuo Kingdom, but didn’t mention the Jie Kingdom at all…”

What will Lu Zhang and his cunning grandfather think about this?
You said before that besides that person, there should be other people who know that you are the 'Golden-Faced Censor'. Now, isn't it a good time to make a judgment?

If Lu Zhang were to proceed as planned and clarify the situation between the Jie and Shuo kingdoms, then he would be unaware of the truth, and even his maternal grandfather would be unaware; someone else would be the one who knew.

If he only clarified the situation regarding the Jie Kingdom and didn't mention the Shuo Kingdom at all, does that mean that the grandfather and grandson both knew that you were the 'Golden-Faced Censor'?