Jian Zhaoxing

Chapter 341 Love rivals meet
He addressed him as Lord Jiang, not Marquis, and his gaze went directly past Jiang Yunhe to Jiang Liuyun.

Jiang Liuyun sensed the probing look in Lu Huai's eyes, and he smiled:
“Father, since Lord Lu is acting on imperial orders, I will show him around.”

"Go ahead." Jiang Yunhe looked away, no longer glancing at Lu Huai.

But it was impossible for him not to worry.

After Lu Huai and Jiang Liuyun had walked away, he waved to the guards waiting beside him.

Lu Huai was unaware of Jiang Yunhe's underhanded actions. At this moment, he was following behind Jiang Liuyun, observing the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence.

The Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion was very large; it was bestowed upon him by the emperor after he won a battle.

Although the Ministry of Revenue had handled the matter, it had not observed it for a very long time, and there had been renovations in between, so Lu Huai was not very clear about the layout.

He needs to observe carefully to determine the locations of Lin Zhiqing and Lin Yangyang.

He had been keeping an eye on the situation at the Lin family's place, and all signs indicated that Lin Zhiqing was indeed at the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence.

Therefore, Lu Huai did not speak to Jiang Liuyun at all, but only observed the surrounding environment.

As more and more people searched the Ministry of Revenue, Jiang Liuyun frowned:

"Young Master Lu, what imperial gift could possibly warrant such a large-scale investigation by the Ministry of Revenue?"

"This is a matter for my Ministry of Revenue. It seems that Prince Jiang has no right to interfere," Lu Huai said calmly.

"No right to interfere? It seems no one knows more about this imperial gift than you, right?" Jiang Liuyun stopped and stared at Lu Huai with a sharp look.

Lu Huai was well aware of what had happened back then, when Jiang Liuyun went to the Ministry of Justice to deal with the matter of the mole-wielding woman.

Yun Feng was instructed to infiltrate the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence and steal the imperial sword that originally belonged to the Lin family and had been resold countless times.

At the time, the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence was unaware that Lu Huai was behind it until the imperial gift appeared in the Golden Palace.

However, by then even if the people of the Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion knew what had happened, it was already too late.

Lu Huai curled his lips into a smile: "Does Prince Jiang want to settle accounts with me now, or is he trying to spy on the Ministry of Revenue?"

He was very straightforward.

Jiang Liuyun was taken aback, quickly looked around, and only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that no one was paying attention to them.

"What do you mean by that?"

“The literal meaning.” Lu Huai raised an eyebrow, walked past Jiang Liuyun, and looked towards the east kitchen.

Seeing this, Jiang Liuyun quickly followed:
"Lu Huai, don't look at me with that condescending attitude. Can you really call your actions upright and honorable?"

Lu Huai paused, and when he turned around again, his brows were furrowed.
"Young Master Jiang, I have come today on official business..."

"Official business?" Jiang Liuyun smiled strangely.
“Lu Huai, Qing’er already knows about your past actions and that you are wearing a mask, with impure motives and are extremely hypocritical.”

"Looking at it now, even at this point, you are still so hypocritical."

"By the way, you and Qing'er haven't seen each other for several days, have you?"

Jiang Liuyun's smile was extremely irritating, and his intention to sow discord was very obvious.

Lu Huai knew he was doing it on purpose, his aim being to provoke him.

But when he thought about how Jiang Liuyun had whispered something in Lin Zhiqing's ear, and how Lin Zhiqing had distanced herself from him because of that whisper, he couldn't hold back the emotions that had been suppressed in his heart for so long.

“Young Master Jiang, if you put the energy you would have spent studying these matters into the right path, perhaps the Zhenyuan Marquis's mansion could have reached even greater heights.” He retorted sarcastically.

"Besides, no matter what, it's none of your business to interfere in what's between me and A-Qing."

Lu Huai rarely showed such emotional expression, and Jiang Liuyun frowned:

"What's going on between you and her? What's going on between you two?"

Noticing the hint of anger between Jiang Liuyun's brows, Lu Huai frowned slightly: "What does this have to do with you?" "Nothing to do with me? I, Jiang Liuyun, am his fiancé, who are you?" Jiang Liuyun raised his eyes, as if he wanted to tear Lu Huai apart and devour him.

"Heh, fiancé?" Lu Huai let out a cold laugh.

Jiang Liuyun sensed Lu Huai's mockery and frowned. He was about to speak when Lu Huai leaned in close.

"When she was trapped in the Lin family and framed, you were plotting how to kill her."

"While she was being scolded at the spring banquet, you were flirting with other women and forcing her to bow her head."

“When she broke into Liu Mang’s mansion at night and was on the verge of death, you clearly knew it was a trap, yet you still let her take the risk.”

"When she was on the verge of death during the execution, you killed Liu Mang and erased any clues that would benefit the Lin family."

"Her closest aunt, Aunt Mu, died, and she was grieving when you, with your warm and soft body in your arms, repeatedly rubbed salt into her wounds."

With each word he spoke, Jiang Liuyun took a step back until he touched the wall.

For the first time, Lu Huai's eyes flashed with murderous intent:
"Fiancé? You used to avoid that term like the plague, so why are you pretending to be all lovey-dovey now?"

"Do you really think that by sowing discord between me and her, you and she can go back to what you used to be?"

"Jiang Liuyun, wake up."

“I know Aqing better than you do. There is absolutely no possibility for her to ever be with you again in this lifetime.”

Every word Lu Huai said struck a chord with Jiang Liuyun.

What he had been avoiding was exposed.

Until now, he has to face a fact.

He seemed to have indeed developed special feelings for Lin Zhiqing.

But why?
His engagement to Lin Zhiqing was originally a conspiracy, and he knew that Lin Zhiqing was just a part of his father's plan and had never been sincere.

But now it's not just his father who says he's fallen for Lin Zhiqing, even Lu Huai says so.

Lin Zhiqing was all that remained in Jiang Liuyun's mind.

Lin Zhiqing's voice, appearance, and smile seem to be etched in his mind, so much so that he can recall them as soon as he closes his eyes.

Lu Huai's words clearly implied that Jiang Liuyun had not fulfilled his responsibilities as a fiancé.

Moreover, in all those events, it was always Lu Huai who stayed by Lin Zhiqing's side!

Seeing the complex emotions flashing in Jiang Liuyun's eyes, Lu Huai took a few steps back and resumed his aloof and composed demeanor.

He ignored Jiang Liuyun and kept scanning the surrounding houses with his eyes.

He speculated that if the Jiang family wanted to hide people, they certainly wouldn't put Lin Zhiqing and Lin Yangyang in an ordinary room.

The most likely places to hide someone are private dungeons or secret rooms.

Lu Huai knew the direction of the private prison.

Yun Feng had previously visited the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence and had already explored most of its surface layout.

Therefore, Lu Huai's steps have always been moving towards the private prison.

By the time Jiang Liuyun realized what was happening, Lu Huai had already walked quite a distance.

Jiang Liuyun immediately followed.

Meanwhile, Lin Zhiqing and Lin Yangyang were also observing their surroundings.

Even knowing that Lin Shi'an would try to find them, they were still looking for ways to save themselves.