The abstinent and powerful minister is cold and aloof during the day, but he adores her in his dream

Chapter 293 Zhiwan: We're not in a dream
Xi Ying sighed, "To be honest, Lord Lu, the Crown Prince is absurd. The Crown Princess has advised him countless times, but to no avail. Instead, she has been scolded by the Crown Prince. The Crown Princess is exhausted both physically and mentally and has lost faith in the Crown Prince. This time, the Crown Prince still wants to use the Crown Princess's name to invite Miss Zhi. The Crown Princess is naturally unwilling to help the wicked, but the Crown Prince is threatening the lives of the entire Guo family. The Crown Princess cannot disobey the Crown Prince, so she sent me out of the palace to inform Lord Lu. Please come up with a foolproof plan to protect Miss Zhi."

That's all I have to say; I must take my leave now.

"Chen Jiu, see Miss Xiying off," Lu Zhan instructed.

Chen Jiu's thoughts were still lingering on the words "protect the young lady Zhi".

Xi Ying's words were euphemistic; in reality, she was implying that the Crown Prince coveted the young lady and would take advantage of the Crown Prince's absence at the hunting grounds to forcibly possess her.

He was still angry when he suddenly heard the prince's order. He was a little confused and asked blankly, "What?"

Xi Ying glanced at him and thought to herself: Why is this guard so dull and slow to react?

Lu Zhan glanced at Chen Jiu indifferently and gave the order again: "Send Miss Xiying back."

Chen Jiu then realized what was happening and quickly replied, "Yes." He then said to Xi Ying, "Miss Xi Ying, come with me."

Xi Ying nodded and followed him.

Lu Zhan sat in the chair for a while, and then made a decision.

He left Qingyun Residence and headed straight for Lan Courtyard.

It was late at night when he knocked on the door of the Orchid Courtyard. The old woman guarding the door opened the door and was somewhat surprised to see him. "Young Master?"

"Has Mother gone to rest?" Lu Zhan asked.

The old woman's eyes flickered, and she stammered, "Let's... let's rest."

She had thought that after saying that, the prince would go back, but to her surprise, he ordered, "I have something important to discuss with her. Go and inform her immediately."

The old woman swallowed hard, wanting to say something, but seeing the young master's sullen face, which was truly frightening, she had no choice but to hurry to the main house.

Lu Zhan followed closely behind.

Yinliu was on night duty tonight. Hearing that the young master had important business to discuss with his wife, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and knock on the wife's door.

"What is it?" came the Duke's angry roar.

"Yes, it's the young master. The young master has something important to discuss with the lady." Yinliu shrank her neck and mumbled, but she was extremely annoyed. What kind of situation was this? The lady had finally agreed to let the Duke stay overnight, and it was already the middle of the night, but the young master came looking for her.

"boom!"

A heavy thud came from inside the room, as if someone had been kicked off the bed.

Silver Willow: "..."

She glanced furtively at the prince standing in the courtyard, wondering if he had heard her.
Lu Zhan naturally heard it.

He hadn't expected that his father would stay at his mother's place that night.

However, the matter was urgent, and he couldn't worry about that now.

Not long after, Lu Zhenbei came out disheveled, his handsome face showing a hint of suppressed anger. He secretly rubbed his buttocks with one hand, while pointing at Lu Zhan with the other, gritting his teeth and saying, "You had better have something important to do, otherwise when you come back from the hunting grounds, I will definitely give you a good whipping."

Lu Zhan raised an eyebrow and asked with concern, "Father, did you hurt yourself in the fall?"

Lu Zhenbei: "..."

His eye twitched slightly; all his anger was extinguished by his son's words.

"What nonsense are you talking about? When did I fall?" Lu Zhenbei said, forcing a smile.

“I must have misheard,” Lu Zhan said calmly.

Lu Zhenbei: "..."

"Aren't you leaving yet?" At this moment, Madam Wei came out.

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhenbei immediately glared at his son, "Why aren't you getting out of here?" Lu Zhan stood still, "Obviously, Mother is referring to you."

Lu Zhenbei looked at Wei Shi with longing eyes.

Madam Wei frowned, looking impatient, and said, "You're not leaving? Do you want me to have someone carry you away?"

Lu Zhenbei walked away with a resentful look on his face.

Madam Wei coughed lightly and looked at her son, saying, "You've come to see me so late at night, is there something important?"

Lu Zhan walked up the steps and said in a low voice, "The Crown Prince will take advantage of my absence to harm my cousin. Although I have already made arrangements, just in case, Mother, spread the news that my cousin went to the temple to fulfill her vow tomorrow morning."

Wei was startled and said anxiously, "But since the Crown Prince has his eye on Wan'er, even if Wan'er goes to the temple, she probably won't be able to escape and will definitely be found."

“So, I didn’t intend for my cousin to go to the temple. This was just a way to keep her out of the capital,” Lu Zhan said.

"What?" Madam Wei exclaimed in surprise, "So you're planning to..."

"I plan to take my cousin with me to the hunting grounds," Lu Zhan said casually.

"But in what capacity should Wan'er go with you? You two aren't married yet." Madam Wei frowned, her face full of disapproval. Although there were officials' wives going to the hunting grounds, Wan'er and her son weren't married yet, so it wasn't appropriate for her to go along unless the Emperor specifically requested that Wan'er go.

"A follower," Lu Zhan said calmly.

Madam Wei was taken aback. "You had Wan'er disguise herself as your attendant and follow you around?"

"Mm." Lu Zhan nodded.

Upon hearing this, Madam Wei became suspicious, feeling that her son's motives were impure.

Especially when she recalled seeing her son secretly washing the sheets in the bathroom that evening, her suspicions intensified.

Thinking about it, she couldn't help but ask, "Ah Zhan, the matter of the Crown Prince, could it be an excuse you made up?"

Lu Zhan frowned. "Mother, what makes you say that? Why would I make up such an excuse?"

Instead of answering his question, Madam Wei said earnestly, "Ah Zhan, there are only half a month left. Time will pass quickly. During this time, you just... have to be patient."

Hearing this, Lu Zhan finally understood his mother's meaning. His eyes twitched slightly. "Mother, don't overthink it. It's nothing. I'm keeping my cousin with me purely to protect her."

Hearing this, Madam Wei was still worried and said, "Then you must promise that you will never do anything... out of line. Although Wan'er is already engaged to you and you will be getting married soon, Wan'er is a good girl, and I will not allow you to wrong her."

Lu Zhan: "..."

"Did you hear that?" Madam Wei asked sternly.

"I... understand." Lu Zhan lowered his eyes.

"If I find out that you dared to do something out of line before your wedding, you will surely be punished according to family rules!" Madam Wei added sternly, still worried.

"Yes." A thin layer of sweat appeared on Lu Zhan's smooth forehead, whether from guilt or nervousness, it was hard to tell.

……

Zhiwan was woken up in the middle of the night by a sudden push.

She opened her sleepy eyes and looked blankly at the bedside, only to see her cousin sitting there.

She thought she was dreaming and instinctively reached out to hug the man's waist.

“Cousin, you’re here…” She closed her eyes and nuzzled her head against the man’s chest.

Seeing this, Lu Zhan was reluctant to wake her, but time was running out, so he could only pat his cousin's back and say, "Cousin, don't sleep yet, I'll take you to the hunting grounds."

The mere mention of the hunting grounds instantly dispelled Zhiwan's drowsiness.

She opened her eyes again and looked at Lu Zhan in surprise, "We...we're not dreaming?"