Refuse to trample on the pride of heaven

Chapter 431: Using one’s body to play chess

Lu Wensheng immediately cooperated and showed an expression of helplessness and a hint of secret sweetness. He bowed to the dean and his colleagues, and said with just the right amount of embarrassment of being "hurried up": "Excuse me, everyone. Your Highness has summoned me. I will take my leave now."

The dean stroked his beard, looking at Lu Wensheng's "difficult" and somewhat sweet and embarrassed look that only young people have. He waved his hand in understanding, with a mischievous smile in his eyes: "Go, go, Your Highness the Princess is in a hurry, don't delay, young people..."

The unfinished meaning caused another round of good-natured laughter from colleagues.

Lu Wensheng slipped out of the duty room openly under the gazes of "understanding" and "envy" in the room and under the gaze of Chen Bangyan, who looked relieved but also more anxious.

The two of them walked in silence all the way, quickly passing through the winding shadows of the corridors of the Hanlin Academy. Only after they made sure that there was no one around did Chen Bangyan suddenly grab Lu Wensheng's arm and drag him into a secluded room where old books were piled.

The breath that Chen Bangyan had been holding on to seemed to be lost in an instant.

He closed the creaking wooden door tightly with his backhand and leaned his back against the door, as if this could isolate him from the invisible danger outside. His chest heaved violently, his lips trembled, and his voice was extremely low, with a gasp of fear.

He grabbed Lu Wensheng's arm with such force that his knuckles turned white. He lowered his voice to a very low level, trembling uncontrollably: "Brother Lu! Run! Run!"

It turned out that today Chen Bangyan followed the president of the academy to the palace to report for the position.

Because I had just arrived and was not familiar with the paths in the palace, I accidentally went to the wrong place.

Just as he was about to leave in a panic, he heard the emperor's familiar and somewhat sinister voice.

"That Lu Wensheng still dares to come on duty. Does he really think I care about him? Send him to the Imperial Study later and capture him directly. Then spread the news and make sure his accomplices fall into the trap."

The emperor's voice was not loud, but it was like a thunder exploding in Chen Bangyan's ears.

A chill instantly rushed up from Chen Bangyan's tailbone to the top of his head.

He inexplicably thought of those weird nursery rhymes and storybooks that had been circulating wildly in the streets of Xiangsheng City in recent days. The conspiracy and frame-up accusations in them seemed to overlap with reality at this moment - his intuition told him that Lu Wensheng was closely related to those rumors!

It was as if something was forcibly blocked in his mind and was violently colliding. Some blurry fragments of images with the sound of water and desperate cries flashed by, but Lu Wensheng's handsome and calm face was unusually clear in his confused thoughts.

Chen Bangyan was shocked to find that he seemed to have accidentally discovered a shocking secret that could be fatal!

At that moment, his legs and feet went weak and he almost collapsed to the ground, but he clenched his teeth tightly, not daring to breathe, let alone leave without permission. He could only stick to the cold shadow of the column like a gecko, his inner clothes soaked with sweat, making them cold and sticky.

He waited for what seemed like a century, and only after listening to the footsteps fading away did he dare to go back the way he came. Like a frightened bird, he took two more detours along the extremely complicated route, for fear of leaving any trace behind.

When he finally saw the dean who was anxiously looking for him, a cold wind blew through the hall, and he was shocked to realize that his whole body was already soaked in cold sweat, his hands and feet were cold, and even his teeth were chattering.

Should I tell Lu Wensheng? This thought was fiercely fighting in his mind.

After all, he is now working for the government, so naturally he should stand on the emperor's side. This is the idea of loyalty to the emperor that has been instilled in him since childhood.

But... thinking of the little things he had experienced with Lu Wensheng - his patience in teaching him academic knowledge in the Imperial Academy, the sincere concern in his eyes when he talked about people's livelihood, and his integrity that was incompatible with the surrounding vanity...

Chen Bangyan felt from the bottom of his heart that Lu Wensheng was definitely not someone who would do anything unforgivable.

On the contrary, it was the emperor...his appearance hollowed out by alcohol and sex, his cloudy eyes, and his words just now full of hostility and calculation, that instantly tilted the balance in Chen Bangyan's heart.

Conscience eventually overwhelmed fear.

After listening to Chen Bangyan's intermittent and fear-filled narration, Lu Wensheng's face showed an almost eerily calm expression, as if he had only heard ordinary news like it would rain tomorrow.

He even slightly raised the corners of his lips, revealing a very faint but elusive smile.

"Run?"

Lu Wensheng repeated Chen Bangyan's proposal, just turned his head to look at him, his tone calm.

"Where to run to? Outside Xiangsheng City...is there any other place to go?" He looked out the window, and his gaze seemed to penetrate the palace walls and reach the boundary of this huge cage.

"Of course, outside the city of Xiangsheng..." Chen Bangyan interrupted subconsciously, but halfway through his words, he seemed to be hit by an invisible hammer and froze in place.

All the blood drained from his face, his lips trembled, and his eyes were filled with great confusion and panic.

Yes, outside Xiangsheng City...what place is that?

Why was his memory covered with a thick fog? Apart from the familiar city in front of him, there was no other clear impression in the vast world? Where was Xiangsheng City?

It was as if a cold shackle instantly tightened his mind, causing him to have a splitting headache, but he could not grasp anything. He hugged his head in pain, his body slightly hunched, and the look he gave Lu Wensheng was full of helplessness and deeper fear.

"I... I don't know..." He spoke incoherently, cold sweat soaking through the official uniform on his back, "Brother Lu, outside the city... outside the city..."

Lu Wensheng looked at Chen Bangyan, who was almost overwhelmed by "cognition" itself. Instead of being panicked, the corners of his mouth slowly curled up in a cold and determined arc.

He raised his hand and gently patted Chen Bangyan's tense shoulders. The force was strangely soothing, yet revealed unquestionable strength.

"Why run?"

Lu Wensheng's voice was not loud, but it clearly penetrated Chen Bangyan's confused thoughts, carrying a kind of calmness that seemed to know everything and a determination to step into the center of the storm.

"Your Majesty's wish..."

He raised his eyes, and his gaze seemed to penetrate the palace walls and fall in the direction of the Golden Throne Hall, which symbolizes supreme power.

"I naturally want to be 'satisfied', don't I?"

Chen Bangyan was completely stunned, staring at Lu Wensheng blankly. After several breaths, he suddenly realized the shocking meaning contained in the other party's words - this was not just about not dodging, this was clearly about taking the initiative to step into the dragon's den and the tiger's lair!

"You... not only did you not hide..." Chen Bangyan's voice suddenly rose, full of disbelief and fear, "You also wanted to... just deliver yourself to the other party?! Brother Lu! Are you crazy?! That was a trap set by His Majesty! Aren't you afraid at all?!"

Chen Bangyan didn't expect that this seemingly cautious and steady Brother Lu was actually a madman who dared to dance on the edge of a knife and take advantage of the fire!