Proofread by Claire.KK
On the New Year"s Eve, Lu Zhishan didn’t partic.i.p.ate in the banquet of the palace. On the afternoon of that day, here suddenly came an imperial edict in which emperor said that Marquess Ning didn’t have to attend the banquet because of his leg. Actually, Lu Zhishan had already changed into his official uniform when he got the news and Song Fu had also prepared a carriage well.
“That’s really a good news. It is so cold outside. Things will be worse if your leg suffers pain again.” Song Fu was really painful in his heart but he didn’t express it on his face. He held Lu Zhishan by his arm and served him to rest on the bed. After that, he slightly went out of the room. As he closed the door, he couldn’t help breathing a sigh.
His marquess completely lost emperor’s favour.
…
That day Lu Zhishan was just sleeping in his bedroom but he was gradually waked up by the sound of firecrackers and found it hard to fall asleep again. He then intended to get out of bed but suddenly felt great pain in his knee. Lu Zhishan hitched up his trousers and found that his knee got inflamed again. Lu Zhishan gazed at it for a long time and then called Song Fu to take salve for him.
Song Fu was so hasty that his forehead broke out in sweats. The salve that Lu Zhishan brought back from Yunnan had been used up. If he went to the palace to invite a royal doctor, emperor would definitely get to know it. Since Lu Zhishan had not been favoured anymore, it was not a good choice for him to provoke emperor with such a bad news when he was enjoying the banquet. Song Fu rubbed his hands and felt so confused about whether he should go to the palace to invite a royal doctor or he’d better go somewhere else to invite a plain doctor.
Lu Zhishan didn’t let him go outside the mansion. Then he called Song Fu to take the salve that Mu Nanzhi brought before. The small pot was made of ox bone and was designed with the special style of Northern Di. It was filled with dark salve. Lu Zhishan felt much better when he applied the salve to his knee and he could also smell the slight fragrance, which made him feel so relaxed. In the end, Lu Zhishan fell asleep again.
It never occurred to Lu Zhishan that someone would visit him on the first day of the new year. It was his father-in-law, Duan Feihong, who was also the first son of prime minister. He was ceremonial master at that time. Though he was only more than forty years old, he looked much older than he really was. His temples also began turning white.
Lu Zhishan didn’t let anyone help him. He stumbled forward and then paid the highest respect by kowtowing to Duan Feihong. Then he invited Duan Feihong to his study. Gazing at his leg, Duan Feihong couldn’t help sighing and saying, “My Marquess, do you regret now?”
Duan Feihong had tried so many times to persuade Lu Zhishan. Lu zhishan was not in the capital city so he knew nothing about the situation of the imperial court. As his father-in-law, he lived in terror for him. But no matter how many times he talked with him, Lu Zhishan just paid no attention to his words. It was obvious that emperor planned to make Lu Zhishan be crown prince as he asked him to marry a girl of Duan family. The Duan family got more prosperous than before because of the marriage and superior prime minister Duan Zeng also became more influential than inferior prime minister Wei Junchen for it. But it didn’t last for a long time. As the war became much greater and longer, more and more complains about the war appeared. Emperor gradually got unsatisfied with it. Duan Zeng could only suppress himself while Wei Junchen gradually became a big shot in the court.
“Yes.” Lu Zhishan fixed his eyes on the teleaves in the cup and said in a low voice, “If I know my wife wouldn’t live a long time, I will come back soon.”
Hearing his words, Duan Feihong’s eyes gradually got wet with tears. He then quickly took a sip of his tea and suppressed his feelings. He paused for a while and then continued, “It was until yesterday morning that Wei Junchen didn’t come back the capital city from the southwest border.”
That must be the reason why his father got mad immediately and refused to let him take part in the banquet. Lu Zhishan touched the white china cup and questioned, “Do you know the detailed clauses of the negotiation?”