Conquering the Male Supporting Character – CH 014

Chapter 14. Two Places

“Me and Judicial Minister Xie…”

Lu Wan stammered, her body stiffening, staring uneasily at the ground, her slender white fingers almost twisting together.

Her hesitation made Lu Ming look away. A figure that should have been buried deep in his memory surfaced in his mind—the old man whose appearance was almost identical to hers.

If she had half of Ah Wan’s weakness, the two of them would not have ended up like this.

Lu Ming suppressed the bitterness in his heart and softened his tone. “I am just asking. Ah Wan, tell me the truth, are you in love with Xie Xun’an?”

After all, she would still have a lot of contact with Xie Yu in the future, and she could not hide it from Lu Ming, the head of the family. Lu Wan simply told the truth.

“Young Master Xie is a very good person, and he treats me kindly…”

The words were vague, but coupled with the blush on the young lady’s cheeks, it was obvious.

A woman’s blush often spoke the truest truth.

Although… this did not apply to Lu Wan; most men thought the same way, and Lu Ming was clearly one of them.

“Xie Xun’an is exceptionally talented and of noble character. I certainly approve of associating with him.”

Lu Ming nodded, a smile playing on his lips, clearly satisfied with Xie Yu. “However,” he changed the subject, “do you know what position he currently holds?”

Just the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Lu Wan paused, not answering. Such a question would obviously be answered by the questioner himself.

The soft crackling of the charcoal brazier mingled with Lu Ming’s voice. The charcoal burned red-hot, yet the study remained bitterly cold.

“The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review is in charge of criminal cases, yet his influence reaches the Emperor. He is a sharp blade in the Emperor’s hand. Past Ministers of the Court of Judicial Review have rarely been selected from aristocratic families; most have come from humble backgrounds. Even those promoted by the Emperor are only loyal to the royal family. It was only because the Xie family head had an incident and the Xie family declined that Xie Xun’an was able to take the position.

For many years, the Emperor has been wary and displeased because the Crown Prince’s mother and the Empress of the last Emperor of the previous dynasty were from the same clan. Your aunt now has a son, and his future is immeasurable.

This is the hope for the Lu family’s continued prosperity.”

Lu Ming’s eyes lit up, his face filled with excitement. He stood up and walked to Lu Wan. “Did you understand what I just said?”

Was this meant to teach her to get closer to and win over Xie Yu?

Lu Wan was speechless. It had been said that the Emperor desired loyal ministers, those who remained solely devoted to him. If she and Xie Yu truly became a couple, firmly bound to the Lu family, would he not be transferred?

Besides, the little prince was only a few years old; this was far too presumptuous.

She doubted Lu Ming’s intelligence but feigned ignorance.

Lu Ming’s heart tightened at this sight. He waved his hand. “Go back and carefully consider what I said today. Do not forget, your surname is Lu, and all your wealth and status are tied to the Lu family.”

Having come all this way and listened to a bunch of nonsense, Lu Wan felt she could not leave empty-handed.

She hesitated, then finally spoke with difficulty.

“Grandpa, now that Old Madam has been ill for so long, the servants in the mansion have become quite lax. I even see that the charcoal sent to the study is of inferior quality. Should we call a physician to treat Madam again? There’s been no one in charge of the mansion for a while…”

Mentioning the Old Madam who had feigned illness after being reprimanded, Lu Ming did not hide his disgust. If she wanted to pretend, let her continue.

“I have my arrangements. You may go.”

“Yes.”

The snow outside was falling even harder. A-Yun held an umbrella for her. They had not been outside long when they saw Lu Yuan rushing towards them through the snow.

Upon getting closer, Lu Wan noticed the snow on his hair and shoulders and quickly brushed it off with a handkerchief.

“Father, why did you not ask someone to hold an umbrella for you before you came over? Mother will complain that you do not take care of yourself.”

Lu Yuan, seeing his daughter smiling and laughing, finally felt relieved. He casually patted her brow, as if to say he’d cleaned her up.

“Your mother sent you some things, and the people in your courtyard said you were summoned by Lu Ming, so they hurriedly had me brought here.”

His face was slightly flushed from the cold, and he complained, half-jokingly, “I was in the outer courtyard, enjoying the snow, drinking and composing poetry with some people, when I was called here to save the day. Ah Wan, you have to make it up to your father.”

Lu Wan could not help but laugh. She curtsied and looked up, smiling. “Then how about I bring Father some snacks to go with his drinks?”

This was an unexpected delight, and Lu Yuan laughed out loud. “Then it will not be in vain that your father came to save you.”

The harmonious scene between father and daughter was witnessed by Lu Ming, who had just left the study.

He felt a stinging pain in his eyes, probably from the blinding white of the snow.

Very occasionally, he could not help but wonder if, if he had not made that decision back then, he and Lu Yuan would still be so distant now.

Moreover, he had betrayed the love of his life.

But the thought of the young prince in the palace forced him to suppress all his thoughts. Whether the Lu family could achieve its goal and return to the ranks of first-class aristocratic families was the heavy responsibility he bore.

Emperors throughout history had suppressed aristocratic families. Only by aligning themselves with the royal bloodline could the Lu family breathe and lie low.

A hundred generations of noble lineage, a thousand years of aristocratic status—all were maintained through the painstaking planning of successive family heads and the sacrifices of countless individuals.

What did what he had done amount to? Lu Ming deliberately avoided the father and daughter, walking far away.

The opening and closing of the gates of Luoyang were governed by law. The guards, due to the sudden heavy snowfall, mostly grumbled and rubbed their hands, secretly passing around wine flasks, taking a few sips to barely warm themselves.

As the city gates closed in a quarter of an hour, a troop of people entered the city. The Xie family crest, its gold-embroidered pattern gleaming in the dim light, hung on a wooden plaque above the carriage.

Just then, a rider came galloping in. The flirtatious young man with peach-blossom eyes, who had been so dissolute in the tavern, reached the carriage, reined in his horse, dismounted, and inquired about the well-being of the person inside.

“Greetings, Aunt. I was entertaining colleagues at noon; please forgive my lateness.”

The carriage curtain was lifted by a maid, and Lady Xu, seated inside, saw her nephew, reeking of alcohol, his collar slightly disheveled, laughing freely.

“Did he send you?” Lady Xu’s face was icy.

Xu Lin did not reply, only raising one corner of his lips. “Does Aunt doubt my filial piety so readily?”

“Go back.” The curtain was lowered again.

“These past few years, Lady Xu’s temperament has become increasingly eccentric,” Xu Lin thought to himself, walking beside the carriage.

Just a short while ago, he was enjoying himself, drinking and listening to music, when he was dragged out of the tavern and thrown in front of the gentle and aloof young man.

“Xie Xun’an, what are you doing?”

Xu Lin straightened his disheveled clothes, his face full of displeasure. “What’s wrong? Did you get upset with Miss Lu Wan and are taking it out on me?”

He moved closer, deliberately using his own reek of alcohol to overwhelm Xie Yu.

“Would you like me to teach you some ways to please young ladies? I, Xu Zhengqin, am a seasoned player among women, passing through countless blooms without a trace of attachment. I do not need anything from you; just share some of the good wine you got from the Crown Prince.”

Only when he got closer did he notice the bite marks on Xie Yu’s hand, and he immediately burst into laughter.

“Oh dear, it seems the young lady really has not rejected him; she’s even started kissing him!”

Xie Yu curled his lips, giving Xie-Jue a subtle wink. Xie-Jue understood, scooped up a handful of snow, and smeared it directly onto Xu Lin’s face!

“No! It is cold! Stop! Stop!” Xu Lin was caught off guard; the snow even got down his neck, the biting cold sobering him up somewhat.

“What do you want from me? Speak plainly! I really do not know what so many young ladies in Luoyang see in you; just a pretty face! You are really ruthless.”

So, he was now following Lady Xu’s carriage, forced to escort her back to her residence.

The once illustrious Xu family had long been destroyed in the wars of the previous dynasty. Although he had known Xie Yu for a long time, he only recognized Lady Xu after he became an official in the capital.

When he saw Lady Xu, she was already this cold and aloof.

Xu Lin stroked his chin. His dear cousin, Shi Yao, had told him thatLady Xu seemed to have suddenly come to believe Xie Yu was not her biological son, causing her to go mad.

Never mind, it was Xie Yu’s family matter; it was best not to get involved.

In the Xie family study, Xie Yu, dressed in black, sat upright at his desk, a book in his hand, seemingly passing the time.

Standing beside him, Xie-Jue looked uneasy, glancing frequently at Xie Yu, hesitant to speak.

Finally, he could not help but speak, “Young Master, perhaps you should leave the mansion to avoid the storm?”

Xie Yu did not even flinch.

“Ever since she contracted madness, Madam throws a huge tantrum every year on this day. The Master’s condition fluctuates and cannot be stopped; why must you wait for her to cause trouble?”

Xie-Jue’s face already showed some displeasure. He was Xie Yu’s personal retainer, personally chosen by the Master of the Xie family, his honor and disgrace tied to Xie Yu, and naturally, he was only loyal to him.

Xie Yu had only turned a few pages when a commotion arose outside the study. He turned another page, his tone indifferent. “Tell them not to stop her.”

“Master!” Xie-Jue was very indignant, but he never dared to disobey Xie Yu’s orders. He could only grit his teeth and went out to have Lady Xu let in.

“You knew I would come?”

Xie Yu did not answer but simply turned another page.

Lady Xu snatched the book from him and threw it to the ground, her tone mocking. “You bastard, you dare to read?”

Still not satisfied, she ordered her burly servants, “Smash it!”

The sound of crashing and breaking filled the air, but Xie Yu only watched silently as Lady Xu’s face contorted in anger.

He tried to recall the times when Lady Xu was still normal, the times she had been kind to him, but all that filled his mind was this similar scene before him.

Shards of porcelain, torn pages, scattered and overturned utensils, and Lady Xu’s hysterical laughter and cries.

“You killed him!”

Every year on this day, Lady Xu would stare into his eyes and say this before she left.

At first, he would ask, “Who was he?”

But each time, Lady Xu would reply disdainfully, “You do not deserve to know.”

Why did Lady Xu believe he was not her biological son? If that were true, what exactly happened back then? And who was he?

Xie Yu rubbed his temples. He had been investigating for years, and besides… he thought of Lu Wan; he also had that strange voice that could help him.

Leaning against the soft couch, half-asleep, Lu Wan was preparing to wash up and go to bed when she suddenly covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief and sneezed.

She sneezed so quickly and thought idly, “Could it be that the Old Madam is scolding me behind my back?”

She had just applied eye drops that evening; Lu Ming’s reaction was quick enough, she thought groggily.