The Command to Pamper the Husband - Chapter 68

Qian Lai’s body trembled violently as he looked at Duke in shock.

Duke’s expression suddenly softened. “Did you go to see your son?”

For a moment, Qian Lai couldn’t decipher what Duke meant. But he could sense danger in the air.

After a brief hesitation, Qian Lai said, “Yes.” Then, he knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down his face. “My son is ignorant. I beg Your Grace to save his life. I am willing to serve you loyally.”

Duke looked at Qian Lai, staring for a moment before a faint smile curled at his lips. He walked around the desk and sat down in the chair behind it. “Your son, when he came to the capital, I promised to look after him. Naturally, I will keep that promise. But killing someone is a serious crime, and the matter has caused too much commotion…”

Kneeling on the ground, Qian Lai felt his knees go weak. His body couldn’t stop trembling. His heart was pounding with fear and anxiety. He had served Duke for many years and knew the Duke was ruthless.

Terrified, Qian Lai kowtowed heavily. “I beg Your Grace for mercy.”

Duke said, “Rest assured, he is in prison now only to appease the people of the capital. In a few days, I will have the Ministry of Justice release him. As for his whip injuries, you may not know, but the person he killed was the younger brother of the head jailer of the Ministry of Justice. Until I settle things with the jailer, your son has to endure this.”

Qian Lai remained kneeling, not daring to say a word. But he knew in his heart that this was just an excuse from Duke. If it had been the Third Young Master in prison, the jailer wouldn’t have dared to use a whip, and he might not even be alive. But Qian Lai was just a lowly person, nothing more than a dog in Duke’s eyes. Perhaps, not even as valuable as a dog.

“Thank you, Your Grace, for your great kindness.”

Duke waved his hand. “Tell me more about the gold mine.”

Qian Lai then recounted everything he knew. As he was speaking, Duke suddenly interrupted, “How did you find out about your son’s imprisonment?”

Qian Lai’s heart skipped a beat. He had learned about his son’s imprisonment from Song Dingzhong. If Song Dingzhong hadn’t told him, he would still be in the dark. But… How much did Duke know exactly? How did Duke find out about his son?

Suddenly, Qian Lai shivered. Perhaps Duke didn’t know he had visited Zhen’er and was just testing him. But he had foolishly given himself away…

Feeling regret, Qian Lai said, “On my way to the capital, I heard people talking about it at a teahouse.”

Duke scrutinized Qian Lai’s expression, as if judging the truth. Qian Lai knelt there, his mind in turmoil.

“Alright, stop kneeling. You’ve come a long way. Go rest first.”

Qian Lai wanted to continue discussing Qian Zhen’s situation, but Duke had already picked up a book, showing no intention of speaking further. Qian Lai had no choice but to stand up.

The steward of Duke entered. Duke said, “Take him to the East Wing to rest. Once he’s settled, come back to see me.”

The steward obeyed and led Qian Lai away. As soon as they left, Duke couldn’t sit still any longer. He jumped up and started pacing. The gold mine had been exposed, Lin’er and Zhao Fuhai were missing, the people he sent out had vanished, and Liu Da was captured…

It felt like his heart was being torn apart by firecrackers. Duke was so anxious that he repeatedly pounded his temples with his fists. How did it come to this? How did it come to this?

Less than the time it took to burn a stick of incense later, the steward returned.

“Handled?”

The steward’s face was expressionless. “I gave him a bowl of poison tea. He’s already buried in the flower garden of the East Wing. Rest assured, Your Grace.”

Duke had no reason to doubt the steward’s efficiency. Qian Lai had been managing the gold mine in Yuzhou for him. Cutting off Qian Lai was equivalent to severing his connection to the gold mine. As for Liu Da…

Qian Lai said he had already sent someone to assassinate him.

Taking a deep breath, Duke said, “Go to Yuzhou and find out about Liu Da’s situation. If he’s alive, there’s no need for him to stay that way.”

The steward obeyed.

Duke continued, “Keep looking for news about the heir and Zhao Fuhai.”

“Yes.”

“The magistrate of Yuzhou is…”

“Zhao Jide.”

Duke frowned, “The butcher scholar?”

The steward nodded, “That’s him.”

“Probe him. See how much he has found out. If he really traces it back to me, kill him.”

“Yes.”

After giving a series of orders, Duke waved his hand. The steward left to carry out his tasks.

After the steward left, Duke summoned the head of his assassins.

“Why is the Fourth Prince still alive? I ordered you to intercept him, yet he returned safely while your men disappeared without a trace.”

The head assassin…

Wasn’t it obvious?

My men were all killed by the Fourth Prince!

Of course, he couldn’t say that directly to Duke. He could only bow, “This servant was incompetent.”

Duke rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Since he returned, find another opportunity to kill him. I don’t want to see him anymore.”

The assassin leader received the order and left quickly.

Duke sighed heavily, feeling despondent. The heir was missing. The gold mine was exposed. And his third daughter was insisting on marrying that useless Fourth Prince!

Nothing was going his way!

While Duke was both anxious and furious…

At the flower garden in the East Wing of Duke, a shadowy figure flashed and quickly dug out a person from the base of the garden wall. The person was dragged to the shadowy side of the wall, and after restoring the garden, the figure stuffed the person into a sack, shouldered it, and swiftly left.

The shadow moved quickly through the streets of the capital, eventually entering a house in the southwest. Inside, a lamp was lit. Lu Zhan entered and dumped Qian Lai out of the sack like a pile of potatoes.

“Please save him.”

Opposite Lu Zhan was an old man with a white beard. The old man glared at Lu Zhan, “Disturbing my sleep in the middle of the night! Where did you dig this person up from? He reeks of manure!”

“From the flower garden in the East Wing of Duke. They must have just fertilized it.” Lu Zhan chuckled.

While they spoke, the old man had already taken Qian Lai’s pulse and checked his eyes.

“You brought him just in time. Any later, and he wouldn’t have made it.” With that, the old man popped a pill into Qian Lai’s mouth and patted his chest, making him swallow the pill.

Lu Zhan was used to the old man’s actions. “I need to trouble you with one more thing.”

The old man glared at him, “Can’t you let me sleep? What is it? Speak quickly and leave!”

Lu Zhan smiled, “I need you to visit His Highness and check on him.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

Though the old man’s tone was still impatient, his concern was evident.

Lu Zhan said, “It’s hard to explain. You should go see for yourself.”

The old man sighed, “I really owe you and your master!”

As he spoke, he grabbed his robe and put it on.

Lu Zhan pointed to Qian Lai. “Is he going to be alright?”

The old man waved impatiently. “If you’re in such a hurry, just go. Why so many questions?”

Lu Zhan…

Fine!

Better not annoy him!