Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!-Chapter 404 - 403: Deep Waters

Lu Qing did not directly answer Zhu Yu’s question, but slowly sighed, and said, "Luo Yushu was born into poverty; his father died early, and his mother remarried. It was thanks to the help of the village elders and young people that he could grow up. Later, because he went to listen outside the village school every day, the teacher saw that he was naturally intelligent, and simply invited him to come inside the village school and work as a little servant boy, doing odd jobs every day, providing him with meals, allowing him to listen to the lectures alongside the other children in the village school.

Later, when he could manage to pass the imperial examinations one after another, it was also the villagers who gathered the travel expenses together for him."

Zhu Yu, hearing this, slightly raised her eyebrows. Luo Yushu’s background and family situation were indeed unexpected for her. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

She had initially thought that anyone capable of associating with Duke Yan must surely come from a noble and influential family, members of the royal family or aristocracy. Consequently, as Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Luo Yushu must have an impressive background, potentially some famous Luo family of which she had no chance to hear in Shuo Country.

Unexpectedly, there was someone of such different standing among Duke Yan’s circle.

"With such humble beginnings, being able to rise to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Personnel must mean he has extraordinary talent and ability; otherwise, he probably wouldn’t have caught the Holy Emperor’s eye, nor even entered Zhao Bi’s sight," she asked Lu Qing.

"After Luo Yushu passed the examination that year, indeed he wasn’t given any significant position, merely appointed as a Hanlin Editor, copying historical books at the History Museum, a task that lasted more than three years.

Later, whether he received guidance from someone, or suddenly had an epiphany, when transcribing the past events before the Holy Emperor’s accession, he cleverly used some artful strokes to subtly highlight the great achievements of Duke Yan, Zhao Bi. It seemed not to deviate significantly from the original yet subtly accentuated Zhao Bi’s accomplishments.

Typically, for someone transcribing history to add a bit while copying was not uncommon; as long as it wasn’t egregious, few would pay attention to such minute changes in detail.

Yet, by a stroke of luck, that particular book, which had been specially embellished, somehow ended up in the hands of Duke Yan. Duke Yan, after reading it, was naturally quite pleased, wanting to meet this Hanlin Editor, who wrote so well.

Taking this opportunity, Luo Yushu became Zhao Bi’s student, from then on addressing Zhao Bi as ’Mentor’ whenever they met, his attitude genuinely sincere, humble, and respectful.

Not long after, Luo Yushu was transferred, and although it wasn’t a rapid rise, it was unquestionably much better than spending an entire life copying books in the History Museum."

Zhu Yu looked at Lu Qing with meaningful insight: "It seems, then, that Luo Yushu ascending to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was not solely because of Zhao Bi’s support?"

Lu Qing smiled: "Madam, indeed, you are as smart as ice and snow, clarifying everything immediately.

Zhao Bi, all his life, adhered to promoting relatives instead of capable people in social dealings. He firmly believed that outsiders without a blood relation couldn’t be trusted; to gain his support and promotion, one must either be related by blood or wed into the family.

Otherwise, just like with someone as prominent as Cao Tianbao, should they encounter any trouble, Zhao Bi would unhesitatingly distance himself — as you saw firsthand.

At first, Luo Yushu also tried hard to become kin with Zhao Bi, but Zhao Bi looked down upon his overly impoverished background, and naturally was unwilling.

After that, it seemed Zhao Bi thought Luo Yushu’s ambitions were a bit excessive, and subsequently, their closeness diminished.

But besides being good at maneuvering, Luo Yushu is indeed very intelligent, with quite a bit of talent and means; otherwise, relying solely on Zhao Bi’s support, he wouldn’t have stood from a little-known Hanlin Editor all the way up to the Grand Hall.

In this world, everyone has eyes, and his talent and skills aren’t visible only to Zhao Bi."

Lu Qing paused for a moment, then added with meaningful insight, "A person’s ambition will certainly not fade just because someone refuses to support them."

Zhu Yu suddenly realized: "Indeed, there are quite a few perceptive people, and Luo Yushu becoming the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel can be considered something to beam with pride at.

In this way, that Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Treasury could certainly be Luo Yushu’s confidant, yet might not necessarily be Zhao Bi and Cao Tianbao’s confidant.

The intrigues within their circle are complex, each with its own path."

"As the saying goes, ’Petty people worry constantly,’ that probably refers to just this," laughed Lu Qing.

"In this light, the Great General Cao... oh no, rather, Duke Yan and his faction aren’t they greatly affected?" Zhu Yu pursed her lips, frowning unwittingly struggling, "Originally, my father and the Jie King were framed, accused of illicitly manufacturing weapons with the intent of rebellion. I’d thought this was Duke Yan’s scheme to divide Lu Zhang and his Yue family, while dragging our Shuo Country down along with it.

Now it seems, there’s another master behind the scenes, someone who’s clearly not only targeting Jie and Shuo Countries but perhaps framing the two countries was just a prelude to framing Cao Tianbao."

After speaking, she felt that such thinking seemed not enough comprehensive: "Also, not right... that previously mentioned Fake Castle Master deliberately referenced Gu Lingyun from the Headdress and Shoes Workshop, not to mention Lu Zhang’s panic and embarrassment, just speaking of those later things his subordinates secretly did... these matters are evidently inextricably linked to them.

In this way, another possibility cannot be completely ruled out, which is perhaps Duke Yan realizing that Cao Tianbao may already be becoming a stumbling block on his path to ambition instead of his right-hand man.

Since last time, when Cao Tianbao nearly fell into a trap, Duke Yan unhesitatingly distanced himself immediately and even tried to keep Lu Zhang out of it, this time, perhaps he is using such a more indefensible suspicion to thoroughly sever ties with Cao Tianbao.

Whether it’s the Fake Castle Master’s completely ruined face, or the bizarre poisons and sedatives we’ve encountered here are all so alike to those strange events in Situ Jing’s camp, exactly the same; if this time it’s linked to Duke Yan, then the previous occurrences are hard to separate from him.

Perhaps Duke Yan discovered that according to his original plan, using the military power in Cao Tianbao’s hands as a guarantee of Lu Zhang’s ascent, there seems to be some resistance now, and the original guarantee had instead become an obstacle, in a careless moment it could cause harm, so he might as well destroy what he cannot use completely; if the broad road could not be taken with clarity, he might as well block it and turn to take the shortcut instead?"

"Judging from the reactions of the subordinates under Lu Zhang, if not for some real connection between Fake Castle Master and Zhao Bi, his trusted subordinates wouldn’t be in such a hurry to help destroy the evidence.

They clearly did not want us to capture that Fake Castle Master and the true mastermind behind him.

It’s just that what exactly this connection entails, now that makes me very curious." Lu Qing’s lips slightly curved up, revealing a faint smile filled with deeper meaning.