Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!

Chapter 677 - 676: Stating the Terms

"This..." Lin Kun was caught off guard by the unexpected question, thought for a moment, and shook his head, "There seems to have never been such a thing.

At first, we didn’t dare to venture out to gather information, and later when we did, it seemed that there were no public notices from the Prince Mansion offering a reward for our capture, let alone portraits. Neither I nor any of the other brothers were ever named.

Why does Chief Historian Yu ask this? Did you perhaps see a notice for our capture on your way here?"

"This is interesting." Zhu Yu did not answer Lin Kun’s question but instead abruptly asked another seemingly unrelated question, "The Divine Doctor who created the prescription and made a great contribution back then, isn’t he a person much thinner than Prince Lan?

After gaining the trust of Prince Lan, he mostly stayed by Prince Lan’s side and rarely had the opportunity to interact with you, let alone become familiar with you, right?"

"Exactly so." Lin Kun nodded repeatedly, "That Divine Doctor was indeed thinner and shorter than our Prince. After he entered the Prince Mansion as the Medical Officer, he seldom showed up. Perhaps the maids serving indoors were more familiar with him. We guards worked outside and never went near the inner quarters without the Prince’s orders, so we hardly ever met him."

"I have something to say, whether appropriate or not, and regardless if pleasant to the ear or not, I’m afraid you all have to hear it." Zhu Yu sighed, "Your Lan Country may have already been usurped over ten years ago, and the Prince Lan now residing in the Prince Mansion may not be the Prince Lan personally appointed by the Holy Emperor, as you think.

I suspect that the one who allegedly died suddenly from an illness and was buried with honors was indeed your Prince Lan, and the Prince Lan with a drastically changed temperament who appeared later was actually the so-called Divine Doctor in disguise. As for the actual identity of the Divine Doctor who schemed to get close to Prince Lan and then replaced him... this remains to be discussed."

As she spoke, she glanced at Lu Qing.

According to her speculation, the so-called family servant who ran away from Lu Qing’s family was never seen again once a disfigured corpse was found at the Jinlan Border.

For all these years, Duke Yan’s influence has still been quite substantial, making it difficult for this person to appear within Jin Country without being noticed.

So, most likely, this person fled to Lan Country, hiding there without alerting anyone, which naturally means there’s been no news at all.

The connection between this impostor Prince Lan, the real Divine Doctor, and the runaway servant from the Lu Family is a curious issue. However, it can’t be proven at the moment and thus isn’t suitable to mention in front of outsiders.

Lu Qing understood what Zhu Yu’s seemingly casual glance implied. He slightly nodded to Zhu Yu, appearing to others as though he agreed with Zhu Yu’s previous speculation, though only Zhu Yu knew he comprehended what she left unsaid.

"This..." Chang Yu was dumbfounded upon hearing Zhu Yu’s conclusion.

Back then, he was still a small child, and there were only two deeply saddening memories—his father’s sudden death and the passing of his fourth uncle, who used to play with him although not much older.

Beyond that, his memory of his grandfather was already blurred.

At this moment, his only sentiment was that Zhu Yu’s speculation was quite alarming and hard to believe.

But it was different for Lin Kun. As the Guard Commander in the Prince Mansion and having served the Prince Lan for many years before the incident, he naturally knew much more about many things inside and outside the Prince Mansion than Chang Yu.

Although Chief Historian Yu’s guess sounded rather shocking, when he considered the various strange events occurring in Lan both domestically and abroad, and the peculiar behavior of Prince Lan later on, the more he thought about it, the more he felt there was indeed something fishy about it, and that seemingly bizarre conjecture might actually be harsh reality.

"This is preposterous!" The more he thought, the angrier he became, slamming his hand on the armrest of the chair, which was already battered and worn, unable to withstand even a bit of force, shattering into pieces, wood chips scattering everywhere.

"That impostor is audacious!" Lin Kun stood up from the chair, the fury causing his chest to heave violently like bellows, "Killing the Vassal King, assuming his identity, murdering princes and grandsons, and oppressing the people of Lan!

Such a fiend deserves a thousand cuts and is far from worthy of life!

Though we brothers may not have a mighty force, even if we fight to the last man and lose our lives in the process, we must not let such a villain continue to harm the region and force the people of Lan to live in such dire straits!

We will stop at nothing to eliminate that scoundrel!"

"The reason we are so committed to seeing the legitimate grandson of Prince Lan is to confirm whether there are still blood relatives of Prince Lan alive in this world." Lu Qing nodded slowly, his emotions much more stable than Lin Kun’s. Though his tone was calm, it carried a sense of determination, "This time, I will do my utmost to gather forces to assist you in reclaiming the position of Prince Lan and ensure the impostor who usurped it receives the punishment they deserve."

Upon hearing this, Chang Yu’s face, previously troubled, suddenly brightened with joy, and he was about to express his gratitude, but Lu Qing raised a hand to stop him.

"No need to rush with words of thanks. My assistance isn’t entirely selfless." Lu Qing had no intention of granting such a big favor, his tone shifting, "As long as Lan Country prospers and remains peaceful, the Vassal King’s surname is of little importance to the Holy Emperor.

Now, we are willing to help you reclaim the Vassal King position that rightfully belongs to your family. In return, I need you to lend us enough forces from Lan and Lin Kun when the time comes."

Lin Kun, already hot-headed from anger, was eager to march into battle immediately, to storm the Prince Mansion and tear the impostor apart by hand. Yet, upon hearing Lu Qing’s words, the fervor nearly deafening him, subsided somewhat.

"As the Golden-faced Imperial Censor of Jin Country, assisting us with manpower and resources, why ask the Young Master to agree to such conditions?" Lin Kun looked at Lu Qing with caution, questioning his motives, "What exactly do you intend?"

Lu Qing smiled slightly, "No need to be tense. I do not plan to redirect the forces of Lan Country elsewhere, nor do I have any harmful schemes against you.

After the event, I only need you to reclaim the area of Lan taken by Fan Country, hold it firmly, and ensure no chance for the Fan Country people to cross the border."