Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!-Chapter 361 - 360: Unfriendly Visitors

Zhu Yu paused for a moment.

She had spoken without thinking earlier, casually expressing her thoughts, and forgot that Lu Qing didn’t understand what "checkers" was.

So she briefly described the rules of checkers: "So, doesn’t this resemble our current situation?

It’s not just two forces, each has its own strategy, everyone is watching for opportunities, advancing step by step while guessing others’ intentions, making sure their own base isn’t overrun.

The final outcome depends on who roots out the other first, and that person is the ultimate winner."

"Interesting," Lu Qing listened with great interest, "It does indeed resemble our current predicament.

But I’ve never seen this thing before. Listening to you, it seems quite intriguing.

Once we resolve the issues in front of us, I’ll get a few craftsmen at home. You can explain to them what the board and pieces look like and have them make it.

Then, in our free time, Chief Historian Yu can also teach me how to play this ’checkers’."

Zhu Yu nodded. At this moment, she really didn’t have the mind to think about any checkers. After Lu Qing’s brief prompt, what concerned her even more was another matter: "Since both the Blazing Jade and the Chang’e Drunk are targeting that person...

These two items have sinister and vicious effects, so... how should we warn that person to be more cautious?"

"This matter is not as simple as just a warning." Lu Qing had already considered this issue, he slowly shook his head, "That person is different from you and me. We would only call a Medical Officer for a slight illness.

After all, that person’s status is different, regardless of any physical discomfort, there’s a daily pulse diagnosis and a comprehensive check every few days, with constant tonics and care inbetween.

So, if someone could get this trick into the palace for more than a day or two, it suggests that it could deceive even the Pharmacy Bureau’s Imperial Attendant and others. Even if we warn them and they believe us, those at the Pharmacy Bureau might not have a way to counter it.

Moreover, whether investigating or resolving it, we cannot alert the schemers at this point."

"Then what should we do?" Zhu Yu was a bit worried.

"Don’t worry, there’s a way." Lu Qing waved his hand, signaling Zhu Yu to lean in.

Zhu Yu leaned in with her ear, and just as Lu Qing was about to speak, his ear twitched, and his expression became alert. He stood up from the table: "Someone’s coming, and they don’t seem friendly."

Zhu Yu knew he had exceptional hearing, quickly followed suit, and just as they reached the door, they heard a clamor of footsteps outside, as if many people had stormed into the previously quiet courtyard.

Lu Qing opened the door and walked out first, shielding Zhu Yu so she wouldn’t hurry to check the situation.

At the same time, Lu Yan also opened his door and came out.

He seemed just awakened or startled by the noise, being a leader of soldiers, naturally more alert than someone like Lu Zhang, who had been ensconced in the Capital for a long time.

As he tightened the originally loose cloth on his head, he stepped out of the room, onto the corridor, leaning forward and sharply surveying the situation downstairs.

Seeing Lu Qing and Zhu Yu come out, he exchanged a quick glance with Lu Qing, and the two led the way downstairs.

Zhu Yu initially wanted to follow them down, but seeing the old steward leading a dozen protectors into the courtyard with the intention of coming upstairs, she quickly changed her mind, turning back to knock on Yan Shu’s door.

Yan Shu indeed hadn’t woken up yet, awakened by Zhu Yu’s knocking while still drowsy.

However, fortunately, in recent days, they all went to bed fully clothed, no one dared to risk undressing, fearing unexpected situations.

So, when Yan Shu opened the door, though sleepy-eyed, she was dressed decently, only her hair a bit messy.

Zhu Yu hurriedly helped her fasten her hair and adjust her clothes, lest anyone detect her femininity.

When they came out of the room, hastily tidied, Lu Qing had already returned upstairs, expressionless, following a few protectors.

"If you want to search, go ahead, but be careful. If you don’t find what you’re looking for and our things go missing, the business we intended to discuss would fail, straining relations," he said by the stairs to the protectors.

The protectors remained silent, marched inside, entering various rooms occupied by people.

Luckily, Yan Shu was alertly woken by Zhu Yu and stood steadily on the corridor. Otherwise, she would have at least been startled by the situation.

She gratefully glanced at Zhu Yu, her hand near her side twitched but prudently restrained the urge to grab Zhu Yu’s hand and shake it. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

In contrast, Lu Zhang was less fortunate.

He had been asleep, oblivious to outside events, until the protectors almost broke his door.

When he emerged, his face almost blatantly read "startled," seeing Yan Shu calmly outside, making him realize his mishap, quickly trying to mask it with composure.

But they had always known there was something wrong with this Immortal Castle. Yet, whether Lu Yan’s or his own men, were left waiting outside at the camp. Now, facing such opposing numbers, it was a situation he’d never encountered before.

The more Lu Zhang thought, the more anxious he became. To hide his apprehension and bolster his courage, he resolutely strode to Lu Qing’s side, standing firm, glancing between Lu Qing’s calm demeanor and Lu Yan’s steely watch downstairs, feeling a mix of embarrassment and helplessness.

The people searched through the rooms for a long time, even the few belongings they had weren’t spared, with few clothes scattered about.

It seemed they hadn’t found what they were looking for, and as they exited the rooms, exchanged reluctant glances before descending.

Lu Qing and Lu Zhang followed them downstairs, where Yan Daoxin was leisurely approaching the corridor, tidying his sleeves.