Chapter 701: Confrontation
Editor: Atlas Studios

Qi Haoran rode his horse to the Imperial Academy. Just as everyone was wondering what was going on, they heard him ask aggressively, “Where’s Grand Tutor Lu?”

Someone from the Imperial Academy hurriedly replied, “The Grand Tutor is teaching the Eldest Prince today. He’s still in the palace.”

Qi Haoran sneered. “The academic classes took place in the morning, but he’s still in the palace at this hour? It can be seen how inefficient Grand Tutor Lu is. Sounds like he doesn’t live up to his name.”

The people from the Imperial Academy did not dare to refute. No one knew how Grand Tutor Lu had provoked Qi Haoran.

However, the people who followed them in secret were very puzzled. Could it be that Prince Rong and the Princess Consort quarreled because of Grand Tutor Lu? But Grand Tutor Lu was already 50 years old this year. Uh, the Princess Consort couldn’t very well have taken a fancy to Grand Tutor Lu, right?

Everyone looked at the handsome Qi Haoran and tossed this guess to the back of their minds with a shudder. As long as Princess Consort Rong wasn’t blind, this wouldn’t happen.

However, Grand Tutor Lu and Qi Haoran had nothing to do with each other. Why did he suddenly find trouble with Grand Tutor Lu?

Before everyone could figure it out, Qi Haoran had already snorted coldly and turned his horse’s head towards the palace.

Everyone was shocked. Was Qi Haoran heading to the palace to accost Grand Tutor Lu?

Halfway there, a guard shouted, “Master, it seems to be Grand Tutor Lu’s carriage that passed by just now. There’s the Lu family’s emblem on it.”

Qi Haoran stopped his horse. Just now, there was only one carriage passing by. He went forward to stop it and forced the other party to stop the carriage.

Qi Haoran’s guards surrounded the carriage.

Furious, the coachman pointed his horsewhip at Qi Haoran and shouted, “How dare you! Do you know who’s sitting in the carriage?”

“Isn’t it just Grand Tutor Lu? Don’t tell me you expect me to get off my horse and bow to him? To think a mere slave dares to scold me.”

The coachman frowned slightly. Although he was a little nervous, he was not afraid. He was not an ordinary coachman, but a coachman of Grand Tutor Lu, and the Lu family was now the leader of the aristocratic families. As a follower of Patriarch Lu, he naturally had his pride. Like most of the descendants of the aristocratic families, he looked down on Qi Xiuyuan and Qi Haoran, whose ancestors were bumpkins.

Therefore, although the coachman looked respectful on the surface, he said arrogantly, “So it’s Prince Rong. I wonder why Your Highness stopped my master’s carriage.”

Seeing that no one alighted from the carriage and they only sent a coachman to talk to him, Qi Haoran sneered in his heart.

If they were so rude even to him, it could be seen that Young Master Lu was probably even more arrogant towards his son. It was just an aristocratic family.

A dark glint flashed across Qi Haoran’s eyes.

The guards behind Qi Haoran were not to be trifled with. Naturally, they would not let Qi Haoran argue with a coachman lest it lowered the Prince’s status.

Hence, a guard behind Qi Haoran berated, “How dare you! Who are you, a slave, to ask His Highness what he wants to do?”

Another guard looked at the carriage and said to the person in the carriage, “Grand Tutor Lu, is this the attitude you should have when welcoming someone of a higher status? You’re just a first-rank official. Seeing that not only did you not get out of the carriage to greet His Highness, but you’re also hiding in the carriage, are all the people of the Lu family so secretive?”

Seated in the carriage, Grand Tutor Lu was fuming. When he saw Qi Haoran coming aggressively, although he didn’t know what had happened, he wanted to avoid him and debate later to avoid embarrassing himself in public. However, when he saw Qi Haoran shamelessly demanding he come out to greet him, he could only grit his teeth and get out of the carriage. Like the guard said, Qi Haoran was a supreme-grade Prince while he was only a first-grade Grand Tutor. When he saw Qi Haoran, he indeed had to get out of the carriage and bow.

Grand Tutor Lu lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage. He explained to Qi Haoran, “So it’s Prince Rong. Must be my old age. I didn’t expect to fall asleep after just a short journey. I actually didn’t see Prince Rong.”

Hence, it was understandable that he did not get out of the carriage to greet Qi Haoran.

Qi Haoran sneered and said, “You appear carefree, Lord. The officials of the six ministries are so busy with the conferment of the Crown Prince and Dali becoming our vassal state. Not only can you stroll the streets leisurely, but you can also sleep in the carriage to catch up on your sleep. How rare.”

Grand Tutor Lu’s expression turned solemn as he said seriously, “Your Highness, be careful with your words. I entered the palace this morning to teach the Eldest Prince. I just came out of the palace and was about to go to the Imperial Academy. The carriage is also traveling at a fast speed. All I did was take the opportunity to close my eyes and rest for a while.”

“The Eldest Prince only has academic classes in the morning. Now that it’s past four, you’ve only just left the palace? It can be seen how inefficient you are. My royal brother chose you to be the Eldest Prince’s Grand Tutor not only because of your knowledge and talent, but also because of your reputation for having high morals. But now, it seems that the truth doesn’t match the rumors. The Grand Tutor is more like a person who entrenches oneself in a position and does no useful work.”

No matter how patient Grand Tutor Lu was, he couldn’t help but be angered by these words. He said angrily, “Prince Rong, I’ve been conscientious ever since I became the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor and have never dared to be negligent. How dare you slander me like this? If you can’t produce evidence today, I don’t mind dragging you to His Majesty to reason with him. Even if you’re His Majesty’s biological younger brother, His Majesty can’t be biased.”

“So be it. Do you think I’m afraid of you?” Qi Haoran said angrily, “The academic classes ended at 12:45 pm, but you only left the palace at 3:30 pm. Where did you go for the past four hours? If you weren’t being lazy, could it be that you had something important to do in the palace?”

Grand Tutor Lu choked, for he couldn’t very well say that he had gone to hang out at the Hall of Diligent Governance.

Although Grand Tutor Lu was the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor, his official position was an officer of the Imperial Academy. His office was located in the Imperial Academy, and every day, other than going to the palace to lecture to the Eldest Prince, he had to return to the Imperial Academy.

However, the Imperial Academy was very free at this time and he wasn’t even a chancellor. What was there for him to do there?

Therefore, he often went to the Hall of Diligent Governance where the officials on duty were, in hopes of obtaining some news.

Due to his status and seniority, people typically didn’t bother to hide un-confidential documents from him. However, everyone had a tacit understanding about these things—that is, they could not talk about it openly. Otherwise, not only would Grand Tutor Lu not gain any benefits, but those officials who did not stop him and allowed him to enter and leave the Hall of Diligent Governance would also be implicated. If that should happen, the Lu family would offend many people.

However, he refused to admit to being a freeloader, so he could only remain silent.

In the eyes of others, this was proof that he was a freeloader. The surrounding commoners whispered, “To think he’s from an aristocratic family. He actually took the Imperial Court’s money for nothing and didn’t work.”

“Aren’t all the aristocratic families like this? Only Prince Rong is stupid enough to expose it on the spot. I wonder if the aristocratic families will take revenge.”

However, Qi Haoran refused to stop. He spoke a lot before mentioning the Lu family’s upbringing. He thought that the Lu family’s descendants were crooked and had learned to become a loudmouth at such a young age…

Grand Tutor Lu’s face turned pale. However, he could not explain himself. Otherwise, if Qi Haoran pursued the matter of him visiting the Hall of Diligent Governance, he would not be able to escape the crime of prying into national secrets.

The Emperor had always disliked the aristocratic families. The Cui family had already been destroyed. If the Emperor caught hold of his weakness, the Lu family would definitely not be able to escape.