Chapter 263 Secretly Thinking of Her
In the imperial city.

Lu Ji finished his morning court session and was about to go to the Regent Hall to review memorials, but was stopped by Zhao Pan: "Uncle, the Queen Mother asks you to come over."

Zhao Pan is not yet twenty years old, so he does not personally handle the affairs of state. At present, all major affairs in the court are decided by Lu Ji.

Hearing this, Lu Ji lowered his eyes to look at his nephew and said calmly, "Why did your mother call me over? Is it about the Langya Wang girl again?"

"That girl from Wang's family of Langya is my uncle's fiancée." The young man smiled with a hint of cunning, "Why does my uncle dislike her so much?"

Lu Ji said in a deep voice: "When did I get tired of her? Little kid, don't talk nonsense."

Zhao Pan smiled and said, "Every time I mention the daughter of Wang family of Langya, my uncle always says that her nose is not a nose and her face is not a face. I am not a child anymore, so don't try to hide it from me, uncle."

The young man looked up at Lu Ji, with a bit of childishness and mischief on his face: "The daughter of the Wang family is of noble birth and beautiful. I don't understand why my uncle looks down on her."

Lu Ji raised his hand and touched his nephew's head: "You don't understand the relationship between men and women yet. When you really grow up, we can talk about this together."

After saying that, Lu Ji walked towards the Regent Hall.

The man was nearly thirty years old, which was the best age for a man. The red and purple royal robes he wore made him look even more handsome and noble.

As soon as Lu Ji sat down at the table, the eunuch who was serving him came forward to serve him tea, saying, "The memorials just sent by the cabinet are all placed here."

Lu Ji nodded slightly, then raised his hand and picked up the memorial to review it.

The eunuch bowed and left the hall. Half an hour later, he came back and reported respectfully, "Your Majesty, the guard Yingfeng is outside asking to see you."

"Please let him in." Lu Ji put down the red pen in his hand.

When he saw Yingfeng, before he could salute him, Lu Ji asked, "Have you found any news about Ah Ning?"

Yingfeng showed a trace of guilt on his face, and clasped his hands together: "Reporting to the prince, several groups of people have searched all the cities, but have not found any clues about Miss Qin."

Disappointed again.

Ever since Qin Xiaoning left, this look of disappointment has often appeared on the face of this superior man.

Ying Feng couldn't bear to watch: "Your Majesty, it's all because of my incompetence."

As he said this, he knelt on his knees in shame.

After a long while, I heard a man's slightly desolate voice above my head: "She is deliberately avoiding me."

"Get up, I don't blame you."

Yingfeng stood up and suggested again, "I still think that posting a missing person notice will help us find the person faster."

Before Yingfeng could finish, Lu Ji waved his hand: "I can't put her in danger."

Lu Ji also knew that if he continued to announce it like this, his chances of finding Qin Xiaoning would be greater, but he cared more about her safety.

He was worried that some bad guys would put the girl in danger after offering a large reward.

Yingfeng retreated upon seeing this, and the huge palace fell into silence. There were still a lot of unread memorials piled on the desk, but Lu Ji was in no mood to do so.

He stood up and walked to the window, looked outside and fell into his thoughts again.

She had been gone for exactly fifty days.

"A Ning, where are you?"

Lu Ji looked at the gray sky and murmured Qin Xiaoning's name over and over again: "Aning, Aning, Aning."

Before he knew it, he was in tears.

He went to the battlefield at the age of fifteen, killing someone for the first time. The enemy's blood sprayed all over his face, and his hands were shaking as he held the sword, but he never shed a single tear. He had never been so depressed since he reached this position, and had experienced countless sinister and treacherous things.

But every time he thought of Qin Xiaoning, he felt so painful that he couldn't breathe.

How could she be so cruel?

Could it be that she really didn't plan to come back? Now that he had become the regent, he no longer had to be restricted by others and could give her everything she wanted.

What he had promised her more than once were not just empty talk.

It’s a pity that she is unwilling to wait.

I feel resentment and hate this woman.

Lu Ji also thought about giving up and not looking for her anymore. She was determined to leave, which showed that she was not really in love with him. In that case, what would it matter even if he found her?

Could it be that he really could keep ordering people to look after her?

Anything that is forced is ultimately far-fetched.

Then let her go and let her live the life she likes.

Doesn't he believe that a grown man like him can't survive without her?

"Brother——"

Lu Ji was standing in front of the window, lost in thought. Empress Dowager Lu had entered the hall at some point. She glanced at Lu Ji's desolate back and sighed slightly, "Are you thinking about Ah Ning again?"

The former Concubine Shu is thirty-five years old this year. She has spent most of her life in the palace and finally ascended to the supreme throne with the help of her younger brother from her natal family.

From now on, there is no need to worry anymore.

Because she could finally put down the burden in her heart, although she was now the queen mother, she looked younger.

Hearing this, Lu Ji quickly raised his hand and wiped away the tears on his face. He then turned around, but did not look at Empress Dowager Lu. He just said calmly, "I am so busy with my work, how can I care about those private affairs?"

Then why are you still crying secretly?

Empress Dowager Lu was a woman of temperament. When she saw a man being stubborn, she really wanted to expose his stubbornness.

When the words came to his lips, he changed his words: "I know you are not the kind of person who would nag and be nagging."

After all, he is my own brother, alas!
Empress Dowager Lu asked with concern: "I heard that you didn't have dinner again?"

Lu Ji replied coldly: "It's just that I'm not hungry."

Being tough-talking again.

I miss you so much that I lose my appetite all day.

Just being stubborn, eh——

When people are at their weakest, their minds become particularly sensitive: "Why are you sighing, elder sister?"

Lu Ji raised his eyes and looked at Empress Dowager Lu, his deep scarlet eyes filled with anger.

"Did I sigh?" Empress Dowager Lu asked back, glancing at the man's increasingly cold face, and then said with a smile: "I feel sorry for you."

Before Empress Dowager Lu could finish, Lu Ji interrupted her coldly, "I'm a grown man, why should I make you feel bad?"

Still want to save face.

Empress Dowager Lu cleared her throat: "I know you are in love with Ning"

"Sister, don't talk nonsense." Before Empress Dowager Lu could finish her words, Lu Ji interrupted her coldly.

Upon seeing this, Empress Dowager Lu immediately shut her mouth tactfully.

Lu Ji glanced at her, then sat down on the chair in front of the desk, picked up a document at random, and muttered angrily: "As the regent of the Great Zhou, I am so busy that I don't even have time to eat or sleep every day. How can I have the heart to think about women?"

As he said this, he laughed at himself again: "The saints are right, 'It is difficult to raise a woman and a villain'. Since she wants to leave, I, Lu Ji, am not such a loser that I must chase after her."

Empress Dowager Lu sneered in her heart and said, "If that's the case, why are you trying to make things difficult for Feng Yi?"