QT: Grace To Grass Counterattack System

After a while, Shi Meifen suddenly spoke up, "...Is there anything you want to talk about? You seem tense."

Lu Jingye shook his head.

Shi Meifen: "Really?"

"En."

"You really have nothing to say?"

Lu Jingye frowned and shuffled his feet. Did his mother notice something? He resisted the urge to direct his face at the ceiling. General He clearly had some ulterior motives but why didn't he feel the need to expose the man to his mother?

He thought back to He Yuan's bright eyes and sweet smile and tsked. Nevermind, his mother was just one woman. What could she do? He tilted his head in her direction. "There's really nothing."

Shi Meifen fell silent. After a while, she smiled helplessly and placed a hand against his cheek. "You're always so quiet. Wenduo spends more time unconscious but even he has said more words than you ever have.

-I'm afraid if I never actively spoke to you over the years, you would've forgotten how to speak human language by now."

Up in the ceiling, He Yuan's lips arched as he took in their interaction. The environment was harmonious... until the sound of footsteps came again and a voice suddenly called out,

"Lu Jingye."

Shi Meifen's eyes widened whilst He Yuan and Lu Jingye frowned. With no time to waste, He Yuan swiftly dropped to the ground, grabbed Shi Meifen in one arm and dashed up to the shaded spot in the ceiling once more.

All these happened in less than 3 seconds so before Shi Meifen could react, she was high up in the ceiling with an unknown man. Fear enveloped her and she opened her mouth to scream but the man quickly pulled down the shawl covering his face and shushed her.

Her fear turned to shock instantly.

This... General He?!

He Yuan gave an awkward smile and used his qi to conceal their presence just as a figure dressed in dark red robes walked around the pillar and appeared before Lu Jingye. He narrowed his eyes.

He'd already known who it was and from 888's reaction earlier, the System had also recognized the voice. The issue here was... What did Lu Xuilan want with 888 all of a sudden?

.

.

.

Lu Jingye held the cloak around him as he faced the direction the voice had come from with a neutral expression. Inwardly though, he was confused. He wasn't familiar with this person but he recognized the voice that had spoken up about the Matriarch's neck massager -whatever that was.

What did this person need?

On the other hand, Lu Xuilan caressed the hand warmer in her hands as she watched Lu Jingye. She might have come from a modern time period but she'd been in the army and could recognize a person with good martial arts foundation at a glance.

Lu Jingye's movement when he caught Bai Yun's hand had left a deep impression on her. The young man clearly put on an unassuming front but who didn't know that still waters ran the deepest?

She decided to ease the distance between them with, "It seems fifth brother wasn't present when I arrived. Hope you've been well?"

Lu Jingye frowned. The Second young miss that just returned? They were not all that familiar so what did she need with him? "What do you want?"

Lu Xuilan's lips arched. She might've have been a member of the Lu home but for him to be so calm when facing an unknown person in an isolated environment... He was either stupid or had the adequate skills to protect himself.

He didn't look stupid so... She slowly ran her fingers along the lines on her hand warmer. "You've been hidden away for so long because of a few random words from a Taoist priest. With such conditions, it wouldn't be surprising to feel dissatisfied..."

Lu Jingye quirked a brow. She'd been away for two years and even before then, the both of them had never interacted. Why was she suddenly interested in his business? He gently tapped a foot. "Where are you going with this?"

Lu Xuilan smirked and slowly walked forward. "I'm offering you... a chance for revenge."

Up on the ceiling He Yuan raised a brow and bit his lips to hold back his smile. It was the classic line Lu Xuilan used to recruit her followers. The promise of revenge and great exploits. His eyes moved to 888.

The man had lost his memory but if he easily succumbed to Lu Xuilan's words, he was never going to let the System hear the end of it for the rest of eternity!

Where he was seated, Lu Jingye's eyes flashed and he cocked his head to the side. "Who told you I wanted revenge?"

Lu Xuilan narrowed her eyes. "You've been wronged for so long and you don't look like you lack ambition. There's no way you're satisfied with your current status in the Lu home."

Lu Jingye raised a hand to pinch his brows. Even if he was dissatisfied, he wasn't stupid. Lu Xuilan was currently under the spotlight and had Lu Yunyue, Lu Zhenzhen and the scheming concubines to contend with if she wanted to live comfortably.

Although he'd been confined in XiGuang, his life with his mother and brother had been peaceful. He only needed to think of a way for them to leave the Lu home permanently so why would he stupidly involve himself in the Lu harem intrigue? He looked away. "Not interested."

Lu Xuilan frowned but a second later, she titled her chin higher in understanding. "With the current state of things, you might think I'm unable to make any waves but don't be too hasty. I never let my people to be wronged and if you do well, becoming the right Prime minister is only a matter of time..."

Lu Jingye frowned in frustration. What was this? If he wasn't mistaken, Lu Xuilan was bethroded to the Fifth prince so she had the capital to talk big. Besides, why would he leave his peaceful life to become someone else's lackey?

He shook his head. "It'll be best if the Second miss took her leave now. I'm really not interested."

Lu Xuilan froze. She absolutely did not expect that. Lu Jingye was at a vibrant young age where men dreamed the most. He certainly did not lack ambition so why did he repeatedly reject her offer?

After thinking things through, she tsked inwardly. She'd been too eager to set up her network that she became hasty. She came from an era where people weren't afraid to clearly state their intentions so to the average ancient person -who was used to saying things in a sugary and ambiguous manner- her words would seem like a badly laid out trap.

Besides, the original Lu Xuilan and Lu Jingye had never interacted before so to the outside eye, her sudden appearance before him seemed even more like a trap. It shouldn't be surprising that he was this cautious.

In the dark cold hall, Lu Xuilan suddenly smiled. "Since fifth brother feels that way then there's nothing else to say. I'll take my leave now. Just take my words as a rant."

With that, she turned to leave the ancestral hall with a straight posture. In life, it was good for one to know when to advance and when to retreat. She was actually confident that she would be able to bring him over to her side sooner or later.

She'd already laid the foundation and with nothing else to do in the Ancestral hall, he would definitely ponder over her words. The more important thing was to make sure he actually survived the entire week.

But she wasn't too worried. The absence of the guards at the entrance did not escape her notice. This fifth brother of hers was really too interesting.

As soon as Lu Xuilan left, He Yuan unmasked his and Shi Meifen's presence and smoothly landed on the ground.

Shi Meifen eyed the entrance of the hall with a frown before sighing in relief. It was a good thing Jingye had refused the second young miss clearly. Saying such words to Jingye, what was the second miss trying to do?

She knew her capacity and although she wished for the greatness of her children as any mother would, she also wished more than that for them to live a long healthy life.

On the other hand... she looked between General He and her son with equal amount of confusion and suspicion. "...Jingye..."

Lu Jingye closed his eyes with a sigh. He'd vehemently denied knowing General He and now the man in question was caught sneaking around with him. No matter what he said, who would believe he was truly innocent? All his credibility was gone in an instant!

Angrily, he sent a glare in He Yuan's direction.

He Yuan pinched the tip of his nose in embarrassment. Now what did he do? It wasn't as if he meant to snatch Shi Meifen like that. It would've been bad if she got caught.

He did a good deed so why was his System glaring at him now?

Anyways, he was in a really good mood so he took out the glasses from his robes and extended his hand towards Shi Meifen. "Here. For him." Before she could ask, he added, "It'll make him see clearly."

Shi Meifen's brows furrowed in confusion but a second later, she pushed Lu Xuilan to the back of her mind and stared at the delicate looking frames in He Yuan's hands in doubt. Such a basic looking object could make Lu Jingye see clearly? It clearly wasn't a miracle concoction or a pill.

She eyed He Yuan weirdly but she couldn't afford to express her disbelieving thoughts out loud and risk offending him so she slowly turned to the only other person available and asked dryly, "Is this true?"

Lu Jingye pursed his lips and remained silent.

Seeing he was still being stubborn, He Yuan chuckled and urged Shi Meifen. "Take it."

Shi Meifen's eyes widened at Lu Jingye's reaction. It was true? Her eyes locked on the frames once more. It could really make her Jingye see? Her hands trembled in excitement but then... she felt torn.

For what reason would General He suddenly give such a precious item to her son? She might be an uneducated concubine but she wasn't unfamiliar with the struggles in court. Jingye was just a concubine son that had been confined for a good part of his life. 

How did he catch the General's attention and for what reason? Her eyes trailed to He Yuan's upturned lips and she trembled even more. She really feared owing a favour she could not repay but... that contraption could make her son see! 

For so many years she'd lived in guilt. Secretly blaming herself for Jingye's state and now.... now she was tempted beyond belief so she grit her teeth and resolutely outstretched out her hand. She was the one taking the contraption and not Jingye. This meant that the favour would be owed by her and her son would not be involved in anything he shouldn't be involved in.

"Don't!" Shi Meifen's hand froze midair as Lu Jingye turned his face to the side with an embarrassed expression and reluctantly whispered, "Can't afford it."

He Yuan's eyes softened and he couldn't help but laugh softly. In this time period, people took favours very seriously and so were quite reluctant to randomly accept help from anyone. He turned to Shi Meifen.

"There's really nothing attached but if you both really need a reason then, it's like this..." Lu Jingye's ears perked and he looked over in curiosity. This made He Yuan smile harder. "Just look at how pretty he is. Seeing his face alone puts me in a good mood. Naturally this General wants to reward him for putting me in a good mood."

Both Shi Meifen and Lu Jingye froze and He Yuan took that opportunity to stuff the glasses in Shi Meifen's hands before quickly slipping away.

When they both came to, the General was long gone.

Shi Meifen held the glasses carefully and helplessly turned to her son. She eyed his thoroughly flushed face and despite the situation, a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Ha! Lu Jingye's expression was always stone cold.

Seeing him like this, she wanted to laugh out loud but knowing how prideful he was, she didn't dare embarrass him further.