Chapter 130: Girl’s Affection
Lu Yun returned to Congshan Ward as the sun was setting in the west. The neighbors greeted him enthusiastically upon seeing him, their tones laced with a hint of flattery.
Even if Lu Xin had not successfully replaced Lu Jian, the clan members would no longer avoid him as before. Because Lu Yun was already one of the four candidates from the clan to participate in the Grand Competition, and in next year’s Nine Ranks Official Appraisal, the worst he could get was a Third Rank official. Lu Jian could no longer suppress him!
Lu Yun still felt unaccustomed to such sycophantic flattery, but he could already maintain a polite smile and courteously respond to others’ greetings. Unlike in Yuhang, where he had been out of place with those around him…
He wondered if this counted as growth or worldliness. But people always had to adapt to their current lives, didn’t they?
As soon as he got home, he saw a luxurious carriage parked in the courtyard, with the Cui Clan emblem embedded on it. The Cui Clan Guard watching the carriage recognized Lu Yun and hurriedly saluted him, saying, “Young Master Lu is back.”
“Uh…” Lu Yun also remembered this person; he should be one of the guards who escorted Madam Cui and her daughter north. But he couldn’t recall his name, so he said somewhat awkwardly, “Hello. Has Madam Cui come?”
“My madam and miss have come to visit your mother,” the guard smiled and said. “They’re still talking in the back hall right now.”
Lu Yun nodded and had no choice but to go in and pay respects to Madam Cui.
Madam Cui was talking with Madam Lu in the back hall. When she saw Lu Yun enter, she immediately beamed with joy and said, “You’ve really made something of yourself, kid. You dare to go out and hide when your aunt comes to visit. Don’t you think you should be punished?”
Lu Yun respectfully saluted Madam Cui, then knelt in a sitting position at the lower seat and said, “Your nephew did not know aunt was visiting today; otherwise, he would not have dared to go out wandering.”
“That’s more like it.” Madam Cui eagerly looked Lu Yun up and down, making his back feel chills. She said with a squinting smile, “I heard you won the championship in the Lu Clan’s competition. Your aunt came specially to congratulate you.”
“It was just the clan’s competition; it’s nothing noteworthy.” Lu Yun replied softly, “Who knows, I might lose miserably next year and end up making aunt laugh instead.”
“That won’t happen.” Madam Cui said with a smiling chant, “Your aunt has long known you’re no ordinary person; you’ll surely soar into the sky next year.” Then her expression turned serious as she said, “But you really can’t afford to be careless. My Cui Clan and those boys from the Pei Clan are all terrifyingly powerful… I hear the disciples sent by the other families this time are also rare geniuses. There will undoubtedly be a fierce struggle ahead.”
Lu Yun nodded, deeply agreeing with Madam Cui’s words. These days, Lu Wei had repeatedly emphasized that this Grand Competition was absolutely the most difficult one since the founding of the country. Each clan had produced some extremely outstanding young talents who could have undoubtedly won the championship in previous Grand Competitions.
It was as if heaven had deliberately arranged for these extraordinarily powerful young people to be born in the same era and compete on the same stage.
Lu Yun patiently accompanied Madam Lu for a bit longer before excusing himself, saying, “I won’t disturb aunt and mother talking anymore.”
“Go on, go on. Ninger has asked several times when exactly you got back.” Madam Cui nodded with a face full of smiles.
Lu Yun shivered and came out from the back hall.
As soon as he came out, someone patted his back, and he heard Cui Ninger’s crisp voice say, “Where did you run off to?”
Lu Yun turned back helplessly and saw the Cui Clan miss standing side by side with his own elder sister. The two flower-like beauties were mesmerizing to behold in the sunset.
“He finally gets a day to rest, of course he had to go out for some fresh air.” Lu Ying looked at Lu Yun resentfully but still helped explain for him.
“Really, it’s such a rare visit…” Cui Ninger pouted her little mouth, linked arms with Lu Ying, and giggled, “Luckily elder sister is home.”
Lu Yun nodded upon hearing this and said, “Yes, you and my elder sister have fun. I’ll take my leave.” With that, he wanted to slip away quickly.
“You stop right there!” Seeing his eagerness to avoid her, Cui Ninger stomped her foot in anger.
Lu Yun had no choice but to stop and look at her helplessly.
“Are you still mad about last time? Didn’t I already apologize to you?” Cui Ninger said softly, then tugged at Lu Yun’s sleeve and said, “At most, I just won’t use you as a shield anymore.”
Lu Yun was stunned for a moment before recalling, “You mean that time with Xie Tian? I stopped caring about it long ago.”
Cui Ninger was irritated by his indifferent attitude and sneered, “But someone cares a great deal! You don’t know yet, do you? Xie Bo of the Xie Clan has already issued a challenge to you through the Investigative Bureau!”
“Xie Bo?” Lu Yun quickly searched his mind for the name. He was not one of the Xie Clan’s four candidates, but Lu Yun did have some impression of him. Soon, he found the mark of this person in his memory—the 420th on the Investigative Bureau Black Rank List.
He couldn’t remember the name of that Cui Clan Guard, but he remembered clearly every one of the over a thousand names on the Black Rank List. He even remembered that according to Investigative Bureau records, this person was currently 25 years old, from the Xie Clan collateral lineage, had participated in the Nine Ranks Official Appraisal two sessions ago, been rated mid-to-high Fourth Rank, and appointed as an Eighth Rank Jingzhao Prefecture Assistant Officer of Patrol and Capture. And five years ago, in a capture operation, he had single-handedly subdued a Black Rank Expert, thus making the Black Rank List and also getting promoted in official rank.
But after that, this person had not made a move again, just steadily rising to Sixth Rank Prefectural Administrator, while his ranking in the Investigative Bureau kept dropping, now only at 420th.
“You definitely haven’t heard of him,” Cui Ninger, no longer in the mood to be angry with Lu Yun, warned him with a tense little face, “But my older brother says this person’s cultivation far exceeds that idiot Xie Tian; he just keeps a low profile, which is why he’s ranked below him.”
“Since he’s so low-key, why is he stepping out for Xie Tian?” Lu Ying said angrily.
“Probably under orders from the clan.” As a direct lineage disciple, Cui Ninger understood the inner workings of noble clans far better than Lu Ying. She earnestly explained to the two, “In noble clans, everyone must obey the clan’s arrangements. Many powerful figures like him are required not to stand out, to hide their clan’s strength for surprise attacks when needed.” She paused, then said with a face full of worry, “My older brother says that Xie Bo’s current cultivation is probably no longer beneath his!”
“Uh…” Lu Yun hesitated, then timidly asked, “Who is your older brother? Is he very strong?”
“What?” Cui Ninger nearly fell over, her eyes widening round as she stared at Lu Yun like he was a country bumpkin and said, “You don’t even know my older brother Young Master Baiyu?”
“Young Master Baiyu?” Lu Yun looked baffled, thinking to himself that it sounded like a bird’s name.
“Young Master Baiyu, I’ve heard of him.” But Lu Ying said excitedly, “I always hear those sisters say there are four great young masters in the Capital City, and Young Master Baiyu Cui Baiyu is the handsomest among them!” As she spoke, she glanced at Lu Yun and shook her head, seemingly not fully agreeing with the claim.
“Of course, my older brother is way better-looking than this milk-smelling kid, and more importantly, he’s a hundred times—no, ten thousand times—better as a person!” Cui Ninger immediately chimed in excitedly, but it sounded more like she was dissing Lu Yun.
Lu Yun naturally remained oblivious. He was just recalling the names on the Black Rank List, but there was no Cui Baiyu among them. He couldn’t help thinking darkly, “Could this Cui Baiyu already be a Grandmaster?”
“My older brother isn’t on the list, but that’s because he never fights others.” Cui Ninger seemed to see through Lu Yun’s thoughts and hurriedly explained, “But my grandfather says he’s just one layer of paper away from opening the Ren and Du Meridians!”
“Ah!” Lu Ying was immediately shocked. “Could that Xie Bo be the same?”
“Yes.” Cui Ninger, no longer in the mood to boast about her brother, anxiously advised Lu Yun, “Hurry and tell the Lu Clan elders, have them talk to the Xie Clan to get Xie Bo to withdraw the challenge!” She paused and said, “At the very least, delay it until next year after your Grand Competition; then he won’t dare to go all out against you!”
After Lu Yun finished the Grand Competition, he would immediately be appointed an official, even if he only got the lowest mid-to-low Third Rank appraisal; he would still be granted a Seventh Rank official position. Xie Bo was also an imperial court official, so naturally he would have scruples about acting against him…
“Thank you.” Lu Yun nodded, sincerely thanking Cui Ninger. This matter was indeed some trouble. If that Xie Bo was just one step shy of Earth Rank and he won, wouldn’t that expose his own foundations without a fight?
But losing to Xie Bo was absolutely unacceptable; that would seriously affect his official appraisal next year!
