Chapter 145: Mobilizing The Troops
Outside the Bamboo Forest, the crowd waited eagerly, and finally saw someone coming out from inside.
“He’s out!” Everyone’s gazes turned sharply toward him, and they saw Great Steward Lu Xiu walking out from the small path in the Bamboo Forest, but they didn’t see the Clan Leader’s figure.
Seeing so many people outside, Lu Xiu was also startled. He quickly composed his expression and said to the group of clan members guarding outside the Bamboo Forest, “Please have all the stewards come in.” He paused, then said to those several Elders, “Please trouble you all to invite the Great Elder, and come in together.”
“What exactly is the matter? You have to at least explain it clearly, right?” The conflict between the Elder Council and the Clan Leader was already irreconcilable. Others could still maintain surface harmony, but toward Lu Xiu, who had been scheming to push himself into the Clan Leader position, the Elders wouldn’t be polite. “Otherwise, how are we supposed to invite the Clan Leader?”
“Just say it’s Vice Sect Master summoning him.” Faced with this, Lu Xiu naturally wouldn’t be polite to them either.
“Vice Sect Master gave the order?” The several Elders’ expressions changed immediately, and without any more nonsense, they hurried off to the Elder Council to relay the message.
Once the several Elders left, Lu Xiu looked at Lu Xin and his son, and said warmly, “Uncle, please come in as well.”
“Good, good.” Lu Xiang had long been frightened senseless by the scene, and responded casually before hurriedly leading his son and granddaughter into the Bamboo Forest.
Lu Song and the other two wanted to slip in behind Lu Wei, Lu Xia, and the others. Lu Xiu pretended not to see them and let the three go. But when other clan members tried to follow suit, Lu Xiu stopped them. “Everyone, the space inside is small, so please stop here.”
Although the words were polite, it was essentially saying they had no qualification to enter, so the crowd could only obediently stay outside. The Elder Council might dare not to take this Great Steward Lu Xiu seriously, but they absolutely did not dare.
The Lu Clan’s Great Steward had the official title of Performance Evaluation Steward, in charge of all promotions and rewards for the clan’s disciples. Even those clan members sent out to become high officials relied on him to allocate the clan’s political resources in order to secure and advance their positions. Everyone’s futures were in his hands!
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Although refused outside the door, the clan members’ desire to watch the excitement grew even stronger. Everyone wanted to see what exactly had happened that required summoning all the Lu Clan’s high-level figures inside.
Now the clan members gathered more and more, and by the time Great Elder Lu Wen arrived accompanied by several Elders, it was impossible to get close to the Small Bamboo Forest.
“Make way, the Great Elder is here!” One Elder had no choice but to loudly clear a path.
Hearing this, the clan members hurriedly made way and bowed in greeting to the Great Elder.
Lu Wen nodded slightly and was just about to go inside when he saw Lu Jian also coming over from the Finance Department. Among the Lu Clan’s various stewards, Lu Jian had arrived the latest, though the reason was well-known to all.
But Lu Jian arriving late didn’t mean he wasn’t concerned about the situation in the Small Bamboo Forest. In fact, ever since learning of Lu Yun’s condition in the middle of the night yesterday, he had been praying nonstop that the kid would kick the bucket and drop dead.
Who would have thought that after waiting so long, what came was an order from the Clan Leader and Vice Clan Leader summoning all the Lu Clan’s high-level figures to the Small Bamboo Forest. He could only come over full of doubts, bow to Lu Wen in greeting, and then follow behind him inside.
Once entering the Small Bamboo Forest, Lu Jian finally couldn’t hold back and asked, “Uncle, what exactly is going on here? Is it worth all this fuss over that kid named Lu Yun?”
“It’s not for him, is it?” Lu Wen was also baffled and said coldly, “Even if that kid died, it’s not worth us seeing him off!” The Great Elder had high hopes for his eldest grandson Lu Xi. In order to let Lu Xi participate in next year’s Grand Competition, he had personally intervened to negotiate with Lu Yi, thinking that the sole quota would undoubtedly go to Lu Xi.
Who knew Lu Yun would appear out of nowhere, even bringing in the Emperor, and forcibly snatch away Lu Xi’s quota. This caused Lu Xi great shock and public humiliation. Even after so long since returning home, he was still deranged, and no improvement despite seeing many doctors.
Lu Wen thus held Lu Xin and his son accountable for it all. Yesterday when he heard Lu Yun had met with trouble, it delighted him so much that he jumped three feet high in his room, shouting repeatedly “Retribution is not pleasant!”
“The Great Elder is right; it should be for something else.” Lu Tong, an Elder of the Lu Clan, Lu Xiang’s eldest brother, and Lu Xin’s uncle, said gloomily upon hearing this.
At this moment, Lu Tong’s mood was extremely complicated. Although he and Lu Xiang hadn’t been in contact for many years, they were still flesh-and-blood brothers who grew up together. Although Lu Yun being selected to participate in the Grand Competition made him extremely jealous, Lu Xiang had only this one grandson after all, and he didn’t hope for Lu Yun to have an accident that would leave his younger brother without descendants.
“It must be related to that kid,” an Elder who had been present at the time asserted firmly. “Otherwise, why let Lu Xiang and Lu Xin inside too?”
“That’s true…” The Great Elder nodded. Seeing they had reached the Bamboo Door, he waved his hand and said, “We’ll know once we go in.”
The crowd then followed the Great Elder into the Small Courtyard.
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Inside the Small Courtyard, the stewards who arrived first were standing to one side whispering. Lu Song and the other two were being directed all over the place by that young attendant at the door. They carried several bamboo mats out from the Treasury and laid them in the center of the Courtyard. They also set up the incense table, candlesticks, tea set, and other necessary items.
Seeing the Great Elder and the others enter, the stewards hurried forward to greet them, and Lu Xiu and Lu Wei also had to exchange pleasantries with Lu Wen.
“What are you all doing?” Lu Wen smiled as he looked at the several stewards.
“We don’t know either…” The several stewards smiled bitterly and pointed at the young attendant. “That kid’s just been messing around here.”
The young attendant stood with hands on hips smugly and said loudly, “Everyone, go chat on the side and don’t delay the main business…”
“Alright then…” The several stewards responded with amusement, and the young attendant continued directing Lu Song and the other two. “Don’t slack off, you lot!”
“Can’t you help out a bit?” Lu Song finally couldn’t hold back his protest.
“My strength is too small; I can’t carry with my hands or shoulders…” The young attendant justified himself righteously. No one knew who did the work in this bamboo hut, which rarely had a third person year-round.
“This looks like they’re preparing for some kind of ceremony…” The several Elders stood to one side with the Great Elder, discussing quietly.
“Could Vice Sect Master have broken through?” Someone guessed.
“Impossible. If so, it would have to be a thousand or hundred times more grand!” This guess was obviously untenable.
“Where’s Lu Xiang’s family?” While everyone was talking, Lu Tong quietly pulled aside Fourth Steward Lu Yi and asked softly.
“They’re all inside.” Lu Yi whispered back, “I keep hearing laughter from inside; it doesn’t sound like bad news.”
“Is that so…” Lu Tong’s lingering bit of worry vanished instantly, and he began hoping desperately that no good fortune would befall his younger brother’s family.
Hmm, best if Lu Xiang’s grandson were mediocre and good-for-nothing his whole life, idling away waiting for death—then his heart could be at ease…
Once Lu Bai and the other two finished setting up, Lu Jian announced at the doorway. Soon after, the Main House doors opened, and Lu Shang with a smile from ear to ear emerged side by side with Vice Sect Master Lu Xian from inside.
Everyone’s gazes fell entirely on Lu Xian. They discovered that this Vice Sect Master, who never bothered with his appearance, was now dressed neatly, his hair even pinned up with a bamboo hairpin—actually more formal than during New Year ancestor worship…
Alright, this was just a metaphor. Because Lu Xian hadn’t paid respects to the ancestors in many years, no one knew if he would still be disheveled if he did.
Behind Lu Xian followed Lu Xin’s family. Seeing Lu Shang grinning so widely he couldn’t close his mouth, Lu Tong’s heart sank to the bottom—he knew some great good fortune was definitely about to befall his younger brother’s family!
Seeing Lu Yun perfectly fine following behind Lu Xian, Lu Wen and Lu Jian were immediately filled with immense disappointment, and a flash of killing intent even passed through the latter’s eyes!
Who knew this fleeting trace of killing intent would draw Lu Xian’s gaze. Lu Jian broke out in cold sweat and hurriedly lowered his head.
Only now did he realize that a Heavenly Rank Grandmaster could sense intangible and formless qi aura—it wasn’t a legend…
