Chapter 28: Rapid Promotion
By April, Jiangnan entered the plum rain season. Yuhang City had drizzling light rain all day, already over ten consecutive days without clearing, as if even the air was molding.
West Lake was empty, with almost no cruise boats or painted boats visible, and no more of Liu Dajia’s heavenly zither music to be heard.
The Imperial Envoy had already returned to the Capital City last month, but hatefully, not only did he leave, he even took Liu Dajia with him! It really made one’s teeth itch with hatred just thinking about it!
But this was not the main reason people were staying indoors. The real reason was that since last month, people had been disappearing almost every day in Yuhang City—triad thugs, prominent rich big shots. Many vanished without a trace, and even those lucky enough to return kept silent about their ordeals…
This series of mysterious disappearances cast a thick layer of gloom over Yuhang City. The government’s attitude was even more inscrutable, merely announcing that recent triad infighting was the cause, advising the people to stay home and not go out, then dropping the matter with no further updates or countermeasures.
This made Yuhang City’s people miss that iron-faced Commander Lu even more. If he were still in Yuhang, how could he tolerate evildoers stirring up trouble so brazenly?
Unfortunately, even Commander Lu had gone to the Capital City…
In this situation, the Lu Family brother and sister could only hole up at home all day, leaving Lu Ying extremely bored. Lu Yun was completely indifferent; after all, he had plenty to do with reading, practicing calligraphy, and training in martial arts. Moreover, he knew very well that these peaceful days were probably gone forever. He wished for more time to prepare for his grand plan.
More preparation meant more winning probability—this was a reason he had understood since childhood.
That day, while the siblings were reading facing each other in the study room, a government runner came to deliver a letter.
The letter was from Lu Xin in the Capital City. Lu Yun opened it and smiled at Lu Ying: “Father has been promoted.”
“Let me see, let me see!” Lu Ying hurriedly snatched the letter. Lu Xin’s familiar handwriting came into view. The letter said he had been promoted to Right Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, had completed the handover in the Capital City with the new Wu Commandery Commandery Lieutenant, and naturally had no need to return to Yuhang. Lu Xin instructed Lu Yun and Lu Ying to prepare, then he would return to the Capital City with Mother.
“Right Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review—what a big official?” Though Lu Ying was a young lady of an official family, she was very slow about these government matters.
“Fifth Rank.” Lu Yun answered softly: “Father has been promoted three levels in a row—cause for celebration.”
“Oh…” But there was no joy on Lu Ying’s face; instead, she looked at Lu Yun with worry and hesitated before saying: “If we go back to the Capital City, will there be trouble?”
“There won’t be any trouble.” Lu Yun smiled apologetically and assured Lu Ying: “I’ll be very careful, very careful.”
“Anyway, it’s still better not to go back…” Lu Ying said wistfully, but she also knew it was a done deal—anything she said would be pointless. She stood up with the letter and said to Lu Yun: “I’ll go tell Mother.”
Lu Yun nodded, watching Lu Ying’s back, a trace of hesitation furrowing his brow. But he quickly suppressed the unwanted emotion and continued focusing on his book.
.
At night, after Lu Yun finished circulating qi, Uncle Bao arrived.
After their customary spar, Lu Yun told him that the time to head to the Capital City had come.
“Is that so…” Uncle Bao touched his forehead with a complicated expression. Though he had longed day and night to return to the Capital City and slay his enemy, he knew best how powerful the enemies Lu Yun would face were. Looking at Lu Yun with full concern, he sighed: “Going back is good too. The White Ape Society, Xiahou Clan, Taiping Dao—they’re all looking for you. Yuhang City isn’t safe anymore.”
“Mm.” Lu Yun nodded. He understood very well the chaos in Yuhang these days—it was all because of his assassination attempt on Xiahou Lei. And because he had stolen the Imperial Seal, it further provoked those forces, making them even more aggressive.
Though no one had evidence linking Xiahou Lei’s assassination and the Imperial Seal theft, the two events happened one after the other. With no leads elsewhere, those people naturally wouldn’t overlook any suspicions…
“I heard the White Ape Society’s master personally went to the Capital City to explain to the Xiahou Clan, and only then did Xiahou Ba reluctantly agree to give them a deadline to find the real culprit.” Uncle Bao laughed hoarsely: “If not for the Xiahou Clan being on edge over the Imperial Seal, they probably wouldn’t have been so accommodating.”
“But up to now, nothing has happened…” Lu Yun sighed: “Clearly, I still thought too simply.” By his most optimistic estimate, the Emperor should be clashing with the Xiahou Clan by now, allowing him to snatch chestnuts from the fire upon entering the Capital City.
“It’s not that easy. The Royal Family and the seven great clans are deeply intertwined, checking each other—many things are far more complex than imagined.” Uncle Bao sighed: “Young Master will know once he reaches the Capital City.”
“Speaking of returning to the Capital City…” Lu Yun touched his face and looked at Uncle Bao: “This face of mine really won’t be recognized?”
“This subordinate has said it many times.” Uncle Bao gave a bitter smile: “Young Master’s appearance is worlds apart from when he was six, and doesn’t resemble the late Emperor much either.” He examined Lu Yun carefully again and said: “More importantly, the late Emperor was like Tai’a unsheathed—sharp and imposing! Young Master has inner radiance, serene as a maiden. Even this subordinate, if not having watched Young Master grow up, would never connect you to the late Emperor.”
“Oh, really?” Lu Yun turned his head to the bronze mirror in the corner, quite concerned: “Do I look very effeminate?”
“Er, that’s not what this subordinate meant…” Uncle Bao hurriedly explained. Though he sometimes secretly thought that if his Young Master dressed in red makeup, few girls could outshine him! But this matter truly didn’t mean that. Afraid of making it worse, he could only gape speechlessly.
“Alright, that’s not the point.” Lu Yun withdrew his gaze, coughed twice, and ended the embarrassing topic.
“Compared to Young Master’s appearance,” Uncle Bao said with a bitter smile: “This subordinate is more worried about your martial arts. Though no one should recognize the Imperial Extreme Profound Cave Skill, this cultivation method is utterly different from martial arts under heaven, and no one could reach Earth Rank at Young Master’s age. If Young Master stands out too much, he’ll inevitably draw notice, and if they discover the uniqueness of your cultivation method, trouble will be big.”
“Mm.” Lu Yun fully agreed with Uncle Bao’s concern and thought for a moment: “I’ve also practiced the Lu Family’s Heaven and Earth Righteous Law, but it requires nurturing Righteous Qi, emphasizing upright peace and steady persistence. I thought it took effect too slowly, so I set it aside.”
“That’s true—the Lu Family’s grinding technique grinds and grinds, and even at fifty, one might not become a Grandmaster…” Uncle Bao agreed deeply: “Even a heaven-sent prodigy like Young Master can’t rush it.” Then he asked: “I wonder, with the Lu Family’s cultivation method, what level can Young Master achieve now?”
“Mm…” Lu Yun silently compared the various levels of opponents he had seen before and said softly: “Barely Earth Rank.”
“Er…” Instantly, Uncle Bao’s bellyful of comforting words were choked back. After a long while, he huffed: “That’s enough!”
Others train bitterly for twenty years and burn incense if they reach Earth Rank. His Young Master had only practiced sporadically and already entered Earth Rank! It was downright infuriating by comparison!
This “others” naturally included Uncle Bao… But no matter what he suspected, he would never doubt his Young Master’s judgment. In Uncle Bao’s view, compared to martial arts, brains were Young Master’s true trump card!
“Uncle, I’ve told you, the wonder of the Imperial Extreme Profound Cave Skill…” Lu Yun hurriedly comforted Uncle Bao: “Master one method, master all—this is the reason.”
“Young Master, this is good…” Uncle Bao chuckled helplessly: “This increases our chances of entering the Capital City even more.”
“In the short term, I can show at most Black Rank, or the Xiahou Clan will connect the dots…” Lu Yun shook his head. As Uncle Bao said, Earth Rank was very rare. Even without revealing the Imperial Extreme Profound Cave Skill, the Xiahou Clan could easily suspect that Lu Yun, who was in Hangzhou at the time, was the one who assassinated Xiahou Lei!
Pausing, Lu Yun said softly: “Also, you shouldn’t enter the Capital City first—we’ll still act separately.” He took out that black booklet and handed it to Uncle Bao: “There are a few people marked with suspicions—trouble you to investigate them.”
“Yes.” Whatever Lu Yun decided, Uncle Bao never objected. Beyond his unwavering loyalty, he was also consciously cultivating his young master’s decisiveness. “And those dead soldiers—Young Master needs to consider how to place them.” With the tense rumors in Yuhang lately, Uncle Bao had moved the dead soldiers he trained to elsewhere, and the next foothold was a big issue.
“I’ve thought it over.” Lu Yun clearly had a plan and said without hesitation: “The Capital City isn’t like the provinces—it’s hard to hide. I can bring at most ten or so people, and their martial arts can’t be too high. The rest should disperse to the northern states first… I saw in the court gazette that the Yellow River flooded seven or eight states—there must be many refugees heading to the Capital City to escape disaster.”
“Good idea.” Uncle Bao’s eyes lit up as he clapped: “Hiding among the refugees draws no attention and makes it easy to launder identities!”
“It’s a last resort.” Lu Yun sighed lightly. Right now, he was truly too weak—too weak to even have his own power. He couldn’t help but vow inwardly: ‘I must become stronger soon, stronger in every way!’
Coming back to his senses, Lu Yun saw Uncle Bao hesitating to speak and asked curiously: “What is it—speak plainly.”
“Yes, Young Master.” Uncle Bao glanced toward the main house and lowered his voice: “To eliminate future troubles, that one cannot be left…” He naturally meant Madam Lu. Back then, the family servants who came with Lu Xin to take office had all been dealt with by him under the pretext of a plague outbreak in Jiangnan, but Lu Xin had never allowed him to touch Madam Lu.
“No.” Lu Yun had considered this issue for a long time and now gave his stance: “She knows the stakes.” Pausing, Lu Yun’s voice grew low: “Besides, she has the grace of nurturing toward me, and she’s Father’s wife, Sister’s mother…”
“Sigh, alright…” Seeing Lu Yun’s firm stance, Uncle Bao sighed: “Young Master must be careful of her—don’t let her ruin things!”
“I know.” Lu Yun nodded, ending the conversation.
