Chapter 13: Recommendation
Inside the Cow Offal Shop, Lu Yuan’s group had just stepped inside when Wei Yong was the first to rush in. After finding a suitable spot, he wiped a chair with his sleeve and said fawningly to Lu Yuan, "Sir, please sit."
Widow Li happened to witness this scene.
Her thick lips parted slightly, and surprise showed in her eyes.
In her eyes, Wei Yong was already an exceptional man, responsible and capable.
Yet before Lu Yuan, he was so subservient.
Lu Yuan accepted without ceremony and sat down at once.
Unaware of the underlying dynamics, he had just taken his seat when he patted the spot next to him and said, "Old Huang, quick, have a seat."
"Right!"
Old Huang acknowledged and sat down as well.
By now, the wounds on his face had scabbed over, but it still looked a bit of a mess.
Once he was seated, the others also took their seats one by one.
Just then, Zhang Gun shouted, "Proprietress, a big pot of cow offal! As for other dishes and wine, you decide—just fill the table! And in a bit, have your Guo Xiu come over and offer a toast to our Sir."
"Right away, the food and wine are coming right up," Widow Li replied.
She then went to the back kitchen to hurry them along.
Zhang Gun then sidled up to Lu Yuan and said, "Sir, that proprietress’s daughter, Guo Xiu, is Wei Yong’s sweetheart. We’ll have her offer you a toast in a moment."
As soon as he finished speaking, a nervous look appeared on Wei Yong’s face.
Old Huang glanced up at the two of them but said nothing more.
’Back then, I thought Lu Yuan was a good man,’ he mused. ’Entrusting Guo Xiu to him seemed like the best choice.’
’But now it’s clear that Xiu just isn’t fated for it. Lu Yuan probably wouldn’t even give her a second look.’
’At a time like this, there’s no need for me to say anything unnecessary.’
A moment later, Widow Li and her daughter brought out the food and wine, and the room was instantly filled with a fragrant aroma.
The daughter stood where she was, holding a wine cup awkwardly, and said to Lu Yuan, "Sir, I’d like to offer you a toast."
She seemed very cautious as she spoke.
Lu Yuan nodded and took a small sip of the wine.
Then he turned his head and teased Wei Yong with a few words.
Taking the hint, Guo Xiu quietly left.
Her so-called connections were only effective for bullying old soldiers like Old Huang. When faced with someone like Lu Yuan, she didn’t even have the courage to speak loudly.
After returning to the back kitchen, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment.
Widow Li poked her daughter and said, "What are you thinking about? That Lu Yuan is an outsider, after all. He’s a Centurion now, but his foundation might not be as solid as Wei Yong’s. He’s impressive for now, but who knows what the future holds.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Holding onto Wei Yong is what’s most important."
After she finished speaking, Guo Xiu nodded.
Meanwhile, Wei Yong, who was drinking outside, saw Lu Yuan’s nonchalant expression and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
’He really isn’t interested in Guo Xiu.’
’And that kid Zhang Gun is pretty sharp, too,’ he thought with admiration.
At that moment, Lu Yuan took a sip of wine from his cup, looked at everyone, and said, "There are still seven or eight days until our next rotation. Do you all want to go out again?"
’After this recent harvest, I’m not passing up any chance to leave the city,’ Lu Yuan thought. ’Supplies, official posts... I want it all.’
’If I want to live well in the future, I have to establish a firm foothold in the Northern Border.’
"We’ll follow your lead, Sir," Zhang Gun said quickly.
Although he hadn’t reached the Entry Level yet, he was close to his limit. In the past, he wouldn’t have dared to dream of one day reaching Body Tempering, but now, following Lu Yuan, he saw it wasn’t impossible and naturally wanted to give it a try.
The others all nodded in agreement.
"Alright. After we finish drinking, everyone go back and prepare. We’ll set out early tomorrow morning. Let’s try to earn a little more while we have the chance."
After speaking, Lu Yuan drained his cup in one gulp.
Meanwhile, Zhou Xiong, dressed in a full suit of armor, arrived at the Captain’s Mansion. His usual carefree demeanor was gone, replaced by a certain awkwardness as he stood in the main hall. In the seat of honor sat a woman dressed in red.
Her long hair was tied back, revealing a pair of beautiful phoenix eyes. Her skin was fairer than snow, almost translucent, with a faint, crystalline luster. She had a small, delicate nose, and a faint, enigmatic smile played on her cherry-red lips.
Below her neck were perfectly undulating peaks; although she wore Soft Armor on her upper body, it did little to conceal her ample assets.
Her straight posture revealed a tall figure, alluring and beautiful, yet radiating a heroic, martial aura.
This was Zhou Hongling, the direct daughter of the Zhou Family’s main branch. She had cultivated in an Immortal Sect in her early years and, despite her youth, had already reached the Great Success stage of the True Essence Realm. She currently served as the Hongying Captain of Icefield City.
She commanded three thousand soldiers and held the rank of Junior Sixth Grade.
Although Zhou Xiong was her clan uncle by generation, he appeared quite constrained in the presence of the young lady.
"My lady, I have someone to recommend."
Zhou Ruowei put down the scroll in her hand, took the file Zhou Xiong handed her, and after a few glances, said, "A sixteen-year-old in the Body Tempering Realm is nothing special. However, his Sword Skill reaching Perfection is worth noting. His understanding of the Military Array is also decent. I can see him."
The Zhou Family was a dominant power in Yan Province. Every year, they had their clan members select talented individuals from the grassroots and recommend them to the higher-ups. This was one of the reasons for the family’s enduring prosperity.
After all, how could they support such a massive enterprise by relying solely on their own family members?
"Then I’ll go find him right away," Zhou Xiong said hurriedly.
"Mm, I happen to be free today. Have him come over."
After Zhou Ruowei finished speaking, Zhou Xiong carefully withdrew.
By this time, Lu Yuan had eaten and drunk his fill.
As afternoon arrived, the group dispersed from the banquet, each heading back to make their own preparations.
After all, they had to leave the city again tomorrow.
Lu Yuan had drunk quite a bit. As he staggered to the entrance of the alley, he saw Zhou He waiting there for him.
His cheeks were a little red; he had clearly been waiting for some time.
Upon seeing Lu Yuan, he strode forward and said, "Quick, come with me."
"Is something the matter?"
"Of course something is the matter, and it’s a big deal." With that, he couldn’t help but pull Lu Yuan out of the alley.
On the way, he began to explain, "Here in the Northern Border, we’re constantly at war with the Northern Barbarians, so there are many old Military Families. My Zhou Family is one of them, and in a place like Yan Province, we have a considerable amount of influence.
I put in a lot of good words for you with my old uncle. He went to see the Lord Captain today, and she agreed to meet you. This is a huge opportunity! As long as she takes a liking to you, you’ll be a protege of my Zhou Family from now on.
As long as your merits are sufficient, you definitely won’t be overlooked. Make sure you perform well in a bit."
Hearing his words, Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow.
’In a place like this, the only thing to fear is no one taking notice of you.’ He wasn’t offended, however. Besides, he really did need a backer. After all, that business with the General of Yunzhou always left him feeling unsettled.
Lu Yuan had heard a little about the personality of the general’s son; he was known to seek revenge for the smallest grievance. Zhang Zhe had his family to protect him, and there were areas of mutual benefit between his family and the General of Yunzhou, so both sides were willing to compromise. The general’s son couldn’t do anything to him, but he wouldn’t have such reservations when it came to Lu Yuan.
If he could really become a retainer of a great house like the Zhou Family’s General’s Mansion, it would at least add a layer of protection.
Therefore, he nodded and said, "Thank you."
Those two words came from the heart. After all, Lu Yuan knew, as someone who had been knocking about in the army for a long time, just how much it would help his career to be taken in by a General’s Mansion.
At the very least, his merits wouldn’t be ignored after he earned them. In a place like the Northern Border, there were plenty of opportunities to earn merits, but while many people had them, positions were few. So, many people, even if their merits reached the level required for a Centurion, could only endure the wait, queuing until a position opened up before they could be promoted.
Usually, they would only receive an increase in pay and a nominal title, with no real authority.
But it was different if you became a protege of the Zhou Family. You would be looked after and could quickly obtain a position with real authority.
Of course, in exchange, once you became established, you were expected to repay the favor to the family.
Still, countless people scrambled for the chance to enter a General’s Mansion and become a retainer.
In short, for a low-ranking officer, the pros absolutely outweighed the cons.
"What’s there to thank me for between the two of us? This opportunity exists because you’re capable. Forget about being just a Centurion! The Captain has over thirty Centurions under her command, and not a single one has reached Sword Skill Perfection. A talent like yours deserves this chance.
The Zhou Family ancestors followed the founding emperor to conquer the realm, and were later enfeoffed in Yan Province to guard a corner of the Northern Border. After operating here for so many years, they don’t just take a liking to anyone."
Zhou He was worried Lu Yuan might doubt the prestige of the Zhou Family’s General’s Mansion, so he offered a quiet reminder.
"Mm, I know," Lu Yuan nodded.
As they spoke, the two of them arrived outside the Captain’s Mansion.