Martial Cultivator

Lu Qingling smiled. "Uncle, you're worrying too much. I know my own worth. I won't let my thoughts wander."

"You don't need to belittle yourself either, Qingling. It's just that some people simply aren't walking the same path."

After thinking for a moment, Lu Yuan gave that explanation as a roundabout way of comforting her.

Lu Qingling merely smiled and let it pass without replying. Instead, she found herself wondering whether Chen Chao, after disappearing from Dragon Horn Commandery, had run into another problem he could not resolve.

But on second thought, with that great sword immortal protecting him, there was probably no need for her to worry.

As Lu Yuan and Lu Qingling chatted, time passed quickly. Before they knew it, night had fallen. By then, all the carriages at the city gate had entered the city. A soldier guarding the gate jogged over with a smile. "Second Master Lu, you've been waiting a long time. Hurry and enter the city."

The Lu Family was a major merchant family whose caravans entered the Divine Capital year-round, so they were naturally very familiar with the soldiers guarding all four city gates. Lu Yuan smiled faintly, and a middle-aged steward at his side naturally handed over a money pouch.

"Brothers, you have worked hard. Consider this the Lu Family treating everyone to supper."

The Lu Family had always been generous, and since they occasionally needed the soldiers to do them small favors, monetary gifts every so often had become customary. This time, however, the soldier did not accept the money as usual. Instead, he pushed it back and smiled. "Second Master Lu, there's no need. We heard that your branch of the family has donated the profits from several shipments to the court recently. We've all heard about it. Since you're being so noble, it wouldn't feel right for us to take your money."

Lu Yuan was briefly taken aback, but he no longer insisted. After putting the money away, he smiled and said, "Then let it count as you brothers also doing your part for the imperial court."

The soldier smiled and stepped aside to clear the way without saying anything more.

Neither Lu Yuan nor Lu Qingling returned to their carriage. Instead, each picked up a lantern and walked through the gate tunnel, stopping at the side of the main street.

Once these goods were sold after entering the city, seventy percent of the profits would likewise be donated to the court. This was not because the court had openly or secretly demanded it, but entirely of their own accord.

The north was in peril now. Since they could not go to the battlefield, they would at least contribute what little they could.

Watching the wagons continuously enter the city, a trace of weariness finally appeared between Lu Yuan's brows. After decades of traveling all over the world, although times had become much better and there was far less to worry about than before, decades were still decades. His energy was no longer what it once had been. Every trip now was one fewer left to make.

Noticing Lu Yuan's fatigue, Lu Qingling softly said, "Uncle, don't worry about anything else later. Leave it all to me."

Just as Lu Yuan was about to reply, several more lanterns suddenly appeared in the distance, accompanied by the sound of approaching footsteps.

Looking up, Lu Yuan asked curiously, "Xiao Xin, what brings you here?"

The newcomer was none other than Lu Xin, the young man who had become the rising star of the Lu Family. Already exceptionally gifted in business, Lu Xin's status within the family had risen even further after meeting Chen Chao and going into business with the young Lord Warden Commander. At the beginning of the year, the old family head had already entrusted half of the Lu Family's business to Lu Xin. Not only had Lu Xin not disappointed after taking over, but those businesses had flourished even more. Judging by the current situation, this young man, not yet thirty years old, was all but certain to become the next family head.

Nowadays, even members of the Lu Family would probably find it difficult just to get a meeting with Lu Xin.

"Second Uncle, Sister Qingling, you've had a long journey. You must be exhausted."

Although Lu Xin now held an extremely high position within the Lu Family, he remained humble and impeccably courteous, leaving Lu Yuan with nothing to criticize.

Lu Qingling also looked at her younger cousin and gave a slight nod.

After some small talk, Lu Xin got straight to the point. "Second Uncle, I'll have to trouble you with everything that comes afterward. There's a meeting at the ancestral hall tonight, and I need to bring Sister Qingling there."

Lu Yuan was initially stunned and instinctively wanted to ask why, but the question stopped at his lips. Instead, Second Master Lu merely nodded with a smile. "All right. Leave everything here to your second uncle. Don't worry."

Two years ago, Lu Yuan had still held considerable authority within this branch of the family. But with Lu Xin's rise, the true decision-maker had become him. Coupled with Lu Yuan's advancing age and lack of ambition, although he had instinctively wanted to ask what the meeting at the ancestral hall was about, he ultimately said nothing.

He had long since accepted reality. He was old now. This was the younger generation's era.

Lu Xin had come in a hurry and left just as quickly. After bringing Lu Qingling onto the carriage, the young heir of the Lu Family did not say a single word. He merely looked at the lantern in his hand.

Lu Qingling was older than Lu Xin, but her business acumen could not compare to his. Long ago, she had accepted her role as his right-hand assistant. Even so, she still could not figure out why her younger cousin was bringing her to tonight's meeting at the ancestral hall.

Perhaps sensing her unease, Lu Xin finally raised his head to look at his older cousin and softly said, "Elder Sister, don't worry. I'm only bringing you along to give me some courage. You won't have to do anything else."

Hearing that explanation only made Lu Qingling even more curious. Looking at Lu Xin again, she frowned and asked, "What are you planning to do?"c

Lu Xin rubbed his head and shook it, and just said softly, "I'm a little tired. I need to sleep for a while first."

Although Lu Qingling knew perfectly well that her younger cousin was avoiding her question, she did not press him further. She had always remembered the advice her father had given her: in today's Lu Family, even counting the old family head, there was no one who could compare to Lu Xin. Whatever he wanted to do, all she needed to do was support him with all her strength.

So now, Lu Qingling merely looked at Lu Xin, whose eyes were closed, with a complicated expression, wondering what exactly he intended to do.

She had a feeling it would not be a trivial matter.

......

......

The carriage slowly came to a stop. The two of them stepped out, and Lu Qingling looked at the Lu Family ancestral residence before her. As a woman, she had only been qualified to come here a handful of times over the years. But having had so few opportunities to come here, she had never particularly longed to.

Carrying a lantern, Lu Xin entered through the main gate. The servants lining both sides all lowered their heads, though they still secretly glanced at the young man who now stood at the height of his influence within the Lu Family.

Following behind Lu Xin, Lu Qingling saw that the entire ancestral residence was brilliantly lit tonight. She simply did not know whether it was only for tonight or whether it had always been this way.

Holding the lantern, Lu Xin walked slowly along a long corridor. A steward hurried over, looking at Lu Xin with some difficulty. "Young Master, Second Granduncle has already sent people to hurry you several times. So..."

Lu Xin looked at the steward expressionlessly and said, "Is the Lu Family run by Second Granduncle now?"

The steward had always heard that Lu Xin had a good temper, so he had thought this errand would be easy to complete. Who would have expected this young man, who was now at the height of his influence, to be so difficult to deal with?

The steward's face immediately turned pale. With a thud, he dropped to his knees.

"Young Master, this servant was wrong..."

Lu Xin merely glanced at him without saying anything and continued walking forward at the same unhurried pace.

Looking at Lu Xin's back, Lu Qingling remained silent. In a great family like the Lu Family, ability alone, or simply being a good person, was never enough to secure one's footing. If Lu Xin had merely been a nice guy, the Lu Family would never have entrusted him with such immense authority.

So he had to be like this. Only by being like this could he stand firmly among a group of such shrewd people without being bullied.

The corridor stretched for dozens of yards. When the Lu Family ancestral residence had first been built, before anything else had been decided, it had already been decided that this long corridor would lead directly to the ancestral hall.

The thinking of the Lu Family Head at the time had been simple: every descendant should think carefully about what they intended to do before arriving at the ancestral hall.

Standing before the ancestral tablets of their forebears, every word should be thoroughly considered before being spoken.

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