Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 45

Before you complete the task of forcing the Snow Woman to surrender, Yanchun-kun, you must live well!

------

The affairs of Yan Chunjun's household management used to be extremely important. But now, they can be resolved by force in just one night.

Yan Chunjun is no longer a problem.

With the steward's sincere cooperation, Luqiu Pavilion could proceed more steadily. By gradually absorbing the power of the Yan Kingdom, the peasant family's population and resource reserves could be increased much more easily.

In the martial arts world of Jicheng, Luqiu Pavilion has already become a very important force.

Then, one piece of good news after another came: Fan Yuqi was found by Lu Yu and his men.

Quite coincidentally, Fan Yuqi was discovered at the north gate of Jicheng as a disciple of the Farmer's School.

The method this Qin general used to enter the city was exactly the same as what Lu Wei did with his four henchmen in the past.

Smiling, he ordered his disciples to hang a red flag on the roof of Luqiu Pavilion to inform Tian Guang that Lu Wei had not gone to meet this world-renowned Qin general out of curiosity.

The only value this person has left is to offer their head when they die; why bother visiting them?

Chapter 63 Ju Wu

Although Fan Yuqi has been found, the surveillance at the four city gates cannot be withdrawn for the time being.

He specifically instructed Lu Yu to postpone the deadline for the city gate disciples' mission until the end of the year, in order to cover his tracks.

The official pretext for this Luqiu Pavilion operation has always been to capture peasant rebels, but there are bound to be forces in Jicheng watching his every move as the head of the Gonggong Hall. We cannot let our guard down just because we have succeeded.

You have to put on a show a lot.

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye. Even though Tian Guang himself was not in Jicheng, he was able to learn about the information from Luqiu Pavilion. No one knew where he came from, but he secretly talked with Fan Yuqi for about the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn before taking the Qin general away.

During this period, Lu Wei focused on improving his martial arts skills, only occasionally summoning Shan Yu Mu Ye to ask questions and chat, and did not care about Tian Guang's affairs.

Even when it came to the request from Steward Yan Chunjun, he entrusted Lu Shan with full authority.

According to Lu Ni's bold tests and evaluations, the steward's current martial arts level is comparable to the Luo Wang Killer level.

This is a direct confrontation without dodging or avoiding. If he were to resort to underhanded tricks or make good use of the Flying Snow technique, the Killing level would be far beyond Lu Wei's true strength.

In addition, he has been hiding the Soul-Sweeping Technique, a mental attack method.

The unique nature of this skill means it cannot be easily exposed. Once the whole world knows that Chief Steward Lu can attack people's minds and that everyone is extremely careful when fighting him, then this skill will not be able to play its key role.

With the Soul-Sweeping Technique, Lu Wei could kill most of the ordinary Luo Wang Killer-level enemies.

However, compared to those at the Heavenly level, he still lacks some foundational knowledge and experience.

In terms of combat experience, with the disciples of Luqiu Pavilion who can form the Twenty-Four Earthly Branches, and with Lu Ni available at any time, he improved very quickly.

However, the accumulation of internal strength is a skill that comes naturally. Although the Rejuvenation Skill is easy to learn and has remarkable effects, each step forward is no different from ordinary internal skills. It requires time to hone one's skills and cannot be rushed.

The Power Pills in the shop can shorten real-world time. Lu Wei once took a course of ten pills from the newbie gift pack, but he hasn't touched them since.

The Power Pill package, originally priced at a thousand gold pieces, is simply too expensive without any discounts for new users.

After dealing with the bandits in Zhuang Town at the beginning of the year, Lu Wei's shop points exceeded the four-digit limit. Practically speaking, he had the funds to buy another course of Qi-enhancing pills.

However, there are no powerful enemies around for a long time, and Lu Ni is protecting him. Fei Xue is also a master at running away in case of an emergency.

He didn't have a strong incentive to spend this fortune.

Save up some more, and when you have five figures in the mall points, you can exchange them for a red-level martial arts technique.

Alternatively, you could buy an advanced upgrade ticket to upgrade the Soul-Sweeping Skill to red quality in one go. Then, if you encounter a situation like the one with Steward Yan Chunjun before, you won't have to use the enemy's relatives as hostages in such a rude and impolite manner.

Just go straight to hypnotic training~

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This June began with an event that, while not particularly serious, was nonetheless significant enough to leave its mark on history:

Han Fei, a Confucian scholar and the synthesizer of Legalism, entered Qin last year and died in Qin prison this year.

This news would certainly cause a stir in Xianyang and Xinzheng, but in Jicheng and Luqiu Pavilion, apart from Lu Wei sighing for a while before continuing to draw his sword and attack Lu Ni, no one paid any attention.

For the common people of Yan, the death of a Han prince whose name they had never heard of in the tyrannical Qin dynasty could become a topic of conversation after drinking, but after the discussion, it would be forgotten.

"Chief Steward Lu, Lord Ju Wu, request an audience with you."

After the disciple who reported Han Fei's death withdrew, another disciple stood by the edge of the training ground, cupping his hands in greeting, and hurriedly spoke.

"Ju Wu?"

He used Flying Snow to break free from Lu Ni's sword stance, casually tossing his longsword aside: "That Prince Dan's teacher?"

After wiping the sweat from his brow with a towel offered by a maid, and waving for Lu Ni to step down, Lu Wei leaped off the training platform: "He's here in person?"

"Indeed, Lord Ju Wu is in the main hall right now, and Steward Shan is receiving him."

"Not sending a formal invitation or informing the guest is hardly the proper etiquette of a nobleman." Lu Wei paused, then continued, "But since you're here..."

"Go and inform Steward Shan to arrange for this Lord Ju Wu to go to the reception room on the second floor."

...

According to legend, the Ju clan of Yan was founded by Ji Sheng, the eldest son of King Yi of Yan, after he failed to seize the throne and fled to Liaodong. They also have royal blood from the Yan royal family.

This Ju Wu is Ji Sheng's great-grandson. If we consider seniority within the clan, he is two generations higher than the current Prince of Yan, Xi.

He currently serves as the Grand Tutor in the Yan court, and is the teacher of Crown Prince Dan. He has an extremely close relationship with Prince Dan.

After Yan Dan went to Qin, he basically commanded the power of the Crown Prince's residence. However, the awkward thing was that Ju Wu was completely suppressed by Lord Yan Chun on every level...

After Luqiu Pavilion made contact with Steward Yanchun Jun, it established a close relationship with Yanchun Jun's residence, a fact well-known among the powerful and influential people of Jicheng.

On the surface, although Luqiu Pavilion has never had a direct conflict with the Crown Prince's Mansion, it is clearly an enemy of the Crown Prince's Mansion.

Ju Wu knew this all along, yet he still came to visit in person, and so suddenly...

In Lu Wei's view, there is only one possibility...

...

Having guessed the purpose of the visitor, Lu Wei strode into the reception room: "Grand Tutor, you have come in person. I have failed to entertain you properly. I hope you will forgive me."

Ju Wu was an upright old man who practiced martial arts. Lu Wei could sense his extraordinary internal strength even outside the conference room.

In terms of official rank, he was even higher than Xiang Dong, whom Chief Steward Lu had met in the State of Chu. Even the Chief Steward, who had recently become somewhat arrogant, had to give him some face on the surface.

"Chief Steward Lu is a young prodigy. He rose from a deserter from Zhao to become the chief steward of a farming family at a young age, so he is naturally extremely busy."

Ju Wu's voice was deep and his eyes were clear: "I, Ju, have been impolite in coming here today, and I should be apologizing to Steward Lu!"

The old tutor appeared amiable, but there was no hint of apology in his tone.

Very few people knew that Lu Wei was a deserter from the Zhao state, and as time went by, this secret should normally be forgotten very quickly.

In the entire city of Ji, only the Xu family, father and son, knew this secret...

"Your Excellency is too kind," Lu Wei said with a broad smile. Ju Wu had pointed out his deserter identity in an attempt to gain the upper hand in the ensuing conversation. However, he himself never minded having this identity known to outsiders.

"Your Excellency has rendered great service, protecting the people of Ji City and ensuring their peace and prosperity for the King and the Crown Prince." The chief steward calmly sat down opposite Ju Wu: "Even the renowned Lord Yanchun fears Your Excellency's prestige."

"What brings you here alone to this lowly place, Luqiu Pavilion, today?"

"Using fine timber from Liaodong, lavishly draped with the finest silks of Chu, and adorned with treasures from the Shu Mountains, Steward Lu's Luqiu Pavilion is no lowly place..." Ju Wu straightened his back, his eyes wide, creating an imposing aura emanating from above:

"I came here on the occasion of receiving a report from officials that Steward Lu has kidnapped a relative of the steward of Lord Yanchun's residence, forcing him to serve him..."

"I wonder, Steward Lu, is this true?"

Chapter 64 Shadowless

Sure enough.

The fact that this Grand Tutor of Yan State would disregard his status to come to Luqiu Pavilion suggests that his intentions must involve Lord Yanchun.

Apart from the Prince of Yan, who was indulging in debauchery, there were only two factions fighting each other in the entire city of Ji, and the officials in the court were basically either one or the other.

However, Ju Wu's excuse of "official reporting" was too far-fetched, and of course, it couldn't be that the steward risked his life to report the head steward.

According to Lu Wei's guess, the Crown Prince's residence probably sent intelligence agents to monitor Yan Chunjun's residence and the families of important members of the residence a long time ago.

Yan Chunjun treated the Crown Prince's faction the same way.

Lu Wei's control over the butler was rather crude, mainly because the butler's sudden change of attitude that day left him no time to make more detailed arrangements.

In other words, Yan Chunjun trusted Jueying and the steward so much that he was only concerned with suppressing political enemies and indulging in pleasure, which is why he did not discover that his subordinate's relatives had disappeared for more than a month.

However, the Crown Prince's residence, which was struggling to breathe under the pressure of Yan Chunjun's power, was eager to fight back and thus keenly noticed this anomaly.

As for how Ju Wu found him by following the clues from the anomalies... it can only be that Lu Shan and the butler revealed some clues during their conversation...

However, Ju Wu's real purpose in coming to Luqiu Pavilion was certainly not to seek justice for Yan Chunjun's dog. He just wanted to use this as leverage to recruit himself, and even the entire Gonggong Hall, for Prince Dan.

Coming here alone is both a sign of the Grand Tutor's sincerity and a threat.

After all, Lu Wei wouldn't dare kill him, he couldn't even imprison him.

If Luqiu Pavilion is ungrateful and refuses to be used by the Crown Prince's Mansion, then Ju Wu can use various means to bring this matter to the forefront of Yan Chun Jun's mind and watch Yan Chun Jun rage and wipe out this branch of the Yan Kingdom of the Farmer Clan.

In this way, the peasant family and Lord Yanchun became mortal enemies, and the Crown Prince's Mansion still benefited, albeit less.

In Ju Wu's view, the boy in front of him had no choice but to obediently submit and lead Luqiu Pavilion to become the Crown Prince's henchmen.

This is a gift I prepared for His Highness the Crown Prince before his return!

"You jest, sir! There's absolutely no such thing!"

Lu Wei met the Grand Tutor's gaze without fear, his expression relaxed and composed, showing no sign of panic: "My disciples are all honest farmers, how could we commit such a vicious act as kidnapping someone else's relatives?"

"Besides, the kidnapping target is the steward of Lord Yanchun's mansion. I can't even see such an important person normally!"

"Someone must be trying to bully us good people by making false accusations."

"Your Excellency is discerning and surely would not believe such a lie."

"Oh?"

Ju Wu, unsure whether the young man before him was genuinely foolish or harboring illusions, raised his voice seriously: "Is this a false accusation? I am old and frail, and it would be difficult for me to ascertain..."

"Out of public interest, I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to report this to Lord Yanchun and ask him to look into the matter."