Chapter 366: The Lu Family Comes Calling

The people of the Beggar Sect sub-branch had already been wiped out.

Very few people still recognized Yang Feiyue.

But to be safe, Yang Feiyue still needed to disguise himself to avoid unnecessary complications.

In his daily life, he trained together with Ye Baiyi, Lin Jiahe, Chen Gang, and the others.

This old fox was a seasoned operator. He very quickly blended in with everyone here. Even Gao Quan’s team saw him only as one of the Hall Master’s old subordinates from the Sanjiang Branch Helm, calling him brother and never realizing that this was the Gang Leader of the Yulong Gang.

Two more days passed.

The number of Jianghu people in Sanhe Commandery continued to grow.

Some had even come all the way from the capital specifically to register for the Caobang’s martial tournament.

At present, the restaurants and inns of Sanhe Commandery did not have a single room to spare.

Lin Cunxin had originally been displeased at the thought of spending five or six thousand taels of gold, but now the business of the Caobang’s restaurants, inns, and brothels was booming by the day. Even shipping business had surged by several tenths. He was smiling so widely every day that he could barely close his mouth, and he made a point of going out for a stroll daily just to witness this flourishing scene for himself.

“Divine Physician Shen.”

On this particular day, Lin Cunxin had only just stepped out when he encountered a familiar face hurrying toward the hall. Recognizing the man, he at once cupped his fists in greeting.

The newcomer was none other than Divine Physician Shen, followed by two women dressed like maids.

“Divine Physician Shen, are you here to see Old Seven?”

Lin Cunxin distinctly remembered that no one in the hall was injured.

Divine Physician Shen smiled warmly and cupped his fists in return. “Hall Master Lin, I hope you are well. This old man has come today because I wish to see Hall Master Wangchuan.”

“Oh, quickly, inform Hall Master Wangchuan.”

Lin Cunxin did not think much of it.

Wangchuan had been cultivating 《Cloud Ladder》 in the training grounds. The moment he heard that Divine Physician Shen was looking for him, he immediately ran out to receive him.

By then, Lin Cunxin was already seated in the main hall with Divine Physician Shen.

The two maids at the side looked somewhat familiar.

Xiumei?

And the other one...

seemed to be the young woman he had rescued from the Five Poisons Sect branch helm.

Understanding dawned on Wangchuan at once.

“Hall Master Lin, many thanks. Leave this to me.”

With that single smiling sentence, Wangchuan sent the bewildered Lin Cunxin away.

The latter walked out shaking his head, baffled as he thought to himself:

“Both of those maids are martial artists. Could they be here to arrange a match for Wangchuan?”

Divine Physician Shen watched Lin Cunxin depart before lowering his voice to Wangchuan.

“Hall Master Wangchuan, I have come today because I have an awkward favor to ask.”

“Please, speak.”

“Do you still remember this girl, Hall Master Wangchuan?”

Divine Physician Shen pointed to the young woman he had rescued.

She was in the first bloom of youth, with fair, clean skin, an oval face, and eyes that were bright and clear. She was a budding beauty. The pale green dress she wore was made of an uncommon fabric, faintly bringing out a touch of noble grace.

“Senior Shen, please be more explicit.”

Suppressing the doubts in his heart, Wangchuan urged him to continue.

Only then did Divine Physician Shen explain the purpose of this visit in full:

“This is Lu Ningshuang.”

“A disciple of Medicine King Valley.”

Wangchuan’s heart stirred.

Lu?

“She also has another identity—she is the youngest daughter of the Lu Family of Qinghe Commandery.”

At Divine Physician Shen’s final introduction, Wangchuan could not help drawing a slightly deeper breath. He looked her up and down, then nodded.

“So you are the young lady of the Lu Family of Qinghe Commandery. My apologies for the disrespect.”

“...”

Lu Ningshuang gave a slight curtsy in return.

“Hall Master Wangchuan, you once saved my life. I have come specially to thank you.”

Her voice was clear and crisp as ringing chimes, refreshing to the heart and pleasing to the ear.

Wangchuan smiled faintly.

“I was only carrying out a trust. Miss Lu need not keep it on her mind.”

Divine Physician Shen nodded with a smile.

“Ningshuang has come this time not only to thank you in person, but also because of a matter involving the Lu Family. She wishes to ask Hall Master Wangchuan for help.”

“The Lu Family.”

“Miss Lu, please speak.”

Wangchuan knew that the Lu Family of Qinghe Commandery wielded great power and influence. Why would they have some matter that required his help?

Divine Physician Shen then laid out the situation.

As it turned out,

the Lu Family was currently being targeted severely by the Beggar Sect. Every day, someone was being killed in some supposed accident. Although they were only peripheral members of the family, the Lu Family Patriarch was growing increasingly unable to bear the strain.

Just at this time, the Caobang’s martial tournament was about to begin. Lu Ping’an, the Lu Family’s young master—and Lu Ningshuang’s elder brother—had taken it into his head to come to Sanhe Commandery. One reason was to visit his most cherished little sister. The second was to meet a few Jianghu experts.

By the Patriarch’s arrangement, a Caobang convoy had escorted him out of Qinghe Commandery overnight and into Sanhe Commandery. He was about to arrive at the prefectural seat.

When Lu Ningshuang received the news, she became deeply worried for her elder brother’s safety.

In Qinghe Commandery, the young master was protected by family experts, so it was difficult for the Beggar Sect’s fifth-rank martial artists to find an opening.

But once word spread that he had come to Sanhe Commandery, then staying at an inn or restaurant, with only that small number of guards around him, he would be utterly unable to withstand an assassination attempt by a fifth-rank martial artist.

Lu Ningshuang therefore sought help from Divine Physician Shen.

But how could Divine Physician Shen possibly have the ability to protect Lu Ping’an?

After much thought, the safest place seemed to be the Caobang hall. Thus he could only shamelessly come and plead with Wangchuan.

“...”

Wangchuan could neither laugh nor cry.

Lu Ping’an had been drawn to Sanhe Commandery by the martial tournament.

He had not expected that this matter would actually connect back to himself as well.

Back then, it had been he who reminded Old Seven to seek help from the Lu Family of Qinghe Commandery, which had led the Lu Family into enmity with the Beggar Sect;

and now the martial tournament that had attracted Lu Ping’an’s attention had also been his own handiwork...

What tangled fate.

Wangchuan did not agree at once.

Seeing this, Lu Ningshuang quickly pleaded:

“Hall Master Wangchuan, please rest assured. My elder brother is a very good man. He is not some overbearing young master, and he has always doted on me. If I speak, he will certainly stay in the hall and will not cause you trouble! When the time comes, I will stay with my elder brother as well... We will do our best not to expose ourselves outwardly and will not create trouble for the Hall Master.”

“...”

Wangchuan rubbed his temples and asked,

“What rank is your elder brother? Which division of the martial tournament does he intend to enter? How many guards does he have, and what are their levels of strength?”

Lu Ningshuang immediately answered,

“My elder brother is already a third-rank martial artist.”

“This time, the guards accompanying him number two, and both are family experts—fourth-rank martial artists.”

Wangchuan’s eyes lit up.

Two fourth-rank martial artists as guards...

The Lu Family truly did have a deep foundation.

At the very least, those two fourth-rank martial artists could hold out for some time when facing a fifth-rank martial artist!

No fifth-rank martial artist, no matter who it was, could hope to quickly kill a third-rank martial artist under protection like that.

So long as they were somewhat careful, there should not be much problem on the safety front.

At the same time, he could also use those two fourth-rank martial artists to strengthen the hall’s security.

Most importantly of all,

the Lu Family ran silver banks and remittance houses, possessed enormous wealth, and had close ties to the Ministry of Revenue and certain high officials of the court...

This was yet another excellent opportunity to spread his name.

“Good!”

“Since Senior Shen and Miss Lu have both personally come to my door to ask this favor, and since the Lu Family’s young master is risking his safety to attend our Caobang martial tournament, then naturally Wangchuan cannot turn him away. So long as he remains within the bounds of my hall, Wangchuan can ensure the young master’s safety.”

“Many thanks, Hall Master Wangchuan!”

“Many thanks, Hall Master Wangchuan.”

Divine Physician Shen and Lu Ningshuang thanked him at the same time.