Chapter 3, the imperial envoy arrives
Lu Yun still privately referred to Lu Xin as father, and Bao Shu's brows twitched slightly. However, His Highness had his own convictions, and there was nothing he could do about it. He could only pretend not to hear and continued to speak to himself: "Young Master, our plan for revenge is finally about to take its first step!"
With a crisp sound of "pa," the opponent's right hand was deflected, but his counterattack followed immediately, with his left fist, elbow, knee, and right foot, all carrying a fierce gust of wind, raining down upon Lu Yun!
Lu Yun nodded slightly and said softly, "My father mentioned that there is an official allowance, which should be to protect this esteemed envoy."
In the room, Lu Yun cleared all distractions, sitting cross-legged steadily on the couch, his body like a withered tree, his heart like cold ashes. His legs embraced the Yang while his hands embraced the Yin, forming the interlocking seal of the Eight Trigrams of the Zodiac. After circulating his energy for several cycles, he felt a gradual warmth rising from the lower Dantian, three inches below the navel, becoming as hot as boiling water
After the establishment of this dynasty, the Xiahou clan became the leader among the seven major aristocratic families, aside from the royal family. Furthermore, ten years ago, after the assassination of Emperor Min, they supported King Ping, who is now the current Emperor Chushi. Over the past decade, the Xiahou clan has held the military and political power of the Daxuan dynasty, with their former students and officials spread throughout the central and local governments, their influence has rapidly expanded, even subtly suggesting a position that could surpass that of the royal family
Only then did Lu Yun remain unhurried, his hands moving swiftly as he countered each move! In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged over ten blows, their actions so fast that they were barely discernible!
It has been ten years since I left Beijing, and I do not know how that woman is doing... However, I suppose it cannot be well.
"Young Master, please do not say such things," said Bao Shu with a sorrowful smile, his voice hoarse. "If I were to forget that you are His Highness, I would also forget that I am Du Mao..."
Before the establishment of the Great Xuan Dynasty, the land of Huaxia experienced several centuries of turmoil. The northern Hu tribes rose successively, driving the Han people and the Great Qian regime to the south. Over the course of several hundred years, the Hu tribes established their regimes in the north and ravaged the Han people, while the southern Great Qian regime sought only to preserve itself, content with a state of passive security.
In just over twenty years, it is insufficient to erase the deep chasm formed by centuries of division between the North and the South. The gentry and common people of the South regard themselves as the legitimate heirs of China, looking down upon the regime established by the Northerners. Meanwhile, the Northern court and aristocracy treat the prosperous South as mere prey to be exploited, seizing land and establishing estates, which further exacerbates the conflict between the North and the South
The court occasionally dispatched imperial envoys to the south to assess the achievements of various provinces in suppressing rebellions. The reports from these envoys became crucial criteria for the promotion of local officials. Therefore, whenever an imperial envoy arrived, the governors of various regions would be on high alert, handling matters with utmost care, fearing that any oversight might ruin their future prospects
... ...
But what of it? He is merely a minor official of the sixth rank, a county lieutenant, who can only be manipulated by the big shots and serve as a background figure. How can he possibly qualify as exceptional?
This is the imperial envoy flag bestowed by the emperor
This is the Royal Extreme Cave Profound Skill
"Not bad," Lu Yun looked at his long hands and said coldly, "I have waited for this day for a long time!"
However, the opponent was completely unaffected, and the knife-hand had already reached Lu Yun's jaw! Without a moment's hesitation, Lu Yun raised his hand and waved it, causing the soft sleeve of his garment to arrive before the strike, snapping down like a whip onto the opponent's hand!
Ultimately, the Han people of the North abandoned their expectations of the Southern Dynasties' royal army. Under the leadership of the Eight Great Families, they rose in rebellion. After more than a decade of bloody battles, they finally drove the barbarian invaders back to the steppes. The prominent families collectively supported the Huangfu clan as their leader, establishing the Great Xuan Dynasty
After the establishment of the Great Xuan, Emperor Gaozu led his troops southward, extinguishing the decaying Great Qian Dynasty, and reunifying the land of Huaxia, which had been divided for several hundred years, a mere twenty years ago
... ...
Today, the important figures of the Xiahou clan, as the imperial envoy on a southern tour, how could the local officials not be filled with trepidation and fear? Before the arrival of Lord Xiahou Lei, the governor of Yangzhou led the civil and military officials of the province to respectfully welcome the imperial envoy at the borders of the state, kneeling to receive the esteemed presence of the envoy. Lu Xin, serving as the deputy official of Wu County in Yangzhou, was also among the welcoming party.
A series of attacks proved ineffective, and the opponent leaped backward, planting both feet firmly on the ground, no longer engaging in combat. At that moment, another flash of lightning illuminated the room, revealing the opponent's hunched back and the jagged scars crisscrossing their face.
At the critical moment, Lu Yun, who had been in a state of meditation like a clay sculpture, suddenly opened his eyes! His gaze seemed to radiate a divine light, captivating the heart and soul! Yet, in an instant, the brilliance receded, returning to normal, leaving the ambusher with a sense of illusion!
A flash of lightning split the night sky, illuminating the world in a brilliant white, and casting a stark reflection on a pale face
Then, one could see the other party kneeling on one knee, their voice hoarse and scraping like metal, saying: "Young master, your martial arts have improved again, and our hope for revenge has grown!"
Bao Shu is indeed Du Mao. When he arrived in Qiantang County and discovered that the Crown Prince was still alive, protecting the Crown Prince became Du Mao's top priority. In order to conceal his identity, he disfigured his appearance and damaged his vocal cords, disguising himself as a camel driver named Lu Bao. Under the arrangement of Lu Xin, he became a servant in the Lu family's estate in Jiangnan.
In the late night, the rain fell heavier and heavier, accompanied by flashes of lightning and the roar of thunder
The spring thunder rumbles in the three palaces, concealing the vital energy of the primordial ancestor
Lu Xin was lost in thought when suddenly he heard the long sound of a horn. He looked up and saw a large group of cavalry marching towards him, proudly holding their banners as they came down the official road. Among the dozens of flags, two stood out particularly. The foremost was a royal blue banner, emblazoned with seven large golden characters: 'Imperial Envoy for the Pacification of Jiangnan'
This is the clan flag of the Xiahou family
For over twenty years, the prominent families in the south have repeatedly rebelled under the banner of the Great Qian Dynasty, only to be suppressed by the court time and again. To this day, in several provinces of the south, the main officials are still uniformly from the north. These officials, hailing from royal lineage and the seven great families, have the primary mission of monitoring the southern gentry and eliminating any rebellion in its infancy.
He actually claims to be Du Mao! The handsome and dashing Du Mao, who is admired by countless socialites in the capital!
Lu Yun looked at Uncle Bao's ferocious face and gave up his insistence
On the other side of the similarly sized black flag, there are two large characters in seal script: "Xiahou"! Surrounding the characters "Xiahou" is a circle of fierce tiger patterns! The back of the flag simply features the head of a tiger, ready to devour its prey!
This time, the imperial envoy holds an even more significant identity. He is none other than the head of the Xiahou clan, the Duke of the State, and the current Grand Tutor, Xiahou Ba's brother, the valiant Marquis and Left General, Xiahou Lei
However, if one were to consider the situation from another's perspective, the governor may not be feeling at ease either. The usually imposing provincial officials, a dignified third-rank governor, at this moment resemble a partridge in the cold wind, feeling anxious and uneasy. A flattering smile has already appeared on their face, but surely, they are not feeling well inside.
Looking at the more than 200 colleagues surrounding him in a dark and oppressive atmosphere, Lu Xin felt an overwhelming sense of depression
Lu Yun remained seated in a cross-legged position, showing no intention of launching an attack
Even the highly anticipated and exalted envoy may not find complete satisfaction. It is said that the Xiahou family has extremely strict rules, and the family head, Xiahou Ba, does not hesitate to discipline his descendants with the family law, even his elder brother, who is already of considerable age, is no exception. As for the valiant Marquis Xiahou Lei, he has somewhat fallen short of expectations. When Lu Xin was in the capital, he occasionally heard that he was beaten so severely by his elder brother that he could not get out of bed. ... It is unknown whether he has endured further beatings in these years ... and as for the valiant Marquis Xiahou Lei, he has somewhat fallen short of expectations. When Lu Xin was in the capital, he occasionally heard that he was beaten so severely by his elder brother that he could not get out of bed. ... It is unknown whether he has endured further beatings in these years ...
After ten years, Uncle Bao has become the steward of the estate, appearing from time to time to hone the young master's martial skills, and more importantly, to keep him constantly alert
Two flags fly side by side, fluttering proudly over the land of Jiangbei
Uncle Bao assisted Lu Yun in tidying up the room, and then knelt down with his hands hanging at his sides on the mat beside the couch, respectfully reporting: "Young Master, Xiahou Lei will arrive in Wu County in ten days."
The thunder rumbled, and through the curtain of rain, a shadow faintly emerged, leaping over the courtyard wall, appearing outside Lu Yun's room like a swimming fish. Then, without a sound, it opened the window, and its form transformed into a sharp arrow, shooting towards Lu Yun, who was in the midst of cultivating his energy, with its right hand, fingers together like a blade, slashing towards his throat
The governor has already hurriedly welcomed him, and Lu Xin quickly composed himself, following his colleagues to keep pace with the official, preparing to respectfully greet the imperial envoy! Respectfully welcoming the representative of the Xiahou clan!
Lu Yun sighed lightly and said: "Bao Shu, how many times must I say it? Do not kneel. I am no longer His Highness, and you are no longer the Imperial Guard."
True water rises from the palace of hidden essence, flowing along the Ren and Du meridians into the palace of stored energy beneath his heart, transforming into his own vital energy. The vital energy accumulates increasingly in the crimson palace of the golden threshold, ultimately condensing into strands of golden light that converge into the ancestral orifice at his brow. This process is exceedingly slow, yet with each cycle of the celestial circuit, a strand of golden light is accumulated. After half an hour, the ancestral orifice at his brow is enveloped in a golden-white radiance. The entire person becomes vibrant with life, every inch of skin translucent and crystal-like, resembling a newborn infant. After half an hour, the ancestral orifice at his brow is enveloped in a golden-white radiance. The entire person becomes vibrant with life, every inch of skin translucent and crystal-like, resembling a newborn infant.