Chapter 5: The Rite of Sacrifice

Yu Che's expression was quite strange as he said: "Craftsman, valiant man, I will present it shortly."

The grandmother needs a strong imagination to understand what has happened. She speculates that the intense expression on his face while eating indicates that Prime Minister Wei is not just satisfied, but has likely experienced a soul-stirring delight.

Although Lü Wu did not understand what "offering" meant, he pretended to comprehend as he consumed the food, pondering the situation of the warrior stepping aside after presenting the food

When Lü Wu arrived at the site, he saw the lamb that had already been roasted

Now, he knows that his grandmother has given up observing for certain reasons

This departure involved leaving behind some gifts, as the person directly left the Lü family.

Lu Wu needed to thoroughly retrace the process of entertaining Prime Minister Wei in his mind

The gift includes a cart whose contents are unknown, as well as nearly 200 people

He looked at the roasted lamb, which still had plenty of meat, then glanced at the warriors eagerly waiting for something, and said: "Let us divide and feast."

However, he was so surprised that his eyes widened, indicating that the food in his mouth brought him a considerable amount of delight

However, I encountered the family elder along the way

The old Lu family is so poor that they are left with only 20 sheep, yet they slaughtered one for a barbecue

Among the forty craftsmen, thirty specialize in goldsmithing, five are carpenters, and five are tilers

Leaving his grandmother's residence, he eagerly went to the craftsman's place

The grandmother, despite her efforts and struggles, might not succeed in hiring a warrior, yet she witnessed Lü Wu effortlessly obtaining fifty warriors from the Wei family

The craftsman noticed the lack of confidence in the old Lu family, and the warriors were essentially the same.

The chief retainer has already prepared the items needed for the "offering" and is just waiting for Lü Wu to arrive

During the banquet, servants from the household continuously came and went, reporting news to the grandmother

Due to a lack of vocabulary, coupled with the limited knowledge of the servant, they can only repeatedly use phrases such as "hastily using chopsticks," "frequently using a spoon," "having a fierce appearance," and so on.

Lü Wu is currently preoccupied with thoughts on how to utilize that group of craftsmen

As a vassal of the Wei family, Yu Che's respect towards Lü Wu this time far exceeded that of previous encounters. He first presented an incomplete list of gifts, which consisted of a string of bamboo slips, yet did not specify what the nature of the cooperation should be

The old Lu family may be able to endure this year, and perhaps even a few more years, but how long can they hold on?

There was no expression, only an explanation

There are actually still some supplies at the Lü family for the time being

The Dan Book is a type of contract written in red cinnabar on bamboo slips, indicating that once it comes into the possession of Lü Wu, it signifies that they will thereafter belong to the Lü family

The term "sacrificial offering" simply refers to a system that confirms the relationship of subordination

They are actually reluctant to become the property of a lesser-known noble family, transitioning from being the household servants of the illustrious Wei clan.

Lu Wu and Yan Huan asked with a smile: "What can you all do?"

However, the grandmother had the family elder invite Lu Wu over

The Lü family will not undergo transformation; decay will become an established fact, it is merely a matter of when they will no longer even be considered nobility

Fifty warriors, they offered their flesh, watching eagerly as Lü Wu gorged himself.

Of course, Lü Wu, due to his lack of understanding of the social interactions among the Spring and Autumn nobility, only learned from some of Yu Che's words that the individuals left behind by the Wei Prime Minister would henceforth belong to the old Lü family.

As for how many more sheep need to be slaughtered, I believe the head of the family will make a decision based on the actual circumstances

After all, his collaboration with the Wei family pertains to metals, and the craftsmen brought over by Wei Xiang are mostly those with relevant expertise

For the Wei family, it is merely plucking a hair

The samurai, however, need to be hired from external sources

All those who were meant to leave have departed

With a leader present, and seeing that Lü Wu clearly had that intention, the remaining craftsmen understood what needed to be done

The servant naturally cannot enter the room; he cannot even approach within five steps of the house. He can only gaze from a distance at the main entrance and then run to inform the grandmother about some of the actions of Prime Minister Wei

The education received from a young age will not lead Minister Wei to exhibit overly intense actions in front of those of unequal status

Although I do not understand, it can still be considered in accordance with the process of "sacrifice"

It is casually placed on a large wooden board, with its own grease visibly flowing, and there is a bronze dagger beside the edge of the board

The Wei family must have sent the craftsmen out, which certainly indicates they are family slaves

The status of artisans is no longer considered lowly; it is merely necessary to distinguish between family slaves and free individuals

After meeting with Lü Wu, Minister Wei believed that the previously established cooperation method was inappropriate and that it was necessary to return and negotiate a new cooperation plan before making a final decision

In other words, before the families of the artisans and the warriors moved in, even if there were official documents, it could not be considered complete

Subsequently, the warriors each cut the lamb meat with daggers and presented it on wooden trays to Lu Wu

The newly arrived craftsmen immediately knelt and saluted upon seeing Lü Wu, appearing somewhat fearful.

He also instructed the steward beside him to go and slaughter a sheep

These may seem quite valuable to the old Lu family

Since we are here, how could the Wei family possibly not have prepared a cooperation plan

Lu Wuyi probably thinks the same way

Lü Wu understood that the nobility valued "silence while eating"; although he was eager to become a commentator, he had to restrain himself.

Previously, Lü Wu had noticed that his grandmother looked at him with a strange gaze. Some actions were done unintentionally, while others were carried out deliberately, repeatedly testing his grandmother's "bottom line"

This indicates that the Wei family originally did not intend to send the craftsmen and soldiers to the Lü family

The craftsman searched through the vocabulary he understood, but for the most part, he did not comprehend the meaning of Lǚ Wǔ's words.

Prime Minister Wei, having eaten to the point of being unable to consume any more, set down his utensils and, seated in his original position, performed a formal bow of respect towards Lu Wuxing.

Whether it is soul swapping or any other matter, the grandmother only values the blood of the Lü family that flows in Lü Wu's veins

He stood up, hesitated for a moment as if to speak, but ultimately said nothing. After bowing once more, he turned and left

It is as if one does not understand how to win people's hearts

The feedback from Prime Minister Wei is both understated and profound

The crucial first step has already been taken, but are we still short of one or two sheep

Even if each person only cuts a small piece of lamb, the accumulation of small amounts will still result in a significant quantity

Later, the family elder will consult with Lu Wu to determine which specific areas of the fief to select for building houses for the warriors and for agricultural use, as this will be considered the proper completion of the established rites of subordination.

Before leaving, Yu Che handed over the box containing the servant's letter to Lü Wu

The chief. The elder kneels and bows, pressing his head to the ground, and speaks tremulously: "The family of the craftsmen and scholars must negotiate with the Wei family"

Some craftsmen, through a combination of guesswork and intuition, cautiously articulated their expertise regarding Lü Wu

Lü Wu understood from the impoverished vocabulary used at home

Even if Lü Wu is not of the Lü family bloodline, as long as he revitalizes the Lü family and serves the ancestors of the Lü family, it is sufficient for the grandmother

Among these two hundred individuals, there are forty craftsmen, one hundred and ten young maids and male servants, and fifty warriors

Lü Wu's thoughts were not on this matter; he merely nodded and continued straight to the craftsman's location

The term "sacrifice" is generally used only within the class of "scholars".

In the Spring and Autumn period, what mattered was not whose blood flowed in whom, as it was quite common for nobles to adopt each other. As long as they could perform ancestral sacrifices, it was not an issue

Lü Wu, who does not understand the social customs of the Spring and Autumn period, does not represent a fool

Lü Wu has arrived at the location

And now, sending people as gifts is not a big deal

At present, Lü Wu has only made a trip to Lü City, where he has successfully attracted the direct lineage of the Wei family, and he is evidently being valued.

"Wu, from now on, there is no need to inform me of matters." The grandmother said淡淡地, deliberately concealing her excitement: "Do your utmost to bear it."

He is conversing with the craftsman when the head of the household arrives again

There was no evaluation of the dishes; instead, there were just one dish after another to taste, and later, an offensive was launched against the dishes that were favored.

This year, the country is set to take significant actions