Chapter 5, Catastrophe

Zhu Houzhong replied with a smile: "Indeed, but it is not stealing from your father; your father has given you all the money, he truly cares for you. This is stealing from our own family, hehe." Upon hearing this, Lu Bing was almost brought to tears, quickly looking up to the sky to suppress his tears.

Lu Song nodded appreciatively at Lu Bing's carefree demeanor and said: "My son, you must be cautious. Without your father to watch over you on this journey, you must navigate on your own. Do not act impulsively or recklessly."

This journey lasted an entire night, and by the time dawn broke the next day, the chestnut horse was frothing at the mouth. Only then did Lu Bing rein in the horse and, after inquiring with an early-rising old farmer, learned that they had already arrived at Dongqiao Town. Lu Bing felt somewhat reassured, gave the horse some water to drink, pulled some fodder from the roadside, and then slowly led the horse toward the town.

The burly man approached quickly, first sniffing the air, his beard nearly dipping into the bowl. He then took the bowl with one hand, unbothered by the heat, his dark fingers plunging into the bowl, completely disregarding Lu Bing. The man set the bowl down on the nearby table, pulled out a pair of chopsticks from the holder, wiped them on his filthy clothes, and was about to eat. Lu Bing frowned, wondering how he could encounter a bully wherever he went; it was truly bizarre.

Lu Bing nodded, feeling that his father's words were reasonable. He then took out a small wooden box from his pocket and handed it to Xiao Rui, forcing a smile as he said, "This is for you, Xiao Rui. I apologize for what happened this morning." After saying this, he quickly walked towards the door. Lu Song stood in place, not seeing him off, but merely watching his son's figure, then he sighed deeply: "My son, whether it is a blessing or a curse, it depends on your fate."

Lu Bing was aware that his mother was already pregnant. As long as his mother pleaded for him later, his father would surely forgive him. He must not relent at this moment, as the saying goes: "Confession leads to leniency, while resistance leads to severe punishment." This is precisely the principle at play.

Lu Bing took the knife, and Lu Song handed Lu Bing a stack of banknotes and a small package. It goes without saying that the package contained silver and other valuables. The stack of paper banknotes was one of the salaries issued by the court, the Da Ming Tong Bao. Although it has depreciated significantly now, and many merchants refuse to accept this currency, on the road to escape, one cannot be so picky; it is better than nothing.

Lu Bing has been kneeling for two hours already. When he entered just now, Lu Song happened to see him. Lu Song initially thought the two young men had gone out to play, so he did not pay much attention, turning a blind eye and letting it pass, not wanting to be too strict in his discipline.

When he stood up, Lu Bing's legs truly felt uncomfortable. After kneeling for two hours, his legs had long since gone numb, and now he could only walk towards the door like a person with a limp. Lu Bing turned his head to Lu Song and said, "Father, I still want to go see Mother"

Lu Bing was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, thinking that even in that era, there were gossips. Lu Bing knew he was in a predicament and naturally could not reveal the truth. Therefore, he had to concoct a reason to get by. Just at that moment, the dish was ready, and the cook called for the waiter, who then ran off, saving him from further explanation.

Lu Song shook his head and said: "Your mother is pregnant and cannot withstand any provocation; you should leave. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Once the storm has passed, you can return home quietly."

Unexpectedly, upon a glance, I saw a smear of blood on Zhu Houzhong's hem, and my heart sank as I realized that my son Lu Bing must have gone off with Zhu Houzhong to engage in reckless behavior. Zhu Houzhong had always been playful; during the last incident, he insisted on taking Lu Bing with him when he fell into the water. Lu Bing had no choice but to comply. Zhu Houzhong noticed that the water had already frozen and wanted to go play on it, not knowing that the ice surface would crack. Zhu Houzhong fell into the water, and Lu Bing exerted all his strength to save him, but then he sank from exhaustion. Fortunately, a fisherman rescued Lu Bing, and he is now safe and has fully recovered.

Zhu Houzhong nodded and said, "Rest assured, no matter what, I am still a prince. I am not afraid of that little Jiang Bin. Hmph, one day I will kill him." As he spoke, a hint of murderous intent flashed in Zhu Houzhong's eyes, but it quickly subsided. He tossed a package to Lu Bing.

Xiao Rui approached carrying a bundle, which contained provisions and clothing. Lu Song took it and handed it to Lu Bing. After a moment's thought, he ran back to the room and retrieved a waist knife, which he gave to Lu Bing. Lu Bing recognized it as a family heirloom, with an exceptionally sharp blade that could easily cut through hair. It had a history of several hundred years, and the hilt was shaped like a fierce tiger's head. Although its appearance was ancient and rugged, it perfectly matched the Lu family's ancestral technique known as the "Thirteen Deadly Blades." Although only three moves of this technique remained, its power was still undiminished.

Lu Bing did not shed tears, nor did he express sorrow; he simply held back the tears that threatened to overflow and said to Lu Song: "Father, I will surely carve out a place for myself and return home in glory"

The scabbard was added by later generations, indicating that the family was relatively well-off at that time. It was made of shark skin and adorned with various gemstones. Lu Bing did not hesitate; he knew that this journey would be one of desperation, necessitating a weapon for protection. It was disheartening for Lu Bing to find himself in such a predicament, having not yet fully enjoyed the good days.

This shopkeeper is quite the chatterbox: "Esteemed guest, you certainly know how to eat. This lamb noodle soup should be enjoyed in the first bowl. The broth and the meat are not cooked in the same pot; the broth below is freshly made from last night, while the meat is from the old stock. The lamb broth simmered overnight, and when it boiled this morning, oh, that rich flavor, I can hardly contain my saliva. Why is the first bowl considered the best? Because, as the saying goes, in the subsequent bowls, the flour in the lamb soup increases, and the broth becomes less rich. Those who know how to appreciate it dare to have the first bowl. Today, you are fortunate to have arrived just in time. I must ask, esteemed guest, where do you come from, looking so weary from your travels?"

The waiter approached with a bowl of lamb noodles in one hand and a small bowl of condiments in the other, smiling as he walked. He couldn't help but swallow repeatedly as he walked, while Lu Bing's eyes were fixed intently on the corner of the waiter's mouth, fearing that he might accidentally let a few drops of saliva fall into the dish.

Lu Song naturally did not dare to reprimand Shen for questioning Zhu Houzhong, even though Zhu Houzhong was just a child; he was still a prince. Lu Bing, on the other hand, received double the punishment, kneeling until he clarified the issue.

Zhu Houzhong led a chestnut horse, personally assisting Lu Bing in adjusting the stirrups. Lu Bing no longer lingered, pried open the tightly clasped hands of Xiao Rui, slung the package diagonally across his body, and then said: "Brother Hong, as we depart this time, I do not know when we will meet again. If the authorities investigate today’s events, you must place all the blame on me. After all, I will be gone, and they cannot catch me."

As the waiter was halfway through carrying the bowl, he heard a hearty laugh from outside: "Hahaha, what a fragrant bowl of noodles! It seems to be the first bowl prepared for me, Lord Xia." As he spoke, a burly man with a full beard walked in. Despite the cold winter, the man had his chest exposed, revealing a tuft of hair over his heart, and a butcher's knife was tucked into his waist. It was evident that he was a butcher, a standard and pure one.

"A bowl of lamb noodles, please." Lu Bing said wearily, his voice weak. The waiter, displaying keen insight, poured a pot of hot tea and said, "Please wait a moment, have some hot tea to warm yourself up."

Lu Bing stepped out of the courtyard, and Xiao Rui chased after him, embracing Lu Bing from behind and quietly weeping. However, they heard Zhu Houzhong's voice call out: "What time is it now? How can we afford to indulge in matters of love? Brother Bing, hurry up and mount the horse"

Looking back at the home that is becoming increasingly distant, along with the two small figures of Zhu Houzhong and Xiao Rui, and thinking of his pregnant mother and his father, who is serious yet protective like a mountain, Lu Bing could not help but shed tears. As the saying goes, a man does not easily shed tears, but it is only because he has not yet reached the point of sorrow.

However, after Lu Bing's recovery, his temperament underwent a significant change. The previously honest and loyal Lu Bing was no longer present; he became even more mischievous than Zhu Houzong, and his strange ideas were incessant. He often spoke peculiar words and engaged in odd behaviors. Nevertheless, although his reading and writing skills had slightly declined, his learning ability was remarkably strong; he could remember everything he had seen, and his martial arts skills improved rapidly. In this regard, Lu Song felt a mix of joy and concern.

Lu Bing realized that the matter had already been exposed, but he did not expect to have caused such a significant trouble. Jiang Bin and Qian Ning, whom he had studied about in history textbooks, were both notorious war criminals, and now he had actually provoked one of them. In Lu Bing's impression, war criminals typically wielded immense power and seemed to embody the notion that good people do not live long while bad people thrive for a thousand years. Thus, as Lu Bing listened to his father's words, he began to sweat profusely

The child earnestly remembers the father's teachings. Lu Bing clasped his fists and then, with his knees giving way, knelt on the ground and bowed three times.

"Thank you," Lu Bing said politely. The waiter called the chef to prepare a bowl of lamb noodles, and then stood beside Lu Bing to chat idly. It was not that he was hoping for a tip; rather, at this hour, there were not many customers, and the idle waiter was quite bored.

Just as I was thinking about this matter, Lu Song walked in quickly, grabbed Lu Bing, and scolded, "You little rascal, do you know who you have offended?"

All parents hope their children will succeed. Seeing that Lu Bing not only did not become foolish due to near-drowning but instead became smarter, Lu Song was much more tolerant of Lu Bing's mischief. However, he could no longer tolerate today's incident. As a father, he was willing to cover for his son no matter how much trouble he caused, as long as he could manage it. Yet, Lu Song's duty was to protect Prince Xing. It was clear that Lu Bing had taken Prince Xing out to play, and the prince's garment was stained with blood, which was no trivial matter.

Zhu Houzhong said: "I will take good care of Aunt Lu and your father, Bing Ge. Take care, and we shall meet again!"

Lu Bing believed that his father was deceiving him and remained silent. However, Lu Song did not press him further but instead said: "The eldest son of the Jiang family is someone you can afford to offend? You even severed his tendons; what a skill you have! The Jiang family wields immense power, with your uncle Jiang Bin in the court. Do you know who Jiang Bin is? He holds significant authority, is the adopted son of the current emperor, and is responsible for the emperor's personal guards, sharing meals and quarters with him. He also controls the Jinyiwei. Do you know who the Jinyiwei are? If you offend them, how can your father protect you? Enough, enough, my son, you must run away, as far as you can, and live under an assumed name; you must never return."

Take care! Lu Bing immediately clasped his fists, slung the new package across his chest, and with a crack of the whip, galloped away. In this vast world, where is Lu Bing's true home?

Lu Bing took the bag and found it contained a considerable amount of silver coins. Despite the saying "a poor family on a rich road," Lu Bing said nothing. He slung it across his chest; although he felt somewhat flustered inside, he still smiled calmly and said, "This money isn't something you stole again, is it"

Dongqiao Town is not large, but it does not have a walled city; it is merely a gathering place surrounded by numerous residential houses. At this time, it is still early, and there are not many people on the streets; only a few shops have opened for business, although there are quite a few places to eat at stalls. Lu Bing found a mutton restaurant and sat down, ordering a bowl of mutton soup. The soup had just been heated to a boil when the waiter asked, "Sir, what would you like to eat?"