Chapter 107

 A Little Brother for Jiaojiao; Lu Family Academy

Mist rose over the lake in the early morning. As Jiang Baiye disembarked, he paid one hundred taels of silver to cover the expenses from the previous night.

Lu Lizhi maintained his usual air of cool detachment, his expression betraying nothing, yet his legs gave way the moment he stepped off the painted pleasure boat.

Yuan Lang, watching from behind, felt a surge of bitter envy.

Jiang Baiye scooped him up; past caring about appearances, Lu Lizhi buried his face in Jiang’s chest and let out a soft, weary sigh: "I'm so tired..."

As his eyes closed, he drifted into a dream that was both dark and sweet.

The dream was a turbulent, tossing sea; massive waves surged ceaselessly—violent and ferocious. He was tossed and swept along, plunging into the deep one moment, gasping for air the next, only to be engulfed by an even mightier wave.

He felt powerless yet yearned to cry out; tears of sheer ecstasy seemed to trickle from the corners of his mouth.

"Mmm..." He didn't wake until evening, when the lamps were being lit, and he still felt sore all over.

Jiang Baiye had gone out to discuss business earlier that day; word of their escapade had spread so quickly that he blushed just thinking about it as he returned with a meal from Donglin Zhai.

"Hurry and eat something. Do you dare get up to such antics again?"

Lu Lizhi teased the baby beside him; seeing her dewy eyes and lips—and how chubby and round she had grown—put him in a wonderful mood.

Perhaps this time, they would finally be able to give Jiaojiao a little brother. He proceeded to eat two bowls of rice in one go.

In Jiangnan, even the dishes were exquisitely prepared—and naturally, they came with a steep price tag. Here, people spent lavishly, treating banknotes as casually as scrap paper, which inevitably raised the threshold for excitement.

It was no wonder Jiang Baiye was so driven to make a fortune.

To spend without restraint and live a life of luxury—tens of thousands of taels didn't go very far in Jiangnan.

"How are things going on your end? I’m heading to Jiangyi in a couple of days." He told Jiang Baiye about the task Mr. Shen had entrusted to him.

Jiang Baiye immediately put down his chopsticks, his expression turning serious. "You’re going *now*? No, that’s too dangerous!"

Lu Lizhi certainly had compelling reasons to make the trip; he felt that, without this opportunity, it would be nearly impossible for him to get close to that circle again.

Realizing this, Jiang Baiye understood just how important the journey was to him. "Let me finish up what I’m doing here, and I’ll go with you."

"Mm." Lu Lizhi wanted him to come along too, but he asked, "Dangerous? What do you know?"

"I’ll tell you later." Knowing Lu Lizhi was determined to go, Jiang Baiye wasted no time in seeking out Wei Feng to ask for help finding a few men. "A hired enforcer?"

"The kind who wouldn't hesitate to kill."

Wei Feng took a sharp breath. "What are you planning, Baiye? Don't do anything rash! You have a bright future ahead of you. Even if you don't consider yourself, think of your husband's scholarly pursuits and that adorable little darling of yours—you absolutely mustn't do anything foolish!"

"You're overthinking it; I just want an extra layer of security." Jiang Baiye smiled, though his eyes darkened slightly—a shift he masked by taking a sip of water.

Only then did Wei Feng agree. Jiangnan might lack many things, but one could find almost anything there—provided one had the money to pay for it.

Meanwhile, at the Lu Family Academy, over a thousand students were buzzing with excitement over the impending arrival of Master Qishan.

Beyond their routine studies, as the largest and most prestigious academy in the Great Ning Dynasty, they frequently played host to extraordinary figures who would come to lecture and discuss scholarship.

Consequently, they certainly wouldn't be making such a fuss or chattering so animatedly if it were merely an ordinary person.

Many students were too excited to sleep at night; they envied and yearned for Master Qishan’s free-spirited, unconventional lifestyle, and deeply admired both his talent and the esteemed status he held in the eyes of the realm's literati. “The Lu family truly lives up to its reputation; they managed to invite someone whom even the most prestigious circles struggle to secure—just to give a lecture for us!”

“Careful with your words; Master Qishan didn’t come here for *us*, after all. We’re likely just basking in the reflected glory of Lu Qingchuan.”

At the mention of Lu Qingchuan, they naturally fell into a reflective mood; he was the junior fellow disciple whom they all cherished, protected, and endlessly admired.

“By comparison, I find ‘Lord Qingyuan’ to be rather underwhelming...” the speaker said, deliberately lowering his voice.

The truth was, there were so many die-hard fans of “Lord Qingyuan” in the academy—fanatics who wouldn't tolerate a single word of criticism against him.

Yet, having interacted with Lu Qinghong over the past six months or so, they felt differently. “Aside from his talent for writing popular fiction, he seems quite mediocre in other respects.”

“Mediocre? He doesn't even meet the standard required to cross our academy’s threshold. What’s more, he gives off a jarring sense of disconnect: his stories are absolutely brilliant, yet interacting with the man himself... well...”

In short, it was complicated.

Nevertheless, that didn't stop Lu Qinghong from garnering admiration and a following under the name “Lord Qingyuan,” creating a subtle rivalry with Lu Qingchuan.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that his ambitions were far from small.

People found themselves disliking the man himself while harboring conflicted feelings because of his identity as Lord Qingyuan—a deep sense of dissonance, just as so many others had described. Lu Qinghong himself was deeply troubled; beyond merely cultivating his reputation, he had been studying diligently in private, striving to close the gap between himself and the renowned Qingyuan Jun.

Yet, inexplicably, while the original Qingyuan Jun was already a figure whose achievements seemed beyond reach, over the past six months or so, he had released two new storybooks—and the quality was even higher than before!

...began to harbor suspicions.

...when word came that Master Qishan was arriving, Lu Qinghong was more excited than anyone—like a traveler in the desert who had finally stumbled upon a water source!

...chance!

On a day with clear, boundless skies, the entire faculty and student body of the Lu Family Academy—led by the Academy Head, Old Master Lu (who was also the patriarch of the Jiangyi Lu clan)—gathered before the academy’s magnificent main gate to welcome the guest.

Everyone had bathed and burned incense, donning their finest attire; their expressions, while respectful, betrayed an irrepressible excitement as they stole glances down the road ahead.

After an indeterminate wait, a lavish carriage drawn by four fine horses slowly approached from the end of the road.

The carriage itself was clearly a costly masterpiece, not to mention the magnificent steeds pulling it and the mounted guards accompanying it on either side.

The Lu clan members exchanged glances, and one stepped forward to ask Old Master Lu, "Patriarch, is this...?"

No word had been given about a VIP arriving; could it be Master Qishan at this hour?

Yet, Master Qishan had always advocated for a simple, unadorned lifestyle—believing that one brings nothing into this world and takes nothing with them when they leave. Old Master Lu squinted to get a better look; after a moment, he hurriedly raised his voice: "It's him!"

Having spotted the two attendants beside Master Qishan and confirmed his arrival, he felt a wave of relief and immediately stepped forward, accompanied by his beloved grandson, Lu Qingchuan.

Lu Qinghong, a member of a collateral branch, had somehow secured a spot near the front; seeing this, he scrambled over in a rush.

His actions drew the ire of many in the Lu clan.

While undercurrents of tension swirled, a slender, fair hand lifted the carriage curtain, and a figure stepped out, stooping slightly to exit the vehicle.

Lu Qinghong stumbled in his tracks. "Lu Lizhi, what are you doing here?"

His tone was brusque, laced with haughty disdain. The Lu clansmen were taken aback at first, but upon seeing the newcomer's appearance and bearing, they were momentarily mesmerized.

If Master Qishan was the sort of man who would blend into a crowd—his brilliance only revealed through his talent—then this man had already won the moment he appeared, thanks to his ethereal, otherworldly grace.

Among all those present, only Lu Qingchuan could rival him in presence.

Lu Lizhi, for his part, noticed the exceptionally poised young man at a glance, sensing a familiar aura about him.

An air of arrogance and pride. Lu Qingchuan raised an eyebrow; before the two attendants beside Shen Feng could step forward to explain, he ventured a guess: "Are you Master Qishan's disciple?"

"No, he is the person sent to honor the appointment on Master Qishan's behalf."

As for being the Master's disciple—well, the only one who held that title was, *ahem*, likely still lying in a cradle, nursing.

Old Master Lu was instantly disappointed and hurriedly asked, "What does this mean?"

Lu Lizhi took a letter personally written by Shen Feng from his sleeve and handed it over; despite his cool, composed expression, he felt a complex mix of emotions stirring within.

Was this the relative he had never been in contact with?

Strictly speaking, this Old Master Lu was his grandfather's younger brother, and Lu Qingchuan was his cousin.

To think that such a close relative might be the culprit who harmed his father...

Old Master Lu was startled by the look in the young man's eyes; at such close range, he felt a vague sense of familiarity, though his attention was quickly drawn to the letter in his hands.

The others looked on with a mixture of suspicion and anxiety, utterly disappointed that Master Qishan had failed to show up.

"They probably just fobbed us off with some random person."

"Hush!"

Old Master Lu hurriedly finished reading the letter, his hands trembling slightly; he was torn, unsure whether he should trust that unreliable fellow, Master Qishan. It actually claimed that the man before him possessed talent no less than his own—more than enough to teach at the academy!

Though skeptical, he read the contents aloud for all to hear.

The crowd erupted in an uproar.

"A fraud!" Lu Qinghong was furious; he revealed Lu Lizhi’s true identity to the onlookers. "As a *Jieyuan* [top provincial scholar], he likely came here to spy on his rivals—and he even stooped so low as to exploit Master Qishan’s identity!"

"Whether I am a fraud or not, everyone will soon see for themselves. But before making such accusations, shouldn't you examine yourself first, Lord Qingyuan?" Lu Lizhi asked, the corners of his lips curling slightly upward.

Despite the casual, mild tone of his voice, Lu Qinghong broke out in a cold sweat, his words faltering.

Many in the crowd had already doubted his identity, but this remark caused observant onlookers to scrutinize Lu Lizhi more closely.

In the end, backed by Master Qishan’s handwritten letter and the personal assurance of the master's own attendant, Lu Lizhi officially stepped through the gates of the Lu Family Academy under Master Qishan’s name.

Just then, someone came rushing out of the academy and nearly collided head-on with Lu Lizhi.

However, before he could even brush against Lu Lizhi’s robes, the two guards trailing behind Lu Lizhi intercepted him—using their swords to keep him at bay.

The encounter left him visibly shaken, his face paling in alarm. The others were also taken aback by the spectacle Lu Lizhi presented; they couldn't help but wonder if he was truly just a provincial *Jieyuan* (top scholar in the provincial exams).

Why did his entire attire—from head to toe—and even his personal bodyguards exude such an air of immense wealth and formidable power?

Lu Lizhi had already departed, led by Old Master Lu, yet the man who had been watching him underwent a drastic change in expression upon catching a glimpse of Lu Lizhi’s profile.

Just as he began to narrow his eyes, one of the bodyguards seemed to sense something and turned his head slightly to glance at him.

Lu Changhuai shuddered.