Chapter Fourteen: The Wolf from the Zhongshan Lineage

Lu Bao picked up the deerskin coffer beside Lu Hu, placed it on the Eight Immortals table next to Sun Guiying, and spread his palm before her eyes, half-pleading, half-commanding: “Mother, your child has run out of money again, my hands are dry—let me have a couple of coins.”

“Didn’t I just give you some yesterday? Day in, day out, you do nothing but eat, drink, and make merry, squandering money,” Sun Guiying scolded, half in jest, half in earnest, as she opened the deerskin box.

Inside, it was brimming with glittering gold. The sight brightened her eyes and softened her expression. “Look at your big brother—how much he’s earned. You should learn from him instead of just being wasteful.”

She took out a few copper coins and slapped them into her precious youngest son’s hand.

With money in hand, Lu Bao spun around and dashed out of the house, flipping through the air several times in a row. He didn’t bother with the gate, but leapt over the courtyard wall and vanished in the blink of an eye.

It reminded Lu Hu of something. He picked up two bolts of silk from the floor and rose, placing them respectfully on the table. “Mother, these are a gift for you from Yanali.”

The silks were worth a fortune. At last, a trace of a smile appeared on Sun Guiying’s face, and her tone warmed. “Yanali—such an unusual name. In our Great Prosperity, few are named so.”

“She is Princess Oront. All my achievements and promotion this time are thanks to her tireless assistance.”

“I thought as much—the child is so handsome, and it turns out she’s of such noble birth.”

A child from a distinguished family, learned and accomplished, truly stands apart—quick to adapt, quicker to respond. At this moment, Sun Guiying’s affection for her son overflowed: “Hu’er, your mother has always known you’d amount to something. You’ve won honor for our Lu family!”

Her mother had always addressed him with a rough tongue, calling him “Big Donkey,” always so hard and stern. Now, with such gentle words, Lu Hu’s heart was set awash with ripples.

Money isn’t everything, but without it, nothing is possible.

To have both money and status—whether you can or not, you must be able!

Sun Guiying sighed deeply: “Alas! Our family is on the decline. Your father was kicked from Binzhou all the way to this godforsaken place by that scoundrel Gao. His official rank appears unchanged, but his status has plummeted. It’s hateful and infuriating—such is the way of petty men, repaying kindness with enmity!”

The border army was a field force, while the provincial troops were local garrisons—naturally, the difference in treatment was vast.

Anger blazed in Lu Hu’s heart. “Who is this Gao, to be so insidious and vicious!”

“Who else but Protector Gao Kuang, that two-faced dog.”

“Lord Gao? That’s impossible!” Lu Hu cried, his body jolting as if struck by thunder.

He could hardly believe his ears...

It’s not that I don’t understand, but the world changes too fast.

The leg I’d just clung to for support turns out to be the very one that kicked my whole family. Am I blind, or is this world simply unfathomable?

“What’s impossible about it? Don’t be fooled by Gao Kuang’s gentlemanly airs—he was once a poor scholar, passed the imperial exams, but sought to win fame with sword and spear in the army. When he joined up, he served under your father.”

The Great Prosperity had civil exams, but valued martial over literary talent. Relying solely on learning, one could toil to death and never rise high; wielding weapons was the real path. This made sense.

“Your father, that simpleton, respected him for his learning and eloquence, so he did his utmost to help him. He took credit for Gao’s achievements and bore blame for his faults, recommending him to superiors repeatedly.”

Sun Guiying pointed to the chair across from the Eight Immortals table, gesturing for her son to sit, then continued:

“He was lucky enough to be noticed by General Qin of the Right Dragon Martial Army, who made him adjutant. Gao flattered and toadied until General Qin was pleased, and climbed the ranks with somersaults. In just a few years, he became Acting Protector of Andong.”

“Then he should be grateful to my father. If not for my father’s support, he’d be lucky to be a mere captain in the Zhechong Garrison,” Lu Hu, well acquainted with the inner workings of border army promotions, commented.

“When he enlisted, he was just a scholar, weak as a chicken. Your father, ever the kind soul, feared he’d be killed in battle, so he trained him hard, even resorting to beating and scolding for his own good. Little did he expect that Gao would hold a grudge for it—such is the way of the world, good intentions unrewarded.”

Damn it—a wolf by nature, running wild when in power.

There are truly such people in this world—give him a thousand kindnesses, it’s only what he deserves; but let one thing go awry, and he’ll never forget.

Lu Hu’s mind was in turmoil. That dog Gao surely knows my relationship with my father, yet he still employs me. Is he not afraid I’ll take revenge? Or is he just using me, knowing that my father’s and my fate are in his hands, and I dare not refuse him? This man’s scheming is unfathomable—I must tread with utmost caution from here on.

As Lu Hu was mulling this over, Lu Li and Yanali emerged hand in hand from the inner room. “Mother, Father is asleep.”

Sun Guiying got up to greet them, taking Yanali’s small hand with great affection, gently brushing the dust from her forehead, her eyes brimming with concern and love:

“Little Li, my good child, you’ve suffered so much coming here. Tsk tsk, you’ve bruised your forehead—my heart aches for you.”

“You’re both named Little Li, both my dear daughters. Just look, how blessed I am—out of nowhere, I’ve gained a precious, beautiful girl, as lovely as a fairy. Tsk tsk!”

“Hu’er, you must treat my eldest girl well in the future—no bullying her.”

Sun Guiying’s gentle performance left the mountain girl Yanali dizzy with emotion, as though she’d met her own mother, and she nearly dove into her arms for comfort.

“General Lu! General Lu! Is Captain Lu present?” Suddenly, a loud voice called from outside.

Lu Hu stepped out to see.

At the gate, a border officer clad in bright armor sat astride a warhorse, calling loudly to Lu Hu: “General Lu, Lord Protector Gao sends for you on urgent business. You must come at once, without delay.”

“Yes, sir.” Lu Hu replied, and the officer dismounted. “Please, General, take this horse and hurry to the county yamen.”

What could be so urgent?

Lu Hu mounted the horse and sped away.

Outside the yamen, there was a bustle—dozens of large carts arrayed in a line, border soldiers carrying and loading goods onto them. In the forecourt, dozens of packhorses were being loaded as well.

Lu Hu’s sharp eyes quickly spotted the eighteen steeds he’d seized among them.

Protector Gao had profited handsomely from this inspection tour...

Someone was already waiting for Lu Hu at the gate, leading him into a guest room beside the yamen.

Lord Gao, hands clasped behind his back, was pacing inside.

Seeing Lu Hu, his furrowed brow finally smoothed, and his pale face even wore a hint of a smile. “Captain Lu, how fares your father’s injury?”

Lu Hu bowed. “Thank you, my lord. With your generosity in providing fine doctors and medicine, he is out of danger.”

“No need for thanks. Your father and I served together in the border army in years past—comrades in arms. It is only right that I care for him.”

Lord Gao stroked his long beard, never once mentioning how Lu Song had once looked after and promoted him.

Dog of an official, ungrateful wretch.

Lu Hu cursed him inwardly, but not a trace showed on his face.

That scoundrel was watching his expression for any sign, and Lu Hu would never let anything slip.

“Your father won his merit in the army with sword and blood. Like father, like son—you should rise even higher,” Gao began to lecture.

“My lord’s guidance is wise. I await your orders,” Lu Hu replied formally, though inside he was cursing:

You wretched dog, if you want something, just say it—what’s the use of all these roundabout words, you two-faced wolf.

Lord Gao scrutinized Lu Hu up and down, but saw no sign of disloyalty, and finally relaxed. “Little Hu, there is a task of great importance—only you can undertake it.”

Well, get on with it and spare me the pleasantries.

Lu Hu feigned an attentive expression.

“The other day, in the battle with the Oront, we lost over three hundred men—a defeat rarely seen since the founding of our dynasty.”

Lu Hu’s face flushed with shame. He could not deny his share of responsibility.

“To offend Great Prosperity is to invite destruction, no matter how distant. But the Oront have the support of many barbarian tribes—their power is deeply entrenched. We must not act rashly.”

So the wretch does have some sense.

“Now, with snow blanketing the land, it’s hard to move troops or supplies. We must wait until spring, when the ice and snow have melted, before launching a campaign to wipe out the barbarians.”

This made sense. Most of the soldiers were from the heartlands, and in this remote northeast, summer was bearable, but in winter, they could barely withstand the cold. They’d rather huddle indoors all day than go out, let alone fight.

“From now until spring, you must infiltrate the barbarian lands, investigate the various tribes, and capture as many chieftains as possible.”

Know your enemy as yourself, and you will not be defeated. This dog of a protector had no shortage of cunning.

“Especially King Dawo—he is most audacious, daring to challenge our dynasty. If you cannot take him alive, bring his head instead.”

Good grief—my father-in-law really is a fool, the first to raise the banner of rebellion and ask for trouble.

Then again, if the old man hadn’t made trouble, Yanali would have had to marry that idiot Peierbi, and such a beauty would be wasted.

I should thank my father-in-law for picking a fight.

Now you want me to capture my own father-in-law? Protector Gao, were you kicked in the head by a horse? If I mess with my wife’s father, how am I supposed to live in the future? You really are a sly old fox.

So naming Yanali as captain was just to have her betray her kin—this is a genuine pitfall for her father.

I’ll have to think of some way to deceive him. After all, he’s never even seen my foolish father-in-law.