Chapter 26: Relying on the Mountain

After Long Changxu, the head of Changrui Escort Agency, returned to the agency, he summoned Lu and Jin first.

Several core members reviewed recent events to avoid any oversights or deviations. More than half an hour later, He Da'ran, who had returned with Long Changxu, was in disbelief.

"Lu, is Zhao really introduced by a letter from Bao Datong?"

"Could it be fake?"

Lu Shilai smiled proudly, "That letter is still in my hands right now. Do you want to see it, He?"

"No, no need."

"I just didn't expect that it would be Bao Datong who resolved your worries, Lu. I was planning to introduce my nephew to you at the end of the year to see if he could catch Liu's eye."

If it had been in the past, Lu Shilai would indeed have tried, as his service as a disciple had never really made his mentor happy.

It was Liu, who changed Lu's life when he was down and out.

Senior Brother Xiang and Mi Weiyi were the most outstanding disciples of their master; their martial skills were beyond what Lu Shilai could compare with. But looking across the Five Sacred Mountains, both brothers could hardly be counted as the best.

Lu Shilai was determined to find an excellent successor for his master's mantle.

Now that the dust had settled, he finally saw gold.

Lu Shilai was just waiting for the end of the year to present this gift, to take advantage of his master's great joy and accept Zhao Rong as the exclusive disciple. With his relationship with Zhao, his future status would undoubtedly soar.

This was a situation with triple benefits.

Therefore, whenever Zhao Rong was mentioned, Old Lu was full of pride, beaming with happiness.

"I've heard your nephew has a good understanding of the qin and the Xiao, master will certainly like him. However, as the study of music embraces ancient wisdom, master's instruction will be stricter. Why not have him study for another year, become more knowledgeable, and next year, I'll speak for him?"

The implication was clear.

Opportunities were limited, and trying to cut in line through back doors would not work. Wait your turn.

He Da'ran's nephew was from the direct line of the He Family, which had been in the herbal medicine business for generations. Their base was in Changde, but their business reached as far as Jiangnan. Lu Shilai spoke tactfully, not wishing to offend a merchant family with government connections.

He Da'ran was understanding and responded with a smile, agreeing and offering congratulations repeatedly.

Even the head of the main He Family line didn't dare to offend the Hengshan Sect; how could he, a messenger from a collateral line, afford to fall out with Lu Shilai over such a matter?

What did being wealthy in one's own right amount to?

To some in the Martial World, it was nothing more than a child walking through a busy market with hands full of gold and silver.

Long Changxu's eyes were deep, his thoughts unknown.

They shifted the conversation to Sanhe Sect and the lost cargo on Poyang Lake and, after a secret discussion, the three heads of Changrui went out to meet guests in the hall, while Long Ping had been brought over by the head of the agency.

They were cousins, and their relationship had been good since childhood.

Long Ping was straightforward, "Cousin, have you seen the horse you bought?"

"I have, it's really good!"

Long Changxu was excited, "It's even better than what the Xiliang horse trader described. Hmm… it might also be due to Lu Gui being skilled with horses; a well-fed and strong body doesn't guarantee anything."

"But..."

"This horse is fierce. Lu Gui hasn't tamed it yet; when I went to see it, the beast gave me the cold shoulder. It's very smart, definitely a fine horse."

"If you like it, I'll tame it sooner or later." He was eager to try.

"No, no, no..."

Long Ping shook her head repeatedly, "Cousin, I advise you to do someone a favor and give the horse away."

"Oh?"

Long Changxu frowned. Obtaining this thoroughbred had consumed much effort and cost him 400 taels of silver!

A favor with the current?

He was curious to hear Long Ping's reasoning.

"Lu Gui may be good at raising and training horses, but even he couldn't manage this thoroughbred. Yet, Zhao Rong only took a short while to subdue it. Cousin, I think you don't have that skill."

"I can see he's quite fond of the thoroughbred.

"If you cater to his interests now, it will be worth more than giving ten, a hundred horses later. If our Prosperous Martial Arts School were to conduct business in Hengyang, I would definitely be more decisive than you."

Lu hadn't mentioned this to Long Changxu, and upon hearing it from Long Ping, he found it interesting.

As the Head Escort of Changrui Escort Agency, Long Changxu was advised by his seniors from the Hengshan Sect in his early years, and he possesses impressive martial arts skills; furthermore, he has numerous friends in the martial world.

It's not rare to see talented teenagers.

Therefore, when he first heard the name Zhao Rong, Long Changxu's emotional fluctuations weren't that significant, nor did he harbor the same kind of hang-ups as Lu Shilai.

His own cousin sister suddenly spoke out, asking him to give away a precious steed capable of traveling a thousand miles as a favor, something he truly couldn't bear to part with, or rather, didn't feel the need to go to that extent.

Knowing Long Ping's personality, Long Changxu took the matter to heart after listening to her.

"Cousin, you are one of Liu's men, and ultimately, the escort agency operates under the patronage of the Hengshan Sect," she said.

"Lu Shilai has visited the Liu Mansion several times and has met with Senior Brother Xiang and the others. Seeing his attitude, it's a done deal for Zhao Rong to become a disciple, and the end of the year will be his moment to soar," she continued.

"Given the martial arts talent Zhao Rong has exhibited, he is bound to inherit Third Master Liu's mantle."

"Even..."

"The pupil surpasses the master."

Long Ping sighed, "Now that the martial world is in turmoil and undercurrents are surging, who wouldn't want to find a reliable patron for security?"

"Cousin, I just wanted to give you a heads-up," she added.

"I have already informed our eldest brother by letter that the Prosperous Martial Arts School is bound to act. Things have been very unsettled in our Changde Prefecture recently, many of the renowned elders in the martial world have met with misfortunes, and unlike you who are well-acquainted with Third Master Liu, I can only plan ahead," she explained.

The implicit message.

The Prosperous Martial Arts School intends to align with the new power of Hengshan, just as Long Changxu aligned with Master Liu back in the day.

She was also advising Long Changxu not to rest easy just because he was committed to Master Liu.

This corsair incident, even extending to the subsequent assault on the escort agency, was the most slapping rebuttal.

Maybe it was a woman's intuition, but Long Ping always felt there was something extraordinary about Zhao Rong.

This time, the Prosperous Martial Arts School was heading south, not just to lend a hand but also to look for a way out.

Their patron from Wuling, the Fast Blade, was getting on in years and his influence in the vicinity of Changde was on the wane.

Moreover, the old master didn't have any disciples worth mentioning.

Now that they had discovered Zhao Rong, Long Ping was overjoyed.

She had a cup of tea, then turned and left, leaving the Head Escort alone.

Long Changxu indeed wanted to have a chat with Zhao Rong, but Lu Shilai had arranged for him with Pu Kui to greet guests at the city gate, to get his face known among his peers in the martial world first.

At the moment, the Head Escort found himself in a dilemma.

He was tied to Master Liu's battleship, and all of a sudden, Zhao Rong emerged, who would also belong to Master Liu's faction.

Now that the official discipleship hasn't been finalized, if he sent out the precious dragon horse, what then should he give to Master Liu?

The escort shipment to Poyang Lake was lost, costing Long Changxu dearly.

This gathering was to bolster their prestige, to ensure that merchants don't lose confidence in Changrui, and to steady the minds of the escort staff and porters.

Secondly, it was to raise a voice of protest for the disciples who had died in Hengshan, to make a proper show of it.

Thirdly, it was to intimidate the assailants, forcing them to weigh the consequences.

On this point, Long Changxu had another plan in mind.

As for matters of fighting and killing, no Head Escort of any escort agency would willingly engage in such.

The unexpected arrival of the Sanhe Sect and the Zhenyuan Escort Agency gave Long Changxu a headache.

With the Taishan Sect backing them, the Hengshan Sect was not too keen to make a move.

It was a matter of the underlings putting on a show while the higher-ups watched, with face being earned by themselves.

As long as the people from the Sanhe Sect caused just a bit of trouble during this banquet, without really embarrassing the Hengshan Sect, they could thereafter widely spread the news, inevitably causing merchants to lose faith and thereby seizing a share of Changrui's stake in the regions near Linjiang and Jiujiang.

The Head Escort stroked the tuft of beard on his chin, his brow furrowed as his thoughts shifted.

For the moment, he put aside the matter of Zhao Rong and the precious dragon horse yet again.

Two hours later, lanterns were lit at the entrance of Changrui Escort Agency.

The evening banquet commenced.

...