Meeting

Meeting

Lu Zhaojin naturally did not agree at once. "Who?"

Lu Wenxiu thought for a moment. "Possibly a relative."

Lu Zhaojin raised his brow slightly, thinking of one possibility, yet still asked, "Someone from the Li Family?"

Lu Wenxiu clapped his hands and burst into hearty laughter. "I knew I hadn't guessed wrong. You're Lu Jinlin's son."

Lu Zhaojin looked at him in confusion. "You know my father?"

Lu Wenxiu shook his head. "I've only seen him and know about his affairs, but I don't know him personally."

He continued, "But you can come with me to meet someone. She knows everything about your father."

Lu Zhaojin had already learned of his father's past from his father himself, so he had no interest whatsoever in Lu Wenxiu's latter words. Still, he was rather curious about this member of the Li Family and wanted to know what identity she had assumed in wanting to see him.

So, after sheathing his sword, he had Lu Wenxiu lead the way.

Lu Zhaojin had not expected to return to the Brocade Merchant Guild.

Looking at this Brocade Tower, he thought of that graceful middle-aged woman. Could it really be such a coincidence?

A maid led the way ahead, with Lu Zhaojin and Lu Wenxiu following behind until they reached the pavilion on the top floor.

A pleasant voice drifted from within the pavilion. "Come in."

The maid invited them inside, then shut the door and stood guard outside.

Seeing this middle-aged woman again, Lu Zhaojin did not know how to address her, nor did he know what feelings he should face her with.

Li Xiufang was likewise stunned when she saw Lu Zhaojin. Her gaze fell upon Lu Wenxiu's weathered face, her eyes filled with questions.

Lu Wenxiu shrugged. "I just felt there was no need to follow him from the shadows. If there's something to say, say it face-to-face and explain it face-to-face. That would solve things better."

As if they were old friends, he draped an arm over Lu Zhaojin's shoulder. "His strength is formidable too. Even I can't beat him. It might look like I'm protecting him in secret, but who knows? Maybe he's the one protecting me."

Li Xiufang stared at Lu Zhaojin's face in surprise. This time, they were only a few steps apart, allowing her to see him much more clearly. "Those eyes... they really do resemble my elder sister's."

Lu Zhaojin frowned slightly and met Li Xiufang's gaze. He had naturally heard those words. The original owner's birth mother had been her elder sister, so the person before him was his maternal aunt?

The word "Aunt" naturally would not come out of his mouth. They had never lived together, after all. Perhaps even if the original owner's own mother stood before him, he would not have been able to call her Mother.

It was not stubbornness. It was simply that too much time had passed. The maternal love missing from his childhood to adulthood might now have left behind nothing but resentment in his heart.

Lu Zhaojin did not know how the original owner would have handled this, but the lingering obsession he had left behind contained no desire to acknowledge kinship. That meant the original owner no longer cared.

The original owner becoming what he had become also had something to do with Lu Jinlin, who had failed to guide him properly.

All these matters had scattered away with the original owner's death.

Li Xiufang was very cautious and did not immediately believe Lu Zhaojin's identity. "Your father is Lu Jinlin?"

Lu Zhaojin nodded. "Yes."

There was no need to hide it. If Li Xiufang wanted to investigate, it would be very easy for her to uncover.

Li Xiufang did not know how to face this nephew she had never met. Her gaze involuntarily shifted to Lu Wenxiu, sharp as blades. If looks could wound, he would likely already be riddled with holes.

Clearly, she blamed Lu Wenxiu for acting on his own initiative.

But Lu Wenxiu was not her servant, and she had no right to punish him.

Lu Zhaojin found the atmosphere somewhat awkward and wanted to leave for the Brothel District. He still had something important to do.

Before leaving, however, Lu Zhaojin asked Lu Wenxiu, "I've met her. What now?"

Lu Wenxiu had not expected the scene to turn out this way. For a moment, he was struck speechless and could only laugh sheepishly.

Lu Zhaojin shook his head helplessly and turned to leave.

Lu Wenxiu did not want to remain here either, especially with Li Xiufang looking at him as though she wanted to eat him alive. It made his scalp prickle. "Where are you going? I'll see you off."

While wandering around the city during the day, Lu Zhaojin had seen several places in the Brothel District. "Spring Flower Pavilion."

A glimmer flashed through Lu Wenxiu's eyes, and he could barely contain his delight. "I never thought you were a fellow traveler as well, little brother. Let's go together. We can have a few drinks too."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiufang looked at Lu Zhaojin with disappointment in her eyes and spoke sternly as well. "Neither of you is going."

Lu Wenxiu halted mid-step.

Lu Zhaojin, however, was unaffected. His footsteps did not stop, and he was nearly at the door.

Seeing that Lu Zhaojin would not listen, Li Xiufang grew irritated. She reached out with her right hand to grab his shoulder, but the moment her hand landed on it, a surge of powerful true qi knocked her away, forcing her back several steps.

Li Xiufang's face was filled with shock. She had not expected Lu Zhaojin to possess mid Seventh-Rank cultivation. Judging by the richness of his true qi, reaching Late Seventh-Rank was also just around the corner.

As Lu Zhaojin's elder, she was displeased that he would not listen to her. Yet he was, after all, her elder sister's son, and she could not let him stray onto the wrong path. She said coldly, "At such a young age, how can you be attached to the Brothel District? You should devote your energy to cultivation, not to drinking with courtesans."

Lu Zhaojin turned back to look at her, knowing she had misunderstood. "I don't drink."

Li Xiufang demanded sternly, "Then what are you going to Spring Flower Pavilion for?"

Lu Zhaojin did not hide it. "To find someone."

Li Xiufang looked into Lu Zhaojin's eyes. They were clear and innocent, without the evasiveness of a lie, but some people were exceptionally good at concealing themselves. "Looking for a woman?"

Lu Zhaojin felt that this middle-aged woman was being utterly unreasonable. He did not want to continue speaking with her, so he said nothing more and walked away.

Lu Wenxiu had originally planned to remain invisible. The atmosphere was truly too strange. But seeing Li Xiufang's lovely face twisting with anger, he could not help calling out to stop Lu Zhaojin. "Who are you looking for? You can tell me."

He patted his chest confidently. "In Luoshui Commandery, when it comes to finding people, if my Brocade Merchant Guild dares call itself first, no one would dare call themselves second."

Lu Zhaojin looked at him, not particularly convinced. "Is that so?"

Li Xiufang had not wanted to explain, but seeing Lu Zhaojin's unconvinced expression, she could not hold herself back. With a slight frown, she said, "The Brocade Merchant Guild has branches throughout Luoshui Commandery."

A very simple sentence.

Yet Lu Zhaojin understood what Li Xiufang meant.

The nature of this Brocade Tower was not as simple as merely being a merchant guild. Once it began operating, Luoshui Commandery would hold no secrets from the Brocade Tower.

For all anyone knew, there might even be intelligence trading in the shadows.

Lu Wenxiu suddenly said, "Not only in Luoshui Commandery. The Brocade Merchant Guild also exists in Yanling Commandery, Danyun Commandery, and even the imperial capital. It's just that our presence there is not as widespread as it is in Luoshui Commandery."

Lu Zhaojin nodded, gaining some understanding of the Li Family's strength. He was also quite surprised by the Li Family's ambition; their arrangements ran so deep and far. He only wondered how the imperial court viewed the Brocade Merchant Guild.

Lu Wenxiu continued, "So you can fully trust the Brocade Merchant Guild's capabilities. Tell us the name and general characteristics of whoever you want to find. So long as they have not died without a sound, my Brocade Merchant Guild can find them."

Seeing Lu Wenxiu's confidence, Lu Zhaojin told him the names and characteristics of Zhao Jinzhi and Zhao Nuanyu. Then he returned to the inn to await news from the Brocade Merchant Guild.

While Lu Zhaojin was meeting Li Xiufang, the True Martial Division was in an uproar.

General Banner An was dead, killed by that youth. Seeing the headless corpse, Zhao Rong and Probationary Centurion Chai became even more convinced that he was the culprit who had killed Zhao Huaishui. The characteristics were far too obvious, and the other party had not even tried to conceal them.

Zhao Rong shattered the table beside him with one palm. His face was as dark as water, and even his voice had grown hoarse. "Good. Very good indeed. After presiding over the True Martial Division in Luoxia City for so many years, I have never seen such a brazen youth."