Blue Robe
Taihu Lake has a vast surface area, spanning 200 li from east to west and 120 li from north to south, covering an area of 36,000 hectares.
We took a boat into Taihu Lake.
The surrounding area was a vast expanse of misty water, where the sky and water blended into one.
Does it make some people feel as if they are in the water, or in the sky?
Amidst the 36,000 hectares of waves, there are 72 verdant peaks.
They hired a boat and rowed towards the Lu Family Manor. Ji Boying at the bow, his hair and clothes fluttering slightly.
This is precisely because Guiyun Manor is quite famous in this area.
Although ordinary fishermen knew that important figures were inside and dared not approach, there were countless people around the vast Taihu Lake who appeared to be ordinary fishermen but were actually the eyes and ears of the Lu Family Manor.
Ji Boying and his companions randomly chose a fishing village, had a fisherman introduce them, and mentioned that they were disciples of the Nine-Fingered Divine Beggar. They were then happily invited aboard the boat by these hidden martial arts figures.
The mountains are green, the waters are clear, and the sky is blue with clouds.
Before long, they had already approached the location of the Guiyun Manor.
The boat glided to a pier made of bluestone, and the boatman could no longer go any further.
He simply opened his chest and bowed to Ji Boying.
"We can only take you this far. We will inform the others inside, and brothers will surely come to greet you."
After saying that, he jumped onto the dock and shouted into the harbor.
"We have distinguished guests here."
But they heard the echo of guards coming from deep within the dock.
"The master has ordered that no outside guests be received today. Please rest outside the lake for the night and come again tomorrow."
The fisherman, his chest bare, scratched the back of his head somewhat embarrassedly, turned back with an awkward smile, and continued shouting into the room.
"The distinguished guest is no ordinary person, but a disciple of Hong Qigong, the leader of the Beggar Gang's Clan. Please inform him inside."
The guard didn't dare to be negligent and agreed.
Not long after, a young man in his early twenties, carrying a weapon and dressed in shorts, came out to greet them at the dock.
Before even speaking, they greeted each other with smiles.
"I was unaware that you were here. I have failed to greet you properly. My apologies."
The attendant beside him explained.
"This is our young master of the Guiyun Manor, Young Master Lu Guanying."
Ji Boying and the other three also announced their names, with Lu Guanying being even more eager.
"I am truly sorry, but I have been preoccupied with important matters these past few days and have been searching on the lake frequently. I have just returned and heard on the way that distinguished guests have arrived, so I did not even pay my respects to my father before coming here to greet them."
"Young Master Lu is too kind. The four of us have come here without permission, but there is something we need to discuss with Manor Lord Lu."
"Of course, of course, please, please."
Lu Guanying then personally led them inside.
The pavilions and towers are connected, making it a truly grand manor. The carved beams and painted rafters are full of ingenuity, Guiyun Manor is indeed luxurious.
After passing through three courtyards, Huang Rong was the only one who felt like she was coming home.
Many of the layouts were quite familiar, and the road arrangement was similar to that of Peach Blossom Island.
If Huang Rong hadn't known the origins of the Lu Family Manor beforehand, she would naturally have been surprised. But now that she knew what Ji Boying had said, she could only find it amusing.
Just as I was about to enter the back hall, I lifted the curtain.
Then I saw a man in blue and a middle-aged man with a broken leg sitting in the back hall.
Upon seeing someone barge in, the man in blue didn't react yet, but the middle-aged man's expression changed drastically.
"What's going on? Didn't I give orders that no one is allowed to come and disturb us?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than he saw Lu Guanying enter through the curtain.
Lu Guanying froze on the spot, one foot forward and the other behind, staring at his father in astonishment, not understanding why he was suddenly so angry.
"Father, please don't blame them. I just happened to meet some heroes from the martial arts world. They came to visit me out of kindness, and it would have been impolite to refuse them entry. That's why I invited these young heroes over."
Lu Chengfeng looked at his only son, who was dressed in military uniform.
I was quite nervous, but I could only sigh helplessly to myself.
He simply bowed with his hands clasped and apologized to the man in blue standing to the side.
"I have failed in my duty to educate my son, and he is unruly. I beg my esteemed Honored Master for forgiveness."
Lu Guanying had been busy with important matters these past few days, and was feeling quite frustrated. He noticed that the scholar in blue robes had a very strange face, with only his eyes moving.
And his crippled father actually struggled to turn over and bow.
Although he called his Honored Master, his own father had no Honored Master at all.
My father loves poetry, calligraphy, and painting. Could he have been fooled by some pedantic scholar somewhere?
"Father, the one who has come is indeed a hero. Shall we meet him?"
"What hero! Get out of here!"
Lu Chengfeng rebuked him.
Lu Chengfeng knew that his Honored Master had an eccentric personality and was afraid that his son would offend his Honored Master and something bad might happen to him.
"The ones who have come are disciples of the Central Divine and the Nine-Fingered Divine Beggar. Aren't they heroes?"
Lu Guanying was not about to accept this.
Upon hearing this, Lu Chengfeng was also momentarily stunned.
"Alright, you go out first and entertain the guests for your father."
"No need for trouble, just bring these heroes over here so I can see just how heroic they really are."
The scholar in blue robes made a sound without even moving his mouth.
Lu Chengfeng hesitated, unsure whether he was speaking righteously or sarcastically, but he dared not disobey the order.
"Quickly, please invite the guests in."
Ji Boying and the other three waited outside the door, listening to the argument inside but not in a hurry.
Huang Rong, wanting to cause some trouble, stopped venturing inside from then on.
Guo Jing guessed the identity of the person inside and was so nervous that he was sweating profusely, his palms soaked with sweat.
Huang Rong felt the dampness in her palms and looked at her nervous brother Jing, finding it quite amusing.
Upon hearing Lu Chengfeng say that he wanted to invite the guests in, the four of them did not delay any longer and went inside by lifting the curtain.
Before anyone could even step inside the house, Huang Rong was already laughing and talking.
"But we must show this gentleman whether we truly deserve to be called heroes?"
Before he could finish speaking, the scholar in the blue robe sitting there burst into laughter. He naturally recognized the voice, and his tone was quite excited.
"Good! Good! If my daughter, Huang Yaoshi, wants to be a hero, then she will naturally be a great heroine!"
Huang Yaoshi had already stood up with a smile, and Ji Boying, Guo Jing, Huang Rong, Yinggu stepped into the hall and appeared in front of everyone.
But as soon as he saw the four people, Huang Yaoshi's hearty smile suddenly stopped.
The only change in his expression was that his eyes were tightly furrowed.
The joy and laughter instantly turned into raging anger.
Pointing angrily at the silly boy who was tightly holding his girl's hand, she yelled.
"Where did this idiot come from? Let go right now!"
One sentence jolted Huang Rong, who was on the verge of tears, out of her daze.
At this moment, Huang Rong couldn't care less about maintaining the relationship between her brother Jing and her father.
Looking at his father's hideous and ugly face, he felt immense regret.
"Dad, your face..."