A Visit to the Lu Family!

"How did you do? What place did you get in the Martial Examination?" Wang Chen continued.

Lu Feng pretended to sigh. "Alas, there were quite a lot of experts in this year's Martial Examination, but I still came in first."

The first half of his answer made Wang Chen think he hadn't achieved a particularly good result, but the second half left him stunned.

"What did you say?! You came in first in the Martial Examination?!"

Lu Feng replied with a smile, "Mm, that's right! First place!"

Once he confirmed it, Wang Chen's eyes widened.

Wang Chen had predicted Lu Feng's results before, figuring he could at least make the top ten, but whether he could reach the top three was anyone's guess.

But now Lu Feng was saying he'd taken first place. The result was completely beyond Wang Chen's expectations.

A moment later, Wang Chen burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Excellent! Just as I'd expect from Brother Lu Feng. The County Magistrate certainly didn't misjudge you."

As an Attendant of the Wang Family, Wang Chen naturally put the family's interests first.

Lu Feng had won first place in the Martial Examination in Baiyue County, so County Magistrate Wang Lichuan would naturally get some credit for it too.

In his excitement, Wang Chen even took the initiative to invite Lu Feng to a proper feast, to celebrate his first-place finish.

Lu Feng didn't refuse, so the two of them went to Yunwei Pavilion and ordered a table full of food.

During the meal, Lu Feng also told him about the task Prefect Xu had assigned them.

Wang Chen was startled when he heard it, then said, "Lu Feng, there's no telling how dangerous this mission to eliminate Northern Wei spies will be. You must put your safety first. If anything seems wrong, remember to get away at once. Don't try to prove yourself."

Lu Feng nodded. "You're right, Brother Wang. I'll keep that in mind."

After eating and drinking their fill, the two returned to the inn. Lu Feng began thinking about what gift to bring to the Lu Family the next day.

"Hmm?! The Lu Family is a Noble Family in the county city, so they must have no shortage of gold, silver, and treasures. That leaves me with only this to give them."

With that, he borrowed paper and a brush from the innkeeper and wrote down some of his insights into martial cultivation.

The manuscript wasn't a martial arts manual, but it described the special insights he'd gained from cultivating his Cultivation Method to the Mastery and Transcendent realms.

Ordinary martial artists wouldn't give away a manuscript like this lightly. Usually, such insights were passed down only to their close disciples.

By the time he finished writing, night had fallen. Lu Feng tidied up and went to bed.

The next morning, Lu Feng washed up, then practiced in his room for a while. When the time reached a quarter past the hour of the snake, he set out for the Lu Family in the county city.

A quarter of an hour later, an enormous Residence came into view. The plaque above its gate bore the words "Lu Residence."

"Mm, this should be the place!"

Lu Feng straightened his clothes, walked up, and knocked on the gate.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

The gate slowly opened, revealing a middle-aged servant dressed in servant's clothes.

The man looked Lu Feng over twice, then his eyes lit up. "May I ask if you're Lu Feng?"

Lu Feng nodded. "That's me."

The middle-aged servant immediately put on a smile. "So you're Young Master Lu. The young miss has already told us you're an honored guest. Please, come in!"

Lu Feng said nothing more and followed him into the Lu Residence.

As soon as he entered, he saw that the Residence was not only vast, but also furnished and decorated in great luxury.

There were plenty of servants and maids in the Lu Residence as well, and they all bowed to him when they saw him. The family clearly kept its household in good order.

As expected of an ancient Noble Family. They really do have something going for them! Lu Feng thought to himself.

Before long, the servant led him into a hall.

The middle-aged servant bowed to him. "Young Master Lu, please wait here for a moment. If you need anything, just tell one of the servants in the hall."

Lu Feng gave a slight nod. "All right. Sorry for the trouble."

The middle-aged servant left the hall, and Lu Feng sat in a grand armchair, taking in his surroundings.

There were two maids in the hall. One of them brought him a cup of hot tea and a plate of pastries.

Lu Feng lifted the teacup and took a sip. The flavor reminded him of the tea Lu Yan had given him.

As he savored the tea, two figures slowly entered the hall.

Lu Feng looked up and saw that one of them was Lu Wei. The other was a middle-aged man dressed in ornate robes.

He immediately stood and cupped his hands. "Miss Lu, I hope you'll forgive me for coming to impose on you."

Lu Wei's expression was calm as she nodded. "You're too polite, Young Master Lu. I invited you here, so how could you be imposing? By the way, this is my father, and the Family Head of the Lu Family."

At that, Lu Feng turned and bowed to the middle-aged man in ornate robes. "I'm Lu Feng. It's an honor to meet you, Family Head Lu."

The middle-aged man in ornate robes looked Lu Feng over carefully, then stroked his beard and smiled. "Heh, Young Master Lu, there's no need for such formality. Sit down and let's talk."

After sitting down, they exchanged pleasantries. Then Lu Wei spoke earnestly.

"Young Master Lu, what do you think of this mission to eliminate Northern Wei spies?"

After a moment's thought, Lu Feng replied, "Although it's rather dangerous, if we succeed, we'll remove a serious threat to Baiyue County."

Lu Wei continued, "Then why do you think Prefect Xu has asked us to take on this mission at this particular time?"

A trace of confusion crossed Lu Feng's eyes. He really hadn't given the matter much thought.

"Miss Lu, what do you mean by that?" Lu Feng asked curiously.

Lu Wei glanced at her father, who was seated in the main chair. The Family Head of the Lu Family slowly began to speak. "Young Master Lu, Prefect Xu's assignment of this mission to you Martial Scholars was actually an order from above."

The more Lu Feng heard, the more confused he became. "Family Head Lu, do you mean that the prefect didn't come up with this mission on a whim?"

"Exactly! With the Northern Wei Army knocking at our borders, all of Beiyuan Prefecture has been thrown into turmoil. Countless civilians have been displaced and are fleeing the northern border. Among them are even local garrison troops," the Family Head of the Lu Family said gravely.

Lu Feng knew this as well. There had already been many refugees outside Baiyue County City.

The local garrison troops were mostly recruited from among the common people. If those people wanted to flee Beiyuan Prefecture, then the men in their families who'd enlisted in the army would likely flee with them.

At that thought, Lu Feng suddenly realized the severity of the problem: a great many soldiers guarding the various counties in Beiyuan Prefecture must have already deserted.

"Family Head Lu, are you saying that there are hardly any troops left in Baiyue County City? Is that why the authorities have arranged for us Martial Examination candidates to eliminate the Northern Wei spies?" Lu Feng asked in shock.

"Mm, that's right! Baiyue County City originally had ten thousand garrison troops, but now fewer than three thousand remain. And it's not just Baiyue County City; the nearby counties are the same!"

Lu Feng's brows drew together slightly. "If that's the case, do the people of Beiyuan Prefecture really not believe that Yingmen Pass can hold back the Northern Wei Army?"