“Great General Lu has divided and conquered the rebel army. Brilliant!” Chang’an had received news and Du Ning was no exception.
Sheng Chumu rolled his eyes at Du Ning.
Lu Yunji and Sheng Xiaojing were both founding officials to the Emperor. However, Sheng Xiaojing was much older and has suffered numerous injuries throughout his years. The Emperor no longer sent him out to the battlefield. On the other hand, Lu Yunji dominated on matters relating to the army and was extremely prominent in court. Their fathers silently competed against each other, so naturally, Sheng Chumu would clash with Lu Qi whenever they meet.
At this moment, Sheng Chumu’s personal manservant, Junhui, hurried over with a carriage. Sheng Chumu slowly got off his horse with Junhui’s help. Wincing and limping, he made his way to the horse carriage, crying out in pain with every step.
“Your father, Sheng Xiaojing, is famous all over the land especially back in his days. Yet, you didn’t inherit even a single bit of his powerful demeanor.” Du Ning did not care about Sheng Chumu’s eyeroll and said what he thought.
Sheng Chumu climbed onto the carriage clumsily and sat in. He turned back and grinned at Du Ning, not showing any hint of self-reflection.
“Ah ah, don’t be jealous. This is called fate! Predecessors plant trees so that the later generation can sit in the shade. Grandfather served the country his entire life, of course I have to enjoy the benefits on his behalf. If not, why would the emperor confer the title of Duke on our Sheng family? It’s for us to enjoy the rest of our lives!”
The Lu family’s infantry rode towards them. “Who stopped their horse carriage here? Make way!”
The soldiers brandished their whip at the horses attached to the horse carriage. The horses kicked up in a frenzy, causing the carriage to topple to the side. Sheng Chumu cried out as he was thrown out of the carriage, looking extremely dishevelled.
“How dare you! This is the eldest son of Duke Lu!” Du Ning was still extremely loyal and immediately brought up Sheng Chumu’s father.
The soldiers burst out in laughter, “Duke Lu, Duke Rou, who cares! We only recognize our great general! Look at you guys, a bunch of sneaky looking people. I am eighty-percent sure that you are spies from the rebel army!”
The group of soldiers rushed over as they surrounded Sheng Chumu and Du Ning’s group. They brandished their weapons as a murderous aura filled the air.
“What is going on?” Lu Yunji noticed the commotion and personally came over to take a look. All the soldiers immediately looked respectful.
“General, they are spies from the rebel army.” The infantry soldiers clasped their hands respectfully as they reported.
Sheng Chumu pushed away the soldiers that were holding on to him and neaten his clothes. Stepping up to Lu Yunji, he bowed, “Uncle Lu, I am your nephew, Sheng Chumu. Congratulations on your victory, Uncle Lu.”
Lu Yunji smiled, “Oh, it is you. What are you doing here?”
“I am headed to Guangzhou with a friend. We accidentally blocked the road with our horse carriage, and they framed us as spies. If you hadn’t recognized me, I believe my head would have been chopped off and offered to you.” Sheng Chumu replied.
Lu Yunji glanced at his soldiers as he asked coldly, “Is that true?”
His soldiers kneeled down in fear. “We were careless, please forgive us, Great General!”
Lu Yunji ordered lightly, “Behead them all.”
Incessant wails of anguish filled the air as blood stained the ground. In a blink of an eye, tens of lives were lost. Lu Yunji, however, behaved as if this was not happening in front of him. He continued to smile at Sheng Chumu and exchange greetings, asking him about the recent issues, speaking regretfully about how the emperor did not send him out to battle. He mentioned how in order to obtain fine wine from the emperor, he had to experience dealing with the rebel army.
Sheng Chumu may have sensed Lu Yunji mocking his own father but chose to ignore it as he replied modestly, “On behalf of my father, thank you, Uncle Lu.”
Lu Yunji addressed the remainder of his army that had just arrived, “Although they disobeyed military rules, ultimately, they were still part of our army and have made some contributions. Don’t let them be too lonely on their journey ahead in the afterlife. Select a hundred captives and kill them. Let them accompany our soldiers to the underworld, let them help our soldiers of the Great Tang army pave the way."
The soldiers obeyed and went to carry out their orders.
Immediately, cries loud enough to shock the heavens could be heard from the captives.
Seeing how the captives were all either old, weak or female, Sheng Chumu could not help but say, “My father used to say it was not ethical to kill captives. These captives did not do anything wrong. They are all elderly, female or children. Uncle Lu, please have mercy on them.”
Lu Yunji disagreed, “These are all family members of the rebel army. They are not even worth more than an ant. As a descendent from a family of generals, how can you be soft hearted?”
With a single command, the entire ground became bloodstained.
Sheng Chumu averted his eyes as he looked at the wide plains stretched before him. If he had to become a general who treated people’s lives as if they were nothing, he would rather be Chang’an’s number one playboy and spend his life cherishing an uncountable number of beautiful women.
Guangzhou. Fu Residence.
The ‘xi’ word was plastered all over windows, and the entire house was decorated in a celebrative red. People were moving about, exchanging congratulatory words as if a miracle had happened.
On a crescent bench, the shadow of a beauty could be seen looking thin and cold, a complete contrast from the indigo wedding dress she was wearing.
Second Madam gazed at the outline of her daughter’s back as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Stop crying.” Fu Rou instructed coldly.
“You are going to be married soon, as your mother, why can’t I cry?” Second Madam ignored her.
“Rou’er, you should be more understanding towards your mother.” Third Madam said as she walked through the Fu family’s front door. Her figure was smooth, and she was dressed charmingly. “Your mother is not like me. I have a son and a daughter. Even when my daughter marries, I still have Tao’er with me. Your mother only has you, now that you are going to be married, how can she not cry?”
Third Madam looked at Second Madam. “Second Madam, you shouldn’t be so upset. Rou’er is blessed that even at nineteen she is able to find someone devoted to her from the Chen family.”
Fu Rou turned and looked at Third Madam coldly, “Third Madam, are you here for something?”
“Of course, I am here to congratulate you.” Third Madam picked up a fresh flower from the dresser and moved to place it by Fu Rou’s temple.
Fu Rou avoided her and took the flower. “One flower is enough.”
“All these years, you took care of our internal affairs, it must have been tough on you. I should help you add one more flower.”
Before Third Madam finished her sentence, Fu Rou had already placed the flower back on the dresser. Third Madam’s expression darkened as she threw Old Maid Chang a look.
Old Maid Chang forced a laugh, “Congratulations, Lady Rou. As for the family’s accounts--”
Fu Rou’s servant, Ziyun, immediately cut her off, “Who comes to ask for the family’s account book during a time like this?”
“Now that you are part of the Chen family, it is inappropriate to continue holding on to your maiden family’s account book.” Third Madam looked as if she wanted to laugh, “Moreover, I am here on orders of our family head.”
Fu Rou stared coldly at Third Madam as a look of understanding flashed through her eyes. In the second that Third Madam averted her gaze, “Ziyun, hand over the accounts.”
Ziyun frowned, “But…”