Chapter 123: Lending a Hand

Chapter 123: Lending a Hand

Lu Ying stayed in Jiangzhou for a full seven days. After the week passed, she returned home on a passenger boat sailing upstream to Chengdu, under the protection of Zhi Wu.

Even after stepping through her own doorway, Lu Ying still did not know if the owner of the black-sailed ship had been captured. Since parting at the docks that day, she had not seen the Nobleman even once.

Once home, after bathing, she began to worry about her younger brother, realizing she had been gone for eleven days. When she first left, she had only intended to take a short stroll around the small lake in Mirror Garden; she had never expected to end up on the Yangtze River, traveling all the way to Jiangzhou. Many times, she had wanted to beg the Nobleman to send a carrier pigeon to inform her brother that she was safe.

However, there were no pigeons on the boat. Once in Jiangzhou, the man was preoccupied with such momentous affairs that she couldn't even manage a single meeting with him, let alone bother him with her trivial concerns. As for Zhi Wu, although she did ask, he explained that while he could certainly procure a carrier pigeon given his position, Jiangzhou was currently at the center of a storm. A letter from her might not only fail to reach its destination safely but could instead draw the attention of those with malicious intent, putting both her and her brother in danger and betraying the Nobleman’s efforts to keep her hidden.

And so, the carrier pigeon was never sent.

After freshening up, Lu Ying changed into the silver-white, elegant robes she wore during her travels and headed out. She had no choice; she was heading to the Huadian Academy, where her brother studied. Lu Ying had always known that wherever there were crowds, there would be strife and competition, let alone among young men full of vigor. She was going not just to bring honor to her brother, but at the very least, to ensure she did not bring him shame.

This was Lu Ying’s first visit to her brother’s academy since arriving in Chengdu.

Huadian Academy was nestled halfway up Mount Huaqing, hidden amidst the mountain forests. Before she even drew near, she was drawn in by the rhythmic sound of students reciting their lessons.

Soon, Lu Ying reached the academy gate.

After speaking with the gatekeeper, Lu Ying was quickly granted entry, her scholarly air lending her a sense of legitimacy.

Inside the academy, students bustled about. From time to time, the sound of stringed music could be heard, and from the pavilion in the center, the resonant voice of a lecture on the classics echoed.

The current Emperor, Liu Xiu, loved to read. In Luoyang, he would regularly summon Confucian scholars to personally interpret the classics and answer their difficult questions. Following his lead, major academies had established lecture halls where they invited great scholars to give regular discourses.

Countless students who could not travel to Luoyang gathered in major cities like Chengdu to attend lectures at institutions such as Huadian Academy.

Seeing the lecture hall, Lu Ying quickened her pace.

As she walked, students turned to look at her from time to time, whispering and pointing. Vaguely, she heard them ask, "This young gentleman has such a graceful bearing; I wonder whose son he is?" "I've never seen him before." "Truly a fine talent, he must be someone extraordinary." "We do have a few such dashing figures here in Chengdu."

The clamor grew louder as Lu Ying approached the lecture hall.

Inside, a white-haired scholar was speaking eloquently. The vaulted ceiling carried his resonant voice, ensuring that everyone in the hall, which held fifty or sixty people, could hear him clearly.

Lu Ying did not want to disturb them, so she peered in from a window. Even so, the dozen or so people who noticed her were stunned.

With just one glance, Lu Ying determined that Lu Yun was not there.

Lu Yun had always been very diligent. Lu Ying listened for a moment; the white-haired scholar was lecturing on the Confucian classic *The Book of Documents*. There was no reason for him to be absent from such a class.

Where on earth was A-Yun?

Lu Ying began to panic and turned away.

The academy was vast. Lu Ying searched while asking for directions, and finally, half an hour later, she spotted her brother in a secluded mountain hollow behind the academy.

Seeing Lu Yun standing there, still looking refined and handsome, Lu Ying secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Even though she had left suddenly, her brother had not become haggard.

Lu Ying was still walking down the steps toward her brother. As she drew near, she heard a young man laugh cruelly: "Life is naturally divided into high and low... Lu Yun, you are just a down-and-out wretch, a peasant who even cursed his own parents to death. Do you really think you are worthy of hanging out with the likes of us?"

Lu Ying’s footsteps faltered.

Instantly, she turned and stepped back.

Just as she retreated, the group of youths in the hollow burst into mocking laughter. Amidst the laughter, a fat youth reached out and shoved Lu Yun hard. A third youth, with a frivolous look on his face, reached out to touch Lu Yun’s cheek, clicking his tongue and saying, "Still, A-Yun is quite handsome. I hear your sister hasn’t been betrothed to anyone yet. How about I take both you and your sister into my chambers together?"

These words were utterly unbearable!

Lu Ying quickened her pace.

She strode toward the lecture hall.

As the old scholar was speaking eloquently, the light at the entrance suddenly dimmed. The students also sensed something was wrong and turned to look.

Seeing her, the crowd fell silent.

Lu Ying possessed an outstanding appearance. She had been graceful and composed even in front of the Nobleman, let alone in front of these people.

With her looks, her attire, and her relaxed, steady gait, she stood out remarkably among the callow youths.

As she walked slowly, she sparked a buzz of discussion among the boys.

Lu Ying walked toward the scholar with great poise. Seeing her scholarly air, the crowd assumed she was here to pose a difficult question and grew interested, their eyes fixed firmly on her.

Soon, Lu Ying reached the great scholar. She bowed deeply and said in a cold, clear voice, "Jia Yi once said: 'There is no merit greater than removing evil and loving good; there is no crime greater than abandoning good and doing evil.' I am deeply convinced of this. What does the elder think?"

At a time like this, why would she say such a thing?

The scholar was startled. He thought carefully and reasoned that he had done nothing in his life that he couldn't show to others, so the young man’s words could not be aimed at him. He said in a deep voice, "I am also deeply convinced of this."

Lu Ying bowed deeply to him again and said in a ringing voice, "Then I ask the elder to uphold justice for me."

After saying this, she turned and walked outside without another word.

The crowd grew excited. As the scholar frowned and stepped forward, the students scrambled to their feet as well.

At this moment, Lu Ying, who had just reached the door, turned back. She bowed to the crowd and said in a loud voice, "I go now to ask you all to bear witness to an act of bullying. See those who bring shame to the academy’s reputation. Since we are going to listen in on them, I ask you all to keep silent."

With this clarification, the students became even more excited and immediately quieted down.

As Lu Ying descended, she scanned the area and grasped the topography of the hollow, so she led the crowd along a shortcut.

The group arrived directly below the slope where Lu Yun was. At this moment, Lu Yun and the other youths stood on a slope four meters above them. A mountain path led to the top of the slope, two hundred paces away.

Lu Ying led the crowd to the bottom of the slope, treading lightly. The students, seeing her walk so softly, found it very interesting and didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

From under the slope, they were not only close enough to hear what was being said, but they also wouldn't be noticed.

The youths were still arguing. In the silence, Lu Yun’s cold voice rang out: "It is a pity that I, Lu Yun, have read the books of sages since I was young and know that 'do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you.' As for people like Brother Li and Brother Lu, I truly have no desire to be friends with you!"

Several youths sneered simultaneously. One shouted, "Well, look at you, Lu Yun. You really don't know the height of the sky or the depth of the earth. Someone, strip this boy's clothes off! This time, I’d like to see what ability you have to escape!" As soon as his voice fell, several servants stepped out from a corner and swaggered toward Lu Yun.

"You dare!"

As soon as Lu Yun said this, several youths laughed in unison: "Why wouldn't we dare?" The frivolous youth laughed even louder: "Lu Yun, how about this? Later, we’ll go find your sister and tell her you’ve met with misfortune. Once we lure her here, we’ll tie you and your sister together and strip you both for our amusement, shall we?"

At these words, the white-haired scholar’s face turned purple with rage. He turned abruptly and strode toward the stairs.

When the students scrambled to follow, they realized that the graceful young man who had led them there had already climbed the mountain path and vanished at the top of the slope.

At the top of the slope, just as Lu Yun’s face turned bright red and his hands were trembling, a cold voice drifted over, "A-Yun, these few are just ordinary children of wealthy families. Can even people like these bully you?" Her voice was filled with immense disappointment.

It was truly Lu Ying’s voice!

Lu Yun looked up quickly. Upon seeing that it was indeed his sister, his eyes lit up with wild joy, but in an instant, his eye sockets grew red. Then, he lowered his head in shame and said, "Sister, it is A-Yun’s incompetence."

Almost as soon as Lu Ying spoke, the group of youths turned to look at her in unison.

Lu Ying, dressed in men’s robes and walking slowly, appearing so cold and proud, stunned the youths for a moment.

But in an instant, when they heard that this impressive-looking young man, who seemed like a prince, was merely the orphaned sister of Lu Yun, that down-and-out wretch, they regained their composure.

The frivolous youth turned around, sizing Lu Ying up from head to toe. After a long while, he whistled and called out, "A beauty indeed." Rubbing his hands, he smacked his lips triumphantly, "What fine looks, what an air of distinction. No wonder Lu Yun always has you on his lips. This won’t do, I can’t help myself. I must properly enjoy both you and your brother."

Saying this, he turned to another youth and called out, "A-Zhen, this time let's try a 'three dragons and one phoenix' game."

"Sounds good."

All four youths grinned with lewd laughter.

Lu Ying had always thought that a famous institution like Huadian Academy would have students of the highest moral character.

She had never imagined that such an academy would harbor such filth and corruption!

But it didn't matter. She figured that from today on, they would have no future left.

As several youths surrounded her with lewd grins, Lu Ying continued to walk at her unhurried pace, her cold, slightly arrogant, and disdainful gaze fixed on them.

In such a situation, not only did she not retreat, but she walked right into them?

The youths were stunned, then burst into laughter. One of them rubbed his hands and drooled, "The beauty has such guts. A-Jie, add me to the fun tonight."

"Fine, you join in too."

Watching the youths look at her and her brother with such lewd and obscene eyes, Lu Ying’s lips slowly tightened.

However, she still walked toward them, calm, composed, and graceful.