Chapter 125: A Lively Apprenticeship Ceremony

The brother and sister, reunited after their time apart, had countless things to say, keeping the conversation flowing from one sentence to the next until nightfall.

Once they had retired to their respective beds, Lu Yun tossed and turned in the middle chamber, replaying the day’s events and his sister’s admonitions over and over in his mind. After a long while, unable to help himself, he tapped on the wall and asked in a slightly raised voice, "Sister?"

"Yes."

"When those four men left the academy today, they glared at me quite fiercely. Even though the headmaster said they wouldn't dare retaliate, do you think they actually will?"

"They will."

Lu Ying’s answer was, as always, crisp, decisive, and devoid of doubt.

Surprised by her certainty, Lu Yun fell silent for a moment before asking uneasily, "Sister, then... what should we do?"

After a long pause, Lu Ying’s clear, calm voice drifted over: "Do not worry. I have made arrangements."

"Alright, Sister." In the darkness, Lu Yun grinned at the rafters. Turning his head to gaze at the pale moonlight outside, his heart overflowed with happiness and peace. He thought to himself, over and over, *She is my sister; how wonderful that is!*

The next day, Lu Yun went to school, while Lu Ying kept herself busy. She was preparing replies to the invitations she had received. During the dozen days she had been away, nearly all the young gentlemen and noble ladies she had met on the road had sent notes, all written in remarkably courteous tones.

Bonds forged through life-and-death trials are always the deepest. Even though they had only traveled together from Hanyang to Chengdu for a few days, that fire and that melody had established a true and equal friendship between Lu Ying and them. Lu Ying thought that it was time to harvest the fruits of the seeds she had sown; it was time to invite these friends for a proper gathering.

Holding her brush, Lu Ying quietly wrote her replies. Her handwriting, like her character, was clear and beautiful, yet hinted at a sharp, unyielding edge. In the notes, she proposed a date for them to meet.

Five days passed.

Today, the sun was shining, the air was clear, and according to the almanac, it was an auspicious day—perfect for weddings or long journeys.

Lu Ying appeared outside the Huadian Academy once more. She was dressed in men’s robes again, but unlike last time, she wore a moon-white silk garment. The high-quality fabric and exquisite tailoring accentuated her slender waist and upright posture, making her look even more like a handsome young Confucian scholar.

As Lu Ying walked into the academy, every student she passed stopped and looked back.

"That’s her."

"I really can't tell she's a girl."

"She’s quite fierce. Because of her, the Rong and Huang families have suffered a great loss this time."

"The headmaster has been implicated, too. Just yesterday, a great scholar from out of town was pointing his finger and scolding him."

"She truly looks like a young man—so handsome and graceful."

Because of that previous commotion, Lu Ying and Lu Yun had become the talk of the entire Huadian Academy. Lu Ying, in particular, was the center of attention; as she walked, those who usually hid in corners studying the classics were dragged out by friends to catch a glimpse of this "fierce yet handsome young lady."

These gazes did not make Lu Ying shy. She walked slowly for a while until a joyful voice called out, "Sister!" It was Lu Yun.

Lu Yun, also meticulously groomed to look particularly refined and gentle, had started to dash toward her before remembering he ought to be composed and slowing his pace. Looking at her brother, Lu Ying’s eyes brightened. "Has Master Huo arrived?"

"Yes, yes." Lu Yun nodded vigorously and whispered, "Master says he will stay at Huadian to teach from now on." He tried hard not to look too exuberant. "Sister, Master has only taken seven disciples in his life, and even the least of them is now a county magistrate. He says I am his eighth, and his final, closing disciple."

He paused, his eyes glowing with excitement. "Sister, Master invited several friends to witness the ceremony. He is taking me as a student with the utmost solemnity." Moved by excitement, Lu Yun’s eyes grew moist. He said hoarsely, "Sister, besides you, he is the kindest person I have ever known."

Thinking back to his despair when Master Huang had turned him away, he realized his sister was right: fortune and misfortune are hard to predict. If Master Huang hadn't rejected him, how could he have ended up under Master Huo’s tutelage? Being a disciple of Master Huang would have at best earned him a licentiate degree, but as a disciple of Master Huo, he could achieve so much more!

Lu Ying had come to the academy today to attend her brother's apprenticeship ceremony. Perhaps Master Huo truly liked Lu Yun, or perhaps he wanted to intimidate those four families; regardless, this ceremony would be held with great grandeur.

Looking at her brother, whose cheeks were flushed with excitement, Lu Ying shook the bamboo basket in her hand and smiled. "I have brought the ritual gifts. You go and prepare; I will follow shortly."

"Alright, Sister."

Once Lu Yun left, Lu Ying continued to walk slowly, basket in hand. Inside were six items for the apprenticeship: celery, lotus seeds, red beans, dates, longan, and dried lean meat. Celery represented diligence; lotus seeds, the bitterness of education; red beans, good fortune; dates, early success; longan, a perfect conclusion; and the meat was a token of the student's sincerity.

She headed toward the classroom where her brother studied, where Master Huo would sit in accordance with the traditions of centuries past. Because there was still time, she walked at a leisurely pace. Even so, the eyes of the students remained fixed on her.

Suddenly, a group of tall students approached from the front, five or six of them, blocking the path entirely and standing in her way with a swagger.

Lu Ying looked up.

Meeting her gaze, the youths’ eyes lit up for a moment before a fat boy looked her up and down. "I heard you’re a girl? Tsk, tsk, I don't see anything feminine about you."

Another short, stout youth sneered at the basket in her hand. "How pitiful, having to carry the apprenticeship gifts yourself because you have no one else."

"You’re wrong there; they’re just nobodies. If they hadn't been so reckless, Ah Wu and his friends wouldn't have been caught in such a mess."

"Nobodies are nobodies. Do you really think that just because you’ve latched onto Master Huo, no one dares to touch you?" The speaker was a refined-looking youth. He stepped up to Lu Ying, lowered his head, and leaned in close to her ear. "Little girl, the four fellows you offended have roots and connections everywhere. They are linked to a fifth of all the wealthy families in Chengdu. It’s a pity—you’re so beautiful and have such an elegant bearing. You could have married into a good family, but after this, you’d better pray to the gods that you don't end up in a brothel!"

This was a threat. It was a warning. Or perhaps, it was a piece of advice. Lu Ying looked up abruptly, locking eyes with the refined youth, meeting a cold gaze devoid of any human emotion. He looked at her as if she were trash, as if she were already a dead woman.

Slowly, the corners of Lu Ying’s mouth curled into a faint smile. "Is that so?" she said calmly. "I’m afraid you are going to be disappointed."

After dropping those words, Lu Ying stepped past him. The youths made way for her, but as soon as she had walked a few steps, they followed close behind.

A whistle came from behind. "Oh, let’s go and watch the ceremony for Master Huo’s final disciple."

Lu Ying had already been the focus of attention, but with five or six unruly students from the academy trailing her, the path became crowded, and all the students turned their attention toward her.

"Truly a nobody, not even a servant to carry the basket." "No parents or kin here either."

"And she still dared to fall out with those four? Lu Yun’s sister is truly foolish; she will be the death of her brother."

"How shabby."

"Indeed, so shabby. She looks so elegant on the outside, but she doesn't even have a single relative or servant with her. How pathetic."

"Truly pitiful and lamentable."

"Patience brings peace; this girl is too impulsive."

"Neither man nor woman, how shameless!"

The whispers rose like a tide. Lu Ying had never realized that young people could be so sharp and malicious. Moreover, at this age, people are easily swayed; eventually, even those who had initially felt a bit of envy and respect for her actions began to look at her with doubt.

It seemed someone was deliberately guiding the public opinion. Suddenly, Lu Ying understood: if these rumors were not suppressed, Lu Yun would be forced to live under a cloud of slander from now on.

It appeared that her actions the other day had crossed someone's bottom line. The clamor grew louder.

Soon, Lu Yun’s classroom appeared in sight. The sun was high, and the auspicious hour was approaching. Master Huo, looking solemn and grave, had arrived with five or six middle-aged men.

As Master Huo appeared, the whispers vanished. Lu Ying, walking under the gaze of the crowd, felt as though she were being escorted. Yet, no one knew better than her how much contempt and malice lay beneath that attention.

Just as Master Huo took his seat, and as Lu Ying and the youths stepped into the classroom, the musicians in the corner took their places. Suddenly, several clear female voices called out: "The Lanling Xiao family is here to observe the ceremony!"

At these words, everything went silent. The students turned around in disbelief. The fat boy who had blocked Lu Ying earlier stood with his mouth agape, muttering, "Wasn't she supposed to be a nobody? How is she connected to the Lanling Xiao family?"

As the announcement finished, six beautiful maids walked in, surrounding the elegantly dressed Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan bowed to Master Huo and the others in the main seats, smiled gently at Lu Ying, and quietly stepped back to sit to the side.

No sooner had Xiao Yan sat down than several young male voices echoed: "The Wujun Wen family is here to observe!"

With the announcement, the graceful Wen Qing walked in, surrounded by his attendants.

Then, another clear voice rang out: "The Jiangjun Shang family is here to observe!"

At this, the students standing in the hall could no longer contain their shock and began to murmur. Before their stunned eyes, Shang Ti, dressed meticulously and looking every bit the noble lady, walked in surrounded by her own maids.

Seeing her approach, one student seemed to finally catch his breath. He muttered, "The Lanling Xiao, the Wujun Wen, the Jiangjun Shang... these are the top families in Chengdu! Why are these noble houses giving so much face for the apprenticeship of a nobody?"

When those people had announced themselves, they had mentioned their clans, not their own names. To announce a family name meant that their actions had been sanctioned by the elders of their clans. Such recognition at an apprenticeship ceremony meant these families were willing to ally themselves with Master Huo for Lu Yun’s sake.