The two young men bowed first, then one of them pointed at Lu Zhan and asked Xi Liuzi: "Liuzi, is this Lu Zhan, brother Zhan?"
"That's right," Xi Liuzi made an exaggerated gesture and pulled Lu Zhan to introduce loudly: "This is the number one warrior in our Yunmeng City today, the youngest Huajin Realm powerhouse in the history of Hongzhou, and a great figure in the future.
The peerless hero of the Chu Empire, the little divine dragon with a white horse and a silver sword—Lu Zhan is the one!"
Lu Zhan was really speechless at Xi Liuzi's somewhat shameless way of introducing him. He yelled in the street like he was selling melons, which made passers-by look back and stare at them as if they were stupid boys. He really wanted to
Find the feeling of crawling into a crack in the ground.
The two young men in brocade clothes who came out were smiling happily, holding Lu Zhan's hand tightly and saying numbly: "Brother Zhan, we have been looking forward to the stars and the moon, and finally we have come to you, the little dragon with a white horse and a silver sword!"
"Yes, we have long known about your name through father's family letters. Father admires you very much, and our brothers have long wanted to take a look at your majestic appearance.
It's a pity that I haven't had the chance to return to Yunmeng City because of my busy schedule. A few days ago, Xi Liuzi suddenly came over with a letter from his father, saying that you were coming to the capital. We brothers were so excited that we couldn't sleep a wink for two nights in a row." Another one.
Added more disgustingly.
Then two young men in brocade clothes jumped up and down to welcome Lu Zhan into the "Qi Ya Pavilion".
Regarding these two young masters of the Lu family, Lu Zhan had seen them a few times when he was a child. At that time, due to the disparity in status, he could only look at the two noble sons from a distance.
But now, his status in the Lu family has already surpassed these two young masters. He has become the person who suppresses the fate of the family.
Lu Zhan can still identify the specific identities of the two people very accurately: the one who is tall, thin and elegant is Mr. Lu, who is also the biological father of his students Lu Xuehui and Lu Xiaofei;
Tall, fat, and with a dumbfounded look, he is the Second Young Master Lu.
Although these two people have both practiced martial arts, unfortunately their qualifications are average. Therefore, although they are now in their thirties, they are still in the early stages of the Qi Condensation realm, and their realm is not yet very stable.
That night, the two young masters of the Lu family prepared a sumptuous banquet for Lu Zhan in the back garden of "Qi Ya Pavilion". In addition to the two young masters of the Lu family, there were also the family members of the second young master Lu and the eldest young master Lu.
The main wife stayed in his hometown in Yunmeng City, and he had only one concubine to accompany him in the capital.
A group of people sat around the table, drinking and eating, chatting about everyday things and gossip. Lu Zhan was reluctant to talk too much about his own affairs, so he brought the topic to the Lu family in the capital.
above industry.
"I heard that the Marquis said that you two young masters are dependent on the Eighth Prince's forces in the capital." After Lu Zhan raised his head and drank a glass of strong wine, he asked the eldest son: "I wonder how your relationship with the Eighth Prince is? I'm here this time.
When I came to the capital, I was also planning to work under the Eighth Prince to seek opportunities."
The eldest young master and the second young master both looked dim when they heard this, looked at each other, and let out a long sigh at the same time.
The eldest son said: "Oh, we brothers are incompetent. To be honest, although we have been staying in the capital these years, we have also spent a lot of money in the camp of His Highness the Eighth Prince. Unfortunately, we are humble and have no luck.
When I meet His Highness the Eighth Prince, I will blush when I say such words."
"Oh, how could this happen?" Lu Zhan put down the chopsticks in his hand and asked puzzledly: "Is it that His Highness the Eighth Prince is too arrogant and difficult to get close to others? Or is it because he has to command the armies from all directions and rarely is in the capital?
Appear?"
The second young master took a sip of strong wine and sneered and said: "Huh, he is an orthodox royal family. Children from a run-down family in a remote town like us, how can he be considered in the eyes of his old man? Haha, outsiders say that the capital city
The people here are the most snobbish, please don’t bully me.”
"Hey, how can my second brother talk like this?"
The eldest son glared at the second son, then turned to Lu Zhan and said, "What my second brother said was out of passion. Brother Zhan, don't take it seriously. In fact, His Highness the Eighth Prince is a good person. It is said that he is a very kind-hearted royal figure and always treats others well."
It is also well-known
.It’s just that the status of a nobleman who is a direct descendant of the royal family is inherently very honorable. In addition, various factions in the capital are fighting openly and secretly. For an extremely powerful royal prince like him, surrounded by experts, ordinary people want to get close to him.
It’s very difficult.”
"His Royal Highness the Eighth Prince is one of the most powerful among the major forces in the capital. Only those from the wealthy and aristocratic families who have huge strength and can truly provide him with help can have the opportunity to get close to him. Like me and the old man
Two, one has no achievements in martial arts, and two
We are not very financially strong, so it is really difficult to truly join the line of His Highness the Eighth Prince. In fact, we are the same as ordinary people in the wells of the capital city, and we are not qualified to step into the royal family at all.
, don’t talk about wanting to see the true face of the dragon son and grandson in person.”
Lu Zhanqi said: "Since you have no chance to meet His Highness the Eighth Prince, then why did the Marquis tell me repeatedly with pleasure that you are attached to His Highness the Eighth Prince in the capital?"
"It can only be said that they are attached to the influence of His Highness the Eighth Prince." The eldest son smiled bitterly and explained: "His Highness the Eighth Prince has a group of people who have formed a group to support His Highness. For example, we belong to this group.
The lowest level person in the circle that supports His Highness. 1
Generally speaking, we will pay a donation of 20,000 taels of silver to the management office of the Eighth Prince's Mansion every month to show that our Lu family is under the wings of His Highness the Eighth Prince. So although we do not have the opportunity to meet His Highness the Prince in person
, we are still dependent on its influence."
The Second Young Master snorted coldly, "What a donation, it's actually just a protection fee. However, even though the money has been paid, His Highness the Eighth Prince may not be able to protect Zhou Quan and us." The Second Young Master sounded very concerned about the Eighth Prince.
His Highness seemed quite dissatisfied with what he did.
The eldest son smiled bitterly and said to Lu Zhan: "Brother Zhan just said that he wanted to seek an opportunity with the Eighth Prince. I think this matter is still open to discussion. Let's not talk about our current limited financial resources. We just said that we want to get close to the royal family.
My lord, you still have to go through a lot of tedious checkpoints and procedures. I think you have to take your time in this matter, but brother Zhan, you are already a strong man in the Transformation Realm after all, so you might as well be patient and stay with us first, you can always
Think of ways to find opportunities."
Lu Zhan shook his head and said with a smile: "As for meeting His Highness the Eighth Prince, you don't need to worry about it. I have my own way to meet him."
The two young men looked at each other in surprise and asked at the same time: "What can you do?"
Just as Lu Zhan was about to tell him that he was pregnant with Governor Sima's letter of introduction, he saw a maid hurried in from outside and reported to the eldest son: "Master, Eunuch Qu from the Eighth Prince's Mansion is here again."
The eldest son stood up quickly and said, "Please invite him in quickly."
The second young master said to Lu Zhan, "What a coincidence. As soon as we talked about His Royal Highness, people from his palace arrived. This Eunuch Qu is the leader in the Eight Emperors' Palace who is responsible for collecting the donation money. He is the inner palace of His Royal Highness."
One of the leader eunuchs, he is simply greedy, he constantly increases the amount of donations in private, and he claims to be working for the Eighth Prince's Mansion, but in fact, he himself has enriched his own pockets."
Lu Zhan asked calmly: "Don't His Highness the Eighth Prince know about this kind of thing?"
The second young master sneered from the side: "That's not clear.
Maybe I just turned a blind eye if I knew it. All the servants under him are like this. I guess His Highness the Eighth Prince himself is not much better. But then again, other royal nobles and their servants in the capital are also like this.
Basically, they all have this kind of face. It’s really depressing.”
The eldest son glared at him fiercely and said, "Second brother, if you have any objections to His Highness the Eighth Prince, please don't talk nonsense. If it is spread outside, it will lead to death."
The second young master snorted from his nostrils and did not dare to say any more.
At this time, a middle-aged man wearing blue silk clothes walked in from outside. This man was fair and round, with a clean chin and a rosy face.
He walked to the banquet with his hands behind his back, and stared at the food and wine on the table with a pair of small eyes. He said in a sharp voice, "Hey, what a table of delicacies and seafood. It seems that your 'Qiyage'
The business is quite prosperous, and my life is quite nourishing."
The eldest son hurriedly bowed to apologize and said with a smile: "This is all a great blessing thanks to Eunuch Qu and His Highness the Eighth Prince. Come, come, sit down and have a glass of wine."
"No need." Eunuch Qu waved his hand and said, "The Za family is here to do some business. After collecting the money for the offering, they will leave immediately. We still have to rush to the next house."
"Okay, okay, in this case, I will hand over this month's offering money to you immediately."
The eldest son was about to go back to his room to get the banknotes, but Eunuch Qu suddenly said, "This month, you have to pay twenty-five thousand taels of silver."
"Twenty-five thousand taels of silver?" The eldest son's flattering smile suddenly froze on his face: "Why is it 30% more? It just increased by 10% at the beginning of the year. Now it has only been a few months, and it has increased by this much.
A lot, and it’s rising so fast?”
Eunuch Qu said without changing his expression: "According to the rules, the amount of silver remains the same. However, next month my mother will be celebrating her sixtieth birthday. Can't I charge you 30% more as a token of filial piety?"
The eldest son hurriedly smiled and said: "Your old man is celebrating his birthday, of course we have to be filial and filial, but this..."
The second young master's temperament was much more straightforward than that of his eldest brother. When he saw that the eldest young master was embarrassed to speak clearly, he took over the topic and said: "It's just that charging an extra 30% this time is too much. We've asked about it, usually
If you wish me a happy birthday in the palace, the most you can get is an extra 10% of your silver."
Eunuch Qu rolled his little eyes and rolled his eyes at the second young master, and said slowly: "Since you mentioned an extra 10%, well, the Za family will charge you an extra 50% this time."
He stretched out his pale fat hands and said: "Bring it quickly, Zajia will go to several more houses in the future. But the big houses in front of them all just paid money without even daring to give a damn.
A family like yours named Lu would almost kill the entire family if they let out such a smelly fart."
The second young master slapped the table and said loudly: "People like you who take advantage of the master's power to exploit you, be careful that there will be retribution."
"Hey, you dare to scold me, someone who came from the Eighth Prince's Mansion?" Qu Gonggong screamed in a voice like a male duck: "You surnamed Lu don't want to be friends, do you? Okay, the Za family will leave now! But from now on, you, the Lu family, will
It has nothing to do with our Eighth Prince's Mansion. If tomorrow someone fires up the building and wipes out the whole family, it has nothing to do with His Highness the Eighth Prince."
"You just want to leave, think about getting rid of the relationship? How can it be so easy?" The second young master became a little anxious and shouted loudly: "We have paid the tribute money honestly for many years, but this time
I haven't even pulled him down, so does it count as all in vain? I want to ask His Highness the Eighth Prince, is this how he treats us, the people of Chu who support him and support him?"