Chapter 14 The Lady's Summons

  As a servant of the Lv family in Nanling, Lü Yang had always been vaguely aware of their affairs and had also heard about the great reputation of Fourth Miss. Every time he heard people talk about her, his admiration for Fourth Miss deepened a little more.

  In the impression of Lv Fu's upper and lower sides, she was no longer an ordinary person, but a high-ranking fairy.

  Such a person, not bound by worldly family rules and etiquette, would rather follow her as a humble servant or errand boy than spend their life serving the elixir of immortality without change. If they gain recognition, receive guidance on a few moves, or are rewarded with the secret techniques and magical medicines passed down from the immortal sect, they may change their fate at any time, transforming from a lowly servant to a revered martial arts master, a hero in the world.

  Such good fortune is simply enviable.

  But Lü Yang's heart was not as excited and joyful as others had imagined, instead it was like falling into an ice cellar, a chill that went to the bone, surging up along his spine.

  "Fourth Miss, was that fairy just now actually Fourth Miss?"

  Lü Yang was shocked in his heart and vaguely grasped a key point.

  "Rumor has it that she was favored by the immortal master, would there be any means to detect that I have an unusual treasure on me, or even secretly practice the mysterious art? No good, among the crowd, she recognized me at a glance, could it be because of this reason?"

  Lü Yang clearly realized that Fourth Miss had come to the prison for no reason, which was already suspicious in itself. The fact that she favored this lowly servant even more so made it even more suspicious.

  If it weren't for some special reason, how could a small servant like myself possibly enter the eyes of such a great personage?

  At this thought, Lü Yang's mind involuntarily surged with the idea of immediately escaping from the Lü family and fleeing to a distant land. With the windfall he had picked up a few days ago, even if he became a wealthy man outside and enjoyed a life of luxury, it would be enough. However, as he thought this way, he clearly knew that with his own abilities, he could not escape the Lü family's pursuit.

  The Great Xuan Dynasty's pursuit of escaped slaves and rebellious subjects was extremely intense, unless the master's family fell or the master showed great mercy, allowing the slave to leave their slave status, otherwise, there was no possibility of escape.

  "This is what they call being stuck between a rock and a hard place! Forget it, forget it, let nature take its course. No matter what happens, I'll remain unchanged amidst all the changes. Since Fourth Miss has already discovered my secret but didn't expose me on the spot, it shows that she still has some reservations or perhaps she has other plans? I can just take advantage of this opportunity to rise to the challenge."

  "Whether it's a good opportunity or a bad one, it's still an opportunity. The turning point of my fate has arrived."

  Lü Yang deeply knew that no matter how Fourth Miss would treat him, once he left the Medicine Garden, his fate would change.

  He secretly made up his mind to do nothing for the time being, just wait and see what the fourth miss would do.

  The next day, Lü Yang went to Yao Shan's residence to hand over the errand, and as soon as he entered the courtyard, he heard a burst of discussion coming from inside.

  "Lyu Yang, you're just in time. Manager Cui was just looking for you, hurry up and go in." The several Medicine Garden attendants who lived nearby happened to be here too, and when they saw him, they couldn't help but reveal a hint of envy on their faces.

  "Director Cui is looking for me, what's going on?" Lu Yang asked calmly.

  "How would we know? However, Chief Steward Choi is the most powerful among several chief stewards outside the inner court. Except for the master, only Chief Steward Fang of the inner court can summon him, and yet he has come in person because of your matter."

  "Yes, Lü Yang, you're probably going to be promoted."

  "This is impossible, Lü Yang is still under twenty years old."

  "What do you know? Lü Yang is a legitimate child of a noble family, his parents and ancestors were all loyal servants, they already had the status of first-class slaves. What's strange about being promoted ahead of time? Besides, yesterday the fourth miss spoke..."

  "Alright, alright, stop nagging here, let Ah Yang go in quickly."

  "Yes, Lü Yang, you'd better hurry up and go, lest you delay the main event."

  "Good." Lü Yang nodded and walked straight in.

  Soon after, he arrived at Yingmoudao and saw a middle-aged man wearing a deep blue robe sitting there drinking tea with a calm and composed demeanor, and knew that the middle-aged man was undoubtedly Cui Zongguan.

  The laws of the Great Xuan Dynasty emphasized hierarchy and status, stipulating that slaves and servants could only wear hemp clothing and hats, with gray, blue, and green as the main colors. Although some servants who had entered large households and were favored by their masters could wear gold and silver, silk, and satin, and enjoy delicacies, this was considered a breach of etiquette and a usurpation of privilege. If they were not careful, they would be caught and criticized, so wise and low-key people would not show off.

  Like Director Cui in front of him, he had been struggling for decades and was only one step away from the coveted position of Grand Master of the Lv Mansion.

  "This person is indeed clear-headed, knowing to be cautious in words and actions, the way for a servant to keep their life safe. However, after enduring for decades, almost reaching the end, still being so cautious and reserved, won't it be too suffocating? Is this lifetime of effort just for a luxurious but unfulfilling life?"

  For some reason, a strange idea suddenly emerged in Lü Yang's mind, and then he came back to his senses, bowed deeply, and made a very respectful gesture towards the middle-aged man.

  "Have met Director Cui."

  "Are you Lü Yang?" asked Cui General Manager with a smile, putting down his teacup.

  "It is." Lü Yang responded with a single word and asked, "I don't know what General Cui wants to see me for, what's the matter?"

  "You don't have to guess, it's all good." Director Cui put down his teacup and instructed, "Alright, don't say any more, first change into this set of clothes, then tidy up a bit, and follow me to see the Third Madam."

  "Go see Third Madam?" Lü Yang was taken aback upon hearing this.

  "Isn't Third Madame also Fourth Miss's mother?"

  As a servant of the Lü family, Lü Yang still has some understanding of the Lü family's affairs.

  Lyu Yang had long known that after the third wife entered the Lyu family in Nanling, she gave birth to a son and a daughter. The son was named Lyu Xuanfeng, although he was born out of wedlock, but among the legitimate sons, he was the oldest, and was the eldest young master of the Lyu family. The daughter was the fourth miss, Lyu Yuexiao, who, despite being a girl, was incredibly talented and had extraordinary achievements.

  The entire Nanling Lü family, of course, cannot have only one gate and one household. A small family, not to mention others, just the head of the house who inherited the title of Yueguo Duke, has three wives and four concubines, several small families, similar to the imperial harem's three palaces, six courtyards, and 72 consorts. Different factions have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, the third madam's children are very promising, and her family is not weak either. Even in a prestigious family like Nanling Lü, she has a very high status.

  Once a person's status is elevated, many things are no longer just related to oneself, but also affect many others. Even if the three madams do not intentionally fight with other madams, they will still be drawn in involuntarily.

  Lü Yang vaguely felt that the Fourth Miss attached great importance to her unusualness, which might be related to these struggles. Now hearing this Manager Cui say that Third Madam wanted to see her, she knew that her guess was correct in six parts.

  "Anyway, those peaceful days have come to an end."

  Lü Yang thought for a moment and didn't say much more, took the clothes from the table and went to change in the next room.

  Choi brought him a gray-blue fish-scale silk robe, which was not a valuable item, but much better than the gray cloth and hat that Lv Yang usually wore. Wearing it on his body, there was a faint fragrance, soft texture, warm and very comfortable.

  After putting on this new shirt, Lü Yang felt that he had become much more spirited, revealing the youthful vigor that was usually hidden under his gray clothes and hat.

  "It's indeed true that clothes make the man. Wearing this outfit makes you look a few points more handsome." Manager Cui chuckled.

  "I'm afraid I've made Director Cui laugh," said Lyu Yang. "I just put on this set of clothes and feel uncomfortable all over."

  "How can it not be satisfactory? This new set of clothes is one of the best tailor shops in the entire Nanling Prefecture, made by the Wang family tailor shop. Is it that the size doesn't fit or it's not comfortable to wear?" asked Cui General Manager.

  "No, this new garment fits well." Lü Yang hastily said, "However, perhaps it's because I've worn coarse cloth for too long, and suddenly changing into something a bit better, feels somewhat unfamiliar. It seems that us lowly people are destined to be dressed in coarse clothing after all."

  Although he is proud and arrogant in his heart, with the idea of "are princes and generals born to be so?", but he won't show it at this time, casually saying that he is a commoner.

  Being a slave to others, no matter when or where, one must be cautious in words and actions, this is the way to ensure safety and survival.

  "It's hard to say." Manager Cui said casually, waving his hand, gesturing for Lü Yang to follow him, "Let's go."

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