"This Lu Chao is truly a talented military leader!! I must ask if he's interested in taking the military exams." Xiao Yan stroked his chin—this young man had won his favor!
"Don’t go grinning and spouting nonsense. His family is part of the scholarly elite—how could they let their child go to the battlefield? If Father Lu hears this, he’ll think we’re repaying kindness with betrayal!" Xiao Yi cut off his younger brother’s words.
"Waaah, Uncle! Lu Chao’s arm is injured! He won’t be able to lift heavy things anymore!!"
Little Yingge, who had just dried her tears, started crying again. She adored Lu Chao like a younger brother, and the news had left her heartbroken for days.
"Alright, alright, don’t cry. Once we return to the northwest, I’ll definitely ask around. Such a fine young man—we can’t let him be wasted like this."
...
Evening.
After freshening up at the inn, Xiao Yi and Xiao Yan formally paid a visit with gifts in hand.
At his first glimpse of the Xiao uncles, Lu Chao couldn’t help but gasp.
Two towering figures!! Those muscular arms, those broad shoulders—the ultimate gym rat’s dream!!
No wonder Lu Yuanyi had seemed a bit regretful earlier, thinking he should’ve been more polite to Yingge. After all, her uncles looked like they could punch a tiger to death.
"Is this the famous third young master of the Lu family? Why is he out and about before his injuries have healed?"
Xiao Yan noticed the boy the moment he entered—fair-skinned, with dark, puppy-like eyes that sparkled, his hand still wrapped in bandages. Standing next to Yingge, he looked even more delicate than her, no wonder they treated Yingge like one of the boys.
"This is my son, Chaochao. These are Yingge’s two uncles, both lieutenants in the northwestern army." Father Lu introduced them with a chuckle before scolding lightly,
"This little rascal couldn’t stay put for a second—no one could stop him from coming out!"
"Greetings to both uncles."
"What a fine lad! Never judge by appearances! He looks so gentle, yet he’s got such courage!!"
"Lieutenant Xiao, don’t praise them too much, or these brothers will start getting too full of themselves!"
Father Lu feigned indifference, though his pride was obvious as he ushered the guests to their seats.
After a century of the Great Yuan Dynasty shifting from martial prowess to scholarly reverence, the Xiao brothers had braced themselves for disdain from the Lu family in this era where scholars overshadowed warriors.
To their surprise, Father Lu wasn’t like those aloof literati—he even shared drinks with them.
"Brother Xiao, how have things been at the border lately?"
Xiao Yi shook his head grimly.
"In recent years, the Tartars have been rebuilding their forces, eyeing us greedily again. Every winter, they raid the borderlands for food, leaving the people in misery."
"How outrageous! Why hasn’t this been reported to the court? Drive those savages beyond our borders!"
Father Lu had once dreamed of roaming the world with a sword, but family duties had forced him onto a different path. The news made him seethe.
"Well, some advocate resolving things with reason. And those Tartars are cunning—they plunder but avoid bloodshed. The moment we retaliate, they send letters to the emperor, whining and offering beauties. What good does our anger do?"
Damn it! War isn’t supposed to be this frustrating!! It’s sapping the soldiers’ morale!
"Brother Zhou, let’s not dwell on such gloomy matters. You’re not like those ivory-tower scholars—I like that!! Come, let’s have a few drinks!"
"Brother Zhou, your cups are too dainty! Hard to drink heartily with these! Hahaha!"
Yingge cringed as her third uncle’s massive hand clapped Father Lu’s slender shoulder.
"Uncle!"
Coughing awkwardly, the Xiao brothers quickly backtracked.
"Dainty is good! Haha! Dainty is good! Fine wine should be savored slowly!"
"Brother Xiao, no need to hold back! Drink freely—we’ve got plenty at home!"
Yingge glanced at Lady Lu, worried the hosts might take offense, but the lady merely smiled, her attention fixed on the children’s meals.
Lu Chao listened quietly, piecing together more about this dynasty. Tch. A bad feeling nagged at him.
Anyone who’d studied history knew the Tartars wouldn’t hold back forever. They were testing the emperor’s limits, boiling the frog slowly. In a few years, it wouldn’t just be food they’d take.
Bones would litter the fields, silence would stretch for miles.
And the common folk would suffer most.
Yingge was also distracted throughout the meal. Her uncles seemed unreliable, but writing to her grandfather would take too long. She didn’t care about her own reputation, but she couldn’t risk dragging her grandfather’s family into trouble.
The dinner ended with everyone lost in their thoughts.
"Yingge, you’ve been absent-minded all evening. What’s on your mind?"
On the way back, Lu Chao finally spoke up after watching Yingge nearly walk into a flowerbed again.
"I’ll tell you a secret, but you have to swear not to tell anyone!"
Might as well lay it all out—Lu Chao was far more dependable than her uncles!
"Then don’t tell me! I might not be able to keep it!" Lu Chao covered his ears. He didn’t want to know anyone’s secrets!
...
Yingge: For some reason, that just made me mad. Now I have to say it!
"If you won’t listen, I’ll tell Father Lu you can write with your left hand too."
!!!
Thunderstruck!!
"How do you know?!" Lu Chao clapped a hand over Yingge’s mouth. He’d worked so hard for this break!!
"Fine, little ancestor, what do you want to ask?" He sighed in resignation.
"Well, I have a cousin..."
After explaining, Yingge swallowed nervously, watching Lu Chao.
"Her maternal grandfather’s family is clearly trying to seize everything, huh? Tch, that’s tricky. What about her father’s side?" Lu Chao frowned.
"What do you mean ‘seize everything’? Her uncle isn’t married, and with no elder women to guide her, her reputation might suffer later."
"Are the two families far apart?" Lu Chao suddenly had an idea.
"Very! They’re thousands of miles away!"
"Then her uncle could just pretend to have a family. Take the money and the girl back first—who’d know if he’s really married?" Without the internet, most people never left their hometowns. Who’d check?
"Her grandfather’s a scholar, right? Is he prideful? Even better—flatter him till he can’t back down! Or does he believe in spirits? Have her ‘mother’ haunt him! Find his weakness, strike fast, grab what you can, and run!"
Yingge’s expression shifted from shock to realization, then thoughtful nodding.
"I’ll write her a letter! Thank you for her!!"
Lu Chao paled. "Hey! Don’t go giving reckless advice! Tell her to consult an adult! I’m only seven!! If things go wrong, I’m not responsible!!"
He’d just blurted it out—surely it wouldn’t be that easy to mess up, right?
