"So it's General Wang. It's been a long time," Luo Cheng said, clasping his hands in greeting.
"You have come from afar, you must be tired. Please go home and rest first, and then I will keep General Luo company and catch up."
"General Wang, I wonder if anyone else came to wish Elder Qin a happy birthday before us?" Luo Cheng asked.
"There are two groups of people, and in the next few days, there should be more and more."
"Were they ever assassinated?"
"What! Assassination!" General Wang exclaimed in shock.
"Could it be that someone else dares to assassinate General Luo and your group?" General Wang asked.
"Not human."
"Not human? Beastman?" General Wang asked, his expression changing.
“That’s right. On our way here, we were ambushed by the beastmen. There were five hundred porcupines and blue foxes, right at the foot of the Heavenly Broken Mountains,” Luo Cheng nodded and said.
"The Tian Duan Mountains!" Upon hearing this, General Wang's expression became even more serious.
"Please follow me, everyone." General Wang said, leading the group to the Qin family's villa. After giving them a few instructions, he hurriedly left.
"It seems that, as expected, the orcs came for the Qin family." Lu Ce said knowingly, watching General Wang leave in a hurry.
They had discussed it many times on the way, but only this reason made sense. After all, the beastmen wouldn't mobilize a large number of ordinary beastmen just to assassinate Luo Cheng. To be honest, those beastmen weren't enough to kill; as long as Luo Cheng unleashed his power, he would have to pay a price.
The fog and arrows seemed more like an obstacle; the Green Fox Clan member must have possessed some unknown methods. However, before they could even unleash them, they were wiped out.
It's common knowledge that the Qin family is a formidable enemy of the beast race, so it's perfectly normal for them to cause trouble at this crucial juncture. However, General Wang's air of utmost concern only fueled their curiosity.
……………
Wang Qi, a direct descendant of the Wang family and a fifth-rank general, was the one who received them today. After leaving the villa, he rushed to the city garrison of Juyong Pass.
"Wang Qi, why aren't you greeting people at the city gate? What are you doing here?" a dignified-looking man asked.
"Greetings, Master of the Family; greetings, Uncle."
Although the Meng and Wang families did not change their surnames, they all considered themselves retainers of the Qin family.
"No need for formalities. You seem to be in a hurry. Has something happened to our guest?" asked a refined middle-aged man at the head of the table.
“My lord, something has indeed happened. General Luo Cheng from the Yan County Prince’s Mansion in Youzhou just arrived. He said that they were ambushed by orcs near the Tianduan Mountains,” Wang Qi replied with a serious expression.
"As expected, the beastmen still refuse to give up," Qin Yao, the current head of the Qin family, said calmly.
“It’s a once-in-thirty-years opportunity, of course they don’t want to miss it,” said Wang Qi’s uncle, Wang Wei, the dignified military officer and head of the Wang family, nodding in agreement.
"Wang Qi, take some men and clear the only way through. We can't let the visitors be frightened," Qin Yao instructed.
"Yes!" Although he didn't understand why, Wang Qi suppressed his curiosity, cupped his hands in response, and then turned to leave.
After Wang Qi left, Wang Wei said, "Should we clean out the rats?"
"No need! Consider this a learning experience for the younger generation," Qin Yao said nonchalantly.
"Hmm. That's fine, anyway, those old geezers won't dare to come."
"That's fine. The old man's birthday is coming soon, and there are still many things to do."
"Yes, Patriarch, you can rest assured to preside over the birthday celebration. Leave the defense to me."
As they talked, they went their separate ways. It makes sense, as such a large area requires management and there must be a lot of things to do.
Meanwhile, after Qin Yao and his group settled in, they were invited to a banquet at the Qin family's main courtyard that evening. Qin Yao personally accompanied them, demonstrating Luo Cheng's considerable influence. Of course, as guards, Lu Ce and the others could only sit behind them.
If I had to pick the thing I disliked and found most difficult to get used to after time-traveling, it would be kneeling, especially in formal occasions where sitting upright is mandatory. This means placing your buttocks on your ankles, keeping your upper body straight, and resting your hands naturally on your knees. Although sitting upright looks very neat and tidy, it gets quite uncomfortable after a while.
The Qin family's efforts were not without reward; even Liu Bang, who seized the throne, had no choice but to bestow upon them the title of King. This signified impartiality and fairness. Without exception, this title became a hereditary title for every head of the Qin family.
“This is my nephew Qin Mu. I brought him here specifically to broaden his horizons.”
"Qin Mu greets the King."
"Young Master Qin, you are a man of great talent. May I ask who your father is?" Qin Yao asked curiously.
"This..." Qin Mu looked at Luo Cheng with difficulty. It was really not appropriate to say something that had not been verified.
"There's really nothing wrong with saying this. Huai Dao is my cousin Qin Qiong's son, who has been separated from me for many years and hasn't yet been recognized by his family," Luo Cheng said with a smile.
In fact, the Luo family father and son were already quite certain about this matter. They didn't announce it simply to respect Qin Mu's wishes. Originally, according to Luo Yi's wishes, they were going to hold a big banquet to celebrate.
Qin Mu was no ordinary teenager; after all, he had lived in another world for almost thirty years. He knew, of course, that Luo Yi was just trying to curry favor with Qin Qiong, and that it might not actually be that joyous.
Luo Chengyi explained that Qin Yao understood; not having formally acknowledged his ancestry meant it wasn't appropriate to announce it yet.
"I see." Qin Yao smiled and nodded to Qin Mu. Although Qin Qiong was famous, the Qin family did not need to bow down to Qin Mu.
Qin Mu didn't take it to heart, and returned the greeting with a proper bow before calmly sitting down.
Compared to the Luo family, the Qin family clearly had a deeper foundation, and their furniture and maids were of much higher quality.
Perhaps due to its long-term defense of the border, the place exudes a grand and rugged atmosphere, with bronze wine vessels and delicate, dark-colored bowls and plates. The dishes are also predominantly meat-based, and one can taste the abundance of animal meat in them.
The clinking of glasses and the exchange of toasts are all empty flattery; the toasting and drinking lack sincerity—this has been the same throughout history. Luo Cheng's polite words are second to none. He praised the entire Qin family, showing either a deep understanding of them or thorough research.
Qin Yao was even more impressive, recounting in detail the entire Luo family, from father to son, and recounting all of Luo Cheng's deeds, big and small. He practically hailed him as the best in the world.
Qin Yao certainly wouldn't entertain Luo Cheng alone; there were also several generals and advisors from the Prince's Mansion.
After several rounds of drinks, Qin Mu also enjoyed a song and dance performance. The dancers, draped in light gauze, were far superior to the coquettish performances he had seen before, truly an eye-opener.
The welcome dinner consisted of just one meal of food and drink. If there was any real business to discuss, it was simply to invite Luo Cheng to guard the pass.
"Although the Qin family occupies a unique position, they still walk on thin ice. They make friends with people from all directions and are very polite to everyone. However, it's just politeness; they don't have deep relationships." As soon as they stepped outside, Luo Cheng, no longer appearing drunk, explained to Qin Mu with clear eyes.
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