Chapter 882 The Brother Who Loves to Prostitute?
Lu Jinghong, holding his sword, chuckled lightly:
"It's possible that it's related to Chen Jiaxin. This Miss Liu Qing might also be unhappy about it and want to report her for forming cliques and bullying her fellow disciples."
"That's unlikely."
Song Zhian gently shook her head, her words drawing the attention of all four:
"Although Sister Chen is arrogant, these days she and her sisters have kept their distance from Miss Liu Qing. It's probably because they don't know much about her background. After all, it's rumored that Miss Liu Qing was personally brought back by the First Queen. Who knows how powerful her backing is, plus how talented she is..."
"Sister Chen may be proud, but she's not stupid."
Silently following behind Ouyang Rong, Sha Ergou, who seemed to be comforting him, turned around and whispered:
"Speaking of which, could it be that there are difficulties at home that you wish to ask the ladies for help?"
Song, Yu, and Lu couldn't help but glance at each other.
"There are difficulties at home."
"Uh-huh."
Sha Ergou scratched his head and said:
"I noticed her clothes were patched, she was thin and quiet, and seemed very kind and simple. She was polite to people, and seemed to come from a poor family. After all, children from poor families mature early, so her family must be very poor..."
As he spoke, seemingly sharing the same experience, his tone became noticeably lower, and his expression turned somewhat embarrassed.
"Actually, after Senior Sister Yuan said that, I also wanted to go up on stage to talk to her and mention my sister's matter. But after thinking about it, I didn't dare to go up. I was one of the last to enter, so I shouldn't show my face yet. Unlike that Miss Liu Qing, who is the champion of this year's competition and has the favor of the Great Queen and the others... she definitely has enough face."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong couldn't help but look up at them.
The other three nodded thoughtfully.
"That makes sense..."
Lady Yu raised a finger, lightly tapped her chin, and analyzed with an air of seriousness:
"Do you think this girl Liu Qing might have a disabled father, a bedridden mother, a brother who lacks milk, and a brother who loves to gamble?"
Ouyang Rong: ?
...
The half-ripe Qingyan peach was still not delivered.
After waiting for a while in the passageway outside the Dripping Water Cave, and seeing that Ah Qing had not returned, Ouyang Rong left with the others.
This time, the return trip will no longer involve a single raft, but rather two large boats to ferry the girls and boys living on the two islands.
It was already late at night when we arrived at the bamboo forest island.
After the five people boarded the ship, they found a corner to stand in, away from Chen Jiaxin, who was surrounded by the Nine-Surname Maidens on the deck.
They remained silent the entire way.
The atmosphere among the five was somewhat strange, mainly because Ouyang Rong was around.
Unlike the other young women on the boat, they were not lively and immersed in the joy of being selected.
Sha Ergou stood beside Ouyang Rong, hesitant to speak.
Song Zhian remained silent, gazing at the lake.
Even Miss Yu barely ate any snacks, glancing at the other young ladies one moment and then at Brother Liu the next.
Lu Jinghong, on the other hand, was paying some attention to Chen Jiaxin.
Ouyang Rong understood the atmosphere.
Previously, he had always interacted with everyone as "Brother Liu," but now that he has lost the election, people are hesitant to comfort him, fearing it might hurt his pride.
Not to mention celebrating passing the assessment, some of the joy and happiness were subconsciously suppressed.
Even Lu Jinghong, who was born with the ability to show off, displayed a bit of "high emotional intelligence" and did not overemphasize the fact that he was selected for the Bamboo Hall as the top male student.
The large ship anchored in front of the beach on the small island. Everyone disembarked, boarded small boats, and went ashore, returning to their respective bamboo groves.
However, some of the selected young ladies were so excited that they couldn't sleep and made plans to visit the island with their friends and fellow students.
Senior Sister Yuan and the others did not impose any restrictions, but simply reminded those who passed the test today to gather on time to board the ship tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow is also very important. The Queen and her senior uncles will come to make detailed assignments to this group of new Yue women and Zhutang youths...
In addition, the boys and girls who were not selected will also gather tomorrow morning, and a boat will come to take them away from the island. The follow-up arrangements will also be discussed on the boat.
A few young women and boys in the crowd began to sob.
They were just a group of children; their emotions came and went quickly.
Ouyang Rong was certainly not among them, and he really couldn't fake it.
Under the watchful eyes of Song, Yu, and the others, he calmly turned around and led the way toward the bamboo grove.
Sha Ergou quickly followed behind Brother Liu.
Song Zhian and Yu Mili followed quietly.
Lu Jinghong followed with his sword. He and Madam Li lived next door to Ouyang Rong, so it was convenient for them to go the same way.
However, compared to the tacit understanding and quietness of Song, Yu, and Sha, the young man in brocade robes kept his gaze wandering over the other Bamboo Hall boys who were selected in the same batch, and it was unclear what he was thinking.
As they passed by the bamboo grove of Song and Yu.
Ouyang Rong spoke without turning his head, breaking the silence among the five people:
"Miss Song, Miss Yu, you should go back and rest early. Oh, by the way, we can meet together tomorrow morning, and I'll see you off."
Everyone remained silent, understanding his meaning.
As Ouyang Rong spoke, he continued walking along the path ahead with Sha and Lu.
In front of the bamboo courtyard, Song Zhian slowly stopped, looked at his back, said nothing, lowered her eyes slightly, took out the key, and walked towards the bamboo courtyard.
She was never one to be pretentious.
This is actually why Ouyang Rong had previously admired her among the four.
"Brother Liu."
Yu Mili suddenly shouted.
"What's wrong?"
Ouyang Rong stopped in his tracks and turned back with a questioning look.
Yu Mili opened her mouth as if she had something to say, but it was stuck in her throat like a fishbone.
The taciturn man waited a moment, then suddenly, a rare smile appeared on his face. Seeing this, he waved his hand and said:
"Alright. You all keep up the good work. I'm going down the mountain for now. The road ahead is long, but who knows, we might meet again soon? Why is Miss Yu crying?"
He added:
"After I go down the mountain tomorrow, I'll go find Madam Yu first to settle the wages I received a few days ago, and I'll also tell her about your situation. Madam Yu will surely be pleased."
Yu Mili paused for a moment, then nodded somewhat shyly.
...
After bidding farewell to the two women, Song and Yu, Ouyang Rong and his companions returned to the courtyard.
A plump noblewoman, with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, leaned against the bamboo door, holding a lantern in her hand, yawning and waiting, seemingly eagerly anticipating what was to come.
It is Li Wan.
"Jinghong is back!"
Li Wan greeted her with delight.
"Mother, why are you waiting outside?"
With her friends around, being treated like a child, Lu Jinghong was slightly unhappy and asked with a stern face.
In the cold wind, the woman with her hair flying in the wind, running forward to greet her eldest son, still retains a certain charm.
This drew some attention from Sha Ergou.
However, the short-haired youth was simply simple-minded; he would glance at anything that looked good and tempting.
Ouyang Rong also took a few more glances.
However, there is some scrutiny involved.
To be honest, this Mrs. Li was indeed a bit past her prime.
In the eyes of those who appreciate this kind of thing, it's considered top-notch... well, like Wang Caozhi.
Thinking of his brother-in-law, who lived far away in the capital, Ouyang Rong chuckled inwardly.
"Why are you up so late today? Jinghong, are you hungry?"
Li Wan inquired about the child's well-being and touched the child's slightly cool shoulder.
Lu Jinghong, slightly embarrassed, said with a hint of impatience:
"The child is fine. Today went smoothly overall. Let's go inside and talk..."
"Okay, sure."
Li Wan turned her head and asked Ouyang Rong with a smile:
"Ah Liang, Er Gou, would you like to come inside and sit down? I've made some soup, and Jing Hong and I can each have a bowl to warm ourselves up."
Before Ouyang Rong and Sha Ergou could politely decline, Lu Jinghong had already answered on their behalf:
"No need, Brother Liu and the others need to rest early, they will be busy tomorrow."
After saying that, Lu Jinghong turned his head and clasped his hands in greeting to the two of them, but his gaze was mainly fixed on Ouyang Rong's face.
The two looked at each other. Lu Jinghong, without glancing to the side, said with a somewhat solemn expression:
"Take care, Brother Liu. As you said, the journey of life is long, and I hope to meet you again someday."
"Yes, thank you very much for taking care of me these past few days, Young Master Lu."
Ouyang Rong nodded politely and walked back to the courtyard, with Sha Ergou following behind with his head down.
Lu Jinghong turned around, passed by Li Wan, and walked straight into the room filled with the aroma of soup.
Li Wan, being perceptive, sensed that something was amiss. She followed her son and asked in a low voice:
"What happened? Is there a problem with the assessment?"
"The child is alright."
Li Wan asked with a light laugh:
"Who is that? Liu Aliang or Sha Ergou?"
Lu Jinghong hesitated for a moment before recounting what had happened that day.
Li Wan listened with great interest.
As Lu Jinghong had expected, he favored Liu Aliang over Sha Ergou.
Lu Jinghong had been annoyed by Sha Ergou, that country bumpkin, for a long time.
According to his prior prediction, Sha Ergou should have been eliminated, while Liu Aliang should have had no problem being selected for the Bamboo Hall.
He still vividly remembers the scene of this taciturn man winning second place in the first swordsmanship test in Peach Valley.
Although Lu Jinghong felt that he was unlucky in the first round and that his third-place finish did not reflect his true ability, he still admired Liu Aliang for his down-to-earth and quiet nature.
As for Sha Ergou and Yu Xiaoniangzi, they simply have no sense of propriety whatsoever.
Can't these two learn from Brother Liu and quietly stand in the background, watching him show off in front of Miss Song? Why all this low-EQ nonsense...?
Lu Jinghong shook his head, his expression somewhat blank.
Unexpectedly, Brother Liu was still not selected, while Sha Ergou made it in at the very bottom of the list.
This guy's luck is unbelievable. However, Lu Jinghong thinks that this kid should thank Miss Song for that butterfly leaf. If it weren't for that leaf, and his score in the third round was even slightly worse, he might not have even made it to the bottom of the pack...
However, the thought that he had "reluctantly" used that leaf, and that his score in the third round was still a few steps behind Sha Ergou and Liu Aliang, made Lu Jinghong frown.
That dream was so bizarre.
He had a strict upbringing, had never done anything wrong, and had always had a smooth life. Why would he encounter such a terrifying and bizarre dream...?
After listening, Li Wan looked thoughtful and muttered to herself:
"So it was Ah Liang who failed to be selected. I thought it was that silly Sha brother."
Lu Jinghong went back into the house, picked up the hot soup and took a sip to suppress her vague discomfort.
He muttered:
"Alright, Mother, don't rub salt into their wounds. Don't show it when we meet tomorrow morning..."
Li Wan chuckled, somewhat nonchalantly saying:
"Mother knows, you don't need to teach me. In terms of how to treat people, it should be Mother who teaches you... However, these are all minor matters. The most important thing is you, Jinghong."
She couldn't hide her smile and went to serve Lu Jinghong another bowl of soup.
"So, it seems my Jinghong is truly remarkable. In this Bamboo Hall assessment, Jinghong achieved the best overall score, surpassing everyone else... If the Eldest Lady knew, she would certainly think highly of you. We didn't give you the wrong opportunity, and we didn't bring shame to your aunt and the Lu family of Fanyang this time..."
Lu Jinghong waved his hand to interrupt:
"I wouldn't say I was the best in the entire competition, just the best among the boys in my group. Mother, among this batch of new Yue girls, there are some exceptionally talented young ladies who are even more capable than me. There's even a prodigy among them who won all three rounds of the competition; she's a true seedling of a female immortal... I inquired about her today and had the honor of meeting her. Her name is Liu Qing... And there's another young lady who's second only to her, named Chen Jiaxin..."
Upon hearing this, Li Wan's almond-shaped eyes widened slightly. After listening for a while, she opened her mouth and said:
"There are even people this powerful? Yunmeng Sword Marsh truly lives up to its reputation as a hidden sect; it is indeed full of talented people."
She paused, then leaned closer and began to instruct the child:
"If you have the chance, you should take the initiative to get to know these formidable Yue women. This is a valuable connection. Anyway, you have a female aunt who is surnamed Lu. If you can stand out in the Bamboo Hall, you won't be considered inferior to these outstanding Yue women. It's not about flattery or fawning, but rather mutual help..."
Lu Jinghong casually layered his armor once a day.
"Yes, so I don't really have anything to be proud of. It's just that comparing myself to the likes of Sha Ergou in the Bamboo Hall is meaningless and makes me more narrow-minded."
"That's true. My Jinghong has lofty ambitions, so we certainly can't set our sights on them..."
Li Wan smiled:
"I remember that itinerant swordsman said that you, Jinghong, have extraordinary talent and a strong family lineage, and are blessed with good fortune. This trip south to pay homage to our ancestors will not only allow you to witness the pinnacle of swordsmanship, but also bring about the resurgence of our Lu clan upon your return... Now it seems that this has come true here at Yunmeng Sword Marsh. Entering the Bamboo Hall is just the beginning..."
Lu Jinghong was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked:
"What is a Lu's medicine bottle? Mother, have you ever heard of it, or have Father and Aunt ever mentioned it?"
Li Wan looked completely bewildered:
"Lu's medicine bottle? What is this?"
Lu Jinghong paused for a moment, offering no further explanation, and then asked:
"Mother, do I look a lot like Father and Aunt?"
"Of course, the direct descendants of the Lu family of Fanyang all look somewhat alike, with small facial features, high noses, and pointed chins, especially those slender eyebrows and eyes, typical foxy eyes. Although they might seem a bit effeminate on men, they are all handsome men and beautiful women..."
"I can only say that the bloodline of your Fanyang Lu family is truly remarkable. Jinghong, if you have time, go to the old ancestral hall in your family and take a look at the portraits of your ancestors. You'll find that they all look almost identical..."
The woman's interest in talking was piqued, and she began to chatter with great relish. Lu Jinghong stood aside with his sword in his arms, remaining silent throughout.
But at one moment, he murmured something in a barely audible voice:
"They look so alike... Could they also be Lu's medicine bottles?"
(End of this chapter)
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