Chapter 110: Jinjin Martial Arts Association, A Conspiracy of Tigers and Wolves (Supplement)

This restless day finally passed.

Having crushed and defeated the experts from the concessions of the Sha'e and Sunlight countries, and even forcing back the Martial Arts Association's titan Wu Yixian with two punches on the stage, Lu Yuan's name swept through the entire Jinjin like a hurricane after this day; there was no one who did not know of him.

Such deeds were considered a rare tale, with everyone from officials and merchants to peddlers and porters, and even singing girls and actors, feeling a sense of pride and discussing it with relish.

For a time, people all over Jinjin were talking about and inquiring into Lu Yuan's background, especially many young people who knew he was about to establish a sect in Jinjin; they would squat at the Jinyu Mantang Building of the Martial Arts Association every day to ask for news, hoping to gain an advantage.

Besides this.

Upon learning the news, Governor Qi Yuanjiang was also overjoyed and immediately wrote an urgent memorial by hand, ordering people to rush the good news to Tianjing City with all speed.

An urgent dispatch from Jinjin to Tianjing City would arrive in one day, and his urgent memorial caused a stir like a stone creating a thousand ripples once it was delivered to the palace.

It is said that in the imperial court, whether it was the puppet-like Xuantong Emperor or the Empress Dowager Xici, who ruled from behind the curtain, both were overjoyed and full of praise upon hearing the news; the princes and officials even shouted that the Martial Arts Star had descended to the world, that the Great Jin's Qi Luck was like a dragon, and that the foreigners were nothing more than this.

After all, the Jin Dynasty had suffered too many humiliations at the hands of the great powers over these years; how could they not be happy to hear that the foreigners had been thwarted?

Therefore, in his joy, the Xuantong Emperor bestowed a reward upon Lu Yuan in the court, dispatching a grand eunuch to carry a reward of ten thousand Gold Yuan and a golden plaque inscribed with "Jinjin Grandmaster" to Jinjin; if not for the obstruction of his ministers, he even intended to issue an edict summoning Lu Yuan to the Capital to meet the Emperor.

Thus, after the news spread from the palace, it also caused quite a stir in the vast Capital, and within a few days, it reached the point where everyone knew:

"What, they held a ring in Jinjin and fought the foreigners?"

"In his twenties, comparable to a Grandmaster, defeating the Earth Title general of Sha'e and the Great Famous General of Sunlight Country, and even fighting to a draw with Wu Taidou—is this not a joke?"

"Even if one started practicing Martial Arts from the womb, it would be impossible to reach the realm of a Grandmaster in twenty-some years; how could there be such a god-like person in this world?"

"It is true. I have a friend in Jinjin who saw the peerless bearing of that Mr. Lu with his own eyes; it absolutely cannot be fake!"

For a time, the common people in the Capital also became rampant in their discussions of this matter, talking about it with great interest.

While Lu Yuan, far away in Jinjin, was very low-key and rarely went out, and was unaware of the situation in the Capital, he clearly felt the drastic changes in his Qi Luck.

Because after the surge of over 1,200 units of Qi Luck on the day of the ring match, as his influence and fame continued to spread, a large amount of Qi Luck still gathered in the dark every day thereafter, reaching over 200 units almost every day.

Especially during the few days when he learned through Fan Zhenxiong that Governor Qi Yuanjiang had sent the memorial to the Capital and the Jin Dynasty was bestowing rewards upon him, the daily increase in Qi Luck even exceeded 500 units!

So, in a total of only six or seven days, he had increased his Qi Luck by another 2,000-plus units, and his accumulated total had already exceeded 3,000 units!

Such a gratifying change naturally made Lu Yuan overjoyed, and also made him realize that he had underestimated the momentum of this Qi Luck gathering.

Jinjin was a major coastal city, and news traveled quickly to radiate across the country; according to this trend, his fame might slowly radiate to the thirty-six provinces, and by that calculation, he might even be able to increase his Qi Luck by several thousand more!

And on the seventh day after the ring match ended.

The Jinjin Prefectural Office.

Lu Yuan arrived by carriage, disembarked at the front courtyard, and walked into the hall with Fan Zhenxiong.

Upon entering, he could see a clean-shaven old eunuch wearing a red-topped hat with a peacock feather and dressed in a stone-blue python robe sitting in the main seat, with Qi Yuanjiang entertaining him on the side.

Seeing Lu Yuan enter, both of their eyes lit up, and they stood up simultaneously.

Qi Yuanjiang, full of pride and smiles, introduced him:

"Mr. Lu, come quickly, come quickly. This is the Grand Superintendent of the Inner Court, Li Liansheng, who was specially sent by the Old Buddha to bestow rewards upon you!"

Although Li Liansheng's figure was slightly thin and gaunt, his aura was profound, and his eyes held a restrained sharpness; he was clearly also an expert with deep Martial Arts.

Lu Yuan glanced at the other party and smiled, cupping his hands:

"So it is Superintendent Li, a pleasure to meet you."

For an ordinary person, this demeanor would be a great sign of disrespect, but Li Liansheng had already confirmed with Qi Yuanjiang that Lu Yuan possessed strength comparable to a Grandmaster and a limitless future, so he immediately exclaimed with a beaming smile:

"They say hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once; Mr. Lu is indeed of peerless bearing, almost like a heavenly being. Only upon seeing you today do I know that those rumors in the Capital are not false in the slightest!"

Lu Yuan smiled faintly:

"Superintendent Li is too kind; it is merely the favor of friends in the martial arts world."

Li Liansheng, however, lightly flicked his horsetail whisk and said with a chuckle:

"Mr. Lu, you do not know, but after the Old Buddha and the Emperor learned of your deeds, they were overjoyed and full of praise, even eating more during their meals that day. To show appreciation for Mr. Lu's thwarting of the foreigners' attacks, the Old Buddha specifically had the Emperor issue an edict to reward you with ten thousand Gold Yuan, and ordered people to craft a golden plaque of 'Jinjin Grandmaster' to bestow upon you, Mr. Lu."

As he spoke, he clapped his hands, and several young eunuchs from the back hall walked out, carrying small red-lacquered wooden boxes and a huge golden plaque nearly a zhang long.

On the golden plaque, the four large characters "Jinjin Grandmaster" were written in gold paint with dragon-flying and phoenix-dancing strokes, and after the red-lacquered wooden boxes were opened, they revealed the dazzling, eye-catching Gold Yuan.

Ten thousand Gold Yuan, which could be converted into two hundred thousand Silver Yuan; the Jin Dynasty's reward could not be considered anything but a grand gesture.

Although the current Lu Yuan had plenty of ways to make money if he wanted to, he naturally had no reason to refuse what the Jin Dynasty was actively sending him, which was also the reason he had come specifically today.

Therefore, he cupped his hands in a salute and smiled:

"Many thanks for the imperial court's reward, and thank you, Superintendent Li, for making this trip."

Seeing Lu Yuan's indifferent attitude and his complete failure to mention the Old Buddha's name, Li Liansheng's expression froze slightly, but a top-tier Grandmaster-level expert naturally had the qualifications to be slow toward officials and light toward nobles, so he could only look deeply at Lu Yuan:

"It is no trouble. The rewards from the Old Buddha and the Emperor show their high regard for a rare talent like Mr. Lu. We are now in a great change of the century, and I hope you will become a pillar of the nation in the future and contribute to the stability of the imperial court's empire."

Lu Yuan said indifferently: "The times are turbulent; contributing to the country and the people is naturally a matter of course."

Sensing something, Li Liansheng frowned: "Very well, since I have already delivered the items, it is time for me to return."

Lu Yuan maintained basic etiquette: "Safe travels, Superintendent Li."

Li Liansheng nodded to Qi Yuanjiang without showing his emotions, and with a wave of his hand, his subordinate eunuchs crowded around him as they filed out and left the hall.

Governor Qi Yuanjiang saw that something was wrong and hurriedly took Fan Zhenxiong to follow and see them off; after a short while, he walked back and said helplessly:

"Mr. Lu, this Li Liansheng is, after all, a favorite of the Old Buddha. He came personally to bestow the reward on behalf of the Old Buddha; your attitude just now was perhaps a bit too cold."

Being able to make a special trip was already giving enough face, so Lu Yuan smiled indifferently:

"A rough man from the wilderness, lacking in etiquette; please forgive me, Governor Qi."

"You... sigh."

Facing such an unprecedented monster of a person like Lu Yuan, Qi Yuanjiang did not dare to lose his temper, only letting out a heavy sigh:

"Since the imperial envoy has left, Mr. Lu, please return as well. I will have Commandant Fan arrange another carriage to send these things to your residence."

Lu Yuan nodded:

"Many thanks, Governor Qi. You are busy with official business, so I will not disturb you further."

With that, he left with Fan Zhenxiong, while several soldiers behind them carried the box of Gold Yuan and the golden plaque.

He boarded the carriage and drove out of the government office.

Inside the carriage, Fan Zhenxiong only then said with reverence in his eyes:

"For Mr. Lu to be so young, yet remain completely unmoved by the imperial court's heavy rewards and easily attainable power and fame, is truly admirable."

Lu Yuan smiled without a word.

He now possessed the top-tier strength and means of the current age, and could act as he pleased without having to engage in any hypocritical pretense with anyone; if he were to be moved to tears of gratitude over a mere bestowal, then this cultivation of the Dao would truly have been in vain.

Fan Zhenxiong asked again:

"Mr. Lu, I wonder how the preparations for your dojo are coming along?"

Lu Yuan said:

"The site for the dojo has already been determined; it is on Liu Su Avenue in the outer city. There was an abandoned factory there up for transfer, which I acquired to use as the dojo. Currently, people from the Martial Arts Association are helping me renovate and expand it. It will likely take another half a month or so before it can be put into use."

"With Mr. Lu's track record, once the dojo opens, disciples will surely flock to it, causing a great sensation in Jinjin."

Fan Zhenxiong said with envy:

"I wonder what name Mr. Lu has chosen for the dojo?"

Lu Yuan smiled and said: "It shall be called Guangwu Hall, taking the meaning of the revival of the Han, and using martial arts to strengthen the body and the heart."

"Guangwu Hall, Guangwu..."

Fan Zhenxiong's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but exclaim:

"A good name. I wonder what requirements you have for recruiting disciples and Gatekeepers?"

Lu Yuan had long since prepared a plan:

"They need only be Han people, between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five, with excellent natural talent and sharp minds; those who are literate are preferred, and those who are outstanding may even be exempt from paying the entrance fee."

Fan Zhenxiong immediately gave Lu Yuan a deep look: "Mr. Lu is indeed someone destined for great things."

After all, having once been part of the Shengping Heavenly Kingdom, he realized immediately upon hearing Lu Yuan's requirements that the dojo the other party was opening was not merely for establishing a sect to promote martial arts, but rather seemed to be using himself as a golden signboard to recruit talent and cultivate a base of support.

When the Saint King Chen Kequan first rose to power, it was exactly like this; besides the martial artists and generals who fought externally, his subordinates included a large number of administrative and technical Staff Officers as his foundation. Although these people were not skilled in killing, they were adept at handling internal affairs, raising funds and grain, casting firearms, and so on.

As for whether Lu Yuan had such intentions, or whether he could achieve this, he did not know.

And so, amidst the idle chatter along the way.

Before long, the carriage arrived at the small courtyard where Lu Yuan lived.

Under Fan Zhenxiong's direction, several personal soldiers lifted the golden plaque and the red-lacquered wooden chest containing ten thousand Gold Yuan from the carriage behind and moved them into the courtyard.

Before leaving, Fan Zhenxiong scanned the somewhat simple courtyard and said:

"Given Mr. Lu's current fame and status, living here no longer seems appropriate. Would you like me to find another place for you?"

Lu Yuan shook his head:

"Commandant Fan, there is no need for such courtesy. Once the dojo is renovated, I will move directly into the dojo, so there is no need to trouble yourself further."

Fortunately, this courtyard had been rented for Lu Yuan by Xi Beichen, and he usually kept a low profile. Currently, apart from the top brass of the Martial Arts Association and people like Fan Zhenxiong, no one knew where he lived; otherwise, with his current fame, people would likely have been coming in an endless stream, leaving him no peace.

Fan Zhenxiong nodded: "Very well, then I shall take my leave."

"Go slowly."

As he spoke, Lu Yuan saw him off personally, watching as Fan Zhenxiong left in the carriage.

After Fan Zhenxiong's carriage had gone far away.

He glanced seemingly casually at a street corner not far away, then gave a scoff, turned around, closed the door, and returned to the courtyard.

And just after he entered the courtyard.

At a street corner just over ten zhang away, two hooligans in plain clothes poked their heads out to look carefully, their faces filled with irrepressible joy:

"That's the one, Lu Yuan! We've finally found where he lives!"

"Quick, quick, hurry and notify Gang Leader Deng!"

The sun set in the west, and night fell.

Deng Xiaolin, leader of the Cao Gang, carried two trusted aides and took a rickshaw to the Concession of the Sunlight Country.

In the Concession, most places had not changed much, still maintaining the street layout of the past, and the original Jinjin commoners could still live here;

However, in the core area near the Consulate, it had turned into an entire street of Japanese-style districts full of exotic flair. Everyone on the street wore kimonos and wooden clogs, and they were all clearly people of the Sunlight Country.

Now that electricity and lights had appeared in the world, this street was also full of utility poles and electric lights; although night had fallen, it was far more bustling and lively than outside the Concession.

Relying on the permit specially issued by the Rizhao Consulate, Deng Xiaolin and his party were able to drive straight in and arrive before a brightly lit izakaya. After the group reported their arrival, they were led by a server with snow-white shoulders and neck to the second floor and entered a private room.

And what shocked Deng Xiaolin was this.

In the private room, the Sunlight Country Consul Guangye Shensi and a tall, cold-faced man in military uniform were already waiting on their knees, while opposite them sat Takov of the Sha'e Consulate, along with another bald, rugged-faced Sha'e giant in military uniform.

Not expecting such a lineup to greet him, Deng Xiaolin's expression was slightly suspicious:

"Consul Guangye, Consul Takov, you are...?"

As far as he knew, although they belonged to the same great powers, the relationship between the Sha'e Empire and the Sunlight Empire could definitely not be called good.

Because just a short time ago, in the great battle on the Jinri Sea, the Sunlight Country had achieved victory with overwhelming force, not only occupying the Ryukyu Great Bay islands but also landing at Lushun on the Liaodong Peninsula, routing and massacring the stationed Jin Army with the intention of occupying the entire Liaodong Peninsula.

However, their plot was thwarted by the interference of the Sha'e Empire, and they were forced to withdraw their troops from the Liaodong Peninsula.

The reason the Sha'e Empire interfered and stopped the Sunlight Country was naturally not out of kindness, but because they had long ago formulated a strategy to occupy the northeastern provinces of the Jin Dynasty and naturally would not allow the Sunlight Country to extend its claws.

These two sides were not exactly at daggers drawn, but they certainly did not see eye to eye. So, why would these two parties be sitting together today?

"Mr. Deng, do not stand, please sit!"

Just as Deng Xiaolin was suspicious, Guangye Shensi waved his hand and smiled:

"We and Mr. Takov have the same goal, so after receiving your news, I invited him over. You need not be surprised."

"Let me introduce you. Besides Consul Takov, this Lieutenant General Leonid beside him is also a Combat Master of the Sha'e Empire with the title of Earth, and he is in charge of a Special Action Team composed entirely of elite warriors; his strength is formidable."

"And this Watanabe Ue beside me is the second squad leader of the Black Dragon Society's assassination group. Like Mr. Sangtian, he is a Great Famous General who has stepped into the Ninja Martial Arts Sixth Stage, and the Assassins under his command are also murderous elite figures; any one of them is no less than your Fifth Realm Martial Artists!"

After hearing Guangye Shensi's introduction, Deng Xiaolin's heart skipped a beat, and he sat down somewhat stiffly, asking tentatively:

"Mr. Guangye, Mr. Takov, are you intending to dispatch elites to assassinate that Lu Yuan?"

(End of chapter)