Chapter 2: Cheating Device

The end of Ku Rong Street was where a district for the wealthy was. The Lu Manor was one of the houses there.

The horse carriage headed straight down Ku Rong Street and entered into a garden area.

This area was surrounded by greyish-white stone walls, forming a huge oval shape.

On the left of the area was where the Lu Manor was located.

The manor was the very image of quiet and tranquility, with black doors flanked by red lanterns and two stone chimeras, now covered with a white layer of snow.

The horse carriage stopped at the entrance of the Lu Manor, where Lu Sheng alighted. People within the mansion had long since heard the sound of him approaching and unhurriedly opened the doors. A chamberlain awaited at the entrance.

As soon as Lu Sheng and Little Qiao passed through the doors, they saw a good-looking man and a woman standing together on a stone bridge to the right of the residence.

The man was dashing, confident and with a brilliant countenance. He had sharp brows and sparkling eyes, and there was a thick aura of a Confucian scholar around him.

The woman looked soft and gentle, her eyes beautiful as if taken from a painting. She had slender waist and long legs; her manner was that of a well-bred girl from a wealthy family.

Seeing the two of them, Lu Sheng's train of thought was briefly interrupted. His mood lifted somewhat, and took the initiative to go over to greet them.

"Elder Brother Xu, why are you here only today? My little cousin has missed you for the past days," he smiled as he walked on the stone bridge.

The man smiled as he turned and caught sight of Lu Sheng. "So it's Young Master Sheng. Earlier, I had to follow orders to investigate into something, a case which had just been resolved. I came to see Yiyi as soon as I could. Don't blame me for this, I couldn't disobey orders from the higher ups."

"A case? Has there recently been a case so big that Elder Brother Xu needed to personally take care of it?" Lu Sheng knew that Elder Brother Xu Daoran was of a high position.

He was a County Lord who was overall in charge of law and order in all of the counties within Nine Links City area.

The position of a County Lord was second only to that of the County Magistrate, and was akin to that of a Police Commissioner.

"Just some cases in the fishing villages, but they've been resolved," Xu Daoran smiled warmly. "Although, Little Sheng, when are you coming to help me? You promised me previously that you would come to help me out in planning for the city's law and order."

How could Lu Sheng remember everything this body's previous host had promised in the past? He gave a perfunctory laugh and hurried to change the subject.

"Fishing villages? Don't tell me it has to do with the rumored water ghost?"

"What water ghost! It was just a lunatic driven to madness by his desire for revenge who went on a killing spree. I have already beheaded him at the scene!" Xu Daoran shook his head and said indifferently. "The case has been resolved, let's not dampen our spirits by harping on these matters. Little Sheng, do you still remember what I promised Yiyi previously?"

"To offer joss-sticks in Red Lotus Temple, and take a hike while you're at it?" Lu Sheng swiftly replied with a smile.

"You sure remember these play things very well," Xu Daoran helplessly replied and added, "You're no longer young… nineteen-year-old this year, was it? You should find some work to do. You can't expect to live the rest of your life like this, can you?"

He had watched Lu Sheng grow up. Because their families had been long-time friends, he had always seen Lu Sheng as his younger brother.

Now, he felt that he had to offer a few words of advice.

Lu Sheng shook his head and laughed. "Elder Brother Xu, do you want me to become an official, or a businessman?"

"An official, of course. This is also your father's wish. Your maternal and paternal uncles both hope that you can come over and help them as soon as possible. After all, you're the eldest son of the Lu family," Xu Daoran persuaded.

"Let's not talk about this first. It's not urgent, not urgent at all! I'm still young. What logic is there behind this hurry to chase the eldest son out?" Unconcerned, Lu Sheng replied randomly in a casual tone.

Xu Daoran and Lu Yiyi were both speechless, and did not continue the topic.

Lu Sheng did not want to dwell on the subject of being an official. He changed the subject, and walked off with Little Qiao in the direction of his sleeping quarters.

Once he got there, he changed his clothes. Without even going to greet his father, he then took the piece of cobblestone and went alone to the garden at the back of the manor.

Xu Daoran was born in the Xu family which, like the Lu family, was one of the most illustrious families in this northern city that is Nine Links. Their members had far-reaching influence, and held important positions in all areas of the city.

Lu Sheng felt rather kindly disposed towards Xu Daoran; he was a sincere and honest guy, without selfish motives, and was genuinely interested in Yiyi.

To Lu Sheng, he was as close as an elder brother.

Except…

Lu Sheng grasped onto the cobblestone, once again thinking back to the earlier scene. He thought back to what he had incidentally heard at the city gates, about how the water ghost had been killed.

'In this world, are there ghosts and immortals…?'

There was a faint, indescribable gloom in his heart as he gazed at the snow swirling in the garden.

'Perhaps it's just as Elder Brother Xu said… it's just a false rumor spread by the people,' he shook his head, grasping onto a thread of wishful thinking in his heart.

Early in the evening, he returned to his room to wash and sleep. The day's events had left him befuddled. With so many things on his mind, he quickly grew tired.