"The reason the Lu family prospered is because of the golden waterway from Lujiang to Jiangdong. You know, there are many water monsters on the Yangtze River, and many places have reefs and water monsters. They may not be very dangerous, but they are annoying enough to waste a lot of time. Therefore, a safe waterway is very important."
"It is said that Lu Yun, the ancestor of the Lu family, once wielded a three-foot-long sword, cutting through thorns and brambles, and traveling by dugout canoe, swept away all the water monsters along this waterway. He also established a pact that no fleet of ships belonging to the Lu family could obstruct him."
Indeed, although it is the Yangtze River, after it has expanded several times, coupled with the various monsters spawned by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, it is very unsafe, which is understandable.
After all, the river god of the Yangtze River has been missing for a long time. With no one managing it, it's perfectly normal for river pirates and monsters to roam freely.
"What, could it be that there's something wrong with this golden waterway?" Lin Yang asked curiously.
However, problems are normal. Monopolies may be profitable, but they also breed resentment. Therefore, it's quite normal for them to be sabotaged or subjected to underhanded tactics behind the scenes.
"Something's happened. It seems a powerful monster is trying to take over this shipping route. Come to think of it, this matter is related to you, my lord," Guo Jia said, glancing at Lin Yang with some surprise.
"What's going on? How could this have anything to do with me? I've never been to Jiangdong before, and I've rarely interacted with people from Jiangdong," Lin Yang asked subconsciously.
Could it be related to the original owner of this body? But the original Lin Yang was just a scholar. For the previous ten years or so, he hadn't even left Huang County. Could it be that this body of his holds some unknown secret?
Whether it's due to exceptional bloodline or extraordinary birth, or perhaps a mother with a hidden identity, Lin Yang is prepared to watch the prime-time drama.
Seeing Lin Yang's slightly excited expression, Guo Jia knew that his lord had overthought things again. He wondered what had made him so excited.
"Ahem, it's like this. Ever since the appearance of the lord's book 'Detailed Explanation of the Divine Way,' many aristocratic families or academies with the means have started to try it out."
"The most common type is self-deification, also known as physical deification, which means that while alive, one proclaims oneself and directly becomes a god. There is also deification of ancestors in the form of their deceased souls, which is more common."
"The Lu family is no exception. Their chosen deity is their ancestor Lu Yun. Their doctrine is to ensure safety on waterways, which is somewhat similar to the sea god and the former Yangtze River god."
"And this waterway is quite important. The vast majority of ships traveling between the two places go through here, so the flow of people is large. In addition, sometimes there are unexpected events such as wind and waves on the way."
"Therefore, it is easy to find high-quality and devout incense offerings, that is, the power of faith, along this waterway," Guo Jia explained.
"Oh, I see. The Yangtze River is fraught with danger, and accidents happen all the time. Therefore, people crave peace and security. Whoever can guarantee safety, that's who they will trust." Lin Yang nodded.
After all that, it all came down to self-interest. To be precise, this matter is indeed related to me.
It's important to understand that the speed of deification, the subsequent power, and the construction of the divine kingdom all require a large amount of incense offerings. Of course, the higher the quality of the offerings, the better, and the more devout the believers, the better.
But since ancient times, the people of the Han Dynasty have been very difficult to fool. Unlike those Westerners, who believe whatever God says.
In the East, in the Han Dynasty, for various reasons, true fanatics were few and far between. Generally speaking, they were mostly superficial believers with strong utilitarian motives, that is, general believers.
If you give me benefits, I'll believe in you, or rather, I'll offer you incense. If you don't give me benefits, well, well...
Therefore, the benefits attached to this waterway go far beyond money. After all, many people wouldn't care about money alone. But since it involves improving one's strength, it's understandable that powerful demons would be tempted.
"What's the name of this monster? How strong is it?" Lin Yang continued.
"This demon is named Zhongshan Jun. As for its true form, there are many different opinions and no specific information. As for its origin, it is only known that it comes from Jiangdong and is one of the famous four demon kings of Jiangdong."
"In terms of strength, he is probably at the peak of the fourth rank. He follows the path of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends, condensing the true body of the demon race, which is somewhat similar to the body-refining path of a martial general."
"I have tens of thousands of demons under my command. Of course, most of them are minor demons who have been enlightened and have extremely limited intelligence. However, due to their innate talents, they are very powerful in combat and have very long lifespans."
Upon hearing this, Lin Yang felt the name was strangely familiar. If he wasn't mistaken, the original owner of this body would definitely know it.
"It's him?!?" Suddenly, accompanied by a sudden surge of memories, Lin Yang exclaimed in surprise.
In the original owner's memories, this Lord Zhongshan was the mount of Sun Ce, the later Little Conqueror. Its true form was a tiger demon, and it was said that their lineage had always been the mounts of the Conqueror's successors.
Sun Ce's nickname, "Little Conqueror," stemmed from his inheritance of the legacy of Xiang Yu, the Conqueror.
This explains many things. Why would the cheerful Sun Ce mistreat the Lu family so much, even nearly wiping them out? It must be because in the original history, the Lu family inflicted a great loss on this White Tiger.
“As a local prominent family, the Lu family must have some foundation. Moreover, it’s better to help someone in need than to add flowers to brocade. If we help the Lu family now, it will definitely make it much easier for us to expand into Jiangdong in the future. Even if there are some troubles, they are nothing compared to the future benefits.” Lin Yang thought for a moment and then made his decision.
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Chapter Eight: A Glimmer of Hope
"I have long admired the name of Duke Wu. Meeting you today, I can see that you are indeed radiant and your reputation is well-deserved," Lu Ji said with a smile.
As the current head of the Lu family, how could he not be aware of the family's current situation? Zhong Shanjun was watching intently, while numerous other powerful families were also observing from the sidelines.
If the Lu family falls to Zhong Shanjun, those other powerful families will surely try every means to pounce and take a bite out of them. One wrong move and they could face annihilation.
Furthermore, even if they use their family's resources to defeat Zhongshan Jun, if the losses are too great, it will be another situation where wolves devour tigers.
I wonder how much benefit those powerful families offered to persuade Zhongshan Jun, this great demon, to come out of retirement. Aren't they afraid of the backlash? It all comes down to self-interest.
Therefore, with the surrounding noble families all standing idly by, Lin Yang, the Duke of Wu who suddenly appeared, became very important.
At the same time, Lin Yang was also sizing up Lu Ji, the man known as Lu Lang, who cherished oranges. He was indeed a filial son. It must be said that knowing Lu Ji was a filial son made Lin Yang feel much more at ease about cooperating with him.
Of course, this story doesn't exist in this world. As the eldest son of the Lu family, it's impossible for him to lack oranges like in the original world.
Moreover, under the observation of the Divine Eye of Fortune, that fourth-tier strength is no joke. No wonder he became the head of the Lu family so early in life. His strength is already outstanding among the many family heads.
Furthermore, judging from this person's appearance, his father, Lu Kang, is probably also at the fourth rank. Of course, it's also possible that he's at the peak of the fourth rank or even the fifth rank. Therefore, Lin Yang suspects that even without him, the Lu family should be able to overcome this difficulty.
"Haha, thank you for the compliment, Gongji. May I ask what brings you here?" Lin Yang asked directly.
After all, even though Lin Yang had already made up his mind to help the Lu family, that didn't mean he should just shamelessly rush up to them and say, "Hey, I want to help you..."
Offering help proactively and asking for help have completely different implications. With the former, people might suspect you have ulterior motives. With the latter, people will only be genuinely grateful.
"It's like this, recently my Lu family and Lord Zhongshan..." Soon, Lu Ji gave a clear account of the whole incident.
The gist is that a bad guy named Zhongshan Jun came to steal my things. Of course, the description was quite skillful; it wouldn't be so blunt. It truly makes one's heart ache and brings tears to the eyes of those who hear it.