seattlejaycees Chapter 1084 - 654: Illusionary Life (Part 1) – Winds Rise at Dragon Mountain_2
Chapter 1084 - 654: Illusionary Life (Part 1) – Winds Rise at Dragon Mountain_2
During the years Lu Xiaotang served as the county magistrate, they truly understood the meaning of being human.
After returning, Lu Xiaotang became revered as the Earth God whom every household in the county would worship.
People prayed that he could forever protect this land and its people.
Lu Lin remained silent for a long time before setting off once more on the road to Zhu Family Private School in Shangyang Prefecture, under Lu Zhenweng’s reluctant but firm gaze.
From then on, Lu Lin resumed practicing martial arts.
Although there was no spiritual energy, Lu Lin’s mastery of various weapons had become ingrained into the depths of his soul.
Over the course of the following half-year, Lu Lin’s reputation spread throughout the major private schools and academies in Shangyang Prefecture.
Whenever a fellow student from the Zhu Family private school was bullied, Lu Lin would silently rush out to avenge them.
He didn’t know if he was genuinely hostile to evil or just wanted to vent some inexplicable resentment in his heart.
Lu Lin investigated the county where Lu Xiaotang served.
Lu Xiaotang’s death truly had nothing to do with the few large families in the county; it was purely an accident.
Even the common people in the county accepted this fact.
Because there were two detectives from the county who were with Lu Xiaotang at the time, and they also died in the jaws of wild wolves.
With no outlet for his rage, Lu Lin spent ten days in the mountains, clearing all the wildlife within a hundred-mile radius.
Upon returning to the private school, the teacher, dissatisfied, tested Lu Lin, only to find that Lu Lin was unexpectedly proficient in fighting.
His performance astounded the other students, who were amazed at his Heavenly Person-like abilities.
At the age of twelve, Lu Lin passed the Tongsheng examination.
At fourteen, he passed the Xiucai examination.
At sixteen, he passed the Juren examination.
In just a few years, Lu Lin consecutively passed the exams, becoming the youngest Juren in Shangyang Prefecture, and was personally received by the prefect.
However, due to the requirements, Lu Lin had to wait another five years to take the next examination.
If he succeeded in the next examination, Lu Lin could be appointed as an official.
However, the examination was held in the main city of Longshan Prefecture.
Although Lu Lin was inclined to remain in Shangyang Prefecture, the old man Lu Zhenweng traveled a hundred miles to personally tell Lu Lin to continue his exams.
Even though their family was one of wealthy merchants, over the years, only Lu Xiaotang became an official through donations.
Lu Lin had to follow this path to make a name for himself.
If Lu Lin did not become an official, the old man said he would not rest in peace even in death.
Lu Lin agreed.
After bidding farewell to the old man Lu Zhenweng, Lu Lin rode a steed to the main city of Longshan Prefecture, Longshan City.
However, on his way there, Lu Lin unexpectedly encountered several bands of robbers.
He realized that the world he was in seemed to be on the brink of upheaval.
In the second year of Lu Lin’s exam preparations, the magistrate of Longshan City, an old man surnamed Huang with a round belly, was robbed by mountain bandits during an outing. This old man immediately assumed an official demeanor, but the bandits ignored him, captured him, and delivered a letter to Longshan City demanding a million taels of silver for Huang’s ransom.
The magistrate’s office was enraged.
Insignificant bandits dared to threaten government soldiers.
They sought retribution.
But after three skirmishes, less than two thousand of Longshan City’s 5,000 stationed troops remained, while the bandits survived intact, even demanding an increased ransom along with 30 pretty young women.
Longshan City was out of options, reporting the matter while simultaneously strategizing on how to rescue the governor Huang.
A proposal was made to post an official proclamation, suggesting they needed to deal with the secular world using secular methods.
After three days, no one dared to take this task.
Lu Lin accidentally heard this news and, for reasons unknown, was suddenly eager to meet these mountain bandits.
Before nightfall, he accepted the official proclamation, left the city alone, taking nothing but a knife in hand.
The townspeople and soldiers watching were astounded by Lu Lin’s age and courage.
The next day, before dawn, the soldiers on the city gate saw two figures appear outside.
One was Lu Lin, whom they had watched leave the gates the day before, and the other was Governor Huang, who had become significantly thinner.
Lu Lin gained recognition, especially after it was known he had the status of Juren; the civil officials of Longshan City became more fond of him.
Governor Huang, seeing Lu Lin’s exceptional appearance, talent, and decent skills, attempted to recruit him.
Ordinary people might not be aware, but as a governor, he was keenly aware.
The Da Feng Dynasty’s destiny had come to its end.
Lu Lin did not want to agree.
This place was merely an illusionary realm for him; his parents could not choose either, but matters of wives and children were things Lu Lin didn’t want to entangle himself with too much in this world.
Governor Huang was not angry; he merely engaged Lu Lin in discussions about literature, drinking, and revelry daily.
Three years later, Lu Lin was already nineteen.
Just as he thought life would proceed smoothly, Governor Huang was abruptly transferred.
The new magistrate who took over targeted Lu Lin right away with the first political maneuver.
Or more accurately, targeted Longshan City’s education sector.
In the recent imperial examination, none of Longshan City’s candidates achieved success.
The higher-ups in the dynasty believed Governor Huang’s influence in education was weak, hence his removal.
The new magistrate, surnamed Wang, first revoked all of Lu Lin’s privileges in Longshan City, then began investigating Lu Lin’s actions over the past three years.
Upon learning that Lu Lin spent his days indulging with Governor Huang, he decided to make an example of Lu Lin.
"Spreading heretic views, lacking ambition, disrespecting hierarchy, offending Sacrificer, cheating in examinations..."
All these accusations culminated in thirty-four charges leveled by Governor Wang against Lu Lin, leading to his imprisonment, with plans to report to the emperor in the Imperial Capital to strip Lu Lin of his achievements after autumn.
What Governor Wang did not know was that the vast Longshan City, and even the entire Longshan Prefecture, were nominally under official control but were actually within Lu Lin’s grasp.
He appeared to indulge in daily revelry, but behind the scenes, he sought ways out for the mountain bandits.
Starting with merchant teams, advancing to forming a merchant business.
In three years, due to occasional severe droughts, floods, and various natural disasters in Longshan Prefecture, Lu Lin’s forces expanded to over 50,000 people.
Among them, 5,000 were elite warriors capable of fighting.
Lu Lin trained these individuals as vice generals, teaching them not just some training methods, but also tactics and strategies.
Although Lu Lin was imprisoned, his daily life had no restrictions, and news from outside still reached him, allowing him to command his men.
In the blink of an eye, half a year passed; staying in the prison every day, Lu Lin’s body became somewhat feeble, and his skin turned white.
Governor Wang was finally going to return to the Imperial Capital for debriefing, ordering officials to escort the criminals with him.
When the 500-strong group had traveled less than 30 miles out of the city, a group of robbers attacked.
They wore yellow headscarves, with faces painted as if demons.
With only twenty or so guards, how could they contend, especially when over ten of them were secretly under Lu Lin’s control?
Governor Wang was captured.
"Big brother, let’s rebel."
"Rebel now. The throne belongs to everyone in turns, this year’s our family’s turn. Big brother, none of our brothers recognize anyone else on the throne but you."
Returning to the stronghold, Lu Lin looked at his zealous subordinates and slightly shook his head.
From the start, he never intended to play the rebellion game.
The reason he gathered the bandits was that they were defeated by Lu Lin; they would follow him wherever he went.
He had no choice but to manage the meals for several hundred people.
Had to come up with solutions, one by one.
This eventually led to the current situation.
"Quiet, everyone, listen to big brother speak."
A towering man, two meters tall, fierce-looking, shouted loudly.
His name was Liu Tang, nicknamed the Red-haired Ghost Liu Tang due to a red streak in his hair.
"I understand the brothers’ feelings, but now is not the right time for the Da Feng Dynasty. Everyone wait patiently."
"Xiao Zhi."
"Big brother, I’m here."
A young man in a white student uniform stepped forward.
His name was Zhi Xingduo, a fallen Xiucai displaced from his land, now turned bandit on the mountain.