Lu Yao's side was in high spirits, but Governor Wen could not find joy in himself.
He stared at the riddled corpse of Lu Qianshi, his face as calm as an ancient well, but internally he cursed furiously, "Damnit! Everyone else survived, but this fucking bastard had to die! Fuck your ancestors!"
The murder of a sixth-rank official by rioters meant that he, the "photo organizer," was undeniably responsible and was sure to be rebuked.
The enormous task of appeasing 100,000 disaster survivors had been settled, yet, unexpectedly, it was ruined by a fool. Governor Wen's eyes flashed cold with fury.
Colonel Xu kept talking nonstop at his side, "Lord Lu loved taking pictures too much; it would have been better if he let me do it sooner. I wouldn't mind taking a few bullets. Alas, it seems the heavens wanted him."
Governor Wen looked up coldly and said, "Why did the state soldiers allow the rebels to blend in with the disaster victims? Why did they allow them to calmly set up an attack on an imperial official? And why didn't they prevent it from happening right after the incident?"
A series of accusations fell on Colonel Xu, who stood there with his mouth agape, at a loss for words.
Fortunately, at that moment, a standard-bearer came to report, "Sir, the interrogation is complete. The trouble was caused by followers of the Great Vehicle Sect. They seized the opportunity to stir trouble in the prefecture government, aiming to distract the Imperial Court and provide convenience for their leader."
No one present seemed surprised; nowadays, such deeds were only expected from the "Great Vehicle Sect."
~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, Li Pei elsewhere was relaying the same news:
"The Great Vehicle Sect is an evil creed founded by altering the teachings of the Western Religion, which the Imperial Court has been unable to effectively ban, despite repeated attempts. They formerly sowed chaos in the south, and now they've actually come to Yunzhou... This will certainly lead to great disaster if it continues!"
Lu Yao didn't find this surprising, as the collapsing feudal dynasty was clearly a magnet for rebel leaders.
Li Pei waved to someone in the distance; Zhang Jin jogged over, carrying an entire set of official credentials and robes.
"Young Master Lu, these are the rewards from the Imperial Court, the position of a seventh-rank Dao Tai Official."
Lu Yao took them indifferently and politely said, "Thank you, Commandery Princess."
Li Pei, in a full Spirit Refining State, failed to detect the slightest excitement in Lu Yao.
She encouraged him, "The Imperial Court is indeed in need of capable people. For someone as skilled as Young Master Lu, attaining a marquisate isn't difficult."
She handed the Color Ultrasound Instrument to her sister and sat down, continuing, "After cleansing the marrow, there's Blood-Exchange, Innate, Leakproof, and only then does one reach the Indestructible Golden Body. It gets harder the further you go. Not only do you need a colossal amount of resources, taking life-threatening risks, and diligent cultivation, but you also need a master's guidance. Without any support, it's very difficult for us.
Younger fraternal disciple, don't take things too lightly; be prepared for hardships."
The serious look on the young girl's pretty face made her seem pretentiously mature. Her braids had grown a bit longer, resting on her prominently full chest.
Sitting so close, the unique fragrance filled Lu Yao's nose, and he sniffed lightly, nodding, "Don't worry, senior sister, there will always be ways."
~~~~~~
For the next two days, Lu Yao cultivated day and night with great enthusiasm, the "bang-smack" sounds in the courtyard becoming more frequent.
Liao Qe always stayed by her sweetheart, diligently teaching and correcting without tiring.
At the moment, the young girl was holding a stack of invitations, asking, "Lu Yao, are we declining all of these as well?"
"Decline them all, use the excuse of a terminal illness. I don't have time for any banquets."
Lately, there had been a steady stream of invitations asking Lu Yao to various gatherings.
Lu Yao felt that "suffering from a terminal illness" was an unbeatable excuse; there wasn't a more sufficient reason. If anyone doubted, they could ask Du Wenlan from the manufacturing bureau for confirmation~
Having finished speaking, he performed the Carp Stance, his spine powering his body to move horizontally three meters without moving his limbs, looking nothing like someone suffering from a terminal illness.
Liao Qe clapped her hands in admiration, "You're getting good at the Carp Stance."
Lu Yao felt quite satisfied with himself, "You once said I wasn't strong enough, and that hurt me. I've been holding a grudge and waiting to get even."
"Ah, you took that to heart~ But back then, we were two full realms apart, and it indeed wasn't smooth~" The young girl's eyes and smile were alluring in every move she made.
Lu Yao couldn't stand her cocky demeanor, so he pulled her to him, "Come, let's go inside. I want my revenge!"
~~~~~~