The arrival of Marquis Anguo, Liang Xiao, was anticipated by the Lu family, leading to a flurry of activity and commotion.
"Marquis Anguo, my aunt is currently enjoying herself by the Qiantang River..."
The one who came to greet Liang Xiao was Lu Xue's nephew, the young scholar Lu Qing, the de facto manager of the Lu family and the Qian Tang Chief Clerk.
"I'll go find her," Liang Xiao immediately asked Lu Qing for the specific location.
Lu Qing glanced at Liang Xiao, his expression immediately becoming troubled: "I beg Marquis Anguo to mind your words and absolutely do not agitate my aunt..."
Liang Xiao was taken aback, then nodded.
This female chess immortal of Qian Tang, Lu Xue, had managed the Lu family for twenty years with great skill. She had once been granted the title of Ningyang Jun for her merits.
Under her efforts, the Lu family had risen to the ranks of prominent families in Jiangnan.
But the problem was, she was a disciple of the Great Gan Qin Sage, which meant she was essentially Senior Sister to the Jinling Chess Immortal, Zhuo Yun?
And Zhuo Yun was scared away by him, the Ghost King Liang Xiao...
Furthermore, Liang Xiao felt that things were far from as simple as he imagined, and it was likely related to his father.
"I've been to Qian Tang before. This female chess immortal of Qian Tang is kind and sensible," Hong Jie praised.
Liang Xiao was then relieved.
The intelligence provided by Steward Chen, Zhuo Zifang, and Liang Qing was recorded the same way.
Except for Hong Jie and the other three who returned to the inn, everyone else followed Liang Xiao on horseback towards the Qiantang River.
Upon reaching the riverside, the group discovered forty to fifty masked men surrounding another group of people in the distance.
Fortunately, the other group's twenty-odd guards were also well-trained and protected by chainmail, keeping an old woman and a young woman in the center, guarding them strictly. Although each of them had sustained injuries, there were no casualties yet.
Liang Xiao made a decisive move, leading his men to gallop to their aid.
Before he could get close, Liang Xiao drew a short sword from his embrace.
With a sharp whistling sound, the flying sword pierced the throat of a masked man.
The Tianshan swordsmen and the Liang mansion guards, using the impact of their horses, scattered the masked crowd in one charge, dividing the battlefield.
"We're saved!"
The guards gained a moment of respite, both surprised and overjoyed. They rallied their spirits to assist in fighting the enemy.
After their horses stopped, Liang Xiao jumped directly off his horse and chopped down a masked man with his sword.
The Tianshan swordsmen displayed their prowess, and in a blink of an eye, they had annihilated the enemy, leaving none standing.
"Thank you for your rescue, esteemed heroes!"
The captain of the guards said emotionally, running over with cupped fists to express his gratitude.
Liang Xiao glanced at the startled old woman and young woman in the distance: "Are you from the Lu family?"
The old woman in the distance had silver hair and a few wrinkles on her face. In her youth, she must have been a peerless beauty.
The young woman beside the old woman was fair-faced, resembling her by about thirty percent. She looked at Liang Xiao and his group with gratitude.
"Indeed. Behind us are the Ningyang Jun and the eldest daughter of our Lu family. This is the first time we've encountered an assassination during an outing!" the captain of the guards replied, then sized up Liang Xiao.
Just as Liang Xiao was about to ask further, Ningyang Jun Lu Xue's exclaimation came from a distance: "So alike, so very alike!"
Everyone was stunned, only to realize Lu Xue was staring blankly at Liang Xiao, her face filled with complex emotions.
"This is our..."
Before the swordsmen could speak, Lu Xue stammered, "Could you be Liang Anguo's son, Liang Xiao?"
Liang Xiao nodded solemnly: "This junior is Liang Xiao, here to pay respects to Senior. I heard Senior is an old acquaintance of my father."
"Good! Good indeed!" Lu Xue only nodded slightly, her words filled with sadness, "You look eighty percent like your deceased father, Liang Anguo, from when he was young!"
Deceased?
Liang Xiao's heart sank, and he keenly caught the crucial piece of information.
He understood now. Zhuo Zifang and Grandpa Liang Qing were indeed setting him up.
"Then you are Marquis Anguo? This humble girl is Lu Xiaojun, niece of Ningyang Jun. Thank you, Marquis Anguo!" The woman beside Lu Xue was both surprised and delighted, quickly introducing herself.
A moment later, a Liang mansion guard came to report: "Marquis Anguo, poison blood was found from a few of the assassins. It seems members of the Huichun Sect took poison and committed suicide in advance!"
Lu Xue frowned: "The Huichun Sect is actually targeting this old woman? Could it be related to the King of Nan and the Grand Tutor..."
After Liang Xiao sent someone to report to the authorities, everyone escorted Lu Xue and her party back to the Lu family.
Upon hearing that Lu Xue had been attacked, Lu Qing was both shocked and angered: "We seem to have only offended the Gongyang clan and refused the King of Nan's recruitment, haven't we?"
Lu Xue simply nodded, asking Lu Qing to arrange an investigation into the matter first, before taking Liang Xiao inside.
Liang Xiao and his group waited in the large courtyard. After a moment, Lu Xue came out with a letter and handed it to Liang Xiao.
"Zhuo Lingjun had informed this old woman in advance, saying that Liang Anguo's son would be coming."
Liang Xiao took the letter and his expression changed, wishing he could fly back to Jinling and give Zhuo Zifang's backside a hundred lashes.
This was indeed Zhuo Zifang's handwriting.
It mentioned a few things.
It said that he, Liang Xiao, was the culprit who scared away her junior sister, Zhuo Yun.
He, Liang Xiao, had come to atone for his father, Liang Anguo!
These two points alone were not much, but Zhuo Zifang even said...
"I heard you are as shameless as your deceased father when you were young, and even more so?" Lu Xue couldn't help but give Liang Xiao a sideways glance.
Jian Qinwan and the Tianshan swordsmen quickly covered their mouths and snickered.
So it was inherited shamelessness?
Liang Xiao pouted: "Senior, please don't listen to Zhuo Lingjun's nonsense. My skin is very delicate, easily broken by a touch."
Everyone couldn't help but cast looks of disdain at Liang Xiao.
Shameless!
"Seeing your face, this old woman is more inclined to believe Zhuo Lingjun's words," Lu Xue said with a straight face.
Liang Xiao was speechless.
"You are this old woman's savior, but this is your favor as Marquis Anguo, and this old woman, as a member of the Lu family, will naturally repay you. However, matters between me and your Liang family are separate."
Upon hearing this, Liang Xiao sighed: "Son pays for father's debts, right? What did my father owe you? Please speak freely!"
"Back then, your deceased father and your elder uncle came to Jiangnan to study. He met this old woman through chess as a friend. At that time, this old woman was in her prime."
"He and this old woman hid their identities from each other and later developed feelings. This old woman was ready to marry him. As a result, my Lu family was the foremost aristocratic family in Qian Tang, and my father did not approve of the Liang family, which had no civil official background. This marriage was called off. This old woman was unwilling and wanted to elope with him, but he fled back to Yanzhou overnight, leaving only a letter saying he couldn't delay this old woman and ruin her family relationship!"
Liang Xiao fell into silence.
Why was it a bit like Zhuo Zifang in his youth?
Equally scummy, charming when wooing girls, and quick to flee.
"This old woman remained unmarried for him, but he married your mother, who was of common origin. Ten years later, you were born, and he sent several letters urging this old woman to marry. Yet, he never dared to come to Qian Tang again. It wasn't until later that he died in battle at Helan Mountain..."
By the end, Lu Xue's resentment turned into ineffable sorrow.
Lu Xiaojun supported Lu Xue and looked at Liang Xiao, sighing softly.
She was already over twenty, and Liang Xiao was the man she most wanted to marry as a young girl.
To be precise, he was now the man countless women in Great Gan most wanted to marry.
But she knew she had no chance and was not worthy!
And the Jinling Chess Immortal, who had the opportunity to marry Liang Xiao, had fled to the Great Liang Kingdom to escape a marriage with Liang Xiao. This matter had already caused deep resentment among the unmarried girls in the Jiangnan region.
Liang Xiao said with a determined expression: "This junior will definitely avenge my father in the future, this is a matter of national and familial hatred! Senior, my father did indeed wrong you. Tell me, what can I do to compensate?"
Even if he didn't trust Lu Xue, he trusted Zhuo Zifang and Grandpa Liang Qing.
Son pays for father's debts, no problem.
But soon, Liang Xiao added: "However, if Senior wants me to pledge myself to you, that won't do..."
Everyone almost fell over, having to admire Liang Xiao's train of thought.
The veins on Lu Xue's forehead bulged, and she suppressed the urge to smack Liang Xiao on the head. She then gave him another exasperated sideways glance.
"Since that is the case, this old woman will give Zhuo Lingjun some face and do as he wishes. You will go bring my junior sister back from the Great Liang Kingdom and marry her."
"As he wishes?" Upon hearing this, Liang Xiao roared in his heart.
This old rascal, just as he expected, had gone back on his word and calculated against me!