Love's Debt Comes Knocking - Chapter 9

After two consecutive gloomy days, the sky finally cleared, with osmanthus, jasmine, water lilies, and marigolds vying in splendor.

Spring has its vibrant rivalries, summer its clamorous noise. In this world, whether it be flowers and plants or humans who pride themselves as the pinnacle of all beings, each follows its own predetermined upward trajectory.

In Phoenix City, under a clear, boundless sky, Lu Yang changed into a brand-new Suzhou embroidered moonlit brocade robe, tied at the waist with a sash, and adorned with a water-blue sachet at her side. As she walked, she exuded a youthful and spirited aura.

“Grandmother.”

As the beloved granddaughter arrived, the matriarch, contrary to her usual demeanor, did not rush forward to embrace and shower her with affection.

This meant serious matters were at hand.

“Take a seat quickly.”

Lu Yang chose the seat closest to her grandmother and sat down. Lu Jinhuan walked over to pour tea for her, while Nanny Yu led the maids out in an orderly procession.

The door closed again, sealing the room in serene silence.

Lu Yang inadvertently glanced at the proper and disciplined Sister Jinhuan.

In the past, it was Nanny Yu who accompanied her grandmother. How many years had Nanny Yu served her grandmother, and how many years had Lu Jinhuan?

To have a place in her grandmother’s heart that could replace Nanny Yu, Sister Jinhuan truly spared no effort in currying favor with the matriarch.

In front of the matriarch, Lu Jinhuan dared not openly flirt with the prized jewel of the Lu family. Instead, she subtly cast a flirtatious glance at the young mistress, her entire being radiating passion. Had it been a man, he would have been set ablaze by her, unlike Lu Yang, who remained innocent and composed.

The matriarch cleared her throat lightly.

The younger generation immediately straightened their posture, standing and sitting with proper decorum.

“A letter has arrived from the capital. Take a look.”

One generation plants the trees, another enjoys the shade. As early as the time of Lu Yang’s great-grandfather, a preliminary intelligence network had been established. Through generations of development, messengers now delivered information to the Lu family from all corners of the Great Zhou Dynasty, even from within the imperial palace itself.

There were many letters, and as Lu Yang read through them one by one, her expression grew solemn.

“What do you see?”

Lu Yang replied earnestly, “The conflict between the scholar-official clans and the imperial family is becoming increasingly acute.”

Tao Zhen rejected the emperor’s covert overtures, preferring to stand with the scholar-official clans rather than become in-laws with the Son of Heaven. The emperor, in the prime of his life and full of ambition, might present a facade of harmony between the scholar-official clans and the imperial family ruling the world together, but it was merely the calm before the storm.

In her view, the scholar-official clans and the imperial family could never share the same perspective. The emperor demanded submission from his subjects, but the scholar-official clans, with their hard bones, were unwilling to prostrate themselves like slaves at the emperor’s feet, their pride and heritage spanning millennia forbidding it.

The matriarch said gravely, “The Li family rose from humble origins. In the eyes of the scholar-official clans, they merely relied on brute force to claim the throne. The Great Zhou Dynasty has barely been established for a century, and in the clan records, the imperial surname ranks behind the Five Prestigious and Seven Noble Clans. What do you think the emperor feels about this?”

“The emperor must feel as if he has a bone stuck in his throat.”

“Exactly.”

Lu Jinhuan stood with dignified posture, listening to the grandmother and granddaughter discuss the affairs of the world. Even far away in Phoenix City, the Lu family’s reach was long and far-reaching.

Scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants—scholars were esteemed, merchants were lowly. The scholar-official clans looked down upon the imperial family and even more so upon merchants who dealt with the stench of money all day.

But the Lu family was no ordinary merchant.

This was a truth Lu Jinhuan had personally understood since she was five years old.

Anyone who regarded the Lu family as “nothing but foolishly wealthy” lowly merchants would meet an early demise.

“It has been eighteen years since the late empress passed away.”

The matriarch suddenly remarked.

The topic shifted too abruptly, leaving Lu Yang momentarily stunned.

“The emperor wishes to use marriage alliances to achieve a better balance with the scholar-official clans. Unfortunately, some are not buying it. In the end, what the emperor seeks is not balance but containment.”

This was the crucial information she had gleaned from a pile of secret letters.

Lu Jinhuan and Lu Yang both turned their gaze toward the matriarch. Without beating around the bush, the old lady spoke plainly, “If the noble families won’t buy in, we will.”

She looked steadily at the two younger members of the family. “Our Lu family’s chance to advance further has arrived.”

In this world, wealth and power are inseparable. The Lu family had nearly reached the pinnacle in terms of wealth; what remained crucial was power.

To secure enough influence to protect their descendants and preserve the family’s foundation, they needed to form a stable alliance with those in the highest positions.

The Lu family had once formed such an alliance with those in power. However, with each new ruler came new ministers, and only by replacing old alliances with new ones could the Lu family ride the winds of fortune without collapsing midway.

Lu Yang’s heart pounded wildly.

Lu Jinhuan’s throat felt dry.

“Jinhuan.”

“Grandmother…”

The old lady smiled affectionately. After all, she was a considerate elder who cared deeply for the younger generation. Without hiding anything, she asked directly, “Do you want to become the young mistress of the Lu family, or do you want to become the empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty?”

“Grandmother—”

Lu Jinhuan paled in panic and knelt on the ground.

“Don’t be afraid, Jinhuan. When your grandmother asks you a question, answer it honestly. Search your conscience and make a decision you won’t regret.”

Should she become the young mistress of the Lu family, or should she become the empress who would rule over the land, the future empress dowager?

Lu Jinhuan’s mind was in turmoil. Instinctively, she looked toward the young and radiant Lu family heir.

“I…”

On one side was a life of stability; on the other, seeking wealth and honor through perilous means.

The matriarch was the steadying force who had steered the Lu family for many years. Every word she spoke was carefully considered. Should she become the young mistress of the Lu family or the most revered woman in the land?

“I… I want…”

She tore her gaze away from Lu Yang’s face, lowered her head, and remained silent for what felt like half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

The old lady had all the patience in the world to wait for her decision.

Lu Jinhuan was a child she had raised with her own hands. No one understood her better than the old lady, not even the ambitions buried deep within Lu Jinhuan’s heart that she herself had not yet recognized. The matriarch had seen them clearly.

That was why she asked this question today.

“I was born lowly. It was you, Grandmother, who lifted me from the mud and raised me to this day.” Lu Jinhuan’s eyes grew slightly moist. “Since you ask, I have nothing to hide. Whether to become the young mistress of the Lu family or the empress who rules over the land, I choose the latter.”

If she could not obtain true love, she would seize the power to reign over all.

“A’Yang, did you hear what your sister Jinhuan said?”

“I heard.”

“It’s good that you heard.” She sighed with emotion. “Then you must work even harder to help her ascend to the position of empress. Only then can our Lu family prosper without decline.”

The old lady turned her head. “Jinhuan, you may leave first. I have something to say to A’Yang.”

“Yes.”

Lu Jinhuan bowed and took her leave.

Stepping outside, she looked up at the vast sky, unsure whether she was dreaming or awake. She pinched her cheek—it hurt. She winced, feeling as though she were walking on clouds as she drifted out of the courtyard gate.

“Do you think your grandmother is being too fanciful?”

Lu Yang smiled. “Not at all.”

The old lady sat up, and Lu Yang stepped forward to support her right arm.

“The struggle between the nobility and the imperial family, the conflict between established families and those of humble origins. If we are fortunate enough to encounter a wise ruler with an iron will, these contradictions might be resolved peacefully. But that is too idealistic.

“In any struggle, how can there be no bloodshed?

“Our Lu family does not blindly side with the imperial family. Since the time of your great-great-great-grandfather, the Lu family has always fought for survival. Whoever can offer us a path to life, we will stand with them.”

“With such immense wealth, how could people not be envious? Guarding such a vast family fortune, my dear, you must be shrewd enough.

“You don’t like Huan’er, and that’s just as well. Huan’er has greater ambitions. She was trained by me, and aside from the Lu family, no one else can be her support.

“If she cannot become the young mistress of the Lu family, then she must become your most loyal and reliable ally.”

Pushing open one door after another, they arrived at the secret core of the Lu family. The old lady’s eyes sparkled with a unique radiance, and her smile faintly revealed the gentle kindness of her youth. “The position of empress is not as distant as you might think. If we want it, there’s no reason we can’t have it.”

Lu Yang was speechless.

The old lady tapped her fingertip on Lu Yang’s forehead. “Silly child, go open that chest.”

She handed Lu Yang a key made of pure gold.

It was a very large secret chamber, filled with chest after chest—big ones, small ones, all locked. When the locks were opened, the chests contained boxes, and those boxes were nested within others. Lu Yang had memorized secret texts since she was three years old, and those texts were the key to unlocking the secret boxes.

The jade-green box was opened.

Compared to the box itself, the contents inside were unremarkable—dull and gray, carrying the dust of bygone eras.

Lu Yang crouched down to carefully examine the well-preserved items. When she saw the imperial seal stamped on the silk cloth, she was suddenly startled. “What is this?”

“This is the IOU the Founding Emperor wrote to our family.”

Usually, only founding emperors are referred to as “Taizu.” The history of Taizu’s founding of the nation could be considered a story of a commoner’s rise to greatness. Behind Taizu’s military campaigns and the establishment of an unparalleled legacy, the most indispensable yet low-key and unassuming figure was Lu Yang’s grandfather.

“The previous dynasty was tyrannical, and the people suffered greatly under its rule. Taizu, in accordance with the will of heaven, raised an army to overthrow it.

“In war, soldiers, horses, and provisions are indispensable, and to secure these, vast sums of money are needed as support. It was at this time that your grandfather contributed half of the family’s wealth to assist Taizu in his cause.

“As the saying goes, ‘He who takes is at a disadvantage.’ The same was true for Taizu at the time.

“Taizu was a poor man, and just as his grand ambitions seemed out of reach, someone generously offered their entire fortune to help. He was deeply moved and immediately tore off a piece of his robe to personally write this IOU.

“Afterward, when he gained the empire and ascended the throne, the national treasury was empty and unable to repay the enormous debt. Thus, he stamped it with the imperial seal, promising that any remaining debt would be repaid by his descendants for generations to come.”

There was such a story?

Lu Yang’s expression was quite vivid.

At this point, the old lady smiled mischievously. “Of all the impoverished scholars in the empire, at least a third were supported by the Lu family in their studies. The Lu family are merchants, and merchants do not engage in losing ventures. Our ancestors have created favorable conditions for you, my dear. You must learn to make use of them.”

“Make use of them? Grandmother, are you saying to go to the capital to negotiate a deal?”

There is no business that cannot be done, as long as you strike at the heart of the matter.

The Lu family’s support at this time addresses the royal family’s urgent needs and alleviates their worries. As long as the price is right, even the position of empress can be rightfully purchased.

Moreover, if the Lu family produces an empress and strengthens ties with the royal family, it will ensure at least several decades of peace and prosperity.”

Understanding this point, Lu Yang stepped forward. “Excess leads to decline, and extreme prosperity inevitably brings downfall. If we truly do this, once the royal family deals with the noble clans, the first target will be our Lu family.”

“Exactly. Your great-grandfather had already devised a strategy for this long ago.”

The old lady asked calmly, “A’Yang, let me ask you: How has the Lu family remained unshaken for eight hundred years?”

“Because we are hailed by the world as the ‘Land God of Wealth,’ and because our ancestors have always foreseen opportunities.”

“That’s true, but not entirely.”

She led her obedient grandson to sit on the sandalwood chest, her words filled with deep reverence for their forebears: “It is because generation after generation of our ancestors prepared for the future that more and more people have come to willingly acknowledge—if the world’s wealth is divided into ten parts, the Lu family holds the lion’s share; if there are countless paths to riches, every one bears the tracks of the Lu family’s carriages. If the Lu family falls, the world’s economy collapses.”

To speak of something closer to home, why did Emperor Yang of the previous dynasty suffer such a devastating defeat?

While there were reasons for his tyrannical rule, one undeniable factor was the speed of his downfall—he had set his mind on killing Lu Ding.

Emperor Yang coveted the wealth of the Lu family and sought to eliminate Lu Ding at all costs.

He made the first move, and Lu Ding retaliated in kind, turning his back on the emperor and using the family fortune to support the rebellion that seized the empire.

Prosperity and ruin are shared; even if others feared them, who would dare cross the God of Wealth?

Some crave power, others desire beauty, but the Lu family has always cherished wealth.

The Lu ancestors were born with a natural interest in making money, and their descendants inherited this trait.

Passed down through eight hundred years to Lu Yang’s generation, Lu Yang was born clutching a golden abacus. By three, she was learning to read ledgers; by eight, she could operate an abacus blindfolded, outmatching every accountant in the household.

They love wealth, and they are even more willing to use it.

If the rise of the rebellion is a tale of overcoming adversity, then the eight-hundred-year legacy of the Lu family is nothing short of legendary.

“Scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants—scholars are esteemed, merchants are at the bottom. Yet our Lu family is the exception.”

As she spoke these words, the old lady’s pride swelled to its peak. She tilted her head and cast an encouraging glance at Lu Yang, who, in a moment of clarity, shared the same warm, cunning smile with her grandmother.

“Grandson understands. With the accumulated wealth of generations, even the imperial family cannot owe a debt to the Lu family. The sky is high, the clouds are vast, and all is auspicious. It is time to go to the capital and strike a deal with His Majesty.”