Lu Xingyao had once been the eldest grandson of a high-ranking court elder, and though he had seen much in his life, he was still stunned by the mountain of treasures before him. He swallowed hard and asked, “Grandfather, Lord Yu doesn’t receive much salary, does he? How could he have this much wealth?”

With so many rare and precious treasures, if converted into silver, it could buy ten or more estates in the capital! He recalled the day their own family was raided and the amount confiscated was nowhere near even a tenth of this. How could officials from outside the capital earn more than those within it?

Lu Qing’s face darkened with anger. It wasn’t that Yu Heng was wealthy—this was all due to Prince Su!

Gu Xingzhao watched as the nearly seventy-year-old elder stormed into the estate, his cane in hand, limping determinedly. The fury in his posture made it seem like he was ready to tear his ungrateful disciple apart.

She hurried after him and even helped Lu Qing kick open Yu Heng’s door.

With a loud bang, the two servants inside the room jumped in fright, quickly drawing their swords. Sitting on the bed, Yu Heng looked over and sneered, “It seems, Master, you’re displeased with the gifts outside.”

Lu Qing’s face flushed with rage. “I misjudged you all these years!”

Yu Heng’s eyes were clouded with unreadable emotion. “Those gifts are merely offerings from Prince Su. If Master helps His Highness, he will ensure that your family of twenty never needs to be exiled to the northern lands.”

Lu Qing’s face twisted in anger. “So, you’re helping Prince Su push me toward my death!”

Yu Heng looked troubled. “I meant no harm. I’m simply carrying out His Highness’s orders. Today, I only wished to reminisce with you…”

Lu Qing was so enraged that he gasped for air, the memories of their past flashing before his eyes. He had treated this ungrateful student as his own son, helping him when he was transferred away from the capital, even dispatching people to find him when they lost contact. Even today, he had shamelessly begged the ancestors to heal him.

But now, his former disciple was fully in service to Prince Su. His devotion to this prince was clear, and Lu Qing’s heart was shattered.

His cane struck the ground with a few angry thuds, and he turned to his grandson. “Let’s go! We’re leaving right now!”

Lu Xingyao, never having seen his grandfather this furious, wasted no time and supported the elder as they prepared to leave.

However, the two servants brandished their swords, blocking the door and preventing the grandfather and grandson from leaving.

The gleam of the swords flashed before their eyes, and Lu Qing trembled with anger. He pointed his cane at Yu Heng, who was still seated on the bed. “You wretch! Do you intend to force us to stay here?!”

Yu Heng’s expression remained calm. “I have no intention of harming you, Master. Prince Su will arrive tomorrow, and I merely wish for you to stay another day.”

He signaled to the servants to escort the pair to the back courtyard to rest.

The two servants stepped forward, but the old man and his grandson resisted. The servants, not daring to injure them, backed away.

Yu Heng spoke in a low voice, “Please, Master, don’t make this difficult for me.”

He couldn’t understand why Lu Qing refused to align with Prince Su. The emperor was weak and cruel. With Prince Su’s military power, it was only a matter of time before he succeeded. Yet Lu Qing stubbornly clung to his loyalty to the court and the people—what was he holding onto?

Lu Qing’s brows furrowed deeply, his expression grim. Meeting with Prince Su would only lead to death if they didn’t comply, and staying in Laiyuan Town was no longer an option. They had to leave tonight!

Gu Xingzhao, watching the entire scene unfold, felt a wave of disappointment. She had initially thought Yu Heng might help the old man, but now it was clear he was loyal to Prince Su. His treacherous behavior was despicable.

Gu Xingzhao’s hands itched to act. Seeing such an ungrateful person flaunt his arrogance in front of her was intolerable. She turned to Lu Qing and said, “Step aside. Let me handle this ungrateful fool.”

Lu Qing, gripping his almost worn-out cane, looked at Yu Heng, giving him one last chance.

“If there’s any trace of the person you once were, let us leave now, and I will pretend this never happened.”

Hearing these words, Yu Heng clenched the bed sheets tightly, his face showing hesitation. But in the end, he chose Prince Su over his former master. Closing his eyes, he steeled himself and gave a decisive order, “Escort Master Lu to the back courtyard.”

The two servants exchanged glances, understanding that their master had made up his mind. They stepped forward with their swords drawn.

But before they could reach the old man, a loud crash echoed through the room.

With a deafening sound, the ceiling above them suddenly collapsed, falling right between Lu Qing and the two servants!

Outside, the once-clear sky darkened as ominous clouds gathered above Yu Heng’s estate. Thunder rumbled ominously, lightning flashing across the sky. The townspeople gazed upward in awe, murmuring in fear as they saw the clouds pressing down low over the estate.

“What’s with the sudden thunder?”

“It’s only thundering over this one spot. Strange, isn’t it?”

“Could it be related to the ancestral tablet? Is it true what they say about the Lu family’s guardian spirit?”

“The Lu family from the capital?!”

“Yes, that very family! They arrived in town yesterday. I even delivered food to them. Lord Yu used to be a student of Old Master Lu.”

“I just heard from Old Liang that Lord Yu managed to cure someone of a strange illness that no one else could treat. Strange, isn’t it?”

“If Old Liang couldn’t cure it, who could?”

“They say the Lu family is protected by a guardian spirit. Last time they encountered bandits, thunder like this struck, just like today!”

“Hush! Don’t say such things…”

Suddenly, a deafening crack of thunder boomed, and lightning lit up the night sky. The townspeople outside Yu Heng’s estate cried out in shock.

“The ancestral tablet!”

Everyone turned to look, and to their astonishment, the tablet that had stood proudly on the altar, inscribed with the words “Guardian Spirit of the Lu Family,” had been split in two by lightning. Even the incense burner had been cleaved in half.

“This… this must be a sign from the gods!”

In the crowd, some faint-hearted individuals fell to their knees in fear.

Soon, everyone began to kneel, kowtowing and offering incense, their murmurs filled with reverence.

Even Yu Heng’s servants scrambled to light incense and kneel, their hands trembling with excitement.

A divine manifestation—an event so rare it only happens once in a millennium—and today, they had witnessed it with their own eyes. This was their fortune!

“Forgive us for any offense, we only seek peace and safety!”

“May the guardian spirit help my son pass his exams!”

“Bless my daughter-in-law with a healthy child—no, two or three! And let my son earn enough to bring honor to the family…”

“I wish for great fortune!”

“I vow loyalty to the court. May the spirit help me become an official in the capital!”

A dense crowd knelt in worship, their voices blending with the scent of incense smoke. Above them, thunder continued to roll, and the people prayed fervently to the shattered ancestral tablet.