Chapter 51: Lu Family’s Fourth Elder!_1
“Yun’er, you must live a good life with Changsheng from now on, and listen to your husband more, understand?”
“Changsheng, Yun’er is my granddaughter. Now that I’ve entrusted her to you, don’t let me down.”
The Fourth Elder looked at Lu Changsheng and Lu Miaoyun and spoke out.
Although this Fourth Elder was in her seventies or eighties and old enough to be a grandmother, she did not look her age at all.
She wore a deep cyan, elegantly simple dress, with black hair meticulously coiled up, secured by a slanting jade hairpin. Her complexion was rosy and healthy, making her look like a noblewoman in her thirties or forties.
However, upon closer inspection, one could see strands of white in her temples and a few crow’s feet around her almond-shaped eyes.
But these white hairs and wrinkles did not make the woman appear much older; on the contrary, they added a strong sense of maturity to her overall bearing.
“Grandmother, please rest assured that Changsheng will certainly take good care of Yun’er and won’t let her suffer the slightest grievance,” Lu Changsheng replied respectfully.
Even though it was a marriage of convenience,
now that they were married and had shared the bridal chamber, he naturally intended to take it seriously and assume his duties and responsibilities.
Lu Miaoyun also softly acknowledged.
“Good, good, good. Grandmother believes in you. Work hard together so I can hold great-grandchildren soon,” the Fourth Elder said, joining their hands together and smiling.
Her demeanor was gentle and kind, her tone warm, but because she had held a high position for a long time, her words carried a faint authority.
Upon hearing these words, Lu Miaoyun’s cheeks immediately turned a shade of red, and she lowered her head shyly.
Lu Changsheng responded with a frank expression, “Yes, Changsheng will certainly strive hard.”
He, too, hoped that Lu Miaoyun would conceive soon.
“Changsheng, I’ve heard from Miaoge that you’ve never been formally taught in talisman making and have relied solely on your own exploration.”
“Grandmother teaches a class on talisman making at the end of each month. You should come as well.”
“If you have any problems, or issues with your cultivation, feel free to come directly to grandmother,” continued the Fourth Elder, speaking gently as if she were a kind and loving elder.
As a person responsible for the Lu Family’s talisman making, she not only made talismans herself but also taught other Lu Family disciples in the art, in the hopes of cultivating new Talisman Masters.
After all, types of talents such as Array Masters, Alchemists, Artifact Refiners, and Talisman Masters were never too numerous for any family, which always hoped for more.
However, these skills were highly dependent on innate talent and had a very high threshold. Among the Lu Family, she had only managed to teach Lu Miaoge.
Like Lu Miaoyun, her granddaughter had also learned talisman making, but with no real talent for it, otherwise, she would have been cultivated as well.
It was her efforts that allowed Lu Miaoyun to have a second arranged meeting with Lu Changsheng.
As long as Lu Changsheng married Lu Miaoyun, the Fourth Elder was willing to instruct and train him carefully, adding a Second Grade Talisman Master to the Lu Family!
“Changsheng thanks grandmother deeply,” Lu Changsheng immediately said with a bow, his voice betraying excitement.
He was aware that the Fourth Elder before him was a top-level First Grade Talisman Master,
and also possessed the Ninth Level Energy Refinement cultivation.
There was naturally no issue with her guiding his cultivation,
As for talisman making, although he had no need for guidance, having the Fourth Elder’s instruction as a cover would allow him to reveal his talents in talisman making even faster in the future.
Otherwise, having just become a Middle Grade Talisman Master, revealing the abilities of a top-grade master would take at least three to five years.
That was an excruciating amount of time.
With the Fourth Elder’s endorsement, he might be able to accelerate that timeline according to the situation.
“We are one family; there’s no need for such formality,”
“I am Yun’er’s grandmother, and from now on, I’ll be yours too. If you encounter any difficulties or have any issues, feel free to reach out to grandmother.”
“I still carry a fair bit of weight in my words here at the Lu Family,” the Fourth Elder said with a gentle and benevolent smile.
“Yes, Grandmother,” Lu Changsheng responded, also revealing a sincere smile.
Even though he was aware of the underlying motives in her caring and affectionate words, they truly warmed his heart and made him feel a sense of closeness.
Immediately, Lu Changsheng addressed the Fourth Elder, “Grandma, Changsheng indeed has a matter for which he would like to trouble you.”
“What matter?”
The Fourth Elder’s expression was gentle.
“Changsheng has a good friend by the name of Li Feiyu, who came with Changsheng to the Lu Family to become a son-in-law.”
“This friend of mine is different from me; he is wholeheartedly devoted to cultivation. Now he is hindered by the obligation of fathering children, so I would like to trouble Grandma, to see if it’s possible to exempt him from the requirement of having fifty children, or at least reduce this number,”
Lu Changsheng said.
He certainly had not forgotten about his good brother Li Feiyu’s situation.
He had intended to discuss this matter with the Family Head Lu Yuanding before.
But because of Lu Miaohuan’s situation, he felt somewhat embarrassed to bring it up to Lu Yuanding.
Since he now had the opportunity, he naturally took the chance to mention it.
“Such matters are not really for Grandma to interfere in.”
“However, since you, Changsheng, have brought it up, Grandma will naturally help you with this,”
the Fourth Elder said after a slight pause.
For her, as the Lu Family’s Fourth Elder, such a matter was not difficult at all.
It would only take a single word if she were willing.
Moreover, the request came from Lu Changsheng.
By now, Lu Changsheng held some weight in the hearts of the Lu Family’s higher-ups.
For such a minor issue, they were willing to do him a favor and have Lu Changsheng feel a bit more gratitude towards the Lu Family.
After all, Lu Changsheng’s request wasn’t over the top.
In fact, this request raised her opinion and estimation of Lu Changsheng by several notches.
A man of integrity and loyalty!
In the Cultivation World, being a person of integrity and valuing relationships is not considered much of an advantage.
But from the perspective of the Lu Family, she naturally hoped that Lu Changsheng was a person of integrity who valued relationships.
“For your sake, Changsheng, Grandma has the authority to annul your friend Li Feiyu’s original contract altogether, exempting him from the requirement to have children,”
“But there are rules that make a family; the Lu Family also has its rules and does not support idlers.”
“After exempting him from the requirement to have children, he will no longer enjoy any of the Lu Family’s benefits and entitlements.”
“He may continue to reside in the Lu Family, but he must perform certain services for the family.”
“If he cannot accept this, then he must leave the Lu Family,”
the Fourth Elder explained.
At that moment, her gentle and kind tone carried an undertone of unspoken authority.
“Thank you, Grandma.”
“I will discuss these matters with him later and will give you a response afterward,”
Hearing this, Lu Changsheng stood up and bowed his hands in salute, feeling that this arrangement was already generous enough.
Having been in the Lu Family for a while, he was aware of some of the Lu Family’s circumstances.
Although they had their own Spiritual Vein Blessed Land and assets, they could not be considered overly abundant.
Some of the peripheral disciples of the Lu Family in Qingzhu Villa had to refine materials, guard bamboo groves, and cut down Qing Ling bamboo to earn Spirit Stones, among other tasks.
In such circumstances, how could they afford to provide for idlers?
To annul the past contract without any cost, and to offer the choice of either staying with the Lu Family to work or leaving, was already quite acceptable.
Otherwise, according to the original contract conditions, if one did not have fifty children within twenty years, not only would one have to compensate with three times the resources, but also serve the Lu Family for ten years.
“Fine, once you have a result, just let Grandma know, and at that time Grandma will speak to the Family Head about this matter,”
the Fourth Elder said with a smile on her face.
Afterwards, Lu Changsheng and Lu Miaoyun chatted for a while with the Fourth Elder before excusing themselves and departing.
As they were leaving, the Fourth Elder even stuffed several boxes of pastries and Spirit Fruits into Lu Changsheng’s hands, giving him the feeling of visiting relatives during the New Year.