Chapter 105: The Title of the Prince of Jinyang
“Fortune!”
“People in this world also know about fortune?”
Thinking this to himself, Lu Sheng said aloud, “It can only have a slight influence; whether it works or not is still uncertain.”
Though he acknowledged his ability to influence fortune, he deliberately left room for doubt.
Exchanging a glance, both Lu Chun Yuan and Lu Hong Jin’s eyes sparkled with a strange light. Lu Chun Yuan said, “The ability to affect fortune alone is worth trying!”
“However, you are only eighteen now. The court will not casually grant you an official position.”
“To obtain fortune, besides official rank, you must seek other means.”
Hearing this, Lu Sheng asked curiously, “Other means? Could it be that, apart from official titles, there are other ways to gain additional fortune?”
“Of course—noble titles!”
Mentioning another system besides officialdom, Lu Chun Yuan explained, “Apart from official positions, noble titles also bring fortune.”
“Even if you only have ten high-ranking noble titles right now!”
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“Noble titles!”
Muttering this word, Lu Sheng realized he had fallen into a misconception.
The noble title system had essentially collapsed in his previous life; no one paid any attention to it.
But in this world, noble titles still stand alongside official ranks as a system, equally capable of bestowing fortune.
“Could I be granted a noble title now?”
“Master Wanshan said I could only restore the Duke of Jin title after becoming a Grandmaster!”
Filled with hope, Lu Sheng said,
“If I could restore the noble title early, it would surely bring me immense fortune.”
“Duke of Jin!”
“You really dare to dream!”
Hearing Lu Sheng’s plan, Lu Chun Yuan grew exasperated and pointed at him, saying,
“The Duke of Jin was one of the vassal princes personally enfeoffed by Emperor Jing. Aside from the princely title, he was granted the entire Jingzhou as his fief.”
“A title like that... don’t even think about it if you’re not yet a Grandmaster. Even after becoming one, you’d still have to wait.”
“Right now, the northern part of Jingzhou is all the fief of Prince Wu Yuan!”
Prince Wu Yuan, Lü Wu, was the great general who, over a century ago, led the army in a fierce battle across the grasslands when the Celestial King Lu Zhengyang slew the Golden Wolf King.
Because of his great contribution in that battle and his promotion to Grandmaster, the Celestial King Lu Zhengyang not only granted him the title of Prince Wu Yuan but also awarded him the conquered grassland territory along with northern Jingzhou as his fief.
Today, Prince Wu Yuan’s fief not only serves as a shield for Jingzhou but is also a crucial source of horses and livestock for central regions.
If Lu Sheng wants to reclaim his ancestral noble title, he will inevitably clash with him.
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Knowing that Lu Sheng was new to Yujing and unfamiliar with these matters, Lu Chun Yuan gave him a general overview, helping him understand just how much pressure he would face trying to restore the Duke of Jin title.
However, all that was still far from Lu Sheng’s current reach. What he was more curious about was what noble title he could obtain now.
“So, what exactly is this noble title that the master mentioned?”
“How do I acquire it?”
Dispelling Lu Sheng’s vain hopes about the Duke of Jin title, Lu Chun Yuan did not keep him in suspense and said,
“This matter actually dates back over a hundred years.”
“At that time, the Canglang tribe accused the Lu Hun clan of colluding with Da Jing, but there was reason behind it.”
“Before the Celestial King took action, a member of the Lu Hun clan, while traveling in the Central Plains, unexpectedly broke through to the Martial Ancestor level, secretly infiltrated Yujing, and verified his own bloodline.”
“The Lu Hun clan member must be an ancestor of this body!” Thinking this, Lu Sheng pressed on.
“And then? Was his verification successful?”
“Did he leave any descendants in Yujing?”
Lu Sheng had assumed that the Lu Hun clan was completely extinct except for himself, so the possibility of others still existing was unexpected.
This stirred an indescribable feeling in his heart.
“He succeeded in his verification!”
With a strange glint in his eyes, Lu Chun Yuan continued,
“Your ancestor, like my grandfather, is a thirty-first-generation descendant of Emperor Jing.”
“Therefore, after verifying his bloodline and recognizing his ancestral heritage, he changed his name to Lu Yuan Hun.”
“Because he left no descendants in Yujing, there is currently a noble title waiting for you!”
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“A noble title waiting for me?”
Lu Sheng was bewildered.
“Did the ancestor Yuan Hun achieve great merit and receive a noble title?”
“But even if that’s true, it shouldn’t be for me to inherit!”
Noble titles mostly pass down to direct descendants or siblings. Although Lu Sheng and Lu Yuan Hun are from the same clan with close blood ties, inheriting a noble title from a line that was long severed—
Even with his limited knowledge of the Da Jing noble system, Lu Sheng knew it was unlikely!
“Heh heh!”
Laughing heartily, Lu Chun Yuan said,
“This noble title, although fought for by Lu Yuan Hun, was meant for your Lu Hun clan.”
“It was intended to be granted to your clan leader upon the clan’s return.”
“However, after the Golden Wolf King was killed, the Lu Hun clan was swiftly exterminated—”
“The noble title was never officially granted!”
“Now, since you, a descendant of the Lu Hun clan, have recognized your ancestry, naturally, you have a chance to obtain this noble title!”
Not to mention the Lu Hun clan originally came from the Lu family; even an ordinary grassland tribe would likely be awarded a noble title after pledging allegiance to the court.
When Lu Yuan Hun negotiated the clan’s return with the Da Jing court, he secured this noble title for the Lu Hun clan.
Suppressing the joy in his heart, Lu Sheng asked, “What noble title is it?”
“Prince of Jinyang—”
“Compared to Duke of Jin, it adds the character ‘Yang,’ demoting it from vassal prince to commandery prince, and the fief is only part of Jinyang Commandery.”
“This was the agreement Lu Yuan Hun struck back then!”
As Lu Chun Yuan spoke, he turned to Lu Sheng and said,
“When the Lu Hun clan was exterminated, the Da Jing court was somewhat at fault due to its delayed rescue.”
“Now that you, a descendant of the Lu Hun clan, have come to Yujing and had your identity confirmed by Master Wanshan—”
“You have a great chance to claim the title of Prince of Jinyang!”
Brought back from the Western Regions by Lu Wanshan, Lu Sheng bore the mark of Lu Wanshan naturally.
Although those allied with Lu Wanshan might not fully support Lu Sheng becoming Prince of Jinyang, they certainly would not oppose it.
As for the other Grandmaster of the Da Jing Lu family, Lu Yuan Lin, he was currently in seclusion, and his descendants were right before Lu Sheng.
“Junior brother, you probably don’t know yet!”
“When the agreement was made with Lu Yuan Hun, it was none other than the master’s grandfather, Lu Yuan Lin.”
“Now that the old master Yuan Lin is in seclusion, as long as the master supports you, the title of Prince of Jinyang will surely fall into your hands!”
Suddenly, Lu Hong Jin interjected.
Like all other powers in the world, the Da Jing court is nominally led by the emperor, but actual authority lies with the Grandmasters behind the scenes.
Though these Grandmasters pursue the Dao and generally do not interfere in daily affairs, when they unite in opinion, the emperor who governs the court has no power to oppose them.
Noble titles within the royal clan are only of concern to Grandmasters born within the Lu family.
Among the two Da Jing Lu family Grandmasters, Master Wanshan would not oppose Lu Sheng acquiring a noble title early.
Meanwhile, Lu Yuan Lin was in seclusion, and his faction was led by Lu Chun Yuan.
With Lu Chun Yuan’s backing, as long as the reasons hold, one could say that the title of Prince of Jinyang is practically guaranteed for Lu Sheng!