Martial Cultivator

Old Family Head Lu Yin’s voice was not loud, but everyone in the Lu Family ancestral hall was listening intently to him, so every single person heard his words clearly.

For a moment, the entire ancestral hall fell completely silent.

Everyone had the same thought at this moment: Has the Old Family Head gone mad?

After all, Family Head Lu Yin had led the Lu Family for sixty years. During those sixty years, most of the family’s businesses had been built through his own efforts. In everyone’s eyes, the old man had always been a businessman to the core. Sentiment rarely had any place in his heart, only profit mattered in his eyes.

So why would Old Family Head say that one hundred percent wasn’t enough?

Not only Lu Xin, but every member of the Lu Family present doubted their own ears.

”Family Head... what did you just say?”

One member of the Lu Family asked cautiously, looking at Old Family Head Lu Yin seated in the seat of honor, desperately hoping he had misheard.

”What did I say? Didn’t you hear what this old man just said? Fine then. Your branch’s business doesn’t need you anymore. At your age, if your ears don’t even work properly, what business do you have managing affairs?”

The man’s face instantly turned ashen. His lips trembled, but he could not utter a single word.

Old Family Head Lu Yin’s slightly turbid eyes swept across the hall before he said indifferently, ”Fifteenth, you tell them. What did this old man just say?”

Fifteenth Uncle, who had been called upon, immediately stood up. He glanced nervously around him before forcing himself to answer. ”Family Head just said... one hundred percent isn’t enough.”

He did not want to admit those were the words, but he had already seen what happened to the person who questioned him.

Lu Yin looked around and asked, ”Did all of you hear it clearly?”

The ancestral hall was silent. No one spoke.

But under these circumstances, silence was acquiescence.

After a brief silence, Second Granduncle still stepped forward. His hair was likewise white, and his back was somewhat stooped. In terms of seniority, he was of the same generation as Lu Yin. In terms of their relationship, he and the Old Family Head had grown up together since childhood. At this moment, if there was anyone the Old Family Head would still listen to, it was probably this mna.

”Big Bro Yin, one hundred percent of the profits is simply too much. It hasn’t been easy for the Lu Family to reach where it is today. Don’t let a moment of impulse ruin the entire Lu Family!”

Even the way Second Granduncle addressed him was carefully considered. He did not call him Family Head, but instead used the more endearing form of address.

”Shouye, you really are just like your name, spending your whole life clinging to those two characters?” [Shou = guard/protect, Ye = business]

Lu Yin looked at Second Granduncle, but only for a moment. This Lu Family Head quickly said, ”I already said one hundred percent isn’t enough. Besides one hundred percent of the Lu Family’s profits this year, every branch is to go to the accounting office and see how much they can spare, then take out eighty percent of it. The remaining twenty percent will be enough for you all to use. Don’t tell me life will be hard like that. Even then, your lives will still be better than those of ninety percent of the people in the world. No matter how hard things become for you, they won’t be as hard as they are for them.”

”Furthermore, if the imperial court still needs money in the future, my Lu Family will contribute even more!”

One hundred percent of the profits, together with eighty percent of every branch’s available funds. While it might not equal one-tenth of the court’s annual tax revenue, but it was by no means a small sum.

At the very least, there would be no issue supporting a military force of modest size.

When Lu Xin first proposed donating one hundred percent of the profits, these members of the Lu Family were already struggling to hold themselves back. Now that they were also being asked to contribute eighty percent of every branch’s available funds, they could no longer restrain themselves. Even though the person sitting before them was the family head, the most authoritative figure in the Lu Family, they still wanted to argue.

But before they could speak, the Old Family Head spoke again.

”I know all of you think I’ve gone mad. The imperial court is going to war, so let them fight it. We only need to contribute a little money as a token gesture. Why should we stab ourselves with our own knife? And besides, haven’t I, Lu Yin, always been a miser in your eyes? So why am I acting like this now?” ”I can tell you the answer to all of those questions. First, why should the Lu Family contribute so much just because the imperial court is going to war? Because this great war is different from all the previous ones. The demon race is marching south with its entire race. If the Northern Frontier Army can’t hold them back, then our Great Liang Dynasty will become history. In the better outcome, the demons plunder what they want and return north. In the worse one, all of us will become slaves of the demon race. If they’re in a good mood, they’ll throw you a piece of meat. If they’re in a bad mood, they’ll eat you all as meat. ”Can you people live like that? Either way, this old man can’t live a life like that. This old man’s back might be old, but it still won’t bend! If we’re unwilling to part with this little bit of money and the Northern Frontier Great Wall falls, not a single one of us will be able to live properly. When that happens, what use will all this money be?”

”As for why I, Lu Yin, can suddenly stop being such a miser, the reason is simple. In other matters, the Lu Family can stay out of it and simply make money. But when it comes to something this important, who the hell can still stand by and do nothing?” ”Besides, during the reign of Taizong, more than one of the Lu Family’s ancestors died in the Northern Frontier. Yet here you are in the ancestral hall objecting to this and objecting to that. Are you trying to make our ancestors lose heart? Are you trying to become unfilial descendants?!”

The Old Family Head slowly rose to his feet and looked at everyone present before saying stiffly, ”In the past, I more or less listened to what you people had to say. But not this time. On this matter, anyone who opposes it will be expelled from the Lu Family, and their name will be erased from the family register. Never again will they call themselves a member of the Lu Family!”

It was the first time anyone in the ancestral hall had seen the Old Family Head so stern. Naturally, no one dared say another word. They could only remain silent.

Supporting himself with his cane, the Old Family Head walked over to Lu Xin’s side. Looking at the young man, he smiled and said, ”Little Xin, I’ll leave this matter to you. Once you’ve completed it, it will also be time for you to take over the position of family head.” ”I’m old. There are many things I have the will to do but no longer the strength. You’re still young and full of energy, so you should shoulder more of the burden.”

Lu Xin looked as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

The Old Family Head shook his head. ”Don’t think you’re too young to command respect. If we’re talking about youth, isn’t the Lord Warden Commander just as young? Hasn’t he done an excellent job all the same? Must young people wait until they’re my age before stepping forward?”

”There’s no such logic.”

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