The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

On the morning of the Double Ninth Festival, the Lu family was already busy. The sunlight shone into the courtyard of the mansion, reflecting a lively scene.

Qin Yi followed closely behind Lü Su, helping to welcome the guests. Lü Zhi led a group of maids to meticulously arrange the banquet. Ying Bu, however, was summoned by the old housekeeper of the Lü residence to help.

At noon, Liu Bang and Fan Kuai entered the gate of the Lu Mansion. They immediately saw Qin Yi happily chatting with a guest. Without hesitation, Liu Bang walked directly in the direction of Qin Yi.

"Brother Liu, how are you?" Qin Yi greeted Liu Bang with a smile on his face.

"Hmph, I think you have evil intentions!" Fan Kuai said with a sneer on the side.

Qin Yi ignored Fan Kuai and turned his gaze to Liu Bang with an innocent expression on his face: "Brother Liu, where do you get this from?"

Liu Bang bowed and said slowly, "Perhaps there was some misunderstanding the other day. Brother Qin, please be magnanimous and don't take it to heart. But Brother Qin, what exactly brought you to Pei County this time?"

Hearing Liu Bang's words, Qin Yi thought to himself, "What a good Liu Bang! Fan Kuai must have been instructed by you to say this." He immediately understood Liu Bang's plan and defended himself by saying, "I came to Pei County purely at the invitation of Lu Taigong. I have no other purpose."

"Quibbling!" Fan Kuai's eyes widened and he roared, "I think you're in league with the bandits in the mountains, plotting to seize the Lu family's fortune!"

"Fan Kuai, don't talk nonsense without any evidence!" Qin Yi's face turned gloomy, he clenched his fists tightly, and there was a hint of anger in his voice.

At this time, Lu Su hurriedly stood up upon hearing the sound and walked quickly towards the place where the sound came from to look for his father.

Soon, Grandpa Lu approached with a serious expression. He quickly spoke to them, "Please don't argue. Today is the Double Ninth Festival, and we should be harmonious. I trust my nephew Qin Yi's character, and I will never associate with or collude with those bandits!"

"What Lu Gong said is very true. I, Fan Kuai, am reckless and impulsive by nature. A few days ago, there was a slight misunderstanding between me and the Qin warriors. I felt a little dissatisfied, so I talked nonsense and made random guesses! I am really ashamed!" Liu Bang said hurriedly.

Upon hearing this, Lu Taigong looked at Liu Bang with a hint of doubt. Liu Bang immediately explained, "I am Liu Bang, the head of the Pei County branch. Today, I heard that you, Taigong, are planning to establish a private school. I have come here to congratulate you and hope to do my best to help you."

After hearing this, Father Lu cast his gaze towards Liu Bang, and his eyes immediately lit up. He felt that the man before him exuded a unique aura, with a sturdy figure, strong and distinct facial features, and bright eyes, which made him feel favorable. So, Father Lu smiled and said, "In that case, please take your seat."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bang hurriedly bowed and said, "Thank you, Lu Gong." After that, he bowed to Qin Yi and found an empty seat at the banquet and sat down.

Qin Yi pondered to himself: Liu Bang is a man of many talents, a steady and profound character, and a very experienced and adept person. He knows when to advance and when to retreat. He is truly extraordinary. In comparison, his elder brother Xiang Yu is far inferior.

When all the guests arrived, Lu Taigong saw that most of them were there, so he ordered the feast to begin. For a moment, the atmosphere was lively and bustling with cheers.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Grandpa Lu saw that the time was almost right, so he stood up, bowed, and said, "I am honored that you have come here today. I am hosting this banquet to celebrate the Double Ninth Festival together, and also to take this opportunity to discuss important matters with you."

Upon hearing this, everyone put down their wine glasses and looked towards Grandpa Lu, awaiting his next words. Grandpa Lu continued, "Now that the empire has just begun to settle, much remains to be done. Scholars like us shoulder a heavy responsibility! We should educate the people and spread culture. Therefore, I, Lu, would like to open a private school in the city, recruiting students and teaching them the teachings of the sages. What are your thoughts?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a flurry of discussion erupted at the table. Some beamed with joy, expressing their approval, believing it would benefit both the nation and the people. Others frowned, expressing concern, "This is a great idea, but opening a private school requires considerable capital. Where will we find it? Furthermore, will we have enough teachers?"

Lu Taigong listened to everyone's opinions with a smile, nodding his head in approval. After everyone finished speaking, he slowly said, "As for funding, we can contribute together. As for the teachers, we can invite local great scholars to serve as instructors. In this way, the private school can be run smoothly."

After some discussion, everyone finally decided to jointly invest and invite local respected Confucian scholars to serve as teachers, and Lu Taigong was elected as the dean.

The atmosphere at the banquet suddenly became lively, and everyone raised their glasses to wish the private school a successful opening.

At this time, Liu Bang saw Lü Zhi coming to give him wine, and his mind froze.

Lü Zhi was dressed in brocade, the colors bright yet elegant, the patterns plain and simple, but complementing her temperament. Her face was beautiful and majestic, with a pair of bright eyes beneath her willow-shaped eyebrows, revealing intelligence and decisiveness.

Her skin was fair and silky, and she wore a faint smile that made her appear both friendly and imbued with a subtle dignity. She was tall and graceful, and her every move exuded a unique charm.

At the banquet, she led people to serve wine with graceful movements, and each movement showed confidence and composure. Her presence attracted Liu Bang's attention. In his heart, she seemed to be the center of this world. While admiring her beautiful appearance, he could not help but be impressed by her temperament.

Qin Yi stared at the look Liu Bang gave Lu Zhi, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart: "Sure enough, this is the arrangement of fate! Some things are destined to be unstoppable." He thought that this person would be the enemy of himself and his elder brother Xiang Yu in the future, but now he was about to become a brother-in-law with Liu Bang, and would even be addressed as brother-in-law in the future. He couldn't help but feel that it was absurd and ridiculous, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

After the banquet, Liu Bang thought about it secretly and prepared to find Lu Taigong to express his feelings for Lu Zhi.

The next day, Liu Bang arrived at Lu Taigong's home. Upon seeing Liu Bang, Lu Taigong treated him warmly. Liu Bang took the opportunity to express his admiration for Lu Zhi. Lu Taigong smiled. He had always had a good impression of Liu Bang and felt that he had potential, so he decided to give him a chance.

Grandpa Lü said to Liu Bang, "Liu Bang, I know how you feel about Lü Zhi. However, Lü Zhi is my daughter, and I hope she can find someone who can truly make her happy. If you truly love her, you must prove your sincerity with your actions." Liu Bang nodded quickly and said, "Grandpa, I will definitely work hard to make Lü Zhi happy! Please believe me."

Since then, Liu Bang and Lu Zhi have had more opportunities to contact each other, and their feelings have gradually warmed up. Lu Zhi was also moved by Liu Bang's sincerity and efforts, and she found herself more and more fond of this ambitious man.