Chapter 142: My Son Has the Potential of Essence Gathering

After exchanging some pleasantries, Lu Yang and Lu Shishui continued discussing the affairs of Canglan Prefecture.

Eventually, Lu Yang brought up another matter.

"Father, how are your prospects for promotion?"

Lu Shishui smiled faintly.

"I’ll probably need to serve another term before I can be promoted to Prefect."

He paused before continuing.

"The current Prefect has performed reasonably well over the years, and according to the arrangements, he is expected to receive another appointment around that time. If everything proceeds smoothly, I should have a chance to take his position."

Lu Yang nodded.

"So, this term is impossible?"

"Not impossible, but highly unlikely."

Lu Shishui shook his head.

"Official appointments are complicated. Even when one’s qualifications are sufficient, there are many other considerations. It’s better not to become impatient."

He had already experienced enough setbacks in his official career to understand this principle.

When he was younger, he had failed the Provincial Examination twice because of his own shortcomings and circumstances.

Later, after finally becoming a Juren and passing the Imperial Examination, he had gradually climbed the official ranks through his own achievements.

He was now a Vice-Prefect, so there was no need to become anxious over one additional term.

Lu Yang understood this and did not pursue the matter.

Instead, Lu Shishui looked at him.

"How is your cultivation progressing?"

Lu Yang replied casually.

"Fairly smoothly. I should reach the Ninth Stage of Body Tempering Realm in another two years."

Lu Shishui’s expression immediately brightened.

"Two years?"

He looked at his eldest son with undisguised satisfaction.

"Good, good, good!"

Although Lu Yang was already twenty-six, reaching the Ninth Stage of Body Tempering Realm before turning thirty would still be an impressive achievement.

At that rate, entering the Spirit Awakening Realm before thirty-five was entirely possible, and if he managed to accomplish that, he might have a chance of reaching the Essence Gathering Realm in the future.

Thinking about this, Lu Shishui could not help but feel gratified.

If the Lu Family could produce an Essence Gathering Realm cultivator, its standing would rise considerably.

Even the Imperial Court would have to treat such a figure with a certain degree of respect.

Of course, Lu Shishui understood that this was still a distant possibility.

Nevertheless, there was nothing wrong with having expectations.

He looked at Lu Yang and suddenly thought of something.

If his first wife was still alive, she would undoubtedly be immensely happy to see their son grow up so well.

A faint trace of melancholy passed through his eyes before disappearing before he hid it quickly.

...

Not long afterward, Lu Yang met Chen Yuruo.

She was still as composed and elegant as he remembered, but through the passing of years, her appearance had also changed, wrinkles already appearing at the corner of her eyes.

After all, she was not a Spirit Awakening cultivator.

When she learned that Lu Yang had returned, she was naturally pleased.

"Yang’er, you came quite late this year."

She examined him briefly before smiling.

"Come, sit down. I had someone prepare your favorite dishes."

"Thank you, mother."

Lu Yang sat down.

Their relationship had always been very harmonious.

Chen Yuruo had treated him kindly since their first meeting, and Lu Yang never felt any resentment towards her for marrying his father.

Moreover, she had never attempted to replace his late mother and just fulfilled her responsibilities as his stepmother, treating him with genuine kindness.

The two spoke for a while, mostly about ordinary matters.

Chen Yuruo asked about his work in the Imperial Prison, his cultivation, and whether he had been taking proper care of himself.

Lu Yang answered patiently.

Eventually, Lu Hanqing also joined them, and the family spent the remainder of the evening together.

...

During the following days, Lu Yang remained in Canglan Prefecture.

He did not spend all his time with his family, but occasionally accompanied Lu Shishui to certain gatherings and used the opportunity to learn more about the political circumstances of Wuyuan Province.

Naturally, he was very interested in the Wuyuan King’s situation.

Lu Shishui was a Vice-Prefect, one of the top officials of Canglan Prefecture, and his position allowed him to receive information that ordinary people could not easily obtain.

Furthermore, as someone who had served in Wuyuan Province for many years, he had developed connections with various officials.

Through these channels, he heard quite a few things.

"The situation surrounding the Wuyuan King is somewhat complicated."

One evening, Lu Shishui spoke while reviewing some documents.

"Although the Imperial Court has not openly accused him of any wrongdoing, several of his former subordinates have been investigated, and some of his administrative powers have been transferred to officials appointed directly by the Imperial Court."

Lu Yang listened quietly.

"Has the Wuyuan King himself made any moves?"

"Not that I know of." Lu Shishui shook his head as he spoke.

"At least publicly, he has been relatively restrained. However, his influence in the province has undoubtedly diminished."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"Some people believe the Emperor intends to gradually strip him of his authority, while some think these measures are merely intended to prevent the various regional kings from becoming too independent."

Lu Yang nodded.

Neither explanation was particularly surprising.

The Emperor’s intentions were already quite apparent.

However, without more concrete information, it was difficult to determine exactly how far he intended to go.

"Regardless, the political landscape of Wuyuan Province will probably change considerably over the next few years."

Lu Shishui sighed.

"For ordinary officials like us, it’s best to be cautious and avoid becoming involved in unnecessary disputes."

Lu Yang agreed. That was exactly what he wanted to hear.

As long as his father remained cautious and did not openly take sides, there was little reason for his family to become a target.

Of course, circumstances could change.

If the Emperor eventually decided to remove the Wuyuan King entirely, the consequences might be far more complicated than what they are now.

...

A week later, Lu Yang prepared to leave Canglan Prefecture.

Before leaving, he spoke with Lu Hanqing for a while, reminding his younger brother to take care of their parents and avoid getting involved in unnecessary trouble.

Lu Hanqing naturally agreed.

After bidding farewell to his family, Lu Yang departed.

The return journey was similarly uneventful.

He did not encounter any troublesome cultivators or unexpected incidents, and after several days of travel, he arrived safely in the Imperial Capital.

Upon returning, Lu Yang resumed his usual routine.

He reported back to the Imperial Prison, checked the records accumulated during his absence, and dealt with several matters requiring his attention.

Zhao Ming immediately came up to him as soon as he returned.

"Brother Lu, how was your trip this time?"

"Fairly peaceful."

Lu Yang answered while looking through a document.

Zhao Ming nodded.

"That’s good. There have been quite a few troublesome matters recently, so it’s fortunate that you returned."

Lu Yang glanced at him.

"What happened?"

"Nothing particularly serious. Just a few prisoners who caused trouble, along with some administrative matters."

Zhao Ming shrugged, "Nothing that can’t be handled."

Lu Yang nodded and continued reviewing the records.