Chapter 142: Someone Shines While Others Suffer

While the child's every need was temporarily handled by the wet nurse, Wei Wuwei's wife was immediately examined by a doctor and carefully attended to by servants.

By dawn, the Wei manor, which had been in a state of hurried chaos, was now enveloped in a festive atmosphere. Even at the Wei family ancestral home, firecrackers were being set off.

In this era, which heavily favored sons over daughters, the birth of a male heir to the family head was an exceptionally significant event. Moreover, some trusted high-ranking members of the family knew there was a deeper meaning to it.

Early that morning, Wei Wuwei rushed to the Wei family ancestral home to see the Old Master.

The ancestral home was much smaller than Wei Wuwei's current residence. The Old Master preferred tranquility, so it was filled with numerous flowers, trees, flowing water, and fish ponds.

The Old Master's room had its doors and windows wide open. He sat in a reclining chair, with a foot warmer at his feet and a tiger skin draped over him, listening to the crackling of firecrackers outside.

A servant nearby helped him brew morning tea and prepared various pastries and snacks.

Soon after, hurried footsteps approached from outside. From the sound, it was clear that Wei Wuwei had arrived.

"Old Master! Old Master! Wuwei is here!"

Wei Wuwei's slightly excited voice sounded, and soon he stepped into the Old Master's room.

"Hehe, so you finally have a son?"

"Hehe, you already knew!"

After entering the room, Wei Wuwei's steps became much lighter. He dismissed the servants and personally served the Old Master tea.

"Oh, you, the head of the family, serving an old man like me? I'm not worthy!"

The Old Master joked, but Wei Wuwei, being thick-skinned, pretended not to hear. After all, he only came when he had something important to discuss, never for trivial matters.

"Old Master, no offense, but you've turned this ancestral home into a wild forest; there are too many mosquitoes."

"You rascal, you used to play so happily here when you were little. Now you complain about mosquitoes?"

Wei Wuwei chuckled sheepishly and carefully handed the teacup to the Old Master. The latter took it with one hand, without a single ripple on the tea's surface.

The Old Master, free from illness and pain, had practiced martial arts for decades. Even at his advanced age, his movements were still agile.

Taking a sip of the clear tea, the Old Master's wrinkled face beamed like an old chrysanthemum.

"You're not thinking of going to the Immortal Manor before the child is even one month old, are you?"

"Look at you, Old Master, how could I? If I were truly impatient, my daughters could have gone! I'm here to humbly ask you to give the child a name!"

Wei Wuwei chuckled along, then helped himself to the pastries on the table, stuffing them into his mouth.

Usually, children might only have a nickname until they can walk, but the Wei family always named their children at birth.

This was serious business, and the Old Master pondered deeply as he drank his tea.

"It's a pity. If Master Ji from Ning'an County were still around, asking him to name the child would be perfect."

The Wei family's Old Master naturally knew about Master Ji Yuan's affairs, but such a divine figure was not something ordinary mortals could casually speculate about.

"How about this: this child was born in response to destiny and is connected to the future of our Wei family. Why not name him Wei Yuansheng?"

Wei Wuwei repeated the name twice to himself, finding it excellent, and quickly flattered the Old Master.

"You are truly amazing, Old Master! The name you gave me was suitable; I've never been afraid of anything since childhood. My son's name is even better; he's sure to have excellent connections to the immortals!"

The Old Master was exasperated, yet amused, by Wei Wuwei.

"You're the biggest coward, yet you're called 'Wuwei' (Fearless)... I've regretted naming you that countless times!"

The Wei family was immensely wealthy, with businesses spanning the entire land. In Desheng Prefecture, few families could rival them financially. Furthermore, they deliberately cultivated good relations with various Jianghu (martial arts world) factions and court officials. When it came time to prepare for their child's full-month celebration, servants carrying invitations hurried out in droves.

From the day the Wei family's young master was born, people would set out daily from the Wei family's horse farms and stables, leading horses. After some time, they would return, covered in dust from their travels.

Influential families and martial arts factions friendly with the Wei family received invitations adorned with gold threads. To avoid clashing with the most important festival of the year, the Lunar New Year, the Wei family deliberately scheduled the young master's full-month celebration for the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Despite this, the timing was still just before the New Year. Essentially, apart from those residing in or near Desheng Prefecture's capital city, other attendees might only send one or two representatives to make a perfunctory appearance.

As the date drew closer, the spirit of the Lunar New Year grew stronger. Two successive heavy snowfalls in Desheng Prefecture coated everything in a silver blanket, making the brightly decorated Wei manor, both inside and out, appear even more vibrant.

Luoxia Manor was quite renowned in the Jianghu world, considered one of Desheng Prefecture's prominent martial arts factions. Its relationship with the Wei family was naturally excellent, and being relatively close, they didn't need to depart too early. Thus, they only entered the capital city promptly on the morning of the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month.

The person who arrived was of considerable standing: the Third Master of the manor, known in Jianghu as "Handsome Gentleman." He brought two younger family members with him: nineteen-year-old Luo Tiancheng and Luo Ningshuang, who had already become engaged the previous year.

Two carriages entered the capital city. The Third Master rode alone in the front carriage, while Luo Ningshuang and Luo Tiancheng sat in the carriage behind.

Pushing aside the curtain on one side of the carriage, Luo Ningshuang looked at the silver-clad eaves around them and smiled.

"Second Sister, are several of those guys who went tiger hunting with you back then making a name for themselves in Jianghu now? That swordsman Yan Fei is said to be quite formidable, and Lu Chengfeng, too, both have the title 'Young Gentleman of Cloud Pavilion.' They are both from Desheng Prefecture; will they come this time? The Wei family must have sent invitations to their families, right?"

Some of the original nine were not from Desheng Prefecture and were unlikely to come. However, for any Jianghu faction from Desheng Prefecture, the Wei family maintained good relations, ensuring at least some cordial interaction.

Luo Tiancheng asked curiously, but Luo Ningshuang merely shook her head and smiled.

"I don't know for sure, but the New Year is in two days. At most, they might send an unimportant junior or steward to offer congratulations. Those you wish to see probably won't be able to make it."

As the two chatted, their carriages gradually approached the Wei family manor. It was still very early, so there weren't many other carriages outside the Wei residence. Outside, the Third Master exchanged pleasantries with the Wei family steward who had come to greet them, while the Luo siblings jumped down from their carriage.

"The Du family from Tianyue Prefecture is here to congratulate the Wei family on the young master's full-month celebration!"

A voice that Luo Ningshuang found slightly familiar sounded from the other side. A Wei family steward also went forward to exchange greetings.

Luo Ningshuang stepped forward to look, barely recognizing the person. However, an empty sleeve where an arm should have been reminded her who was currently handing an invitation to the Wei family steward.

"Du Heng?"

The swordsman Du Heng, with a half-bearded face, a long saber strapped diagonally across his back, and dressed in a blue cloth shirt, turned his head upon hearing Luo Ningshuang's voice.

"You are... Junior Sister Luo?"

Du Heng forced a smile, but showed no intention of further pleasantries. He nodded and, along with the two people who came with him, followed the Wei family servants into the manor.

"That young man from the Du family hasn't given up on martial arts yet, it seems!"

The Third Master, Luo Feng, had unknowingly appeared beside Luo Ningshuang. As he watched Du Heng enter the Wei manor, the old Wei family steward beside him replied with a hint of emotion.

"This Du Heng is ruined for life. Just now, he showed no fierce spirit or sharpness."

Luo Feng looked at Luo Ningshuang beside him and smiled.

"Go and catch up with him?"

Luo Ningshuang hesitated, then shook her head.

"Never mind. It looks like he doesn't want to talk to me either."

Outside, more carriages and horses gradually gathered. The Luo family then entered the Wei manor, and their carriages were led away by Wei family servants.

Closer to noon, nearly a hundred banquet tables in the inner and outer courtyards of the Wei manor were filled with distinguished guests. Chefs from several renowned restaurants in the city were invited to prepare the food, and the aroma of the dishes wafted from afar.

Wei Wuwei was exceptionally shrewd, attending to every group of guests meticulously. Even Du Heng was personally greeted by him.

During this time, Lu Chengfeng, known as "Young Gentleman of Cloud Pavilion," specifically came to offer his congratulations. This new Jianghu talent received much praise. Before the banquet began, he socialized widely, making sure to toast Luo Feng and catch up with Luo Ningshuang.

After chatting with the Luo family and learning that Du Heng was also present, Lu Chengfeng specifically searched through the crowd. He then found Du Heng, drinking alone with a bottle of wine, in a garden corridor just outside the banquet area.

Lu Chengfeng was as affable as ever, starting with "I finally found you" and engaging the somewhat awkward Du Heng in an extremely enthusiastic conversation.

After the initial awkwardness passed, the two found a hint of their past camaraderie, that immediate connection. They drank together in the garden corridor, one using a cup and the other using a wine pot lid.

"Actually, you don't need to be too disheartened. Master Ji once said that if you could endure, your future would be boundless... Even if there's truly no turning point in martial arts, you'll surely achieve something by finding another path. As the saying goes, 'there's a top scholar in every profession'!"

Du Heng was about to say that he was now merely a third-rate practitioner, but upon hearing the latter half of Lu Chengfeng's sentence, he bit down hard and swallowed what he wanted to say.

"Thank you for your kind words, Brother Lu!"

Du Heng squeezed his left thigh hard to keep himself from losing composure. He had experienced many hardships over the past few years, so why was he losing his cool in front of an old companion?

The initial part of their conversation focused on Du Heng's circumstances. The later topics involved Lu Chengfeng describing his own recent situation, how he had made a name for himself in Jianghu, and how he had gradually mastered martial arts.

After enduring and catching up with Lu Chengfeng, and once Lu Chengfeng had left, Du Heng's left thigh, beneath his trousers, was already bruised from his own pinching.

"Hehehe... 'a top scholar in every profession,' indeed..."

Du Heng gave a bitter, sorrowful laugh. He closed his eyes, his head touching the hilt of the saber on his back.

"Young Hero Du, you know Master Ji?"

A voice suddenly sounded in his ear, making Du Heng slightly flinch. He turned his head to see a chubby, smiling face looking right at him; it was Wei Wuwei.

"Patriarch Wei? You're..."

"Hahaha, I was just passing by, just passing by. I heard something interesting and couldn't bear to leave. After all, I never imagined that the white tiger skin I bought from Ning'an County back then came from your hands. It's truly astonishing!"

After saying this, Wei Wuwei moved closer and sat down on the corridor bench, smiling.

"Just now, I overheard you and Young Master Lu chatting and catching up, and you mentioned a 'Master Ji,' hehe. Would it be convenient to tell me a bit about him?"

Du Heng's emotions were complex, and he forced a smile.

"Patriarch Wei, this matter is indeed not very convenient. Master Ji asked us to avoid mentioning him in front of outsiders..."

"Ah! Young Hero Du, you are mistaken. Master Ji said 'outsiders,' and I, Wei Wuwei, am not one! I know Master Ji; I've given him pastries and wine, and eaten dates from his courtyard. How could I be an outsider?!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Wuwei almost immediately concluded that the "Master" was Ji Yuan!