Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

The Support at the gate tried to give some advice, "Manager Si, listen to me. Don't wait anymore today. The Second Master is too busy to see you."

Si Wennian sighed. "The Liu Family has had a major incident. Even if the Second Master is busy, I must see him."

The Support couldn't be bothered to say more. After another hour, Strategist Wan Jinxian entered the Gatehouse.

"Manager Si, the Second Master invites you."

Si Wennian was very pleased and quickly followed Wan Jinxian into the main hall, where he met Lu Dongjun. He had just begun to greet him when Lu Dongjun spoke first,

"Old Si, your timing is perfect. I'm going to the Lu Family Mansion to see my sister-in-law. You'll come with me."

Si Wennian was stunned. He had come to find Lu Dongjun for support but ended up being assigned by Lu Dongjun to accompany him.

"Second Master, I came to talk about Blue Poplar Village..."

"What's there to talk about with Blue Poplar Village? That rundown place, how much is it damn well worth? If you can damn well help me get things done today, I'll let you open two more businesses in Greenwater City!"

Lu Dongjun was furious, and Si Wennian didn't dare to speak, so he followed Lu Dongjun to the Lu Family Mansion.

Why was it necessary to bring Si Wennian along? In truth, Lu Dongjun originally didn't have a strong impression of Si Wennian. If it weren't for Wan Jinxian's reminder, Lu Dongjun wouldn't have even recalled such a person.

Si Wennian practiced Bitter Cultivation, which counters Lust Cultivation.

And Lu Dongjun's trip was specifically aimed at Monkey Qiu. Wan Jinxian had suggested bringing Si Wennian along as an added precaution.

These past few days, whatever Lu Dongjun did within the family was constrained by Monkey Qiu.

The attitude within the family was also strange. Everyone, from top to bottom, still listened to Monkey Qiu, and it was unclear who the outsider truly was.

Today, he simply wanted to make a clean break with Monkey Qiu, once and for all.

When they arrived in the main hall, Lu Dongjun first chatted with Duan Shaoxia, Lu Dongliang's chief wife.

Lady Duan spent her days in tears and had grown significantly thinner.

"Dongjun, do you have any news of Dongliang? If you do, you must tell me. Please don't keep anything from me."

"Sister-in-law, I've been looking for Big Brother too. Please rest assured, nothing bad could possibly happen to him."

Seeing Lady Duan's tear-streaked face, Lu Dongjun felt a twinge of pity.

Lu Dongjun found this odd himself. Why pity her? She's just a middle-aged woman.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lu Dongjun got down to business. "I came today to discuss some business matters with Butler Qiu. With Big Brother not around these days, the He Family, Ma Family, and Chu Family are all eyeing us like prey. We must be cautious!"

Hearing this, Lady Duan hurriedly ordered a servant, "Go find Butler Qiu. Don't delay important matters."

Qiu Zhiheng entered the main hall and first bowed formally to Lu Dongjun.

Lu Dongjun nodded but didn't invite Qiu Zhiheng to sit, asking directly, "Yesterday, I went to check the accounts at Hundred Joy Gate, and a sum of money was missing—not a small amount. Monkey, do you know about this?"

Monkey Qiu was taken aback and shook his head slightly. "I haven't heard about it yet."

"You haven't heard?" Lu Dongjun smiled. "Since trouble started in the family, you've been managing the business. You should have some idea where that money went, right?"

Qiu Zhiheng's brows furrowed slightly. "Second Master, are you suspecting that I took the money from Hundred Joy Gate?"

Lu Dongjun looked Qiu Zhiheng up and down, his face darkening as he said, "Can't I ask you a question? Who's in charge of this family? Where do you get off having such an attitude?"

Qiu Zhiheng remained silent, his eyes fixed on Lu Dongjun's wrist.

"Dongjun, what's wrong with you? Butler Qiu didn't say anything," Duan Shaoxia said from the side.

Lu Dongjun waved his hand at Duan Shaoxia. "Sister-in-law, stay out of this. Today, I must make things clear with him!"

Lu Dongjun had claimed to be visiting Duan Shaoxia, but he suddenly turned hostile towards Monkey Qiu, aiming to catch him off guard.

Duan Shaoxia thought Lu Dongjun was just being temperamental and didn't stop him, unaware that Lu Dongjun had come intending to take Monkey Qiu's life.

What consequences would killing Monkey Qiu bring? The consequences would be severe: the entire family would deem Lu Dongjun treacherous and might even isolate him.

However, Wan Jinxian had analyzed the situation for Lu Dongjun and concluded that not killing Monkey Qiu would have even more dire consequences.

Monkey Qiu constantly restricted Lu Dongjun. With him around, Lu Dongjun could never truly take control of the family's power.

Moreover, Monkey Qiu was secretly searching for Lu Dongliang, Zhuo Yuling, and Lu Xiaolan. If he found any one of them, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Monkey Qiu hadn't expected Lu Dongjun to resort to such lethal measures. He didn't mind being mocked by Lu Dongjun; he just continued to watch Lu Dongjun's wrist.

At the cuff, a scar seemed to be visible.

Was this the price Lu Dongjun paid for using the necklace? Was the previous Lu Dongliang really an impersonation by Lu Dongjun?

Monkey Qiu wanted to confirm it once more when he suddenly heard Lu Dongjun ask, "What are you looking at? Did you hear what I said to you?"

The corner of Qiu Zhiheng's eye twitched. Now he saw it clearly: there was indeed a scar on Lu Dongjun's wrist.

Without changing his expression, Monkey Qiu prepared to see Lu Dongjun off and then discuss countermeasures with the family's key members.

But Lu Dongjun had no intention of leaving. He suddenly threw a punch at Monkey Qiu, exclaiming, "It seems you've truly forgotten your place!"

Monkey Qiu was at the Seventh Layer of Lust Cultivation. Though not adept at close combat, his cultivation level was still high.

Besides, whenever Qiu Zhiheng faced Lu Dongjun, he was always on guard.

Lu Dongjun's punch missed. Duan Shaoxia grabbed him, saying, "Dongjun, this is wrong of you!"

Seizing the opportunity, Qiu Zhiheng quickly retreated, putting over five meters between himself and Lu Dongjun.

Lu Dongjun pushed Duan Shaoxia away and pointed at Monkey Qiu, shouting, "Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson!"

With that single pointing finger, from over five meters away, he seemed to strike Monkey Qiu's chest.

Monkey Qiu felt a sharp pain in his chest and struggled to breathe, his face turning purplish.

Lu Dongjun stood his ground and delivered a kick through the air. Monkey Qiu struggled to dodge but was grazed on the chin, staggering and nearly falling.

Lu Dongjun advanced two steps and was about to throw another punch when Monkey Qiu glanced at him. Lu Dongjun felt his vitality roil and hesitated slightly in his attack.

Qiu Zhiheng then whistled sharply. A dozen or so Supports rushed towards the hall from both inside and out.

Wan Jinxian pulled a small stone lion from his robes, and Lu Dongjun plucked a false tooth from his mouth, quickly stuffing it into the stone lion's mouth.

The lion's eyes lit up. Both inside and outside the hall, the dozen or so charging Supports were stopped as if they had struck a copper wall and iron wall, none able to rush into the main hall.

Monkey Qiu was astonished; he had never seen this Magical Treasure before.

Duan Shaoxia's eyes twitched, a hint of cold light flashing in her gaze.