Tiangong Kai Wu (2)

"Let me tell you, that young lad didn't send people to protect us; he sent them to monitor us."
Fu Yuan He led Xu Lu on the road back to the city, with ten fully armed soldiers following closely behind.
Though these soldiers had never cultivated Secret Arts, they were rigorously trained and well-equipped. They could even hold their own against ordinary Secret Cultivators.
Previously, the leader of You Gui's group had proven with his life that even a Fourth-grade Secret Cultivator, when facing elite soldiers, would only end up being shot to death by a volley of arrows.
In special circumstances, bows and arrows posed an immense threat to Secret Cultivators.
"But there's no need to worry; he wouldn't dare do anything to us.
Once I return and present my research findings, everything will be settled.
By then, the Bi Bao Division will be begging me to return!"
Fu Yuan He spoke with a hint of excitement.
Having been driven out previously, he now wished to return in glory!
"What about me then?"
Xu Lu asked.
"You? You are my disciple. If I return to the Bi Bao Division, you naturally belong to the Bi Bao Division as well."
Fu Yuan He replied casually.
"Rest assured, with me protecting you, a small secret on your person is nothing major."
Was it not merely self-taught Secret Arts?
Once you become my, Fu Yuan He's, disciple, it is no longer self-taught Secret Arts. For a Secret Master of the Tiangong Bi Bao Division to understand Secret Arts, is that not perfectly normal?
"That's good then."
Xu Lu said, feeling somewhat uneasy.
He always felt that Fu Yuan He seemed rather unreliable. With his current strength, could he truly protect him?
"Mister Fu, if I join the Tiangong Bi Bao Division, will I have to leave Jiang Du City?"
Xu Lu asked.
"Theoretically, yes."
Fu Yuan He nodded and said, "But I have no immediate plans to return. I intend to stay in Jiang Du City and plan the construction of a new workshop.
I've discovered that Jiang Du City is my blessed land. As soon as I arrived, I earned several thousand taels of gold, met you, and completed my research.
I feel that in Jiang Du City, I can focus on my research. I don't want to go back and deal with those shameless and tedious people."
"Not returning, is that permissible?"
Xu Lu asked.
An uninformed person might think Fu Yuan He was some important figure.
But Xu Lu now knew clearly that Fu Yuan He, when he was in the Tiangong Bi Bao Division, must have been one of the lowest-ranking research staff, or in Xu Lu's words from his previous life, at most a research assistant.
Could a research assistant from the Central Academy of Sciences really demand to open a branch of the Academy in Jiang Du?
"If it were before, certainly not."
Fu Yuan He did not hide it, saying, "But now, the Secret Treasure we created is absolutely groundbreaking, and the four mathematical expressions you calculated open up an entirely new direction.
Once I return and summarize these achievements, I can certainly publish them in Tiangong's «Tiangong Kai Wu». By then, it won't be impossible for the Bi Bao Division to open a new workshop for me.
There is precedent for this."
Fu Yuan He's words stunned Xu Lu. Although he had heard many stories about the Tiangong Bi Bao Division from Fu Yuan He in recent days, he had never mentioned that Tiangong also had academic journals!
"Mister Fu, what is this «Tiangong Kai Wu» you speak of?"
To confirm his suspicions, Xu Lu asked.
"Ah, you will gradually understand these matters later.
«Tiangong Kai Wu» is one of Tiangong's many journals. The term 'journal' was invented by our first Palace Lord, meaning a periodical publication.
We Secret Masters, as well as those Heavenly Officials and Mighty Warriors, if we have any research achievements, can publish them in the journal, and Tiangong offers rewards for such endeavors."
Fu Yuan He explained cursorily.
How interesting. Not only did this world have something akin to journals, but even the term itself existed.
That first Palace Lord of Tiangong, who could even invent the concept of a journal, must have been a very open-minded person. Why then did Tiangong control Secret Arts so strictly?
Anyone outside Tiangong who came into contact with Secret Arts was considered a rebel; this could not merely be described as "conservative."
On one hand, Tiangong was so internally open, yet on the other, it maintained such strict secrecy externally. What mystery lay behind this extremely contradictory approach?
"Since we've spoken this far, let's add a few more words."
Fu Yuan He continued, "The successful creation of this Secret Treasure is the credit of both of us. However, I need this credit to return to Tiangong, so Xu Lu, when I announce the results, it will primarily be under my name."
They kept a certain distance from the soldiers, and Fu Yuan He always spoke softly, so they weren't afraid of being overheard.
"That is only natural."
Xu Lu nodded and said, "Without Mister Fu's decades of dedicated research, we could not have created this Secret Treasure. I merely offered a few casual suggestions; I deserve no credit."
"Your contribution is immense. Without your calculations, I would certainly have taken a much longer time to succeed."
Fu Yuan He shook his head, "We are not strangers. I will not be polite with you. I will compensate you for this matter later.
However, those four mathematical expressions can be published under your name, which will also be of great benefit to you."
"I do not understand these matters. I will follow Mister Fu's arrangements in everything."
Xu Lu said sincerely.
He indeed still had many doubts about Tiangong's system. Even if Fu Yuan He truly claimed all these achievements for himself, Xu Lu would not care too much.
At this stage, he and Fu Yuan He were in the same boat, and he relied on Fu Yuan He to shield him from trouble. The higher Fu Yuan He's status in Tiangong, the more advantageous it would be for him.
"Rest assured, I will not let you suffer any loss."
Fu Yuan He vowed.
"Oh no!"
Upon returning to Jiang Du City, Fu Yuan He suddenly slapped his head and cried out loudly.
"I forgot to bring those materials back!"
Fu Yuan He stamped his foot and said, "Although our Secret Treasure was destroyed, there are still many reusable materials that could save a lot of money!
Now that they've fallen into that cunning lad's hands, he certainly won't release them."
Fu Yuan He showed regret.
"Is that all?"
Xu Lu breathed a sigh of relief, having thought it was something major.
"This is a serious matter!"
Fu Yuan He said, "Xu Lu, you are still young and do not understand the importance of money.
Researching and creating Secret Treasures is an extremely expensive endeavor.
Previously, I often faced dead ends in my research due to lack of funds."
"Mister Fu's research has succeeded; surely he won't lack money anymore."
Xu Lu said casually. He didn't know Tiangong's regulations on intellectual property, but he imagined that Fu Yuan He, as the creator of the wireless communication Secret Treasure, would receive considerable benefits.
"Not necessarily."
Fu Yuan He muttered, "That's right, Xu Lu, do you have any money left? Lend me some first; I need to create another Secret Treasure to present to Tiangong..."
Xu Lu: "..."
He had no money, and even if he did, he couldn't give it to Fu Yuan He anymore.
"Master, you've finally returned!"
After parting ways with Fu Yuan He, Xu Lu, accompanied by several soldiers who looked like bodyguards, returned to Bao An Hall. As soon as he entered, Di Wu Huo Rong greeted him.
"Who are these gentlemen?"
Di Wu Huo Rong glanced at the fully armed soldiers and asked with suspicion.
"Nothing, they merely escorted me back."
Xu Lu replied casually, "Shopkeeper Di Wu, how has business been these past few days while I was away?"
"Oh, right!"
Di Wu Huo Rong shifted his attention from the soldiers and said, "Master, your teacher is gravely ill, and I hear he is in critical condition..."
"My teacher?"
Xu Lu didn't react immediately, his mind unconsciously thinking of Fu Yuan He.
"Chen Si Ming, Mister Chen."
Di Wu Huo Rong said, "Young Master Tao Liu Liu and Young Lady Situ Yan Qing have both visited Mister Chen. I hear his condition is not good."
"How could this be?"
Xu Lu finally reacted. He said in a deep voice, "Mister Chen has always been in good health. How could he suddenly fall gravely ill?"
"I'm not clear on the specifics. Young Master Tao Liu Liu has helped invite the best physician in Jiang Du, and I've also sent some medicinal herbs over there."
Di Wu Huo Rong said, "I couldn't find Master, so I took the liberty."
"You did very well."
Xu Lu shook his head and said, "I will go visit Mister Chen."
-----------------
When Xu Lu arrived at Chen Si Ming's residence, he smelled a strong medicinal aroma as soon as he entered.
"Old Lu, you've finally appeared!
If you hadn't shown up, you wouldn't even have made it in time to see Old Chen one last time!"
Tao Liu Liu came out of the room and called out loudly as soon as she saw Xu Lu.
"Young Master Tao, what exactly happened to Mister Chen?
It's only been a few days; how could it become this serious?"
Xu Lu was also startled by Tao Liu Liu's words. He and Fu Yuan He had been abducted for at most seven or eight days.
Before that, Chen Si Ming had been in good health. How could it come to needing a final farewell?