The next day, while Bai Sheng was making medicine in the alchemy room, Lu Ye went to the neighboring "Wei Mansion" for a visit.
The gatekeeper of the mansion was a boy of eleven or twelve. Upon seeing him, he immediately closed the main gate and bowed respectfully, saying in a slightly lowered voice, "Greetings, Sect Master!"
Lu Ye looked at him and asked, "Your name is Wei Chong?"
The boy replied respectfully, "Answering the Sect Master, your subordinate is indeed Wei Chong, an Embroidered Uniform Guard."
Lu Ye nodded and said softly, "Outside this house, I am your neighbor."
Wei Chong understood and immediately called out loudly, "Young Master Lu is invited."
Lu Ye curved his lips and strode towards the front hall.
Wei Chong discreetly glanced around and followed, but he did not enter the front hall. After helping to close the hall door, he sat outside, pretending to play casually, but actually keeping a vigilant watch on the surroundings.
In the front hall sat more than fifty youths.
The youngest were six or seven years old, and the oldest were no more than seventeen or eighteen.
These youths were dressed in clothing indicating various identities and professions such as "servant," "cook," "driver," "steward," and "innkeeper." All of them stood tall, with bright and resolute eyes, showing no signs of dejection or laziness.
Upon seeing Lu Ye enter, they all stood up abruptly, bowed towards him, and said in unison, "Greetings, Sect Master!"
Lu Ye smiled slightly, raised his hand to signal them to be seated, and then walked to the main seat in the hall and sat down.
A small child immediately stepped forward and poured Lu Ye a cup of warm tea.
Below the main seat, all the youths’ gazes were fixed on the Sect Master. Since they had joined the Ye Sheng Sect, they had not seen the Sect Master many times, but through word of mouth, they had heard many anecdotes about him.
For instance, the Sect Master was highly skilled in martial arts, an unparalleled genius in martial cultivation; the Sect Master was extremely handsome, a peerless beauty; the Sect Master was quite "henpecked," cherishing his wife as his life; the Sect Master was a bit thick-skinned, eating "soft rice" without blushing or flustering…
The youths mentally reviewed the Sect Master as described by others, and then compared him to the living person they were now seeing up close, their curiosity greatly satisfied.
Qing Yu walked over with a piece of paper and respectfully asked, "Sect Master, may the assembly begin?"
"Let's begin," Lu Ye nodded.
Qing Yu stepped forward, cleared his throat, and said solemnly, "This is the first important assembly for the Ye Sheng Sect since our relocation to the capital.
Our sect's survival principle is to be elusive, appearing and disappearing like spirits, never showing our true form.
Our reputation can echo throughout the martial world, but no one must know our whereabouts, nor trace any clues related to us.
We mingle in the streets and alleys, hidden within the ordinary populace, all for the sake of ensuring everyone's safety and allowing the Ye Sheng Sect to flourish!
All those present will be core members of the Ye Sheng Sect. In the near future, our power will undoubtedly cover the entire Great Xia Kingdom, and even Northern Qiang.
I hope that every disciple of the Ye Sheng Sect will engrave the sect rules and iron laws into their hearts!"
"Yes! We will always remember them!" the disciples said in unison.
Qing Yu cleared his throat and continued reading from the script, "Today, we will also formally establish the division of roles within the sect. Disciples, please listen carefully to your respective roles. The first name in each role category will be the leader of that category, also known as—" Qing Yu looked towards Lu Ye for help.
Lu Ye said calmly, "Team Leader."
Qing Yu immediately nodded, "Oh right, Team Leader. The first person in each category is the team leader, and team leaders must manage their team members well.
Currently, our Ye Sheng Sect has 53 core disciples. The Sect Master, who is also the founder of our sect, Lu Ye; under him are three Hall Masters: I, Qing Yu, am the Senior Hall Master, Qian Ye is the Second Hall Master, and Wei Han is the Third Hall Master.
Below the three Hall Masters, there are nine Great Protectors, namely: Wei Lin, Wei Bing, Wei Dou, Wei Zhe, Wei Jie, Wei Zhen, Wei Lie, Wei Qian, and Wei Xing.
Below the nine Great Protectors, there are twenty Dark Envoys, ten Embroidered Uniform Guards, and ten Ultimate Killers.
The twenty Dark Envoys are: Wei Yi, Wei Er, Wei San… Wei Er Shi.
The ten Embroidered Uniform Guards are: Wei Tian, Wei Di, Wei Ri, Wei Yue, Wei Xing, Wei Chong, Wei Yu, Wei Niao, Wei Shou, Wei Gui.
The ten Ultimate Killers are: Wei Dao, Wei Jian, Wei Ge, Wei Qiang, Wei Ji, Wei Chui, Wei Fu, Wei Gun, Wei Nu, Wei Mao, Wei Dun."
All these names were personally given by Lu Ye. Due to the large number of disciples, to facilitate differentiation and memorization, Lu Ye adopted the simplest and most straightforward naming method.
The disciples also happily received their names. The Sect Master had told them that while names were merely designations, each name represented a unique self, and they should be good at discovering their strengths and accepting themselves.
With this thought, each disciple began to feel proud of their name.
Wei Er, surname Wei, given name "Er," thought of "Er Lengzi" (idiot), "Er Ganzi" (unruly person), "Er Huo" (fool), and instantly felt he was simple-minded and adorable, sure to be very likable.
Wei Chong felt that although insects were small and ordinary, this was also their strength. They were good at camouflage, unobtrusive, easily disguised as pigs to eat tigers, and could infiltrate enemy formations unknowingly, making them very useful.
Wei Shou felt that he was strong and agile, full of wildness, fierce and unyielding, very manly, and very much a man.
Wei Chui was confident he could punch an enemy to death with one blow.
…
After Qing Yu finished reading the role divisions, he added, "Disciples, please remember that for convenience, from now on, we will publicly claim the surname Wei.
Qian Ye, Wei Han, and I are brothers, and the Sect Master is our friend. You are the household servants, drivers, artisans, etc. You must never let slip any information.
Furthermore, the Sect Master has purchased a restaurant on Hongyun Street and converted it into a entertainment venue for officials and nobles. The Sect Master will hire specialized personnel to manage and operate it, and you will be the guards within the venue."
The youths below the stage's eyes lit up, filled with excitement. They could finally go out for training.
Qing Yu's voice continued to echo in the front hall, "From now on in the capital, everyone must be cautious and alert, adapt to circumstances, cooperate with each other, and never expose the sect.
Oh, and also, at the beginning of our sect's establishment, we were short of funds. Disciples, you must uphold the spirit of thrift and hard work.
When going out on missions, still seize the necessary wealth; still shave heads when needed; and still pick up high-quality clothes and shoes. Wash them and sell them, that's a little bit of money too.
In short, as long as we, as one family, work together with one heart, we will surely live the good life we have always dreamed of! The Ye Sheng Sect will surely flourish!"
"The Ye Sheng Sect will surely flourish!" the disciples shouted excitedly.
Their current lives were already very good. They had a large house to live in, enough to eat, clothes to wear, and even clothes without patches.
The most crucial thing was that they had a Sect Master, masters, and fellow disciples. Being together, caring for each other, practicing martial arts together, going on missions together, facing enemies together, and playing together, they truly felt a sense of "home."
They were no longer street urchins wandering the alleys.