Peach Blossom Plain, situated on a highland south of Tonglin County, spans dozens of acres, connecting to the continuous mountains in the south and the official road in the west. Neither remote nor noisy, it is a frequent destination for the people of Tonglin County to relax and enjoy outings during their leisure time.
Lu Zheng and his group set out rather late, so by the time they arrived at Peach Blossom Plain, a few people were already scattered about.
Ordinary folk usually lacked the time to visit, coming only during festivals or monthly holidays, bringing their families and children to unwind. Today, being neither a festival nor a holiday, those visiting Peach Blossom Plain were mostly children of moderately wealthy families or idle scholars.
Outside the plain, small vendors pushed carts or carried poles, selling various foods, flowers, peach wood toys, or protective charms.
“You didn’t bring food. Are you buying something to eat here, or heading back early?” Lu Zheng asked.
“Since we’re out, of course we’ll buy food,” Liu Qingquan said playfully. “I heard the peach blossom pastries here are delicious.”
The donkey cart stopped, and the group alighted.
The Liu sisters, Qingyan and Qingquan, drew the gazes of the surrounding crowd. Dressed in pale pink skirts with entwined branch patterns, their hair adorned with jade and brass hairpins, tassels dangling with beaded curtains, they moved gracefully, their fair faces radiant and their figures lithe.
However, Lu Zheng, who stepped off the cart first and stood beside the sisters, clearly their protector, deterred most self-respecting individuals from approaching to chat.
The Dajing Dynasty enjoyed peace and prosperity, with strict laws, so while there were dandies or occasional flirtatious remarks, public harassment or abducting women was unheard of.
Lu Zheng initially thought this was due to the dynasty’s effective governance, but later learned it was only part of the reason. Another factor was the presence of extraordinary heroes who upheld justice, turning many bullies into tales told by local storytellers.
And finally, this world had ghosts and retribution. If you drove someone to death through bullying, weren’t you afraid they’d return as a vengeful spirit?
Such stories were also beloved by storytellers.
Thus, without immense backing or remarkable skills, most people dared not act too recklessly, contributing to the relatively simple and harmonious folkways of the Dajing Dynasty.
“This is why Old Man Liu feels safe letting the Liu sisters go on outings,” Lu Zheng thought. Knowing fear leads to longer survival.
“The Dajing Dynasty has lasted centuries without the chaos of a declining dynasty, partly thanks to supernatural forces,” he mused.
Cultivation required talent, and wealth was just one factor. The underworld was beyond the control of the living, and the wealthy likely knew this. Who would want to provoke a ghost?
…
“Let’s buy some peach blossom pastries.”
Ignoring the admiring glances, Liu Qingquan pulled her sister along, hopping to a vendor’s stall with a carrying pole.
“Are your peach blossom pastries tasty?”
“Very tasty!” said the vendor, a boy of about eleven or twelve. “These pastries are made with fresh flowers my mother picked this morning, mixed into the dough, absolutely fresh, never using day-old peach blossom paste!”
“Let me see. Wow, the pastries are quite big, one might fill me up.”
“How much for a pastry?” Liu Qingyan stepped forward to ask.
“Three wen each, very substantial!”
“Three, please,” Lu Zheng said, handing over ten wen.
“Young Master, three pastries are nine wen, you gave one too many.”
“Keep it, buy yourself a sweet.”
“Hehe, thank you, Young Master!” The boy picked three warm pastries from the depths of his load, wrapped them in paper, and handed them to Lu Zheng.
“Master Lu,” Liu Qingyan began.
Lu Zheng waved it off, “Don’t worry about it, it’s just simple food.”
Liu Qingyan smiled lightly, moving her hand away from her money pouch.
Meanwhile, Liu Qingquan had wandered to another stall.
“What’s this?”
“A peach wood safety charm,” the vendor eagerly explained. “Peach wood wards off disasters and evil spirits, even demons and ghosts. Our Tonglin County has good feng shui with this peach grove, and these charms are made from its old branches. Carry one, and you’ll have a lifetime of safety!”
Liu Qingquan blinked, holding the palm-sized charm. “This can ward off demons and ghosts?”
“Yes!”
She turned to Liu Qingyan, who smiled, “It’s just for peace and good luck. If you like it, buy one to hang at home.”
“Don’t like it,” Liu Qingquan pouted, shaking her head. “Not as pretty as jewellery.”
The vendor’s face fell.
She skipped to the next stall, where a peddler sold toys, also carved from peach wood.
Liu Qingquan browsed and picked a chubby, adorable wooden mouse.
…
Peach blossoms and misty clouds dazzled the eyes, with butterflies perched on branches.
A beauty leaned gracefully, her charm rivaling the flowers, her fragrance’s source unknown.
…
Liu Qingquan ran around the peach grove with her wooden mouse, staying close to Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan, hopping around the trees joyfully.
Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan walked together, admiring the diverse peach trees and their breathtaking blossoms.
When Liu Qingyan stayed silent, Lu Zheng tried to spark conversation.
“That tree looks like a porter carrying a load.”
“That one has more blossoms than the others, it’s lovely.”
“Look at that tree, it’s like an old lady running with a cane.”
Liu Qingyan covered her mouth with her sleeve but couldn’t suppress a giggle. The image was too vivid and absurd.
Following Lu Zheng’s pointing finger and his description, she saw the tree resembling a hunched old woman with tousled hair, hurrying with a cane.
“How did you come up with an old woman running?” she asked.
“Doesn’t it look like it?”
“It does!” Liu Qingyan lowered her sleeve, revealing a face both amused and chiding, as if blaming Lu Zheng for making her laugh. “But I wouldn’t have thought of it if you hadn’t said so.”
Lu Zheng shrugged, staying silent. In modern times, without a vivid imagination, you couldn’t write web novels.
As an ancient-era person, Liu Qingyan was no match for Lu Zheng, a modern man who could keep a conversation lively with ease.
As they walked and chatted, Liu Qingyan grew more talkative.
“Father’s medical skills are quite good, not just from reading medical books, but also his remarkable acupuncture.”
“There was an annoying person back home, too powerful to confront, but we could avoid him, and he can’t follow us to Tonglin County.”
“The two bottles of fruit wine you gave us, we finished in two meals yesterday. They were delicious.”
…
“Sister!”
Liu Qingquan emerged from behind a peach tree, followed by a stunning woman in a pink butterfly-and-flower brocade palace dress.
