Lin Wan is not Shen Ying, so she’s not qualified to have Lu Zheng support her by the waist when going out.
Lu Zheng returned home in high spirits, then travelled back to ancient times.
“Brother Lu, are you home? Sister asked me to invite you for dinner!”
“Great, I’m coming!”
“Young master, I’ve prepared a fish tonight, and a bowl of steamed meat,” Aunt Liu poked her head out from the side door, speaking softly.
“Keep half for you and Uncle Li, send the rest next door.”
“The fish won’t look good if divided, and Old Li and I can’t eat that much, a few pieces of meat will do,” Aunt Liu shook her head, then retreated.
Lu Zheng grabbed a bottle of wine and strolled leisurely to the neighbour’s, where Old Man Liu welcomed him to a seat with a beaming smile.
“Don’t keep giving him wine, he gets drunk all night when he drinks!” Mrs Liu shot Old Man Liu a glare.
“Less drinking today, less,” Old Man Liu chuckled, pouring himself a small cup, “Eh, this wine’s different from before?”
Lu Zheng nodded, “A while back, the Demon Suppression Bureau came by. A scorpion demon was causing trouble in the county, so I lent a hand and got a medicinal pouch.”
Lu Zheng briefly explained the case to the Liu family.
Old Man Liu and Mrs Liu exchanged a look, shocked, “A jade scorpion and a ghost python, even draining people’s yang energy to cultivate evil arts, they really aren’t afraid of death!”
Liu Qingyan asked with concern, “You weren’t hurt, were you?”
Lu Zheng shook his head, “Of course not!”
Old Man Liu blinked, “So, this is scorpion wine?”
Lu Zheng nodded, “It’s potent, you really shouldn’t drink much in one go.”
Old Man Liu nodded, taking a small sip of the medicinal wine, “Truly a great tonic!”
“Auntie, Qingyan, you can both have a little too. Senior brother said this scorpion demon pouch can make ten jars, I’ll bring one home later.”
Old Man Liu’s face flushed at the words, “Good, that’s great!”
Hearing Lu Zheng call it ‘home’, Liu Qingyan’s cheeks reddened, then she snatched a piece of chicken from Liu Qingquan’s chopsticks and gave it to Lu Zheng.
Liu Qingquan smacked his lips and picked another piece.
…
After dinner, Liu Qingyan walked Lu Zheng to the door.
“Lu Lang.”
“Hm?”
“I want to discuss something with you.”
“What’s up?”
“Well, I… I want to work at Benevolence Hall,” Liu Qingyan said cautiously.
Lu Zheng looked puzzled, “And then?”
Liu Qingyan blinked, “Is that okay?”
Lu Zheng blinked back, “Why ask me? Why wouldn’t it be?”
Liu Qingyan lowered her head shyly, “Aren’t we… Are you okay with me showing my face in public?”
The sky was dimming, the sunset’s glow casting a golden light on Liu Qingyan’s face, her shy yet hopeful expression leaving Lu Zheng stunned.
“Lu Lang, what, what are you looking at?”
“Heh, you’re pretty, that’s all,” Lu Zheng grinned.
“I’m asking you something!” Liu Qingyan stomped lightly, looking up at him.
“Oh, right!” Lu Zheng snapped back to her question.
The Great Jing Dynasty was open, but respectable families generally didn’t let their women appear in public for all to see.
Lu Zheng had businesses, cultivation, and could assist the Demon Suppression Bureau, so even if not immensely wealthy, he was a notable figure, which is why Liu Qingyan asked.
Then Lu Zheng smiled.
Looking at Liu Qingyan, he said softly, “Your dreams are the direction I strive for.”
Liu Qingyan’s face flushed bright red.
“I… I…”
“I can tell you love treating people. Seeing patients recover under your care makes you happier than anyone.”
Liu Qingyan’s eyes darted, was she that obvious?
“That spark, that radiance, makes your beauty transcend the surface, it’s a charm that shines from within.”
Liu Qingyan swallowed hard.
“So how could I stop such beauty and kindness?” Lu Zheng glanced at the courtyard, seeing no one, and quickly kissed Liu Qingyan’s cheek, “So, go work at Benevolence Hall, use your skills, save more patients, I support you!”
Lu Zheng thought he was seeing things, was Liu Qingyan’s head steaming?
Liu Qingyan jumped like a startled rabbit, then fled back home, shutting the door.
“I understand, thank you, Lu Lang. It’s late, go home and rest.”
Lu Zheng shook his head with a smile and went home.
…
The next day, Lu Zheng hired a donkey cart, loaded five jars of scorpion wine, and headed to White Cloud Temple on Shaotong Mountain.
“Junior Brother Yuanzheng!”
Seeing Lu Zheng step off, the temple greeter bowed.
“Senior Brother Yuanning, help me carry these wines into the temple.”
Yuanning stepped forward, taking one jar in each hand, entering with Lu Zheng.
“What kind of wine is this? The temple doesn’t lack for these.”
So Lu Zheng recounted the Demon Suppression Bureau, the scorpion demon, and the wine-making.
Yuanning’s mouth nearly watered, “Scorpion wine from a century-old demon?”
“Not quite a century, Official Duan said it had eighty or ninety years of cultivation.”
“Not old, but bold,” a teasing voice chimed in.
Lu Zheng turned to see a fifty-something Taoist in a grey robe, hair askew, unremarkable but with a humorous glint in his eyes.
“Greetings, Taoist Yuting!” Yuanning quickly set down the jars and saluted.
Lu Zheng, sensing a senior figure, likely a friend of Taoist Mingzhang, set down his jars, “Junior Yuanzheng, greetings to Taoist Yuting.”
Taoist Yuting raised an eyebrow, “You’re Yuanzheng? Mingzhang mentioned you, said you’re gifted, a natural for cultivation.”
“Master flatters me!”
“Does he?” Taoist Yuting grinned, “Let’s see if it’s flattery.”
Lu Zheng’s vision blurred, and he was in the sky.
Surrounded by blue skies and white clouds, a gentle breeze, and nothing beneath his feet, he floated in mid-air.
“What the hell?” Lu Zheng blurted out.
What’s going on?
His legs wobbled, nearly trembling.
Looking down, he saw layered mountains, rivers, a city, and people, with a small temple halfway up a hill near the city.
Is that… White Cloud Temple?
Wait, how can I see myself in the temple?
No, at this height, I shouldn’t see people clearly.
The city’s scenery was blurry, so why was this so clear?
A flash of insight hit Lu Zheng.
Swallowing, he cautiously stepped forward.
Solid!
Focusing his energy, he gathered his power in his eyes and looked around.
Nothing.
Lu Zheng knew his cultivation was far inferior.
“Taoist Yuting, please stop the spell, don’t tease this junior.”
Whoosh!
Lu Zheng’s vision blurred, and he was back in the temple’s front courtyard.
“You saw through it that fast? Not bad,” Taoist Yuting nodded, pointing at the jars, “Carry them.”
“Right.”
Lu Zheng nodded, bending down, then glanced at Yuanning beside him.
The next moment, Lu Zheng gave a wry smile, pleading again, “Taoist Yuting, your illusions are too strong, please don’t tease this junior anymore.”
