“Young Master, you’re too generous, and it’s getting late. Otherwise, just donating two strings of merit money would have been enough for Baiyun Temple to offer you a vegetarian meal.”
On the way down the mountain, Li Bo rambled on.
Even his former master hadn’t been so generous.
Lu Zheng rubbed his chin, ignoring Li Bo, lost in thought.
Evil spirits!
Those were Daoist Mingzhang’s exact words, explaining the talisman’s purpose.
This world had lifted another corner of its veil to him.
…
Descending the mountain, they boarded the cart and headed back.
“Li Bo, do you think there are really ghosts in this world?”
“Of course there are,” Li Bo said, as if it were common knowledge. “Last year, the Zhang family in the county had a ghost haunting. A wandering Daoist took care of it and dealt with the spirit.”
Lu Zheng: (⊙o⊙)!!
So, I’m the one lacking common knowledge?
Lu Zheng was speechless, but it made sense. Ordinary people wouldn’t casually discuss such things. They’d avoid topics beyond their control, seeking a sense of safety.
“But rest assured, Young Master, the Great Jing Dynasty rules this land. Every state and county has a City God guarding it. Most people never encounter anything strange in their lifetime,” Li Bo reassured Lu Zheng.
Now a City God pops up?
Li Bo, how much more “common knowledge” haven’t you told me?
Lu Zheng sighed. Most people never face unusual events, so they live normal lives.
The surface seems calm, but undercurrents swirl beneath.
How similar to his own world, just expressed differently.
Fine, he’d explore it slowly.
…
“Hyah!” The cart driver urged the donkey cart, rattling along the rugged mountain path before turning onto the official road.
Lu Zheng shifted his backside, feeling a bit more comfortable.
Through the window, he saw the sky painted with red clouds, the sun large and crimson, slowly setting in the west.
“Zhang Laoshi, hurry up, or we won’t make it back to the county before sunset. We don’t want to travel at night,” Li Bo urged, noticing Lu Zheng’s frown.
“Young Master, forgive me, this donkey’s old. This is as fast as it goes,” Zhang Laoshi said quickly. “But don’t worry, this beast has stamina. We’ll make it to the county before dark.”
Lu Zheng nodded. They were on the official road now. Even if they didn’t reach the county by nightfall, they’d only be a mile or so off, not far.
Seeing Lu Zheng nod, Li Bo stopped pressing.
The group fell silent, the only sounds being the creaking of the cart and the clopping of the donkey’s hooves.
Lu Zheng was admiring the sunset when he noticed a lone figure walking slowly by the roadside ahead.
As the cart drew closer, Lu Zheng saw it was a woman, carrying a blue cloth bundle on her back, wearing a plain green silk dress with subtle patterns, her hair styled in a crescent moon bun, adorned with a brass hairpin.
Her figure was delicate, swaying with each step, occasionally wiping sweat or adjusting her bundle. She seemed to have walked a long way, moving with visible effort.
Zhang Laoshi glanced back at Lu Zheng.
Lu Zheng’s face remained expressionless. “The county’s only a few miles away, and it’s all official road, no danger.”
The implication was clear: leave her be.
Zhang Laoshi’s eyes dimmed, muttering something under his breath before turning back to drive the cart silently.
Li Bo gave Lu Zheng a curious look, wondering why the usually easygoing young master showed no compassion this time.
Clop… clop…
The cart swayed past the woman.
Zhang Laoshi and Li Bo couldn’t help but glance at her, and Lu Zheng, unable to resist, stole a sidelong look.
She appeared seventeen or eighteen, with a slender figure, almond eyes, peach-like cheeks, disheveled hair at her temples, panting lightly, lips pursed tightly. Her flushed face carried a hint of pallor, exuding both allure and a unique resilience.
A charming, delicate beauty.
But in a fleeting moment, they passed each other. The cart, though wobbly, was much faster than walking.
“Young Master?” Li Bo asked again.
Lu Zheng lowered his hand, glancing at the peace talisman he held.
The talisman showed no reaction.
Was he overthinking?
Lu Zheng nodded, about to relent, when a clear, oriole-like voice called from behind, “Kind sirs in the cart ahead, could you take pity and give this humble girl a ride?”
Seeing Lu Zheng nod, Li Bo was about to call to Zhang Laoshi, who had already begun pulling the reins to stop.
But then, Lu Zheng’s cold voice cut through, “Keep going, don’t stop!”
“Huh?”
Li Bo froze, but Zhang Laoshi had already flicked the whip instinctively.
“Hyah!”
The donkey broke into a trot, picking up speed for a few steps, moving further away, leaving the woman behind.
Seeing the cart not stopping, the woman didn’t call out again. She wiped her sweat, adjusted her bundle, and continued walking.
“Young Master?”
Lu Zheng’s face was rigid, his heart pounding, a chill creeping up his spine.
The peace talisman in his hand had one edge curled and scorched, as if lightly singed by a distant flame.
…
It happened when the woman spoke!
Lu Zheng had been about to agree, and she called out at that moment.
As her delicate voice rang out, the talisman suddenly grew warm, like a hand warmer.
Then one edge began to scorch.
At the same time, a chill rose, and Lu Zheng faintly smelled a stench.
Only when he ordered the cart to keep going and they moved far away did the talisman cool down, the scorching stopping.
…
Hearing Li Bo’s question, Lu Zheng didn’t speak, just showed him the talisman.
Li Bo’s eyes widened, and he gasped.
What kind of person was the Young Master? Li Bo had never encountered such strange things in his life, yet since following Lu Zheng, they kept happening.
Meeting great masters, encountering evil spirits—this was too thrilling.
…
Resisting the urge to look back, the cart rattled and swayed, making it into the county just before nightfall.
Zhang Laoshi dropped them at the doorstep, then drove off by the moonlight and the glow of shops not yet closed.
Lu Zheng and Li Bo ate the dinner Aunt Liu had left, then Lu Zheng sent Li Bo to rest and returned to his bedroom alone.
Glancing at his silk bedding and velvet quilt, Lu Zheng shook his head, placed the peace talisman under his pillow, and instantly crossed back to the modern world.
