Lu Zheng naturally wouldn’t let Guangyue stay at his home, so he arranged for him to stay at the Tonglai Inn.
Upon returning, he found Shen Ying hadn’t left.
Lu Zheng couldn’t help but swallow hard, for Liu Qingyan was by Shen Ying’s side.
And so…
…
“What? Guangyue actually wants to drag you along to travel the world?” Shen Ying said, her face full of shock.
“Nonsense, he has no intention of dragging my Lu Lang into… that…” Liu Qingyan said, her face flushed, both angry and anxious.
Cool on the left, soft on the right.
Lu Xianzhe pulled the velvet quilt over himself and comforted them, “Don’t worry, this kind of story isn’t unheard of in tales, but I’m not some frail scholar from a storybook. If he wants to break up a pair of lovebirds, he’ll have to see if my fists agree.”
Shen Ying’s eyes flickered, and she asked with some surprise, “The bruises on his face…”
“Pfft, pfft, pfft,” Liu Qingyan covered her mouth, giggling, then raised her small fist, “Well done, Lu Lang!”
Lu Zheng nodded as if it were only natural, “He’s my tool now, tough and thick-skinned, perfect for helping me practice some techniques. I can go all out.”
Shen Ying couldn’t help but laugh, lightly tapping Lu Zheng, “You’re too mean.”
Liu Qingyan whispered, “If he gets hurt, it’s fine. I’ll heal him, and once he’s better, you can hit him again.”
Neither of them was worried. First, Lu Zheng’s cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds; Guangyue couldn’t beat him now and certainly wouldn’t in the future. Second, Lu Zheng wasn’t without backing. Would the monks of Rizhao Temple dare to use force? Could Baiyun Temple just stand by and watch its disciples be bullied?
Rather than worry about this, they figured they might as well start another round before dawn.
…
The next day, refreshed and clear-headed.
It happened to be a rest day. Lu Zheng rented a donkey cart and took Shen Ying and the Liu sisters back to Peach Blossom Ridge for a day of rest.
“The sun’s nice today, isn’t it?” Liu Qingyan said, shielding her eyes as she looked at the sky, white clouds drifting across a vast azure expanse.
They didn’t go to Peach Blossom Village but found an open spot deep in the peach blossom forest. A river flowed nearby, and a breeze blew from all directions. Shen Ying waved her hand, and stone tables and benches rose from the ground. “Qingyan, how about a game of chess?”
“Sure,” Liu Qingyan replied with a smile.
Xiaocui appeared in a flash, bringing a chessboard and pieces to the stone table, then set up a stove and tea set to brew tea.
“You two play chess, and I’ll entertain you,” Lu Zheng said, taking down a wooden box wrapped in cotton cloth from his back.
“Sword dancing for entertainment?” Liu Qingyan laughed. “We won’t have time to watch, you know.”
She thought the wooden box held a weapon, as Lu Zheng had a weapon case like that, which he’d carried with him on his last trip to Yizhou Prefecture.
Shen Ying smiled lightly, “Lu Lang saved a damsel in distress the other day, and now he’s dancing with a sword to support me. But, Lu Lang, Qingyan’s chess skills aren’t as good as mine. Have you got the wrong person?”
Liu Qingyan’s face reddened. “Sister, you always tease me.”
Lu Zheng chuckled, unwrapped the cotton cloth, opened the wooden box, and took out a phoenix-tailed zither.
“A zither?” Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan asked in surprise.
“Huh?” Liu Qinguan hopped over, her mouth stuffed with pastries. “Big Brother Lu, you can play the zither too?”
“Zheng, zheng, zheng.”
Lu Zheng strummed a few notes, then played a smooth rendition of *Wild Geese on the Sandbank*.
When the piece ended…
“Hey?” Lu Zheng looked up, raising an eyebrow. “You haven’t started yet?”
“Lu Lang, you can play the zither?” Shen Ying asked, delighted, then couldn’t help adding, “We were so caught up in your new tune, how could we focus on chess?”
Liu Qingyan also said, “I’ve never heard that piece before. Did you compose it, Lu Lang?”
Lu Zheng blinked and shook his head. “No, I found it in an old zither score. Maybe it’s just not widely known.”
Shen Ying nodded. “It’s a lovely piece, very soothing.”
“Is it? I’ve got a few more tunes to play for you,” Lu Zheng said, a smile tugging at his lips. “Let’s see if you’ve heard these.”
“Great!” Liu Qingyan clapped her hands, laughing. “We’re all ears.”
Xiaocui and Liu Qinguan prepared tea and snacks, ready for Lu Zheng’s impromptu concert.
The previous night had been pleasant, and today he was in high spirits, so Lu Zheng felt like showing off. His fingers danced lightly, and another famous piece, *Guangling San*, made its debut in the Dajing Dynasty.
*Drunk Fisherman Singing at Dusk*…
*Three Variations of Yangguan*…
*Clouds Over Xiao and Xiang Rivers*…
*Three Plum Blossom Melodies*…
*High Mountains and Flowing Water*…
Though Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan didn’t play the zither, they could tell good music from bad. They’d never heard Lu Zheng’s pieces before, but every one was a gem.
Their eyes sparkled as they listened, completely forgetting about their chess game.
“Well?” Lu Zheng asked.
“Lu Lang, just how many talents do you have that we don’t know about?” Shen Ying said, her peach-blossom eyes misty with admiration.
Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow and waved modestly. “Not many, not many…”
“Junior Brother, you’re truly a man of many talents!” Yuanjing appeared, approaching from nearby, then turned to another figure. “May I ask why this master is here?”
“Amitabha!” Guangyue pressed his palms together in greeting. “I am Guangyue of Rizhao Temple, greetings to my Taoist brother!”
“Immeasurable Heavenly Venerable!” Yuanjing returned the salute. “Yuanjing of Baiyun Temple, greetings to the master!”
The two had arrived earlier but, seeing Lu Zheng play and the women listening, they stayed back. Only when Lu Zheng stopped did they approach.
“Rizhao Temple…” Yuanjing blinked, clearly familiar with the temple’s reputation, perhaps even with some understanding. “Is the master traveling through here?”
Guangyue nodded. “I hit it off with Brother Lu and wished to invite him to travel with me.”
“Hm?” Yuanjing paused, then said, “I’ve never heard of such a custom at Rizhao Temple.”
“Amitabha, I only wish to prevent Brother Lu’s talents from going to waste,” Guangyue said solemnly.
Yuanjing: ???
“How would they go to waste?” Yuanjing asked, bewildered, then frowned, displeased. “Are you saying Baiyun Temple can’t teach its disciples?”
“Amitabha, not at all,” Guangyue said, waving his hand. “It’s just that…”
Guangyue and Lu Zheng had agreed to settle things through competition, not words, so Guangyue stopped there.
Yuanjing blinked. “Just what? Say it!”
On the other side, Liu Qingyan lightly clenched her fist, whispering, “Fight, fight!”
Shen Ying: ⚆_⚆
Lu Zheng: Õ_Õ
Well, the little fox was still holding a grudge.
But since Guangyue’s hesitation was partly Lu Zheng’s doing, he couldn’t just sit back and let them actually fight.
“Master Guangyue is here to spar with me, isn’t he? Senior Brother, what brings you down the mountain? Looking for me?” Lu Zheng stood and approached, asking.
Yuanjing nodded. “Something’s happened at Jiming Temple in Pingtan County. I thought you’d enjoy this sort of thing, so I came to ask if you’d like to check it out together.”
