Time flies; more than a month passed, and Lu Zheng visited the karst cave twice but did not see the old man again.
He did not take the stalactite essence, only collecting a few bottles of stalactite spring water before returning home. He gave some to Zhima for recovery, some to Liu Qingyan, and used the rest to brew lingzhi wine, enhancing its potency.
…
In June in the ancient world, Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan were strolling through the county town and noticed an increasing number of scholars.
“The local exams are about to start.”
“I wonder how many xiucai our Tonglin County will produce this time.”
“It’s tough, tough, tough. They say it’s a local exam, but it’s actually overseen by officials from Lingbei Circuit. The standards are not low.”
“There are plenty of scholars from the towns and villages. Since they’re coming to the city, we should make a good profit off them this time.”
Lu Zheng looked over and saw the owners of Yuling Garden and Chunfeng Tower whispering to each other.
Lu Zheng: “…”
“When are you going to the prefectural capital, my dear?” Liu Qingyan asked from his side.
“To the prefectural capital?” Lu Zheng was stunned by her question. “What for?”
Liu Qingyan blinked. “Didn’t you say Young Master Zhu Yushan invited you to go to Yizhou City together for the prefectural exam and to have a small gathering afterward?”
Lu Zheng: “…”
“Right!” Lu Zheng clapped his hands and said, “I forgot.”
Seeing Liu Qingyan’s helpless look, Lu Zheng defended himself confidently. “It’s been so long since we made that plan; forgetting is pretty normal, isn’t it?”
“So, are you going, my dear?”
“I’ll go. There’s nothing much going on lately anyway.” Lu Zheng held Liu Qingyan’s delicate hand. “Come with me.”
“Huh? Me?” Liu Qingyan was taken aback.
“The weather’s getting warmer now, and Renxin Hall isn’t as busy as it was in winter. It’s the perfect time to go to the prefectural capital with me for a visit.”
“Really? Is that okay?” Liu Qingyan’s eyes lit up, clearly tempted.
“Why wouldn’t it be? We’ll have Old Huang drive the carriage along the official road; it’ll probably take just two days.” Lu Zheng said.
“Great!”
The thought of traveling alone with Lu Zheng made Liu Qingyan’s heart race.
“Are we going to the Lushui River God Mansion and inviting Young Master Zhu along?” Liu Qingyan asked.
“Let’s not disturb him before the exam.” Lu Zheng shook his head. “We’ll go to Yizhou City first and wait for him outside the exam hall after the test.”
“When should we set off?” Liu Qingyan asked.
“When does the exam start?”
Liu Qingyan counted the days. “It starts on the tenth of June, five days from now.”
“Then let’s leave tomorrow.” Lu Zheng said. “Go back and get ready; we’ll set off early tomorrow morning.”
“Alright!”
…
The next morning, Lu Zheng had Old Huang harness the horse and prepare the carriage. Coming out from the side gate, he saw Liu Qingyan waiting at the doorstep with a small bundle on her back.
They got into the carriage, left the city, and traveled swiftly.
“Actually, we didn’t need to take the carriage.” Liu Qingyan said while eating the spiced roast chicken Lu Zheng brought. “We’re not slow on our own. If we took the small paths, we’d actually be faster than the carriage.”
“But where’s the comfort in that?” Lu Zheng laughed.
The carriage had been modified by him, with key parts replaced with steel and fitted with shock-absorbing springs. To avoid drawing attention, he hadn’t used rubber tires.
So, the two sat in the carriage, which swayed slightly but felt smooth with no jolts.
“It is very comfortable.” Liu Qingyan said, glancing around the carriage interior.
They had ridden this carriage to Peach Blossom Flat before, but those were short trips, and many features weren’t used. This time, for a long journey, Lu Zheng had prepared everything thoroughly.
At the entrance was a shoe cabinet where they could take off and store their shoes after boarding.
The carriage floor was covered with a thick, solid-colored carpet, with one-inch-long pile that felt soft and plush underfoot.
Inside the carriage was a small cabinet containing snacks, drinks, books, and a Go board, providing both food and entertainment.
Next to the cabinet was a wooden box with neatly arranged bedding and pillows. If they missed a lodging stop, sleeping on the soft carpet in the carriage would be no less comfortable than a decent inn room.
At that moment, a low table was placed in the center of the carpet, holding a roast chicken, a plate of beef, a dish of braised food, and a bottle of fruit juice.
Lu Zheng stuffed a large steamed bun with beef and handed it to Old Huang, the coachman, then he and Liu Qingyan happily started eating in the carriage.
…
“Giddy up! Giddy up!”
Old Huang, with his mouth full of savory meat, drove the carriage with extra vigor.
After eating, Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan cleaned up the trash, took out a chessboard, and played Go for entertainment.
“I’ve never experienced travel like this before.” Liu Qingyan said with a wry smile. “Even Emperor Jing’s travels are probably like this, right?”
Lu Zheng laughed at her words. “You really haven’t seen the world. Emperor Jing’s travels are like a moving palace; how could our little carriage compare?”
Liu Qingyan smiled sweetly. “Well, I think ours is great.”
Just then, Old Huang’s voice came from the front. “Young Master, something’s happening up ahead!”
“Oh?”
Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow and opened the window at the front of the carriage, seeing several men with knives standing by the roadside on the official road.
One of them was holding a woman, about to drag her into the woods, while a man lay on the ground nearby.
“Young Master?” Old Huang looked back at Lu Zheng, awaiting his instructions.
Old Huang knew Lu Zheng was no ordinary person, and Li Bo had told him not to be afraid in any situation and to follow Lu Zheng’s orders.
Lu Zheng narrowed his eyes silently, observing closely as the carriage approached.
The men also noticed the approaching carriage. Seeing it neither sped up nor slowed down, they exchanged glances and stood still by the roadside.
“Giddy… giddy…”
As the carriage drew closer, with less than ten meters to go…
“Young Master?” Old Huang swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly.
Lu Zheng remained silent, still watching.
“It’s a fine carriage.” As the carriage was about to pass, the man holding the woman suddenly grinned menacingly. “Go! One more job!”
The men’s eyes lit up, and with loud laughs, they brandished their knives and rushed forward, eyeing the visibly nervous Old Huang with greed and ferocity.
“Young Master!” Old Huang cried out in alarm.
“Swish! Swish! Swish!”
“Thud! Thud! Thud!”
In the next moment, several dark objects shot out, all hitting the men in their Tanzhong acupoint.
The blood qi entered their bodies, instantly shattering their heart meridians and organs.
“Thump! Thump!”
Except for the leader who hadn’t moved, the others all collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
“A martial artist!”
The leader’s face changed drastically; he dropped the woman and turned to flee into the woods.
“Swish!”
“Thud!”
A hit to the back of his heart, and the leader fell less than three meters from the woods, dead as a doornail.
The woman, thrown to the ground, looked closely and saw the dark object that had struck the leader and bounced off to the ground…
It was a peanut!
