After parting ways with You Che and Du Huan on the official road, the group soon returned to Tonglin County.
Lu Zheng resumed his laid-back routine.
His daily life consisted of morning cultivation, followed by either visiting Lin Wan or Shen Ying at noon. In the afternoons, he would either play chess and relax at Peach Blossom Slope or assist at Benevolence Hall with medical consultations. Dinner was sometimes with the Liu family, other times he’d return to the modern world to dine with Lin Wan.
Evenings were even busier.
Occasionally, other matters would interrupt, for example…
“Master, General Xin invites you to drink at the City God Temple tonight!”
“Alright! Let’s go!”
After a round of drinks and a sparring match with blades, Lu Zheng and Hu Zhou left the City God Temple together.
“You’re still working as a porter in the mornings?” Lu Zheng asked.
Hu Zhou nodded. “Yes!”
Since taking Hu Zhou as his disciple, Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan had several times suggested he work at the sugar refinery or help at Benevolence Hall. But Hu Zhou refused, insisting on earning his keep through his own efforts.
Back then, Hu Zhou’s cultivation was still low, and working as a porter doubled as weight-bearing training. So Lu Zheng didn’t stop him, only ensuring that he and Liu Qingyan occasionally sent food or money to Hu Zhou and his mother.
As a result, Hu Zhou and his mother were doing fairly well. They had moved to a better place, with enough food and clothing, though they weren’t exactly wealthy.
“With your current cultivation, being a porter no longer benefits you. You even have to suppress and hide your strength, which holds you back,” Lu Zheng said. “Besides, you can’t stay a porter forever, can you?”
While helping at Benevolence Hall, Liu Qingyan taught Hu Zhou to read and write whenever she had time. He now recognised a few hundred common characters, enough for everyday reading.
Moreover, when Lu Zheng was at Benevolence Hall, he often shared stories about dealing with people and situations. Though Hu Zhou was straightforward, he was no longer as naive as before.
In truth, Hu Zhou was capable of doing other things.
But he seemed unwilling.
“I like it. Working and chatting with the other porters is straightforward and relaxing, no complications,” Hu Zhou said.
“But as a porter, it’s hard for your mother to arrange a match for you,” Lu Zheng said helplessly.
This came from Liu Qingyan, who mentioned that Hu Zhou’s mother had asked her to help find him a different job.
Now that Hu Zhou had achieved some success in martial arts and was literate, his mother didn’t want to settle for a wife suited to a porter’s status.
“A match!” Hu Zhou looked horrified. “My mother wants to arrange a match for me?”
“No way, no way! I don’t want to get married. I don’t want those loud-mouthed women!” Hu Zhou waved his hands frantically.
“That’s why your mother wants you to change jobs. Once you do, she can find you a fair, delicate, pretty young lady!” Lu Zheng teased.
Hu Zhou blinked. “Like the girl from Scholar Liu’s family at the alley entrance?”
“Who’s that?” Lu Zheng blinked back.
Hu Zhou explained, “The daughter of an old scholar. She’s nice. She even gave me food once when I was heading home.”
Lu Zheng turned, shocked. “Why did she give you food?”
“I helped her chase off some thugs who were bothering her,” Hu Zhou said. “But it was just once, never again after that.”
Lu Zheng tempted him, “Don’t you want to marry a girl like that?”
“No way!” Hu Zhou shook his head firmly.
“What?” Lu Zheng was baffled. “Why not?”
“Girls like that are too much trouble. They’d probably stop me from practising my blade or drinking. I’ve heard it from friends,” Hu Zhou said. “And Master, didn’t some of your stories mention women holding men back?”
Lu Zheng: Ծ‸Ծ
“Were the women holding men back the point of those stories?”
Hu Zhou shrank back, staying silent but clearly uninterested in marriage.
Lu Zheng sighed but didn’t press further.
Hu Zhou was not yet sixteen, in the rebellious phase of youth, and there was no rush for him to marry or settle down.
For now, Lu Zheng let him be, continuing to guide him subtly.
Over the next few days, Lu Zheng continued his relaxed lifestyle in both worlds. Hu Zhou carried on as before, working as a porter in the mornings, helping at Benevolence Hall in the afternoons, and practising his blade at the City God Temple in the evenings.
The calm days lasted only a few…
“Master!”
Hu Zhou rushed to Lu Zheng’s home, his face pale.
“What’s wrong?”
“My… my mother… she’s been kidnapped!” Hu Zhou’s lips trembled as he spoke.
“What?” Lu Zheng was stunned. “How did this happen? Your mother was fine at home. How could she be kidnapped?”
Hu Zhou pulled a piece of paper from his chest and handed it to Lu Zheng, his voice filled with hatred. “It’s those thugs. They told me to bring ten strings of cash to Eagle Beak Cliff in Shuanggou Mountain outside the city, or they’ll kill her.”
“I wanted to go alone, but I’m worried my strength isn’t enough. If they get ruthless, I might not be able to save her,” Hu Zhou said.
“Which thugs?” Lu Zheng glanced at the note, which matched Hu Zhou’s account, and asked, puzzled, “It’s not the same thugs you chased off for your neighbour, is it? They kidnapped your mother over that?”
Logically, the city’s thugs committed petty crimes, like eating without paying or extorting protection fees. They wouldn’t dare do something as serious as kidnapping, which could lead to exile or military conscription if caught.
“A few days ago, they tried collecting protection fees from my porter crew, bragging about knowing some Eagle or Blade King,” Hu Zhou said. “I beat them all up, along with some of the crew.”
Lu Zheng frowned. “So these thugs know where you live and your background?”
“Maybe?” Hu Zhou hesitated.
Lu Zheng shook his head. “We’ll deal with that позже. Let’s save your mother first. Come on, I’m going with you.”
Hu Zhou nodded repeatedly.
Lu Zheng gave instructions to Uncle Li, and the two headed out of the city.
It was noon. Hu Zhou had finished his morning work, discovered his mother’s kidnapping when he returned home, and rushed to Lu Zheng with the note. It was now just past midday.
They hurried to Shuanggou Mountain, climbed up, and reached Eagle Beak Cliff.
Eagle Beak Cliff was a sheer drop, facing another cliff three zhang away called Elephant Head Cliff, with a deep chasm between them.
As they arrived, they saw about a dozen people on Elephant Head Cliff opposite.
Lu Zheng’s gaze sharpened, and Hu Zhou’s eyes burned with rage.
Hu Zhou’s mother lay on the ground, hands bound behind her, her face bruised.
