“Sister, my little mouse fell into a tree hollow just now, and this lady helped me get it out!”
The woman’s beauty was almost ethereal, though her demeanor seemed rather aloof, with even her faint smile carrying a sense of subtle distance.
“Greetings, dear lady!” Liu Qingyan, slightly startled, quickly curtsied.
“Lu Zheng of Tonglin, greetings, madam,” Lu Zheng said, having been in the area for nearly a month and able to tell from her hair ornaments that she was married.
The woman returned a polite curtsy, “My maiden name is Shen, a pleasure to meet you both.”
Liu Qingquan ran off to play with her wooden mouse again, and the woman turned to Liu Qingyan, “You have such a lovely appearance, I’ve not seen you before. Have you recently moved to Tonglin County?”
“Indeed, my family is originally from Wanfu County, Yaozhou, and we moved to Tonglin just a few days ago.”
“That’s wonderful. You must come visit me sometime, we can chat. I live in a manor northeast of the grove, it’s rather quiet, and I don’t have many friends.”
“I’d be delighted, if you don’t mind, I’ll visit often,” Liu Qingyan replied softly.
As they exchanged names, Lu Zheng’s sharp ears caught that the woman’s given name was Shen Ying, a Tonglin native, though she didn’t live in the town but in a manor near Peach Blossom Plain.
This was common among wealthy families in the Dajing Dynasty. County towns were crowded, so while the affluent had properties there, they often built spacious, affordable manors outside. Few could afford a garden estate within the town.
Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan chatted as they walked, with Lu Zheng accompanying them.
It was clear Shen Ying had few friends, her enthusiasm evident as her aloofness faded. She even plucked a peach blossom and tucked it into Liu Qingyan’s hair, its faint fragrance wafting gently.
“I haven’t seen you before either, Master Lu. Have you also recently moved here?” Shen Ying asked, perhaps feeling she’d neglected him.
Lu Zheng thought to himself that with tens of thousands in the county, assuming every new face was a recent arrival would mean asking that question dozens of times a day. But Shen Ying had guessed correctly.
“Indeed, I’ve been here just over a month, and this is my first time visiting Peach Blossom Plain.”
Shen Ying nodded lightly, “When you introduced yourself as Lu Zheng of Tonglin, I thought you were a local.”
“Since I’ve settled in Tonglin, I suppose I am a Tonglin native now,” Lu Zheng said with a smile.
…
“Squeak!”
Lu Zheng looked over and saw a dozen monkeys leaping and playing in the peach trees.
“Little monkeys!” Liu Qingquan darted out, eyes gleaming, waving her wooden mouse. “Come play!”
“Squeak!”
Most monkeys ignored her calls.
But a scarred-faced monkey, larger and seemingly the troop’s leader, noticed Liu Qingquan. Its eyes glinted, and it snapped off a branch, hurling it at her.
“Oh!” Liu Qingquan yelped, dodging. “If you don’t want to play, why throw things at me?”
“Squeak!”
Seeing the monkey leader’s action, others followed, throwing stones and branches at Liu Qingquan.
She fled, covering her head.
“What’s going on?” Lu Zheng was baffled. How had a friendly outing turned into a brawl?
“Aren’t the monkeys here supposed to be harmless?”
“Usually, they are…” Shen Ying shook her head, stepping forward.
“Where did these wild monkeys come from, daring to attack people?”
A shout rang out, and a fist-sized stone flew into the treetops. Though it missed the monkeys, it stirred them up.
Three young men appeared, grabbing stones from the ground and hurling them at the trees.
“Squeak!”
The monkey troop grew chaotic, but a few broke off to confront the men.
The trio, seemingly experienced, used the trees for cover, holding their own against twice their number.
Liu Qingquan had fled to her sister’s side, looking aggrieved.
“Enough, stop fighting, go back!” Shen Ying’s eyes flashed with anger as she sharply scolded the monkeys.
“Squeak!”
The monkey leader’s eyes narrowed, letting out a pitiful squeak, then hopped back, calling the troop to retreat.
Lu Zheng was astonished, “They understand you?”
Shen Ying explained, “I live nearby and often visit the grove, so I’m familiar with these monkeys. I feed them sometimes, and they usually listen to me.”
“Then why did they attack me?” Liu Qingquan asked meekly.
Seeing her aggrieved expression, a smile softened Shen Ying’s aloof face. “Maybe the leader mistook you for someone else.”
“Are you ladies alright?” The three men approached. “Don’t worry, we’ve driven the monkeys off!”
Lu Zheng glanced at them. Their postures were slouched, expressions frivolous, eyes fixed on Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan.
“To prevent the monkeys from returning, why don’t we explore together?”
“We come to Peach Blossom Plain often and know all the best spots.”
“Don’t worry, you’re safe with us.”
“You, lad, where are you from? If you’re not with these ladies, scram.”
Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan had been whispering, and Lu Zheng, standing slightly apart, was mistaken by the men as an outsider tagging along.
Liu Qingyan shook her head, stepping back.
Lu Zheng sighed, moving forward. “Thanks, but we don’t need company. Please move along.”
“They haven’t spoken, so why are you butting in?” The leader sneered, lunging to shove Lu Zheng aside, clearly aiming to knock him down.
Lu Zheng had just praised the dynasty’s order, only to be proven wrong.
“Master Lu!” Liu Qingyan called anxiously, about to step forward, but Shen Ying held her back.
Lu Zheng swiftly grabbed the man’s thumb, twisting it down.
“Argh!” The man’s face contorted, forced to his knees.
“Let go!”
“Release our boss!”
The other two rushed forward.
Lu Zheng side-kicked one, toppling him, then used the first man as a shield against the third.
“Thud!” The two collided, tumbling into a heap as Lu Zheng pushed.
“Get lost!”
“A fighter, huh?” The leader stood, rubbing his sore fingers, staring at Lu Zheng in disbelief.
“Hmph, looks like a pretty boy with fancy moves.”
“Clang!” The third man lifted his robe, drawing a dagger.
“Pretty face, scared of getting scarred?”
Two more daggers appeared in the others’ hands.
Lu Zheng’s eyes narrowed. He kicked up a metre-long branch, infused it with a wisp of luck, and applied it to his sabre technique.
Shaking his head with a smirk, he cracked his neck and wrists.
“Pretty boy?” Lu Zheng grinned. “I’ll make you lot the pretty boys!”
