With a sack in each hand, the left holding the plucked large rooster and the right containing its feathers and giblets, Lu Zheng reappeared not far from the Wang residence, sauntering back home.
He had barely walked a short distance when he encountered a man and a woman approaching.
“Brother Lu?”
“Hm? Brother Zhao, Miss Lin?”
The newcomers were none other than Zhao Wenrong and Lin Yushu, whom he had been getting close to.
“Brother Lu, have you moved to Tongxia Lane?” Zhao Wenrong asked with delight.
The Wang residence was located in Tongxia Lane, situated in the northwest of the city, considered the largest gathering place for wealthy households in Tonglin County. Not only did Old Master Wang live there, but so did the Lin family, where Lin Yushu resided, and the estate Zhao Wenrong had acquired.
Given Lu Zheng’s status, Zhao Wenrong didn’t dare visit too frequently, only calling on him during festivals or dropping by Renxin Hall to pick up medicine and make his presence known.
If Lu Zheng had moved to Tongxia Lane, wouldn’t that mean Zhao could “bump into” him often?
Over time, wouldn’t they become close?
“No, just passing through.” Lu Zheng shook his head.
Tongxia Lane wasn’t in the city centre; how could one just pass through?
Zhao Wenrong blinked, not daring to pry further, but Lin Yushu noticed a few chicken feathers sticking out of the sack in Lu Zheng’s hand.
Her eyes flickered, and she looked at Lu Zheng with concern. “Young Master Lu, is something amiss at the Wang residence?”
“Hm?” Lu Zheng turned to Lin Yushu. “What do you know?”
“I, I…” Lin Yushu said timidly, “Xiao Wan from the Wang family is my close friend. But since the New Year, I haven’t seen her at all. Old Master Wang said she caught a cold and has been recovering… I, I had my suspicions, but…”
Lu Zheng smiled and nodded. “Indeed, Miss Wang was unwell, but the matter has been resolved. It’s no big deal.”
“Really?” Lin Yushu’s eyes brightened.
“Really.” Lu Zheng nodded.
Zhao Wenrong, full of gossip, chimed in, “Was it a ghost? A male ghost?”
“What male ghost!” Lu Zheng shot Zhao Wenrong a glare. “She’s far better off than you. And don’t pry into others’ private matters.”
“Yes, yes, yes!” What else could Zhao Wenrong say but back down?
“Then I’ll go see Xiao Wan.” Lin Yushu curtsied to Lu Zheng again, then pulled Zhao Wenrong along and left.
Lu Zheng, carrying the sacks, made his way out of Tongxia Lane toward Tongyi Lane.
Along the way, he noticed the streets were much livelier than a few days ago, with more peddlers and scholars about.
Scholars…
Oh? It was that time of year again—the county exams were approaching.
“Brother Zhu…” Lu Zheng couldn’t help but glance toward Yizhou Prefecture.
But thinking about it, Zhu Yushan and his wife had recently attended his alchemy conference. Lately, Zhu had been in a normal phase of studying and reviewing, neither in seclusion for a cultivation breakthrough nor distracted by flood relief efforts. Plus, with his cultivation, he was immune to illness. Surely, this year, he’d make it to the exams… right?
Fate was such a mysterious thing!
If it didn’t work out this year, Lu Zheng decided he’d visit Zhu Yushan at the Lushui River God’s Mansion next year, tagging along to see just how fate was tormenting him.
…
On his way home, he passed by Renxin Hall, where he happened to see Liu Qingquan and Liu San delivering food and preparing to head back.
“Hm? Brother-in-law!” Liu Qingquan sniffed the air, her eyes lighting up. “Is that… chicken?”
Lu Zheng lifted the sack in his hand. “A tender, high-quality rooster. We’ll process it and make a thirteen-spice braised chicken tonight.”
“Awesome, awesome!” Liu Qingquan’s head bobbed so fast it blurred, and she even swallowed hard.
“Lu Lang~”
“Brother Lu!”
Liu Qingyan and Du Yueyao saw Lu Zheng and came out to greet him.
At the same time, a middle-aged man carrying a bag of medicine walked out of the clinic.
Dressed in simple hemp clothing, he had a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. Though his aura was ordinary, there was something distinctive about him—he was strikingly handsome!
In modern times, he’d be the quintessential silver-screen uncle.
“Thank you, Miss Du. I took the medicine for five days, and my knees already feel much better,” the middle-aged man said.
“No trouble at all. Take this prescription for another five days, then I’ll perform acupuncture once more. After another five days of medicine, the dampness should be fully cleared,” Du Yueyao replied politely.
“Good! Good!”
The middle-aged man nodded, carrying his medicine as he left the clinic.
Lu Zheng watched him go, blinked, and couldn’t help asking, “Who was that?”
Liu Qingyan replied, “A patient?”
“Did you take his pulse?”
Liu Qingyan shook her head. “No, Yueyao treated him.”
Lu Zheng looked at Du Yueyao, who nodded and said, “He has some rheumatism in his legs, but it’s early-stage. It’s easy to treat.”
“What’s wrong?” Liu Qingyan glanced at the man’s retreating figure. “Is something off about him?”
She recalled the incident with the Yuansheng Cult sorcerer, who had treated patients from three different factions in a single day.
Was this another case of someone posing as a patient?
But last time, they had used ordinary people to impersonate patients. This man came himself—could an adept really have rheumatism?
“No, it’s just that I’ve seen him these past couple of days at Le Ping Tower listening to storytelling,” Lu Zheng said thoughtfully. “I think I also saw him watching the commotion at the cockfighting arena. Never seen him before—new in town?”
“No idea, didn’t ask,” Liu Qingyan shook her head.
“Perhaps he’s here for the county exams?” Du Yueyao speculated. “Or a family member of a candidate?”
“Maybe…”
He was just going around having fun, lingering for so long without taking action, probably no issue.
…
After chatting with them for a bit, Lu Zheng returned home with Liu Qingquan.
Back home, Lu Zheng personally took charge, chopping the half-processed rooster into pieces, marinating it, preparing the braising sauce, and setting it to simmer slowly for dinner.
That evening, the family gathered at the Liu residence, and Lu Zheng personally brought a basin of braised chicken to the table.
“Is it good?”
“Delicious!”
“How’s it taste? Alright?”
“Mmm… so good!”
Madam Liu took a bite and couldn’t help saying, “This chicken, has it become a spirit or something?”
Lu Zheng nodded and briefly recounted his adventures over the past few days.
“Hehe, it’s like listening to a story.” Liu Qingquan blinked her big eyes, then took another bite of a chicken wing. “So it really was a chicken spirit. No wonder it’s so tasty!”
Liu Qingyan shook her head with a wry smile. “What a scheming chicken spirit. Such a pity.”
A pity it met the wrong people, a pity it didn’t plan well, a pity it died before achieving its goals.
“But that Miss Wang, from what you say, she’s quite talented. You recommended her to White Cloud Temple? With her strong soul, she’d suit the Jinhua Sect, wouldn’t she?” Liu Qingyan asked.
“Exactly!” Lu Zheng nodded.
“Then you…”
“Such a promising talent, of course I’d recommend her to my own sect,” Lu Zheng said matter-of-factly. “She’s not without talent for refining qi. Even practicing scattered, incomplete techniques, she managed to get started. Her talent is extraordinary, so naturally, we prioritise our own.”
Meanwhile, Du Yueyao, eating quietly, felt like crying.
Du Yueyao: (′╥ω╥`)
So I’m the one with the worst talent, unable to cultivate anything…
