That same evening, the giant yellow eel appeared on the tables of Lower River Town residents. County Lieutenant Li’s group also received a generous share, perfect for the welcome banquet for Ning Zhiqi and the farewell feast for retiring Deputy Magistrate Wang.
Naturally, Lu Zheng’s household was not missing out. Both stir-fried eel strips and braised eel were famous delicacies.
…
That night, Ning Zhiqi attended the official banquet while Yi Xiaoqian stayed to dine with the Liu family.
At the table, Yi Xiaoqian kept glancing at Lu Zheng, lips twitching with suppressed laughter.
“Why do you keep looking at me?” Lu Zheng finally asked.
Yi Xiaoqian smiled shyly. “Young Master Lu wrote Xiaoqian far too perfectly in the story. I feel I do not deserve such praise.”
Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow and turned to Liu Qingyan. “You told her about A Chinese Ghost Story?”
“Of course.” Liu Qingyan nodded with a smile. They had met the real protagonist! That very morning they had brought the hand-copied manuscript to the clinic. Even Wang Xiaowan, who usually spent her time in closed-door cultivation, had rushed over to join the excitement.
“As long as you don’t mind me casually putting you into my stories,” Lu Zheng laughed.
At this point, no explanation would help, so he simply accepted it. Let them think what they would. When the time was right, he would bring over the film, and they would believe.
When would the time be right? Lu Zheng set a modest goal: at least ten thousand years of cultivation.
He was in no hurry. With his near-exponential cultivation curve, ten thousand years would not take long.
If outsiders knew his true progress, they would suspect he was an immortal reborn from the heavens.
Even the greatest genius had periods of explosive growth and periods of consolidation. No one escaped bottlenecks entirely, rising forever in a perfect exponential curve…
Did they think cultivation was a quadratic equation?
…
“Not at all, not at all!”
Yi Xiaoqian waved her hands hastily. “It is an honour for Ning-lang and me! Young Master Lu’s story is so well written it deserves to be passed down through the ages. We are the ones who feel unworthy.”
Had not Tales of Hongling spread across the realm, making the female ghost Hongling famous? In the Great Jing Dynasty, countless people dreamed of such fame.
“It was just a playful work. I never intended it for widespread circulation,” Lu Zheng said with a smile.
Yi Xiaoqian asked timidly, “Sister Xiaowan gave me a copy. May I take it home for Ning-lang to read?”
Hearing that Lu Zheng was not planning to publish it, she grew nervous.
“Of course,” Lu Zheng laughed. “It is hardly some shameful secret.”
Yi Xiaoqian relaxed. Lu Zheng would neither actively spread it nor deliberately conceal it; friends could naturally read it.
“Thank you, Young Master!”
Liu Qingyan smilingly placed a piece of braised eel in Yi Xiaoqian’s bowl. “No need to be formal, Xiaoqian. Young Master Ning will be busy with official duties and cannot always keep you company. We will have plenty of time together in future.”
Ao Qian nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly! Tomorrow I’ll take you to Taohua Ping. There are lots of big sisters there and so many fun things!”
Madam Liu said mildly, “Tomorrow is not a rest day. You still have lessons.”
Ao Qian, “…”
Her little scheme exposed, Ao Qian obediently took a piece of stir-fried eel to fuel tomorrow’s brainwork.
…
Ao Qian was, after all, the little dragon princess. In the Dragon Palace she had studied many subjects. Though now outside, she could not simply play all day.
Madam Liu adored her and feared delaying her education, so after learning what Ao Qian studied in the palace, she arranged the same lessons here, inviting the Five Beauties and Peach Blossom Heavenly Maidens to teach while she supervised.
Hua Yixing taught embroidery, Lin Jing’er calligraphy and painting, Hu Caina dance, Yu Mingxin singing, Bai Ting’er musical instruments.
Tao Zhen taught martial defence, Tao Rui flower arrangement and tea ceremony, Tao Qing posture and etiquette, Tao Ting poetry and verse, Tao Hui pastry-making.
Additionally, Liu Qingyan gave her a foundation in medicine, while Shen Ying honed her weiqi skills.
Though not as specialised as the Dragon Palace, the curriculum was comprehensive and included many delightful extras: wood carving, weiqi, fishing… and cooking.
Whenever Ao Qian spoke with her parents, she had to demonstrate her progress, proving her growth.
This was one reason the Jade Dragon King and Queen allowed her to remain outside: they felt… she was actually developing faster than at home…
Sometimes they even suspected the family she stayed with was unfathomably deep. If Ao Qian had not denied it, they would have thought she was living in the imperial palace or a princely mansion.
Not only Ao Qian; Madam Liu and Liu and Liu Qingyan themselves gained much from the lessons. The only one who suffered was Liu Qingquan.
Fortunately, with Ao Qian setting the example, the competitive Liu Qingquan persevered. Her growth over the past year was visible to the naked eye.
Lu Zheng watched from the sidelines, often breaking into a cold sweat. He could only flee to the modern world and play a few rounds of mobile games to calm his nerves.
Too terrifying!
…
Back to the present. With Ao Qian subdued, Liu Qingquan dared not rebel either and continued fighting over the eel with her.
Du Yueyao smiled. “Tomorrow afternoon we can go to Yuling Garden to listen to opera.”
Most patients came in the morning. By late afternoon, only a few stragglers remained; Old Doctor Liu could handle them alone.
“Wonderful!” Yi Xiaoqian nodded repeatedly. “Let us invite Sister Xiaowan too.”
“Naturally,” Liu Qingyan said, placing another piece of eel in Lu Zheng’s bowl with a smile.
…
After dinner, Yi Xiaoqian returned alone to the official residence at the yamen. Du Yueyao also took her leave.
Back home, Lu Zheng brewed a pot of clear tea, then summoned both Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying.
When Shen Ying flew in, she saw several lanterns glowing in the rear courtyard. Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan sat beneath the persimmon tree, boiling tea and chatting.
“Such refined mood tonight, boiling tea under the moon?”
She drifted down in a pink dress, settling gracefully into the prepared chair, peach-blossom eyes blinking as she gave them a bewitching smile.
“I thought little sister Qingyan, unable to withstand Lu-lang’s torment, had specially called me to help share the burden.”
Liu Qingyan’s face flushed crimson. Remembering last night, she instinctively pressed her thighs together and tried to recover her dignity. “I am going home tonight. Let us see whether big sister begs for mercy.”
Shen Ying’s eyes were liquid charm. “Then I will ask Lu-lang to leave a tiny gap in the sound barrier just for you. Can little sister Qingyan truly endure it?”
Liu Qingyan bit her lip. She had not expected Shen Ying to be such a rogue.
Unable to out-talk her, Liu Qingyan changed the subject. “Last night on our way back, we ran into Young Master Ning Zhiqi and Miss Yi Xiaoqian.”
“Who?” Shen Ying blinked. “Ning Caichen and Nie Xiaoqian?”
“It is Ning Zhiqi and Yi Xiaoqian!” Liu Qingyan corrected, then recounted the past two days’ events.
When she finished, Shen Ying’s first reaction was, “This must absolutely be kept from Zhu Yushan.”
“Xiaoqian is a ghost. With Ning-gongzi busy with official duties, she will be quite lonely in Tonglin County…”
Shen Ying said helplessly.
“So Zhu Yushan will find out sooner or later.”
They moved in the same circle and gathered often; a meeting was inevitable.
Liu Qingyan shook her head and sighed. “Actually, I feel Young Master Zhu’s talent is no less than Young Master Ning’s…”
“It is simply a matter of timing and fortune!”
Lu Zheng set down his teacup and said to Shen Ying, “I only wanted to let you know.”
Shen Ying nodded, eyes twinkling. “So… should we not retire for the night?”
Liu Qingyan’s cheeks reddened again. She was still wondering whether to stay or leave when Lu Zheng pulled her close. “Madam bullied you. Don’t you want revenge?”
“Eh?” Liu Qingyan blinked.
Lu Zheng leaned in and whispered with a wicked smile, “How about tonight… the two of us against Ying’er?”
Shen Ying’s enchanting face paled dramatically. The next instant Lu Zheng scooped her up, carried her swiftly into the house, and glanced back with a playful wink.
A spark of eager mischief flashed in Liu Qingyan’s eyes. She followed lightly on her feet.
Thus:
One night’s breeze swept through,
and peach blossoms burst into full bloom.
