Chapter 85

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The marketplace outside the city gate was bustling yet orderly.

Having traveled together all the way from the south, it was finally time to part ways. The child tugged at Lu Liangsheng’s sleeve, reluctant to let go.

“Mr. Lu, will I ever see you again?”

Passersby glanced curiously, and those who hadn’t heard the earlier exchange might have mistaken them for father and son parting.

“You will. If fate allows, we’ll meet again.”

Despite the child’s enigmatic background, Lu Liangsheng had grown fond of the boy. Suddenly, he reached for the twin-fish jade pendant at his waist, removed it, and placed it into Chen Jing’s hands. He gently patted the boy’s head.

“This is a gift for you. Keep it safe.”

Chen Jing held the jade pendant, feeling its warmth seep into his palm. For a moment, it seemed as though only he could see a fleeting glimmer within the jade. Startled, he raised his little face, only to see Lu Liangsheng pressing a finger to his lips in a gesture of secrecy.

“Don’t tell anyone. If you ever find yourself in danger, press the jade bead.”

The child nodded earnestly. “Okay!”

He quickly tucked the pendant into his chest, patting it twice as though treasuring it.

This jade pendant had been custom-made by Lu Liangsheng and imbued with his spiritual power. Carried daily while he painted and read, it had absorbed a considerable amount of spiritual energy.

Giving it to the boy symbolized the bond between them, one large and one small, and it could also shield him from some calamities.

At this moment, Cao Shouren arrived with the coachman, along with He Jingqiu, to bid farewell. Cupping his hands in respect, he spoke sincerely.

“Mr. Lu, your noble righteousness saved us from harm. Your life-saving grace is as vast as the heavens. Please accept my humble bow.”

With that, he bowed deeply.

The coachman and He Jingqiu followed suit, bowing as well. He Jingqiu, her face now adorned with a smile—perhaps due to their arrival at the capital—spoke more freely. She took the child into her arms, her expression warm and bright.

“Mr. Lu, why not tell us which inn you’re staying at? My son and I cannot forget your life-saving grace. Once we’re settled, we can find you to properly repay your kindness.”

Her tone was earnest and heartfelt, without any hint of pretense, making it difficult for Lu Liangsheng to outright refuse. Yet, he still smiled and shook his head.

“ Though it was indeed a life-saving act, for me, it was merely a small effort. You don’t need to dwell on it. The vast world and our chance meeting in the wilderness were already fated. Besides, I’m new to Tianzhi myself and haven’t decided where I’ll stay. Let’s leave it at that. You should hurry into the city.”

“Wait!”

Suddenly, Sun Yingxian’s voice called out from the roadside. He strode over, holding several bolts of silk in his hands, and cheerfully stuffed them into the woman’s arms. Cao Shouren glanced at the scene, his lips twitching as if he wanted to say something but ultimately held back.

The woman, however, received the silk calmly. Smiling faintly, she bowed gracefully to the Daoist.

“Thank you, Daoist, for the silk. It’s perfect for making a new set of clothes for Jing’er.”

He Jingqiu bowed slightly, her bearing exuding a nobility not commonly found in ordinary women—elegant and dignified yet poised and graceful. Shortly after, Cao Shouren leaned in to speak to her in a low voice. Then, holding Chen Jing’s hand, she led the boy toward the city gate. There, seven or eight men awaited to escort the mother and son. After a brief exchange, their sharp, watchful eyes scrutinized Lu Liangsheng and the Daoist. Finally, they gave a slight nod, as if acknowledging them.

Lu Liangsheng cupped his hands and returned the greeting with a smile.

From the departing carriage, Chen Jing pulled back the curtain, his small face peeking out. He watched the scholar’s figure grow more distant, his eyes reddening as he called out loudly toward the city gates:

“ Mr. Lu—”

“Mr. Lu, will we meet again someday?!”

The boy’s tender voice echoed along the bustling streets of the city before fading into the background of weaving pedestrians. Lu Liangsheng couldn’t help but feel a wave of emotion. Taking hold of his old donkey, he snapped his fingers and said:

“Let’s go. Into the city.”

Walking alongside him, Sun Yingxian clasped his hands behind his head, stealing another glance in the direction where the carriage had disappeared.

“Say, do you think I have a chance? But that boy seems to really like you…”

“Maybe because of the boy, the woman likes you too… Hey, Old Lu, you’d better not compete with this Daoist, or else—let me tell you—you won’t win!”

Lu Liangsheng casually flicked one of the masks hanging from a roadside stall, glanced sideways at the Daoist, and chuckled: “That’s not necessarily true. But as for you? You’ve definitely got no chance.”

“Hey hey… What do you mean by that?” Sun Yingxian stopped in his tracks, looking puzzled.

“Didn’t you hear what He Jingqiu just said?”

Lu Liangsheng, holding onto his old donkey with one hand, wrapped the other arm around the Daoist’s shoulder, gave it a reassuring pat, and continued walking forward.

“She said, ‘It’ll be perfect to make a new outfit for Jing’er.’ That wasn’t just a polite response—it was a gentle rejection. And more importantly, she’s letting you know that she’s a married woman, with a child no less.”

The Daoist slapped his thigh in frustration. “But I don’t care about that!”

“She cares! Forget it, forget it…” Lu Liangsheng waved him off, unwilling to explain further. How could someone so clever in daily life turn into such a fool when it came to women? It was as if he’d been reincarnated as a lecherous ghost.

The two continued chatting as they walked. The further in they went, the quieter the streets became. Fallen leaves littered the ground, untended and uncollected. The few passersby moved hurriedly, their expressions wary.

They eventually found an inn to stay at. After leading the old donkey to the backyard to be stabled, they rented two rooms. Soon, both men and the toad collapsed onto their respective beds as if utterly drained.

The Toad Daoist sprawled out on the bedding, inhaling the faint fragrance of the sheets. Stretching out all four limbs, he sighed in satisfaction.

“Finally, I can come out. I nearly suffocated to death over the past two weeks.”

Lu Liangsheng sat up and immediately hung a scroll painting on the wall. The painting depicted two pine trees swaying gently in the wind, and on the swing between them sat Nie Honglian, smiling sweetly from within the artwork.

“I feel more comfortable. Young Master, Young Master, why don’t you add something interesting to this painting for me?”

“There’s no time for that. We’ll go eat first, and when we’re back, I’ll think about it.”

At the mention of food, both the Daoist and the toad sprang upright, jumped off the bed, and began tidying their clothes.

“After half a month of eating in the wild, we must have a proper meal today.”

Lu Liangsheng pulled out his silver to check their funds. There was just enough to support them for a few months in the capital. After informing Nie Honglian, he took the Daoist and his master downstairs to the dining hall.

The inn’s first floor, though not crowded, was livelier than the desolate streets outside. A handful of tables were occupied, and the aroma of food filled the air.

“Dear guests, please, have a seat!”

The innkeeper’s attendant greeted them warmly, quickly wiping down a table with the cloth draped over his shoulder.

“What would you like to order? We’ve got everything you could imagine—things that fly in the sky, run on the ground, or swim in the water. Just name it, and we’ll likely have it.”

The tempting smell from the other tables made the Daoist gulp audibly. He slapped the table with enthusiasm. “Excellent! Start with a dragon for me.”

“Of course, sir… uh, what?”

The waiter, who had initially raised his voice to greet them, froze in place upon hearing the Daoist’s outlandish request. His voice caught in his throat as he wrung the rag in his hands awkwardly.

“Sir, you’re joking with me, aren’t you? If our shop really had such a thing, forget selling it—I’m afraid I wouldn’t have a head left to serve you.”

Lu Liangsheng couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the Daoist’s remark. He quickly intervened to smooth things over.

“This Daoist is just being silly. Don’t mind him. Just bring us the dishes your regular customers usually order, along with some rice.”

The waiter, as if granted a pardon, clutched his rag and bolted to the kitchen to report the order.

The two men, joined by the Toad Daoist resting on a nearby bench, were indeed in need of a proper meal after days of roughing it. The aroma of the neighboring tables’ dishes filled the air, tempting them to the point where they couldn’t resist glancing at the kitchen, hoping for their food to arrive quickly.

In the meantime, Lu Liangsheng, spinning a pair of chopsticks idly in his hand, decided to make use of the downtime. Tea houses and taverns were typically treasure troves of local gossip. He leaned back slightly, ears perked, trying to catch snippets of conversation from the surrounding tables. Strangely, the room was unusually quiet; no one seemed to be talking.

Before long, the waiter emerged with their food. Lu Liangsheng waved him over and lowered his voice.

“Let me ask you something. We just arrived in the capital. Why is it that the deeper we go, the quieter and more desolate it feels? The passersby are all in such a hurry, and even here, no one is saying much.”

The waiter’s face immediately stiffened. Without a word, he turned and left. Only after a long while did he return, balancing a tray laden with plates of food.

“Gentlemen, here are your dishes: vinegar-glazed ribs, roasted lamb leg, hot-and-sour cabbage soup, steamed buns, and rice.”

After setting the dishes on the table, the waiter glanced around cautiously before leaning in close to Lu Liangsheng and whispering,

“Sir, it’s best not to discuss such matters here. Be careful, or you might find yourself locked up in prison.”

With that cryptic warning, he straightened up and returned to the entrance. Instead of energetically calling out to attract customers, he stared listlessly at the passersby outside, lost in thought.

Lu Liangsheng furrowed his brows. Could this strange atmosphere be related to the court’s dealings with those so-called demonic creatures in the imperial court?

Unable to make sense of it for now, he turned back to the table, only to see the Daoist already devouring the food like a whirlwind. His chopsticks clattered against the rice bowl as he shoveled food into his mouth, his cheeks bulging, grease dripping from his lips as he chewed noisily.

The Toad Daoist, sitting nearby, seemed equally desperate. Its webbed hand poked at Lu Liangsheng’s side, as if urging him to eat before everything was gone.

“Why are you still staring? The food’s almost gone! Quickly, give your master a piece of meat—make sure it’s the fatty part… Oh, forget it. I’ll do it myself.”

The Toad Daoist leaped from the bench and, taking advantage of the surrounding crowd’s inattention, swiftly extended his long tongue, snatching a tender piece of fatty meat into his mouth.

With his cheeks puffed out, he turned toward his disciple, mumbling around the food in his mouth:

“Mmm… mmm… You’re all talk and no action…”

He then grabbed the soup ladle and scooped a hefty portion of the hot-and-sour soup, slurping it down eagerly.

Gulp!

Gulp!

Gulp!

The soup dribbled from the toad’s lips, running down onto the table as he continued to indulge in his meal, finally taking a satisfied pause before continuing: “… That old scholar told you to find him, right? Why don’t you just go over and ask him directly, and you’ll have your answer?”

“Almost forgot about that… Thanks for the reminder, Master.”

Lu Liangsheng chuckled as he rubbed his forehead, then picked up his chopsticks and joined the battle for the remaining food. Meanwhile, at the entrance of the room, the waiter stood frozen, his eyes wide in disbelief. He slapped himself across the face as if to check if he was dreaming.

“Holy… the toad actually spoke!”