The morning light shines through the window lattice, and the light dust dances.
Mrs. Wang and the four scholars quietly looked at Lu Liangsheng who was standing in front of the bookshelf and gently flipping through a book.
Wow~
Pushing the page with his fingertips, he turned the page and looked at the contents on the first page. Lu Liangsheng was sure that this was a completely different second edition of "Shan Hai Tu Zhi".
"Mine mostly talks about animals on land and in the mountains, or mountain spirits and ghosts. This book starts with water monsters, fish and shrimps, which matches the last page of my book."
… So, one is the Mountain Classic and this one is the Sea Classic
Lu Liangsheng closed the Atlas of Mountains and Seas... Will there be a third one
"Does this young master also like to watch this kind of weird and absurd things in the wild?"
A weak voice suddenly sounded on the bed. Lu Liangsheng turned around and saw Wang Chongwen had woken up. Mrs. Wang, who was sitting in front of the bed, hurried forward to support him.
"Don't get up, lie down."
"Help me sit up."
Wang Chongwen waved his hand weakly, then took his wife's arm and sat up straight, leaning against the head of the bed. His face was pale, but he still forced a smile, and his dry lips twitched.
"I was unconscious yesterday, but I could still vaguely hear you talking."
As he said this, he cupped his hands.
"Wang Chongwen, thank you for saving my life, young master."
Lu Liangsheng smiled gently, stretched out the book in his hand, lifted up the hand that was arched towards him, and pushed it back from bottom to top.
"No need to thank me. You helped me buy the painting and saved me from my predicament. You also gave me an extra eight cents. That's an extra favor. Last night, we both owed each other nothing."
"No no..."
On the couch, Wang Chongwen uncovered the quilt and struggled to get up. His wife supported him. He pushed her away and looked at the scholar over there.
"Young Master, you have also cured my illness. The two favors together are more than a mere eight cents can compare to. If you need anything, just let me know."
"So long-winded..."
Lu Liangsheng slapped the book, laughed, took off the gourd from his waist and threw it to the maid beside him.
"Fill it up."
The maid held the gourd, looked at the lady, looked back at a loss, and when she looked at Lu Liangsheng, her cheeks suddenly turned red.
"Slave, no..."
Madam Wang pushed her and said, "I'll let you drink more."
Wang Feng, Ma Liu, Zhang Ti and Zhao Tang burst into laughter.
The maid, blushing, quickly pushed aside the four laughing scholars while holding the gourd, and ran away like a frightened rabbit.
The atmosphere in the room became harmonious. Mrs. Wang tactfully stood up and said goodbye. Wang Chongwen, who was sitting on the couch, naturally understood the scholar's intention. A gourd of wine was worth a favor.
"Master, Master!"
After praising him, Wang Chongwen also noticed the books in Lu Liangsheng's hand and was quite curious.
"I just saw you looking at this book for a while. If you like it, Chongwen will give it to you."
Lu Liangsheng was more than happy to accept the offer. He held the book and bowed, saying "Thank you." He then sat down on the edge of the bed, stretched out his hand to feel Wang Chongwen's pulse, and then asked about the origin of this "Illustrated Records of Mountains and Seas".
"How did Brother Chongwen get this book?"
This made Wang Chongwen stunned.
"Mr. Lu, wait a moment. Let me think about it."
It had been a long time since he got this book. After reading it once, he put it on the bookshelf and forgot about it for a while.
After thinking for a while, Wang Chongwen's brows gradually relaxed.
"… I found this book, The Illustrated Records of Mountains and Seas, by chance on my way back from the Autumn Examination last year. The book contains many bizarre stories about sea monsters. I used to just treat it as entertainment, but… until last night, I had to believe in ghosts and gods."
Recalling what happened last night, Wang Chongwen is still frightened. If he had not been able to control himself at that time, he would have been drained of his yang energy.
After thanking him again, the maid came back with the gourd. When she saw the scholar in front of her, her face turned red again, as soft as a mosquito's chirp.
"Sir... give..."
At this moment, the wind suddenly blew outside, causing the lanterns under the eaves to sway.
The four scholars at the door instinctively walked into the room. Wang Chongwen stretched his neck on the couch, looked out the window, and turned back:
"Mr. Lu, what's going on?"
Lu Liangsheng took a look, took the gourd and said with a smile: "Nothing, someone just got a little mad."
Several people in the room looked at each other, this little temper was a little scary.
Not long after, Lu Liangsheng smelled the aroma of wine emanating from the gourd, "Good wine!" He put the cork back on and got up from the edge of the bed.
"Now that everything is done, I will take my leave."
"Mr. Lu." Wang Chongwen called out quickly.
The figure walked to the door, turned his head, looked over, and smiled:
"Brother Chongwen, what else do you want?"
"I just think that Mr. Lu is a man of good character and talent, so why doesn't he take the imperial examinations and wander around instead... If you think my question is abrupt, you don't have to answer, but I just think it's a pity."
Wang Chongwen's words were sincere, without any intention of offending anyone, but the four scholars on the side winked at him.
Over there, Lu Liangsheng turned his gaze to the side, just smiled, and after a moment, he flicked his robe sleeves, turned around and left with the gourd hanging, walked straight out of the main room, and passed through the morning light of the courtyard.
"Did what I just said offend Mr. Lu?"
Wang Chongwen looked at the figure who left without saying a word and asked the four scholars. Among the four, Zhang Ti glanced out the window and moved closer.
"Brother Chongwen, didn't we signal you not to say anything just now? That Mr. Lu is the Lu Lang we mentioned to you before, 'When there is an emergency, Lu Lang will help', Lu Liangsheng, he was once a tribute scholar."
Wang Chongwen was only a juren, so it was a bit awkward for him to persuade a gongshi to obtain official title. However, he did not think about it at this time. He grabbed Zhang Ti's arm, stood on the ground, and looked at the courtyard outside the window.
"Is he the evil man who smashed the throne room of the Southern Chen Emperor in anger?"
A ray of sunlight came through the window, and when he said this in surprise, Lu Liangsheng's footsteps faded away.
"The morning sun is rising, and the spring bridge is covered with drizzling rain. I drink a pot of muddy wine and ride my donkey on a long journey.
The breeze and the bright moon make me indifferent to official career. Sing a folk song and live a carefree life.
Wang Chongwen frowned, but after hearing the voice coming from afar, he suddenly burst into laughter, a blush appeared on his face, and he waved his hand and asked someone to bring pen and ink.
"The incompetent emperor of the Chen Dynasty missed the chance to become a great man. This is a blessing for the northern land! I must send a letter to my acquaintances in the court."
The morning light poured in through the gaps in the trees.
In the front yard, Lu Liangsheng walked out of the gate, led the old donkey over, sat on it sideways, unscrewed the cork, took a sip of wine, and patted the donkey's buttocks.
"Walk."
Step on...
The donkey's four hooves lifted lightly, then dropped again, and the copper bells on its neck jingled as it walked along the river and crossed the small bridge. The gentle morning breeze blew and it was already outside the city, with a vast field. The red dress floated in the air, the embroidered shoes fell into the mud and grass, and the hem of the skirt fluttered. Nie Honglian picked a wild flower from the side of the road, put it under her nose and smelled it. After a moment, her eyes opened, a smile bloomed, and she ran in front of the old donkey.
She likes to get close to real feelings.
The donkey-hipped bookshelf shook slightly, and a small compartment was pushed open. Taoist Toad picked out a short jacket, flipped through the map, then put it aside, picked up the cookbook and flipped through it for a while, then propped up his chin and looked at the endless spring scenery outside passing by his eyes.
"There are still two months left in summer. I am so greedy..."
Flocks of birds were circling above the branches where the morning light had fallen. They flapped their wings and jumped around, shaking the branches. Some of them turned their eyes away to look at an old donkey passing by under the shade of the trees. Amid the chirping of the donkey, a scholar on the donkey's back was holding a gourd and bathing in the morning light with a book. From time to time, a woman's voice could be heard from not far away.
"Young Master!"
Lu Liangsheng raised his head from the book, looked at the woman dancing in a fluttering red skirt among the wild flowers and spring grass, and smiled.
"Let's play for a while, then we have to hurry on!"
Nie Honglian turned around, dimples on her cheeks, and placed her hands to her mouth in the shape of trumpets.
"I know!"
The scholar smiled and his gaze returned to the pages of the book. He unexpectedly gained such a great deal after coming to Shunyuan County by mistake.
…
The spring light extended to the south, across the clouds, across the rivers, and to the land of Heliangzhou. A team returning home to visit relatives encountered something bad on the way back.
boom!
The shaft of the cart spun wildly, hitting a protruding rock, the shaft broke, tilted and fell to the ground, sliding out, "Protect the lady and the young master!"
The shouts of the people around and the sound of flesh being torn gradually faded away.
A figure vomited blood and flew backwards, falling to the bottom of the overturned carriage. More than a dozen masked men with black scarves surrounded him silently, picked up the packages on the ground, and looted the body of the deceased. Among them, someone looked back at the gap in the collapsed carriage, turned around and ran away quickly with his companions.
Boom…
Inside the wreckage of the carriage, brown-blue eyes blinked and carefully climbed out.
"Mom... Dad..."
The little man gently called out to the woman on the ground, tears slowly sliding down from the corners of his eyes. Not far away was his father's body and the guards who had escorted him all the way.
"Buddha... have mercy!"
A Buddhist chant was heard, and the little boy clenched his fists and looked with tears in his eyes. A fat monk with big ears, tall and plump was standing there, like Maitreya.
"Little donor, please follow me and leave."
The skylight was slanting, the broken carriage was still on the ground, the horses that were not yet dead were struggling and wailing. Soon after, a figure came galloping, descended from mid-air, and glanced around.
"Where's the body?"
The old man walked over quickly and waved his sleeves at the carriage, which exploded and shattered into pieces. Unlike what was expected, there was nothing inside.
"Where's Yuwentuo?!"
Roaring back to the wilderness.