Chapter 29

Outside Jingzhou City, a carriage was racing forward.

Zheng Fa pulled back the carriage curtain and praised Gao Yuan: "Didn't know you could drive a carriage!"

Gao Yuan cracked his whip, urging the horses to gallop, a smile on his face: "The Six Arts of the Gentleman—ritual, music, archery, driving, writing, and arithmetic—everyone else studied calligraphy or archery, but my father made me learn driving."

Zheng Fa felt even more admiration: "Your father has an ancient spirit. Few Confucians still learn to drive."

The Six Arts of the Gentleman were already an old concept, and driving was something few Confucians cared about.

"Hmm, my father probably didn't think of it that way," Gao Yuan grinned. "He said learning other things wastes money, but learning this—if I failed my studies, I'd still have a way to earn my bread!"

"Your father has… practical wisdom."

Zheng Fa felt sudden respect for the unseen head steward.

Inside the carriage, the Seventh Young Master pressed his fist to his mouth to hide his smirk and frowned: "Pull down the curtain—it's all dust."

Most roads in this world were dirt paths; hooves kicked up thick clouds of dust.

Zheng Fa lowered the curtain and turned to look inside the carriage.

This was the Seventh Young Master's personal carriage, using the same spirit-blooded beast as the previous Danzhu ox.

The interior was worlds apart from Zheng Fa's ox cart.

Inside sat a main seat, padded with thick fur blankets, upon which the Seventh Young Master lounged lazily.

Zheng Fa sat down; the cushion beneath him was plush, seemingly shock-absorbing, and he felt not a single jolt during the ride.

The Seventh Young Master pulled open a small drawer beneath the seat's armrest.

Inside the drawer lay several jade boxes stacked neatly.

His movements were gentle—something Zheng Fa had never seen from him, given his usual temperament.

He opened one jade box, revealing a yellow paper the size of a palm.

Before Zheng Fa could make out its design, the paper ignited without wind, instantly turning into wisps of blue smoke.

The next moment, a gentle breeze appeared out of nowhere inside the carriage.

The dust that had entered was swept away, leaving only a faint, refreshing scent of grass and trees, soothing the lungs and calming the spirit.

Zheng Fa felt his breathing grow clearer than ever.

"What is this?"

"Ah, talisman paper," the Seventh Young Master returned the jade box. "This is the cheapest kind—Clear Wind Talisman. Oh, one Clear Wind Talisman could support your family for ten years."

Zheng Fa grinned.

Gao Yuan also stuck his head inside curiously: "Talisman paper? Let me see! Let me see!"

"Watch the road!" the Seventh Young Master nearly jumped up.

"I've never seen a real immortal talisman!" Gao Yuan pulled his neck back.

"I'll send you home the moment we return!" the Seventh Young Master grumbled.

Neither Zheng Fa nor Gao Yuan paid it much mind.

After these past few days of contact, even Gao Yuan had to admit—the Seventh Young Master had no major flaws beyond being unable to speak properly, having a foul mouth, always annoying people, and being likely to get beaten to death outside.

He had no real faults.

As for sending him home, the fellow had said it over a hundred times these past two days.

Gao Yuan said enviously: "Zheng Fa, you're truly going home—you can even bring your mother and sister to the city. Lady treats you so well!"

Hearing this, the Seventh Young Master's expression grew uneasy.

He recalled his mother's instructions from two days ago and felt there was some hidden motive behind this favor.

He had come only because his mother had mentioned it.

She said: if you're going to bestow grace, lower yourself enough that no one can find fault.

The teenage Seventh Young Master still felt this trip carried some ulterior purpose.

He was still wrestling with this thought when Zheng Fa spoke: "Yes, Lady treats me very well, and you came too—it's very good."

The Seventh Young Master looked up and saw Zheng Fa smiling at him, as if understanding his quiet guilt, and said firmly: "Really good."

Zheng Fa had indeed sensed some of Lady's intentions.

As Gao Yuan said, to others, this was clearly Lady's favor and recognition of his family. Anytime he achieved anything in the future—if he still cared about reputation or conscience—he would have to remember this grace and repay it.

If one imagined Lady's motives as darker still, perhaps she also intended to keep his mother and sister under Zhao family control…

But honestly, Zheng Fa didn't mind. After all, Lady had reunited him with his mother and sister, and given them a better life.

That was enough.

As for the rest—judge by deeds, not intentions.

The Seventh Young Master froze, looking slightly embarrassed, lips pressed tight, avoiding Zheng Fa's gaze.

He turned and pulled back the curtain to look outside, muttering: "I haven't even seen the estate yet—I want to go take a proper look this time!"

…

At the estate.

The sun was nearly set beyond Luoshan; Zheng Fa's mother still stood at the door, anxiously gazing outward.

As dusk slowly deepened,

a small figure appeared, carrying a bamboo basket three times her head size, skipping happily toward the Zheng household gate.

"Shan'er!" Zheng Mother hurried forward, took the basket from her daughter's hands, and scanned her up and down.

Zheng Shan's pant legs were caked with dirt, her head slick with sweat.

Seeing her daughter hadn't lost an arm or leg, Zheng Mother exhaled sharply, then pinched Zheng Shan's ear in anger: "Why are you home so late? Don't you know I was terrified?"

"Mom! It hurts!" Zheng Shan yelped, tilting her head to explain: "I didn't play! I took a long route…"

"You took a detour?" Zheng Mother released her ear and asked.

"Yes, Wang Gui has been blocking the road and causing me trouble these past few days. I was afraid, so I took a long detour," Zheng Shan nodded and said.

"Wang Gui... he has been getting more and more outrageous these past few days!"

Zheng Mother said, frowning.

"His father won't even control him!" Zheng Shan muttered angrily.

Zheng Mother sighed; ever since her own son refused the silver from Wang Guanshi's family, Wang Gui's bullying of Zheng Shan had only intensified.

Because of Zheng Fa, he dared not truly harm Zheng Shan, but it was enough to be disgusting.

As for Wang Guanshi?

Knowing Zheng Fa's attitude toward his own family, he probably wouldn't bother with Wang Gui either.

Since Zheng Fa was still a book boy in the Zhao Manor, he certainly wouldn't act personally.

But now, for these small matters, he could just say later that children didn't know better.

"Regarding this matter, when your brother returns, do not tell him," Zheng Mother suddenly said: "Tomorrow, Mother will go gather pig grass leaves."

"I'll go! After Brother left, Mother did all the household work; I can go, I just need to avoid Wang Gui. Before, Brother did even more work than me!" Zheng Shan pulled on the basket, refusing to yield.

"Do not tell your brother."

Zheng Mother, heart aching, wiped the sweat from her daughter's forehead with her sleeve, and added another instruction.

"I won't tell. Mother said, Brother is a book boy in the Zhao Manor, so it must be very difficult for him too." Zheng Shan nodded heavily: "We cannot let Brother worry about us."

Zheng Mother pulled her sensible daughter into her arms.

Zheng Shan, acting cute, rubbed back and forth in her mother's embrace, then suddenly spoke in a tone of reporting a grievance:

"Wang Gui also said Brother eats well and drinks well in the Zhao Manor, and asked me to beg Brother to take me into the city to enjoy good fortune together!"

"That won't do! Your brother has no one to rely on in the Zhao Manor; he is trembling with fear for himself, so how could he have that kind of face! Saying such a thing would make people think he is arrogant!"

"I know, he just wants Brother to be like him, beaten with a board and driven back!" Zheng Shan raised her head, wearing a proud expression as if she understood everything: "Whenever Brother eats something delicious, he brings it back for me!"

After speaking, she even licked the corner of her mouth, as if recalling the delicacies from that food box before.