CHAPTER 20: CHAPTER 19: ATTENDANT

"This Ghost Immortal Temple case, I’m afraid it won’t bypass the Qingshui County Government, will it?" Zhu Yu placed the teacup back on the table, swallowed the pastry, and asked Lu Qing.

"Indeed." Lu Qing replied.

"Earlier you said you wanted me to walk outside as the Chief Historian..." Zhu Yu frowned, "But I neither have a letter of recommendation nor a waist card, ultimately not legitimately. If questioned by the government office people, what should I do then?"

"Madam, you are overthinking. With me around, no one will dare question your identity." Lu Qing lightly raised his chin, his tone casual yet with an unmistakable certainty.

Then, he changed his tone: "However, you did remind me; for legitimacy, indeed, having an Imperial Decree and waist card on hand would be more secure.

This is not difficult, once I return to the Capital this time, I will obtain them for you, so that next time when you accompany me out... Oh, I nearly forgot, Madam said you yearn for the life of an ordinary woman in the inner courtyard.

Then let’s discuss it later!"

Zhu Yu, who’d just caught his breath, felt it sink again with his latter part of the sentence.

Both ate some food; Lu Qing got up to return to the room, instructing Zhu Yu to rest for a while, and to wait for him outside the inn in an hour.

Zhu Yu, not knowing what he planned to do, leaned by the bed for a nap, estimated that it was about time, got up to tidy her attire, re-tied her turban, and went downstairs.

Upon reaching the inn’s entrance, she didn’t see Lu Qing, only a black-faced man carrying a case resting aside.

She had no choice but to wait by the door.

But no matter how she waited, Lu Qing didn’t show up, Zhu Yu felt a bit anxious, turned around intending to go back inside the inn to find him, yet noticed that the black-faced man was looking at her.

The man donned half-old coarse fabric clothes, his skin looked very rough, with a scraggly beard, standing there hunched with a case.

This man spoke no words, just unabashedly stared at Zhu Yu.

The face appeared unfamiliar, but those eyes, initially not noticed while his eyelids were lowered, now clearly facing her, unmistakably Lu Qing’s eyes.

Eyes cannot deceive, truly it was him.

Zhu Yu paused, fearing her overly surprised expression would draw attention from others, she attempted to maintain a calm face, yet couldn’t help but closely observe Lu Qing before her.

Lu Qing stood there, carrying the case, displaying an honest follower’s demeanor, allowing Zhu Yu to scrutinize him.

Initially thinking she wouldn’t resist asking something, yet noticed Zhu Yu quickly examined him and beckoned to him: "Let’s go!"

He paused a bit, lowered his head to prevent others from seeing the amused look in his eyes after the surprise, and quickly followed.

The marketplace aligned with Fu Lu’s description, with many shops standing on both sides; upon close inspection, it’s not hard to find that there’s just a handful of recurring signboards.

At this moment, the marketplace was crowded, but not many were buying goods, most rushed in one direction.

The shop assistants at store entrances couldn’t leave, but by their stretched necks and gazes, seemed like their souls had run away with others.

As Zhu Yu passed in front of a shop, she inquired to the shop assistant by the door: "Brother, what are all these people heading for? Why is it so lively?"

The assistant glanced at her, seeing a fair-faced young man, followed by a servant carrying a case, clearly foreigners ignorant of local affairs, replied: "They all went for the excitement, to watch the fun!

In our county, there’s a Lu’s Winery, previously rampant, bullying the market, now something happened, just now a group planned to set firecrackers and paper guns at Lu’s gate!"

Upon hearing "Lu’s," Zhu Yu had a thought, thanked the man immediately, exchanged a glance with Lu Qing behind her, and the two followed the crowd heading in the direction of Lu’s Winery.

After all, the county isn’t large; shortly after they arrived outside Lu’s Winery.

Lu’s Winery was quite substantial, occupying a southeast corner of the county, the entrance exuded a sense of wealth and power, a row of wine flags swung in the wind.

Zhu Yu couldn’t help but sigh internally; how unexpectedly Lu’s encounter trouble, and how precipitously their downfall was — these splendid wine flags still intact, yet the Lu Family’s power was beyond recovery.

The open space before Lu’s Winery’s gate was supposed to be rather spacious, but now it was packed with people, leaving only a small area before the entrance.

As more people gathered, the space at the winery’s entrance grew smaller and smaller, and the crowd gradually moved closer to the main gate.

The young fellows inside the winery dared not peer through the door gap anymore, hurriedly trying to shut the gate tight.

Presumably, this action angered those outside; someone immediately rushed and blocked, leading to chaos outside and inside.

Thinking the situation appeared wrong, Zhu Yu didn’t squeeze forward, turned to ask someone nearby: "Weren’t people going to Lu’s gate to set off firecrackers and beating gongs? Why haven’t I seen any?"

That person glanced at him, somewhat displeased: "Get lost! If you want to see them set off firecrackers and beat gongs, go to look at them outside the Lu Family residence! We are here to demand payment for wine from Lu’s!"

Zhu Yu felt a bit helpless; who would’ve thought Lu would face trouble, yet the "excitement" outside the gate could still be "two things blooming from one stem"!

The two had no option but to inquire where the Lu Family residence was and made their way over there.

Indeed, the atmosphere here was much livelier, with a crowd gathered at the entrance, someone ignited a firecracker; following a bang, the surrounding area was filled with jubilation.

Clearly, the entire Lu’s had really angered many in Qingshui County before; now was just the right moment to topple over the wall.

But the Lu Family residence simply had tightly shut doors, daring not to respond.

Soon, the boisterous crowd began to shift in nature, with many from Lu’s side flooding over, pushing aside those just watching the commotion, heading straight toward the Lu Family entrance.

"Lu’s steward said their side only handles wine brewing, while Lu Family’s master himself manages the silver coins! It must be in the house!

Now Lu’s got no wine to sell; we can’t let them swallow the payment for goods!"

Someone yelled amidst the crowd, there were immediate responses around.

This group was far more aggressive than the previous bunch watching firecrackers; they squeezed to the entrance and began to smash the gate.

Despite the imposing grandeur and substantial feel of Lu Family’s residence’s two large doors, they couldn’t withstand such a pounding; before long, the latch inside was broken by them.

The two doors swung open wide, the ones outside, regardless of being debt collectors or spectators, surged into the residence, the steward inside panicked with shock, both dodging inward and instructing a servant to run out through the back door and report to the authorities.