Li Feng asked, “Who else did you hire?”
Hong Lao Wu replied, “Just that useless one. I’ve been scolding him these past couple of days. You’ll guard the young master together. Only for two days. After the grand market, the manager position I promised will still be reserved for you.”
Li Feng frowned, “Just me and him?”
Hong Lao Wu shook his head with a helpless expression. “The young master of a merchant family isn’t like a government official patrolling the streets. Two bodyguards are enough. More than that, someone might end up being taken to the magistrate. That day there will be a crowd; some assistants will follow. You stay close to watch the other guard. From a distance, just keep alert for movement or arrows.”
Hearing this, Li Feng understood.
Not long ago, the young manager Xiao Hong often came to him for martial advice, asking about bow and arrow techniques, and whether anyone might shoot hidden arrows. Now he realized the reason.
Li Feng didn’t reveal the full story; he just said he had trained in the mountains. For a long time, he had only heard the whizz of arrows, so he was familiar with the sound.
When hunting large beasts, depending on the positions of others, his companions’ arrows might fly toward him. To avoid them, he relied not only on shouted warnings and instinct but also on judging the arrow’s angle. Sometimes there was no time to see, only to listen and locate the trajectory.
He was capable of handling this, and he spoke cautiously.
Hong Lao Wu just wanted his agreement, finished a cup of tea, and left.
Outside, he walked along the shops to the next one, as if simply inspecting the stores today.
Once he left, Li Feng told Lu Yang what had happened.
Lu Yang thought for a moment and said, “He might be deliberately keeping his distance, waiting for enemies hidden in the shadows to be ready, then suddenly contacting you to throw them off. The grand market is on the fifteenth of the sixth month, not long from now. If they rush their plan, they will make mistakes. The Hong family is after thieves. From tomorrow, Shun’ge and I won’t come to the shop; be careful.”
As for the bodyguard duties, in plain sight there were only two. The Hong family must have done a selection; no one could match Li Feng, which is why they chose him. There were surely others hidden in the shadows.
Lu Yang frowned, feeling a little annoyed by these arrangements.
“They even suggested going to the market together for fun.”
Now, who would dare go?
Li Feng inquired further, “The grand market lasts three days. They only need bodyguards for two days. Maybe on the third day I can wander a bit.”
Lu Yang nodded. “Hopefully.”
That afternoon, nothing major happened at the shop. After waiting out the time until the sun leaned west, they walked home together.
As the sun set, the alley grew lively.
Though many households had moved away, three new families had arrived.
Xie Yan got home before Lu Yang today. After putting down his school bag and washing up, he crouched by the small bamboo bed in front of Lu Liu’s home to play with the children.
The twins grabbed his fingers, tugging back and forth. Both wanted to hold him; one finger each was not enough—they wanted to be held in his arms, tugging seriously.
Shun’ge came into the alley, calling for his mother and sister-in-law. Seeing the twins on the bamboo bed, he also called out to Xiaomai and Zhuangzhuang.
Li Feng didn’t walk with Lu Yang; he strode quickly into the alley, arriving at the door in three or four steps. He made faces at the twins and teased Xie Yan, “Diligent one, aren’t you cooking for your husband today?”
Xie Yan responded with a “hehe.”
Hearing the commotion, Lu Liu came out to greet them.
He hadn’t even seen them yet but was already smiling, saying, “You’re back! Today I bought a big watermelon. Dafen, go get it from my brother’s house—it’s in the well. Cut it up for everyone.”
He stepped outside as Lu Yang slowly approached, waving, “Brother, come quick! I steamed rice cakes—they’re soft and fragrant. So delicious!”
Shun’ge crouched before the bamboo bed, pouting, “Sister-in-law, why didn’t you call me?”
Lu Liu glanced and saw Shun’ge sitting with Xie Yan. Xie Yan didn’t speak, but Shun’ge was jealous, leaving Lu Liu momentarily speechless.
Shun’ge was about to throw a tantrum!
Lu Liu hurriedly said, “Ah, you were crouching before, I didn’t notice. I was just wondering why I heard a voice but didn’t see anyone—you spoke first!”
Shun’ge’s words sounded familiar. He said, “You talk just like Brother Yang.”
Lu Yang patted Shun’ge’s head, rubbing it gently, and also patted his own prodigy son’s head, smiling, “Of course my brother looks like me.”
Lu Liu chuckled.
He stepped aside to let Li Feng enter and cut the watermelon.
Before dinner, the three families gathered briefly in the alley, eating watermelon and chatting.
Lu Liu wondered why Xie Yan didn’t bicker with him or Li Feng today.
He was curious but didn’t ask.
Lu Yang noticed and asked for him: “Prodigy, aren’t you jealous today?”
Xie Yan replied, “They both have to call me brother-in-law anyway.”
Lu Liu spat out a lot of watermelon seeds, and everyone laughed.
After eating, each took some rice cakes home. At home, they closed doors, lit lamps, cooked, played with the dog, then retired for the night. A day was complete.
Lu Yang hadn’t gone to the dock these past days, using the time to handle many matters.
He met several merchants led by Laoban Yu, then visited Dingjia Tavern to sit and buy some items, tending to business. He also went to the Wu family to see Wu Pingzhi.
The Wu family had a residence in the capital with stewards and servants taking care of his daily needs, ensuring Wu Pingzhi wouldn’t overexert himself and ruin his health while studying.
Lu Yang brought two jars of fine wine with him.
Wu Pingzhi hadn’t visited the Xie family for a while. They had agreed he would come every few days, but since arriving in the capital, they had met only twice in a month and a half.
They sat in the tea room, the main door open, a servant fanning them, and the steward brought an ice basin. Tea and pastries were served.
Lu Yang observed all this and, recalling his own situation, shook his head, sighing inwardly: there was still a long way to go.
He said, “My Ayan has been asking about you these past two days, saying that on a rest day he wanted to see you. I happened to be free today, so I came by. Nothing happened, right?”
Wu Pingzhi drank the tea in large gulps, not savoring it, quickly quenching his thirst, and then said, “I know some scholars in the capital. The provincial exams are coming. People have been visiting every day, asking when I’ll leave and if they can travel with me. I’ve also been asked to attend some gatherings. I tried to refuse, but it was useless; I had to socialize.”
His home was here—he couldn’t hide. During exam preparation, staying home was comfortable, with servants attending to him. He had already told the steward that any visitors were to be told he had left, so no one else could meet him.
Only Lu Yang’s visit would be an exception; others wouldn’t see him.
“Don’t think scholars are timid. They can be shameless. Recently, someone even watched outside my door—I couldn’t go out.” Wu Pingzhi said.
Lu Yang made a wry expression and asked, “How many do you know? How can it never end?”
Wu Pingzhi roughly counted—several dozen, and the exact number was hard to tell.
“Better that Xie Yan is comfortable and doesn’t have to entertain anyone.”
With the provincial exams approaching, no one could predict results. In previous years, things had gone smoothly, but now with outcomes imminent, one couldn’t slack off.
Failing the exam was one thing. Passing meant all prior flattery would have been wasted.
Wu Pingzhi, feeling pressured by social expectations, avoided going out.
Lu Yang saw this and inevitably thought of Xie Yan.
If Wu Pingzhi was forced into this position by social obligations, what about Xie Yan?
Lu Yang asked about his health and studies; Wu Pingzhi said all was well.
“Being busy for a few days actually helps me remember things faster. Near the exam, I can be more relaxed. Not stressing too much, the essays I write are still passable.”
Lu Yang couldn’t read the essays, so he could only exchange brief pleasantries before leaving Wu Pingzhi to continue his studies.
