By the time Yan Liqiang arrived to meet Qian Su in the small island at the center of the lake, Qian Su and Lu Peien’s bet had already ended. Both of them were currently sitting in the pavilion in the middle of the island. They had started a fire on the stove and racked a copper pot over it. The aroma of fish stew inside the copper pot wafted through the air in all directions, with plates of steaming dishes placed around it. The two of them were currently engaged in casual conversation as they awaited Yan Liqiang’s return.
The moment Yan Liqiang arrived, the two old men exchanged glances with one another. Lu Peien broke into a crafty-looking smile. "What does Young Master Yan think of the Lotus Flower Lake scenery?"
"The countless lotus flowers in Lotus Flower Lake are beautiful beyond measure. Unexpectedly, it gives rise to a feeling that’s out of the world as the boat rowed amongst them..." Yan Liqiang smiled as he went over, greeting the two of them. He then sat down on the chair that was left for him and calmly said, "What a coincidence, I met Miss Lu by chance in the lake, she was picking lotus flowers there. My boat was leaking so I rode on Miss Lu’s boat as we took a spin around the lake.."
Prior to this, Yan Liqiang was still hesitating as to whether he should reveal his conjecture that there was a possibility Lu Beixin was in love with the Wang Clan’s son to the Lu Residence. But at this time, Yan Liqiang dispelled that idea. As the saying went, blood was thicker than water, and to the Lu Clan, he was still an outsider. If he rashly blabbed to the Lu Clan about this, there was an off-chance that it would cause him to be ostracized. Besides, this was only a conjecture so there was a possibility that he could be wrong. Thus, it was better for him to be patient and feigned ignorance instead.
However, the Sixth Master before him was a shrewd man. Perhaps he could discreetly try to hint to him so that the man from the Lu Residence could pay slightly more attention to their Ninth Lady’s movements within the prefectural city. This wasn’t an attempt to break them up, instead, it was to give the Lu Clan a benevolent reminder as someone who had personally experienced it.
Lu Beixin was very smart but no matter how intelligent a woman was, there were times when they would be blinded out of their minds with love affairs. From Yan Liqiang’s view, the current Lu Beixin was completely no different than those women who foolishly met their internet friends only to get drugged and ultimately scammed and raped in his past life.
"Hahaha, come! Come! Come! Young Master Yan, let’s eat! Let’s eat! Young Master Yan, do try out the flavor of this fish stew from Lotus Flower Lake…"
Lu Peien was also very crafty. When he heard Yan Liqiang and Lu Beixin had met, he only laughed and did not ask about the details. Instead, he called out to Yan Liqiang to begin eating. Yan Liqiang also wasn’t in a hurry to say anything because he knew that Qian Su and Lu Peien would definitely indirectly ask him about his impression of Lu Beixin during the meal.
Sure enough, midway through the meal, Yan Liqiang’s uncle, Qian Su, sold him out. He commented that Yan Liqiang had grown up and was already an ‘adult’, even going as far as to urge him to drink two cups of wine. When Yan Liqiang was feeling tipsy and merry, Qian Su once again brought up Yan Liqiang’s tour around the lake, indirectly wanting to listen to his opinion of Lu Beixin.
What kind of opinion could Yan Liqiang have? Naturally, he picked all her good traits and made a lot of remarks such as how she was pretty, generous, educated and such was.
Lu Peien was sitting to the side, beaming with joy as he listened. Occasionally, he would exchange a meaningful glance with Qian Su, appearing to be very satisfied.
After he praised Lu Beixin for a short while, Yan Liqiang used the fact that he was tipsy as a pretext to say what he really wanted in the first place.
"I heard Miss Lu said that she’s still studying in the prefectural city’s martial arts academy. It truly is the envy of everyone. Those who can enter the martial arts academy in Pingxi Prefecture are all young talents from various regions who are around the same age as Miss Lu. Thinking about it, being able to learn, train and be friends with so many other young talents also must be very exciting. During this year’s martial arts examination, I must work hard for an opportunity to enter our Pingxi Prefecture’s martial arts academy. At that time, perhaps I can again meet with Miss Lu and get acquainted with Miss Lu’s friends..."
Lu Peien had been smiling non-stop as he listened to Yan Liqiang. After Yan Liqiang finished speaking, only then did he slightly knit his brows together while casting a thoughtful glance at Yan Liqiang.
...
The reason why they had come to the Lu Residence this early in the morning was to create an opportunity for Yan Liqiang and Lu Beixin to meet. By the time he had finished lunch, it was already noon. Yan Liqiang realized that was the time when the Lu Residence was really bustling with energy upon returning to the Lu Residence from the island in the center of the lake. The many guests that the Lu Clan had invited only arrived in the afternoon. The plaza amidst the entirety of the Lu Residence was turned into the focal point of the surrounding townsfolk and villagers celebrating the Half-Year Festival.
The Lu Clan had set up a stage in the plaza and surrounding it stood various kinds of refreshment, snacks and small business booths. A merry atmosphere enveloped the entire Lu Residence, especially the area surrounding the plaza’s stage was packed full of people, it. When the gong went off on the stage, signaling the start of the opera, the cheers from the crowd simply went through the roof.
Everything was good in this world. The air was great, the mountain was great and the water was without a doubt, amazing. There is only one aspect that needed improvement and that was the lack of an entertainment that could please people. Under such circumstances, the greatest form of entertainment that everyone could think of was watching theatrical shows. This was the main reason why the Lu Residence was so lively.
In his past life on Earth, Yan Liqiang once heard a couple of old men chatting about a grand occasion during their younger years when they caught wind of news that a small movie team was heading to the nearby countryside to air movies. Knowing where movies would be aired during that period was a major event that could create a huge stir in the surrounding towns and villages.
For the sake of watching movies, the majority of households including the young and elderly would choose to give up dinner. They would boil a couple of potatoes to bring along on the journey as well as a small stool. Occasionally, the whole family would walk up miles worth of mountain roads, all for the sake of watching open-air films such as ‘Tunnel War’, ‘Shaolin Temple’ and so on. On the journey back, everyone would break out their torches as they rushed home through the night, each of them in high spirits as though they were celebrating the New Year…
When he heard what they said back then, Yan Liqiang was in utter disbelief. However, upon seeing the spectacle of the theatrical show before him today at the Lu Residence, he finally believed it.
The Lu Clan had placed two canopies at the best positions in front of the theatre stage and had left a lot of chairs for invited guests. As the show began, even the Lu Clan’s lord was already zestfully seated at the front. Qian Su was also fully engrossed in the performance on the stage as his spirit trembled with excitement.
Lu Beixin was also present, except that she was sitting with the other women of the Lu Clan and female guests on the other side which was quite a distance from Yan Liqang. After she nodded her greetings to Yan Liqiang, she then treated him like air.
The others were watching the play on stage with gusto. On the other hand, after he fulfilled his curiosity and watched the performers on stage sing for a while, Yan Liqiang was so overcome with boredom that he almost fell asleep. Without waiting for the rest of the acts to perform, Yan Liqiang came up with an excuse and fled from the viewing platform, heading off to watch a couple of craftsmen creating clay dolls at the side of the plaza.
At dinnertime, Old Master Lu even publicly introduced Yan Liqiang to their invited guests. When the guests heard Old Master Lu’s introduction, only then did they realize that the recent news on the method to save drowned people which had been spread all over Huanglong County had originated from Yan Liqiang while at the Lu Residence. In the midst of the sea of praise, Yan Liqiang gained some publicity during the banquet. His name was completely made well-known in Huanglong County.
After the banquet, Yan Liqiang then headed back to the Weaponsmiths Quarter with Qian Su. After he finished his nightly practice of Muscle Tendon Changing and Marrow Cleansing, Yan Liqiang went to bed quietly.
However, while Yan Liqiang was indulging in breakfast at the dining hall early next morning, a man who he had never expected to see appeared before him.
...
Zhou Tiezhu’s eyes were red, looking extremely fatigued, his face still bruised and wounded. The first thing he said when he saw Yan Liqiang was, "Liqiang, Master...Master is in trouble!"