parentshiftbook Chapter 23: Could the lady sacrifice herself for the family?
Chapter 23: Could the lady sacrifice herself for the family?
"Brother Zhang, are you looking to buy things from the caravan?"
At the Lu family caravan's camp, Lu Feng rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked at the travel-worn Zhang Ping with a dazed expression.
He was abruptly woken up from his bed, his mind still a little foggy.
"That's right, we urgently need a few materials. Right now, in Lishan Town, I'm afraid only the Lu family's merchant caravan has them. I'd be so grateful if Brother Lu Feng could help us!" Zhang Ping pleaded, his tone urgent.
"It's nothing, it's nothing," Lu Feng waved his hand, his sleepiness dissipating a bit. "The caravan is meant to transport goods to the prefectural city to sell anyway, so unloading along the way can lighten the burden a bit."
As long as it's not a hot item that someone has pre-ordered, he can make the decision. Even if it is pre-ordered, the Lu family can find a way to make some money.
"What does Brother Zhang need?" Lu Feng asked.
Zhang Ping immediately wrote down the materials needed for branding the spirit fox with its hidden beast pattern on a piece of paper and handed it over.
"Black Gold Stone, Hundred-Colored Flower, Demon Spirit Plant, Awakening Grass..."
Lu Feng took the list, glanced at it, and his lips twitched involuntarily.
None of the items on this list are cheap!
Black gold stone is fine; it's a popular stone in the prefectural city, and the caravan brought a lot of stock this time. However, the Hundred Color Flower and the Demon Spirit Plant are a bit troublesome, as they were all pre-ordered goods.
Thinking of his family's current predicament, Lu Feng gritted his teeth and reluctantly agreed to spare some money. But that Awakening Grass…
He looked up at Zhang Ping helplessly:
"Brother Zhang, I can sell you the rest of the items except for the Awakening Grass. It's just that the price..."
Zhang Ping ignored the price and pressed on, "Brother Lu, is this 'Awakening Herb' sold anywhere in Lishan Town?"
Lu Feng shook his head, a hint of disapproval in his voice: "The Awakening Grass is a byproduct of demons, strictly speaking, it belongs to demon materials. Crushing it and wearing it can refresh the mind and greatly benefit cultivation. It's a rare treasure that many martial artists crave but cannot obtain!"
Even an ordinary person with no cultivation could benefit from wearing it, as it would nourish the body and prolong life. Let alone Li Shanzhen, even in the prefectural city, it would be a truly priceless treasure.
These words brought a clear look of disappointment to Zhang Ping's face. It seemed there was no hope of branding the Spirit Fox with the Hidden Beast Mark before leaving Lishan Town, and he feared that even in the prefectural city, he might not be able to find any trace of the Awakening Grass.
The creation of the spirit fox beast pattern seems to be a long way off.
"Brother Zhang, what about the other three items... do you still want them?" Seeing that his expression was off, Lu Feng asked cautiously.
"Yes!" Zhang Ping said decisively.
We finally found some exotic beast materials, and the beast patterns are extremely useful, so how can we easily give them up?
"Alright! The three items total two thousand one hundred taels of silver. Let's round it down to two thousand for Brother Zhang!" Lu Feng stood up, preparing to report to the First Madam.
"Brother Zhang, which bank's bank drafts do you plan to use?" He was going all out to curry favor with Zhang Ping.
"How much?" Zhang Ping's hand, which was reaching for his money, suddenly stopped, and his face instantly froze.
All he had left was a little over a thousand taels of silver, which was the hard-earned money he made for Fu Huiying while she was drilling wells.
These three materials cost a whopping two thousand taels!
"That's right, this is the caravan's purchase price. Brother Zhang is on good terms with the Lu family, so naturally I can't make money off you," Lu Feng said sincerely.
"Um...can I...buy on credit?" Zhang Ping forced out a few words.
"..."
Two figures passed through the layered courtyards where the Lu family caravan was located.
Rows of horse-drawn carriages, fully loaded with goods and covered with thick tarpaulins, were neatly arranged, with strong guards patrolling inside and out.
In the shadows, the aura of several martial artists who had refined their bodies emanated without any attempt to conceal it, carrying a warning connotation.
"Brother Zhang, you've really given me a tough problem!" Lu Feng, who was walking in front, said with a worried look on his face.
Bringing outsiders to your home to buy things on credit—if this gets back to the elders, you'll likely get a beating.
"Ahem, Brother Feng, don't panic." Zhang Ping coughed awkwardly twice. How could he know those three items were so expensive? What could he do if he didn't have the money? Rob it? He weighed his own abilities and realized he didn't have that kind of skill.
The two arrived at an exquisite garden courtyard. Zhang Ping glanced around and sighed inwardly, thinking that this was definitely the best courtyard in the town, with artificial hills, flowing water, and lush greenery.
"Xiao Feng, is there something you need from Madam?"
A figure appeared at the courtyard gate like a ghost; it was Lu Qiang.
"Uncle Lu!" Lu Feng immediately greeted him respectfully.
Nowadays, everyone in the Lu family knows that Master Lu is the pillar of the family. As for his admiration for Madam Lu, it has long been a rumor among the lower classes.
"Master Lu," Zhang Ping greeted him with a cupped hand.
Lu Qiang's sharp gaze swept over Lu Feng and landed on Zhang Ping, his brows furrowing slightly.
Lu Feng quickly explained, "Uncle Lu, this is Zhang Ping. He did a business deal with us, and there are some things he needs to consult with his wife on."
Hearing that it was a business matter, Lu Qiang stopped stopping them and stepped aside to let the two enter the courtyard.
As soon as he entered the room, Zhang Ping felt a sense of enlightenment.
The courtyard is not large, but its layout is extremely exquisite.
The artificial hill is exquisite, the green plants are lush, and a few koi carp leisurely wag their tails in a pool of clear water.
Inside the pavilion by the pond, a petite woman in a long emerald green dress was intently examining account books. Hearing footsteps, she looked up.
"Xiao Feng, why aren't you resting? What are you doing here?" Lu Wanrou smiled gently, her face showing a gentle and refined demeanor, yet also the composure of a matriarch.
"Madam." Lu Feng seemed a little reserved and quickly explained Zhang Ping's intention to buy on credit.
Hearing that people from the martial arts school had come to her door to ask for credit, Lu Wanrou was slightly taken aback. With a hint of curiosity, she carefully examined Zhang Ping, then suddenly raised an eyebrow and asked, "You're Zhang Ping?"
Zhang Ping was surprised that Madam Lu still remembered him. He cupped his hands and said, "I am Zhang Ping, an apprentice at Sitong Martial Arts School."
Upon hearing the word "apprentice," Lu Wanrou's eyes flashed: "No wonder you addressed Master Chong yesterday. But judging from your composed demeanor, you've clearly already achieved mastery of body tempering. Why are you still listed as an apprentice?"
Zhang Ping had no choice but to briefly recount his past experiences.
Before he could finish speaking, he sensed that the gaze from Master Lu behind him had become somewhat strange, so he quickly stopped talking.
"Madam Lu, I left in haste this time and did not bring enough money. I wish to borrow one thousand taels of silver from your esteemed merchant caravan on credit, posing as an apprentice at my martial arts school. However, please rest assured, Madam, I will repay you immediately upon returning to the city!"
Zhang Ping spoke again.
Qin Hu and Quan Hongyan wouldn't carry much cash; they'd get paid for their escort missions once they reached the prefectural city. They couldn't very well ask the innkeeper for money, could they? They had no choice but to try their luck here.
Lu Wanrou did not agree immediately. Her fingertips unconsciously tapped the cover of the ledger, and her gaze swept over Zhang Ping carefully.
Her two years of experience managing the Lu family had instilled in her a habit, and she couldn't help but ask, "How long have you been practicing martial arts? What is your current level?"
"Less than half a year, mid-stage of skin tempering," Zhang Ping answered truthfully.
As soon as the words were spoken, a look of surprise crossed the faces of the three people inside and outside the pavilion. Lu Qiang's originally sharp gaze also subtly changed. Reaching the mid-stage of Skin Tempering in less than half a year—such a speed of cultivation was truly rare.
Lu Wanrou's eyes lit up, and she immediately made a decision: "With Zhang Di's talent, it's a real pity that he's only an apprentice at the Sitong Martial Arts School! Why not consider joining the Lu family? Zhang Di can freely choose and marry any eligible woman in the Lu family."
Such talent immediately inspired her to recruit him into the Lu family. Since the Lu family was suppressed, what they needed most were martial artists with potential.
"Thank you for your kindness, Madam! The martial arts school has been kind to me, and I would like to continue to serve here." Zhang Ping refused almost without thinking.
Not to mention he hasn't mastered his skills enough, he certainly doesn't lack women! At the Sitong Martial Arts School, even the ladies there have to mount him and do the work themselves.
Why would she covet the young women of the Lu family, unless... well, Madam Lu sacrifices herself for the family...
The thought had barely formed when Zhang Ping felt the almost tangible gaze of Master Lu behind him. He jolted and quickly suppressed the dangerous idea.
"I see..." A hint of regret flashed in Lu Wanrou's eyes, but she quickly smiled again:
"Even so, we're about the same age, so we can address each other as brother and sister. A little money is nothing to worry about. What ingredient are you missing? I'll keep an eye out for it when I get back to the city."
Sensing the goodwill that Lu Wanrou was actively showing, Zhang Ping was slightly surprised. It seemed that the Lu family was indeed in a difficult situation.
He was always thick-skinned and happy to get on the good side of such a beautiful woman, so he immediately put on a big smile and went along with it:
"Sister Rou is right! It's strange, but the moment I saw you, I felt a sense of familiarity, as if we were family five hundred years ago. Meeting you today is truly an honor beyond measure!"
Lu Feng, standing to the side, got goosebumps all over, and Lu Qiang couldn't help but twitch his lips. Both of them simultaneously revealed a look of disdain in their eyes.
How can there be such a shameless person in the world?
Zhang Ping, however, didn't care at all and quickly said, "We're just missing one ingredient: the Awakening Herb."
"Awakening Grass?" Lu Wanrou's expression changed slightly, and she subconsciously raised her hand to press down on a delicate sachet hanging from her waist.