Light of Luck

Lu Zheng passed through the front courtyard, told Aunt Liu not to prepare lunch for him, then walked out of his residence.

Before his eyes lay an ancient city street, quaint and old-fashioned. Though the buildings varied in age, the air of everyday life was rich and vibrant.

Lu Zheng's residence stood in Tong Yi Alley in the northeast of Tonglin County. It was fairly large, and the street outside was broad. His home was not far from the entrance of the alley, so as soon as he stepped outside, he saw people at the street corner carrying shoulder poles or pushing carts to sell breakfast.

The Great Jing Dynasty's rules were not rigid. There was no curfew, nor were there designated commercial districts, so mobile vendors could be found everywhere. Apart from several main streets and Cong An Ward, a district specifically marked out in the south of the county town, there were also scattered storefronts doing business along other streets.

"Young Master Lu!"

"Good morning, Young Master Lu!"

Since Lu Zheng had bought this residence, he had gone out for walks early every morning over the past few days. His curiosity had even led him to buy and taste several kinds of breakfast, so the vendors who often sold morning food nearby all recognized him.

Lu Zheng nodded and casually bought a wild vegetable bun from Aunt Li, who was pushing a one-wheeled cart.

One bun cost two copper coins. Aunt Li had picked the wild vegetables herself outside the city yesterday. Mixed with a little vegetable oil, they gave off a delicate fragrance upon entering the mouth, with the faintest trace of sweetness.

Gnawing on the bun as he walked, Lu Zheng soon arrived at his destination.

Qing Sheng Teahouse.

The largest teahouse in Tonglin County sold morning tea and lunch. Lu Zheng's main reason for coming was that, besides telling stories, the storyteller often rambled on about all corners of the world, recounting strange tales and unusual happenings from other places. Though none of it could be fully trusted, it was still an important channel for Lu Zheng to learn about the Great Jing Dynasty.

Lu Zheng had come for five consecutive days already, learning about every aspect of this world from the fresh stories told by the storyteller.

After passing the morning away and tipping the storyteller fifteen copper coins, Lu Zheng ate lunch at the teahouse before strolling leisurely toward his next destination.

Wen Shi Zhai.

As its name suggested, this shop sold all sorts of stone items: inkstones, paperweights, seal stones, and various raw stones. It could also make custom pieces according to a customer's requirements.

Lu Zheng had been pouring blood into the Great Jing Dynasty these past days. After thinking long and hard, he still had not figured out what valuable items he could bring back from the Great Jing Dynasty.

Books and paintings? Leaving aside the fact that they were all new, the famous figures of this world had no fame in his own era.

Gold and silverware? They were worth a great deal even in this world, and if Lu Zheng bought them in large quantities, it would easily draw the attention of those with ulterior motives.

As for all the other handicrafts, there was no need to mention them. He would not be able to sell them after taking them back.

In the end, it was the Jade Seal in his mind that gave Lu Zheng inspiration. Perhaps there were some types of stone that were worthless in the Great Jing Dynasty but extremely valuable in modern times? Like the recently popular Warring States Red, or Tianhuang Stone, known as the king of Shoushan stones.

Over the past few days, Lu Zheng had returned to the modern world and crammed all sorts of jade and stone knowledge, making thorough preparations before heading to Wen Shi Zhai to see whether he could pick up a bargain.

"Does Young Master require an inkstone or seal stone? This humble shop deals in all kinds of stoneware. We have Green Mountain Stone, Black Star Stone, and Red Ying Stone."

Tonglin County was only a county town, after all, and stoneware was not an everyday business. Few customers came through the door, so when one finally arrived, the owner was extremely enthusiastic.

"I'm just looking around."

Lu Zheng replied politely, then examined the various stone pieces in the shop.

Immediately afterward, beyond the owner's line of sight, the corners of his mouth lifted into a smile.

Just as expected—there really were good stones!

Judging from where these stones had been placed, one could guess that their asking prices would be steep. But was the Great Jing Dynasty's money really money?

"This seal..."

Lu Zheng did not stand on ceremony. He raised a hand and pointed to a fist-sized red seal stone on the shelf.

It was red as blood, its color flowing from top to bottom, brilliant without being gaudy, like drifting clouds and glowing dawn clouds. Beneath it trailed golden yellow threads, fine and delicate, warm and lustrous as gentle sunlight.

"Young Master has a discerning eye. This is Phoenix Blood Stone from Phoenix Mountain in Yao Province. Its color surpasses cinnabar, red as bloodied phoenix wings, while the gold resembles autumn leaves of the parasol tree, foretelling a phoenix resting in slumber..."

The shopkeeper spun a stream of nonsense, and Lu Zheng simply listened, unable to appear too extravagantly wealthy.

Yet when he saw that Lu Zheng showed no reaction at all, the shopkeeper could no longer keep talking. In the end, he wrapped it up and named the price.

"Thirty strings of cash!"

"Too expensive. Twenty strings."

"Oh, my Young Master, this is the finest Phoenix Blood Stone, set against a golden-yellow base, a peerless treasure chosen one in a thousand..."

"Twenty-five strings, or forget it."

"I'll wrap it up for you!"

By the purchasing power of the Great Jing Dynasty, one string of cash could buy two hundred catties of polished rice. At five yuan per catty of polished rice, twenty-five strings was equivalent to twenty-five thousand yuan in modern money—a top-tier luxury item.

But was that expensive to Lu Zheng? A pair of fully transparent glass lion ornaments that cost three hundred yuan, clear as water and smooth as a mirror, could pass for natural material. In the Great Jing Dynasty, they were one in ten thousand. One pair had sold for five hundred strings of cash! His three-courtyard residence had cost him only three hundred strings.

Although Lu Zheng did not dare bring over such a devastating weapon again anytime soon, he still had to replenish the modern world a little, because he was almost out of food there as well.

The shopkeeper used a fine sandalwood box and even gifted Lu Zheng a box of seal paste. Lu Zheng paid with a Treasure Note and left the shop in satisfaction.

For the entire afternoon, Lu Zheng wandered harmlessly from East of the City to the west side, purchasing more odds and ends for his home. He did not carry them with him, however. After paying, he had every shop send the goods to his residence in Tong Yi Alley.

Lu Zheng felt that service in the Great Jing Dynasty was even better than in modern times. Everything came with home delivery.

When he returned home in the evening, he saw a filthy Old Beggar sitting beneath the eaves of his residence, resting his feet.

The Old Beggar's hair was gray and white, and he wore ragged hemp clothing riddled with holes. His face was caked in dirt, yet his expression was leisurely and content. He was rolling dirt between his fingers and sniffing the air, clearly having caught the enticing aroma drifting from Lu Zheng's home.

It was the food Aunt Liu had made using the seasonings Lu Zheng had brought from the modern world.

Lu Zheng sniffed. It seemed Aunt Liu had steamed a chicken today as well.

"Young sir, are you the owner of this residence?" The Old Beggar revealed a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Could you reward this old beggar with a chicken leg?"

Lu Zheng instinctively frowned. As a younger generation almost shoulder to shoulder with those born after 2000, and someone who had lived for years in a socialist modern city, where had he ever seen such a filthy beggar?

However, Lu Zheng quickly returned to calmness, revealing no look of disgust.

Equality for all, empathy, respecting others, and preserving their dignity—these were the most basic qualities of young people in the new era.

"Alright!" Lu Zheng agreed decisively.

"Huh?" This time, it was the Old Beggar's turn to be confused. He studied Lu Zheng carefully for several moments, then could not help asking, "Really?"

"It's only a chicken leg. Wait here." Lu Zheng smiled, walked past the Old Beggar, and knocked on the door.

"Uncle Li, open the door!"

"Young Master is back!"

A string of footsteps sounded. Uncle Li opened the courtyard gate, stepped aside, and waited for Lu Zheng to enter.

"Tear off a chicken leg, serve a bowl of vegetables, take two steamed buns, and give them to this gentleman."

Only when he saw Lu Zheng jerk his chin did Uncle Li notice the Old Beggar sitting beneath the eaves of their home.

"Where did this old beggar come from? You're lucky. These are spices my Young Master has treasured away—you've never eaten anything like this in your life!"

They were both poor men, so Uncle Li did not look down on the Old Beggar. Instead, Lu Zheng's kindness made him feel a little more secure inside.

"Young sir, could you reward this old beggar with another cup of cloudy wine?" The Old Beggar shamelessly continued asking for wine.

"Of course." Lu Zheng nodded.

He had already given him a meal, so one more cup of wine hardly mattered.

The Old Beggar beamed with joy and sat beneath the eaves waiting for food. After Lu Zheng entered, he saw Aunt Liu setting the dining table in the main hall.

"Young Master, the meal is ready!"

"Mm."

Lu Zheng ate in the main hall, while Aunt Liu and Uncle Li set aside food for themselves and ate in the kitchen.

Then, just as Lu Zheng was about to pick up his chopsticks, five wisps of white light suddenly appeared within the Jade Seal in his mind! The instant the white light emerged, Lu Zheng immediately knew its name.

Light of Luck!