Rabbit Lord

"My little mouse just fell into a tree hollow, and it was this big sister who helped me get it out!"

This woman's beauty was almost celestial, though she seemed rather aloof. Even with a smile at the corners of her lips, she gave off a faint sense of distance.

"Greetings, big sister!" Liu Qingyan's body trembled slightly as she hurriedly curtsied.

"Lu Zheng of Tonglin, greetings, Madam."

Lu Zheng had been here for nearly a month now, and he could already tell from a woman's hair ornaments whether she was married or not.

The woman returned the courtesy. "My maiden surname is Shen. Greetings to you both."

Liu Qingquan took her little mouse off to play again. The woman looked at Liu Qingyan. "Little sister, you are truly lovely. I have never seen you before—did you recently move to Tonglin County?"

"That is correct. I am originally from Wanfu County, Yao Province, and only moved to Tonglin County a few days ago."

"That is wonderful. You can come chat with me often in the future. My home is at an estate northeast of the forest. It is usually so quiet and deserted there, and I do not have many friends."

"Of course. If you do not find me beneath your notice, Qing Yan will come often," Liu Qingyan said softly.

Liu Qingyan and the woman exchanged names. With his sharp hearing, Lu Zheng caught that the woman's given name was Shen Ying. She was also from Tonglin County, though she did not live in town. Instead, she had built an estate near Peach Blossom Glade.

This was quite common among wealthy families in the Great Jing Dynasty.

The county town was cramped and densely populated. Wealthy families naturally owned property within the city, but many also built manors outside the city, where land was cheaper and the grounds were more spacious.

There were only a handful of families in the entire city capable of building a garden estate within the city walls.

Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan chatted as they walked, while Lu Zheng accompanied them at the side.

It was clear that Shen Ying truly had few friends. She was animated all along the way, and much of her chilly air faded. She even plucked a peach blossom and tucked it beside Liu Qingyan's temple, where it released a delicate, lingering fragrance.

"I have never seen Young Master Lu before either. Did you also move here recently?"

Perhaps feeling that she had neglected Lu Zheng, Shen Ying turned to ask him.

Lu Zheng thought to himself that there were tens of thousands of people in the county town. If not having seen someone meant they had only recently moved in, then she would have to ask that question dozens of times every day.

But this time, Shen Ying had actually guessed right.

"That is correct. I have only been here for a little over a month. This is also my first time coming to Peach Blossom Glade for a spring outing."

Shen Ying nodded and said lightly, "When I heard you introduce yourself as Lu Zheng of Tonglin, I thought you had originally been from Tonglin County."

"Since I have settled my household registration in Tonglin County, then naturally I am from Tonglin County," Lu Zheng said with a smile.

"Squeak, squeak!"

Following the sound, Lu Zheng saw more than a dozen monkeys leaping about and playing among the peach trees.

"Little monkeys!"

Liu Qingquan darted out from the side again, her eyes shining as she looked toward the treetops. Waving the little mouse in her hand, she called, "Come play together!"

"Squeak, squeak!"

Most of the monkeys ignored Liu Qingquan's call.

But one scar-faced monkey suddenly noticed Liu Qingquan. It was large and seemed to be the leader of the troop.

At the sight of Liu Qingquan, the monkey's eyes flickered. Then it raised a hand, snapped off a branch, and hurled it down at her.

"Ah!"

Liu Qingquan jumped in fright and hurriedly dodged aside. "If you do not want to play, then do not play! Why are you throwing things at me?"

"Squeak, squeak!"

Seeing the monkey king make a move, the other monkeys followed suit, hurling whatever they had in their hands at Liu Qingquan.

Pebbles flew everywhere, and branches rained down.

Liu Qingquan fled with her head in her arms.

"What is going on?"

Lu Zheng was utterly baffled. How had a friendly meet-and-greet suddenly turned into a full-blown brawl?

"Did they not say the monkeys at Peach Blossom Glade generally do not provoke people?"

"Generally, they do not..." Shen Ying shook her head and stepped forward.

"Where did these wild monkeys come from, daring to attack people?"

A sharp rebuke rang out, followed by a stone half the size of a fist flying into the treetops. Though it did not hit the monkeys, it still stirred up a commotion among them.

Three young men suddenly appeared, each picking up stones from the ground and throwing them toward the treetops.

"Squeak, squeak!"

The monkey troop fell into disorder, then several monkeys broke away to fight the three men.

The three men seemed quite experienced. Using the trees for cover, they actually fought two or three times their number of monkeys with impressive skill.

By then, Liu Qingquan had fled to her sister's side, her face full of grievance.

"Enough. Stop fighting. Go back, all of you!" A flash of anger passed through Shen Ying's eyes as she sharply scolded the monkey troop.

"Squeak, squeak!"

The monkey king's eyes narrowed. It gave a pitiful cry, then hopped back several steps and led the troop away.

Lu Zheng looked astonished. "They can understand what you are saying?"

"I live nearby and often come to Peach Blossom Forest to play, so I have become fairly familiar with that troop. I often bring them food, and they usually listen to me."

"Then why did they hit me?" Liu Qingquan asked timidly.

Seeing her aggrieved expression, a faint smile could not help appearing on Shen Ying's chilly face. "Perhaps the monkey king mistook you for someone else."

"Ladies, are you all right?"

Just then, the three men walked over together. "Do not be afraid. We have already driven the monkeys away!"

Lu Zheng raised his eyes at their words. The three stood crookedly, with frivolous expressions, their gazes fixed solely on Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan.

"In case those monkeys come back, let us travel together."

"We come to Peach Blossom Glade all the time. We know every beautiful and entertaining spot here."

"Do not worry. With us accompanying you, you will be perfectly safe."

"Kid, where did you come from? If you do not know these three young ladies, hurry up and leave."

Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan had been whispering to each other just then, while Lu Zheng had stood a little farther away. The three men mistook him for someone unfamiliar with them, thinking he too had shamelessly latched onto them.

Liu Qingyan shook her head and took a step back.

Lu Zheng sighed and stepped forward. "Thank you, but we do not need company. You should be on your way."

"The ladies have not said anything. Why are you sticking your head out?" The leading man snorted coldly and stepped forward to shove Lu Zheng aside.

It was obvious that he put plenty of force into it. He intended to send Lu Zheng sprawling.

Lu Zheng felt helpless. He had just praised the Great Jing Dynasty's public safety, only to be slapped in the face the very next moment.

"Lu Lang!"

Liu Qingyan cried out anxiously and was about to step forward, but Shen Ying reached out and held her back.

Lu Zheng shot out his hand, locking tiger's mouths with the man. In one motion, he seized the man's thumb and pressed it downward behind his back.

"Aahhh!"

The man's expression changed drastically, and he was forced directly to one knee.

"Let go!"

"Release our big brother!"

The other two immediately reacted and rushed forward together.

Lu Zheng sent one man flying with a side kick, then pulled the man before him around to shield himself from the third.

"Bang!"

The two collided. Lu Zheng gave a casual shove, and they toppled over, rolling into a tangled heap.

"Get lost!"

"You know martial arts?" The leading man climbed to his feet, rubbing his aching finger as he stared at Lu Zheng in disbelief.

"Hmph. You are so fair and delicate, you look like some Rabbit Lord. Just fancy moves, I bet."

"Shing!" The third man lifted his robe and drew a dagger.

"Kid, with that fair, clean face of yours, are you afraid of getting disfigured?"

Two more Daggers appeared in the hands of the other two men.

Lu Zheng's gaze sharpened. He hooked up a branch over a meter long from the ground with his foot, then spent another wisp of fortune upon his blade techniques.

He shook his head, curled his lips into a smile, and loosened his neck and wrists.

A smile spread across Lu Zheng's face. "Rabbit Lord? I will turn you into Rabbit Lords!"