TGCFNM -Chapter 69 Hot-and-Sour Fish Slices

Lu Shiming stood outside the study, taking a deep look inside before whispering, “Let’s go.”

The courtyard gate clicked shut again. Lu Shiming lifted his sleeve to wipe his eyes and looked at Chu Ling. “Your Honor, please follow me.”

The three of them walked out without obstruction. As soon as they stepped down the stone steps, a carriage came to a stop. The moment it approached, a strong smell of alcohol hit them.

The young servant driving the carriage jumped down and immediately ran to the gate of the Lu residence, knocking.

The Lu household steward opened the door in response and hurried down the stone steps to the carriage.

Lu Shiming glanced around, quickly handed the manuscript he was carrying to Chu Ling, and, together with the Lu steward, helped the drunken man down.

The man’s vision was hazy, his cheeks flushed. Seeing Lu Shiming, he hiccupped and grinned, showing his teeth. “Shiming~”

“Uncle Lu, I came to collect a few keepsakes of my mother as mementos,” Lu Shiming said softly.

“Mm, mm, take them, take them… take everything… hic…” Lu Gao chuckled twice, helped by the steward into the house, never once glancing at Chu Ling and the others.

Lu Shiming sighed. After the door closed behind them, he looked at Chu Ling. “Your Honor, please follow me.”

Chu Ling nodded, took one last glance at the vermilion-red main gate, and then got onto the carriage with Lu Shiming, preparing to visit the Lu residence.

When the carriage stopped again, they had arrived at the Lu residence.

Chu Ling was momentarily surprised. “Your two households aren’t very far apart, are they?”

Lu Shiming nodded. “No, which is why, back then, whenever trouble arose at home, Uncle Lu would rush over to help.”

Compared with the Lu residence they had just left, the Lu household before them appeared much more run-down. The main gate looked worn, its paint old; one corner was even rotting, almost forming a hole.

Lu Shiming stepped forward and knocked on the door. Then he waited outside, saying, “The old steward is getting on in years; we’ll need to wait a bit.”

Yang Huaishan explained from the side, “I heard Lu Anming mention that when trouble hit the Lu household back then, everyone except a few loyal servants fled.”

Lu Shiming smiled. “I was very young at the time, so I don’t remember clearly, but Mother remembers, and so does Grandmother.”

Creak—

The sound of an old, creaking door echoed. An elderly man slowly pushed it open. Seeing Lu Shiming, he smiled, revealing a missing tooth. “Young Master, you’re back.”

“Yes, I’m back. I’ve brought two friends with me for a meal,” Lu Shiming replied with a smile.

“Ah, ah, very good. I’ll have the kitchen prepare your favorite hot-and-sour fish slices. Hurry in, hurry in!” The steward cheerfully opened the door wider and ushered them inside.

Chu Ling and Yang Huaishan followed. “Old Uncle, sorry to trouble you.”

The steward welcomed the three warmly, then held Lu Shiming’s hand. “Young Master, make more friends. That way, the old Madam won’t worry so much.”

Lu Shiming glanced awkwardly at Chu Ling, then leaned down to whisper to the steward, “Uncle Liu, is Grandmother in prayer?”

“Yes. The old Madam has been in the Buddhist hall again… Ever since the Master passed away, Madam prays day and night. Now the former Madam is gone, and the old Madam often stays in the hall, rarely coming out.” The steward wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “What a good lady she was.”

Chu Ling looked at him curiously. “Was your old Madam very close to your former Madam?”

The steward immediately nodded. “Like mother and daughter. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have arranged for the former Madam to remarry, and even provided a substantial dowry.”

“How is your family’s matriarch’s relationship with the Lu family?” Chu Ling asked.

The steward immediately shook his head. “The old madam doesn’t like to go out. On the day the previous madam married, she didn’t even see her off. Over the years, there’s been no contact with that family.”

Lu Shiming nodded. “Only I would go there to study. The steward would wait at the gate to see me off and bring me back. I never stayed overnight at the Lu residence.”

Chu Ling was curious now. She had thought the old madam took a liking to Lu Gao, which is why she happily sent off her daughter-in-law, but it turned out that the old madam didn’t like Lu Gao at all.

The steward led them to a pavilion, where a lady soon arrived to set the table and serve hot tea.

Chu Ling lifted the teacup and inhaled the aroma. She was somewhat surprised. “This tea smells amazing.” Even she, as an amateur, couldn’t help but remark.

Ghost Scholar stroked his beard and said with a smile, “The tea is clear, the buds open quickly, and the veins of the leaves look somewhat like Snow Mountain Green.”

Chu Ling quickly took a careful look.

“This is just ordinary tea for guests at home,” Lu Shiming said a little embarrassed.

Yang Huaishan was also taken aback. “Ordinary tea? This must cost at least ten taels per jin.”

Lu Shiming laughed. “The tea from my family’s shop is only the tender tips. They’re sent to the residence each time—not particularly rare or precious.”

Ghost Scholar folded his fan, curling his lips in a faint smile, his voice calm. “Either he’s lying, or he truly doesn’t know this tea is valuable.”

Soon after, the kitchen brought out some dishes, their color, aroma, and taste all inviting, making everyone’s appetite stir.

Chu Ling first tasted the spicy fish fillet that Lu Shiming mentioned. She pressed her lips together slightly; the fish practically melted in her mouth, the freshness lingering between her lips and teeth. She couldn’t help but exclaim, “This is really delicious.”

Lu Shiming smiled shyly. “I’m glad you like it.”

Chu Ling nodded repeatedly. She loved it so much she even wanted to pack some to take away.

After eating and drinking their fill, Chu Ling happily held her teacup and looked at Lu Shiming. “I thought your Lu family lived in hardship, but seeing these dishes and this tea has truly opened my eyes.”

Lu Shiming smiled wryly. “The tea is from our shop, and the fish comes from our own ponds. It’s nothing expensive.”

Chu Ling paused, set down her teacup, and looked at Lu Shiming. “Back when your father was attacked by bandits, may I ask—did they catch the bandits?”

Lu Shiming’s eyes reddened. He shook his head slowly.

Chu Ling clicked her tongue and sighed, then looked toward Yang Huaishan.

Yang Huaishan felt a chill run down his spine under her gaze. He immediately hugged his arms tightly, asking nervously, “Wh-what’s wrong, my lady?”

“When the Mountain God Temple case first happened, how did they say Shen Lizhou died?” Chu Ling asked.

“They said it was mountain bandits…” Yang Huaishan was stunned. “Why is it mountain bandits again?”

Chu Ling snorted. She was puzzled too—how did this family always run into mountain bandits? She remembered that Wan Sanjin had shown her the maps of the Da Zhou region. This branch didn’t seem to have any high mountains suitable for hiding people.

Lu Shiming bit his lip and said softly, “My grandmother said it was someone familiar—a possible one of those who had caused trouble at our home before. But as orphans with only a widowed mother, even if we knew who it was, what could we do? It’s better to lie low and live on.”

“The old lady had great wisdom,” Chu Ling said.

Lu Shiming lowered his head and gave a helpless smile. “My father died, and our family property was almost completely divided up. Luckily, Magistrate Zhao intervened, and with Uncle Lu’s help, we barely managed to keep some of it.”

“Oh, right. Magistrate Zhao and Uncle Lu were classmates and also close friends.”