The convoy consisted of three vehicles. The first one was occupied by people, and the two following vehicles were filled with dozens of large and small boxes.
In the first car were a middle-aged couple and a pretty girl, who were being helped out of the car by servants.
In addition to the drivers of the three carriages and two servants, a man and a woman, the convoy also had four guards with swords on their waists. However, they had not cultivated martial arts skills and were not considered martial arts practitioners.
Lu Zheng saw the other party, and of course the other party also saw Lu Zheng.
The hands of the four guards were on the hilts of their swords.
In the barren mountains and ridges, there is a scholar without a package, and he is still walking alone. He is either a foreign object or a strange person.
Lu Zheng raised his eyebrows, glanced at them, and then didn't care, just preparing to pass them and continue on his way.
"It is very difficult for this young master to travel alone. We are destined to meet each other. It is almost noon and I am not short of food here. Why don't we have lunch together and then you can go on your way."
Seeing that Lu Zheng was about to cross the convoy, the middle-aged man who had just got out of the car suddenly said, "The mountain trails are not easy to walk. There are still more than ten miles to the country inn ahead. We need to have a full meal before we start the journey."
"Master!" A guard warned in a low voice, "This person is not simple."
The middle-aged man nodded and smiled, but waved his hand, "Don't worry, I can save you."
The guards didn't know how to observe. Although the middle-aged man was kind-hearted, he was not a fool. He only spoke when Lu Zheng just glanced at them, ignored them at all, and was about to cross the convoy.
This shows that Lu Zheng didn't covet them, and was worried that they would misunderstand him, so he even didn't even look at them later.
Since he is not a bad person, and he is obviously willing to take care of other people's emotions, the middle-aged man is naturally willing to reciprocate and invite Lu Zheng for a meal.
Lu Zheng paused and turned back to look at everyone.
The middle-aged man had a kind face, but there was a hint of majesty. His wife was graceful and elegant, with a gentle temperament. The young girl, with bright eyes and white teeth, also looked at Lu Zheng calmly and generously.
Handsome and elegant, with bright eyes like stars, he is such a handsome scholar with great appearance.
Lu Zheng smiled slightly, shook his head and said, "Thank you for your kindness, sir, but no need, I'm going to get going very quickly. It's still early at this time. It's not too late to rest at the inn."
The middle-aged man shook his head and said, "Young master, there is no need to be polite, and don't worry about the inconvenience to us. It is the right thing to help each other when we are away from home."
The middle-aged man cupped his hands and reached out sideways to make a gesture of invitation.
"There was a strong wind in the forest. My guard happened to find a dilapidated temple, where he happened to make a fire to cook and take a rest."
Lu Zheng smiled and thought that this middle-aged man was quite warm-hearted.
"Okay, thank you sir." Lu Zheng nodded in agreement.
…
The coachman and his servants took the cooking utensils and food from the carriage behind, while the four guards tied the horses to the trees on the roadside. Then, together with the middle-aged family and Lu Zheng, they walked into this place not far from the roadside. A ruined temple.
This temple is obviously just a small country temple. Among the half-collapsed walls, only the front hall is still intact. There are also the ruins of several houses behind it, overgrown with weeds. It is unknown how long it has been abandoned.
In the front hall, only half of the body of the statue on the altar was left, and it was not even possible to tell which deity it belonged to.
However, a mural painted on the wall inside the temple is quite complete.
The guard cleaned a corner of the front hall, and found a few chairs from the backyard and collapsed beams from the back building to serve as seats, and invited the middle-aged couple to sit down.
However, only the middle-aged man pulled Lu Zheng to sit down together, while his wife and daughter helped the two servants with the food.
"When you are away from home, you don't have to pay so much attention." The middle-aged man smiled and said, "I wonder what I call you?"
Grain
Lu Zheng took a look at the prepared food, which contained vegetables and meat. Then he heard the middle-aged man asking, and said with his hands raised, "I am Lu Zheng, from Tonglin County, Yizhou Prefecture."
"Yizhou?" The middle-aged man couldn't help but be stunned, "Yizhou Mansion in Lingbei Road? Are you not from Yinan Road?"
"No." Lu Zheng shook his head.
"Then I see you are heading east." The middle-aged man asked again.
Lu Zheng said, "Exactly, I'm going to Huizhou to do something."
"Yizhou and Huizhou are thousands of miles apart, and you just walked all the way here?" The middle-aged man looked Lu Zheng up and down, then realized, cupped his hands and said, "My surname is Du, Shang Yu and Xiao Ru."
"Mr. Du!" Lu Zheng cupped his hands and said with a smile, "It's not urgent. I'm going to enjoy the mountains and rivers all the way. I'll be happy and at ease here."
Is this a tourist thing?
Du Yuru's eyes flickered, knowing that the scholar in front of him was really a strange person.
"Does the young master have any fame?"
Lu Zheng shook his head, "No."
"Master, the food is ready, let's all eat together." Mrs. Du came over and said.
"Oh, okay, Mr. Lu, please!"
Lu Zheng said, "Thank you very much, Mr. Du, then I'll be welcome."
The meal was very simple. Du Yuru and his party brought dried vegetables and meat. They made a pot of soup and served it with steamed pancakes and steamed buns, which was their lunch.
"Master Lu, do you drink?" the leading guard asked, holding a water bag.
"No, thank you." Lu Zheng shook his head and refused.
"I just heard Mr. Lu say that he is from Tonglin County, Yizhou?" Mrs. Du asked.
"Exactly."
Mrs. Du continued to ask, "I wonder if Mr. Lu has ever been to Yizhou Mansion? How are the folk customs? To be honest with you, we are going to Yizhou Mansion to settle down this time."
"Are you going to Yizhou Prefecture?" Lu Zheng blinked and thought, no wonder Du Yuru was surprised for a moment when he heard that he was from Yizhou Prefecture, so he said, "It's good. Yizhou is known as the most prosperous in Lingbei Road and the folk customs are simple.
, the market is bustling, and it’s very suitable for both life and business.”
"There's nothing wrong with it?" Du Yuru interjected and asked.
"I've actually only been there two or three times, so I don't know very well." Lu Zheng could only spread his hands and said, "At least it's pretty good just by looking at the surface."
"What about governing the county?" Du Yuru continued to ask.
"I have been to Pingtan County. The place is relatively remote and the development is not smooth. Tonglin County is located between Yizhou and Yaozhou next door, which is quite good." Then Lu Zheng added, "But I am only in the county seat.
I don’t know what life is like in villages and towns.”
Du Yuru nodded and said with a smile, "I saved you the trouble. Thank you very much, sir."
Lu Zheng said, "Mr. Du, you're too polite. I only know the surface, and everyone can see it."
Mrs. Du and her daughter laughed, thinking that Mr. Lu was sincere.
…
Lu Zheng and Du Yuru chatted casually. Mrs. Du and her daughter had small appetites and finished their meals early. They handed the bowls and chopsticks to the servants, then walked around hand in hand, and soon came to the mural on the side wall of the front hall.