After crossing several courtyards, Lu Yun was led to the entrance of a spacious, brightly lit hall with elegant, upturned eaves.
The hall was not crowded. In the seat of honor to the left sat an old Taoist master who appeared to be in his fifties.
He wore a soft, blue Taoist robe, washed so many times it had faded. A simple gray cloth sash was tied around his waist, a small peach-wood charm dangling from its end.
His salt-and-pepper hair was loosely gathered in a bun, held by an old wooden hairpin. The wrinkles on his forehead and at the corners of his eyes were as deep as ravines, his skin sallow and coarse from long years of exposure to the elements.
The backs of his hands were knotted with blue veins and the pads of his fingers were thick with calluses. A sparse white mustache adorned his upper lip.
Behind the old Taoist master, a young man sat quietly on a small wooden stool, presumably his disciple.
In the guest chairs to the right sat two other men.
One was a middle-aged monk in a gray robe, his bald head gleaming. He slowly rolled a string of smooth Bodhi Beads in his left hand, a coarse cloth satchel resting beside him.
The other looked like a seasoned Jianghu Wanderer. He was dressed in a short, coarse black tunic, cinched at the waist with a wide leather belt from which hung a sheathed dagger and a brass Compass.
He was lean yet powerfully built, with broad shoulders and a thick back. His darkly tanned face bore several faint scars, the most prominent of which ran diagonally from his brow bone to his cheek.
His shoulder-length hair was tied back with a strip of blue cloth, with stray strands clinging to his temples. His beard was trimmed short and neat.
The guard captain who had led him in strode into the hall and reported to a well-dressed, middle-aged man with the air of a steward, who was standing by the host’s seat. "Housekeeper Zhou, another worthy man has arrived."
"This elderly gentleman claims to have some knowledge of medicine and martial arts."
"Oh?" Housekeeper Zhou turned at his words, his gaze swiftly falling upon Lu Yun.
As the guard spoke, the three seated men also raised their heads to look.
The middle-aged man who looked like a Jianghu Wanderer was the first to speak, offering a well-intentioned warning. "Old sir, at your age... why must you wade into these troubled waters?"
"Young Master Cao’s condition is no ordinary ailment. Take my advice and head home. There’s no need to throw your life away for nothing."
The middle-aged monk also put his palms together, gently adding, "Amitabha. Venerable benefactor, this gentleman speaks the truth."
Seeing this, a doubtful expression began to form on Housekeeper Zhou’s face.
The man before him had a white beard and hair; he looked to be in his fifties or sixties and carried himself more like a man of wealth and status. The terms "martial arts" and "physician" didn’t seem to suit him at all.
"Well..." Housekeeper Zhou hesitated, unsure how to politely turn him away.
Lu Yun spoke in a calm, unhurried tone. "Steward Zhou, and you gentlemen, I am well aware of the dangers."
"I have not come to compete with you all. I will wait until you experts have performed your skills and dealt with the trouble."
"I merely wish to use my humble medical knowledge to help Young Master Cao recuperate after his... ordeal. I can prescribe some tonics to restore his vitality. I only wish to contribute in some small way."
Upon hearing this, Steward Zhou’s face lit up with a smile. He hurried forward and bowed. "I see! You are most thoughtful, old sir. Please, come in and have a seat! Please!"
Lu Yun gave a slight nod. His eyes swept across the hall before he chose a seat on the left side.
He walked over to the old Taoist master—who had remained silent, merely studying him quietly—and calmly took the seat beside him.
Seeing that everyone was seated, Steward Zhou put on a warm, diplomatic smile and said with renewed enthusiasm, "It is a blessing from heaven that the Cao Mansion has managed to gather four masters today! With your help, I am certain the Young Master’s thorny problem will be easily resolved!"
He paused, then clasped his hands and bowed to those on his left and right. "I won’t hide anything from you four masters. Three days ago, my eldest young master... alas, for some unknown reason, he suddenly fell into a coma. It has now been three days and three nights. He has not had a drop of water or a grain of rice and remains completely unresponsive, no matter how we try to rouse him."
Steward Zhou’s eyes flickered for a moment before he continued, "We did ask a doctor to examine him previously, but... alas, he was unable to determine the cause."
"Tonight, the entire Cao Family is counting on the Divine Techniques of you four masters!"
’A doctor?’
’That must be the Doctor Huang the apothecary owner mentioned—the one who "went in standing up and came out lying down."’
Lu Yun’s expression remained as placid as still water as he listened quietly.
Just then, Steward Zhou changed the subject, adding, "Oh, right. There is one other thing I must explain to you four masters."
"Ten days ago, our master, the Military Governor, was ordered to the Taiping County area to suppress mountain bandits."
"Upon learning of Young Master Cao Quan’s predicament, he began traveling day and night to return. By my calculations, he should be back at the mansion in less than an hour."
"I must trouble you masters to wait a little longer. After the Military Governor returns, we will all proceed together to see the Young Master."
Finished, Steward Zhou turned and called out in a louder voice, "Someone! Serve our four masters some better refreshments and hot tea!"
The Cao Family servants sprang into action, deftly clearing away the simple tea set and replacing it with more exquisite plates of refreshments and cups of fragrant hot tea.
The old Taoist master beside him, who had been silent and merely observant until now, suddenly turned slightly to look at Lu Yun.
"Judging by your age, sir, you seem to be my senior. May I ask how I should address you?"
Lu Yun smiled faintly. "Master, you’re too kind. You may simply call me Mr. Lu."
"Mm."
Zhang Daowang nodded, a simple acknowledgment.
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the other two men in the hall before returning to Lu Yun’s face. He lowered his voice, his tone taking on a note of friendly warning.
"I am Zhang Daowang. Mr. Lu, when you go to see Young Master Cao later, be sure not to get too close."
’So he was offering a kind warning.’
Hearing this, Lu Yun showed a look of appropriate gratitude and clasped his hands. "Thank you for the advice, Master Zhang. I will be careful."
At this, Zhang Daowang stroked his sparse white mustache, his eyes once again sweeping over the fine quality of Lu Yun’s black tunic suit.
He suddenly changed the subject, asking casually, "By the way, Mr. Lu, judging from your attire and your bearing, you are no ordinary man... Do you happen to carry any of those... cigarettes, the kind foreigners smoke?"
"Cigarettes?" Lu Yun asked, slightly surprised.
Zhang Daowang nodded, smacking his lips as if savoring a memory.
"Mm. A while ago, I performed a rite for a wealthy family, and the host gave me a few packs as thanks. The taste... it was certainly unique."
Lu Yun paused for a moment, then calmly retrieved a flat paper cigarette case from an inner pocket. The lid was printed with the simple word "Daxia."
Opening the case, Lu Yun quickly pulled one from the neat row of cigarettes and offered it to him.
"As it happens, I have some with me. Please, Master Zhang."
"Hahaha, thank you, Mr. Lu!"
The wrinkles on Zhang Daowang’s face smoothed out as he let out a hearty laugh. He quickly accepted the cigarette and placed it expertly at the corner of his mouth.
Just as Zhang Daowang was subconsciously reaching into the sleeve of his robe, likely searching for a light...
Lu Yun, unhurried, produced a small, shiny silver object from another pocket—a kerosene lighter imported from Great Britain.
CLICK!
With the crisp, pleasant sound of the lid opening, Lu Yun cupped his hand to shield the lighter’s dancing flame from any draft.
He steadily held the flame out to Zhang Daowang, whose eyes flashed with a hint of novelty at the sight.
Without ceremony, he immediately leaned down to the steady flame and lit his cigarette.
Zhang Daowang took a deep drag, and the cherry at the tip of the cigarette glowed brightly.
He then tilted his head back, slowly exhaling a plume of smoke with a look of pure satisfaction.
"Mr. Lu, you are too kind! I can’t believe I troubled you to light it for me personally!"
Zhang Daowang squinted, savoring the aftertaste. "Mmm..." he praised, "This is a fine cigarette. Rich flavor, and quite a kick. Much better than the ones that other benefactor gave me!"
"Is that so?" Lu Yun replied with a faint smile, taking out and lighting a cigarette for himself.
After doing this, he handed the pack of Daxia cigarettes, still more than half full, to Zhang Daowang, along with the lighter.
"Master Zhang, if you like them, please take the pack and the lighter as a gift. I have plenty more at home, so please, don’t be a stranger."
In this chaotic era, a time rife with demons, monsters, and the wickedness of men, Lu Yun always held a deep respect for true cultivators like this—those who lived austere lives, upheld the righteous path, and walked the border between the living and the dead to slay evil.
As long as they were individuals who cared for the common people and dedicated themselves to fighting evil, he never hesitated to offer them all the respect and assistance he could.
This was precisely why Zhang Daowang had earned the courtesy of having his cigarette personally lit by Lu Yun, a peerless expert and a Late-stage Grandmaster of Huajin.
While Zhang Daowang was verbally protesting, "Mr. Lu, you’re really too kind, how could I possibly accept..."
...his hands were already instinctively accepting the pack of cigarettes and the exquisite lighter.
A little over an hour drifted by, and the tea and snacks in the hall had been replenished several times.
Before long, a flurry of hurried, heavy footsteps sounded from the stone-paved path outside the hall.
At the same time, a coarse, irate voice thick with a regional accent grew closer, shouting furiously.
"You bastards! How could something so strange happen to my eldest son? What the hell do I feed you useless sacks of shit for? Believe it or not, I’ll pull out my gun and execute you all right now!"
A few seconds later, a burly, powerfully built man appeared in the doorway.
It was Cao Shaozheng, the Vice Military Governor of Yifeng Province.
Though somewhat short and stout, he was exceptionally solid. The bulging muscles beneath his crisp, olive-green officer’s uniform strained the fabric.
He had a greasy, square face with fleshy jowls, bristling eyebrows, and a pair of bulging, bloodshot eyes.
Behind him, trailing close like a shadow, was Steward Zhou, followed by a dark mass of at least a hundred armed soldiers.
The soldiers were all silent as cicadas in winter, heads bowed, flinching as Cao Shaozheng showered them with spittle.
As Cao Shaozheng stepped into the brightly lit hall, the ferocious scowl on his face instantly vanished, forcibly replaced by a wide, enthusiastic smile.
He strode to the center of the hall and cupped his fist in salute to the four of them. "Masters! I am Cao Shaozheng, the Vice Military Governor of this province!"
"My son has met with a sudden calamity, and now I must rely on you four experts to save him!"
"If you can bring my son back from the brink, I, Cao Shaozheng, will reward you handsomely. I am a man of my word!"
Cao Shaozheng spoke at a rapid clip, clearly unwilling to wait a second longer. "Enough pleasantries," he said with a wave of his hand. "My son is in the east courtyard chambers. Masters, please follow me!"
With that, he turned to leave, and the soldiers behind him immediately parted to form a path.
But just as he turned to take a step, Cao Shaozheng seemed to remember something and stopped dead in his tracks.
Cao Shaozheng turned his head, leaning his fleshy face close to Steward Zhou’s ear, and gave a few rapid-fire orders in a voice only they could hear.
"Oh, and in a few days, you’re to personally take a detachment of capable men and a betrothal gift to Taiping County. Bring back my new twentieth concubine!"
He spat on the ground and cursed under his breath, "Goddammit. The bandit-suppression mission was a failure, but at least the trip wasn’t a total waste!"
"That county magistrate’s daughter... tsk, what a fucking piece of ass! I had my fun with her for a few nights, but I’m still not satisfied."
"If you useless bastards hadn’t been screaming for me to come back, I would’ve dragged that little beauty back myself and disciplined her for a few more days!"
"And another thing, remember to be polite to my ’father-in-law.’ Otherwise, I’ll put a bullet in you, you useless piece of shit."

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