Chapter 28: Lord Rabbit

"Sister, my little mouse just fell into a treehole, and this sister helped me retrieve it!"

This woman was as beautiful as an immortal, but she appeared quite aloof. Even though she smiled, there was a faint sense of distance.

"Greetings to this sister!" Liu Qingyan shook slightly, hurriedly paying her respects.

"Tonglin Lu Zheng, greetings madam."

Lu Zheng had been here for nearly a month and could distinguish from the woman's hairstyle whether she was married or not.

The woman nodded, "My maiden family name is Shen, greetings to both of you."

Liu Qingquan went off to play with the little mouse again, and the woman looked at Liu Qingyan, "Sister, you have such a pretty face. I haven't seen you before; did you recently move to Tonglin County?"

"Yes indeed, my original hometown is Wanfu County in Yaozhou; I just moved to Tonglin County a few days ago."

"That's good, you can come and chat with me often in the future. My home is in a village northeast of the forest, usually very quiet with few friends around."

"Sure, if you don't mind, Qingyan will visit often," Liu Qingyan said softly.

Liu Qingyan and the woman exchanged names. Lu Zheng's hearing was quite sharp; he heard that the woman's name was Shen Ying, also from Tonglin County, but did not live in the city and instead had built a residence near Peach Blossom Plain.

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

The county town was small and crowded. Wealthy families definitely had property in the city but often also built estates outside the city, where the price is cheaper and space larger.

Not many families in the whole city could afford to build a garden within the city.

Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan chatted as they walked, with Lu Zheng accompanying them.

It was clear that Shen Ying indeed had few friends; she was quite interested and the aloof feeling diminished. She even plucked a peach blossom and tucked it by Liu Qingyan's hair, emanating a delicate fragrance.

"I haven't seen Young Master Lu before either. Did you also move recently?"

Perhaps sensing she had neglected Lu Zheng, Shen Ying looked towards him and asked.

Lu Zheng thought to himself, there are tens of thousands in the town; not having seen someone doesn't mean they just moved here; you'd have to ask this question dozens of times daily.

But Shen Ying guessed right this time.

"Indeed, I just moved here over a month ago, and this is my first time coming to Peach Blossom Plain for a walk."

Shen Ying nodded, speaking lightly, "I thought, seeing you registering as Tonglin Lu Zheng, that you were originally from Tonglin County."

"Since I've settled in Tonglin County, I am naturally a Tonglin County person," Lu Zheng smiled.

...

"Cheep cheep!"

Lu Zheng followed the sound and saw a dozen monkeys jumping and playing on the peach trees.

"Little monkeys!"

Liu Qingquan appeared again from one side, eyes bright as she looked at the treetops, shaking the little mouse in her hand, "Let's play together!"

"Cheep cheep!"

Most monkeys ignored Liu Qingquan's call.

However, one monkey with a scar on its face suddenly noticed Liu Qingquan; this monkey was tall and seemed to be the leader of the monkey group.

Seeing Liu Qingquan, the monkey's eyes flashed, then raised its hand and broke off a branch, aiming it at Liu Qingquan.

"Ouch!"

Liu Qingquan was startled and quickly dodged, "If you don't want to play, don't play, why throw things at me!"

"Cheep cheep!"

Seeing the Monkey King attack, other monkeys followed suit, throwing anything they could find at Liu Qingquan.

Stones flew, branches fell.

Liu Qingquan ran away, covering her head.

"What's happening?"

Lu Zheng was baffled, why did the friendship scene turn into a brawl?

"Isn't it said that the monkeys at Peach Blossom Plain generally don't bother people?"

"Normally they don't bother people..." Shen Ying shook her head, stepped forward.

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

An angry shout was heard, and a stone the size of half a fist flew into the treetops, not hitting the monkeys but causing them to panic.

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

"Cheep cheep!"

The monkey group was in chaos, and then several monkeys split off to fight against the three men.

The three men seemed quite experienced, using trees for cover, managing to fight with twice to three times more monkeys.

Liu Qingquan had already escaped to her sister's side, a look of grievance.

"Enough, stop fighting, go back!" Shen Ying's eyes flashed with anger, she yelled at the monkey group.

"Cheep cheep!"

The Monkey King's eyes contracted with grievance, then jumped back a few steps, leading the group away.

Lu Zheng looked surprised, "They can understand what you say?"

Shen Ying said, "I live nearby and often come to the Peach Blossom Forest. I've gotten familiar with the monkeys and often give them food. Usually, they listen to me."

"Why did they attack me?" Liu Qingquan asked weakly.

Seeing her aggrieved expression, a smile appeared on Shen Ying's cold face, "Perhaps the Monkey King mistook you for someone else."

"Are you all okay, girls?"

At this moment, the three men came over, "Don't be afraid, we have driven the monkeys away!"

Lu Zheng heard them and looked up; the three had unkempt appearances, with roguish expressions, their gaze locked solely on Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan.

"Just in case the monkeys come back, let's tour together."

"We come to Peach Blossom Plain often, we know all the interesting places."

"Don't worry, with us here, you'll be safe."

"Hey kid, where are you from? If you don't know these three girls, get lost."

Earlier, Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan were whispering to each other, Lu Zheng was a bit away, leading these three to mistakenly think he was unrelated, assuming he was trying to cling.

Liu Qingyan shook her head, took a step back.

Lu Zheng sighed, stepped forward, "Thank you, but we don't need anyone's company, you all should leave."

"The girls haven't said anything, why are you butting in?" The lead man snorted, stepping forward to push Lu Zheng away.

It was obvious he exerted strength, intending to push Lu Zheng to the ground.

Lu Zheng was helpless; he just praised the law and order of the Great Jing Dynasty, only to be embarrassed instantly.

"Lu Lang!"

Liu Qingyan shouted anxiously, intending to step forward, but was held back by Shen Ying.

Lu Zheng quickly reached out, clasping the man's thumb firmly, turning his hand down.

"Ahhh!"

The man's expression changed sharply, pressed into a half-kneel.

"Let go!"

"Release our big brother!"

The other two reacted immediately, rushing forward.

Lu Zheng kicked sideways, knocking down one, then shielded himself with the man in front against the third.

"Bang!"

Two collided, and Lu Zheng instinctively pushed them, having them roll into a heap.

"Get lost!"

"You practice martial arts?" The lead man stood up, rubbing his sore fingers, looking at Lu Zheng incredulously.

"Hmph, fair-skinned, like a rabbit, just using fancy unpractical moves."

"Swish!" The third man lifted his robe, drawing a dagger.

"Kid, your fair face, aren't you afraid it'll get cut?"

Two more daggers appeared in the hands of the other two.

Lu Zheng's eyes sharpened, he lifted a branch over a meter long from the ground, and used a bit of Qi to enhance his sword technique.

He shook his head, smirked, flexed his neck and wrist.

Lu Zheng grinned, "Rabbit? I'll make you the rabbits!"