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Chapter 48: Hidden from the World

When Lu Bainian arrived at the manor, the grain harvest had just begun. The division of food would happen after the harvest, so he couldn’t return home yet and had to stay on the estate for now.

Compared to the bustling city, how could the countryside compete?

The tenant farmers’ daily entertainment was limited to wrestling or joking around. Occasionally, they gambled or drank a bit, but it was never extravagant—entertainment was scarce.

With the grain harvest underway, each tenant household was responsible for around ten acres of land.

The returns were meager, expenses constant, and rent for the fields high. So, they could only lease more land to cover their costs.

Even with simple food and frugality—eating less meat, tightening belts—clothes and shoe soles wore out, farm tools broke. All these things cost money.

Normally it was manageable, but during autumn harvest, bending over acre after acre was enough to break one’s back.

Most of the old men in the village had hunched backs, and the women’s shoulders and necks were crooked—injuries from carrying loads since childhood.

During harvest, the village would sleep as soon as the sun went down, exhausted enough to sleep five hours straight.

Sleeping early also saved on lamp oil—every bit of frugality helped.

When Lu Bainian stayed in Lu Village before, he didn’t sleep this early. But with little entertainment in the countryside, people did go to bed earlier than in town.

The food in the manor wasn’t as plentiful as at home. Lu Bainian had a simple meal of braised pork and vegetables and went to bed early.

That night, he heard a few barks from dogs, frogs croaking intermittently from the fields.

The insects chirped from dawn to dusk without pause, and fireflies floated into the courtyard, hovering near the well.

A cool breeze swept away the summer heat—perfect for a deep sleep.

But outside Lu Bainian’s house, there came the faint sound of footsteps.

Three or four men, faces covered with coarse cloth, crept cautiously to the manor’s outer wall, trying to climb over.

The tenants had all built their own homes. Only the one Lu Bainian stayed in looked relatively decent.

The thieves seemed to have scoped the place beforehand and snuck in with ease.

Just as one was about to climb over, he suddenly felt pain in his leg—as if struck on a pressure point—his body collapsed.

—

Lu Bainian was awakened by the loud commotion outside.

He asked Le’er to light the lamp, and stepping outside with it, he found a group of tenants gathered around two young women wearing veiled hats.

Next to the women were four middle-aged men kneeling on the ground. One of them was even one of Lu Bonian’s own tenant farmers.

The four were tied up tightly with ropes by the other tenants.

When Lu Bainian asked what had happened, the explanation sounded almost fantastical.

The two women were named Qingluan and Hongyu, from a hidden cultivation sect on Fengyang Peak in Qinghe County.

Their sect was composed entirely of female cultivators with powerful martial arts, and it had existed for generations.

Lu Bainian and the tenants had never heard of them before.

Curious why, if they lived in seclusion, the two would descend the mountain in the middle of the night, he asked.

But the women said nothing, seemingly unwilling to speak in front of others. Their veils hid their faces and expressions.

The captured thieves admitted that the women had overpowered them with martial skill. Lu Bainian couldn’t verify it, so he instructed the tenants to tie them up and keep them in the woodshed until they could be handed over to the authorities the next day.

The tenant who belonged to Lu’s own manor cried and begged Lu Bainian for mercy.

Lu Bainian scanned the crowd.

He thought: wealth doesn’t guarantee a good heart, but poverty often breeds schemes—and now he had witnessed it firsthand.

With so many watching, if he didn’t deal with these thieves properly, others might grow bold. So he refused to show mercy and insisted they be taken to the authorities.

It was already late, and no one would dare escort the women back to the mountain at night. Nor could they return to town in the dark. So, Lu Bainian offered them lodging.

“Traveling at night is unsafe, and visibility is poor. If the ladies don’t mind, you’re welcome to stay here for a few days. Once the harvest is finished, I can escort you personally.”

After all, the women had helped him catch thieves—he owed them.

Although Lu Bainian was known to appreciate beauty, he didn’t harbor any untoward thoughts toward them.

Besides, women traveling at night—unless they had good reason—might be seen as something otherworldly. Even the tenants looked at them with a hint of wariness.

As he finished speaking, Qingluan lifted her veil.

Her eyes were as cool as the moon, her skin pale as snow, and her lips red without needing any makeup—so stunning that Lu Bainian froze.

Though he had seen much of the world, he had never seen beauty like this.

But her beauty was so serene and ethereal that it evoked reverence, not lust—like seeing a goddess.

Qingluan glanced him up and down, then said: “Then, we shall impose.”

Snapping out of his daze, Lu Bainian quickly had a room prepared for the two women.

That night passed peacefully. The next morning, after breakfast, Lu Bainian checked the fields and then asked Le’er about the guests.

Upon hearing they were up, he went to visit them.

After all, they looked like goddesses—what business did they have wandering the night?

If they were in hiding, why come out now?

When he arrived at their room, he made sure the doors and windows were open, then asked them directly.

“There have been strange omens and unusual weather lately—signs of disaster. Our sect practices astrology and geomancy. We came down the mountain to avoid calamity.”

Lu Bainian, willing to believe just in case, asked respectfully, “May I ask where you are headed to avoid this disaster?”

“Your face shows extraordinary fortune. Just follow your path—you don’t need to ask further,” Qingluan replied.

“As for us, we’re heading north. Before our master passed away, she said Qinghe County was filled with rising dragon energy and a red glow—signs that someone of great destiny is there. We plan to stay there for a while to find this noble person.”

Lu Bainian thought, I live in Qinghe County—I’ve met everyone from magistrates to beggars. No one seems particularly noble.

In terms of nobility, these two women were the most exceptional he had ever seen.

“With such appearance, both of you are like immortals. Have you already arranged a place to stay in Qinghe?”

“We haven’t,” said Hongyu, the charming young woman with apricot eyes.

Lu Bainian smiled. “In that case, if you don’t mind, you’re welcome to stay at my home.”

“We’re wandering martial artists… will your mother mind?” Qingluan asked, thinking the Lu family matriarch might take issue.

Lu Bainian quickly replied, “You’ve done me a great favor. My mother is kind and reasonable—she won’t object.”

Qingluan smiled. “I’ve heard of Madam Lu’s kindness and generosity. Then we shall gratefully accept.”

Lu Bainian, now curious, asked, “You’ve heard of our Lu family before?”

Hongyu smiled. “Though we live in seclusion, we’re not cut off from the world. Qinghe is nearby—how could we not know?”

Lu Bainian chuckled awkwardly—he had assumed they were completely isolated.

Back at the Lu residence, Wen Ruyu sneezed three times in a row.

Chuntao, her maid, noticed: “Madam, you were too indulgent last night! I told you not to drink so much sour plum juice in this heat.”

Wen Ruyu smiled, knowing she had been greedy.

“This heat ruins my appetite. Without something cool, I can’t eat.”

The household had bought some ice for summer. Yesterday, the kitchen made sour plum soup. She had three bowls of the chilled drink.

Fortunately, she didn’t get an upset stomach—just caught a slight chill, hence the sneezing.

It wasn’t serious enough to call a doctor—sweating a bit would be enough.

While chatting, Zhao Shu came in to discuss hiring a tutor for Lu Qing.

She already had a few candidates—scholars with good reputations in the county.

Wen Ruyu had no objections and said, “Wait for Songnian to return and let him decide.”

Zhao Shu agreed, then asked when new clothes should be made this year.

They usually made new clothes in September. With many people in the family, only Jin Nian was home studying.

Zhao Shu thought to measure the others first, and measure the men when they returned.

“These past few months, Mingzhu and Rong’er have grown a lot. Their clothes need to be sized up.”

Qin Rong, who had been 1.4 meters tall, had suddenly shot up to 1.5 meters—likely thanks to better nutrition.

Even Lu Mingzhu’s old clothes were now too short for her.

Just as they were talking about her, Qin Rong walked out from the house.

Zhao Shu called her over, pulling the girl close and looking her up and down with a smile.

Qin Rong’s expression stayed calm. Maybe she didn’t like being pulled around, but she stayed quiet.

She was like a little wooden doll—because she couldn’t speak, she seemed even more pitiful and endearing to the women in the Lu family.

Zhao Shu chuckled, “You’re just like a boy. Didn’t grow much as a child, but now you’re shooting up. Eating like a boy, too! But where’s the meat going?”

Wen Ruyu found this a little odd.

Just then, someone came to report that news had arrived from the Xu family: Qin Fu was pregnant—two to three months along.

Qin Fu had wanted to conceive, so Wen Ruyu and Zhao Shu were genuinely happy for her.

In that moment, Wen Ruyu forgot all else.

Zhao Shu, who knew Qin Rong’s background, smiled and said to her, “Your young mistress is pregnant now. Why aren’t you happy, little wooden doll?”

Qin Rong seemed shy, withdrew her hand, and silently returned to her room.

Wen Ruyu, watching from the side, said to Zhao Shu, “She’s just shy—you’re teasing her too much.”

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