Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 64 Princess Anguo

Seeing Ning Jing's expression, Lu Zheng couldn't help but laugh and said, "It's just a joke, don't take it seriously, young lady."

Ning Jing raised her eyebrows and said, "I don't think Mr. Lu is joking. I'm waiting for the day when you become a Juren of Heaven and Earth."

Ning Jing paused and continued, "If Mr. Lu really becomes a scholar of heaven and earth, why worry about attracting attention? The Anguo court will naturally protect you."

Lu Zheng shook his head slightly when he heard this. He was a scholar of heaven and earth, and even some students in the county wanted to compete with him.

If this becomes famous in Anguo in the future, I don’t know what kind of trouble it will cause.

Lu Zheng said slowly, "I see that you are a person who has traveled extensively and is quite knowledgeable. How could you not know how treacherous people are? Let alone protecting the country, what if other countries become jealous and try to assassinate you? I've heard that assassinations of talented officials from other countries happen quite often among the Nine Kingdoms..."

Although Lu Zheng did not know the specific situation of the Nine Countries, he had heard of such things a few times.

If the world was peaceful and stable, why would he rush out to study and improve his strength just after becoming a scholar?

Ning Jing couldn't help but ask, "Master Lu, do you think the imperial court can't protect you?"

"Hard to say."

Ning Jing felt an inexplicable emotion and said, "It seems that Master Lu has some complaints about the Anguo court."

"Uh..." Lu Zheng just smiled, "I don't know what the court is like, but I have a basic understanding of people's hearts."

Ning Jing was speechless for a moment when she heard this, not knowing how to refute.

She thought for a moment and asked, "Mr. Lu, you're only a scholar now, yet you care about the people and fight harm for them. Why do you shrink back when you think about becoming a scholar of heaven and earth? Don't you want to become an official and better benefit the people?"

Being an official? Lu Zheng thought to himself that he had never thought about this.

He had only been out studying for a few days, but he felt that being a good local official was not an easy task.

Lu Zheng said softly, "I don't understand the ways of being an official, but I know that being a good person and doing good things doesn't necessarily make you a good official... I heard that Dean Beishan of Kaiyang County is a man of integrity and upright character. He once served in the imperial court, but his career didn't go smoothly, so he returned to Kaiyang County to teach and educate people."

"Xiao Beishan?" Ning Jing suddenly thought of such a person.

He did have a good reputation, but he was marginalized in the court and eventually resigned.

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "Whether you are a scholar or a juren, I am not slaying demons and eliminating evil for fame and fortune. I am not an official but I can do good deeds and accumulate virtue. Why would I enter the corrupt officialdom?"

Lu Zheng suddenly thought of the words of his predecessors and said with an open mind, "I have learned all these skills to serve myself and the people, but how can I bow down and serve the powerful and wealthy and make myself unhappy?"

Ning Jing was shocked when she heard this and remained silent.

The two of them walked down the mountain lightly and finally came to a mountain path.

Lu Zheng turned to look at Ning Jing beside him, clasped his hands together and said, "It seems we have to go our separate ways, Miss Ning. The road ahead is long, we'll meet again later!"

Ning Jing looked at Lu Zheng deeply and saluted in return.

Lu Zheng sneered and strode away towards the path.

Ning Jing stood there without moving until Lu Zheng disappeared.

Her expression darkened slightly, one hand resting on the whip at her waist, and she said in a cold voice, "Who is hiding? Why don't you come out and see me?"

"cough……"

A cough was heard, and Qingxuan appeared on the path.

Qing Xuan looked at the woman in green before him, raised his hand and politely saluted, "I am Qing Xuan, the poor Taoist priest, and I pay my respects to the Princess of Anguo."

Qingxuan had a complicated expression. He was just following Lu Zheng, but he didn't expect to meet the eldest princess of Anguo here, and his whereabouts were discovered by the other party.

Princess An Jing of Anguo is not just a vase princess kept in the deep palace. She is quite capable and talented, and has a certain influence in the court of Anguo.

He belongs to the Anguo sect and is a staunch supporter of the fourth young prince of Anguo. An Jing looked at Qingxuan with a frown on his face, "Master Qingxuan? Why are you here?"

The two had met several times before, so An Jing quickly remembered it.

Qing Xuan looked embarrassed and quickly explained, "I am not following the princess, but I was asked to secretly protect Mr. Lu."

"Huh?" An Jing was surprised when she heard that, but she quickly connected the things.

An Jing said, "The Taoist priest is good friends with Xiao Shan. Could that scholar Lu be Xiao Shan's disciple?"

Thinking that these three people were all in Kaiyang County, An Jing couldn't help but guess the relationship between them.

Qing Xuan smiled and said, "That's not the case, it's just that there is some connection."

Qing Xuan paused and asked doubtfully, "I still don't know why the princess is here? Could something big have happened in the court?"

The eldest princess usually stays in the capital, but now she appears alone in the remote Kaiyang County, which makes people think a lot.

"Everything is fine in the court, nothing happened. I just came out for a walk." An Jing shook his head.

"Oh." Qingxuan nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

An Jing thought that Taoist Qingxuan had a good reputation and some skills, so he might be able to help.

She whispered again, "To be honest, Taoist Priest, I came south this time for an important matter."

"Uh……"

Qingxuan thought that his trip to Kaiyang County was really not going well.

Qing Xuan bowed and said, "Princess, please feel free to speak up. If I can help, I will do my best."

An Jing said, "The Imperial Astronomical Observatory said that there is dragon energy in the south of our country, and asked me to come here to look for opportunities."

"Dragon Qi?" Qingxuan was surprised.

The birth of dragon energy can refer to the appearance of a real dragon or a dragon vein, or it can refer to a genius with great fortune, or the birth of some divine creature.

"This one……"

Qingxuan suddenly thought of someone, Lu Zheng.

An Jing noticed that Qing Xuan's expression was different and couldn't help asking, "Master, do you have any clues?"

Qing Xuan looked embarrassed. "I'm not good at the art of observing qi, so I don't know what this dragon qi represents. But if it's someone outstanding, then that scholar Lu just now might be the one the eldest princess is looking for."

"he?"

An Jing's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.

She didn't know why Qingxuan had such a high opinion of Lu Zheng.

"Why do you say that, Taoist priest?" An Jing asked curiously.

Qing Xuan shook his head and sighed, "I have already said some things that I shouldn't have said, and I dare not say any more. This is just my own words, and it may not be the dragon energy that the princess is looking for."

An Jing was surprised and suspicious, "Could it be that you also think he can become a Tiandi Juren?"

"A man of heaven and earth?" Qing Xuan was stunned for a moment, then said, "Don't look at anything indecent, don't listen to anything indecent. I didn't dare to listen to anything the princess and Lu Zheng said just now."

An Jing looked puzzled, thinking to himself, you've been following me secretly all the way, can this be considered polite?

Facing An Jing's eyes, Qingxuan twitched the corners of his mouth. If he didn't have a good friend like Xiaoshan, why would he act like this?
(End of this chapter)