Journey to the West: Cultivation Begins at Jindou Mountain

Chapter 357 The Calamity of the Lü Family
"It has been so many years since I last saw Daoist Jin Lingzi, yet you remain unchanged from back then. You truly are a living immortal."

In the Lu family's own restaurant, on the second floor by the window, a woman dressed in luxurious clothes was sitting opposite a Taoist priest in gray robes. The table was laden with delicious food, and they were chatting happily.

Master Jin Lingzi smiled and said:

"You're too kind, Madam. It's also your good fortune that you met me just as the young master was about to give birth. Even if I hadn't told you about this, I'm sure you would have been fine."

"You are too modest, Daoist Master."

The woman picked up the wine pot on the table and filled the wine cup in front of Jin Lingzi.

She was the eldest daughter of a wealthy family and fell in love at first sight with Lü Qing, a young and promising county magistrate. The two families hit it off and supported each other. This restaurant was part of her dowry.

"I have never forgotten that the Taoist priest gave me a jade pendant for free back then, and this jade pendant really did help me recover my health quickly, just as the Taoist priest said."

"A renowned physician from Daojun Medical Clinic examined this jade pendant before, and he said it was no ordinary object; it was priceless."

"Actually, my master went to look for you the very next day, but unfortunately he never saw you. Now, more than ten years have passed, and I am fortunate to see you again today. I should have personally invited my master to thank you and toast you, but unfortunately, he had to rush to the capital."

As Madam Lü spoke, she raised her teacup and bowed solemnly to the person opposite her.

"Although I do not drink alcohol, I am truly grateful to you, Daoist Master. Please allow me to offer you a cup of tea instead of wine."

"Master Jin Lingzi, please~"

"Okay, okay~"

Master Jin Lingzi nodded with a smile, picked up the wine cup in front of him, returned the greeting to the woman opposite him, and then drank the wine in the cup in one gulp.

Master Jin Lingzi put down his wine cup and nodded in satisfaction.

"Excellent wine, truly excellent wine. This wine must be at least forty years old. Thank you so much, Madam Lü, for your hospitality."

"Not at all, Daoist Master, you're too kind."

Madam Lü's smile deepened considerably. In any case, being able to make her guests happy and satisfied brought her a sense of relief.

However, when Master Jin Lingzi put down his wine cup and looked at Madam Lü across from him, his smile faded and he sighed softly.

"only."

When Madam Lü saw the Daoist Jin Lingzi opposite her like this, her heart skipped a beat, and a faint sense of unease arose spontaneously.

She managed a weak smile.

"Master, but the food doesn't suit your taste. I'll go and tell the chef in the kitchen to get you a different dish."

"No need to trouble yourself, Madam Lü. The head chef you hired for your restaurant is quite famous throughout the city, and the food is naturally delicious and visually appealing. What I'm lamenting is not this matter."

Master Jin Lingzi looked at Madam Lü across from him with a somewhat serious expression.

"Since you treat me with such sincerity, I will speak frankly."

"I noticed that Madam's complexion is rather poor today. I just did some calculations, and it seems that Madam's husband is in some trouble."

"What?! This?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Lü's face turned pale, and she became somewhat flustered.

She suddenly remembered that Lü Qing had been somewhat restless and uneasy before he left, his face stiff all day, and his condition before leaving was quite abnormal. Now, hearing what Daoist Jin Lingzi said, she immediately connected all the dots, and her heart grew even more uneasy.

Master Jin Lingzi comforted him:

"Madam, please don't be impatient. Let me finish speaking."

"It seems that your lord's official career has encountered a great obstacle and may be coming to an end."

"Presumably, Master Lü Qing is on his way back to his hometown, but there seems to be some tail following him with ill intentions. Fortunately, Master Lü is very lucky and will surely turn misfortune into good fortune."

Upon hearing this, especially the last four words, "turning misfortune into good fortune," Madam Lü finally breathed a sigh of relief, her face showing some relief as she patted her chest repeatedly.

"It's good that we can turn bad luck into good luck, it's good that nothing happens. As long as we are safe, it doesn't matter whether we become officials or not."

She was attracted to Lü Qing back then because she was captivated by his handsome face and literary talent. It wasn't because she wanted to become the wife of a county magistrate, but because she was drawn to Lü Qing himself.

Fortunately, after so many years, time has finally proven that she was not mistaken back then. The two of them have lived happily together for so many years. Even though Lü Qing's official career was smooth and he rose through the ranks, he has never cheated on her.

As long as Lü Qing is safe, whether he holds an official position or not is not something she needs to worry about. Over the years, her dowry alone has been enough to support the Lü family, who have always been managed by her.

Master Jin Lingzi shook his head slightly and said:
“Madam, Master Lü was able to escape danger, but the tail behind him is not so easy to shake off. After all, the other party came with the intention of killing him to silence him. If they fail to kill Master Lü, they will probably not let it go.”

“I advise you, Madam, to return to the Lü residence as soon as possible to take stock of your family’s wealth and pack your belongings. Wait for Master Lü to return so that you can leave here with him. This way, you can avoid this disaster, prevent harm to your family, and prevent harm to the innocent.”

"This"

Upon hearing this, Madam Lü hesitated only for a moment before quickly nodding and saying to Daoist Jin Lingzi:

"Thank you for your guidance, Daoist Master. If our family can avoid this calamity, we will never forget your great kindness!"

"mother!"

As soon as Madam Lü finished speaking, a clear, youthful voice called out from the corner of the second floor of the restaurant. Madam Lü quickly turned around and saw Xiao Lian walking briskly towards them with her youngest son.

When Lü Yan saw his mother, a happy smile appeared on his face. However, his natural intelligence quickly revealed that his mother did not look well, and his smile slowly faded.

"Mother, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Madam Lü looked at her youngest son and maid Xiaolian, who had approached with worried expressions, and forced a smile.

"Mother is fine, don't worry."

"Xiao Lian, hurry back to the Lü residence and gather all the servants. I will give you instructions when I return."

Although Xiaolian didn't know what had happened, she and the lady had developed a good understanding over the years and knew that something big must have happened for the lady to have such an expression.

"Yes, madam, I'll go right away."

As Xiaolian spoke, she quickly turned and walked out of the restaurant.

Madam Lü turned to look at Daoist Jin Lingzi, and shook Lü Yan's hand.

"Yan'er, this is the Daoist Jin Lingzi that your father and I often talk about."

After Madam Lü finished speaking, she introduced him to Daoist Jin Lingzi opposite her:
"Master, this is my youngest son, Lü Yan, the child you predicted back then."

(End of this chapter)