Great Zhou Martial Immortal

Chapter 13 Golden Lion
Lu Chenyuan did not go directly to the princess's residence. Instead, he went home first, took some spices from the shelf, and made a simple sachet with Ke'er. He wore it on his body before heading to the princess's residence to see Yuan Qingshuang.

Around noon, a caravan from the Western Regions came to the shop to deliver goods. Lu Yashan was busy receiving them. After he finished receiving the goods and returned to the backyard, Lu Chenyuan had already left. Only Lu Ke'er was cleaning up the leftovers in the house.

The little girl had a strange expression on her face, and would occasionally pick up a spice and smell it. When she saw Lu Yashan come in, she pouted and looked aggrieved: "Father, you're being unfair!"

"How is this favoritism?"

Lu Yashan looked around: "Where's your brother? What's the rush? Did he get beaten up again?"

"No."

The little girl pouted and said, "My brother is fine, he didn't get beaten. He came back and asked me to help him mix a kind of incense..."

Lu Yashan became increasingly puzzled: "What fragrance? Why are you blending perfume? Tell your father."

The little girl pointed to the remaining face powder on the table: "This is it."

Lu Yashan was puzzled. He walked closer to examine it closely, picked up a little powder, and put it to his nose to smell it. Instantly, he smelled a strange fragrance that was cool, light, and refreshing. He was secretly amazed.

He was a master perfumer; he could tell at a sniff that this fragrance was extraordinary!
It smells so good!

Lu Yashan sniffed for a moment, then murmured, "Spirit grass, mint, knotweed, silver vine and kudzu flower, ghee oil, amoxibustion, snow pear syrup, sandalwood, amber, musk... and one more, hmm... what is this fragrance? It's a bit strange. At first, it smells like chewing borneol. After three breaths, the clear aroma of knotweed penetrates from the Baihui point (crown of the head). When the sandalwood and musk settle to the bottom, the silver vine and kudzu flower, along with the sweet and moist snow pear, slowly return to the throat, filling the body with the scent of pine breeze and bamboo dew. It smells wonderful! Ke'er, what's this fragrance called? Did your brother mix it?"

"Eh?"

Lu Ke'er's expression became even stranger, and she tilted her head, saying, "Dad, isn't this what you taught me? You only teach my brother, never me..."

"When did I..."

Lu Yashan paused, then asked in surprise, "This is your brother's prescription?!"

"correct."

Lu Ke'er said, "This incense is so troublesome. I couldn't help at all. I could only help him steam the wood tian jiao and grind the amo xiang. My brother did all the remaining steps himself. After he finished, he said that he was in a hurry and it would have to be made do with what he had..."

It'll have to do...

Lu Yashan's eyelids twitched, and he asked, "Where's the prescription? Where is it?"

"No."

Lu Ke'er said, "It was dictated by my brother."

Lu Yashan's expression changed slightly, and he said in a low voice, "Ke'er, put these spices away carefully. Remember to bring a sachet when you go out to play this afternoon to cover up the smell, understand?"

Lu Ke'er understood: "Dad, isn't the fragrance my brother made amazing?"

Lu Yashan nodded: "This incense is extraordinary, and I'm afraid its origins are unusual. It's too strong for a woman to wear, but it's perfect for a man. This kid probably stole the incense recipe from the princess's residence. I'll teach him a lesson when he gets back tonight! Until then, don't use this indiscriminately. If someone knowledgeable smells it, it'll cause trouble again."

Lu Ke'er nodded repeatedly: "I understand, but don't worry, Father, my brother wouldn't do such a thing. If he had such thoughts, how could he have become the head of the household just a few days ago?"

"Uh……"

Looking into the little girl's clear eyes, Lu Yashan was somewhat speechless.

Also.

This blockhead has such a handsome face, even peacocks know to spread their tails when courting, but he never takes care of himself. He doesn't even react when peach blossoms fall on him. If he were even a little bit smarter, he wouldn't still be unmarried.

Every time I bring up marriage to him, he gives me a look that says, "The Xiongnu have not been destroyed yet, how can I have a home?" It's really hard to believe that someone with only a second-level cultivation level would put on such a shameless act of serving the country and its people.

Huo Qubing was already at the peak of the fifth realm at the age of twenty!
This brat...

Lu Yashan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "That's good. It's good that you've come to your senses. No matter what happens in the future, knowing how to take care of yourself and please the princess will at least make things easier for you in the manor."

"But……"

Lu Ke'er's expression was strange: "He's not trying to please the princess... Brother said he's trying to please the big cat in the princess's residence..."

Lu Yashan's face instantly darkened.

……

When Lu Chenyuan requested permission to pass through the princess's residence, Yuan Qingshuang was accompanying Li Lingyue to Xiaoxiang Pavilion to review intelligence.

The Kite Guard has many eyes and ears, and the tasks they handle are both varied and complex, involving intelligence from various countries, border military affairs, Central Plains sects, rare and precious materials, divine skills and secret techniques, and many other categories.

Most of the intelligence was handled by the clerks in the government office, but some of the more important information required the cooperation of two people.

As they were going through the records, a guard suddenly announced: Lu Chenyuan requests an audience with Steward Yuan.

"Lu Chenyuan?"

Yuan Qingshuang was secretly puzzled. It had only been a morning since she last saw him, so why was he back again?

She glanced at Li Lingyue, but Li Lingyue seemed not to hear her, her eyes fixed on the case files.

Yuan Qingshuang asked, "What does Lord Lu have to say?"

The guard said, "He said he wanted to go to the beast shed and asked the Lion King for help in solving the case. Please inform the princess that he has given permission."

"Who please?"

Li Lingyue immediately looked up, her face full of curiosity: "Golden Clan?"

Upon hearing the princess's voice, the guard became even more respectful: "Your Highness, that's what he said."

"What the hell is going on?"

Li Lingyue frowned slightly and pondered, "Could it be starting with smell again? Right Jinwu General Yao Yi searched the city with his hounds and found thirty-eight corpses, implicating thirteen officials of the imperial court. These people are still being held in the Jingzhao Prefecture! Not to mention that the Jin Tuan will not listen to him, even if they did, with the Jin Tuan's sense of smell, do you think he can stir up a storm throughout the city?!"

Yuan Qingshuang also found it strange, but Lu Chenyuan didn't seem like someone who lacked discretion. After pondering for a moment, she said, "Your Highness, perhaps he sought out the Lion King because he knew what was good for him?"

Li Lingyue raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean?"

Yuan Qingshuang said, "The greyhounds don't understand human nature and only search for blood. They inevitably go into places that others don't want them to go. To protect themselves, these people will naturally do everything they can to stop them. But the Lion King is different. The Lion King understands human nature, knows human language, and has a keen sense of smell. It can pinpoint the location more precisely and find a suitable place. Moreover, it is the princess's beloved pet, so no one dares to stop it. In this way, it can solve cases swiftly without causing a great uproar."

"Um……"

Li Lingyue was incredibly clever and immediately realized that this made sense.

But could he really have thought of that?

Recalling their previous exchange, Li Lingyue gritted her teeth inwardly. Well, this guy is indeed sharp-tongued and incredibly cunning!

She couldn't quite figure out which of this person's words were true and which were false.

He was the one who mocked her for being blind, he was the one who praised her for having the most beautiful smile, he was the one who stopped acting after getting the official position, and he was the one who praised her behind her back for being as bright as the moon.

Is he just putting on an act, or is he being hypocritical? It feels like his praise is fake, while his criticism is genuine.
Yuan Qingshuang smiled and said, "If the princess has any doubts, why not summon him and ask him?"

"No need."

Li Lingyue waved her hand: "These past few days, quite a few people have come to Jin Tuan for help in solving cases, but this little brat can't even be ordered around by me, and he only gives half the face of his master. He's unruly and rebellious! If he wants to run into a wall, let him go. It'll save us from saying behind his back that I don't care about the big picture!"

"Yes."

Yuan Qingshuang stood up and bowed: "Then this subordinate will take him to the animal enclosure."

Li Lingyue nodded.

Yuan Qingshuang walked out of Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

Li Lingyue sat alone at the table, her right hand supporting half her face, her black hair hanging down, lost in thought. The image of Lu Chenyuan confidently playing chess kept flashing through her mind. This lowly guard had given her quite a few surprises: daring to fight Wu Youji, playing chess exceptionally well, and before the battle at Yuantai, he had hurled insults at everyone, his twisted logic completely prevailing…

It seems he hasn't suffered any losses yet today.

Could he really win over the Jin Group and get that little devil to help him?
A thought flashed through Li Lingyue's mind, and she became interested. The next moment, she stood up and disappeared without a trace.

the other side.

Yuan Qingshuang led Lu Chenyuan to the beast room.

Although it was called a beast's house, the house was even larger than the Lu family's. It was located in the northwest corner of the princess's mansion, with three bays in width and five bays in depth. The roof ridge was gilded, and wind chimes hung from the eaves. It was very grand. There was a plaque above it that read "Lingni Hall". In front of the hall was a garden square pond with gold sand paved at the bottom. Taihu stones stood in the pond, and flowing water was drawn in through a bronze dragon head, which symbolized "gold giving birth to beautiful water". It was extremely luxurious.

Lu Chenyuan, who usually guarded the palace, rarely came to places like this. He secretly clicked his tongue in amazement: "The princess really likes it."

Yuan Qingshuang smiled and said, "It is the beloved pet that the Imperial Preceptor Ye Fashan gave to the princess. It is a descendant of the Hidden Immortal Spirit Pet and has always been proud and arrogant, and it also has the ability to match it. During the princess's seclusion, it protected her day and night and never left her side. In ten years, it killed 432 assassins. The princess complained that it was not affectionate, but in fact she liked it very much."

As they drew closer to the Lingni Palace, music gradually began to drift over.

Yuan Qingshuang explained, "The Lion King resembles the fifth son of the dragon, Suanni, but its temperament is like that of the eldest son of the dragon, Qiuniu. It is fond of quiet and joy, and Her Highness the Princess specially invited musicians to perform for it every day."

"..."

Lu Chenyuan's lips twitched, utterly astonished. This utterly wicked and corrupt feudal ruling class...

I’m so envious!
The two arrived at the palace, where the doors were wide open. Persian gold-threaded carpets covered the bluestone steps, leading into the palace.

The hall was very spacious, with rosewood platforms around the perimeter, the surfaces of which were inlaid with mother-of-pearl to form the Big Dipper. In the center was a Sumeru pedestal carved from white marble, covered with a soft cushion of silver thread. A large cat, which looked like it was gilded, was lying on the Sumeru pedestal, its eyes closed as if it were dozing.

When it curls up, it resembles a giant Maine Coon, with its tail wrapped around its body, its eyes half-closed, and a purring sound like metal striking metal clashing in its throat.

A single gold fire-shaped ornament on her forehead shone brightly.

From the back to the tip of the tail, there are dark gold cloud and thunder patterns, like flowing fire, sometimes visible and sometimes hidden.

A long, fluffy tail sways with the music, constantly leaving streaks of light, its posture languid.

They're living such a comfortable life...

Lu Chenyuan's eyes twitched violently. Judging from the scale of this beast shed, even a single tile could probably be used to buy the Lu family!

Besides the large cat, an old monk sat on the west side of the hall. He had a kind face and was dressed in white. In front of him was a guqin (a seven-stringed zither), which he casually plucked, producing melodious music. Behind him were many musical instruments, including a guzheng (a zither), a jade flute, a set of chimes, a konghou (a type of harp), and a jiegu (a type of drum), all inlaid with gold and jade and of great value. They were obviously all prepared for the cat.

The old monk is playing "Great Music of the Divine Palace".

This piece was played on the day the Wanxiang Divine Palace was completed. Empress Wu Zetian summoned array masters to set up formations and musicians to play it, so that the sound of the zither music could spread throughout the capital and be enjoyed by the people. Lu Chenyuan had also heard it.

The performance of three hundred musicians and nine hundred dancers was indeed grand and magnificent. However, the music incorporated Buddhist concepts, which inevitably gave the listener a sense of tranquility and detachment from worldly desires, making it somewhat unsettling.

The old monk's skill in playing the zither was extremely high. After listening to a few notes, Lu Chenyuan secretly praised his prowess.

Before long, the music came to an end, the old monk pressed down on the strings, and the sound gradually faded away.

The music stopped.

The big cat, Jinni, irritably flicked its tail, knowing that someone was bothering it again, so it simply rolled over and raised its paw to cover its face.

Yuan Qingshuang stepped forward and bowed: "Qingshuang greets Zen Master Yunhe."

The old monk smiled and clasped his hands together: "No need for formalities, please."

"Excuse me."

Yuan Qingshuang bowed again before turning to Lu Chenyuan, a hint of amusement in her eyes. She smiled and said, "Lord Lu, it's up to you. The Lion King is intelligent and understands human language. Just state your request. As for whether I can persuade it, that's beyond my control."

Lu Chenyuan indicated that he understood, took a few steps forward, and came to the foot of the Sumeru pedestal...

Li Lingyue arrived secretly, intending to enjoy watching how Lu Chenyuan would run into trouble.

Good job, Jin Tuan! Get revenge for your master! Bite this bastard to death!
Let him make me angry!

However, just as Lu Chenyuan stepped off the stage, something unexpected happened!

Jin Ni suddenly twitched his nostrils and immediately woke up. The golden ornament on his forehead shone brightly like daylight. He opened his eyes, and his amber pupils seemed to be filled with molten gold. He clearly had the fierce aura of a lion and tiger, but at this moment, he became strangely excited. He rolled over and sat up, staring straight at Lu Chenyuan.

It sniffed again, confirmed its target, and with delight, leaped up, pounced on Lu Chenyuan, and bit his neck!

"careful!"

"shut up!"

Yuan Qingshuang was startled. The person in front of her was an inner guard, not an assassin. He was innocent and had done nothing wrong. How could he be killed indiscriminately? If word got out, who would dare to serve in the Imperial Guard?
The second shout came from Li Lingyue. Seeing the scene, she quickly appeared and flashed into the hall. Even if she doted on the golden lion, it hadn't reached the point where it needed to be fed by humans. Seeing it going berserk, her anger surged, and she gathered energy at her fingertips, shouting, "I've really spoiled you so much that you've become lawless—"

Before she could finish speaking, her eyes suddenly widened.

The golden lion took a bite, but didn't bite down hard. Its teeth lightly touched the skin before it immediately let go. Then it licked the spot it had bitten and rubbed against it. The big cat then lazily lay on Lu Chenyuan's chest, squinting its eyes, lowering its head, rubbing and nuzzling against him, occasionally scratching and biting at his crimson robes, its eyes glazed over as if it were drunk.

"..."

Everyone inside the hall was dumbfounded.

Yuan Qingshuang stopped what she was doing.

Li Lingyue was dumbfounded.

Even the Zen Master Yunhe's clasped hands trembled slightly, and he seemed to have some doubts about life.

He played the zither for a long time in the mansion, using the music to comfort and please the little lion. He knew how proud the lion was, and even with Princess Taiping, it had never been this affectionate. He never expected that it would be so relaxed and unguarded with a stranger today.

"Is it because of the *Golden Palace Sutra*, or...?"

Zen Master Yunhe narrowed his eyes, a flash of golden light passing through them, and chuckled inwardly, "I'm afraid it's both."

Even the most powerful cat is still just a cat...

Lu Chenyuan patted its head, reached into his robes, and took out the simple sachet.

The golden lion's eyes lit up instantly, and it took a deep sniff.

"gave it to you."

Lu Chenyuan smiled and brought the sachet to its mouth.

The materials used in this sachet are very ordinary, with only two more ingredients than those in later men's perfume brands: one is catnip, and the other is catnip.

Both of these materials contain nepetalactone, which can induce a brief excitement or relaxation response in most felines through olfactory stimulation, and also has functions such as aiding digestion and inducing vomiting of hairballs.

Historically, it was discovered that cats had a special reaction to catnip after the large-scale breeding of cats in the Song Dynasty. Now it is the Wu Zhou Dynasty, so it should not have spread on a large scale yet. However, the Golden Lion is not an ordinary feline. Lu Chenyuan originally thought that it would be good if it could have some reaction, but he did not expect it to be so accommodating.

The golden lion put the sachet in its mouth, its eyes gradually regaining their clarity, but it did not leave him, still lying on his chest, its two round eyes constantly examining the person beneath it.

Lu Chenyuan was a little puzzled: "I've already given you the gift, get up."

The golden lion remained motionless.

A man and a cat stared at each other.

……

(End of this chapter)