Chapter 20: The Dragon Awakens

"Xu Manor? Which Xu Manor? In this vast city of Hangzhou, there isn't a single Xu daring enough to meddle in my affairs!"

Niu Ercheng, seeing that Lu Xin was just a child with only three others behind him, felt no fear whatsoever. He Meng and his companions, witnessing Niu Ercheng's arrogant and domineering demeanor, grew equally displeased and set down their teacups.

"Which Xu Manor? In this Yuezhou, who has not heard of Xu Sanjin, the renowned master of Xu Manor? Ha, truly a bull too foolish to know the danger approaching!"

Although He Meng was only a servant of Xu Manor, he had visited Lion Peak Mountain many times and was on good terms with Tian Gui's family. Especially Tian Yuer—everyone who had been up the mountain was somewhat captivated by her. Now, being humiliated by Niu Ercheng, He Meng’s anger boiled within him.

Lu Xin was relieved when He Meng and the others stood up to speak. At such a crucial moment, he feared he might not be able to command them. If Niu Ercheng resorted to violence, with his own fledgling sword skills, he would surely be outmatched.

"Xu Sanjin? Hmph, never heard of him. Boy, you dare call me a dumb bull—seems you don’t want your tongue anymore."

Niu Ercheng was unmoved upon hearing Xu Sanjin’s name, his expression growing even fiercer. Lu Xin’s face changed dramatically, and he steeled himself for a confrontation. Yet just then, a servant behind Niu Ercheng hurried forward and pulled him back a few steps.

"Master, Xu Sanjin is the wealthiest man in all of Jiangnan. Half of our Niu family’s business goes through his hands. Xu Manor is not someone we can afford to provoke. Let’s leave."

"So it’s him! Hmph, Tian Gui truly stumbled upon luck."

Niu Ercheng snorted coldly, glaring at Lu Xin and his companions as if his eyes might blaze forth.

"So that’s all you are—just a bunch of servants from Xu Manor. Fine, for the sake of Master Xu, I’ll let this go today. Little Yuer, your husband will come visit you again next time, hehehe..."

Niu Ercheng turned and left. Lu Xin stepped forward to help Tian Gui up. Yet the old man remained deeply worried for his granddaughter, paying no heed to his own pain, sighing continuously. Though Niu Ercheng was forced to leave this time, Xu Manor’s people could not stay on the mountain forever; after all, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst.

Through subsequent conversation, Lu Xin learned the origins of the trouble. Last year during the Qixi Lantern Festival, Tian Gui had taken Tian Yuer down the mountain to join the festivities. There, a drunken Niu Ercheng chanced upon them and immediately declared he would take Tian Yuer as his fourteenth concubine, pursuing her all the way up Lion Peak Mountain. From then on, Niu Ercheng would bring people to cause trouble every few days. Had Tian Yuer not threatened her life at every turn, he might have succeeded long ago.

"Our little Yuer is only fourteen, while Niu Ercheng is nearly forty. The Niu household is filled with wives and concubines—how could I bear to see her suffer? Her parents passed early, and if I, as her grandfather, cannot protect my only granddaughter, how could I ever face them in the afterlife?"

"Grandfather, don’t say that... It’s all my fault, all my fault..."

Grandfather and granddaughter wept bitterly, and Lu Xin, witnessing this, felt his chest tighten. He thought of Tu Xing, of Xiaoxi Town—hadn’t he himself been just as helpless? In this world, the wealthy take wives at their whim, collude with officials, and even murder without consequence. The poor, their lives thinner than paper, as insignificant as ants.

"I always thought these were plots only seen in dramas, but in truth, this is how people lived in ancient times. How I wish I could return to the modern era and tell everyone—how fortunate it is to live in twenty-first century China!"

"Manager Lu, what did you say?"

"Oh, nothing. Grandfather Tian, just call me Xiao Xin. Don’t worry, we’ll definitely help you with Niu Ercheng."

"No, no, you’re the manager sent by Master Xu himself—I dare not break protocol. Earlier, thank you all so much for your help. I am truly grateful."

...

Because of Niu Ercheng, Lu Xin’s relationship with Tian Gui grew much closer. Tian Yuer took a particular liking to her new younger brother, always asking questions by his side. After lunch at Tian Gui’s home, Lu Xin brought up the matter of pan-fried tea, but Tian Gui admitted he had only experimented out of curiosity and could no longer recall the exact steps, simply striving to bring out the fragrance and sweetness of the tea leaves.

Tea processing was unheard of in the Tang dynasty. The beginning is always the hardest, and Lu Xin had no illusions of instant success. That evening, he purchased several dozen taels worth of tea leaves and descended the mountain. Before leaving, he urged Tian Gui to work out the method and steps for frying tea and to make note of them.

Since taking over the tea business, Lu Xin had been shuttling between Hangzhou and Shanyin County. Autumn faded into spring, and time passed swiftly—a whole year slipped by. During this period, Lu Xin persisted in daily sword practice, regularly taking Bone-strengthening Pills. Over more than a year, not only had his swordsmanship improved somewhat, but his stature had grown considerably. At ten years old, he now stood at a height of one meter sixty-five—such a transformation would be remarkable even in modern times.

Mute Wu said the Bone-strengthening Pills were a secret holy medicine of their clan, used to aid practice and allow rapid physical development. This, too, was why he had earned fame at a young age.

In the second year of Zhenguan, on the tenth day of the eighth month, Lu Xin practiced swordplay on Lion Peak Mountain. Under the bright moonlight, he leapt and bounded among the tea bushes, sword in hand, agile as a monkey. Tian Yuer watched from afar, finding her gaze unable to follow Lu Xin’s speed. With every swing of his sword, the wind swept up fallen branches and leaves, sending them spinning through the air.

"The sword moves like a dragon, the brush brings life—rise!"

Lu Xin shouted, his toes barely touching the ground as he soared into the woods atop the tea mountain. He thrust his sword into the roots of a large tree, and instantly, the ground cracked apart. The massive trunk shuddered, shedding a rain of dried leaves.

"Uncle Wu said that once the first form of the Brushstroke Sword Technique reaches the Small Accomplishment stage, one can shake a tree with the sword. The dragon emerges, striking the vital point. But I still cannot link the moves smoothly. After using the dragon move, my energy disperses, and my strength falters. Sigh, where does the problem lie? Is it because I haven’t cultivated inner force?"

After finishing the final move, Lu Xin panted heavily, his hands and entire body drained of strength. His martial skills were just one step away from the Small Accomplishment stage, but that step seemed harder than scaling the heavens.

Through over a year of relentless practice and the effects of the Bone-strengthening Pills, Lu Xin’s physical condition was excellent; his arm strength and explosive power surpassed even three or five grown men combined. Yet the last two moves of the first form—the dragon’s stroke—remained elusive. Each time he reached the final move, he was thoroughly exhausted and left at the mercy of others.

Seeing Lu Xin walk out of the woods in dejection, Tian Yuer hurried over and wrapped her arms around his neck, her gaze warm, her smile radiant, loving him as if he were her own brother. Yet now, Lu Xin was nearly as tall as Tian Yuer, and looked every inch the handsome youth. The fragrance from her body made him blush instantly. If a stranger had seen this scene, they would have thought these two were young lovers.

"Oh, seeing you so often this year, I didn’t notice much, but my little Xin brother has suddenly grown so tall—a real dashing young man!"

Tian Yuer stood on tiptoe, affectionately ruffling Lu Xin’s hair, her playful smile especially charming. Lu Xin’s cheeks flushed deeper, unable to meet her gaze.

"Yuer, tomorrow morning I must return to Shanyin County. The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming; last year I couldn’t visit Uncle Wu, so I can’t spend this holiday on the mountain."

"You’re leaving? Well, yes, Mid-Autumn is a time to be with family. Just tell Grandpa before you go. By the way, Grandpa said today’s new batch of fried tea is not only rich in flavor but also has perfect color and aroma. You should like it. But since we can’t write, you’ll need to watch Grandpa fry the tea and record the steps yourself."

"Really? Wonderful! I’ve waited more than a year for this day!"

Lu Xin was both surprised and delighted. Tian Yuer’s words were the hope he had waited for night and day. Since asking Tian Gui to experiment with frying tea, he had often stayed on Lion Peak Mountain, attempting it together with the old man. Yet every attempt failed—the tea was either too bitter or too brittle, falling apart as soon as water was poured over it. Over the year, the tea business had earned only a few dozen taels of silver. Though the shop’s business was better than before, at this rate it was uncertain when he would earn the two hundred taels needed.

Back at the bamboo house, Tian Gui had brewed tea and was waiting. Lu Xin took a sip and closed his eyes, savoring the flavor for a long while. The aroma was rich, filling his nose and mouth, invigorating his spirit. The taste was neither sweet nor bitter, but a unique grassy flavor. Yet, upon careful tasting, it sometimes seemed sweet, sometimes bitter, shifting with the mood of the taster. Lu Xin knew with one sip—this was the tea he had been searching for.

"If Manager Lu is pleased, how about giving this tea a name?"

"A name? Let’s call it West Lake Dragon Well Tea."

On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, Lu Xin, with a horse and two crates of tea, returned to Xu Manor. He first brewed a pot for Xu Sanjin; the color, aroma, and taste stunned the master, accustomed as he was to delicacies. Xu Sanjin immediately ordered the tea to be sold as the shop’s signature treasure and instructed all tea merchants to learn the frying method. Lu Xin roughly estimated that, if all went well, he could earn two hundred taels of silver in three to six months. Then, he could leave servitude and head for Chang’an.

"Uncle Wu, I’ve mastered the first form of the Brushstroke Sword Technique, but without inner force, only sword momentum, I lack some power and cannot break through to the Small Accomplishment stage. Yet you said, without reaching that stage, one cannot cultivate inner force. How should I improve?"

On Mid-Autumn night, Lu Xin sought instruction from Mute Wu. But strangely, the whole evening, Mute Wu was restless, often gazing at the night sky, as if searching for something.

"Uncle Wu?"

"Don’t make a sound!"

Suddenly, Mute Wu clamped a hand over Lu Xin’s mouth and nose, signaling him to silence. At the same moment, a multicolored radiance appeared above Xu Manor.