Chapter 1176: Winning Hearts and Minds, Brother Lang is a Pro.

Guo Yuyao wiped away the remaining tears from the corners of her eyes, her eyes shining with the light of relief after surviving a disaster: "If it weren't for your rescue, sir, I'm afraid I would never have seen Lu Lang again in this lifetime."

As she spoke, she turned to look at Lin Lang and gave him a deep bow, saying, "Thank you for your kindness in saving me, my lord. Lu Lang and I will never forget it."

Lin Lang smiled faintly and said, "A gentleman helps others achieve their goals; such a small act of kindness is not worth mentioning."

Lu Zhaolin said with deep gratitude, "I will never forget your great kindness, and I will repay you with my life!" His voice trembled slightly, as if he was overwhelmed with emotion.

Just then, a shop assistant carrying several doses of herbal medicine walked into the courtyard and said, "Young Master Lu, Lord Wei has once again entrusted our pharmacy to deliver medicine to you."

Lu Zhaolin hurriedly stepped forward to accept the Chinese medicinal herbs, and said gratefully, "Thank you so much. Please pass on a message to my friend Brother Wei to thank him for his help."

"Yes, Young Master Lu, I will certainly pass on the message. I will take my leave now."

"Take care on your journey." Lu Zhaolin cupped his hands in greeting.

After the pharmacy clerk left, Lin Lang asked, "Shengzhi, is the Brother Wei you mentioned the same Wei Fangzhi, the Crown Prince's attendant?"

The Crown Prince's Attendant was an official position within the Crown Prince's Palace during the Tang Dynasty.

To put it simply, they were the confidential secretaries who served the crown prince, accompanying him in his studies, dealing with guests, drafting documents, and delivering imperial edicts, etc. They were trusted officials by the crown prince's side.

Because Lin Lang was the godfather of Crown Prince Li Hong, he often saw Wei Fangzhi, a courtier of the Crown Prince, by his godson Li Hong's side. Wei Fangzhi was upright and quite talented, and he left a good impression on Lin Lang.

Lu Zhaolin, carrying Chinese herbal medicine, replied, "That's right. If it weren't for Brother Wei and Fan Libing pulling strings after I was wrongfully imprisoned, I would probably still be in jail right now. Thanks to Brother Wei and several former colleagues for their secret help, I was able to see the light of day again!"

Upon hearing this, Guo Yuyao burst into tears, heartbroken at the injustice suffered by Lu Zhaolin. She took the Chinese herbal medicine from Lu Zhaolin's hand and said with tears in her eyes, "I will go and prepare the medicine for Lu Lang right away."

Lin Lang said, "No need. I will do a good deed to the end today and cure Shengzhi's wind disease so that he will be free from the torment of the disease."

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhaolin trembled, his eyes filled with disbelief, and his voice trembled with excitement: "Master, can the stubborn illness I contracted in prison really be cured?"

He raised his hand and pressed it against his deformed and swollen joints. The pain and stiffness of that type of rheumatoid arthritis would continue to worsen, eventually leading to physical deformity, bedridden status, and inability to take care of himself.

Lin Lang stepped forward slowly, his expression calm yet carrying an undeniable certainty: "Of course it's true."

After saying that, he stretched out his right hand, triggered the [Healing Hand] skill, and a layer of warm, soft light emanated from his palm, gently covering Lu Zhaolin's shoulder.

A warm current instantly spread from my shoulders, permeating my limbs and bones like spring rain nourishing the fields. My stiff and sore joints began to feel slightly warm, and the chronic aches and pains subsided at a visible speed.

Lu Zhaolin's eyes widened as he felt that strange power coursing through his body. His once stiff joints gradually regained their flexibility, and his swollen knees were no longer stiff.

Even the muscles in his legs, which had atrophied from long-term imprisonment, felt a tingling, itchy sensation, as if new life was quietly growing.

In just a moment, Lin Lang withdrew his palm, and the soft light dissipated.

Lu Zhaolin subconsciously moved his limbs, and his body, which had been sore and uncomfortable, was miraculously healed. He felt very comfortable all over, and his sense of strength was miraculously restored.

"Whoa!" Lu Zhaolin looked down at his hands, which had returned to normal, in disbelief. He then stomped his feet lightly and felt a solid sensation under his feet, without any stiffness or pain.

Overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, he grabbed Guo Yuyao beside him and knelt down in front of Lin Lang with a thud.

Seeing Lu Zhaolin regain his former radiance, Guo Yuyao's tears flowed again, but this time they were no longer filled with sorrow, but with extreme joy and gratitude. She and Lu Zhaolin kowtowed together, their foreheads hitting the ground heavily.

"Your Excellency's kindness in saving us is higher than the sky and deeper than the sea! My husband and I have no way to repay you, and we are willing to serve you like dogs and horses for all eternity!" Guo Yuyao's voice trembled.

Lu Zhaolin choked up and kowtowed three times to Lin Lang, his voice hoarse but full of sincerity.

"Not only did the Master take me in as a retainer and bestow silver upon me, but he also redeemed Yuyao from her servitude and cured my illness. I could never repay even a fraction of this kindness and grace, even if I were to repay it with my life!"

"From now on, whatever you need me to do, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

From then on, Lu Zhaolin became Lin Lang's loyal retainer. He and Guo Yuyao knelt on the ground, unwilling to get up for a long time. Their eyes were filled with gratitude and respect. They looked at Lin Lang as if they were looking at a god who had reshaped their lives.

Seeing this scene, Lin Lang felt a warm feeling in his heart and said with a smile, "Get up quickly. You two have been separated for a long time and must have a lot to say. I won't disturb you any longer."

"Respectfully seeing off the old man!" Lu Zhaolin and Guo Yuyao helped each other to their feet, watching Lin Lang leave with deep gratitude.

After the two of them were left alone in the courtyard, Lu Zhaolin helped Guo Yuyao sit on the stone bench and asked her in detail about her experiences over the past two years.

From her helplessness singing in brothels to the torment of waiting day and night, and then to the ecstasy of their reunion, Guo Yuyao recounted everything in a calm tone, yet it made Lu Zhaolin's heart ache.

Lu Zhaolin hugged Guo Yuyao tightly: "You've suffered so much, Yuyao. Now I am a retainer of the Shanghai Emperor, and no one will dare to bully me anymore. From now on, I will protect you and never let you suffer any grievances again."

Guo Yuyao leaned on Lu Zhaolin's shoulder, feeling his warm body temperature and strong heartbeat, and felt a sense of peace in her heart: "With Lu Lang here, I am not afraid of anything."

She looked up at the silver strands at Lu Zhaolin's temples and gently stroked them. "Lu Lang's health still needs to be taken good care of. I will cook for you every day to nourish your body and give you another son."

Lu Zhaolin took Guo Yuyao's hand and kissed it lightly: "Okay, I'll do whatever you say. With Dongweng as our support, we can say goodbye to our days of wandering."

With tears in her eyes and a smile in them, Guo Yuyao said, "We can never repay your kindness in this lifetime. Lu Lang, you must make achievements in the literary world and then pursue an official career to repay your kindness."

"Yes." Lu Zhaolin nodded heavily, hugged Guo Yuyao whom he had been thinking about day and night, and a relieved smile appeared on his face.

The warm sunlight filtered through the branches of the old trees in the courtyard, casting dappled shadows that stretched the two figures embracing long.

The seven red beans in the silver box on the table shone even brighter in the sunlight, reflecting the two hearts that had been lost and found again, and that they never wanted to be separated again.

In the years that followed, a quiet courtyard appeared in Chang'an. The sound of a pipa and the fragrance of ink often wafted from the courtyard. A devoted couple spent the rest of their lives fulfilling their vows of eternal love.

Those seven red beans have always been treasured in the brocade box, becoming the warmest witness to this timeless love story.

At the same time, Lin Lang had already appeared on Suzaku Street and met up with Sun Yizhen at the coordinates indicated by the system.

Lin Lang followed the noise and walked quickly forward. In the distance, he saw a simply decorated but sturdy carriage parked next to a porcelain stall. Sun's father was bending over and carefully carrying a stack of celadon bowls and plates onto the carriage. He was holding the rim of the bowls with his fingertips, afraid of knocking or breaking them. His face was beaming with joy, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were all squeezed together.

"Dad, you've really gone on a massive shopping spree!" Sun Yizhen said, helping to hand over a Tang Dynasty folk kiln blue and white porcelain plate, her eyes full of helpless yet doting smiles.

Sun's mother stood beside the carriage, holding two strings of newly bought agate beads in her hands. She was checking the brightly colored Shu brocade on the carriage, muttering to herself, "These Shu brocades, a specialty of the Tang Dynasty, are so beautiful! They would be so high-class to make clothes in modern times."

Sun Yizhen smiled and said, "Yes! And these terracotta figurines, they look so cute, they would definitely be antiques if brought back to modern times."

Because Son Ye-jeong and her family of three all speak Korean, the vendors couldn't understand them.

The carriage, purchased at a high price on short notice, was already piled high with various porcelain bowls, plates, and pots from Tang Dynasty folk kilns, as well as wooden carvings and bamboo food boxes.

There were even two pots of peonies in full bloom on the carriage, and several strings of dried herbs and sachets hanging under the eaves, a veritable feast.

Lin Lang strode forward and greeted her, "My beloved concubine, I'm back."

Sun Yizhen turned around with a charming smile and gave Lin Lang a sweet smile: "Your Majesty, you've returned so quickly. Have you brought Guo Shi back and reunited this star-crossed couple?"

Lin Lang replied with a smile, "I have successfully brought Guo back to Chang'an and sent her to Lu Zhaolin's temporary residence. The two of them have been reunited."

"Hehe...That's great! Lovers have finally gotten together." Son Ye-jeong smiled playfully and happily.

Sun's father straightened up, wiped the thin layer of sweat from his forehead, and waved to Lin Lang.

"My dear son-in-law is back! Look at all these! They're all top-quality Tang Dynasty folk kiln porcelains. They look simple, but they're genuine antiques! If we bring them back to the modern world, your mother-in-law and I will be rich!"

As he spoke, he picked up a porcelain bowl with lotus patterns, stroking the patterns on the bowl's surface, his eyes shining as if he were eyeing money.

Sun's mother also came over, smiling as she showed off the jade bracelet on her wrist: "My dear son-in-law, look how smooth this jade is. It's more authentic than modern jade. I'm so glad I came to the Tang Dynasty."

Sun Yizhen shook her head helplessly: "Your Majesty, if you don't come back soon, my parents will move the entire Zhuque Street back home."

"At first, they only picked out small items, but they became more and more addicted to buying, saying that they wanted to bring back as many items as possible. In the end, they couldn't carry any more, so they simply bought a horse-drawn carriage on the street to transport the goods back to the modern world." Sun Yizhen couldn't help but laugh as she said this.

Looking at the car full of "antiques" and then at the undisguised joy on his parents-in-law's faces, Lin Lang couldn't help but smile and say, "As long as you and your parents-in-law like them, it's fine to buy more."

Mr. Sun was still enthusiastically adding one last blue-and-white porcelain wine pot to the car, muttering to himself, "This wine pot has a unique design. If I bring it back to the modern world and display it at home, it will be a Tang Dynasty antique, which will definitely make me look good."

Lin Lang stepped forward to help him steady the car. Looking at the car full of belongings and then at Sun Yizhen beside him with a warm smile, the warmth in his eyes deepened.

With a beaming smile, Sun's mother said, "Husband, just buy these antiques and bring them back to the modern world. Our daughter is pregnant and shouldn't be overworked. It's time for our son-in-law to take us home so Yizhen can rest for a while."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Sun nodded repeatedly in agreement, saying, "Yes, yes, yes."

“My dear son-in-law, let’s travel back to the modern era now. When we get home, have your mother-in-law cook some of her signature dishes, and the two of us, father-in-law and son-in-law, can drink some fine wine from Chang’an and celebrate Yizhen’s pregnancy as a family of four.”