Zhang Zhu

When Shang Xin Ci softens and buys purple maple leaves from the scarred peddler, she tells Uncle Zhang Zhu to pay three primeval stones. He argues the cart is worth two at most and warns that three would draw thieves onto a mere servant, so she settles on two. ^{ch. 236}

Appearance

He is a tall and sturdy old Gu Master. ^{ch. 236}

Bodyguard and healing work

Later that night he comes out as her bodyguard Gu Master, shouts the crying peddler away, then heals him under Xin Ci’s order with a white ball of light that stops the bleeding and closes the wounds. ^{ch. 238} On Fei Hou Mountain the text places him as the only Gu Master Zhang clan brought on this caravan, a rank three healing Gu Master weak at strength contests, forced to face bandit monkey arm wrestling without cheating Gu. ^{ch. 240}

He privately tells Xin Ci that Hei Tu and Bai Yun are suspicious after days of investigation and urges eviction. ^{ch. 241} When she still hands goods to Hei Tu, he scoffs that the man is a boor, praises Xin Ci’s past management of Zhang clan properties, and answers without hesitation that she could rebuild from scratch even if the goods are squandered. ^{ch. 242} Before the elephant disaster, narration says that without the loyal rank three Gu Master serving her, the mortal lady would long have been seized on the road. ^{ch. 247}

Death on Xiang Ya Mountain