The New Tavern

After enduring a boring day on duty, Liang Yue returned home, intending to hurry up and study the "Sword Domain Swimming Dragon Movement Technique."

But the moment he got home, he ran into his mother hurrying out in high spirits. "Xiao Yue, you're back! Perfect, come out with Mother."

"What's going on?" Liang Yue asked.

"A tavern on Linmen Street has gone out of business. Everything inside is being given away to the neighbors—just take whatever you pass by!" Li Caiyun dragged him along at a trot as she said, "I've already made two trips and brought back a whole set of tables, chairs, and stools. This time, I'm planning to bring back a jar for pickling salted vegetables."

"Mother, since when did you know how to pickle salted vegetables?" Liang Yue asked in puzzlement.

"I didn't before, but I can learn later." Li Caiyun was exceedingly excited. "If something's being given away for free, how can we not take it?"

Well then.

For free vinegar, she would specifically go learn how to make dumplings, huh?

She deserved every bargain she picked up.

Yet Liang Yue still had a doubt in his heart. Half the shops on Linmen Street had been bought out and shut down. Among those remaining, there should only have been that old couple's tavern. They had sworn they would never sell their ancestral property.

Could the Dragon Tooth Gang have used some other method?

When they reached the street, it was indeed that tavern which had repeatedly suffered misfortune before. The old couple was nowhere to be seen. Two burly men stood at the entrance: one was broad and solid as a door panel, while the other had a tuft of goatee beneath his chin. As they stood there with their arms folded, the skin exposed at their necks and arms faintly revealed tattoos.

They looked imposing and deep as still waters, not at all like decent folk.

But the neighbors did not care about that. As long as someone let them take things for free, that person was a good person. A long line streamed in and out of the doorway, everyone muttering blessings for the new proprietor's flourishing business.

"Oh my, why are there so many more people already? You're wearing an official uniform, so don't go fighting over things—it wouldn't look good. Just help me carry them home once I bring them out." Li Caiyun called out, then rushed inside. "Save two jars for me!"

Liang Yue did not wait outside. Instead, he walked up to the two burly men guarding the entrance and asked, "Is your proprietor here?"

"What do you want?" the goateed man asked with a frown, his expression exceedingly unfriendly.

"I have a few things I'd like to ask about," Liang Yue said.

"The proprietor is busy!" the door-panel-built fierce man said in a rough voice. He was only a few inches shorter than Pang Chun, yet possessed even more Killing Intent, looking truly ferocious.

"Da Hu, Er Hu!" A woman's scolding suddenly came from beside them. "I told you to be more polite to people. Why are you still acting so fierce?"

Following the fierce man's gaze, Liang Yue saw a young woman walking over. She wore rose-red clothes beneath a blue cardigan, with a red headscarf casually wrapping her hair. Her sleeves were loosely rolled up, and she appeared to have just finished working.

If her looks had been any more ordinary, this outfit would certainly have made her appear rustic and old-fashioned. Yet the woman had bright eyes and pearly teeth, fair skin and red lips. Her eye sockets were deep as starry lakes, long lashes glimmering within them. At a single glance, she was as radiant as spring peaches. Beneath that gorgeous, richly featured face was a delicate and shapely figure, and all the skin on her body possessed a creamy softness that seemed fragrant just to behold.

Her beauty had somehow made even these clothes dazzling.

A thorn hairpin and a cloth skirt, yet beauty that could topple a kingdom.

Even having seen someone as heavenly in appearance as Wen Yifan, Liang Yue still found himself struck by her beauty.

"Sir Guard, I am the proprietor of this establishment. What is it?" she asked with a smile as she approached.

Liang Yue was not Chen Ju. He would not delay important business because of someone's looks. He asked sternly, "When did you take over this shop? Where are the former proprietors?"

"Just last night," the woman answered. "The former proprietors took the money and left. I don't know where they live either."

Liang Yue scrutinized her and slowly said, "But this was their ancestral property. Someone previously offered twice the price, and they still refused to sell. Why would they sell it to you?"

"It's very simple." The woman tilted her head slightly. "They wouldn't sell for twice the price, so I offered ten times the price. Then they were willing to transfer it."

So that was it...

Liang Yue had just suspected that she had used some sort of underhanded method. In truth, it was that simple.

If throwing money at it did not work, then throw even more money at it.

That much money was enough for the old couple to rim their ancestral graves in gold. Naturally, they would no longer care about any ancestral property.

But for this woman to spend so much money buying this shop, could she also have heard some rumor? Did she know that the Heaven-Piercing Tower was about to begin construction, and that the land prices on Linmen Street would soar?

Then the woman said again, "You're Captain Liang, aren't you? I heard the former proprietors mention you. They said things have been rather chaotic around here lately, and that if anything happened, they could ask you for help, because you are an upright Imperial Capital Guard."

"Heh, I wouldn't dare claim that." Liang Yue gave a light laugh. "As long as it's legitimate business, there's no problem. Then I wish you flourishing business."

"Oh, Xiao Yue, come help!" Over there, Li Caiyun emerged carrying two enormous empty wine jars and called for her son to lend a hand.

Liang Yue hurried over and took the two jars from her.

"Oh my." With her hands free, Li Caiyun caught sight of the woman who had been speaking with Liang Yue, and her eyes immediately lit up. "Whose young lady is this? Do you know each other?"

"No," Liang Yue said.

"Auntie, my name is Zhu Nanyin." The woman smiled gently. "I'll be running this shop from now on. Neighbors, please come by often and support us. We'll all get to know one another gradually."

"That definitely won't be a problem." Li Caiyun chuckled. "What a pretty young girl. Are you married yet?"

"Not yet, Auntie," Zhu Nanyin answered with a smile.

"Then look at my son..." Li Caiyun was just about to introduce him when Liang Yue wrapped an arm around her and dragged her away together with the two large wine jars.

"Mother, let's not do this," he advised quietly.

"What's wrong with asking?" Li Caiyun said.

Liang Yue said, "She isn't some ordinary small-shop owner. She is exceedingly wealthy. We wouldn't dare reach above our station."

"What's wrong with that? My son is a fine-looking talent, and he'll soon be promoted to Official Guard..." Li Caiyun would not let it go. "It's the perfect union of official and merchant..."

"How much money could I possibly make even if I became an Official Guard..."

"I don't care. My son is the best..."

In Madam Li Caiyun's eyes, her eldest son was the finest young man under heaven. If anyone could stand shoulder to shoulder with her eldest son... it would be her second son.

The scraps from the Imperial Court's table, Mother's little pride.

That was exactly it.

Watching the mother and son leave while chattering away, Zhu Nanyin smiled faintly, seeming to find it quite amusing.

"Miss, he's just a government runner. Why say so much to him?" Er Hu, the fierce man beside her, leaned over and asked in a low voice.

"Exactly. Compared with dog officials, these vicious petty officials are even more hateful. Dog officials never personally handle any of their work—doesn't it all pass through the hands of these vicious petty officials?" Da Hu, the goateed man, added. "Back then, they were the ones who swaggered around abusing their power and oppressed the common people most fiercely!"

"If we want to put down roots in Dragon Abyss City, we must forget who we were on the mountain." Zhu Nanyin glanced back at the two of them, then continued, "I am merely an ordinary shop proprietor, and you are merely two ordinary assistants. Do not carry such prejudices."

Turning back around, she said to herself, "My purpose in coming here is, first, to seek a master; second, to try my luck and see whether I can find that thing about to be born into the world; third, to see this divine capital, Dragon Abyss City, with my own eyes and find out what it truly looks like."

"What else could it be..." Da Hu turned his head and said gloomily, "Corrupt officials run rampant, unscrupulous merchants cover the land, wolves and jackals occupy high positions, and the people are as weak as lambs."

"Hm?" Zhu Nanyin looked at him oddly. "Since when could you speak so elegantly? You've improved?"

"Hehe." Er Hu laughed. "I know—it's not Big Brother's ability. It's what the strategist said that day!"

"What's wrong with that?" Da Hu shot him a glare. "Even if the words were spoken by the strategist, isn't being able to memorize them an ability? Can you do it?"

Er Hu blinked. "I really can't."

When Liang Yue and Li Caiyun returned home, they found that Liang Xiaoyun and Liang Peng had already come back as well.

At some point, the two children had bought a whole pile of vegetables and were cooking by the stove.

"Ah, what are you two doing?" Seeing this, Li Caiyun hurriedly fussed, "Why did you buy so much?"

"Mother, just sit down first." Liang Xiaoyun pulled her into a seat, then said, "Today, we're going to celebrate properly."

"Huh? You two also knew Mother picked up a free set of tables and chairs, plus two jars?" Li Caiyun froze for a moment. "There's no need to celebrate something like that so extravagantly, is there?"

"What are you talking about? Mother, what I mean is..." Liang Peng turned around and said with a smile, "I got into the Sword Dao Academy!"