Nishang Pavilion

As Jiang Qinghe followed the convoy onward, he was secretly astonished.

The street beneath his feet was not paved with ordinary bluestone slabs, but with an exceptionally dense black stone.

He discreetly channeled strength into his toes to test it, only to find the slabs utterly unmoving, harder than refined steel.

"Ah Jie, do you know what this ground is made of? It's so sturdy."

He could not help asking in a low voice.

Hearing this, Gong Jie sighed.

"They say it's basalt, pressed and laid using a special process. Forget carriages—even if something weighing ten thousand jin rolled over it, it wouldn't be affected in the slightest."

"The outer city is already this extravagant. I wonder what the inner city looks like. Could the roads be paved with gold?"

"What kind of people live in the inner city?"

"High officials and nobles, plus the territory of the Four Great Clans."

As Gong Jie spoke, he raised a hand and pointed toward the city center, where a hundred-zhang tower stood, thrusting straight into the clouds.

"See that? That's Lingyun Tower, where the City Lord's Mansion is located. They say that from the top, you can look down over all of Cangfeng City and the scenery for a hundred li around it."

The convoy turned onto a side street that was somewhat quieter than the main road, and the number of pedestrians immediately dwindled.

Tall walls and grand courtyards lined both sides of the street, their gates tightly guarded. They were clearly residences of either wealth or nobility.

Gong Jie suddenly nudged Jiang Qinghe with his elbow, then waggled his brows as he pointed at an elegant three-story embroidered tower not far away.

"Qing River, look at that three-story building. You'll never guess what kind of place it is!"

Jiang Qinghe looked where he pointed and saw that the pavilion was exquisitely decorated, yet its entrance was deserted.

It stood utterly at odds with the bustle around it, and confusion appeared on his face.

"Hehe, this place only gets lively at night!"

Gong Jie lowered his voice, his face wearing the sort of smile all men understood.

"The girls inside—tsk, tsk—their faces are so tender, you could pinch them and water would drip out!"

"Hahahaha..."

The Escorts beside them immediately burst into knowing laughter.

"Ah Jie! Have you really pinched those women before?"

Gong Jie awkwardly rubbed his nose.

"This place is great, but it's way too expensive. They say just going in for tea costs at least one tael of silver, and finding a woman is even more terrifyingly costly. Their prices are blacker than the bottomless dark!"

An older man in the convoy laughed.

"Ah Jie, if you really want a taste of meat, come back with me to our county later. The prices are fair, and the girls are fresh and pretty too!"

"Go, go, go!"

Gong Jie laughed and cursed.

"I haven't even married a wife yet. If my father finds out, he'll break my legs!"

"Quiet!"

Gong Yongxing, walking at the very front, turned and barked in a low voice.

"Nishang Pavilion is just ahead. Keep your wits about you!"

Hearing this, everyone immediately put away their grins, their expressions turning solemn.

Jiang Qinghe followed their gazes and could not help drawing in a sharp breath.

The gates of Nishang Pavilion were several zhang wide, broad enough for more than ten people to enter abreast.

The doorframe had been carved from whole pieces of green jade, inlaid with gold-thread patterns.

The two towering stone lions at the entrance were even more breathtaking. Their bodies were an unusual shade of green, adding several degrees of majesty.

Gong Jie exclaimed.

"Qing River, those two lions alone are worth several thousand taels of silver. I heard each one weighs tens of thousands of jin!"

The Xiao Family, one of the Four Great Clans, truly was dripping with wealth.

Even Nishang Pavilion, one of their businesses, possessed such grandeur. That alone spoke volumes.

"Halt! What are you here for?"

At the main gate, one of the burly guards shouted at Jiang Qinghe and the others.

Gong Yongxing hurried forward and cupped his fists in salute.

"We're from the Yongxing Escort Agency in Lin'an County. We've come to deliver goods to Miss Xiao Mengrong."

"Miss Xiao?"

The guard frowned and looked Gong Yongxing up and down several times.

"Wait here. I'll go report this."

Jiang Qinghe and the group of more than thirty waited quietly at the entrance.

A moment later, two black-robed men strode out, their sharp gazes sweeping over everyone outside.

Upon seeing Gong Yongxing, one of them nodded slightly. He clearly remembered him somewhat, and called out loudly.

"Yongxing Escort Agency, come in!"

With that, he turned and headed inside.

Jiang Qinghe and the others followed him.

Once they entered, Gong Jie widened his eyes and cried out.

"Heavens!"

The sight before them made even the well-traveled Escorts stare wide-eyed.

The interior of Nishang Pavilion was nearly the size of a football field.

The floor was paved with White Jade Stone, while precious calligraphy and paintings hung upon the surrounding walls.

Most astonishing of all, the entire hall had been arranged as an indoor garden, with all manner of rare plants scattered throughout in pleasing layers.

At the center lay a carefully designed pond. Spring water flowed down from the top of an artificial hill, forming a small waterfall, while koi of every color swam through the pond.

"Be careful. If you damage any of the flowers or plants here, you won't be able to afford the compensation!"

The Black-Robed Man leading them reminded them.

"Any one of them could be worth several years of your wages."

Gong Yongxing nodded in acknowledgment, a smile on his face.

This was not his first time entering Nishang Pavilion. Though the luxury before him still shocked him, he could at least remain composed.

The other Escorts, however, were visibly much more restrained. They even walked on tiptoe, afraid of bumping into something valuable.

Although they had visited Cangfeng City before, the goods they transported in the past had never been this precious, and the delivery locations had been nowhere near as extravagant as Nishang Pavilion.

"This is the place!"

The Black-Robed Man led them through the hall and stopped before a quiet path.

"For this sort of small business, speaking with the Steward will do. Don't disturb Miss's rest."

Following the path, they arrived at an alley between two enormous residences, then turned into the rear courtyard of one of them.

This was clearly an area where servants moved about. Though it was still far more luxurious than an ordinary household, it was at least not so outrageous.

"What's going on here?"

A withered, tall, skinny man with a lewd expression sat sprawled in a chair, ordering servants around as they worked.

The Black-Robed Man hurried forward, his face full of ingratiating smiles.

"Brother Gun! I've come to see Steward Liu. These men are from the Yongxing Escort Agency in Lin'an County, and they've brought a batch of goods for the residence."

"Oh? My brother is busy right now! Where would he find the time to deal with such a small matter?"

Liu Gun raised his brows slightly and glanced at Jiang Qinghe and the others.

"What did they bring? Unpack it and let me see!"

Several servants standing behind him immediately answered and rushed forward with practiced efficiency.

Without allowing Gong Yongxing to say more, they swiftly unloaded the goods from the escort carts one by one and spread them all across the open space in the courtyard.

The tightly wrapped goods were piled together, presenting quite a spectacular sight.

Only then did Liu Gun slowly rise to his feet. He drew the longsword at his waist and flicked it several times with the tip.

A dazzling blaze of fiery red burst forth, its magnificent luster flowing beneath the sunlight.

"So they're Fire Fox Pelts!"

Liu Gun curled his lip.

"I thought they were some peerless treasures. All this fuss, and they were wrapped up so tightly too."

After muttering to himself, he turned and loudly called to the servants working or watching nearby.

"Stop standing around! Put down what you're doing for now and come inspect the goods properly! Turn over every single pelt and examine it carefully."