You Ke Lai

You Ke Lai

After glancing at the sky beyond the courtyard, Chu Mu set down his book and rose to stretch. In doing so, he seemed to accidentally brush against the Dog Cub lying at his feet.

The Dog Cub whimpered twice, raised its head to glance at Chu Mu, then surprisingly rubbed its fluffy head docilely against Chu Mu's heel.

"Hahaha..."

Chu Mu burst into hearty laughter. This Dog Cub was remarkably perceptive. Keeping it around wasn't so bad after all.

After crouching down to rub it, Chu Mu rose and stood before the door. Watching snowflakes whirl through the courtyard, his thoughts irresistibly returned to that volume of history.

Seven hundred years of Great Chu: a peaceful, prosperous realm, dreamy as a fairy tale.

That was what the history books recorded! Yet from what he had seen—even if it was only a small town like Nanshan—it was not difficult to tell that reality was far from as beautiful as the histories claimed.

The people of this world were not all so kind and wonderful either. Nor was there any shortage of ambitious men.

This age was not truly one of peace and prosperity.

The Zhou Dynasty, the longest-lived dynasty in his previous life's history, had lasted nearly eight hundred years. Yet it had still been in the feudal age, passing through the Western Zhou, Eastern Zhou, Spring and Autumn, and Warring States periods. Countless heroes had stirred the winds and clouds, casting covetous eyes upon the realm.

But Great Chu had sat securely upon the throne for seven hundred years. How had it managed that? One had to understand that Great Chu was no tiny nation confined to a speck of land. According to the history books, it possessed eighteen provinces and 2,638 counties! Its vast territory was probably comparable to China in his previous life.

With such a vast realm, it naturally could not be some shackled vassal state, or a puppet kingdom ruled by an emperor raised by another power.

Suddenly, Chu Mu could not help thinking again of those banknotes so exquisite they seemed unlike anything produced in this era, those minerals that appeared to defy the laws of the market, the cheap food, the expensive education...

Everything seemed unrelated, yet at the same time, everything seemed to proclaim that this era was far from simple.

Chu Mu let out a long breath. As his eyes flickered, he once again forced down his myriad thoughts.

He ought to be glad instead. Great Chu had held the realm securely for seven hundred years, and the authority of the central government remained intact.

At the very least, that meant the era he had arrived in was still quite far from a time of chaos.

After thinking for a moment, Chu Mu collected himself, turned, and went back inside. He picked up the School Bag he had already prepared, then braved the wind and snow toward the door.

He intended to spend this entire morning at the Private School.

Come to think of it, nearly a month of studying at the Private School had completely overturned Chu Mu's impression of education in this era.

Originally, Chu Mu had assumed that education at a Private School in this age would inevitably be rigid, hidebound, and harsh.

But the truth had exceeded his expectations.

The Private School's education was not only neither harsh nor rigid—it was actually quite relaxed, faintly resembling a form of happy education.

As Teacher Chang himself had put it, it was about applying what one learned. How could one be shackled by mere brush and ink?

Guided by such principles, the atmosphere of learning at the Private School was naturally extremely easygoing. It was not confined at all to the so-called teachings of the sages.

Chu Mu did not know whether this was an exception, but such an atmosphere undeniably made him far more comfortable.

After all, he had only come to learn how to read. He had no intention of pursuing scholarly honors or becoming an official. If things were too rigid and harsh, he would have suffered.

He hurried to Chang Residence, only to find himself back at the entrance in a matter of moments.

Chu Mu felt somewhat helpless. The Patrol Inspectorate had never taken a break, and it had caused him to completely forget that the Private School was on holiday.

"Fortunately, the snow has stopped."

Chu Mu looked up at the sky, brushed the snow from his shoulders, and began walking back along the way he had come.

Wind and snow filled the sky, and scarcely a person could be seen on the streets. The restaurants and wine shops by the roadside, however, were all bustling with activity.

"Master, are you here to eat, or to stay the night?"

He had merely been passing a restaurant when a Shop Assistant came smiling and cheerfully greeted him.

Chu Mu raised his brows and subconsciously glanced at the sign. The three words "You Ke Lai" leaped into view.

Chu Mu's expression immediately turned strange. The place was so welcoming that he had almost thought he had taken a wrong turn and wandered into the Wind and Moon Tower again...

"Wind and Moon Tower..."

Recalling the carefree pleasures of that night at the Wind and Moon Tower, Chu Mu could not help smacking his lips, inexplicably savoring the memory.

It had to be said: no matter the era, places of pleasure knew how to have a wild time.

"All right, I'll eat."

Chu Mu glanced at the noisy bustle inside. For some inexplicable reason, his initial intention to refuse changed. He nodded, then entered the restaurant amid the Shop Assistant's calls.

After more than a month of life in the Different World, though nothing extraordinary had happened, Chu Mu had become aware of a rather serious problem.

The Original Owner's memories were comprehensive, but unfortunately, he had been young, and his circle of life had been too narrow. He knew almost nothing about the outside world.

And he... had only just arrived, leaving him completely blind. On top of that, his Public Office at the Patrol Inspectorate, along with studying and practicing martial arts, occupied nearly all his time.

His circle of life was no better than the Original Owner's.

Now that he had completed most of the process of learning to read, made his first gains in martial arts, and fully settled into his Public Office at the Patrol Inspectorate, Chu Mu felt that perhaps he ought to change the way he lived.

That was naturally why his thoughts had changed.

After all, anyone who could afford to eat at this restaurant would have some spare money and a bit of leisure. Listening to their grand discussions over tea and wine might at least broaden his horizons.

The inn had three floors. The stairs stood in the center, with an open courtyard encircling them. The second floor was clearly also a dining area, while the windows and doors on the third floor were tightly shut, evidently marking the guest rooms.

Though it was still early morning, the first floor of the inn was already roaring with voices. Not a single empty seat could be seen.

Chu Mu was not surprised. In Nanshan Town, the most distinctive tradition was probably its morning drinking culture.

Even at the Patrol Inspectorate, plenty of people got tipsy first thing every morning.

Much less so in the town itself. In every era, there was never a shortage of people with spare money and spare time.

After sweeping his gaze around, Chu Mu followed the Shop Assistant up to the second floor. Compared with the first floor's packed tables, the second floor appeared considerably more spacious.

"I'll sit here."

Chu Mu pointed at a nearby table and chair. Without waiting for the Shop Assistant to respond, he sat down directly.

The seat was beside the railing overlooking the open courtyard. The bustle of the first floor was visible in its entirety, and the spot was just right.

"Coming right up, Master. What would you like? Our signature morning-drinking dishes are Eight Treasures Pig Stomach, Perfect Spicy Chili, and our special roast goose... Our Burning Blade is also one of a kind. On a freezing winter day like this, warming yourself with a pot of wine will keep you comfortable all day..."

"Bring me a pot of wine, one serving of Perfect Spicy Chili, and a roast goose."

Chu Mu answered casually. The Shop Assistant had been chattering on and on, but immediately stopped his sales pitch. He answered with a grin, shouted an order toward the floor below, and hurried away.

Chu Mu surveyed his surroundings, then turned his eyes downstairs.

Amid the clamor, the most eye-catching sight was naturally the Storyteller on the platform to one side. He was nearly seventy, yet possessed a marvelous tongue and spoke on with effortless eloquence, drawing in a large crowd of diners...