The Sihai Grand Teahouse

Pingding City's most lively place wasn't the brothel where red-sleeved courtesans lured in souls.

A pot of hot tea, a few plates of snacks, some storytelling, and a bit of gossip.

The blood and fury of the martial world could be soothed for a while.

Some people made an analogy.

The Thousand Red Pavilion was like a charming concubine—only when you had money would she be attentive and considerate.

The Sihai Grand Teahouse was more like a virtuous wife. If you had money, you could go upstairs and ask for a private table. If you had none, a few copper coins could still buy a pot of cheap tea, enough to while away half a day at a long table in the main hall.

In the hearts of the martial men in Pingding City, neither could be done without.

These past few days, the Sihai Grand Teahouse had been exceptionally lively, with every session packed to capacity.

The private tables on the second floor were in overwhelming demand.

The main hall on the first floor was packed as well. With no seats left at the long tables, the martial men simply sat cross-legged on the floor.

On the raised platform stood a long table.

Old Mr. Ma, who was extraordinarily skilled at vocal mimicry, had finally stopped telling the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

"Hahaha, I, Pockmarked Snake, am willing to pay any price to become a true dragon. How magnificent is that!"

"The Five Elements Dragon Scales can only be obtained by those of great virtue, wisdom, and courage. With them, they will defeat evil, eliminate injustice, and rebuild a world of light..."

"Pockmarked Snake, all these years, you've impersonated a true dragon and oppressed the aquatic clans. Today, I shall uphold justice on Heaven's behalf."

At the small table on the second floor facing the stage sat a pot of clear tea and a plate of peanuts.

The Blue Robe Immortal raised his cup and drank alone. Though surrounded by a sea of people, he exuded a bone-deep loneliness, making tea taste like wine.

Seated at the table beside the Blue Robe Immortal were a refined young man and a burly man in martial attire.

The young man pointed at the stage and laughed. "Old Shi, could the fish scales the Blue Robe Immortal gave Tong Baixiong to extend his life be these Five Elements Dragon Scales?"

The man surnamed Shi flattered him. "As expected of the Young Escort Chief, you're so clever that you could actually see the connection between the two."

The young man shook his head. "No, no. The Five Elements Dragon Scales should have five colors."

The man surnamed Shi teased him. "Perhaps... 'five elements' is simply a name. It doesn't necessarily mean five colors. Just like wife cakes don't necessarily contain wives, and lantern cakes don't necessarily contain lanterns."

The young man corrected him. "There definitely aren't any wives in wife cakes. Otherwise, they'd be human-flesh cakes."

The man surnamed Shi laughed as he shelled peanuts and ate them. Though the story onstage was novel, it held little appeal for him.

At forty, his body had already begun to decline. With the martial world so turbulent, he only wanted to live an ordinary life.

The young man suddenly clapped and laughed. "How interesting! The true dragon worshiped by everyone turned out to be a Pockmarked Snake."

The man surnamed Shi laughed. "True and false, false and true—flowers seen through mist. It all depends on the storyteller's tongue. How could outsiders know the truth?"

A trace of amusement appeared at the Blue Robe Immortal's lips. No one knew what he was thinking.

At that moment, a richly dressed middle-aged man came up the southern staircase to the second floor. Grabbing the waiter by the collar, he cursed, "I'm here to drink tea, so when have I ever sat in the main hall? I don't care. You must find me a private table. I have plenty of silver."

"Sir, I'm truly sorry, but all the private tables are occupied."

"If you say you can't find one again, I'll slap you across the face—"

"Sir, please have mercy. There's truly nothing I can do."

The middle-aged man had just reached the second floor when he suddenly stopped. After standing there dazed for a long while, he released the waiter. "Get lost. I've found a seat."

The waiter had already prepared himself to be slapped. He was instantly granted an escape, scrambling and rolling down the stairs.

The fat middle-aged man's eyes gleamed. He swallowed as he watched the Blue Robe Immortal's every movement. The man's posture was breathtakingly beautiful, and his slender fingers around the wine cup were as smooth and flawless as white jade. So good-looking was he that the fat man's mouth went dry.

He walked to the table and said, "May I ask your surname, friend?"

The Blue Robe Immortal merely continued drinking tea, ignoring him. The fat man's heart only grew itchier.

"My surname is Zhou. I deal in silk and satin, and I have seven shops in Pingding City."

"I feel as though we've known each other for years. It's noisy here, so why don't you come to my home? We can take our time and chat about ordinary things."

Only then did the Blue Robe Immortal glance at him, his eyes faintly cold.

The fat man grew even more explicit. "Why shut me out completely, friend? How much money do you want? If you're willing to be with me, just name your price."

The Blue Robe Immortal's gaze grew colder still, and he stood up.

Seeing that he was about to leave, the fat middle-aged man hurriedly reached out to stop him and said with a smile, "In ancient times, men paid a thousand pieces of gold for a beauty's smile. If you grant my wish, I'm willing to bankrupt myself."

The young man at the neighboring table slammed his teacup onto the table, turned around, and cursed, "What kind of lecher are you? How dare you spew filth here!"

The man surnamed Shi hurriedly rose, but failed to stop the young man. This is bad.

"Which idiot forgot to fasten his trousers and let you out? How dare you meddle in your grandpa's business?"

The fat middle-aged man looked over and laughed. "Oh, another handsome young master—and still a virgin, too. What a pity you don't have this beauty's charm—"

His voice abruptly stopped.

The Blue Robe Immortal walked past him and went straight downstairs.

The fat man stood frozen in place, his smile still plastered on his face.

The young man asked in astonishment, "He... what happened to him?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the fat man toppled straight to the ground. There wasn't a mark on him. Like a drunken sot, he lay snoring beside the passageway.

The young man was startled and backed away repeatedly.

The man surnamed Shi's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly lowered his voice. "Let's leave, quickly, or we'll end up entangled in a murder case."

Just before going downstairs, the young man suddenly said, "That person just now... couldn't he have been the Blue Robe Immortal?"

At the same time, accompanied by Shopkeeper Wang of the Sihai Grand Teahouse, four people went up to the third floor by the northern staircase.

There was an elegant room there that wasn't open to outsiders. It was Qu Feiyan's private dining room.

Shopkeeper Wang stood at the door, took the food box from the waiter, and personally carried it inside.

Four kinds of dried fruit: walnuts, hazelnuts, dried dates, and chestnuts.

Four small dishes: soy-braised beef, drunken crab, fermented chicken feet, and fried shrimp.

A pot of fine Hangzhou Longjing tea.

"Thank you, Shopkeeper Wang," Qu Feiyan said with a beaming smile. All of these were her favorites.

"Miss Feiyan, having you visit my humble establishment is Wang's great fortune. And then there's the new storybook you gave Mr. Ma, The Adventures of the Little Carp. It's been tremendously popular. These past few days, the threshold has nearly been worn down, and Mr. Ma's throat is practically smoking. He's been relying entirely on Honey Pear Paste to keep going."

Qu Feiyan smiled. "The Adventures of the Little Carp wasn't written by me."

"Then who wrote it?"

"A friend of mine."

Shopkeeper Wang praised her. "Miss Feiyan's friend must be extraordinarily talented, a first-rate scholar."

Qu Feiyan sighed with a deliberately mature air. "Alas, he doesn't want others to know his name."

Before leaving, Shopkeeper Wang secretly glanced at the young man seated at the same table as Miss Feiyan. He wore a black robe and carried a sword at his waist, and his features were exceptionally handsome.

He hasn't even reached twenty, but he's still seven or eight years older than Miss Feiyan. Could that be inappropriate? Miss Feiyan makes friends outside, and I wonder whether Lord Qu knows about this.

Du Xiaochai stood at the door of the private room with her spear in her arms, looking thoroughly displeased.

"Why does he get to accompany Miss inside and eat and drink to his heart's content?"

Zhao Changfeng had always been devoted to martial arts. He was currently pondering saber techniques and sword forms. Seeing her lose her temper again, he smiled helplessly. "You can go in too. Every time Miss invites you to sit and eat with her, you refuse."

"If I go in, who'll protect Miss's safety?"

So fussy, Zhao Changfeng thought.

Inside the private room.

Zhang Yu poured himself a cup of Longjing. "Feiyan, how did you persuade Mr. Ma to stop telling the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and tell The Adventures of the Little Carp instead?"

Qu Feiyan sampled every kind of snack, her cheeks bulging so much that even her voice changed. "There was no need to persuade him. I gave the manuscript to Mr. Ma, and after reading it, he agreed at once."

Zhang Yu nodded. "It seems Mr. Ma was tired of telling the Romance of the Three Kingdoms too. He just hadn't encountered a good manuscript."

"Mm. I was planning to write one for Mr. Ma."

As the two were talking, a familiar voice suddenly came from outside.

"Don't stop me! I'm here to find Brother Zhang!"

Zhang Yu pushed open the door and saw Qi Zhaogu arguing with Zhao Changfeng. He stepped forward with a smile. "Brother Qi, how did you know I was here?"

Qi Zhaogu laughed. "I heard from the owner of Taiping Inn that you'd gotten into Miss Feiyan's little carriage, so I knew you must have come to the Sihai Grand Teahouse. Miss Feiyan has a private seat here."

Qu Feiyan poked her head out with a beaming smile. "Uncle Qi, did Little Qizi come too?"

Qi Zhaogu was very courteous toward Qu Feiyan. He smiled and said, "Miss Feiyan, Little Qizi has returned to his maternal grandfather's home outside the Capital City. He won't be back until the New Year."

Zhang Yu asked curiously, "Who's Little Qizi?"

Qi Zhaogu said, "My son!"

Zhang Yu exclaimed in surprise, "I never knew you had a son, Brother Qi."

Qi Zhaogu frowned. "Is that strange? I'm almost thirty. You know what they say: at thirty, one should establish oneself... Ah, I didn't come here to talk about this."

Zhang Yu asked with a smile, "What's the matter, Brother Qi? Why did you rush over in such a panic?"

Qi Zhaogu gave a strange laugh. "Brother, your appointment has come through."

Zhang Yu sensed trouble. "What happened?"

"See for yourself."

Qi Zhaogu took a bronze plaque and an official order bearing a red seal from inside his robe.

"Wind Thunder Hall Master Token: Zhang Yu possesses extraordinary wisdom and courage and is promoted to Banner Leader. Pingyang City lies at the border of Shanxi-Hebei and is, in truth, the Divine Sect's western gateway. Recently, the subordinate Wild Wolf Gang was defeated, while the Dragon Scale Association allied with the Mount Song Sect to dominate Pingyang. Zhang Yu is ordered to proceed to Pingyang and take charge, gather the remnants of the Wild Wolf Gang, and destroy the Dragon Scale Association. Upon completion, he shall receive an important appointment."

Zhang Yu's expression gradually darkened. There was no need to guess: Third Young Master Tong had manipulated things behind the scenes.

No matter what, Tong Baixiong and Third Young Master Tong were father and son. No matter how captivating the story of the Immortal's Gift of Scales was, it could never withstand the influence of words whispered into one's ear.