The Hearts of Great Zhen's People

The layout of this kind of tea house was designed to draw in more customers. Its outer walls were made of removable wooden panels. So long as it was not a day of howling gales and windblown sand filling the sky, the panels would be taken down. Long wooden benches connected the corridor pillars around the perimeter, seating an entire row of people and allowing those outside the tea house to listen in as well.

Normally, the wall panels would certainly not be removed in winter, for warmth's sake, but today the place was indeed wide open and bright.

By the time Ji Yuan reached this side of the tea house, there were already no seats left. There was scarcely even room to stand. When he arrived, he could only stand at the entrance; even the bench seats along the side corridor were gone. The last two spots on a bench had just been taken by the two Sword-Bearing Scholars in front of Ji Yuan.

Yet a person's bearing and presence could sometimes truly work wonders. Ji Yuan stopped at the entrance and looked around, but could not find a less crowded spot. He had been planning to simply stand there, but the two Sword-Bearing Scholars who had taken seats on the outer corridor bench before him noticed Ji Yuan just a step away as soon as they sat down. Seeing his appearance, they both rose to their feet.

"Sir, please sit here!"

One of the scholars extended a hand in invitation, while the other gave a slight cupped-fist salute. Naturally, Ji Yuan had to decline politely.

"You two sit. I can stand."

As he said this, the mood in the tea house was reaching a fever pitch. Several tables near the Fan-Wielding Mister were all shouting about Zuyue Kingdom's