Cloud River Tower, a wooden building more than five zhang tall, stood on the southern bank of the Nine Sources River.
From the third-floor windows, one could look down over the Nine Sources River and see the rolling mountains in the distance.
Its sweeping river views made Cloud River Tower the finest restaurant in Yunyang City, even though it stood outside the city.
April was the season for scholars and cultivated gentlemen to venture out into the greenery and admire the river, and also Cloud River Tower's busiest season.
Today, however, was different. The vast Cloud River Tower stood quiet and deserted, without a single customer.
Many customers had wanted to dine there, but the waiters had persuaded them to leave.
"Honored guest, Lord Zhang, a thousand-household commander of the Pacification Office, is hosting a banquet today and has reserved the entire restaurant. Please forgive the inconvenience..."
Whatever their status, the customers turned and left as soon as they heard the title of thousand-household commander of the Pacification Office, without needing another word from the waiters.
Such was the might of the Pacification Office that anyone who provoked it would lose a layer of skin even if they escaped death.
Yunyang Prefecture had only one thousand-household commander of the Pacification Office: Heavenly Eagle Zhang Shiheng.
Even children in Yunyang Prefecture had heard his illustrious name.
A few idlers stood watching from a distance, curious about who had enough standing to have Zhang Shiheng host a banquet for them.
For idlers, nothing was less to be missed than a spectacle.
Seeing whom Zhang Shiheng invited to dine would give them something to boast about for a long time.
From afar, they saw a party approaching on horseback. Even without being able to make out their faces, the sight of their billowing