Chapter 924: Fish and Dragons Gather

The Liyang imperial post road, centered around the capital city of Taian, is undoubtedly the main official thoroughfare. It was once hailed by the old Ministry of Military Affairs as the "bloodline of the nation," and the prosperous dynasty that unified the Central Plains was likened to a terrestrial immortal, unparalleled in history, whose vigor and strength were said to be unmatched throughout the ages.

Qingma Post in Liangzhou, being close to the provincial capital, is located in a bustling market. As it is the only route in and out of Liangzhou City, not only is the post station quite large, but it also boasts the only recreational garden among all post stations in Beiliang Dao. There are as many as seventy postmen. A garrison, primarily light cavalry, is also stationed nearby year-round. It is said that in earlier years, half of the soldiers in the young Prince's personal guards, the White Horse Righteous Cavalry, came from this very cavalry unit, so their combat effectiveness is naturally not to be underestimated. For instance, Hong Wen, the "Madman" who has steadily risen through the ranks in the Beiliang army, originated from this unassuming military unit.

Li Gongde, who has consistently held the top civilian official position in Beiliang for years, once stayed at Qingma Post in his early career. Inspired, he penned a calligraphy piece titled "A Unique Grotto-Heaven." However, it has never been mounted or displayed over the years, perhaps because the post station treasures it too much, or perhaps because the four characters are too "powerful and striking." Beian Town, where Qingma Post is located, is also an exceptionally prosperous hub. Lingzhou has always been known as "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall," and Beian Town is called "Little Lingzhou," demonstrating the unique character of this large town in Liangzhou. In recent years, with the strong rise of the young Prince, Beian Town has seen an influx of vagrants and martial artists from the Central Plains, creating a mixed population in the Beiliang martial arts world. Over time, the local residents of Beian Town have grown accustomed to it.

As one of the few towns in Liangzhou without a night curfew, Beian Town is a true den of vice. For example, two adjacent establishments, a restaurant and a brothel, jointly display two golden signboards proclaiming "A trip to Beiliang is wasted if you don't visit both establishments" and "The finest courtesan wine in the world." Their claims are very bold. The restaurant boasts having the best wines in the world, superior even to imperial tributes, while the brothel claims its courtesans are no less beautiful than imperial palace selection maids. Many skeptical martial artists from out of town ascended the stairs with the intention of challenging these claims. Almost without exception, they all entered standing and left stumbling, either drunk or passed out on a courtesan's bed. Consequently, the two establishments in Beian Town became increasingly renowned, their fame spreading throughout Beiliang Dao and Lianghuai Dao. Notably, there was a scandalous elopement between a brothel courtesan and a scholar who had traveled to Liangzhou to study at Qinglu Cave Academy. Surprisingly, the brothel, which should have been furious, not only refrained from breaking up the couple but even voluntarily burned the courtesan's indenture contract. The restaurant even sponsored the scholar with a thousand taels of silver to purchase a hundred scrolls of books. This romantic tale of facilitating true love stirred the literary and scholarly circles of Beiliang and even reached the Central Plains and Jiangnan, to the extent that a prominent literary figure openly praised Beiliang, remarking that chivalry could be found everywhere, even in its markets. Three or four years ago, anyone daring to speak a word of praise for Beiliang, no matter how distinguished, would have become a pariah, bringing infamy upon their entire family. But now, although few echo such sentiments, no one would dare challenge them seriously.

By the time the three eunuchs in python robes, from the Bureau of Eunuchs, returned to Beian Town from the Longju River ferry crossing, it was already late night. Earlier, Qingma Post, fearing an incident, had to dispatch over twenty elite cavalry from the capital garrison to ride out and escort them. If they couldn't find them, Qingma Post would certainly bypass the local authorities and directly notify the garrison twenty li away, as this group of decree-delivering eunuchs represented the imperial dignity of the Liyang Zhao clan. Grand Eunuch Liu and his companions, who had walked into Beian Town, were already famished. As they passed the exceptionally bustling restaurant, the rich aroma of wine, so enticing that it didn't fear deep alleys, naturally tempted them. Grand Eunuch Liu, feeling a little apologetic towards his two exhausted colleagues, smiled and suggested they all go to the restaurant for a good meal. Grand Eunuch Ma, tall and imposing, unlike a typical eunuch, was more cautious. Though he didn't refuse, he suggested they change into common clothes at Qingma Post. Grand Eunuch Song, though corpulent, was light on his feet and moved swiftly within the palace. He initially wanted to dismiss the concern, thinking, "What's the big deal? Could assassins possibly strike under the very nose of the Beiliang Prince's manor?" But since Grand Eunuch Liu, the "chief manager" of the Bureau of Eunuchs, had assented, Grand Eunuch Song, who hadn't had much of a smooth time since entering Beiliang Dao territory, could only swallow his words silently.

After washing and changing clothes at Qingma Post, only Commander Qian, of the Imperial Forest Army, accompanied the three grand eunuchs. The four entered the restaurant, which was simply called "Restaurant." Because the most famous brothel in Beian Town was next door, they could vaguely hear the soft, alluring songs and laughter of courtesans, which made Grand Eunuch Liu chuckle involuntarily. If news of their drinking excursion reached the capital, it would likely be misrepresented as eunuchs from the Bureau of Eunuchs visiting a brothel, which would be a huge joke. The restaurant had three floors. Even late at night, the first-floor hall was still packed, and there were few seats left on the second floor. A waiter, skilled at reading people, led the four to a private room on the top floor with the best view. Although called a private room, it was merely partitioned by large, intricately embroidered folding screens. After sitting down, Grand Eunuch Song comfortably leaned back in a huanghuali wood chair, whose natural grain resembled a gourd after being split. He chuckled softly, "The layout here is quite similar to our market districts back home."

Grand Eunuch Ma, now dressed in common clothes and looking more like a man from beyond the Great Wall, surveyed his surroundings with satisfaction. It was much quieter and more elegant than the two floors below. He narrowed his eyes and nodded.

Grand Eunuch Liu, in a pleasant tone, spoke to the young waiter with a cotton towel draped over his shoulder: "Bring two pots each of Jizhou Laojiao, Jiangnan Xinghua Brew, and Shuhua Great Wine. As for dishes and snacks, your restaurant can decide."

The young waiter beamed, bowing and flattering: "This esteemed sir is truly an connoisseur, worthy of being called a wine immortal! Ordinary guests at our restaurant, while indeed generous, mostly choose to drink Jiannanchun, a tribute wine from Xishu. In my humble opinion, that wine is good, but in terms of mellow aftertaste, it can't compare to Shuhua, and for a fiery throat feel, it's far inferior to our authentic Beiliang 'Green Ant' wine. Oh, by the way, esteemed sirs, if I may add, our restaurant has an unwritten rule: here, if a guest wants to drink 'Green Ant' wine, it's completely free. You can drink as much as you like!"

Grand Eunuch Song asked curiously, "Even if one drinks ten or eight jars, it's still free? Aren't you afraid of bankrupting your restaurant? And if someone comes here and only drinks 'Green Ant' wine, does this rule still apply?"

At this, the young waiter, who had been bowing obsequiously, instantly puffed out his chest with pride: "Of course it applies! How could it not? Guests are always welcome! Our manager has long declared that for any hero willing and able to drink our Beiliang 'Green Ant' wine, bankrupting his business is nothing; it's simply making friends with heroes. For this, the manager even set a special rule: whoever can drink six pots of our signature 'Green Ant' wine in one go, not only will their entire table's bill be waived, but our restaurant will even cover the cost of a night's stay at the establishment next door!"

Grand Eunuch Liu smiled faintly and said, "A restaurant that does business this way is truly rare and quite interesting."

Grand Eunuch Song chuckled, his hands resting on the comfortable, antique chair arm. He sized up the articulate young waiter, saying, "It seems your manager, despite being steeped in money, isn't entirely common. Today, this master is in a good mood, so I'll give your manager some face. Tell him to come and offer a toast to this esteemed Grand Eunuch Liu next to me. To be honest, if he misses this chance, he won't get another one in his lifetime."

The young waiter listened to the plump man's mouth full of Central Plains officialese, his haughtiness exceeding even that of a prefect. Although he was grumbling internally, he showed no trace of it on his face, pleading, "My lord, I truly apologize. Our head manager isn't from Beian Town, and even I have never seen him. Unfortunately, the second manager, who handles affairs, has an unavoidable dinner engagement next door. However, please rest assured, given the six pots of wine you ordered, as soon as the second manager returns to the restaurant, I will immediately inform him. He will certainly not miss meeting the four esteemed sirs."

Grand Eunuch Song, once again unable to have his way, already showed some displeasure and was about to act. However, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Grand Eunuch Liu take a sizable piece of silver from his purse. Instead of tossing it directly to the waiter like other wealthy guests, he placed it on the table and slowly pushed it forward, smiling, "This is your tip. Don't think it's too little."

The young waiter already had the best impression of the old man seated at the head of the table. He was like a kindly, benevolent rich man, or an elderly scholar from a reputable family, always polite to everyone—a rare sight in a restaurant where patrons, regardless of their wealth, often acted imperiously.

The young waiter hesitated, then heard the previously silent, burly middle-aged man say coldly, "If he tells you to take it, take it."

After the young waiter cautiously took the silver and left, Grand Eunuch Liu quietly asked, "How is it?"

Commander Qian, well-known in both the Imperial Forest Army and the Ministry of Justice in Taian City, spoke softly, "Nothing unusual. From what I've observed, the waiters in this restaurant are ordinary people who haven't practiced martial arts. However, there are a few tables on this third floor that are quite extraordinary."

Grand Eunuch Liu smiled calmly, "Thinking of the worst-case scenario, this place is only half an incense stick's journey from Qingma Post. Cavalry can arrive in an instant. Besides, I believe the Beiliang spies secretly keeping watch won't be useless decorations. Let's just drink; there's no need to worry."

The cautious Grand Eunuch Ma still harbored some concerns, but the open-minded Grand Eunuch Song already shouted, "Drink, drink! Brother Qian, later you must taste the Shuhua Great Wine from my hometown. That flavor... I've been yearning for it for half a lifetime!"

The six pots of renowned wines were quickly brought up. The young waiter, having received a tip, even took the liberty of bringing two extra jars of premium "Green Ant" wine from the restaurant, as it was at someone else's expense, so he felt no pain.

Compared to the calm and unbothered Grand Eunuch Liu, the Director of the Bureau of Eunuchs, and the carefree Grand Eunuch Song, the Steward of the Bureau, Commander Qian of the Imperial Forest Army, who had experienced both the martial world and battlefields, was much more circumspect. After all, he bore the responsibility for the safety of three high-ranking eunuchs. To put it mildly, if any elder eunuch qualified to wear python robes suffered a mishap, his career in Taian City would be over. To put it more seriously, if an uncontrollable incident truly occurred, he, Qian, along with his entire family and even his patrons, would face severe consequences. Therefore, what seemed like an impromptu drinking session was, for this commander who wore a royal gilded ceremonial saber at his waist, a constant vigil, observing all directions and listening intently. For instance, after ascending to the third floor, although each private room was shielded by screens, there were still sufficient gaps between them. The two tables near the stairs were unremarkable, appearing to be ordinary patrons, each accompanied by alluring young women with the scent of the street, evidently courtesans invited from the brothel next door. However, the three tables to their left, right, and opposite were home to hidden talents. At the table to Grand Eunuch Liu's left, behind a Shu embroidery screen, sat four people, all with long, steady breaths. One young woman was exceptionally beautiful. Especially the middle-aged man opposite her, who, even while raising his cup to drink, kept one hand on his saber hilt. His aura was formidable. Even though Commander Qian had only cast a fleeting glance, this swordsman, whose back was to him at the time, instantly reacted subtly. While he didn't turn or draw his saber, the hand beneath the table clearly changed from caressing the hilt to gripping it tightly. Therefore, to avoid further complications, Commander Qian simply gave up on scrutinizing the other two men.

At the table to Grand Eunuch Liu's right, behind a jade "Mountains and Seas" screen, sat six men and three women of vastly different ages, with various weapons openly placed on the table or hanging on wooden racks. They seemed like several martial allies or sects traveling together, likely to gain reputation and experience for their younger disciples, a common sight in the Central Plains martial world. Their conversation mostly revolved around martial anecdotes, and at that moment, they were discussing the deeds of the Purple-Robed Alliance Leader of Huishan, specifically the widely circulated legend that on a snowy night late last winter, Xuanyuan Qingfeng achieved enlightenment on longevity while observing the snow by the cliff edge of Daxueping. This made Commander Qian feel a sense of relief.

What truly troubled him was the table directly opposite Grand Eunuch Liu, which was also the real reason Commander Qian chose to sit opposite Grand Eunuch Liu. Separated by two screens, twenty paces away, sat a middle-aged couple at a table. The man carried an aura of the battlefield that Commander Qian knew all too well. The woman, whose gloomy profile he could only glimpse, was plain in appearance but exuded an extremely cold and fierce aura. The rogue aura she subtly emitted was completely different from that of ordinary martial arts masters. The latter typically engaged in friendly duels for reputation, but she would undoubtedly strike to kill.

When the drinking was well underway, two more groups almost simultaneously ascended the stairs. The first group, coincidentally, were the young heroes and heroines who had flown across the Longju River ferry. For some unknown reason, everyone had complex expressions, a mix of awe and excitement, as if they had seen a ghost in broad daylight. Strangely, these young people had also changed their clothes; they even bathed and changed before drinking. Commander Qian, a master of martial arts, had assessed their strength. Although he found it a bit strange, he didn't ponder it deeply. Although he knew it would be difficult to reach the first-rank Vajra realm in this lifetime, among second-rank martial masters, especially against those martial arts grandmasters outside the battlefield, he wouldn't claim to be unrivaled in the world at his level. Still, he was very confident that if it came to a one-on-one fight, he would be the sole survivor. One should know that even Gu Jiantang, the undisputed greatest swordsman in the world, had once admired the saber techniques of him, a mere Imperial Forest Army Captain. If he hadn't been promoted to deputy commander by the court at that time, he might have followed Grand Pillar General Gu to Liangliao and returned to the frontier battlefield.

As for the second group, three men and two women, the young man had the swagger of a martial artist eager for the world to know him, which didn't impress Commander Qian. But the next four individuals made him increasingly apprehensive, one by one. The blind woman beside the "young hero" carried a zither. Behind her, a taciturn middle-aged man carried a sword box on his back, and his sword qi was extremely potent, even though he was clearly suppressing it. Behind him, a couple walked side-by-side. The young woman was incredibly striking, with a voluptuous and alluring figure, dressed in colorful tie-dye clothing. Small, delicate silver bells adorned her wrists and ankles, their tinkling preceding her appearance. A curved short saber with a snow-white scabbard hung askew at her waist. Commander Qian, with his keen eye, instantly recognized it as the attire of the Miao people from the Hundred Thousand Mountains in the Southwest. She simply linked arms with the short, stout man beside her, her eyes and brows filled with undisguised pride, as if her man was the foremost hero in the world. In her presence, the otherwise unremarkable middle-aged man stood out. He wore a linen cross-collared short shirt, a blue head wrap, and white leg wraps on his shins.

One wave had not settled before another arose. Commander Qian's heart, which was already in his throat, almost leaped out.

Before half a cup of wine was finished, another young woman, surrounded by attendants, arrived on the second floor. Four individuals, identified as her escorts, followed her.

Commander Qian's face turned ashen after diverting his gaze. What kind of woman could afford to hire four top experts, each at least a second-rank martial master, as retainers?

Thus, this small restaurant had unexpectedly become a place where masters were as common as stray dogs.

Even Commander Qian, accustomed to major events, began to sweat profusely.

Grand Eunuch Liu calmly asked, "Is there trouble?"

Commander Qian gave a wry smile, "Not necessarily, but if a conflict erupts, it will definitely be a massive problem—one that even an emergency deployment of one or two thousand cavalry might not be able to quell."

Grand Eunuch Liu waved his hand, dismissing it with a smile, "As long as this is Beiliang, that's enough."

At that moment, Commander Qian truly looked at Grand Eunuch Liu, Director of the Bureau of Eunuchs, in a new light.

Outside the restaurant, now a swirling vortex of hidden powers, a young nobleman with a saber at his waist, leading a horse, suddenly stopped in the street.

His halt allowed the madam soliciting customers at the brothel entrance to see him clearly, and her eyes immediately lit up. The two flamboyantly dressed courtesans beside her were like hungry tigers eager to pounce, wanting to devour the seemingly down-and-out handsome young man, whose sleeves were still rolled up, on the spot.

The young man, lost in thought, seemed not to hear what the heavily perfumed madam was saying, and he allowed her to pull his arm towards the brothel.

He merely recalled many years ago, when he, Li Hanlin, Yan Chiji, and Kong Zhenrong, drank "flower wine" together. Back then, Li Hanlin always paid, using silver he had stolen from his father, who was notoriously stingy in Beiliang official circles. Each time, Li Hanlin seemed to be having his last night of pleasure before facing execution the next day. Yan Chiji, nicknamed "Strict Chicken Eater" back then, always seemed inhibited. No matter how many beauties surrounded him, it always looked as if he was the one being taken advantage of. And Kong Wuchi, that big, simpleton, went to the brothel every time as if on a rescue mission. As soon as he entered, he would declare his motto: "Which girl in the house hasn't had a client for the longest time? I'll pick her." So, whenever Kong Wuchi was present, the absurd scene of the most beautiful and the ugliest courtesans in the brothel appearing at the same table was guaranteed.

The young nobleman finally came to his senses and asked with a smile, "Your Highness, when drinking flower wine, can you avoid paying?"

The madam, her chest heaving with laughter, replied, "This young master loves to joke! Even if the Prince himself came, he'd still have to pay!"

The young nobleman, who had been dragged a few steps, stopped. Still holding his horse with one hand, he said with a bitter expression, "Then I won't go in."

The aging brothel madam cast a charming glare, "Young master, you're not being honest. Daring to walk the streets with a saber like that, and you claim to have no money? I can promise you this: even if you don't have a single copper coin on you, it's fine. You can owe us."

Just as the young nobleman seemed to be in a moment of internal struggle, an unassuming man abruptly appeared beside them, trying his best to conceal the excitement in his voice as he whispered, "Second-class room, Earth Character Sixteen. There's an urgent matter to report."

The young man nodded, subtly freed himself from the three courtesans' arms, offered them an apologetic smile, and then led his horse forward.

The young man turned to look at the Fushui Chamber elite spy, whose eyes glowed with fervor. "Is there an unexpected situation?"

The spy gravely replied, "We just discovered an attempt to assassinate the three eunuchs from the Bureau of Eunuchs. Had I not discovered Your Highness's whereabouts and taken the liberty of making an on-the-spot decision, I would have already used the Qingma Post's secret military token to mobilize the garrison into the city."

At this point, the spy, who held a not insignificant position in the Beiliang Fushui Chamber, bowed his head and said, "I beg Your Highness's forgiveness."

The young man chuckled teasingly, "As expected of someone from the Fushui Chamber, just like Chu Lushan. Why ask for forgiveness? It's more like asking for commendation."

The Fushui Chamber spy, responsible for intelligence in Beian Town, was visibly flustered. After a brief moment of disorientation, he quickly and methodically reported the detailed situation to the young man leading the horse.

The young man was indeed the young Prince, Xu Fengnian. After listening, he nodded, "You don't need to get involved in this matter further. I will handle it myself."

Just as the spy was about to acknowledge the order and turn to leave, Xu Fengnian said in a deep voice, "You've worked hard."

The Fushui Chamber spy paused, seeming to want to say something, but ultimately said nothing. He grinned and then quietly departed.

Xu Fengnian slowly led his horse towards the restaurant.