Chapter 261 Similarities
After the group finished their tea, Lin Changning shared the three bags of mung bean cakes with everyone, then boarded the carriage and slowly walked towards the city gate of Luoyang.
Perhaps because the checks here are stricter than in other places in the capital, Lin Changning stood beside the carriage, and Mr. Gao Huan handed over the travel permit with both hands, the one given by the Yuan family.
The guard glanced at the Yuan family's travel permit, then looked at the convoy behind them, and suddenly asked, "If I remember correctly, isn't this the Yuan family's travel permit? You guys look unfamiliar."
Mr. Gao Huan chuckled and said, “We are from the Lin family business. We happen to have some connections with the Yuan family. My young master is here in the capital for the first time to do business. Please do us a favor.”
As Mr. Gao Huan spoke, he quickly stuffed a silver ingot worth about 10 taels into the soldier's hand.
The soldier calmly grasped the silver ingot, then a smile suddenly bloomed on his face: "So you are the young master of the Lin Family Trading Company. My apologies for not recognizing you sooner. It's good that you're entering the city now. There's a big market tonight. If you have anything to sell, you can find a stall in the north of the city, pay some silver, and sell it directly at the market."
Mr. Gao thanked him, turned and got into the carriage, and the soldier waved for him to come over.
Lin Changning sat in the carriage, waiting for Mr. Gao Huan to return.
"Uncle Gao, shall we go straight to Zhenwei Pavilion later?"
Mr. Gao Huan nodded: "Yes, that's right. Let's go to the second floor and find Yue Ji first, and then we'll make plans for the rest. The soldiers guarding the gate just said there's a big market tonight, and the fruits and vegetables that were delivered recently can be sold cheaply tonight."
Lin Changning nodded: "Then let's go to Zhenwei Pavilion first."
After saying this, Lin Changning lifted the curtain and looked outside, pretending to casually glance around. He seemed to be observing the shops and vendors around him, but in reality, he was checking to see if anyone was following them after they entered the city.
After observing for a week and finding nothing unusual, Lin Changning drew the curtain and shook his head slightly at Mr. Gao Huan.
Mr. Gao Huan breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they weren't being watched when they entered the city, their actions in the capital would be much easier.
After about the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, the carriage stopped directly in front of a restaurant.
Lin Changning got out of the carriage first, glanced back at Mr. Gao Huan, and helped him down from the carriage.
The servant at the door was about to step forward when he saw the two of them. He greeted them with a beaming smile: "Oh, young master, we've been waiting for you. The letter said you wouldn't arrive for several more days. We didn't expect you to arrive so soon. Come on, master, Mr. Gao, come in quickly. The private room on the second floor has been prepared and is just waiting for you."
Lin Changning raised an eyebrow slightly. The arrangement was indeed meticulous. He had never met this waiter before, yet he recognized him and Mr. Gao Huan after only one glance.
Presumably, it had been arranged long ago. Lin Changning nodded slightly to the waiter: "Lead the way."
The waiter exclaimed excitedly, bowed slightly, and gestured for Lin Changning and Mr. Gao Huan to come inside, while he led the two of them a step ahead towards the second floor.
As he walked, he turned his head to look at the accountant at the door. The accountant was working on an abacus. When he saw Lin Changning, he bowed slightly and said, "May the young master be well."
Lin Changning nodded slightly and led Mr. Gao Huan upstairs. When they reached the second floor, they were introduced to a private room on the far side by a waiter.
Although it was located at the far side, the space was quite large. After the waiter led the group in, he couldn't help but begin to introduce the room: "Knowing that the master appreciates literature, this Listening Pine Pavilion was reserved a long time ago. The screen features the Four Gentlemen: plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. The cabinet over there displays poems and songs that have been popular in the capital in recent years, all carefully selected. I wonder if they will meet the young master's standards? This is the dining area. Please wait a moment, young master and sir. Soon, someone will bring over the dishes, all of which are the specialties of our Zhenwei Pavilion. The young master will be staying at the Listening Pine Pavilion tonight, and sir's room is right next door. Sir, would you like to come with me to take a look?"
Lin Changning looked around the rather elegant room and nodded in satisfaction. Although she was not very knowledgeable about poetry and literature, she could tell from her aesthetic sense that the room had been carefully decorated. The wooden windows were carved with flowers, birds, insects and fish, the screen was obviously a high-end piece, and there were valuable gauze curtains between the bed curtains.
This place must be quite expensive to stay in for one night.
Mr. Gao Huan listened to what the waiter said and looked at Lin Changning: "Young master, I will go with him to take a look first and come back in a while. Young master, you have traveled a long way, please rest for a while."
Lin Changning nodded at Mr. Gao Hua.
He sat in a rocking chair next to the octagonal table, rocked for a while, and then, feeling bored, casually pulled out a book of poetry and prose from the shelf and started reading.
However, Lin Changning only glanced at it a few times before losing interest; as a martial artist, he wasn't particularly interested in such things.
Bored, Lin Changning pushed open the window and leaned against it, looking down at the bustling crowd outside. There were peddlers, vendors, and many other people selling their wares.
Lin Changning stood by the window, enjoying the breeze. Looking down, he saw a beautiful young woman wearing a cone-shaped hat standing next to a stall selling hairpins and jewelry, seemingly carefully selecting something.
A chattering maidservant kept taking jewelry from her mistress and sticking it into her hair.
Seemingly noticing someone watching her, the girl suddenly turned her head, looked around, and then looked up sharply, meeting Lin Changning's gaze through the curtain.
Lin Changning nodded slightly to the person, and the girl also lowered her head slightly. The little maid turned her head and saw Lin Changning above her, and couldn't help but glare at her fiercely, as if she were some kind of lecher.
Not wanting to cause trouble, Lin Changning casually closed the window.
Miao Sangsang, standing outside, froze upon seeing Lin Changning's face. The maid beside her muttered incessantly, "That guy upstairs doesn't look like a good person at all. Peeping at Miss, utterly rude!!!"
Miao Sangsang shook her head: "Don't be rude!"
Although it wasn't very clear through the curtain, Miao Sangsang felt that the person who had just been standing on the second floor looked somewhat familiar.
I can't quite put my finger on where it feels familiar, but I feel like I've seen it somewhere before?
Miao Sangsang sighed, completely taken aback, and tugged at her maid: "Let's go, it's time to go back to the manor. If we don't go back soon, Grandmother will be getting impatient."
Miao Sangsang, who was halfway there, suddenly stopped, as if she remembered who the young man she had just met looked like.
The young man she just met bore a striking resemblance to Changqing, which is why he looked familiar to her.
Miao Sangsang paused for a moment, then tugged at the maid beside her: "Don't you think that young master just now looks a bit like Changqing?"
The maidservant thought about it carefully for a while and then nodded: "They do look somewhat alike, but that scoundrel is nowhere near as good-looking as Young Master Lin. He's obviously some spoiled brat from who-knows-where! All he has to offer is his face, humph!"
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